young, are rather by vertue of Indwelling sin, than by examples that are set before them by others. Not but that they learn to sin by example too, but Example is not the root, but rather the Temptation unto wickedness. The root is sin within; for from within, out of the heart of man proceedeth sin. [20a] [20b]
Wise. I am glad to hear that you are of this opinion, and to confirm what you have said by a few hints from the Word. Man in his birth is compared to an Ass, (an unclean Beast) and to a wretched Infant in its blood: besides, all the first-born of old that were offered unto the Lord, were to be redeemed at the age of a month, and that was before they were sinners by imitation. The Scripture also affirmeth, [21a] that by the sin of one, Judgement came upon all; and renders this reason, for that all have sinned: nor is that Objection worth a rush, That Christ by his death hath taken away Original Sin. First, Because it is Scriptureless. Secondly, Because it makes them incapable of Salvation by Christ; for none but those that in their own Persons are sinners, are to have Salvation by him. Many other things might be added, but between persons so well agreed as you and I are, these may suffice at present: but when an Antagonist comes to deal with us about this matter, then we have for him often other strong Arguments, if he be an Antagonist worth the taking notice of. [21b]
Atten. But, as was hinted before, he used to be the Ring-leading Sinner, or the Master of mischief among other children; yet these are but Generals; pray therefore tell me in Particular which were the sins of his Childhood.
Wise. I will so. When he was but a Child, he was so addicted to Lying, [21c] that his Parents scarce knew when to believe he spake true; yea, he would invent, tell, and stand to the Lyes that he invented and told, and that with such an audacious face, that one might even read in his very countenance the symptoms of an hard and desperate heart this way.
Atten. This was an ill beginning indeed, and argueth that he began to harden himself in sin betimes. For a lye cannot be knowingly told and stood in, (and I perceive that this was his manner of way in Lying) but he must as it were force his own heart into it. Yea, he must make his heart [21d] hard, and bold to doe it: Yea, he must be arrived to an exceeding pitch of wickedness thus to doe, since all this he did against that good education, that before you seemed to hint, he had from his Father and Mother.
Wise. The want of good Education, as you have intimated, is many times a cause why Children doe so easily, so soon, become bad; especially when there is not only a want of that, but bad Examples enough, as, the more is the pity, there is in many Families; by vertue of which poor Children are trained up in Sin, and nursed therein for the Devil and Hell. But it was otherwise with Mr. Badman, for to my knowledge, this his way of Lying, was a great grief to his Parents, for their hearts were much dejected at this beginning of their Son; nor did there want Counsel and Correction from them to him, if that would have made him better. He wanted not to be told, in my hearing, and that over and over and over, That all Lyars should have their part in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone; and that whosoever loveth and maketh a lye, should not have any part in the new and heavenly Jerusalem: [22a] But all availed nothing with him; when a fit, or an occasion to lie, came upon him, he would invent, tell, and stand to his Lie (as steadfastly as if it had been the biggest of truths,) that he told, and that with that hardening of his heart and face, that it would be to those that stood by, a wonder. Nay, and this he would doe when under the rod of correction which is appointed by God for Parents to use, that thereby they might keep their Children from Hell. [22b]
Atten. Truly it was, as I said, a bad beginning, he served the Devil betimes; yea he became a Nurse to one of his [22c] Brats, for a spirit of Lying is the Devils Brat, [22d] for he is a Liar and the Father of it.
Wise. Right, he is the Father of it indeed. A Lie is begot by the Devil, as the Father, and is brought forth by the wicked heart, as the Mother: wherefore another Scripture also saith, Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye, [22e] &c. Yea, he calleth the heart that is big with a lye, an heart that hath Conceived, that is, by the Devil. Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart, thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. True, his lye was a lye of the highest nature, but every lye hath the [22f] same Father and Mother as had the lie last spoken of. For he is a lier, and the Father of it. A lie then is the Brat of Hell, and it cannot [23a] be in the heart before the person has committed a kind of spiritual Adultery with the Devil. That Soul therefore that telleth a known lie, has lien with, and conceived it by lying with the Devil, the only Father of lies. For a lie has only one Father and Mother, the Devil and the Heart. No marvel therefore if the hearts that hatch and bring forth Lies, be so much of complexion with the Devil. Yea, no marvel though God and Christ have so bent their Word against lyers: a lyer is weded to the Devil himself.
Atten. It seems a marvellous thing in mine eyes, that since a lye is the Offspring of the devill, and since a lye brings the soul to the very den of Devils, to wit, the dark dungeon of hell; that men should be so desperately wicked as to accustom themselves to so horrible a thing.
Wise. It seems also marvellous to me, specially when I observe for how little a matter some men will study, contrive, make and tell a lye. You shall have some that will lye it over and over, and that for a peny [23b] profit. Yea, lye and stand in it, although they know that they lye: yea, you shall have some men that will not stick to tell lye after lye, though themselves get nothing thereby; They will tell lyes in their ordinary discourse with their Neighbours, also their News, their Jests, and their Tales must needs be adorned with lyes; or else they seem to bear no good sound to the ear, nor shew much to the fancie of him to whom they are told. But alas, what will these lyers doe, when, for their lyes they shall be tumbled down into hell, to that Devil that did beget those lyes in their heart, and so be tormented by fire and brimstone, with him, and that for ever and ever, for their lyes?
Atten. Can you not give one some example of Gods Judgements upon lyers, that one may tell them to lyers when one hears them lye, if perhaps they may by the hearing thereof, be made afraid, and ashamed to lye.
Wise. Examples! why, [23c] Saphira and his wife are examples enough to put a stop, one would think, to a spirit addicted thereto, for they both were stricken down dead for telling a lye, and that by God himself, in the midst of a company of people. But if Gods threatning of Liers with Hell-fire, and with the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven, will not prevail with them to leave off to lie and make lies, it cannot be imagined that a relation of temporal Judgements that have swept liers out of the World heretofore, should do it. Now, as I said, this Lying was one of the first sins that Mr. Badman was addicted to, and he could make them and tell them fearfully.
Atten. I am sorry to hear this of him, and so much the more because, as I fear, this sin did not reign in him [24a] alone; for usually one that is accustomed to lying, is also accustomed to other evils besides, and if it were not so also with Mr. Badman, it would be indeed a wonder.
Wise. You say true, the lier is a Captive slave of more than the spirit of lying: and therefore this Mr. Badman, as he was a lier from a Child, so he was also much given to [24b] pilfer and steal, so that what he could, as we say, handsomly lay his hands on, that was counted his own, whether they were the things of his fellow Children; or if he could lay hold of any thing at a Neighbours house, he would take it away; you must understand me of Trifles; for being let but a Child he attempted no great matter, especially at first. But yet as he grew up in strength and ripeness of wit, so he attempted to pilfer and steal things still of more value than at first. He took at last great pleasure in robbing of Gardens and Orchards; and as he grew up, to steal Pullen from the Neighbourhood: Yea, what was his [24c] Fathers, could not escape his fingers, all was Fish that came to his Net, so hardened, at last, was he in this mischief also.
Atten. You make me wonder more and more. What, play the Thief too! What play the Thief so soon! He could not but know, though he was but a Child, that what he took from others, was none of his own. Besides, if his Father was a good man, as you say, it could not be, but he must also hear from him, that to steal was to transgress the Law of God, and so to run the hazard of eternal Damnation.
Wise. His Father was not wanting to use the means to reclaim him, often urging, as I have been told, that saying in the Law of Moses, [24d] Thou shalt not steal: And also that, This is the Curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth, for every one that stealeth shall be cut off, &c. [25a] The light of Nature also,