The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3

o like himself. Thus the wicked joined hand

is heart's desire when he w

ad, but God gave i

How do

ays thus to such an one. Thou wicked one, thou lovest not me, my ways, nor my people; thou castest my law and good counsel behind thy back. Come, I will dispose of thee in my wrath; thou shalt be turned over to the u

so indeed; for he take them out of the hand of the just, and binds them up in the h

ose that are good.[30] 2. In bad families they have continually fresh examples, and also incitements to evil, and fresh encouragements to it too. Yea, moreover, in such places evil is commended, praised, well-spoken of, and they that do it are applauded; and this, to be sure, is a drowning judgment. 3. Such places are the very haunts and walks of the infernal spirits, who are continually poisoning the cogitations and minds of one or other in such families, that they may be able to poison others. Therefore observe it, usually in wicked families, some one or two are more arch for wickedness than are any other that are there. Now such are Satan's conduit pipes, for by them he con

see, that if they go from them, they be put into such families as be good, tha

children they receive. For a man may soon, by a bad boy, be damaged both in his name, estate, and family, and also hinder

a liar. But many times a man cannot help it; for such as at the beginning prom

p it, he may with the more confidence expect the blessing of God to fol

ell? I mean his last master, since they were birds of a f

but yet he would often fall out with young Badman, his servant,

bad himself! This is like the p

th young Badman; and, therefore, though his master and he did suit well enough in the main, yet in this and that point they differed. Young Badman was for neglecting of his master's business, for going to the whore-house, for beguiling of his master, for attempting to debauch his daught

orn, lied, cozened, cheated, and defrauded customers for his master-and indeed sometimes he did so-but had that bee

e read of in the Acts, and the distinction was as cle

would have been troubled at the loss of her, if he had not lost, with her, his gain? No, I'll warrant you; she might have gone to the devil for him; but 'when her masters saw that the hope

n it seems thou couldest not

not, and the reas

ondemn themselves in condemning

of others, themselves living and taking pleasure in the same, shall return with violence upon their own pates. The Lord pronounced judgment against Baasha, as for all his evils in general, so for this in special, b

dman run away from this master,

, for work, and time, he had better, and more by this master's allowance, than ever he had by his last; but all this would not content, because godliness was promoted there. He

reproof; wicked men both can and cannot abid

, than to be told of them after a godly sort. Besides, that last master would, when his passions and rage were over, laugh at and make merry with the sins of his servant Badman; and that would please young Badman well. Nothing offended Badman

s was hell

his trade: for by that he came out of his time, what with his own inclination to sin, what with his acquaintance with his three companions, and what with th

did live to come out of his

and he, like a loving and tender-hear

ow did he ca

ver himself to be base, for fear his father should take distaste, and so should refuse, or for a while forbear to give him money. Yet even then he would have his times, and companions, and the fill of his lusts with t