Works of John Bunyan Volume III Part 121

ATTEN. But what was that other villain addicted to; I mean young Badman's third companion.

WISE. Uncleanness; I told you before, but it seems you forgot.

ATTEN. Right, it was uncleanness. Uncleanness is also a filthy sin.

WISE. It is so; and yet it is one of the most reigning sins in our day.[27]

ATTEN. So they say, and that too among those that one would think had more wit, even among the great ones.

WISE. The more is the pity; for usually examples that are set by them that are great and chief, spread sooner, and more universally, than do the sins of other men; yea, and when such men are at the head in transgressing, sin walks with a bold face through the land. As Jeremiah saith of the prophets, so may it be said of such, 'From them is profaneness gone forth into all the land': that is, with bold and audacious face (Jer 23:15).

ATTEN. But pray let us return again to Mr. Badman and his companions.

You say one of them was very vile in the commission of uncleanness.

WISE. Yes, so I say; not but that he was a drunkard and also thievish, but he was most arch in this sin of uncleanness: this roguery was his masterpiece, for he was a ringleader to them all in the beastly sin of wh.o.r.edom. He was also best acquainted with such houses where they were, and so could readily lead the rest of his gang unto them. The strumpets also, because they knew this young villain, would at first discover themselves in all their whorish pranks to those that he brought with him.

ATTEN. That is a deadly thing: I mean, it is a deadly thing to young men, when such beastly queens shall, with words and carriages that are openly tempting, discover themselves unto them; it is hard for such to escape their snare.

WISE. That is true, therefore the wise man's counsel is the best: 'Come not nigh the door of her house' (Prov 5:8). For they are, as you say, very tempting, as is seen by her in the Proverbs. 'I looked,' says the wise man, 'through my cas.e.m.e.nt, and behold among the simple ones I discerned a young man void of understanding, pa.s.sing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. And, behold, there met him a women with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart; she is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house; now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner. So she caught him, and kissed him, and, with an impudent face, said unto him, I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves' (Prov 7:6-18). Here was a bold beast. And, indeed, the very eyes, hands, words, and ways of such, are all snares and bands to youthful, l.u.s.tful fellows.

And with these was young Badman greatly snared.

ATTEN. This sin of uncleanness is mightily cried out against both by Moses, the prophets, Christ, and his apostles; and yet, as we see, for all that, how men run headlong to it!

WISE. You have said the truth, and I will add, that G.o.d, to hold men back from so filthy a sin, has set such a stamp of his indignation upon it, and commanded such evil effects to follow it, that, were not they that use it bereft of all fear of G.o.d, and love to their own health, they could not but stop and be afraid to commit it.

For besides the eternal d.a.m.nation that doth attend such in the next world, for these have no 'inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of G.o.d' (Eph 5:5), the evil effects thereof in this world are dreadful.

ATTEN. Pray show me some of them, that as occasion offereth itself, I may show them to others for their good.

WISE. So I will. 1. It bringeth a man, as was said of the sin before, to want and poverty; 'For by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread' (Prov 6:26). The reason is, for that a wh.o.r.e will not yield without hire; and men, when the devil and l.u.s.t is in them, and G.o.d and his fear far away from them, will not stick, so they may accomplish their desire, to lay their signet, their bracelets, and their staff to pledge, rather than miss of the fulfilling of their l.u.s.ts (Gen 38:18). 2. Again, by this sin men diminish their strength, and bring upon themselves, even upon the body a mult.i.tude of diseases. This King Lemuels'

mother warned him of. 'What, my son?' said she, 'and what the son of my womb? And what the son of my vows? Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings' (Prov 31:2,3). This sin is destructive to the body. Give me leave to tell you another story. I have heard of a great man that was a very unclean person, and he had lived so long in that sin that he had almost lost his sight. So his physicians were sent for, to whom he told his disease; but they told him that they could do him no good, unless he would forbear his women. Nay then, said he, farewell sweet sight. Whence observe, that this sin, as I said, is destructive to the body; and also, that some men be so in love therewith, that they will have it, though it destroy their body.[28]

ATTEN. Paul says also, that he that sins this sin, sins against his own body. But what of that? He that will run the hazard of eternal d.a.m.nation of his soul, but he will commit this sin, will for it run the hazard of destroying his body. If young Badman feared not the d.a.m.nation of his soul, do you think that the consideration of impairing of his body would have deterred him therefrom?

WISE. You say true. But yet, methinks, there are still such bad effects follow, often upon the commission of it, that if men would consider them, it would put, at least, a stop to their career therein.

ATTEN. What other evil effects attend this sin?

WISE. Outward shame and disgrace, and that in these particulars:--

First, There often follows this foul sin the foul disease, now called by us the pox. A disease so nauseous and stinking, so infectious to the whole body, and so entailed to this sin, that hardly are any common with unclean women, but they have more or less a touch of it to their shame.

ATTEN. That is a foul disease indeed! I knew a man once that rotted away with it; and another that had his nose eaten off, and his mouth almost quite sewed up thereby.

WISE. It is a disease, that where it is it commonly declares that the cause thereof is uncleanness. It declares to all that behold such a man, that he is an odious, a beastly, unclean person. This is that strange punishment that Job speaks of, that is appointed to seize on these workers of iniquity (Job 31:1-3).

ATTEN. Then it seems you think, that the strange punishment that Job there speaks of should be the foul disease.

WISE. I have thought so indeed, and that for this reason. We see that this disease is entailed, as I may say, to this most beastly sin, nor is there any disease so entailed to any other sin as this to this. That this is the sin to which the strange punishment is entailed, you will easily perceive when you read the text. 'I made a covenant with mine eyes,' said Job, 'why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of G.o.d is there,' for that sin, 'from above, and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?'

And then he answers himself: 'Is not destruction to the wicked, and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?' This strange punishment is the pox. Also, I think that this foul disease is that which Solomon intends when he saith, speaking of this unclean and beastly creature, 'A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away' (Prov 6:33). A punishment Job calls it; a wound and dishonour Solomon calls it; and they both do set it as a remark upon this sin; Job calling it a 'strange punishment,' and Solomon a 'reproach that shall not be wiped away,'

from them that are common in it.

ATTEN. What other things follow upon the commission of this beastly sin?

WISE. Why, oftentimes it is attended with murder, with the murder of the babe begotten on the defiled bed. How common it is for the b.a.s.t.a.r.d-getter and b.a.s.t.a.r.d-bearer to consent together to murder their children, will be better known at the day of judgment, yet something is manifest now.

I will tell you another story. An ancient man, one of mine acquaintance, a man of good credit in our country, had a mother that was a midwife, who was mostly employed in laying great persons.

To this woman's house, upon a time, comes a brave young gallant on horseback, to fetch her to lay a young lady. So she addresses herself to go with him, wherefore he takes her up behind him, and away they ride in the night. Now they had not rid far, but the gentleman lit of his horse, and, taking the old midwife in his arms from the horse, turned round with her several times, and then set her up again, then he got up and away they went till they came at a stately house, into which he had her, and so into a chamber where the young lady was in her pains. He then bid the midwife do her office, and she demanded help, but he drew out his sword, and told her if she did not make speed to do her office without, she must look for nothing but death. Well, to be short, this old midwife laid the young lady, and a fine sweet babe she had. Now there was made in a room hard by a very great fire; so the gentleman took up the babe, went and drew the coals from the stock, cast the child in and covered it up, and there was an end of that. So when the midwife had done her work he paid her well for her pains, but shut her up in a dark room all day, and when night came took her up behind him again, and carried her away till she came almost at home, then he turned her round and round as he did before, and had her to her house, set her down, bid her farewell, and away he went, and she could never tell who it was. This story the midwife's son, who was a minister, told me, and also protested that his mother told it him for a truth.

ATTEN. Murder doth often follow indeed, as that which is the fruit of this sin. But sometimes G.o.d brings even these adulterers and adulteresses to shameful ends. I heard of one, I think a doctor of physic, and his wh.o.r.e, who had three or four b.a.s.t.a.r.ds betwixt them and had murdered them all, but at last themselves were hanged for it, in or near to Colchester. It came out after this manner,--the wh.o.r.e was so afflicted in her conscience about it that she could not be quiet until she had made it known. Thus G.o.d many times makes the actors of wickedness their own accusers, and brings them, by their own tongues, to condign punishment for their own sins.

WISE. There has been many such instances, but we will let that pa.s.s. I was once in the presence of a woman, a married woman, that lay sick of the sickness whereof she died, and being smitten in her conscience for the sin of uncleanness, which she had often committed with other men, I heard her, as she lay upon her bed, cry out thus, I am a wh.o.r.e, and all my children are b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, and I must go to h.e.l.l for my sin, and look, there stands the devil at my bed's feet to receive my soul when I die.

ATTEN. These are sad stories, tell no more of them now, but if you please show me yet some other of the evil effects of this beastly sin.

WISE. This sin is such a snare to the soul, that, unless a miracle of grace prevents, it unavoidably perishes in the enchanting and bewitching pleasures of it. This is manifest by these and such like texts--'The adulteress will hunt for the precious life' (Prov 6:26). 'Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding.

He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul' (Prov 6:32). 'A wh.o.r.e is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit' (Prov 23:27).

'Her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

None that go under her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life' (Prov 2:18,19). 'She hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to h.e.l.l, going down to the chambers of death' (Prov 7:26,27).

ATTEN. These are dreadful sayings, and do show the dreadful state of those that are guilty of this sin.

WISE. Verily so they do. But yet that which makes the whole more dreadful is, that men are given up to this sin because they are abhorred of G.o.d, and because abhorred, therefore they shall fall into the commission of it, and shall live there. 'The mouth,' that is, the flattering lips, 'of strange women is a deep pit, he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein' (Prov 22:14). Therefore it saith again of such, that they have none 'inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of G.o.d' (Eph 5:5).

ATTEN. Put all together, and it is a dreadful thing to live and die in this transgression.

WISE. True, but suppose that instead of all these judgments this sin had attending of it all the felicities of this life, and no bitterness, shame, or disgrace mixed with it, yet one hour in h.e.l.l will spoil all. O! This h.e.l.l, h.e.l.l-fire, d.a.m.nation in h.e.l.l, it is such an inconceivable punishment that, were it but thoroughly believed, it would nip this sin, with others, in the head. But here is the mischief, those that give up themselves to these things do so harden themselves in unbelief and atheism about the things, the punishments that G.o.d hath threatened to inflict upon the committers of them, that at last they arrive to almost an absolute and firm belief that there is no judgment to come hereafter; else they would not, they could not, no not attempt to commit this sin by such abominable language as some do.

I heard of one that should say to his miss when he tempted her to the committing of this sin, If thou wilt venture thy body I will venture my soul. And I myself heard another say, when he was tempting of a maid to commit uncleanness with him--it was in Oliver's days--that if she did prove with child he would tell her how she might escape punishment--and that was then somewhat severe--Say, saith he, when you come before the judge, that you are with child by the Holy Ghost. I heard him say thus, and it greatly afflicted me; I had a mind to have accused him for it before some magistrate, but he was a great man, and I was poor and young, so I let it alone, but it troubled me very much.

ATTEN. It was the most horrible thing that ever I heard in my life. But how far off are these men from that spirit and grace that dwelt in Joseph (Gen 39:10).

WISE. Right; when Joseph's mistress tempted him, yea, tempted him daily, yea, she laid hold on him and said, with her wh.o.r.e's forehead, Come, 'lie with me,' but he refused; he hearkened not to lie with her or to be with her. Mr. Badman would have taken the opportunity.

And a little to comment upon this of Joseph. 1. Here is a miss, a great miss, the wife of the captain of the guard, some beautiful dame I'll warrant you. 2. Here is a miss won, and in her whorish affections come over to Joseph without his speaking of a word. 3.

Here is her unclean desire made known, Come, 'lie with me,' said she. 4. Here was a fit opportunity, there was none of the men of the house there within. 5. Joseph was a young man, full of strength, and therefore the more in danger to be taken. 6. This was to him a temptation from her that lasted days. 7. And yet Joseph refused, (1.) Her daily temptation; (2.) Her daily solicitation; (3.) Her daily provocation, heartily, violently, and constantly. For when she got him by the garment, saying, 'Lie with me,' he left his garment in her hand and gat him out. Ay, and although contempt, treachery, slander, accusation, imprisonment, and danger of death followed--for a wh.o.r.e careth not what mischief she does when she cannot have her end--yet Joseph will not defile himself, sin against G.o.d, and hazard his own eternal salvation.

ATTEN. Blessed Joseph! I would thou hadst more fellows!

WISE. Mr. Badman has more fellows than Joseph, else there would not be so many wh.o.r.es as there are; for though I doubt not but that that s.e.x is bad enough this way, yet I verily believe that many of them are made wh.o.r.es at first by the flatteries of Badman's fellows. Alas! there is many a woman plunged into this sin at first even by promises of marriage. I say by these promises they are flattered, yea, forced into a consenting to these villainies, and so being in, and growing hardened in their hearts, they at last give themselves up, even as wicked men do, to act this kind of wickedness with greediness.[29] But Joseph you see, was of another mind, for the fear of G.o.d was in him.

I will, before I leave this, tell you here two notable stories; and I wish Mr. Badman's companions may hear of them. They are found in Clark's Looking-gla.s.s for Sinners; and are these:--Mr. Cleaver, says Mr. Clark, reports of one whom he knew that had committed the act of uncleanness, whereupon he fell into such horror of conscience that he hanged himself, leaving it thus written in a paper:--'Indeed,'

saith he, 'I do acknowledge it to be utterly unlawful for a man to kill himself, but I am bound to act the magistrate's part, because the punishment of this sin is death.'

Clark doth also, in the same page, make mention of two more, who, as they were committing adultery in London, were immediately struck dead with fire from heaven, in the very act. Their bodies were so found, half burned up, and sending out a most loathsome savour.

ATTEN. These are notable stories indeed.

WISE. So they are, and I suppose they are as true as notable.