Wise. Did he! yes, and after a while, went as boldly to her, {71c} and that under a Vizzard of Religion, as if he had been for Honesty and Godliness, one of the most sincere and upright-hearted in England. He observed all his points, and followed the advice of his Counsellers, and quickly obtained her too; for natural parts he had, he was tall, and fair, and had plain, but very good Cloaths on his back; and his Religion was the more easily attained; for he had seen something in the house of his Father, and first Master, and so could the more readily put himself into the Form and Shew thereof.
So he appointed his day, and went to her, as that he might easily do, for she had neither father nor mother to oppose. Well, when he was come, and had given her a civil Complement, {72a} to let her understand why he was come, then he began and told her, That he had found in his heart a great deal of love to her Person; and that, of all the Damosels in the world he had pitched upon her, if she thought fit, to make her his beloved wife. The reasons, as he told her, why he had pitched upon her were, her Religious and personal Excellencies; and therefore intreated her to take his condition into her tender and loving consideration. As for the world, quoth he, I have a very good trade, and can maintain my self and Family well, while my wife sits still on her seat; I have got thus, and thus much already, and feel money come in every day, but that is not the thing that I aim at, ’tis an honest and godly Wife. Then he would present her with a good Book or two, pretending how much good he had got by them himself. He would also be often speaking well of godly Ministers, especially of those that he perceived she liked, and loved most. Besides, he would be often telling of her, what a godly Father he had, and what a new man he was also become himself; and thus did this treacherous Dealer, deal with this honest and good Girl, to her great grief and sorrow, as afterward you shall hear.
Atten. But had the maid no friend to looke after her?
Wise. Her Father and Mother were dead, and that he knew well enough, and so she was the more easily overcome by his naughty lying tongue. But if she had never so many friends, she might have been beguiled by him. It is too much the custom of young people now, to think themselves wise enough to make their own Choyce, and that they need not ask counsel of those that are older and also wiser then they: {72b} but this is a great fault in them, and many of them have paid dear for it. Well, to be short, in little time Mr. Badman obtains his desire, {73a} gets this honest Girl and her money, is married to her, brings her home, makes a Feast, entertains her royally, but her Portion must pay for all.
Atten. This was wonderfull deceitfull doings, a man shall seldom hear of the like.
Wise. By this his doing, he shewed how little he feared God, {73b} and what little dread he had of his Judgments. For all this carriage, and all these words were by him premeditated evil, he knew he lyed, he knew he dissembled; yea, he knew that he made use of the name of God, of Religion, good Men, and good Books, but as a stalking-Horse, thereby the better to catch his game. In all this his glorious pretense of Religion, he was but a glorious painted Hypocrite, and hypocrisie is the highest sin that a poor carnal wretch can attain unto; it is also a sin that most dareth God, and that also bringeth the greater damnation. Now was he a whited Wall, now was he a painted Sepulchre; {73c} now was he a grave that appeared not; for this poor honest, godly Damosel, little thought that both her peace, and comfort, and estate, and liberty, and person, and all, were going to her burial, {73d} when she was going to be married to Mr. Badman; And yet so it was, she enjoyed her self but little afterwards; she was as if she was dead and buried, to what she enjoyed before.
Atten. Certainly some wonderfull Judgment of God must attend and overtake such wicked men as these.
Wise. You may be sure that they shall have Judgment to the full, for all these things, when the day of Judgment is come. But as for Judgment upon them in this life, it doth not alwayes come, no not upon those that are worthy thereof. They that tempt God are delivered, and they that work wickedness are set up: {73e} But they are reserved to the day of wrath, and then for their wickedness, God will repay them to their faces. {73f} The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath; who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done? yet shall he be brought to the grave, and remain in the tomb. {73g} That is, ordinarily they escape God’s hand in this life, save only a few Examples are made, that others may be cautioned, and take warning thereby: But at the day of Judgment they must be rebuked for their evil with the lashes of devouring fire.