Wise. It is worth our remark indeed. It was an open stroak, it fell upon him while he was in the height of his sin: And it looks much like to that in Job; Therefore he knoweth their works, and overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others: {142a} Or as the Margent reads it, in the place of beholders. He layes them with his stroak in the place of beholders. There was {142b} Mr. Badman laid, his stroak was taken notice of by every one: his broken legg was at this time the Town-talk. Mr. Badman has broken his legg, sayes one: How did he break it? sayes another: As he came home drunk from such an Ale-house, said a third; A Judgment of God upon him, said a fourth. This his sin, his shame, and punishment, are all made conspicuous to all that are about him. I will here tell you another story or two.
I have read in Mr. Clark’s Looking-glass for Sinners; {142c} That upon a time, a certain drunken fellow boasted in his Cups, that there was neither Heaven nor Hell; also he said, He believed, that man had no Soul, and that for his own part, he would sell his soul to any that would buy it. Then did one of his companions buy it of him for a cup of Wine; and presently the Devil in mans shape bought it of that man again at the same price; and so in the presence of them all laid hold on this Soul-seller, and carried him away through the Air, so that he was never more heard of.
In pag. 148, he tells us also: That there was one at Salisbury, in the midst of his health drinking and carousing in a Tavern; and he drank a health to the Devil, saying, That if the Devil would not come and pledge him, he would not believe that there was either God or Devil. Whereupon his companions stricken with fear, hastened out of the room: and presently after, hearing a hideous noise, and smelling a stinking savour, the Vintner ran up into the chamber; and coming in, he missed his Guest, and found the window broken, the Iron barr in it bowed, and all bloody: But the man was never heard of afterwards.
Again, in pag. 149. he tells us of a Bailiff of Hedly: Who upon a Lords Day being drunk at Melford, got upon his horse, to ride through the streets, saying, That his horse would carry him to the Devil: and presently his horse threw him, and broke his neck. These things are worse than the breaking of Mr. Badmans Leg, and should be a caution to all of his friends that are living, lest they also fall by their sin into these sad Judgements of God.
But, as I said, Mr. Badman quickly forgot all, his conscience was choaked, before his legg was healed. And therefore, before he was well of the fruit of one sin, he tempts God to send another Judgment to seize upon him: And so he did quickly after. For not many months after his legg was well, he had a very dangerous fit of sickness, insomuch that now he began to think he must dye in very deed. {143a}
Atten. Well, and what did he think and do then?
Wise. He thought he must go to Hell; this I know, for he could not forbear but say so. {143b} To my best remembrance, he lay crying out all one night for fear, and at times he would so tremble, that he would make the very bed shake under him. {143c} But, Oh! how the thoughts of Death, of Hell-fire, and of eternal Judgment, did then wrack his conscience. Fear might be seen in his face, and in his tossings to and fro: It might also be heard in his words, and be understood by his heavy groans. He would often cry, I am undone, I am undone; my vile life has undone me.
Atten. Then his former atheistical thoughts and principles, were too weak now to support him from the fears of eternal damnation.