Atten. I thought something when I heard you make mention of it before. Thought I, this is a shrewd sign that he had not grace in his heart. Birds of a feather, thought I, will flock together: If this man was one of Gods children, he would heard with Gods children, his delight would be with, and in the company of Gods children. As David said, I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. {165b}
Wise. You say well, for what fellowship hath he that believeth with an Infidel? And although it be true, that all that joyn to the godly are not godly, yet they that shall inwardly choose the company of the ungodly and open profane, rather than the company of the godly, as Mr. Badman did; surely are not godly men, but profane. He was, as I told you, out of his element, when good men did come to visit him, but then he was where he would be, when he had his vain companions about him. Alas! grace, as I said, altereth all, heart, life, company, and all; for by it the heart and man is made new: and a new heart, a new man, must have objects of delight that are new, and like himself: Old things are passed away; Why? For all things are become new. {165c} Now if all things are become new, to wit, heart, mind, thoughts, desires, and delights, it followeth by consequence that the company must be answerable: hence it is said, That they that believed were together; that they went to their own company; that they were added to the Church; that they were of one heart and of one soul; {165d} and the like. Now if it be objected that Mr. Badman was sick, and so could not goe to the godly, yet he had a tongue in his head, and could, had he had an heart, have spoken to some to call or send for the godly to come to him. Yea, he would have done so; yea the company of all others, specially his fellow sinners, would, even in every appearance of them before him, have been a burden and a grief unto him. His heart and affection standing bent to good, good companions would have suited him best. But his Companions were his old Associates, his delight was in them, therefore his heart and soul were yet ungodly.
Atten. Pray how was he when he drew near his end? for I perceive that what you say of him now, hath reference to him, and to his actions, at the beginning of his sickness? Then he could endure company, and much talk; besides, perhaps then he thought he should recover and not die, as afterwards he had cause to think, when he was quite wasted with pining sickness, when he was at the graves mouth. But how was he, I say, when he was (as we say) at the graves mouth, within a step of death? when he saw, and knew, and could not but know, that shortly he must dye, and appear before the Judgment of God?
Wise. Why {166a} there was not any other alteration in him, than what was made by his disease upon his body: sickness, you know, will alter the body, also pains and stitches will make men groan; but for his mind he had no alteration there. His mind was the same, his heart was the same. He was the self-same Mr. Badman still: not onely in Name but Conditions, and that to the very day of his death: yea, so far as could be gathered to the very moment in which he died.
Atten. Pray how was he in his death? was Death strong upon him? or did he dye with ease, quietly?
Wise. As quietly as a {166b} Lamb. There seemed not to be in it, to standers by, so much as a strong struggle of Nature: and as for his Mind, it seemed to be wholly at quiet. But pray why do you ask me this question?
Atten. Not for mine own sake, but for others. For there is such {166c} an opinion as this among the ignorant: That if a man dies, as they call it, like a Lamb, that is, quietly, and without that consternation of mind that others shew in their death, they conclude, and that beyond all doubt, that such an one is gone to Heaven, and is certainly escaped the wrath to come.