The Life and Death of Mr. Badman

Atten. What other sign can you give me that Mr. Badman died without repentance?

Atten. What other signe can you give me that Mr. Badman died without repentance?

Wise. Why,¹ he did never heartily cry to God for mercy all the time of his affliction. True, when sinking fits, stitches, or pains took hold upon him, then he would say as other carnal men use to do, Lord help me, Lord strengthen me, Lord deliver me, and the like: But to cry to God for mercy, that he did not, but lay, as I hinted ⟨p. 314⟩before, as if he never had sinned.

1. 13 Proof that he died impenitent.

Atten. That is another bad sign indeed; for crying to God for mercy, is one of the first signs of repentance. When Paul lay repenting of his sin, upon his bed, the Holy Ghost said of him,¹ Behold he prays. But he that hath not the first signs of repentance, 'tis a sign he hath none of the other, and so indeed none at all. I do not say, but there may be crying, where there may be no sign of repentance. They cried, says David, to the Lord, ²but he answered them not; but that he would have done, if their cry had been the fruit of repentance. But, I say, if men may cry and yet have no repentance, be sure, they have none, that cry not at all. It is said in Job,