Atten. This argueth that Mr. Badman had but little conscience.

Wise. This argued that Mr. Badman had No Conscience at all; for
Conscience, the least spark of a good Conscience cannot endure
this.

Atten. Before we go any further in Mr. Badmans matters, let me
desire you, if you please, to give me an answer to these two
questions. {96a}

1. What do you find in the Word of God against such a practice, as
this of Mr. Badmans is? {96b}

2. What would you have a man do that is in his Creditors debt, and
can neither pay him what be owes him, nor go on in a trade any
longer?

Wise. I will answer you as well as I can. And first to the first
of your questions. To wit, What I find in the Word of God against
such a practice, as this of Mr. Badmans is.

Answ. The Word of God doth forbid this wickedness; and to make it
the more odious in our eyes, it joyns it with Theft and Robbery:
Thou shalt not, says God, defraud thy neighbour, nor rob him. {96c}
Thou shalt not defraud, that is, deceive or beguile. Now thus to
break, is to defraud, deceive and beguile; which is, as you see,
forbidden by the God of Heaven: Thou shalt not defraud thy
neighbour, nor rob him. It is a kind of theft and robbery, thus to
defraud, and beguile. {96d} It is a wilely robbing of his shop,
and picking of his pocket: a thing odious to Reason and