selves. {67a} But mine honest neighbour, suppose that Mr. Badmans
Father had done as you say, and by so doing had driven his son to
ill courses, what had he bettered either himself or his son in so
doing?

Atten. That's true, but it doth not follow, that if the Father had
done as I said, the son would have done as you suppose. But if he
had done as you have supposed, what had he done worse than what he
hath done already? {67b}

Wise. He had done bad enough, that's true. But suppose his Father
had given him no Money, and suppose that young Badman had taken a
pett thereat, and in an anger had gone beyond Sea, and his Father
had neither seen him, nor heard of him more. Or suppose that of a
mad and headstrong stomach he had gone to the High-way for money,
and so had brought himself to the Gallows, and his Father and
Family to great contempt, or if by so doing he had not brought
himself to that end, yet he had added to all his wickedness, such
and such evils besides: And what comfort could his Father have had
in this?

Besides, when his Father had done for him what he could, with
desire to make him an honest man, he would then, whether his son
had proved honest or no, have laid down his head with far more
peace, than if he had taken your Counsel.

Atten. Nay I think I should not a been forward to have given
advice in the cause; but truly you have given me such an account of
his vilianies, that the hearing thereof has made me angry with him.