Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of…

7. They mischief themselves and all they come near when let loose, and left to themselves: It is a property of madness to be mischievous: Fools throw fire-brands and say they are in sport: Thus unregenerate men delight in nothing but mischief, undoing their own souls, and the souls of all they have to do with as much as in them lies; they run themselves to everlasting ruin and destruction, and draw as many after them as they can, they will entice, allure, persuade others to be their companions, Pro. 1. 10. Cast in thy lot with us.

7. They mischief themselves and all they come near when let loose, and left to themselves: It is a property of madness to be mischievous: Fools throw fire-brands and say they are in sport: Thus unregenerate men delight in nothing but mischief, undoing their own souls, and the souls of all they have to do with as much as in them lyes; they run themselves to everlasting ruine and destruction, and draw as many after them as they can, they will entise, allure, perswade others to be their companions, Pro. 1. 10. Cast in thy lot with us.

8. They are most angry at those that endeavour to do them the most good: He that binds or stops a mad-man, though he loveth him, yet he vexeth him: he accounts them for his greatest enemies that would give him any hinderance in his mad pranks; it is as safe meeting a Bear robbed of her whelps, as standing in his way: Thus unrenewed men cannot bear to be told of their ways and courses, they will count a Paul their enemy if he tells them the truth; endeavour never so gently and compassionately to persuade them that they are going away from good, and bringing mischief upon their ⟨p. 144⟩own heads, it is the way to be ha•ed, back-bitten, reviled, and spitefully used by them: Ahab hates Micajah, and thinks he never prophesies good to him: And takes Elijah to be the troubler of Israel, because he reproved his wicked courses.