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Farewel my little Benjamin, go out into the world and prosper: And the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush, Deut. 33.16. even the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob▪ Ex▪ ••.6. go along with thee: For otherwise Old Adam will prove too strong for Young Melanc••••on.
To such as for my great love, and no little cost, do hate me; and for using the like∣liest meanes to stop them in their way to destruction, do scoff, and traduce me.
Who so rewardeth evill for good, evill shall not depart from his house, Prov. 17.13. But▪
ARe you Christians? Or do you own him that made you, and that hath bestowed so many millions of mercies upon you? 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. 2 Pet. 1.4. If so, fight not for Satan against your Saviour, 2 Chro. 13.12. Acts 5.39. & 23.9. who hath done and suffered so much for you, Rom. 4.25. & 5, 6. to 20. & 6.23. & 8.2. Rev. 1.5. 1 Pet. 2.24. For this is an unkindness, next door to unpardonable, Mar. 3.22, 29, 30. Hate me not to the death, for shewing you the way to eternall life, Acts 11.14. as those Liber∣tines did Stephen, Acts 7.54. and the Iewes Christ, Mat. 27.27. Or if you do, what shall you gain, or I loose thereby? when this your malice is a sure token to you of perdition, but to me of salvation? as the Apostle tells you, Phil. 1.28. Ishmael did but flout Isaac, yet for that flout, he is by the Holy Ghost branded for a persecutor, and shall fry in hell flames everlastingly, Gal. 4.29. Those little children, 2 King. 2. did but mock Elisha, but for that mock 42. of them were devoured of wilde Beares, vers. 24. Cham did but de∣ride Noah, but that alone brought his Fathers curse upon him, and Gods upon that, Gen. 9.25. which Prophetical curse lies so heavy upon Chams posterity (the Ethiopians) to this day (though almost four thousand years since) and they are so devoted to slave∣ry, that Parents will sell their own children to be slaves, to such as trade in Negroes. And yet the most dreadful part of the curse, lies upon them in spirituals, there being few of Chams posterity in any age of the world, that have ever been taken into the Church. Wherefore take heed of mocking or scossing at Religion, or the Religious: For (as the Serpents hissing, sufficiently betrayes his malice, so) that, viz. scoffing alone; infallibly declares you to be the Serpents seed, and children of the Devill, Act: 13.10, Gen. 3.15. Nor is it you, but the Devill in and by you; as you may see by Gen. 3.1. to 6. Eph. 2.2. Matth. 16.22, 23. 1 King. 22.22, 23. Iohn 13.2. Acts 5.3. And none but a Cain, or a devill in condition will envy, because his owne works are evill, and his brothers good, 1 Iohn 3.12. 1 Pet. 4.4.
But they will not believe that are ordained to perish, Prov. 29.1. 1 Sam. 2.25. And as good admonish a bruit beast, as a scorner, Prov. 12.1. & 13.1. & 19, 29. For scorners are upon the very threshold of hell, Luke ••6.31. 2 Chr. 25.16. As how dreadfully does St. Peter speak of such, his words are these, and the like: They walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, they are presumptuous, and self-willed, they speak evill of the things which they understand not, they sport themselves in their owne deceivings, they are re∣served uuto the day of Iudgement to be punished, yea (saith the Apostle) as naturall bruit beasts, they are made to be taken and destroyed (mark that! they are made to be taken and de∣stroy'd) and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of un∣righteousness, to whom the blacknesse of darkness is reserved for ever, 2 Pet. 2.9. to the end. O wofull and dolefull condition!
Beware then of scoffing at goodness, for there cannot be a greater argument of a soul soule, given up to Satan the God of this world, 2 Tim. 2.26. Eph. 2.2. 2 Cor. 4.4. And to prove you a Souldier belonging to that great Red Dragon that fighteth against Mi∣chael and his Angels, Rev. 12. Who when his hands are bound, casteth a flood of reproaches out of his mouth against the Church, and the remnant of her seed which keep the Commande∣ments of God, and have the testimony of Iesus Christ, ver. 15, 16, 17.
Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evill. Though a sinner do evill an hundred times, and his dayes be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that feare God, &c. Eccles. 8.11, 12.
[LONDON, Printed by T. R. for Iames Crump.