A Word in due season OR SOME HARVEST MEDITATIONS WITH A Warning from the Lord God to all People in ENGLAND to leave off their wicked and foolish Customs in their Harvest before the anger of the Lord be kindled against them and there be no Remedy BEhold the Eye of the Lord hath passed through the Earth and hath beholden the abominations of the people and their customs which are altogether vain and his hand is lifted up against them to cut them off from the Earth and woe to them that withstand him for them will the Lord God visit in his displeasure and rebuke in his anger therefore be warned all ye Inhabitants of the Earth and while ye have time learn Wisdom and depart from vanity before ye be consumed through your gainsaying Upon the 29. of the 4th Month the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Behold the many abominations of this people in the time of their Harvest and although my light hath shined to have let them see them yet they have rejected the counsel thereof and although my faithful witness in them hath reproved yet they have not regarded it and although I have smitten them with Mildew and with blasting yet they have not laid it to heart but have persisted in the foolish customs of their forefathers and have hated to be reform neither have they feared me saith the Lord but daily do they grieve my holy spirit with their iniquities Therefore once more let them be warned of the vanities & abominations of their Harvest in particular that they may return and learn to fear before me lest I smite their fruitful fields with barrenness and their goodly crops with withering and their children with cleanness of teeth in all their borders etc. Am. 4. 6 9 10 And now this is that which the Lord God hath put into my heart to warn all ye Husbandmen and Farmers that in the time of Harvest when ye are taking in the fruit and the increase of your Fields and the issue of your labour that ye mind the fear of God that it may keep you in the remembrance of him from whence every good gift cometh that so it may be good to you and ye may receive it with humility and thankfulness and none to murmur because it is no more nor none to glory because it is so much but all to be contented and to mind that which lets you see and feel the blessing that ye might be kept in the worthy walking and know it to be multiplied unto you and let your joy be in that the light hath shined upon you and let that be the joy of your Harvest Esay 9 3. And remember that the portion of the poor be not gathered but consider the Lord hath regarded their need neither be churlish nor bitter to them but let them have their portion without diminishing Levit. 19 9 And when thou reapest the harvest of thy land thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field mark neither shalt thou gather the gleanning of thy Harvest it is for the poor and for the stranger Lay this to heart ye rich men lest ye eat of the portion of the poor and the hand of the Lord be turned against ye through their cry Job 34. 28. For the Lord will maintain the right of the poor Psal. 140. 12. And take heed of inordinate feasting spending the Creation upon the lust making provision for the flesh which is contrary to the Christians Example but let your moderation appear in this also For the reward of the glutton shall be poverty Prov. 23. 21. And mind the Witness of God that that may order and guide you into that which is convenient and may stop the excess that whatsoever is done may be done to the praise and glory of God as becometh Christians And let none be over-covetous of drinking neither in the time of your labour nor at any other time for that hurts the creature and destroys the health and hath overcome the life of many when they have been strengthened by the Lord to labour than they have hurt themselves with their inordinate drinking and so abusing the gift of God it hath been taken from them but let all mind God's fear that ye may feel through that which is outward to that which is within namely the thirst of the soul which that which is outward will not satisfy that so ye may be brought to wait to know that manifested within which is Drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. which cleanseth from the pollutions that is in the world through lust and satisfies the soul And let that abominable custom of shouting in the fields or elsewhere be left off which is derived from generation to generation from the Heathen and from the Papists and while this be left leave off calling yourselves Christians or Protestants for even this thing namely your crying of that which you call your Leargees is a shame to the very Name of Christians to be found amongst them and renders you but foolish ignorant people who sport's yourselves with your own breath like the Heathen who knows not the Lord that gave it such as was the Moabites whom the Lord's anger was kindled against until he threatened to cut off the Vintage of Moab and their shouting should no more be heard in their Vineyards because the treaders should tread out no Wine in their Presses Esay 16. 9 10. And so will the Lord do by you except ye repent and turn from the folly of your ways for he is not changed neither is there respect of persons with him therefore let this be no more named amongst you who call yourselves Christians And let all your corrupt and vain Harvest-Songs be left off your Nightwork which lifts up the evil spirit in man but oppresseth the just and keepeth from the true joy in the pure spirit where the Song of Praises is sung unto God for all his benefits with acceptance for in this also is there great abomination committed in the Land and the Lord's Spirit hath been grieved therewith sometime ye are spending your precious time which should be for the resting of the creature in singing of filthy and abominable Songs tending to the subverting and removing of modesty and chastity from off the face of the Earth and it may be the same night and in the same mind will ye take some of the words of the holy Scripture it may be of David's Psalms or some other of the Psalms and then in your wicked manner of doubling and vain repetitions will sing them which is far from singing to the praise and glory of God or with Grace in your hearts but to the great abuse of the Scripture and to the dishonour of the Name of the Lord and be assured you shall not be holden guiltless that take God's Name in vain although in the time of your Harvest but your Songs shall be turned as the howling of Moab in the day when the Lord visited him But all mind the light of the Lord Jesus Christ within that ye may know it lifted up upon you which makes glad the hearts of the righteous yea more glad than the joy of the ungodly when their Corn and Wine is increased Psal. 4. 6 7. And let that wicked and abominable Custom of making Lords and Ladies amongst you in the Harvest-Field be left off for ever which is a shame to your profession and renders you to be like the Gentiles who had Lords many amongst them but knew not the Christians one Lord this ought not to be any more mentioned but aught to be denied as a foolish and unchristian custom tending to nothing but to exalt the pride of man's heart and begetting into emulation and strife this also is vanity and vexation of spirit And let none of you who are strong boast and glory in your strength over him that is weaker nor seek to hurt him by thy strength but mind the Lord your Maker and remember your ability to be of him and not your own and so to be used in his fear without vain glory And all you that have much of the Earth in your hands and many hired servants see that ye stand in the Power and Wisdom of God ruling over that part in them all that would lead into rudeness and profaneness being good examples in your places and giving them that which is due for their encouragement not oppressing them in Work nor in Wages but all mind the truth of God the equal witness between you which secretly calls for righteousness towards all men and Equity as ye would have from all men that so the Lord may make your Land as a fruitful Field and may multiply a blessing upon you both within and without Thus have I cleared my conscience in the sight of God and have singly given my Testimony against these abominations which have been acted in this Nation in Harvest time in love to your souls and in obedience to the Lord and whether ye will hear or forbear ye shall know that ye were warned by a Friend to your souls and a Lover of the Truth which was before the customs of the Heathens were and therefore plead not Antiquity in these things and one that desires this Nation might walk in the light of the Lord and be saved from the reproach of the Heathen whose outward Name is Stephen Crisp