A few Words in season to all the Inhabitants of the Earth, to call them to Repentance before it be too late,
ALl you Inhabiters of the Earth, hear the Word of the Lord, & hearken what the Spirit of Truth saith; you who are spending your pretious time in Pride, Coveteousness & Lightness, in Wantonness & Vanity, in your vain Conversations and evil Communications, in lying and deceit, in vain words, and evill speaking, in laughter which is madness, as saith the Scriptures, sporting you selves as in the day-time, making merry over the just principle in you, and slaying my Witness in you, my controversy is against you all, saith the Lord Almighty, and my wrath and indignation is kindled against you all that are found in these things, and if you do not speedily repent and turn from the evill of your wayes, and turn in your minds to my Witness in you, which witnesseth against all your unjust doings; (yea my Law in your hearts, you trample upon, which condems you for your rebellion against it) and if you hearken not to my counsel, and turn at my reproof, and joyn to the Light in you, & give up to be guided by it, ye shall for [Page 4] ever perish; for I am the Light of the World, saith▪ Christ, and lighteth every one that cometh into the World; and this is the condemnation that Light is come into the World, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; you will not come to me that you may have life, saith Christ; for all your preaching and praying, and singing, and the best performances ye have, whilst the heart is unclean, and the fruit brought forth that is accursed, they are all as menstrous raggs and stinketh in my nostrills, and your prayers are an abomination, saith the Lord; yea, Priests and People hath all corrupted their wayes, there is none that doth good, no not one that, beareth the Image of the earthly; therefore return, return from the wickednesse of your wayes, and cease to do evill, and learn to do well; and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins are as crimson, they shall be as white as snow, though as red as scarlet they shall be as white as wooll; for what is to be known of God is manifest in man, that is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World; John 1. And whilest you have the Light believe in the Light, that ye may be Children of the Light, saith Christ: John 12. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the World, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; for every one that doth evil hateth the light, nether cometh to the Light least their deeds should be reproved; but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are [Page 5] wrought in God; John 3. 19, 20, 22.
So people consider, is not Pride and Covetousness works of darkness? For the Lord beholdeth the Proud afar off, and Covetousness is Idolatry, and a Lyer cannot enter into the Kingdom, neither can any in their vain conversation; for ye are grieving his Spirit and doing dispite to the God of Truth: Are ye not spurning against God? do ye think to strive with him and prosper? no verily, a day of sorrow is coming upon you, and will overtake you as a Thief in the night, and you cannot escape it; therefore you unwise lay it to heart, be afflicted and Mourn and Weep, let your Laughter be turned to Mourning, and your Joy to Heaviness; it is better to go to the House of Mourning, then to the House of Laughter, or to the House of Feasting; for that is the end of all Men, and the living will lay it to his heart; Sorrow is better than Laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the Heart is made better; the Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning, but the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth; So ye Fools be wise and of an understanding Heart; Fear, Dread and Tremble, ye stiff necked ones; for unto such a one will I look that is of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my Word, saith the Lord; Therefore serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce before him with trembling, kisse the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way; when his Wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.
And you Swearers, and Drunkards, and Adulterers, [Page 6] repent, repent and turn from you evil wayes and wicked actions, and turn to the Witness of God in you, which witnesseth against these your actions, and judgeth you for them; and if you meet Him not by Judgment, He will cut you off in the feirceness of his Wrath, and you will down to the pit, and there will be none to deliver you; for because of these things the Land mourneth, and the habitations thereof are become desolate, yea desolation hangeth over your heads for these things; yea my Law in your hearts you trample upon, which condemns you for so doing and if you do not speedily repent and owne my Word in your Hearts (the Light) which shews you these great abominations; and if you hearken not to my counsel and turn at my reproof; Lo, I will come in a day and in a hour, that ye look not for, and in the midst of your Pleasure and Idolatry will cut you off, and you shall go down into the Lake that burneth for evermore; but if you will return from your wickedness & hearken to my Word in you, saith the Lord; the Gate of Mercy is set open, by which you may return and Live; so Life and Death is set before you, chuse you whether; for the Lord wills not your destruction, it will be of your selves if you perish for evermore; so whether you hear or forbear, the Lord is clear of your Bloud; so remember you rebellious ones, you had warning in your life time, for the Grace of God hath appeared to all Men, and it teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to live righteously and soberly in this present World; who were [Page 7] sometime in darkness, but now are Light in the Lords Prayses, Glory and Honour be given to his gracious Name for evermore.
And you that are found in these things before mentioned, the Grace of God hath appeared to you, though you mind it not, but live in laciviousness, in the Lust of the Eye, which is the Pride of Life; and the Lord beholdeth the Proud afar off, and to Judgment you must come assuredly; and you that live in the lust of the Flesh, which they that live after must dye, and think not that you shall escape the Wrath of the Lord for these things; and you Lyers ye cannot enter into the Kingdome in that nature, for all these things cometh forth of the cursed nature and evil ground; therefore return, return to the measure of the Spirit of God in you, which judgeth you for these things; and as you joyne to the Spirit it will mortifie the deeds of the body, the unruly Nature, which dishonoureth the Lord; and so as you are lead by it, it will bring you out of the evil wayes to live righteously and soberly to the Praise and Glory of God with us; for the Lord made Man for his own Glory; but whilst you live in your evil wayes, you dishonour his Name and grieve his Spirit, shewing you are Children of disobedience, which will bring destruction upon you; and if you do not hear and return it will come upon you assuredly. This is a Warning from the Lord to warne you before his Wrath break forth upon you; but if you hear and return from your evil wayes, it will be well with you; [Page 8] if not his Wrath will break forth upon you; so in the fear of the Lord whilst you have a little more time, prize it that your Souls may live and not dye, spend no more time in vanity and wickedness, I warn you from the Lord by his Spirit, lest you are destroyed for ever: From a Servant of the Lord, who hath known his terror for sin, and through his Love returned to do his will; and in obedience to his command do warn you: and if you hear your Souls shall live; if not, your bloud will be upon your own heads, the Lord is clear of you.