AN EPISTLE TO FRIENDS Shewing The Great Difference between a Convinced Estate and a Converted Estate And between the Profession of the Truth and the Possession thereof With the Comfort and Sweetness to the Soul it Affordeth With a Few Words of Good Counsel and Wholesome Advice both to Parents and their Children By One that Travels for Sion's Prosperity known by the Name of Iohn Banks London Printed and sold by T. Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holy-well Lane in Shoreditch 1693. An Epistle to Friends shewing the great Difference between a Convinced Estate and a Converted Estate And between the Profession of the Truth and the Posession thereof with the Comfort and sweetness to the Soul it Affordeth c. SInce the Dawning of the Heavenly Day and living Appearance of the pure God and Rising of his Glorious Son by his Light Grace and Holy Spirit many have been called and Convinced of the Truth and way of God what it is and how they might walk therein This Knowledge hath been given to many of God in and through Jesus Christ his Son by his Light Grace and Holy Spirit put and placed in the Hearts and Consciences of the Sons and Daughters of Men. Now that which the Lord requires thereby is Obedience and Faithfulness thereunto according to the Knowledge so given which is to deny Self and take up and willingly bear the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ which Crucifies to the World and the World to them with all its vile Affections and Lust these come to know not only a Convinced Estate but a Conversion in their Hearts and Souls Now the Counsel of God that in my Heart and Soul remains in Bowels of true Love Tenderness and Compassion and as a Faithful Warning also unto all such who have remained whether many Years or few under a Convincement or in a Convinced Estate is That you carefully and in true fear yield pure Obedience unto God according to the Knowledge he hath given you by his pure Light Grace and Holy Spirit being no Sacrifice short of this doth find Acceptance with him who by the same lets you see and accordingly teaches you what you shall deny your selves in What you must part with and forsake What you should do and what you should not in order to your Conversion and Sanctification I say as having a Stress upon my Spirit in the Love of God unto all you as before Yield Obedience unto God according to the Knowledge you have received from him and do no longer satisfie your selves nor speak Peace to your selves because you are Convinced of the Truth and because you know the Truth and Way of God what it is and so make a Profession thereof think not that this Knowledge will serve your turn to justifie you in the sight of God short of Obedience For Christ himself though he was the Son of God he learned Obedience and how much more ought the Sons and Daughters of Men learn Obedience though never so Rich Wise Great and Potent in the World or never so much Accounted of among the Sons and Daughters of Men That so through Obedience to the known Will and requirings of God you may come to feel and be sensible of the work of his Power and Holy Spirit in your Hearts there to Change you to work and Convert you into the nature of Truth to the bearing of the Heavenly Image thereof The working of which as it 's truly waited for and kept to viz. the Power begets fear towards God least such should disobey him or grieve his good Spirit and so effects Brokenness and Tenderness of Heart and Spirit before the Lord and works into lowliness of mind in carriage and Behaviour before all people softens the hard Heart brings down the high mind and proud and lofty Spirit and subjects the stiff and unruly will and Nature And they who come to know this Work wrought in them in order to their Conversion come to know it in and under and after their being so Convinced they must and do come to know it through Judgement which they must love and patiently dwell in if ever they come to know a Converted Estate Through the same to wit Judgement be set up and kindled in their hearts as a Fire and know the Word of God as a Sword and Hammer yet notwithstanding it must be loved For so said the Prophet How do I love thy Judgement And Christ said I will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax untill Judgement be brought forth unto Victory So have a Care all who are Convinced and do make a Confession to and Profession of the Truth of presuming upon the Mercies of the Lord in your Disobedience and flying Judgment or that which Judgeth you because of your Disobedience and flying the Cross. For Judgement you must either know and love and patiently dwell in and keep to or else your hard Hearts you can nevâ—r know Converted and Changed and the Word of God as a sharp two edged sword that will cause pain in your Bowels and beget Godly sorrow in you to bring you to true Repentance by weeping and mourning for your Disobedience you must either know and love or else the First-Born in you can never come to be slain which is that Life in that Nature that you have lived after the Flesh in doing and haveing your own Wills in fulfilling your own Hearts Lusts and the Word of God as a Fire you must either know and love and patienâ—ly dwell in and Judgement to be set up and executed in your Hearts or else you can never know the Combustable matter there Consumed the Bryars and the Thorns the Love of the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye the Pride of Life the Cares of the World which is said to Choak the good Seed as to the coming of it up in its Growth in the Hearts of People I thus set forth unto you that the way of your Redemption out of Captivity and Spiritual Bondage and to come to a Converted Estate must be in and through Judgement and that as by a Fire and Hammer or Sword think it not hard for iâ—'s the right Door to come in by to receive Mercy from the Lord's Hand of whom it 's said He mixes mercy with judgement but then the Judgement must be owned And though many are they in number that are living Witnesses this has been the Way of the dealings of God with their Souls and it was to them and to you in the Offers of it Gods free Love in and through Jesus Christ his Son who said For Judgment I am come into the World and all judgement is committed unto him So now all ye who remain in a Convinced Estate and live and act contrary to that which Convinceth you ye should not there remain in Disobedience for ye may see if ye will but turn to your minds in fear towards God the great Difference between a Convinced
Estate and a Converted Estate For the Hearts Souls and Spirits of those that are turn'd to God in Righteousness and so truly Converted and changed and have known a Passing from Death unto Life the way I have shewed you they are Broken-hearted Lowly-minded and in their Souls and Spirits there remains a true Tenderness and such are concerned to set a watch before their Lips daily that they may not offend with their Tongues and not only in Words but in Actions and that they may live the life of Truth they make profession of And it 's such that grows in Grace and Saving knowledge and that prosper in their Gifts given unto them of the Free-giver who fear him always and that to his Praise and Glory and their remaining Comfort and Souls sweet Satisfaction And therefore is it that the Hearts of the truly Converted are sitted and prepared by the power of God to offer Offerings and Sacrifices unto him that find Acceptance with him But the Hearts of the Convinced that live in Disobedience and are not willing to bear the daily Cross nor come under Judgement are not so but are hard and their minds high not Subject to the Yoke of Christ nor willing to bear his burthen and yet can satisfie your selves in coming as the People come and fit as God's people sit in their Meetings and Assemblies and like to hear thy Words as the Lord said by the Prophet but will not do them and thou art unto them saith the Lord as a lovely Song as one that hath a pleasant Voice and can play well upon an Instrument and they shew forth much love with their Mouths but their hearts go after their Covetousness Therefore let these things be as Warnings unto you all that only remain in a Convinced Estate and bear Profession of the Truth short of the Possession thereof and take warning betimes receive Counsel and give ear to instruction and own reproof for it is the Way of Life before Death seize upon you that will stay no Man or womans time nor leisure to Repent and Amend their wayes and doings least that day and Hour come upon you as a Thief in the night that you like the foolish Virgins are not aware of And then you finding your selves not sitted and prepared to go hence be made to cry upon your Death-Beds when time that you had is spent in forgetfulness of God and the many warnings you have had Lord open to us But if you put off the day and time of the amendment of your ways and doings untill then you know aforehand what will be the Answer you must have given you First The Door of Mercy will be shut against you that have not loved Judgement in your Life-time and the Answer will be Depart from me I know you not I Called and Cried but ye would not hear and therefore you shall call and cry but I will not Answer Oh! how long has the Lord Called and Cried and Knockt at the Door of your Hearts and striven with you by his good Spirit as by an Immediate Hand who would often thereby have retained you from your backslidings and unfaithfulness and Disobedience who hath not been severe in marking what you have done amiss and therefore you have presumed upon his patience and long-suffering Do so no more that 's Christs Lesson And sometimes when because of the Long-suffering of God to you ward it hath entred your Hearts to consider how just it might have been with him to have Cut you off long ere now in his wrath for your Disobedience No doubt but sometimes you have made Vows and Promises in Your selves You would do so no more as heretofore you had done And after all this for want of watchfulness over the outgoings of your minds and for want of taking true heed unto the shinings of the pure Light of Jesus Christ that discovered your State and Condition to you as it was and for want of keeping the fear of the Lord before your Eyes the Enemies of your Souls with his old Baits in the fair proffers of them you have again Eutred his Temptation and so have sinned and rebelled against and contrary to the striving of his good Spirit the Spirit of Truth and Contrary to his pure Counsel the Light wherein the true power is received to resist the wickâ—d one in all his Devices who believe therein and keep thereto which pure Light will for ever be the Condemnation of those that do not love it and that are not willing to bring their deeds to it that they may be manifest whether they are wrought in God or no for all the Children of the Light and of the Day bring their Deeds to it And besides the many Visitations of Gods Love to you by an immediate Hand by the strivings of his good Spirit in your Hearts or at the Door of your Hearts O the Labour Travel and Exercise of God's Servants Ministers and Messengers with which they have been attended and weightily concerned many times both in Body and Spirit in their Testimonies in Love good will and true Tenderness for the good of your immortal Souls And yet notwithstanding the Lords great and large Love to you First in calling you by his Grace out of the World and the ways and dead Worships and Forms of it and in it and his giving you a knowledge of his Will and Mind thereby that you might learn Obedience accordingly and notwithstanding the striving of his Holy Spirit in order to bring you thereunto together with the great Labour Travel and Pains that the Servants of Christ have been willing to take and Travel many Hundreds of Miles over Sea and Land through Difficulties and various Exercises willingly leaving behind them whatsoever is near and dear unto them or never so good and lawful in it self for the good of your Souls with the rest of God's People yea in love to all People in and through all which the Love of God has been and is largely held forth unto you And yet notwithstanding all this and much more that might be mentioned hath it not proved the unhappiness of too many of you Professing the the Truth that are not come to possess the same because of your unfaithfulness that you have requited both the Lord and his Servants Evil for Good and have chosen your own way and followed the Counsel of your own Hearts Lusts being unconverted and spoken Peace to your selves in a polluted rest And are not some of you too much like those the Lord speaks of by the Prophet Ezekiel when he said Son of Man the Children of thy People are still talking against thee by the Walls and in the Doors saying one to another and every man to his Brother I pray you let us hear the Word that cometh forth from the mouth of the Lord Which although as I have hinted they confessed unto and seemingly liked to hear yet they were not willing to
acted his Folly upon a Rope a Wall suddenly fell upon many people sâ—me struck Dead and spoke no more others their Backs and Legs broken and others sorely hurt and Maimed and Bruised that their blood came out at their mouths Therefore let the remembrance of this dread all people so as not to love or delight to behold Vanity or such like folly and Madness The Godly care of Parents in time to train up their Children in the fear of the Lord and as becomes the Truth ought to be diligently exercised for where that 's wanting these disorders too often appear in their Children that they grow up in wildness and wanâ—onness and in their behaviour and Apparel to follow the bad ways courses and Antick Fashions of the World But who durst do such things in the beginning and Truth is the same though too many give to their Children and take to themselves that Liberty that they durst not nor would truth ever allow of though I know many neither can nor do allow nor give such Liberty neither to themselves nor their Children And blessed and happy are they that so discharge their Duty for that end they may be clear in the discharge thereof in the day and time of their Account which they cannot be that do to the contrary Therefore Parents and Guardians of Children discharge your selves in your Duty to your Children or those with whom you are concerned and do not think to excuse your selves with saying There is great difference of Children's Nature It 's true there is but your indulging of them and Winking and Conniving at their running out into Vanity and Wildness makes their Natures worse and your Children more untruth-like and you are greatly in the blame How comes it to pass that so many Children of those that profess the Truth are scarce come so far as to use the plain Language What think you that if you be Rich and have great Portions for them will this make them blessed and happy And must they not therefore have their wills crost Consider that they are Rich that God owns and loves and poor and miserable that he rejects and they are Rich that are RÃch in Faith and good Works towards him notwithstanding poor in this world And the Prophet said If riches increase set not thy Heart upon them for they will make themselves Wings and fly away So Friends take Counsel and be Advised in Bowels of true Love by your Friend that wisheth both you and your Children Happiness both here and hereafter And Train up your Children in the Fear of the Lord in all things as becomes the Truth you make Profession of and withal be sure you be a good Example before them and unto them And now Children be subject unto your Parents in that which is good and none be Stubborn and Rebellious for in the end if you do it will prove your own hurt and loss And if any of your Parents shew forth any evil example before you take not Liberty thereby to do any thing that is evil or to speak evil of Truth nor to neglect Meetings nor none to satisfie your selves with going to Meetings barely because your Parents go if you can but have Liberty to your Wills and do and have what pleaseth you This is not good for your Souls Health though you want nothing for your Bodies neither will it make for your Peace with the Lord when you must be separated from all Wordly enjoyment So Dear Children take my Counsel and give ear to my Friendly and tender advice in true love unto you let it be the concern of your minds chiefly in going to Meetings with diligence to wait in the fear of the Lord to feel the Work of his Power in your Hearts to change your Nature and subject your Wills to do the will of God to the weaning of your minds from delighting in Sport or Pleasure or any Game or Pastime or Fine Apparel or in earthly Substance that so thereby to wit by the work of the Heavenly Power of God your Hearts may be wrought into true tenderness and brokenness and Minds and Spirits into Lowliness and Humility before him So will you feel Love to increase and abound in your Hearts towards God his Truth and People and so will you come as you carefully mind the shinings of the pure Light of Jesus Christ and Teachings of his Gracious Spirit which will manifest all that which is â—vil in every Appearance of it unto you and teach you to do that which is good in Word and Action I say this is the way for you to come out of Childishness and Childish things and all manner of Disobedience both towards God and your Parents and to be weaned from all the Vanities and Pleasures Customs and Fashions of the World so that you will have no delight in keeping Company with any but such as fear the Lord which will greatly tend to your Happiness and Prosperity both in this Life and that which is to come as that which teacheth you his Fear is by you kept in That so God alone may be Honoured and glorified by you and you may be a comfort to your Parents and the greatest of all in the end will be your own Unto which the Lord preserve and keep you in his fear in all faithfulness according to that knowledge more or less that you have received from him out of the Evil that is in the World is the hearty Prayer and Souls well-wishing of your Friend both for You and your Parents as for my self and my own Chiidren in discharge of my Duty in the Love of God The Lord bring it home to your Understandings Amen Given forth in my own dwelling-House in Cumberland the 20th day of the 2d Month 1692. J. B. Let this be Read in the fear of the Lord and with Vnderstanding in the Meetings and Families of Friends wheresoever a service may be seen for it THE END Heb. 5.8 John 5.22 Ezek. 33.31 Prov. 6.23 câ—p 15.10 Matth. 25.10 11 12. John 3.19 John 3.21 Titus 2.11 12. Galat. 4.16 Râ—m 1.18 Revel 11.2 Prov. 6. v. 6 7 8 9 10 11. Luk. 17.32 Example Psalm 62.10 Prov. 13. Eph. 6.1 2 3. Col. 3.20