A GENERAL EPISTLE TO THE Flock of God, But more particularly, in CUMBERLAND, In the Openings of Love, and Fresh spring of Life, am I drawn forth, to visit you with this Epistle.  
Dear Friends, and Brethren,  
LOok to the Rock from whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the Pit from whence ye were digged, (that is to say) never forget from whence you came, no more than to what length and degree you are attained, what you were when the Lord first visited you; and what you still are of yourselves, without the help, assistance and ability of his Power; hold this fast in your Remembrance, and it will greatly tend to humble you, and keep you little and low in your own Eyes, in a true Self-Denial: So shall the Lord alone be exalted, and his Glorious Power extolled over all.  
It was the Lord that visited with the dayspring of his Love from on high, by the shining forth of his Glorious Light, out of Darkness (where your Region was) in a Land of Darkness, a Country where there was a Famine, not of Bread nor Water, but of the preaching of the Gospel; and brought us to a Land and Country, where Light and Life is, and that slows with Milk and Honey. Forget not the way of your Souls Travel; and you that have not known it yet, must tread the same Path, before you can come to be sharers with those that have so done, who have known what it was when they entered their Journey, or beginning of the Work (to Drink a bitter Cup) and also of a sweet One (and do) extolled be the Right Arm of the Lord, the great and mighty Power of God (the bitter Cup was Judgement) set up to bring Down, Judge out, and Burn up all that which was contrary; and as a Sword to slay the Enmity, and of twain to make one new Man.  
Then was the Weeping, then was the Mourning, then was the Quaking and Trembling; then was the time of Travel with our hands upon our Loins; then did the Earth Tremble at the presence of the Lord (the way of Sion's Redemption being through Judgement) love it still, and dwell in a sense of it to the End, and the Enemy shall never prevail against you; dwelling in him to whom all Judgement is committed both in Heaven and in Earth (in Christ) and so in the Light, in the Life, in the quickening Spirit.  
Has this been the way of your Soul's Travel, from the beginning (that have known the True and Right beginning) in and through many Afflictions, various Trials, and deep Temptations, Straits, Hardships and great Besetments, both within and without.  
Dear Friends, in a sense of the tendering Life and Love of God, let me ask, who delivered, who saved, who hath kept and preserved until now, (in and through this Refining Furnace) surely you can say with my Soul, the Lord alone by his own Hand and Arm of Power, and mighty Strength; by which he hath never failed, nor never will fail those that trust thereto, and rely thereupon; Therefore Dear and Tender Children of the Light and of the Day, trust therein, and keep thereto unto the End, and then you shall be Eternally happy.  
For Dear Friends, although on this wise you have known the Travel of your Souls, in passing from Death to Life, and out of Darkness into the Light, which is the Path that the Younger Generations, that is coming up must Tread and Travel in; you can tell them by learned Experience, for their Encouragement, the Lord by his Power will never leave them, nor forsake them, if they follow him in the way of his Judgements (which he mixeth with Mercy) that must be owned and loved, to bring down Self, and the Man's part, and whatever would exalt itself above the pure; you can tell them, that when your hands did hang down, and your knees smote one another; so that sometimes your Hearts were fearful, whether they should be lifted up, or strengthened again, yet having Faith, and being taught by the Grace of God, to have Patience also to wait the Lord's time; he by his Power appeared, to lift up the hands, and strengthen the knees, and make the fearful Heart strong by the Might of his Power.  
Yea, the Lord having so often wrought your Deliverance, and done wonderful Things for you, beyond expectation, or what you then could see, so that you have been ready to say, Oh! I hope I shall never meet with such Exercises, Trials and Temptations, as heretofore I have met with, and especially if any thing of self was set up, to glory above what was meet, because of what the Lord had done for you, hath not the only Wise God seen it good, after all this, to try and prove you again? Both without and within, that you might be kept truly humble and low before him, always depending upon his Power, and nothing of your own, yea to try your Faith and Patience, and for a time hath hid his Face from you; and that you have had but little (if any) either Bread or Water, in so much, because of your weakness and faintness, the Enemy hath been very busy to Tempt you to despair of the sufficiency, of the Power, Love and Mercy of the Lord, or to turn you aside from the way of Truth, useing all his subtlety, to keep out of your Remembrance, and from calling to mind how, and in what way and manner, the Lord heretofore brought you over great Mountains, and high Hills, and leveled them all.  
And through great Depths, and sore Pangs of Soul; yea, your Hopes sometimes have been so little, that some of you have been ready to say, with one in the Days of Old, Lord hast thou forgotten to be Gracious.  
And yet has not the Lord, after all this and much more, renewed your Hope and Strength again, and by the Glorious Appearance of the Pure Light of his heavenly Son, hath again and again, time after time broken forth, and Gloriously shined in your Hearts and inward Parts, to the manifesting and clearly discovering unto you the Enemies Wiles and Working, with all the Mists, Fogs and Darkness he brings in with him, to the expelling and driving away the same, through the strength and ability of the Power that is received in the Light, even the Light of Life; that thereby you might see and find out, what hath been the cause of your being so exercised, so long after your Convincement; and not only so, but after you have known many Deliverances, and have traveled through much, and have known watering Showers, and fruitful Seasons, for that end, when found out, and discovered to be brought to the Judgement and Sentence of Condemnation; that all that is of that old cursed Self, in which the Enemy works to the hurt of the Soul, may be slain with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and consumed with the Fire of the Lord.  
Thus hath the only Wise God taught you by his Light, Grace and holy Spirit, and thereby you have learned experience, and spiritual skill, with a true willingness wrought in you, how to come to his Judgement Seat, that you might come to his Mercy Seat also; that so you might know the way of your Soul's Travel, from Death to Life, (through Weeping and Mourning, to Joy and Gladness) through poverty and weakness, to feed at the Table of the Lord, and so come to have your strength daily renewed, to fit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, in that Rest prepared of God in Him, where his Glory Shines in your indwellings, that will make you to Shine as the Stars of Heaven; as you keep your Station in the inward watchfulness, and waiting in the true Light, (in the true silence) and inward stillness.  
Where the mind as it gets thither, and is stayed there, is unmoveable, for its stay and strength is the sure Rock and Foundation of God, his great and glorious Power (out of which, both the Water and Honey doth proceed) this is the sweet Cup) oh! the melt of it, oh! ●he divine sweetness that is in it, who can set forth the Greatness, the Goodness and Excellency thereof?  
As you know Dear Brethren, and Tender Sisters, how that our Souls many times when together, have been made rich partakers, and livingly to possess and enjoy the same, in the living enjoyment, of the life-giving Presence of our God (and one another Near and Dear) when our Bottles have been so filled with the sweet Wine of his Kingdom (as my Soul at this moment of time is) that we have not been able to contain, but Tears of Joy have often run, that have far exceeded the Tears of our Sorrow, Oh! how do I love and like the running of them, and how doth my Soul delight therein; even in the fresh springing up of Life, as I know a Remnant of you so do.  
Dear Friends, whom my Soul loveth in all true Tenderness, and unto whom I am unseperably joined, in the Unity of the Spirit of Life and Love (though at this distance, my Heart unto you-ward is full, yet streameth forth, as a stream of Love and Life, that flows from the living Fountain, with rolling of Bowels for all your Eternal Good, both Old and Young, anciently, and of late convinced (that you Ancient ones, whose time cannot be long here) may finish in that in which you have begun, in the freshness, in the livingness and true tenderness, to the receiving of the Crown, that so it may be well with you for evermore.  
And that all you that are younger in the Truth (and Years of Age) please not yourselves with long Life (but Good and Godly) nor yet with Worldly Preferment; but wait with all Diligence and true Fear, to feel the work of the Converting, Changing, Melting, Moulding, Heart Tendering Power, of the Great and Mighty God, to work a true Change in you, throughout, both in Body, Soul and Spirit, that so it may be well with you, when Death looks you in the Face.  
And Oh my Dear and Ancient Friends, Be Careful that you never forget, nor depart from your first Love, and true Tenderness; and all you Younger that have not so fully known it, wait diligently for it, that you may know the blessed effects of it, as the Ancients have done, that through the Fear of God, placed in the Heart (and that because of his Chastisements) and Awe and Dread of the Lord, that was upon them in that day: You may come to say with them; Oh! that I may never speak a word that may offend him, nor do any evil Action that may grieve his Good Spirit, nor break my Peace with him, Oh! that I may neither Eat nor Drink to Excess, nor wear any thing in Apparel contrary to the pure Truth, neither be found in any Carriage or Behaviour, in Conversation nor Communication, in the whole Course of my Life, amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men, that may give any occasion, or whereby Truth may suffer; this was and is the desire, and cry of all the Faithful, and those that truly fear the Lord, and have known what the first Love is, and the blessed effects of it.  
Oh! this was a growing time, when nothing was valued like unto the Truth; and it is so still, with all that love Truth and Righteousness.— No Hardship, no Scoffing, no Scorn, no Reproach for the Name of Jesus, no Suffering nor Spoilling of Goods, nor Imprisonment of Body, Principalities nor Powers, things present nor to come, shall be able to separate such from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
All this, and much more than I am able to express, was the effects of your first Love and true Tenderness (that have known it) that was begotten in you thereby; keep to it, live in it, and never depart from it, nor forget it; that so you may continue unto the End, and in the End, in that in which you have begun; as those which the Lord in his Love, and by his Power, hath thus far preserved, so shall you be Everlastingly happy, when time here shall be no more.  
And so Dear Friends, in that I am thus far clear of what lay upon my Spirit to put you in Mind (where we were) when the Lord first visited us in the Morning of his Day, and what the Lord hath done for us, with the younger Generations that are coming up, and what we still are, without the help and assistance of the Lord's Power.  
I have yet something to signify unto you (what we were) when we were first visited, with a few words of Counsel and Encouragement to Friends, in and under suffering, that all may have their Eve, to, where true Safety, Preservation, Growth and Prosperity is, in all that which is good.  
Dear Friends, were we the Wisest, the Greatest, the Mightiest, or Richest amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men? (what were we) but such most of us, as in the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles time, that were accounted Foolish, Weak, Mean, Base and Contemptible, like the jews in the days of the Prophet Nehemiah, that were called feeble by the Enemies of God, and of his People (Sanballat, Tobiah and Gesham, who mocked and laughed them to Scorn) and said, what do these feeble jews, not knowing what work the the Lord had determined to do by them; in answer unto the prayer of the Prophet put up unto the Lord.  
Who accordingly hath done great and wonderful things in this his Day, through the strength and might of his own Power; by those he hath called and chosen out of the World, tho' counted Weak and Feeble, yet made able and strong, through his renewing of their strength, and here is encouragement given by our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, even for all true Believers, and faithful Followers of him, through many Tribulations: Behold, saith Christ, I give unto you Power to tread on Serpents, and Scorpions, and over all the Power of the Enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you, Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the Spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice that your Names are written in Heaven. In that hour jesus Rejoiced in Spirit, and said, I thank thee O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hadst hid these things from the Wise and Prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes (even so Father) for so it seemed good in thy sight.  
What remains for you then to say, oh saith the truly humbled, what manner of Love is this where withal the Lord my God hath loved me, and visited my Soul? And more especially, in a day and time, when I was an Enemy in my Mind to him by wicked works (oh saith such) I am constrained to love him again, and to fear him always, that I may in no wise offend him, so Good and Gracious a God, so Dear and Tender a Father, Lord and Master, who hath dealt so kindly and favourably with me, not according to my desert, for saith some, I was unworthy that his Love should reach me.  
What, were we such? And yet notwithstanding all this, and much more, hath the Lord, with whom there is no respect of Persons, loved us freely, in a time acceptable never to be forgotten (tho' you were such) oh! be humbled, bowed and laid low before him, under the consideration and sense of his love, that our Hearts may be often broken, and truly tendered thereby; for if the love of God do not work that effect therein, (nothing can) but all that carefully, in true fear, dwell in a sense thereof, because of what thereby the Lord has done for them; the secret cry of their Soul is, oh! I can never do enough for the Lord, to answer his love, and the Knowledge of his blessed Truth he hath given me (and not only so) but because of the Divine Sweetness and abounding thereof, that I have many times felt to spring afresh in my Heart and Soul, in waiting upon him.  
Wherefore such is made often to say, there is nothing that I have and do enjoy, that is so near and dear to me, but I can freely part with, and forgo, for the Lord and his worthy names sake, being all I have and do Enjoy (it is the Lord's) so can his redeemed say with a good understanding, not only their Souls and Bodies, but all they have and do enjoy is his.  
So Dear and Suffering Friends, blessed and happy are all, whose Godly Resolution this is, that is thus redeemed by his Power (hold fast and continue your Godly Resolution) unto the end, in the true Faith, and look not out, nor give way to the reasoning part, for that may hurt you in your Suffering Testimony; but look in, and keep near the Lord (in his pure Light) and rely upon the sufficiency of his Power; that by waiting and watching therein, you may receive strength; than you will be Strong and Courageous, Bold and valiant for the Truth upon Earth; for he, for whose Names sake you suffer, has sufficient in store to reward all your Losses, Crosses, Trials and Sufferings, both here and eternally hereafter; and assuredly will not withhold it from you, as you stand faithful unto him in your Suffering Testimony unto the end; unto which the Lord by his own Power, and Arm of Mighty Strength, preserve you all, Amen.  
Dear Friends, I being well stricken in Years, cannot promise long time to myself in this World (neither aught the Youth) I was willing, in answer to the Motion of God's blessed Spirit, moving upon me, to send this Epistle abroad amongst you, as a manifest token of my entire love, and tender care over the Flock of Christ; wishing that Grace, Mercy and Peace, in and through him, may be multiplied and increased amongst you, and that Brotherly Love and Unity, in the one Spirit of Life may continue, and abound more and more, and that in all your Meetings and Families, you may be blessed with heavenly blessings in Christ Jesus.  
From your Friend and Brother in the Covenant of Light and Life, John Banks. Given forth at Meare in Somersetshire, the 23 d. Day of the 5 th'. Month, 1698.