thy faith by thy works and as faith works by love James 2.8 so the labour of love cannot possible be hid but 't will appear to all but in you it doth not therefore the first appearance of the Apostacie or falling away of the Churches was in leaving their first love Rev. 2.4 for as the seven Churches of Asia were types of the Apostolique Churches enclining to an Apostacy so Ephesus the first is charged with this Rev. 3.26 that she was fallen from her first love as Laodicea the last being the Type of these last Churches is commended for nothing but condemned altogether for want of zeal or fervent love though the Baptisme of the Spirit and of fire was that especially wanting in that Church and in all this day who are not hot nor have any Spiritual gift at all yea nor any grace of the Gospel as I shewed before For this cause Christ fore-told that at his comming Because iniquity should abound Matth. 24.12 the love of many would wax cold Noting first that iniquity would abound in the Churches as to be carnal covetous unclean proud and peevish without faith or love Secondly men looking upon Churches in this condition would have but cold love unto them whose love is so cold one to another But thirdly here 's the height of love the love of such who are saved from the Apostacy to love those in whom iniquity abounds to love the Churches though iniquity abounds among them 1 Cor. 13.7 for love believes all things and hopes all things believes the best of all and hopes they will be better But yet there is one mark of love I have not mentioned that 's Christs love not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth pray what 's that 'T is 1 John 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our life for our brethren Here 's first a Mystery that men know not how God did lay down his life for the death of the man Christ all conceive but how that man was nothing but God manifest in flesh and how God shed his blood crucifying that flesh to himself is the Mystery of Christ and him crucified not known to the Churches but because God laid down his life for us we ought to lay down our life for the brethren Heer 's love to the brotherhood and mark it this love is commanded as well as baptisme we ought so to love the brethren as to dye for them Oh that my dear baptized brethren could once dye to their own life their living in the world according to Ordinances Col. 2.20 Ordinances that shall be proved with God not to be of a Gospel-appointment or power will you not die to these if it be proved unto you that having not the baptisme of the Spirit and of fire in your Church you have no power to baptize with water I mean in a Gospel way Secondly that there is no true Administrator sent of God to baptize Thirdly that Water-baptisme was not by dipping but by washing the Disciples feet called Believers going down to the waters up to the Ankles Oh that you could dye to your own life to flesh and blood to that reason and understanding of yours raised on the traditions of men Yea that ye could dye to your own credit content comforts truly 't will not be to your credit to disown and lay down your Principles and practice of dipping so long continued I know you have much content and comfort in your performances and gathered Churches while many scattered Saints are mourning over your Formes and their own flesh yea to the flesh of Christ being dead unto them Ioh. 16 7. as the Disciples did at the departure of Christ when that pure flesh of his must suffer withering and weakness and his flesh be taken from them they had sorrow of heart while the world did rejoyce that is Ioh. 16.20 Rev. 11.10 compare Heb. 9.1 while the Church of the Jewes which was but a worldly Sanctuary were rejoycing in their Ordinances in their Temple and Church-fellowship So many scattered Saints are weeping and full of sorrow in their bewildernessed state in the want of the solemn Assembly because it cannot be yea Zeph. 3.18 by the waters of Babylon they sit down and weep while you are dipping in them and while others are merry with singing of Psalmes your brethrens Harps are hanged upon the Willowes Psal 137.1 2. on fruitless trees because they cannot sing one of the songs of of Zion they being in a strange land not in the life of God alone but living still in Babylon in flesh and self in which they feel themselves imbondaged We your brethren are not alive but dead in Babylon as dry bones there we lye even your brethren And will ye not yet dye for us have ye not that love as to give your lives for your brethren Truly if you did live indeed you would give your lives but because you are dead you cannot do it The Church of Sardis had a name that she lived and was dead you have the name of a Church of Church in order of Gospel-ordinances but are they not all dead Forms are not your fellowships divided also This shews you are dead as the dry bones in Babylon because you are so divided as those two sticks so your best Societies are even Judah and Israel Independants and Baptized Churches For as I shewed before the Gospel-Churches were but one Body had but one Baptisme there was the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace but now not onely the staff beauty but the staff bands that 's the brother hood is broken between Judah and Israel Zach. 11.10 14. So now beloved whether you will dye or no for your brethren you are but the dead Body and yet you are the dead body of the Lord Ezek. 37.12 Isa 26.29 compare that 's your comfort and mine that you shall rise at last Onely know at present that you are but the dead Body so indeed the Church under the Law was under a Ministery of death and so the Gospel-Churches were Dead also 2 Cor. 3.7 Col. 3.3 for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God More life was manifest in the Gospel then under the Law their life being not in Ordinances as the legal Church but their life was in Christ 1 Cor. 13.9 12. verse and with Christ in God but because they knew God but in part saw but in a Glass darkly because their life was hidden from them therefore they were said to be dead still and so the Gospel-Churches were but the dead bodie then Yea their Gospel-Ordinances indeed were but to death they held forth nothing but the death of Christ Rom. 6.3 1 Cor. 11.26 as in baptisme they were baptized into his death in breaking of bread they shewed forth the Lords death and as the breaking of bread was the communion of his Body so the Church then must needs be but the dead body of the Lord but now in Babylon we are not onely the dead body but dry bones And as death appeared
in their worships so in their walking in the world they were dead to it and the world dead crucfied to them Gal. 2.20 2 Cor. 4.10 for they always bare in their body the dying of the Lord Iesus which made them wait for the resurrection of the dead that the life of Iesus might be manifest in their mortal flesh in which when the life of Jesus appears then the body is said to be raised this is the resurrection of the dead Paul had not attained to the redemption of the Body which Paul waited for Rom. 8.23 Phil. 3.11 And not onely for himself but he waited when all the Saints should rise with him in the Body for then the Body of the Lord the dead Body of Christ is raised out of Babylon Now Brethren we all in these dayes are not onely his dead Body as the legal and Gospel-Churches were but we are the dead Body in Babylon yea we are dry bones very dry not onely dead but long dead for many hundred of years the Churches have been so ever since the Apostacie which Apostacie is now manifestly revealed in the Churches I say we are dry bones not onely the dead body as Gospel-Churches were who had the flesh of Christ on them and the Spirit of Christ in them I mean the manifestation of the Spirit in manifold Gifts for that was the Spirit which Jesus gave when he was glorified which we have not and therefore are dry Bones Againe we have no flesh not the flesh of Christ on us I mean his crucified flesh for that the Gospel-Churches had and glorifyed in it but the Cross is a thing now we cannot abide to bear as if we had tasted the delicacies of the Whore Rom. 5.3 Gal. 6.14 we with our Churches must bear rule in Commonwealths and Kingdomes yea though Christs Kingdome was not of this world John 18.3 6. yet the best of us fancy a reigne of Christ on earth for a thousand years and the Saints to reigne with him in an earthly manner and outward observation with rest and peace and power Luk. 17.20 21. and plenty this was not the flesh of Christ Thirdly I shewed we have not the flesh of Christ in us not the Faith of the Son of God nor that love in the Spirit nor so much as Scripture for any of our Gospel-Ordinances as I have and shall prove with God another time Fourthly we are dry Bones very dry indeed if our Faith be dead and no Gospel-Faith nor yet any knowledge so much as of the Ordinances we live in for which of the Churches conceive all this while that Baptism and Breaking of bread did hold forth nothing else even to Gospel-Saints but the dead body of the Lord which they also were indeed But we as I said are dry bones further from life then they because we think we are alive when we are not onely dead but dry bones yea very dry indeed that we know not our life at all 1 Pet. 1.3 Ezek. 37.11 compare Ezek. 37.3 Yea we are so dead and dry we have neither Faith nor Love nor yet any lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead the fruit of whose resurrection we look not for till many hundred years hence at the last day when we are dead and gone and turned to dust or dry bones Esa 26.29 whereas we consider not we are dry bones already and dwell in the dust this day I do not condemn you brethren for this that your hope is not lively that you look not for your resurrection from Babylon for you are but dry bones the whole house of Israel was so and they say our bones are dryed our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts Ezek. 37.11 that is it may be other generations may see the glory talked to be in the last times but we are cut off for our parts our children may possess it but for our parts we have no hopes to enjoy it or in this life to be raised out of our graves But Oh my people saith God I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves and bring you to the land of Israel v. 12. Pray brethren consider God will not onely open your graves that you may know you are dead and dry bones but he will cause you whether you will or no to come out of your graves of forms and flesh and bring you to the land of Israel to live in the Spirit to see your life in the Lord alone that your life may be no more hid with Christ in God but that Christ who is your life shall appear in you and your life may appear to be in God The greatest work that God hath to do with you this day is to make you see you are dead that 's the end why he does dash and divide you disquiet and destroy all your comforts for I know you are shaking already and 't is a mercy to you that God will disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon Jer. 50.34 that you shall have no rest till you return to his land even to the Lord that lives within you and loves you as his own Son though the Body be dead for then when dead the beloved of your Father was in perfect union with him as well as when he was living in the flesh and doing wonders in the Spirit Oh brethren see your selves at last the dead body of the Lord for then you shall arise and live Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body they shall arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust that 's dry bones Isai 26.19 This cannot be meant of the last resurrection when all shall rise for here some shall not rise v. 14. but you brethren shall rise when as soon as you are become the dead body of the Lord for so the words are read Thy dead men shall live my dead body they shall arise that is when we see our selves the dead body of the Lord we rise and live immediately in the midst of death and sing in the dust yea though dry bones and in the lowest estate of flesh we can comfortably wait for the Spirit and for the comming of the Lord in us that by the same Spirit which raised his dead body we the dead body of the Lord may be raised up together with him Truly brethren the living God knows that all I have written or shall is not intended by me to trouble your walkings but to give our rest in the Lord alone at last not meerly to throw down your Churches or for your fall but to raise you up that we all may live together with Christ in God Farewell Yours William Erbery FINIS A Call
the same This I only speak to shew the Ignorance or inconsiderate proceeds of our Gospel-preachers who know not what they say nor the way they go nor the work they do nor the word they speak nor the Gospel which they pretend to preach unto the world But because I now write to the baptized Churches I would convince them also of this that they are not the true nor can baptize in truth having not a Gospel yet manifest among them I say not manifest for there may be a seed of it in them as also was in legal Saints I will not minde you of those two Scriptures mentioned in the following dispute John 7.38 39. and John 14.12 nor yet a third proof Mark 16.16 17. Hee that believeth and is baptixed shall be saved and these signs shall follow them that believe c. Those signes did follow Gospel-believers 1 Cor. 1.7 1 Cor. 12.7 compare at least every Gospel Church of believers in whose members as that faith was manifested so especially in the Ministers or Elders who by laying on of hands on the sick and by prayer of faith could save the sick from death The Oyle then used being not a physical receipt or chirurgical salve nor yet an empty Ceremony but a signe of the Spirits presence in the Church and power in the Elder to heal the body as well as the soul James 5.14 15. I will not mention that other laying on of the Presbytery or Eldership in ordaining by a gift of the Spirit ever given thereby 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 compare as with God I shall shew hereafter onely now 't is clear there is no Gospel-faith in all the Churches this day Know then that in the Churches of Christ there was both the gift of Faith and the grace of Faith the one in some Church-members as well as in Ministers 1 Cor. 12.9 the other was common to all believers though some that were carnal then in Gospel-Churches had but a legal faith because carnal 2 Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.12 13. compare As for Gospel-faith suitable to that present state of the Spirit and spiritual Saints it was though not differing yet diverse from the legal faith of Gods people under the Law true faith was ever the same for substance but not for manifestation as the Gospel is everlasting and Christ the same to day yesterday and for ever But as Christ was onely vayled in the Law and revealed in the Gospel so the Gospel and Christ Jesus were both Mysteries hid since the world began from the Sons of men yea from the sons of God-under the Law Rom. 16.25 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 compare This Mystery was not manifest till to the Apostles and primitive Saints by the Spirit Eph. 3.5 That Spirit was not given before yea the Spirit was not at all as the Greek there reads John 7.39 And so that Spirit is not now not the Baptisme of the Spirit which the Apostles themselves had not John 20.22 Act. 1.5 compare while Christ was with them in flesh and though after his resurrection he breathed the Spirit on them yet they were not baptized with the Spirit till afterward Before which given they could not go forth to Teach all Nations and Baptize in a Gospel-way Act. 1.4 Therefore Gospel-Believers could not be before the Baptisme of the Spirit that is the pouring forth the gifts thereof on the Church Act. 2.33 44. 1 Cor. 12.7 9. compared Besides as the object of a Gospel-faith was a mystery that 's Christ in us the hope of glory John 4.20 Col. 1.27 Gal. 1.15 and 2.20 compare 1 Cor. 2.2 7 10 12 13. vers compare the Son of God revealed in us living in us and dying in us and we crucified with him for both Christ and him crucified also was a mystery as the Gospel the object of that faith so this Gospel-faith was a mystery likewise the mystery of Faith in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 But the object of a Legal faith was no mystery but a plain promise or God in covenant not God in Christ for this the Apostles themselves knew not in the dayes of his flesh Yee believe in God saith he believe also in me c. Legal Saints believed on God not on Christ for Christ was a mystery not yet manifest or to believe on God by Christ is that which believing Christians this day know not nor consider For what 's this why first 't is to know Christ in the Father and the Father in him and he in us and we in him John 14.20 Secondly to know Christ as the way to the Father for us vers 6.7 how so he that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me that 's the Father in me Iohn 12.44 45. Iohn 14.9 compared What 's that 't is thus to me he that sees God in Christ and the Father in him Emanuel God with us that 's Christ Mat. 1.23 Eph. 3.19 John 17.23 compare may as well see God even the Father in himself for Christ is in us and we in Christ that is God in our flesh as in Christs for Christ and we are perfect in one one with the Father thus he is the way to the Father and thus by him as the way we believe on God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory that our faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.23 So that in truth to believe on Christ is not to believe on Christ but on the Father in him God in his flesh and in ours also for our faith does tend and end in God yet through him and by him as I said before So that here 's the misbeliefe of Churches this day their faith is onely on God as the Iews or only on Christ as deceived Christians not on God and Christ or on God by Christ And by this it appears there has not been in the Churches a Gospel-faith at least formally for vertually there might be in some but formally and effectually there has not been a Gospel-faith in the Saints these 1400 years for what sign has followed any that believed who could ever shew the Gift of Faith when the grace of Faith was scarce known what mountain or mighty thing has been done Mark 6.17 Mat. 17.20 Mat. 21.21 compare Josh 6.13 or done away and removed meerly by Faith for an outward force and strength of man has alwaies attended great acts in latter times but where 's the fall of Iericho's walls by rams-horns or Gideons conquest by broken pitchers and lights held up in his hand Oh this new light believers are afraid of Judg. 7.20 or to hear the sound of a Trumpet All things saith Christ what soever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it that is Matth. 21.22 asking in faith nothing wavering c. though the man want wisdom yet he shall have it liberally given him of God saith