and many with me that as the eares of the deaf shall hear the words of the book so the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness Isa 29.18 19. This Scripture I spake of at Brecknock the last first day The Book I shewed was God dwelling in men Immanuel God with us that 's Christ God in us God manifest in our flesh as in his is Christ in us the hope of glory for all the Saints shall be taken up into the same glory with himself and the Nations by this called and joyned to the Lord. This Book is sealed to the learned and unlearned Preachers Isa 29.11 yea to the Prophets and Seers and most seeing men yea sealed with seven seals that 's perfectly sealed and from all Churches for it relates to the seven Churches enclining to the Apostacie which followed Secondly 'T is but a sma book a very little one for Iohn could swallow it at a bit Rev. 10. and 't was bitter in his Belly 't is so to flesh for it suffers by it as Christs did but the little Book is no more then God manifest in flesh in his flesh and in ours Thirdly It shall be open and that surely for the ministery of God shall be finished fully known and the Angel sweares by God that time shall be no more for all shall be taken up into eternity into God himself and God shall be all in all I shall repeat no more onely the remembrance of the Lord and his love to me in your dear deceased Wife who lives with me and in me for there 's the Lord in whom she is and in whom we both are though we know not but we shall when the book shall be opened My dearest salutes to all the Saints with you Farewell Brecknock the 23 of Aug. 1652. Your William Erbery For Mr. Vavasor Powel Dear Sir I Am owing to you in much love and in a Letter you long since sent unto me but now I shall repay you an answer which I had not so fit an opportunity to returne till by the present bearer I do not remember the contents of that onely I conceive 't was something concerning Christ and 't is that alone I shall in this confer with you for your Church-fellowship is at an end with God though some men may see somewhat in it yet 't is but a dead carcase they look upon the form of a man but the Spirit life and power form on high appears not at all to me nor to many in it as I have hinted in a Letter to Mr. Moston This is not to direct you in preaching but to desire your second thoughts in the things you spake of the personal reigne of Christ which with confidence you declare to be in that fleshly presence of his with which he ascended and shall so descend to reign a thousand years on earth and the Saints with him This hath some shew in the Letter of Scripture but if the Spirit hid in your flesh and mine shall be suffered to come forth and truely to interpret without the Tradition and Teaching of men God may shew you another sense then what is commonly revealed by Christians and Churches The first ground whereon your foundation or fundamental doctrine stands is Act. 1.11 Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven this same Iesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall come so in like manner as yee have seen him go into Heaven To this know that the Disciples of Christ were too much taken with his fleshly presence while he was living with them in the dayes of his flesh John 16.7 Joh. 20.13 20. and his departure from them or dying of flesh filled their hearts with sorrow as after he was raised those who were weeping at his grave John 20.17 rejoyced to see him in the flesh again and so to touch him but that must not be saith he till I am ascended and this touch could not be but by the Spirit that in them was to take and touch the Spirit in him And what was he even Jesus but God manifest in flesh for 't was God who rose and ascended up on high Joh. 5.19 30. Joh. 8.27 28. Joh. 14.9 10. compare Psal 68.1 18. that 's God in flesh and what was his coming but when that Spirit and power of God in his flesh should appear in theirs the same Jesus came again for as the shedding forth of all the Gifts of the Spirit on the Disciples was the same so Christ tells Paul persecuting the Saints or the Spirit rather in them I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Act. 9.5 Jesus was therefore come again for his coming that he promised 't was nothing but the promise of the Father which they heard of him and in him for as the Father was all in all in his flesh who dwelt and did all his works spake his words so when God even the Father should appear thus with power in their flesh as in his then he came indeed Iohn 14. 18 19 20. He that believeth on me saith he the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go to the Father His going to the Father was his disappearance in flesh for when he no longer appeared to them in flesh then he was said to depart therefore his coming again was in the Spirit when he who was with them should be in them then Christ was the Spirit the quickning Spirit because I live ye shall live also Iohn 14.17 19. thus Christ was the Comforter verse 16. called another Comforter because he came in another presence then that of flesh he came and yet was he the same Comforter for I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you verse 18. yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me c. the world that 's carnal Christians could see no more of Christ when his fleshly presence was gone but ye see me ye who are spiritual or when spiritual ye see me how sure in the Spirit in the Spirit of life v. 19. and in the Spirit of light or knowledge v. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you No more Christ in the flesh but in the Father and Christ no more to be known after the flesh but he in us and we in him This spiritual understanding of Christ the disciples while carnal yea while Christ was in the flesh were ignorant of therefore he calls them in a common name Ye men of Galilee Acts 1.11 and their gaping up to heaven after his fleshly presence is reproved there also The spiritual knowledge of him is then taught This same Iesus which is taken from you in the flesh shall so come unto you in the spirit and ye shall see him as was said before Joh. 14.19 that is after a little while they should see him Joh.
all the Saints with you to look for this Col. 3.1 that is next and nearest to you to rise not onely from sin as those under the second dispensation were risen but to rise from self as we shall in the third when God shall be all in all that we may all hear him in us speaking with power Arise shake thy self from the dust Isa 52.2 arise and sit down O Jerusalem loose thy self from the bands of thy neck O captive Daughter of Sion Farewell Your William Erbery For Mr. Ambrose Moston Beloved Sir I Wrote unto you once before I received yours last but mine miscarried and 't is no matter for the whole contents thereof concerned outward things as Church-Order Ordinances and Officers which I proved then not to be of the primitive institution with power from on high and appearance of the Spirits presence in gifts Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 5. Act. 21.4 33. which was the ordinary constitution of a Gospel-Church First in order that is the manifestation of the Spirit in manifold gifts called the Baptisme of the Spirit this being the pouring forth of all the gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.7 12. 1 Cor. 14.1 12. for some the Church under the Law had as gifts of prophesying signes miracles raising the dead c. which the present professing Gospel-Churches are far below even that legal dispensation Secondly The Officers of Christ Act. 14.23 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 James 5.14 Act. 20.23 were as for number five Eph. 4.11 so the lowest Elder Pastor and Teacher was ordained with a gift of the Spirit given by the laying on of hands by which as they were enabled for their ministerial work so were they to abide and to sit down with their particular flocks for the Apostles onely were to go forth to the world Col. 1.23 25. as the Evangelists were appointed to ordain Eiders in every City Tit. 1.5 Act. 13.1 2 3. and the Prophets to minister unto the Lord in the Churches laying on their hand on such Apostles who were successively sent abroad out of those Churches to preach the Gospel with the holy Spirit sent downe from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 Eph. 3.4 5. Col. 1.27 28 29. without which the Mystery of Christ could not be manifest to men This was the full ministery of Christ in those five which the world could not want nor the Church be without the want of which leaves both in Babylon or confusion as it has been all along the Apostacie and is now more visible this day to many scattered Saints Thirdly The Ordinances which are in the gathered Churches are far from the primitive institution in matter and form For first a Psalm a Doctrine a Tongue Interpretation Revelation were ordinary 1 Cor. 14.26 because for edifying and therefore Ordinances of the Church of Christ these are not now at all go the edifice is fallen into confusion that 's Babel Secondly the Ordinances which are as the Childish tradition of Childrens Baptisme the breaking of bread which should be the Communion of Christs body cannot be administred because the body is not onely dead Ezek 37.3 16. as the dry bones of Babylon but divided as the two sticks there and how then can there be a communion when there is no union of the body for as there was before in the Gospel-state but one Spirit one baptisme so but one body all believers and Gospel-Saints walked in one Church-way one way of worship doctrine and discipline c. and though there was particular divisions between brother and brother yet not between Church and Church for the body was but one as I said Now the Saints by calling have diverse baptismes and are divided bodies how can there be then breaking of bread or communion of the body 't is but the bread of Mourners Hosea 9.4 read it in the Spirit I will not speak of our Common-prayers and customary carnal singing of Psalmes for though Prayers were publiquely performed in the Jewish Church that Church being national Act. 2.42 yet in the Gospel-Churches being a company of Saints Prayers were proper onely in the Church as fellowship and breaking of bread was only there not with the world or multitude therefore Christ and his Apostles did never pray with their preaching Act. 3.1 12. Act. 4.24 compared These were the things I then enlarged to you in the Letter that was lost and truely I intended not now to speak a word of this when I first put pen to paper there is a providence and the hand of God in it which led mine thus far that you might lay it to heart Indeed Sir these are but outward things there are more inward spiritual and eternal truths I purposed to present to your serious thoughts that is the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven what the Lord has taught me therein I cannot now express only to tell you that I teach nothing now to man but the new Ierusalem in which when the Saints shall be gathered as they shall all be one for there 's but one street in that City so there being no Temple there but the Lord God and the Lamb the divided forms of Church-worship being fallen with Babylon shall appear no more but God will be seen to dwell in his people with that light and love that many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in them 't is not said joyned to them now for God shall be all in all This I call the third Dispensation differing from Law and Gospel-order yet comprehending both above both for Ierusalem is above and that was above to the highest Apostle will come downe and appear to the least and lowest of Gods people Gal. 4.26 for 't is the mother of us all yea the child shall dye a hundred years old Isa 65.20 Eph. 4.13 for the least child of God shall come to a perfect man to the fulness of the stature of Christ that is shall see himself filled with all the fulness of God as the most perfect man on earth Eph. 4.13 This third dispensation or third discovery of God all the Prophets did write of Rom. 8.18 23. and all the Apostles waited for the glory to be revealed in us the glorious liberty of the sons of God saith Paul 1 John 3.2 the appearing of God even the glorious appearing of the great God in us when we shall be like him and see him as he is saith Iohn the new heaven and the new earth saith Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 all this we wait for say they and Iohn saw it coming down even the new Ierusalem after Babylons fall The fall of Babylon will be by confusion when this comes to the Churches and in the Spirits of the Saints they shall then begin to see what before they were blind unto yea the blind alone shall see for they that see shall be made blind Iohn 3.39 Isa 29.18 But this is the comfort to me
Iames James 1.5 6. how then are they who pray most the greatest fools both Papists and Protestants then is not the wisest man as a wave of the Sea when the Sea is over the whole earth Isa 4.11 and the best are in the waters Truly we are all sick let us send then to the Elders of the Church and see if they have the prayer of faith to heal us or heal themselves from the stroke of their wound Isa 30.26 Jer. 30.17 Who among all the gathered Churches can hold forth a Gospel-faith to the scattered Saints who of all their Gospel-Ministers can go forth freely to the world Col. 24.15 1 Pet. 1.12 where is the Power from on high or holy Spirit sent downe from heaven for that work Yea where 's the Spirit of Faith in any of their Believers Gospel-believers were all of one heart and one soul because but one body Act. 2.44 Act. 4.32 c. ours are all divided believers then had all things common c. our Churches and Christians are all for self-interests and to seek their own This is not love as I shall shew anon nor faith indeed which works by love All have not faith saith the Apostle in those Gospel-times no man has a Gospel-faith in these times of the Apostacy and being of the Saints in Babylons captivity Yet this is the confusion that hath ever followed the Churches to this day to take up the Apostles words and writings and to apply that to our selves which was possible to those times and proper only to primitive Saints and Churches where that power was which is now wanting to all the world Thus the Baptists now take up the Apostles call and commission which was never given them by Christ much less by the Spirit afterward Again like the Angel of darkness or Devil cutting off part of Gods word they still tell their Proselytes Mat. 3.6 Mat. 28.19 Go teach and Baptize c. whereas 't is written Go Teach all Nations and Baptize c. Thirdly 't was not directed to the Disciples but to the Apostles upon this ground and the Eleven are mentioned by Matthew and Mark Mat. 28.16 Mark 16.14 for every Disciple had not that power from on high to Teach all Nations Fourthly Who can shew unto us that he is sent of God to Baptize seeing none baptized but either the Apostles or such who had a manifestation of the Spirit to confirm their call Act. 8.6 Act. 9.17 as Philip and Ananias Lastly 'T were well if they would not onely chuse their members by a confession of faith but catechise them and themselves first in the doctrine of Faith For the mystery of Faith was more then men imagine and it may be more then Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia Rom 4.2 for both it seems had gone so far back to the Law to begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh that the Apostle goes no farther then a Legal Faith Gal. 3.3 for Faith as justifying was no more and Faith on the promise was no higher then their Faith under the Law as is proved in the dispute hereafter Gospel-Faith was wholly exercised in our union with God in Christ and Christ in us which Paul rather points at in himself then teacheth the Church unless what he hints to some spiritual Saints therein Gal. 2.20 who had the anointing in them teaching them all things that they needed not any man should teach them 1 John 2.27 Therefore as Christ never heard any man preach so neither did the Apostles hear one anothers preachings or sit at a Sermon as our Gospel-preachers do This I onely speak by the way at present and another thing that the Apostles never preach'd a common place of the nature of Faith or repentance to bring people to repeat and believe but so preached Christ to all that they might believe and repent Gospel-Faith properly was this in knowing our followship with the Father and the Son in the Spirit to know our union with God in Christ and Christ so in us that we are in one with the Father as He in the same love and life in God with him John 14.19 Iohn 17.1 20 21 22 23. now the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ was not manifest to any under the Law nor to Abraham himself who though he saw the day of Christ yet 't was a far off Joh. 8.56 Heb. 11.13 for so the Fathers saluted the promises whose Faith was on the promise or power of God in performing the same and so it s justified Rom. 4.14 to 21. but the justifying faith of Christians was on Christ dying and raised up verse 24.25 though Abraham in a typical mystery believed on Christ dead and raised in his son sacrificed and slain in purpose verse 17. and raised in a figure Heb. 11.19 But as Christ was a mystery so his death and resurrection was a mystery also that none but the Apostles could manifest it by the Spirit which being not given to any one living the Faith which comes by hearing is no higher then theirs under the Law to justify and to save yea we know by experience the best Preachers when they would raise men to believe pitch them on the promise not on that power from on high or promise of the Father which they that believed on Christ did receive and by which the first Preachers of the Gospel brought men to believe But take faith in the lowest acceptance for justifying Faith was but of a legal temper which the Church of Rome beginning to fall from the Apostle is faine to set before them the faith of Abraham and David c to whom the mystery of Christ and of the Gospel being not yet manifested by the Spirit Rom. 3.13 Rom. 4.3 6. as to the Apostles and primitive Saints that Faith of theirs was but suitable to a legal estate I say take Faith in the lowest acceptance as justifying before God and men as working by love where is it when there is no love among you neither to other Churches or Saints differing from you nor to your own Churces who differ in doctrine as I said before much less love to all Saints The Sword doubled Col. 1.4 Tit. 9.3 2.4 to those scattered ones who cannot come to any of your Church-wayes as for love to all men 't is a thing you look not after though this be a higher degree of love then brotherly kindness or love to the brethren 1 Thes 3.12 2 Pet. 1.7 compared But alas the brotherhood is broken Zach. 11.6 9 14. vers there is not love to the brethren among you not onely love unfeigned but love out of a pure heart fervently is not to be found for the love of the best is but cold God knows not that fervent unfeigned that is without Hypocrisie 1 Pet. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh how far are believers from that love the Apostle