The Bishop of London, Tract 4
To the London-Ministers.
Friends,
BE not offended, for I was forced in spirit to what I spake unto you at London-house, and now on the house top to the world; that since the Apostacy God never bless'd the Churches, but hath curs'd them and their holy Princes, Isa. 43.28.
Yea, the Lord hath sworn that he hates and abhors the excellency of Jacob, that is, the Church in her highest form, when that face of Death shall pass over all their Members and Ministers, that not a man shall not be left to bury their dead: yea, so dead shall they appear in their worships and walkings, that though now they seem to be somewhat, and to speak much, yet then they shall be silent for shame; and say to each other, Hold thy peace, we may not make mention of the Name of the Lord (in preaching or praying) for the Apostacy will be so full, and their filthiness so appear to all, Prayers were once at our Burials, but the silent burying of the dead this day, is a sign of this to me.that they shall be afraid and ashamed to be called the People of God; but bury one another quickly out of the way from the sight of men, that no more mention be made of them, nor of God among them, Amos 6.1. to 8, 9, 10, 11, compared.
Indeed 'twas once otherwise in the Jewish and Christian Church at the first; they who were in the Church and of the Church were the best; 1 Ioh. 2.19.but now 'tis worse to be of the Church, Rev. 18.4.though the best may be in it.
For since the Apostacy, since the Spirit of Christ has departed, Isa. 1.21.and the spirit of Anti-christ come with power in the Church; the Church has been no more the house of God, Rev. 17.1.but a Babel; no more the Spouse of Christ, V. 2. Thats Beauty and Bands, Zach. 11.10, 14. Ezek. 37.16. compare.but the great Whore; and all joyning with her in Ordinances, have been defiled: yea (the spirit of life and love being gone from the body, and the body dead and divided in Babylon) as all who touch the dead become unclean, so are this people, saith God, and so is this Nation (the Church) before me, and so is every work of their hands, and all that they offer there, it is unclean, Isa. 1.13, 14. Hag. 1.13, 14.
Observe from the beginning, Rev. 17.16. Rev. 18.24.these 1400 years and more, how unclean, carnal, covetous, and cruel the Church has been, drunk with the blood of Saints that were in it; these in their spiritual Principles and practice being still contrary to those formes of godliness, and common Christianity of Churches, in their Members, & Ministers. I will not now mention the Popish Church, how Protestants were persecuted there, yea the honest Papist, and pious Saints of the same profession, hated of their owne Church!
Look back but into that which we have seen and felt, how sincere professors have fared in Protestant Churches, and honest Presbyters or Puritans by the Prelatick Church; yea the zealous Presbyters, when raised into Church Government, were the same to the Independent or godly party in England, as the Independent Churches in New England to the Baptized Brethren, or to the Saints above them in Spirit and truth.
Truly then 'tis neither honour nor safety to be in Church-fellowship this day, but a shame, and will be a suffering in the flesh, both to members and Ministers, as it has been to their fore-fathers; for the eternal Spirit (as I said) is coming forth, Zach. 12.3, 6, 7. verses.and visibly come already as Fire in the scattered Saints, to burn up all the gathered Churches.
Oh come then (my beloved brethren) let us be and abide for a while in the Wilderness; for there we have a place apointed by God, as I shall tell you hereafter, Rev. 12. Act. 7.38.there in the wilderness the Saints were first called a Church, yea there the legal Church had Gospel-Ordinances, 1 Cor. 10.2, 3.were baptized into the Sea and Cloud, and did eate the same spiritual meat, &c. From thence, Song 8.5.the Church in the wilderness comes forth with glory, leaning on her beloved, &c. From thence Christ comes, Song 8.14.and makes haste like a Roe or young Hart, on the mountains of spices, &c. Rev. 22.20. compare.There the Spirit and the Bride say come, come Lord Iesus, come quickly.
I would not wake my Beloved till he please, nor bring you out of your Church-fellowship, till the Lord call you; nor call you forth to any particular form, to a Conventicle or secret Chamber, nor yet to a Desart, 1 Cor. 12.12.nor to any fellowship distinct from the rest of the Saints; for that's a false Christ, not only the false Churches now (for the true was Christ) but all separated fellowships of Christians, Math 24.26, 27. Rev. 18.1. comparedthough true Saints, are false Christs, being far below that glorious appearance of his, as lightning from East to West, This Angel is nothing but that appearance of God in man, which will gather up all in God, or like lightning lighten the whole earth with glory. Matth. 25.4. Song 5.2. The oyl which the wise Virgins had with their Lamps, was the Spirit, which the foolish waited not for.which will gather up all the Saints into himself, 2 Thes. 2.1.
Till this be, let us all wait as wise Virgins, with Oyl in our Lamps, or rather Oyl with our Lamps, for we have none yet in them, nor in our Churches; though 'tis then with us, when we are awake, or waiting in sleep for that, wanting it in us, till all the Saints with us be filled with the Spirit from on high, Isa. 41, 17.18, 19. Isa. 32.14, 15.
And let us wait at Jerusalem, not going forth of the indwellings of God; for that's Ierusalem, where there is no Temple, but the Lord God himself and the Lamb.
If before the Spirit we go forth to any form, fellowship, or fleshly Ordinance or Office, the presence of the Lord goes not with us, but we are liable to Babylons plagues, death, mourning, famine, and fire, Rev. 18.8.
This fire is the Spirits fulness, Math. 3.11. Act. 1.5. Rom. 8.23.which in its first fruits set the Churches of Christ in Gospel, order; but since the Churches are come to Babylon, building and abiding there in forms, without the Baptisme of the Spirit and of Fire, the Spirit comes forth in fulness as Fire, to confound and consume the Churches: See the Sword doubled.
And Paul appeareth still, not to edifie, and build, and plant the Churches, as at first, but to pluck up, and throw down, and destroy; for so he did once before unto the Church of the Iewes, Act. 21.28.and all those Ordinances, though appointed by God himself; much more the Ordinances and Order now, invented by man, Pauls Spirit is plucking up, and throwing downe.
Paul is no more tender to the Churches, but torments them one after another; yea gives them double according to their works, that's double wrath; fills up the golden cup of their abomination, as the wine of fornication is filled in it, Rev. 18.3, 6.which becomes the wine of wrath to them (as to the National Churches) who being drunk therewith, with false worships and fellowships, and are reeling to and fro, Jer. 51.39. Amos 8.14.from one form to another, till they stumble, and fall, and rise up no more, unless in the Spirit of the Lord alone at last.
'Tis safest then for you and me, to be alone, from all men, unto God, or to be be as the godly of old, the honest Puritans were; to be self-denying, and strict in our life, sweet in love together, doing good to all, and suffering for well doing, to be true in our words, just in our dealings; to watch our owne hearts and this present evil world, to be preserved pure and spotless in it, to have our conversation in Heaven, and use all earthly things in a heavenly manner, to minde things that are above, not in place, but in affection and attainment, to see Christ sitting at the right hand of God in our hearts, and nothing raigning there but himself; thus walking humbly with our God, and waiting for his glorious appearance in us; we then were in all good duties, more in Spirit and less in form, thus 'twas with us formerly.
But now we are fallen from all that too, and become as the dead body in Babylon, and as the dry bones scattered in the open vallie, that every man above and about us, may see we are but the carcase of a Church and Christian conversation; Ezek. 37.16. Zach. 11.14. compare.let us then in love lye downe as dead together, or every bone alone by it self, every one like Doves on the mountaines, Ezek. 7.16. Zach. 12.12.yea every man apart and his wife apart, those of neerest flesh and fellowship to be alone from all, waiting when the Spirit will come from on high, and take us up all into God, when God shall be all in all.
In a word, because you would know my Religion, 'tis thus. Next to my eternal being in God with Christ, and Christ in me, by the Spirit of holiness, coming forth in part, and carrying me out in all things to be an honest man, My Religion is, to be of no Religion, with man; that is, to have fellowship with none, and yet to have fellowship with all in God. Farewell.
Your most affectionate friend and servant in the Lord, William Erbery.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Erbery, The Bishop of London (1652)