William Erbery
Encyclopedia
William Erbery or Erbury (Glamorganshire, 1604–1654) was a Welsh
clergyman and radical Independent
theologian.
, England
in 1623..
He was ejected in 1638 from his Cardiff
parish of St. Mary’s, under the Bishop of Landaff who had branded him a schism
atic, after several citations before the Court of High Commission
. His offence had been, along with fellow Dissenters Walter Craddock and William Wroth
, to refuse to read the Book of Sports. He became chaplain
, when the English Civil War
broke out in 1642, to the regiment
of Philip Skippon
in the Parliamentary Army. According to Christopher Hill
From there he retired to the Isle of Ely
. He was a Seeker
; in Ely he expanded the Seekers in the 1640s.
He expected that a regime of ‘saints’ would (in the later 1640s) carry out God's will in England.. He looked to the Army and Cromwell
for reforms such as the abolition of tithes and the state church
. In 1646 he took part in a high-profile dispute with the orthodox Presbyterian and heresy
watchdog Francis Cheynell
.
.
He favoured broad religious tolerance, and was dismissive of churches, believing that ‘apostasy’ had set in early in Christian
times; and criticized much even in the Independent churches of his time. He attacked the assumption of the sufficiency of scripture, but doubted the Trinity had Biblical support. He believed free grace had been brought forth by John Preston
and Richard Sibbes
, preached universal redemption, and denied the divinity of Christ. His millennarian views included a Second Coming
, but realised by and within 'saints'.
He opposed the Baptists
, for example in his 1653 pamphlet A Mad Man's Plea.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
clergyman and radical Independent
Independent (religion)
In English church history, Independents advocated local congregational control of religious and church matters, without any wider geographical hierarchy, either ecclesiastical or political...
theologian.
Life
He graduated from Brasenose College, OxfordBrasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1623..
He was ejected in 1638 from his Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
parish of St. Mary’s, under the Bishop of Landaff who had branded him a schism
Schism
- Religion :* Schism , a division or a split, usually between people belonging to an organization or movement, most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body...
atic, after several citations before the Court of High Commission
Court of High Commission
The Court of High Commission was the supreme ecclesiastic court in England. It was instituted by the crown during the Reformation and finally dissolved by parliament in 1641...
. His offence had been, along with fellow Dissenters Walter Craddock and William Wroth
William Wroth
William Wroth , a minister of the Church of England, is generally credited with the establishment of the first Independent Church in Wales in 1639...
, to refuse to read the Book of Sports. He became chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, when the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
broke out in 1642, to the regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of Philip Skippon
Philip Skippon
Philip Skippon was an English soldier, who fought in the English Civil War.-To 1638:...
in the Parliamentary Army. According to Christopher Hill
From there he retired to the Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely
The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right.-Etymology:...
. He was a Seeker
Seekers
The Seekers, or Legatine-Arians as they were sometimes known, were a Protestant dissenting group that emerged around the 1620s, probably inspired by the preaching of three brothers – Walter, Thomas, and Bartholomew Legate. Arguably, they are best thought of as forerunners of the Quakers, with whom...
; in Ely he expanded the Seekers in the 1640s.
He expected that a regime of ‘saints’ would (in the later 1640s) carry out God's will in England.. He looked to the Army and Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
for reforms such as the abolition of tithes and the state church
Disestablishmentarianism
Disestablishmentarianism today relates to the Church of England in the United Kingdom and related views on its establishment as an established church....
. In 1646 he took part in a high-profile dispute with the orthodox Presbyterian and heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
watchdog Francis Cheynell
Francis Cheynell
Franicis Cheynell was a prominent English religious controversialist, of Presbyterian views, and President of St. John's College, Oxford 1648 to 1650, imposed by the Parliamentary regime....
.
Views
With a disillusioned attitude to the movement of the times, though accepting Cromwell's Protectorate, he was a suspected RanterRanter
The Ranters were an alleged sect in the time of the English Commonwealth who were regarded as heretical by the established Church of that period...
.
He favoured broad religious tolerance, and was dismissive of churches, believing that ‘apostasy’ had set in early in Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
times; and criticized much even in the Independent churches of his time. He attacked the assumption of the sufficiency of scripture, but doubted the Trinity had Biblical support. He believed free grace had been brought forth by John Preston
John Preston (clergyman)
John Preston D.D. was an English puritan minister of the church, and master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.-Upbringing:John Preston was the son of Thomas Preston, a farmer, was born at Upper Heyford in the parish of Bugbrook, Northamptonshire, and was baptised at Bugbrook church on 27 October...
and Richard Sibbes
Richard Sibbes
Richard Sibbes was an English theologian. He is known as a Biblical exegete, and as a representative, with William Perkins and John Preston, of what has been called "main-line" Puritanism.-Life:...
, preached universal redemption, and denied the divinity of Christ. His millennarian views included a Second Coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
, but realised by and within 'saints'.
He opposed the Baptists
General Baptist
General Baptists is a generic term for Baptists who hold the view of a general atonement, as well as a specific name of groups of Baptists within the broader category.General Baptists are distinguished from Particular or Reformed Baptists.-History:...
, for example in his 1653 pamphlet A Mad Man's Plea.