The trial of spirits, both in teachers and hearers : Wherein is held forth the clear discovery, and certain downfall, of the carnal and anti-Christian clergy of these nations. Testified from the word of God, to the University congregation in Cambridge

Dell William D. 1664, Sidrach Simpson

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• Langue: English
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Dffi 1 1995
. "D^4
IA(7THE
TRIAL OF SPIRITS,
Wachers and iiearers.^^^^
WHEREIN IS HELD FORTH ^ rt .
The Clear Discovery, and Certain Downfal
OF THE
CARNAL & ANTICHRISTIAN
CLERGY OF THESE NATIONS.
TESTIFIED FROM THE WORD OF GOD
TO THE
UNIVERSITY CONGREGATION^ IN CAMBRIDGE.
By AYILLIAM DELL.
WHEREUNTO IS ADDED,
A Plain and Necessary Confutation of divers Gross Errors,
DELIVERED BY
Mr. SYDRACH SIMPSON,
In a Sermon preached to the same Congregation
AT the Commencement, Anno 1653.
Wherein, among other things, is declared, that the Universities, according
to their present statutes and practices, arc not, as he affirmed, answerable to the
Schools of the i'rophets in the liiue of the law but rather to the ido'atrous High;
Places.
And that Human Learninjr is not a preparatio'h appointed by Christ, either
for the right underslanding, or right l.aching the Gospel.
With a brief Tesliiuotiv against Divinity Degrees in the Universities.
As also, Lulhi-r's Testimony at large upon the whole mailer.
And lastly The Right Reformation of Learningf, Schools, and Universities,
according to the State of the Gospel, and the Light that shines therein.
ALL NECESSARY FOR THE INSTRUCTION AND DIRECTIOK
OF THE FAITHFUL IN TH I- S E LAST TIMLS.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY E. HUNTING! ON, 55, HIG
BLOOMSBLRY.
1817.Innes, Oxford-street, London.J. Printer, 61, Wells-street,TO
TRULY FAITHFUL,ALL THE
CHRIST IN THESBTHE VERY LITTLE FLOCK OF
NATIONS, NOW DESPISED AND ALMOST WORN
ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECIES, FOROUT,
WHICHTHE WORD OF GOD, AND TESTIMONY
THEY HOLD,
MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU, AND PEACE,GRACE BE
FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND THE LORD JESUS
OUR HEAD AND HOPE.CHRIST,
I distinguishCOULD not choose but you
thusfrom all the rest ofthe of thesepeople nations,
of what condition or quality soever, seeing God
himself hath first done it, having chosen you to in Christ, and set you apart for himself,
"as a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
And I have chosen to speak this only to you, be-
cause you are all taught of God, and have heard
and learned from him the truth, as it is in Jesus;
and because you have an inward unction from
God, whereby you know the truth from error,
though it be never so much reproached by carnal
christians and whereby; you know error from the
truth, though it be never so much exalted and
magnified by them. You those spiritualare men
who judge all things, because you have received
the Word and Spirit of judgment in Christ, from
a2the Father. Besides, you are the men whom God
will use in his greatest and most glorious works,
inwhich he hath yet to do the world, to wit, in
kingdomthe destruction of the of antichrist, and
in the setting up and enlargirig the kingdom of
Christ; wh.ich things doneare not to be hy the
might and power of worldly magistrates, which
it may he you have not and if you hadreceived,
it would not l)e helpful the Spirit ofhere, but by
the Lord, which you all have received in some
measure. Yea farther, none but you will be con-
tented to live onl}^ by faith, and to follow Christ
in untrodden paths, and to undertake impossible
works to flesh and blood : and none but you will
willing havebe to the residue of Christ's life
and works, and hisof sufferings and death, fulfilled
in your mortal bodies.
It grieves me much so many mento see as I
have known once andhopeful in the army, else-
where, to be full with the flesh ofnow so gorged
kings, and nobles, and captains, and mighty men ;
that is, with their parks,estates, manors, houses,
lands, &c. that they can now be contented to take
their ease, and to comply with the world and
worldly church, and the teachers thereof, and can
persuade themselves, that forthere is enough done
their time, after hath them;it fared thus wellwith
and can leave the remainder that areto men as
plain and mean as themselves first, for-were at
getting him who remembered them when they
were in low condition. But were indeedthey thatrighteous among them, are righteous stilly and they
andthat were indeed holy, are holy stiil ; prosperity
scriptureshath only slain the fools, as the r»eak.
chosen, and fairliful,But you, christians, are called,
and with the Lam - onyou will still be found
Mount rest who have his i^ame,Sion,,and with the
and his written in their foreheads;Father's name
and you dare still own the ancient truth, cause and
soever iswork of Christ, how great disadvantage
through thefor the presen«t risen up against it,
lovers of thisapostacy of carnal christians, the
all that hath beenworld. Andyou all know, that
preparationdone hitherto by the sword, is but the
way his work, and that the workof Christ's to
itself is still behind, and to be done by those
worthies of the Lord, who love Jesus Christ and
his kingdom, and coming, a thousand times better
than the present world, and all the best things of
it; yea, than their own lives. Wherefore I advise
you all, to whom now I speak, to take heed that
you neither drink nor sip of the clergy's cup,
which carries in it the wine of the wrath of the
fornication ofantichrist ; lest having drunk there-
of, theiryou fall asleep through the strength of
rendered unable toinchantments, and so are
follow for many powers andChrist any farther :
magistrates of the world, hopeful, have beenonce
thus overcome and seduced into antichrist's cause
against Christ, to their utter ruin in the end.
And how have the preseiit clergy, with their
most plausible njen, attempted of this presentsomesome the very chiefest and mostpower yea, of
;
have put them into some,godly in the army ; and
not, great danger. Wherefore re-that I say
that word of the Lord spoken by hismember you
"xiv. If any man worship theangel, Rev. 9, 10,
his image, and receive his mark in hisbeast and
or in his hand, the same shall drink offorehead,
the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
mixture, into the cup of his indig-out without
nation," &c.
"If any man worship the beast," that is, the
antichristian church of the pope and his prelates
clergy, which is called the beast, because ofand
"its fierceness and cruelty against the saints : or
his image," that is, the church of the bishops and
presbyters, which in a lesser volume, and less
letters, doth answer the other, and is directly like
Whoever shall worship these, that is, highlyit.
esteem them for theirhuman learning, and school
divinity, and sacredness of their orders, and count
worthy all honour and respect, and worldlythem
and also to have power in matters ofmaintenance ;
religion, allow and determine of doctrine, andto
institute in matters of govern-to appoint and
being worldly powers, do subjectment : and
all the worldly people them,themselves, and under
men's religion, authority, doctrine, dis-to these
Whoever shall thus them,cipline, &c. worship
;""or shall receive his mark is^ this prin-that
that and persecuteciple, it is lawful to punish
men in matters that merely relate to faith and the