The tryal of spirits both in teachers & hearers wherein is held forth the clear discovery and certain downfal of the carnal and antichristian clergie of these nations / testified from the Word of God to the university-congregation in Cambridge by William 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 vniversities (according to their present statutes and practices) are not (as he affirmed) answerable to the schools of the prophets in the time of the law, but rather to the idolatrous high places ...

The Fourth General Point.

And now I proceed to the fourth Thing, wherein the A∣postle* 1.1 shews, with Whom the false Prophets, which come in the spirit of Antichrist, should not prevail; namely, with None of the true Children of God: and this is set down, in ver. 4.

We are of God little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world.

Here now the Apostle shews the Victory, which the truly faithfull and spiritual Christians do obtain over Antichrist and his false Prophets, together with the Grounds of that Victory.

• 1. The Victory is set down in these words, Little children, ye have overcome them.
• 2. The Grounds of this Victory are two.
  • 1. Because the Faithfull are of God, as Children of their Father: Ye are of God little Children, and have overcome them.
  • 2. Because that Spirit which the Faithfull have re∣ceived, and which dwells in them, is stronger, and

• ...
  • ... mightier than that Spirit which the World receives, and which dwells in them. Greater is he that is in You, than he that is in the World.

I shall first speak something of the Victory it self; that is,* 1.2 * 1.3 of that glorious Victory, which all the true Children of God do obtain over Antichrist. For though Antichrist and his Teachers do come in Christs Name (as Christ hath foretold) and in Sheeps Cloathing; and though they transform them∣selves into the Apostles of Christ, and come with all Decei∣vableness of Unrighteousness, holding forth a false Christ the Head; a false Church the Body; a false Word, a false Worship, false Works, false Ordinances, and all these false things exceedingly like the True, and in the very form and appearance of the True; in such sort, that they prevail with all the National Church, and the Generality of the people of the World, which all wonder after Them; yet are they not able, by all these things, to prevail with any of the true Children of God, as Christ hath taught us, saying, Many false Christs and false Prophets shall arise, and shall come with lying Signs and Wonders; able, if it were possible, to deceive the Elect: And though they do deceive all Others, yet is it not possible for them to deceive the Elect of God, that is, throughly and fully, as they do deceive Others; but the Faithful and Elect people of God do escape their Deceits, and do overcome them; yea, though they be but little Chil∣dren, new in the Faith, and young in Christ, yet do they overcome all the false Prophets in the World. For these little Children are so stript of their old Nature, that they over∣come the lusts of the Flesh, the lusts of the Eye, and the pride of Life, which are not of God, but of the World, and through which only, the Ministers of Antichrist are migh∣ty: and so these Teachers can find nothing in Them, on which they can lay hold to prevail. Besides, as new born babes can discern and taste which is good and wholesome milk, and sutable to them, and can refuse what is otherwise; and this instinct they have in their very nature, as soon as they have a being, to judge of their Food, which is good for them,

and which is hurtful. So the Children of God, as soon as ever They by faith are made partakers of the Divine Na∣ture, they can immediately judge of the Milk of the Word, and can surely taste and discern whether it be sincere or adul∣terated, whether it be good or hurtful for them. And so in the vertue of their New Nature, they reject and overcome all the false Doctrine of the false Teachers.

And thus we have seen all along, in the several Ages of* 1.4 the Reign of Antichrist, that Christ hath alwayes had a Peo∣ple of his own, though but few in number, and mean in con∣dition,* 1.5 and despised of the World, whom Antichrist never could prevail against, neither by the subtilty of his Doctrine, nor by the violence of his Tyranny; but they have by their Faith and Patience, and Word of their Testimony, withstood Him, and his Multitudes, yea, the whole World, whom he hath all along seduced.

Thus in every Age hath Christ had so great Care of all* 1.6 those whom his Father hath given him, that he hath lost none of Them, no not one Single Person, but by his Word and Spirit which he hath put into them, and by his own Presence in them, through his Word and Spirit, he hath still preserved them, and hath strenghthened them, to oppose and resist Antichrist to the Death, and to overcome as He overcame.* 1.7

And so during all the Reign of Antichrist in the World, whom hath he prevailed withall, and deceived, but only the World? but not one Single person of the Elect children of God, though he hath especially sought to prevail with Them.

But Jesus Christ (who only knows who are his) hath kept* 1.8 all along Those whom he hath Known, that we might un∣derstand, that the Care of the true Church is committed to Him alone from the Father, and that all the Magistrates and Powers of the World, are not at all Capable of such a Trust, which would have been too Great for the very Angels of Heaven.

And though Antichrist during his Reign, had inwrapped the Elect Themselves into all his Errors, before Faith came, as the first Adam had inwrapped them in all his Sin; yet as

God wrought Faith in them, and gave them his Spirit, so they by degrees recovered out of the Errors of Antichrist, and prevailed against them.

Lastly, Seeing all the true Children of God do overcome* 1.9 * 1.10 Antichrist and his Ministers, Antichrist hath no cause to boast of his Reign in the World, nor the true Church of Christ to be discouraged at it. Antichrist, by all his subtilty and strength, and by all his own Ecclesiastical Power, and by all the Temporal Power of Princes, whom he hath seduced, hath conquered to Himself none but the World, that is, the peo∣ple that were not of God. And the true spiritual Church, of Christs own building, the new Jerusalem from above, that sojourns in this World, hath not lost one stone out of its Building, nor one Member out of its Body, by all that Anti∣christ, and the Devil his Head, could do. And therefore Antichrist hath no cause to boast, for He hath got none but his own: and the true Church hath no cause to be discourag∣ed, for it hath lost none of its own: and None ever went out from it, but those that were not of it; and all that were tru∣ly of it, have ever continued with it.

And thus much briefly touching the Victory which the Faithful obtain aganst Antichrist and his Prophets.

Now the Grounds of this Victory here named, are two.* 1.11 * 1.12

1. The first is, Because they are of God: Ye are of God little Children, and have overcome them.* 1.13 * 1.14

Antichrist and his false Prophets cannot prevail against the truly Faithful, because They are of God, as the Spirit also speaks elsewhere, saying, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus: and they are of God, as Children are of the* 1.15 Father, as it is written, Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us, by the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of First Fruits of his Creatures.

So that, as the Children of Men, are of their Fathers, through a Natural Generation, and Being; so the Faithful

are of God, through a Spiritual Generation, and Being.

And as the Children of Men partake of the very Nature of* 1.16 their Fathers, so do the Children of God partake of the Di∣vine Nature; the Faithful being born again, not of corrup∣tible, but of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever.

That as Jesus Christ (who according to his Humane Na∣ture, was a Man, and in all things like to us, sin excepted) came to be of God, and to be the Son of God, through the coming and dwelling of the Living Word of God in his flesh, according to the Love, Will and Counsel of the Father; so the same Living Word, coming and dwelling in the Faithful, his Members, according to the same Love, Will, and Coun∣sel of God, They also, come to be of God in Christ, as Christ is of God, according to his Humane Nature.

And as Christ being thus of God, according to the Word of God, that dwelt in his Humane Nature, overcame the De∣vil, the Head of Antichrist, and Antichrist and his Body, the Temple of the Devil; So do all Christs Members over∣come Antichrist, and his Prophets, through the same Living Word of God dwelling in Them, or through the Word of Righteousness and Life, its being incarnate in them, that is, its being written in their Hearts by the Spirit, or put into their inward parts. Wherefore Christ throughout, that is, from the Head it self to the lowest Member, is called Imma∣nuel, God with us: or which is all one, God manifested in the flesh.

And for this Cause these faithful, or little Children of God cannot be prevailed against, inasmuch as they are of God, and so have in them, by true Union and Communion, the Nature of God, and the Word of God, and the Spirit of God, and the Righteousness of God, and the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, and the Life and Light of God, and all the Things of God, as the Apostle Paul saith, in the New Creature all things are become New, and all▪ things (that is, all these New Things) are of God, (that is, they are the very Things of God.) And so these Faithful People cannot be prevailed against by Antichrist, or by the Devil, the Head

of Antichrist; but They do prevail against the Doctrine of Antichrist, by the Doctrine of Christ; against the Spirit of Antichrist by the Spirit of Christ; against the Sin of Anti∣christ by the Righteousness of Christ; against the Error of Antichrist by the Truth of Christ; and against all the Things of Antichrist, by the infinite and eternal Things of Christ.

Wherefore you see, that all they that are of God, through a New birth, and are the trne Children of that Heavenly Father, and do partake of his Divine Nature, and all his Divine Things, they cannot be overcome of Antichrist and his Prophets, but they do mightily overcome them all, through that Immortal seed of the True and Living Word of God, of which they are born, and in which they live and act.

But, They that are overcome by Antichrist and his Teach∣ers through their deceivableness of Unrighteousness, they never were the true Children of God, but Hypocrites, and Unbelievers under a form of Godliness, that is, as the Apostle stiles them, Bastards, or false Children, who never had re∣ceived the true Nature of God through Faith.

The Second Ground.* 1.17

And now follows the second Ground, why the Faithfull* 1.18 cannot be overcome by Antichrist, and his Prophets; to wit,

Because greater is he that is in You, than he that is in the World.

And here the Apostle shews, that the true faithful Chri∣stians, are not only of God, but also have God himself dwel∣ling and abiding in them: For they are built up by the Spirit to be the Habitation of God; and God is in Them of a Truth; and that not by created Habits of Grace, as Antichrist and his Prophets have thought and taught; but the true God is in them of a Truth, and He dwells in them, and walks in them, as Himself hath said, and the Tabernacle of God is with Men.

And now, as the Sun is never without its light and heat, and all its Vertues, and where-ever it goes, all these go along with it, being inseparable from it; so where-ever the Lord God comes, He comes with all his Righteousness, Wisdom, Power, Peace, Joy, and all his infinite and eternal Things; and where God Himself is, there are all the Things of God.

And thus God in his Faithful People, is Greater than He is that is in the World; that is, He is greater than Antichrist, and the Devil his Head. He is greater in his true Word, than They in their pretended Word; greater in his true Spirit, than They in their pretended Spirit; greater in his true Righteous∣ness, than They in their pretended Righteousness; greater in his true Wisdom, and Power, than They in their pretended Wisdom, and Power, &c. Greater is He that is in You, than He that is in the World. Now for certain, the Less is over∣come by the Greater; and seeing God and his Spirit in his Saints, is Greater in Goodness, Righteousness, Wisdom, and all Things, than the Devil is in Antichrist and his Prophets; therefore the Faithful in whom God dwels, and manifests Himself, must needs overcome Antichrist and the false Pro∣phets, in whom the Devil dwels, and manifests himself.

Now hence we may learn several things.

And first, we may learn, That Antichrist can prevail* 1.19 against any Outward Form of Religion and Godliness,* 1.20 against any Humane Vertues and Graces, and Works, and Prayers, or any thing that is of Man, or flows from Him, though in never so great appearance of Holiness; as we by sad experience have seen, many Men of great seeming Reli∣gion, famous for Preaching, and Praying, and reputed Pil∣lars in the Church when they have come hither into the Uni∣versity (where Antichrist and his Spirit, have remained in their full strength, notwithstanding the great Consumption which God hath brought on them, by his Word in other parts) how soon have they cased from that sense of the Gospel, which they once seemed to have had; and how suddenly have

they been intangled and overcome with the Spirit of the Uni∣versity, and of Antichrist, for Worldly Honour and Ad∣vantage sake? and so, the highest and strongest formal Re∣ligion in the Church, Antichrist can soon prevail against.

But Antichrist can never prevail against God in the Saints, nor against the Righteousness, Wisdom, and Power of God in them, all which are contained in his true Presence; nor against the Faith, Hope, and Love of Saints, which are the Works of God in them by his Spirit; against these Antichrist cannot prevail; For greater is He that is in Us, than he that is in the World.

So then, if thou hast any thing in thee that is truly of God, or rather, that is God Himself in thee, That Antichrist can∣not overcome, by all his Arts and Power; but he will easily overcome any thing else. Antichrist cannot prevail against Immanuel, which is God with Us, nor against the Mysterie of Godliness in us, which is, God manefest in the flesh; but eve∣ry other thing, though it seem never so Angelical, he pre∣vails against.

2. We may learn hence, That it is not an easie thing to* 1.21 overcome Antichrist, and to get the Victory over that Beast,* 1.22 and his Image, and his Mark, and the Number of his Name, seeing Antichrists coming is after the working of Satan (as the Apostle saith) and through Antichrist the Devil Himself speaks, works, and acts, yet as an Angel of light, in all ly∣ing or false Power, Wisdom, and Righteousness: and this he doth for the Damnation of Men, and to bring Them all, who have no true love to the Truth, to perish with Himself for ever. And his Operation of Error is so mighty and effica∣cious, that it cannot be resisted and overcome by any in all the World, but by those who are born of God, and do partake of his Nature and Presence in them. For the Power, Wis∣dom, and Righteousness of Antichrist and his Prophets, which is so suteable to the Nature of the World, and so glo∣rious in its Eye, cannot possibly be overcome, but by the true Power, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God, in his true Children or Prophets.

3. Hence also let us learn, not to be dismayed at Anti∣chirist,* 1.23 and his Prophets, who have in all Ages, got such* 1.24 Reputation, Power, and Glory to Themselves in the World, because of their seeming Learning, Righteousness, and Re∣ligion; seeing Christ in Us, and in all his poor People, is in∣finitely more mighty than They are, and the Devil in them; and nothing can prevail against Us, except first it can prevail against Christ. Wherefore if We in our selves are never so weak, and through our weakness never so fearful and trem∣bling, yet let us not be discouraged, or faint, seeing our might is not in Our selves, but in Christ, who dwels in Us, and who is infinitely greater than He that dwells in the World. He that dwells in Us through Faith, is Greater than he that dwells in Them through Unbelief; and in His strength, let us abide by his Word and Doctrine, even to Suffering and Death, if need be: and in all these Evils we shall overcome Them, by whom we seem to be overcome, as also Christ our Head did.

And thus much for the fourth General thing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The fourth General Point: To wit, With whom Antichrist cannot pre∣vail.
• * 1.2

  1.
• * 1.3

  The Victory which the faithful do obtain over Antichrist, & his Prophets.
• * 1.4

  Uses.
• * 1.5

  1.
• * 1.6

  Christ hath alwayes kept his own.
• * 1.7

  Antichrist hath never prevailed against one of the Elect.
• * 1.8

  The care of the true Church com∣mitted only unto Christ.
• * 1.9

  2. Use.
• * 1.10

  Antichrist hath no cause to boast, nor the true Church to be discouraged for any that are lost.
• * 1.11

  2
• * 1.12

  The grounds of their Vi∣ctory.
• * 1.13

  1.
• * 1.14

  Because they are of God.
• * 1.15

  As Children of their Fa∣ther:
• * 1.16

  And s•• par∣take 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his ve•••••• Nature.
• * 1.17

  2.
• * 1.18

  Ground of the Victory of the faithful, to wit, Be∣cause greater is he that is in them, than he that is in the World.
• * 1.19

  1. Use.
• * 1.20

  Antichrist prevails against Forms, but not against God in the flesh.
• * 1.21

  2. Use.
• * 1.22

  Not easie to overcome An∣tichrist, see∣ing he is the Temple of the Devil.
• * 1.23

  3. Use.
• * 1.24

  Not to be dis∣mayed at the fulness of An∣tichrist, seeing the fulness of Christ is greater.