choose to itself; and so a spiritual, heavenly and faithful people, will join themselves to such a teacher, or rather to Christ himself, in and through him: And a carnal, worldly, and unbelieving people, will join themselves to such a teacher, and to antichrist himself in and through him.

Wherefore, as they that hear the true teachers, and Christ in them, and do join and cleave by faith to the word and doctrine which they hear, knowing that it is of God, as all such are certainly of God, even his true children and people, and the true sheep of Christ, inasmuch as they know his voice, and cleave to it: So they that hear the false teachers, and antichrist in them, and do cleave to their doctrine and ministry, and do like, commend, and applaud that, all such are not of God, but of their father the devil, and the true and natural members and people of antichrist.

And this very doctrine, Christ himself hath clearly taught in his gospel; as John v. 43. where he saith to the Jews, I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; another shall come in his own name, and him ye will receive. That is, the unbelieving Jews would not come and cleave to Christ as their head, though coming in the name of God, that is, in the true power, wisdom, and righteousness of God, because they were none of Christ's own sheep; but antichrist, coming in his own name, that is, in his own power, wisdom, and righteousness, they receive him, and join to him as to their own true and natural head. And again, John viii. 47. Christ saith to the Jews, He that is of God, heareth God's word; ye therefore hear it not, because ye are not of God.

Whence it appears, that to hear and cleave to the true word of God, taught and held forth by Christ and his prophets, is a manifest token that men are of God; but to turn away from it, and to despise it, and to embrace another doctrine, is as manifest a sign, that they are not

of God, but of the devil; as Christ saith, to the same people, ver. 44. Ye are of your Father the devil; for there is no truth in him, and he abides not in the truth, no more do ye. Again, John x. 4, 5. Christ saith, His own sheep follow him, the true Shepherd, because they know his voice; and a stranger will they not follow, but flee from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.

Wherefore, they that hear the word of faith, in the true teachers of the gospel, they have in them the Spirit of truth; but they that dislike and disrelish that word, and join to the teachers and doctrine of antichrist, they all have in them the spirit of error.

And therefore it concerns us, more than the world is aware of, to take heed whom we hear: For if we cleave to the teachers of truth, as hath been declared, then have we the Spirit of truth; but if to the teachers of error, then are we of the spirit of error.

And thus this scripture teacheth us how to know and discern the Spirit, both of Christ and of antichrist, and that both in the teachers and in the hearers; both which are of great use to the true church of God in all times, but especially in these last times. And these things I have spoken and testified freely, according to the measure of grace given, knowing that they will be as acceptable to the true friends and members of Christ crucified, as they are troublesome and displeasing to the members of antichrist.

A

PLAIN AND NECESSARY

CONFUTATION

OF DIVERS GROSS AND

ANTICHRISTIAN ERRORS,

DELIVERED

TO THE UNIVERSITY CONGREGATION, AT THE

PUBLIC COMMENCEMENT, ANNO 1653.

BY MR SYDRACH SIMPSON,

MASTER OF PEMBROKE HALL IN CAMBRIDGE.

Potentior est veritas quam eloquentia, potior spiritus quam ingenium, major, fides quam eruditio: Et ut Paulus ait, stultum Dei sapientius est hominibus. Luther. Epist. ad Caspar. Bornerum. Profes. Lipsens.

Non est istud temeritas, sed fides; neque inconsideratio, sed ratio; neque furor, sed fiducia. Hilarius lib. contr. Constantiuu Augus

tum.