The Riches of Gods Love, Part 2 · Treatise · Type of argument 4 · Section 2
DISCOURSE. SECT. II.
2. THe injuriouſneſſe of this Doctrine to Godly life, may farther appeare by theſe conſiderations that follow, one depending upon another.
1. Abſolute and peremptory decrees are inevitable, whatſoever the things be about which they are exerciſed; and mens everlaſting ſtates, if they be abſolutely determined, are altogether undeclinable. Stat ſali lex indeclinabilis, the law of deſtiny is undeclinable. And the reaſon is, becauſe it hath an inevitable cauſe, the adamantine decrees of Allmighty God, which are indeclinable two wayes.
1. Irreverſible, lyable to no repeale (as the Statutes are which are made in our Parliaments:) but ſarre more unalterable then the Lawes of the Medes and Perſians. As I have ſpoken ſo will I bring it to paſſe: I have purpoſed, and I will doe it. Eſay. 46. 11. Men doe many times bite in their words againe, becauſe they doe utter things raſhly, and doe repeale their Statutes and Ordinances, becauſe they ſee ſome inconveniences in them, which they could not foreſee: but God never alters or calls in his abſolute decrees becauſe they are all made with great wiſdome and foreſight.
2. Irreſiſtible. It lies not in the power of any creature to diſanull them. Who hath reſiſted his will? Rom. 9. 19. Our God is in Heaven: he doth whatſoever he will: Pſal. 115. 3. Whatſoever is once determined by his abſolute will is no wayes alterable by the will of man. It is more poſſible for a man to hinder the riſing of the Sunne, or to ſtay his courſe in the Heaven, to ſtop the revolutions of the yeare, and overturne the whole courſe of nature, then to make the leaſt alternation in any of Gods abſolute decrees.
2. Mens actions about ends, and things determined by an abſolute decree are vaine and fruitleſſe; and the reaſon is, becauſe they cannot make them otherwiſe then they were determined to be; and therefore in vaine doe men labour to obtaine Everlaſting Life and avoid Eternall Death, if there be noe liberty and power in their hands to chooſe Life or Death, but muſt of neceſſity take that which is aſſigned them, be it Life or Death; for by their labour they effect juſt nothing; for if they be abſolutely appointed to diſtruction, their hearing, reading, praying, almes-giving, and mourning for their ſinnes cannot poſſibly procure their Salvation; damned they muſt be. And if they be abſolutely ordayned to Savation, their neglect of holy dutyes, their ignorance, their love of pleaſures and continuance in a courſe of ungodlineſſe, cannot bring them unto damnation; they muſt be Saved: If ſomany Soules in a Pariſh be in this manner decreed to Heaven or Hell, the Miniſter Preacheth in vaine, and the people heare in vaine. For there cannot one Soule be Saved, for all their paines, which is ordained to Hell, nor one Soule be caſt away by their negligence, which is appoynted for Heaven. It is in vaine for thee (ſaith Chriſt to Saul) to kicke againſt the pricks: (i.) to endeavour by thy perſecutions and ſlaughters to root out my Church in the world; becauſe the preſervation of it is abſolutely Act. 9. 5.decreed in Heaven. Teaching us by that ſpeech, that a mans labour in any thing whatſoever, is never profitable, except it be exerciſed about an end attainable thereby, and without it not poſſible.
3, Men are not willing to be employed in fruitleſſe actions if they knowe it. I ſo runne (ſaith the Apoſtle) not as uncertainely; ſo fight I, not as on that beates the Ayre: but I keep under my 1 Cor. 9. 25.body and bring it into ſubjection, leaſt that by any meanes, when I have Preached unto others I my ſelfe ſhould be a caſt-away. The meaning is, I endeavour to keepe Gods commandements, I fight with the tentations of the Divill the allurements of the world, and mine owne corruptions, I keep my body low by watchings and faſtings, and other ſevere acts of holy diſcipline. But Cui bono? doe I all this at randome? Uncertaine whether I ſhall get any good, or prevent any miſchiefe hereby? No, but I doe this, as one that is ſure that by ſo doing, I ſhall obtaine Eternal Life, and otherwiſe I cannot eſcape Eternall Death: intimating in theſe words the common diſpoſition of men, which is to labour where ſome proportionable good is to be gotten, or evill prevented, otherwiſe to ſpare their heads and their hands too.
TWISSE Conſideration.
TO talke of the decrees divine as things evitable or inevitable, is very abſurd: for things denominated evitable or inevitable are only things to come, not yet exiſtent; but ſuch are not decrees divine, they are as everlaſting as God himſelfe without any begining of duration. As for the things decreed by God, they are of a double nature. For God hath decreed ſome things to come to paſſe neceſſarily, other things to come to paſſe contingently. Now thoſe things that come to paſſe contingently do ſo come to paſſe (and that by the decree of God) as joyned with a poſſibility not to come to paſſe, and conſequently to come to paſſe ſo as ioyned with a poſſibility to be avoyded. Such are Salvation and damnation in as much as God hath annexed theſe as rewards, unto finall perſeverance in faith and repentance, the one; unto finall perſeverance in ſinne unrepented of, the other. This is the undeclinable law of Gods decree, that, whoſoever believes ſhall be Saved Mar. 16. 16.and whoſoever believes not ſhall be damned. But we doe not ſay, that this is the whole decree of predeſtination and Reprobation, with the Remonſtrants, and with this Author. But that there is another decree of God, the effect whereof is as undeniable, as the effect of the former, which this Author diſſembleth throughout: and the effect of this decree is not conditionall like unto the effects of the former decree, but abſolute. And it is the more ſtrange that this Author ſhould ſo much inſiſt upon the effects of the former, & nothing at all on this: wheras the effects of the former nothing at all ſerve his turne, but through meere confuſion: for he carieth the matter ſo as if we maintained that God doth decree to diſpenſe Salvation and damnation abſolutly according to the meare pleaſure of his will, and not conditionally as he finds his creatures either dying in faith or dying in ſinne, which is moſt untrue. And yet his uſuall courſe to relieve himſelfe in the caſe of impertinency and extravagancy is to fly to the effects of the other decree which we willingly confeſſe to be abſolute; yet hath he no appetite to deale directly in the diſcuſſing thereof. Now we profeſſe that as God according to the meere pleaſure of his will beſtowes faith and repentance on ſome and denies it to others, according to that of the Apoſtle. He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. Rom. 9. 18. So God from everlaſting decreed, according to the meere pleaſure of his will to beſtowe the gift of faith & repentance on ſome & deny it to others. All the decrees of God we acknowledge to be unchangeable from within, irreſiſtible from without. Yet this Author applyes theſe attributes only to Gods abſolute decrees, intimating that it is otherwiſe with Gods conditionall decrees: which conceit of his ſavoureth of the ſame learning and judgment with the reſt. Beſides it is his courſe hand over head to talke of the diſtinction of Gods decrees, into decrees abſolute, and decrees conditionall: whereas the decrees of God as touching the acts of God willing, admit noe ſuch diſtinction; the act of Gods will being allways abſolute and never conditionall, as both Piſcator theologically hath proved againſt Uorſtius and Bradwardine moſt ſcholaſtically hath demonſtrated; and by other reaſons may be demonſtrated and made as cleare as the Sunne; ſome of which reaſons I have formerly mentioned in this diſcourſe: only quoad res volitas as touching the things willed this diſtinctiō hath place; as both Dr Jackson in his booke of Providence acknowlegeth of that diſtinction of Voluntas antecedens & voluntas conſequens (which by Uoſſius interpretation is all one with voluntas abſoluta & voluntas conditionata) namely that it is to be underſtood only quoad res volitas. And in the ſame ſenſe is voluntas conditionata interpreted, as appears by the practice of Uoſſius *Hiſtor. Pelag p. 638.and of this Author throughout. Now in this ſenſe we doe not acknowledge that Gods decrees of Salvation and damnation are abſolute, but merely conditionall; ſo that this Author doth but fight with his own ſhadow in this his argumentation, making as ſhamefull a miſtake as ever Don Quixot did, when he conceived the Barbars baſon to be the Helmet of Mambrino, and fell furiouſly upon him, in a zeale of martiall glory, to recover Spolia opima, ſo fat and rich ſpoyles. By the way obſerve, to alter Gods abſolute decrees, is no other thing, then to alter that which is once determined by Gods abſolute will. For after this different manner doth this Author expreſſe one and the ſame thing in this Section. Now conſider, is not the riſing of the Sunne the courſe of Heaven, the revolution of the yeare, the whole courſe of nature, ſome of theſe things which are determined by Gods abſolute will? With what giddineſſe then doth he affirme that to hinder or ſtay or overturne any of theſe is more poſſible then to make alteration in Gods decrees; ſeeing to make alteration in Gods decrees is but to alter things which God hath once determined by his abſolute will. But as for Salvation and damnation theſe are not determined by God, like as the riſing of the Sunne, the courſe of Heaven the revolutions of the yeare, and the whole courſe of nature. For theſe are determined by God to come to paſſe abſolutly; but the Salvation or damnation of man are determined by God to come to paſſe conditionally.
2. And accordingly mans ends are not determined by an abſolute decree, like unto the riſing of the Sunne. For the riſing of the Sunne is by God determined to come to paſſe abſolutely, ſo are not the ſpeciall ends of men, to wit, Salvation and damnation (for theſe are the ends of men which this Author ſpeakes of) theſe (as I ſaid) are determined to come to paſſe not abſolutely but conditionally: And therefore mens actions hereabouts, are not vaine and fruitleſſe: And the reaſon is becauſe mans Salvation is determined to befall him only in caſe he believe and repent and become ſtudious of good works: In like ſort damnation is determined to none of ripe yeares, but in caſe he gives off all care of faith repentance and good workes. Did God determine a man ſhall be Saved whether they be good or evill, like as he determined the Sunne ſhould riſe whether men ſleepe or wake, whether they be idle or well occupied (for ſo he makes his Sunne to ſhine and the raine to fall upon the juſt and unjuſt) then indeed mans actions in furthering their Salvation were vaine and fruitleſſe. But the Antecedent is a notorous untruth. For our Saviour hath profeſſed in expreſſe termes that whoſoever believeth ſhall be Saved, and whoſoever believes not ſhall be damned. As for the liberty and power of a man to performe faith and repentance, whether this be granted unto all? Is an other queſtion, which this Author might have diſcuſſed had it pleaſed him, and taken upon him to maintaine univerſall grace; but he declines this throughout, like as others of this ſect too, fearing therein ſome precipice. And herein we are willing to grant that God hath abſolutely determined that ſome ſhall believe and repent, as he hath determined the Sunne riſing, not upon any condition in man, but according to the meere pleaſure of his will, beſtowing the grace of faith on ſome, and denying it to others. For if God did beſtow faith on man upon condition of ſome precedent work in man, then grace ſhould be given according to mens works (that is in the phraſe of the Antients) according to mens merits, which is direct Pelagianiſme, and condemned in the Synod of Paleſtine above twelve hundred years agoe. But this Author carrieth himſelfe very prepoſterouſly, thus confounding two queſtions into one: the one, Whether ſalvation be determined by God, to be conferred abſolutely on man? Which we deny as much as himſelfe doth. The other is, Whether faith and repentance be determined by God to be conferred on man conditionally? Which we maintaine; and wonder not a little that this Authors ſtomack (working like the raging Sea) chiefly againſt this, yet dares not come to the debating of this, no nor ſo much as in plaine termes to ſpeake out his opinion, and profeſſe, that the reaſon why God beſtowes faith on one, and not on another, is becauſe he finds ſome diſpoſition or work in him, on whom he beſtowes faith, which he finds not in another to whom he denies it. Yet he goes on moſt ridiculouſly in the ſame tenour, ſaying. If they be abſolutely appoynted to deſtruction, their hearing, reading, praying, almeſgiving, and mourning for their ſinnes, cannot poſsibly procure their ſalvation: damned they muſt be. But we ſtill deny that men are abſolutely appoynted to deſtructiō, we willingly grant the elect are abſolutely appointed unto grace, namely to have regeneration, faith and repentance to be conferred upon them, and that abſolutely, not upon any foregoing condition performed by them, but according to the meere pleaſure of God; but as for ſalvation, that is appointed to be beſtowed upon them, only by way of reward of foregoing faith, repentance, and good workes, obſerve by the way, how he conſiders not the contradictious nature of that which he imputes unto us. As firſt that we deny man to have any liberty or power to chooſe life and death. And ſecondly, that we maintain, That their hearing, reading, praying, almeſgiving, and mourning for their ſinnes, cannot poſſibly procure their ſalvation; which is to imply, that they have power to heare, read, pray, give almes, and mourne for their ſinnes, and conſequently that they have power to chooſe life or death. For to chooſe life or death, is no other then to embrace ſuch courſes, as by the ordinance of God, lead to life or death. Now ſuch are hearing, reading, praying, giving aſmes, and mourning for ſinnes; for theſe courſes are the way to everlaſting life. Yet as touching the latter, well we may ſay that Reprobates can neither heare, nor read, nor pray, nor give almes as they ought, nor mourne for their ſins; yet ſurely we are ſo farre from ſaying, that theſe courſes cannot poſſibly procure ſalvation, that on the contrary rather, we are ready to profeſſe that theſe courſes rightly uſed, ſhall infallibly procure ſalvation; for there is none more pretious mourning, then to mourne for ſinne; and our Saviour hath pronounced them bleſſed, adding, that they ſhall be comforted. Was it ever heard amongſt us, that men ſhould be damned for reading, hearing, praying, and mourning for their ſinnes? Yet the word of God teacheth us, that men may houle, yet be farre enough off from mourning for their ſinnes, as Hoſ. 7. 14. They cryed not unto me when they houled upon their beds: they aſſembled themſelves for corne and wine, & they rebelled againſt me. And if men be damned notwithſtanding ſuch mourning, I ſhould think it is nothing ſtrange. Of the ſame tenour is that which followeth. If they be abſolutely ordained to ſalvation, their neglect of holy duties, their ignorance their love of pleaſure, and continuance in a courſe of ungodlineſſe, cannot bring them to damnation; as if this were our doctrine: whereas to the contrary we maintain, that from election flowes holineſſe. Eph. 1. 4. Who hath elected us in Chriſt, that we ſhould be holy. And faith, Acts 13. 48. As many believed as were ordained to everlaſting life. And 2 Theſ. 2. 13. God hath elected you unto ſalvation, by ſanctification of the ſpirit, and faith of the truth. And indeed our profeſſion is, That Gods purpoſe is to beſtow ſalvation by way of reward of faith, repentance, and good workes: And accordingly there is no other aſſurance of election, then by faith and holineſſe. 1 Theſ. 1. 3, 4. Remembring the work of your faith, the labour of your love, and the patience of your hope, knowing beloved brethren, that ye are elect of God. And therefore Saint Peter exhorts Chriſtians, To make their election and vocation ſure, by joyning vertue with their faith, and with vertue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, and with temperance patience, and with patience Godlineſſe, and with Godlineſſe Brotherly kindneſſe, and with Brotherly kindneſſe Love. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. 10. But it were pitty this Author ſhould have liberty denyed him ſervire ſcaenae, and to execute his Hiſtoricall part in conforming our Doctrine to the Hereſy of the Predeſtinatians, (ſo called) as it is recorded by Sigebert. And indeed the very Doctrine of Auſtin, was charged with the ſame crimination: For albeit Sigebert profeſſeth that this Hereſy aroſe ex Auguſtini libris male intellectis: out of Auſtins Book not rightly underſtood; yet the learned Arch-Biſhop of Armach, had made it manifeſt, that this very crimination was charged upon Auſtins doctrine. Hiſtor. Gotteſc. pag. 22. And that out of the beginning of the 6. book Hypomneſtican or Hypognoſticon. The words are theſe, and I pray mark it well, whether it be not punctually the very objection which this Author makes in this place: Credere nos vel praedicare ſugillatis (quia cum lege Dei & Prophetis cum Evangelio Chriſti ejuſ que Apoſtolis Praedeſtinationem dicimus) quod Deus quoſdam hominum ſic praedeſtinet ad vitam regni caelorum, ut ſi nolent orare, aut jejunare, aut in omni operé divino vigiles eſſe, eos omnino perire non poſse, nec prorſus ſui debere eſſe ſollicitos, quos Deus, quia voluit ſemel jam eligendo praedeſtinavit ad vitam: Quiſdam vero ſic praedeſtinavit in Gehennae paenam, ut etiam ſi credere velint, ſi jejuniis & orationibus omni que ſe voluntati divinae ſubjecerint in his Deum non delectari, & vitam illis aeternam in toto dari non poſſe; ſic electione praedeſtinatos eſſe ut pereant. Judge I pray whether this be not the very objection charged upon the doctrine of Auſtin, which this Author chargeth upon our doctrine. And indeed that moſt learned Biſhop ſheweth, how that albeit, the Predeſtinatian hereſy is pretended by Sigebert to have riſen out of Auſtins bookes not rightly underſtood, as alſo by Tyro Proſper (Auncient to Sigebert) as he is ſet forth in Print; yet Tyro himſelfe plainly profeſſeth, that the Hereſy mentioned orta eſt ab Auguſtino, roſe from Auguſtine himſelfe, as appears by the Manuſcripts of that Author, which that learned Biſhop had ſearched, one found in Bennet Colledge in Cambridge, and another in the Kings Library: whereby it is apparent, that this pretended Hereſy of the Predeſtinatians (no Author thereof being ever known to the world) was a meere nick-name deviſed by the Remnants of the Pelagians, and reproachfully caſt upon the doctrine of Austin, as now a daies it is upon our doctrine, which is the ſame with Auſtins. As for the Miniſters Preaching in vaine in ſome ſenſe, and in ſome caſes; this is nothing ſtrange to them that have their eyes fixed on Gods oracles, and not on the oracles of their own braines. For the Prophet Eſaiah thus complaines, and that as ſome conceive in the perſon of Chriſt, Then I ſaid, I have laboured in vaine, I have ſpent my ſtrength for nought, and Iſai. 49. 4.in vaine, yet ſurely my judgement is with the Lord, and my worke with my God. And Jerem. 8. 8. How dare ye ſay, we are wiſe, and the love of the Lord is with us? Loe certainly in vaine made he it, the penne of the ſcribe is in vaine. And Ierem. 6. 29. The bellowes are burnt, the lead is conſumed of the fire: the founder melteth in vaine: for the wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate ſilver ſhall man call them, becauſe the Lord hath rejected them. And like as the ſowing of ſeed is ſometimes in vaine. Levit. 26 16. So why may not Preaching be in vaine, which is a ſowing of ſeed alſo. Yet in reſpect of Gods end, it is not in vaine: For he hath the ends he aimed at; for even in them that periſh, there ariſeth a ſweet ſavour unto God 2 Cor. 2. 15. As well as in them that are ſaved. And if they ſtumble at the word being diſobedient, Saint Peter telleth us, that hereunto they were odained 1 Pet. 2. 8. Yea and Auſtin tells us, that even Reprobates by the Miniſtry of Gods word, are ſometimes brought ad exteriorem vitae emendationem, quo mitius puniantur. And as for the Preachers of the Word, their labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15. laſt. And Eſay 49. 4. My judgement is with the Lord, and my worke with my God. For even Chriſt himſelfe was forſaken of many. Iohn 6. Yet was that no diſparagement to him before God. They deſire indeed that all men might be ſaved that are partakers of their Miniſtry, as they are bound in charity, but with ſubmiſſion to the will of God, ſo that finally their deſires in the iſſue are terminated only in the elect. They became all things to all men, that they may ſave ſome. 1 Cor. 6. And who are they let Paul ſpeake. I endure all things 2 Tim. 2. 10.for the elect ſake. As for the hearers themſelves, as many as are elect, they believe by it ſooner or later and are brought to repentance. 2 Tim. 2. 25. And finally to ſalvation, That thou maist both ſave thy ſelfe and them that heare thee, (ſaith Paul to Timothy) So that 1 Tim. 4. 16.to them ſurely 'tis not in vaine; And as for Reprobates they are convicted by it of their unbeliefe, Suffrag. Britt. on the 3. & 4. Articles. Excuſe is taken from them for they cannot plead that they never heard the Goſpel, whereby mē are admoniſhed to repent Act. 17. 30. Thereby to excuſe themſelves: yea & ſometimes they may be the better for it, in reſpect of an outward cōformity, only it is in vain in reſpect that ſalvation is not obtained by them though the Goſpel & the Miniſtry thereof be a means tēding thereunto, in as much as it openeth the way of ſalvation, & diſcovereth all falſe waies. But paines for obtaining ſalvation, and Hell, are ill joyned together; For therefore hell is their portion becauſe they neglect the means of ſalvation, and take no paines about it at leaſt good paines. For our Saviour plainly tells us of ſome that they ſhall ſeek to enter in at the ſtraight gate, and ſhall not be able Luk. 13. 24. It ſeems they took ſome paines, though they were not able to enter. We are accounted Predeſtinarian Heretiques for ſaying ſo much; but I hope he will not reckon our Saviour too amongſt the number. So Eſay 58. 2. Yet they ſeeke mee daily, and will know my waies, even as a Nation that did righteouſly and had not forſaken the ſtatutes of their God: They aske of me ordinances of juſtice. They will draw neer unto God, ſaying. Wherefore have we faſted and thou ſeeſt it not? We have puniſhed our ſelves & thou regardeſt it not. Here is devotion and paines too, in the way thereof, but I think they had never a whit the better intereſt in heaven for this. Doth this doctrine alſo ſavour of the Predeſtinarian hereſy? As for that pretended paſſage out of Acts 9. It is in vain for thee to kick againſt the pricks, I find no ſuch ſaying of Chriſt to Saul but foreign an hard thing; for ſhall he not wound himſelfe that doth ſo, more then hurt the pricks themſelves? So was Paul by thoſe perſecuting courſes of his, in the high-way to damnation; yet it is true alſo, Gods Church is nothing damnified by the perſecutions and martyrdomes of Gods Saints. For ſanguis Martyrum ſemen Eccleſiae; one is cut off, but many riſe up in the place of a few. Like as a ſeed of corne falls into the ground and dyes; but a blade ſprings out of that one that dyes, and brings forth an eare of many graines. By the way I am wondrous glad to heare the acknowledgement of a precious truth, to breake forth out of the mouth of this Author ere he is aware, namely, That the preſervation of Gods Church is abſolutely decreed in heaven. For marke I beſeech you, wherein the preſervation of Gods Church conſiſts. 1. One is in preſerving them that are called from Apoſtacy. If this be abſolutely decreed, then the perſeverance of men in the ſtate of grace is abſolutely decreed; and conſequently it is abſolutely maintained; And if perſeverance in faith be abſolutely maintained; then faith it ſelfe was abſolutely wrought, and abſolutely decreed to every one that enjoyeth it. 2. Another is the reſtraining of Tyrants from perſecuting the profeſſors of Chriſt: If this be abſolutely decreed, then the free actions of men are abſolutely decreed by God: for to abſtaine from perſecuting is undoubtedly a free action of man. 3. But in caſe both Tyrants are permitted to rage, and many are permitted to fall away; And all are mortall and muſt dye; therefore the next effectuall meanes of preſerving the Church, is the raiſing of others in their place to profeſſe the Goſpell. Now this is wrought by the effectuall calling and converting of men unto faith in Chriſt, and conſequently the effectuall calling and converting of men is abſolutely decreed by God. Thus truth hath prevailed over the mouth of errour, to make it teſtify for Gods truth and againſt errour: Magna eſt veritas, ut praevalebit. Here this Author hath raiſed ſpirits againſt himſelfe improvidently; let him try how he can lay them, and conjure them downe againe. 3. I come unto the third. I willingly grant that men are not willing to be exerciſed about fruitleſſe actions; And as for the actions ſpecified by Saint Paul; as they were not fruitleſſe to him; ſo I make no queſtion but that they are in like manner profitable to all that performe them, as Paul did, namely the actions of mortification. We have Saint Pauls word for it, which is of ſome force (if ſo be he be not reputed among the number of Predeſtinarian heretiques, as well as Auſtin and our Divines) If by the ſpirit you mortify the deeds of the fleſh, ye ſhall live. Endeavour Rom. 8.goes beyond deſire: yet Nehemiah commends himſelfe to God in this manner. We that deſire to feare thy name. And the holy Prophet Eſay. The deſire of our hearts is towards Nehem. 1. Eſ. 26. Heb. 13.thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. And S. Paul. We deſire to live honeſtly. And to fight with the temptations of the Devill, the allurements of the World, and a mans own corruptions, is undoubtedly a manifeſt token of a true Souldier of Chriſt Jeſus. And mortification in ſpeciall; ſuch need not doubt, but that they ſhall crucify the fleſh, with the affections and luſts. For they that walke in the ſpirit, ſhall not fulfill Gal. 5. 1 Ioh. 5. Rom. 16.the luſts of the fleſh; their faith ſhall give them the victory over the world, and God in his good time will tread Satan under their feet.