Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n
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A36184
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The doctrine of faith, justification and assurance humbly endeavoured to be farther cleared towards the satisfaction and comfort of all free unbiassed spirits, with appendix for peace / by Robert Dixon, prebendary of Rochester.
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Dixon, Robert, d. 1688.
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1668
(1668)
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Wing D1747; ESTC R32761
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60,709
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121
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go along with them and for ever despair of Gods Mercies Let them enjoy this World no wise man will envy them They are left to themselves They that are wilful let them be wilful still Ob Many say they know no better Ans There are many things they might know if they had a mind to know but these men revel away all their Time and never regard to know any thing that is good Who can pretend ignorance that there is a God and that he should do as he would be done by Not one For these are Common Principles And as for Consequences men might easily make them if they would take the pains upon several occasions in life As to say when they dissemble How do I look when I Lye Do I not hide falsehood under my Tongue and is there not a Lie in my right hand Do I spend vast Sums upon vanity of Apparel and Riotous living and should I grutch to pay the Minister his small dues or to give a little to the Poor No man but might say and do these things and such as these whensoever occasion is offered in his business amongst men But men sleep or Pot away their dayes and forget all goodness and in a moment they go down to the Grave and Rottenness takes fast hold upon them In a Word for there is no end of writing Books upon such Subjects to informe and rebuke all men at all times as they have need for all their wild Extravagancies Let us hear all in a little Fear God and keep his Commandments keep Faith and a good Conscience yet more briefly Love is the fulfilling of all Gods Commandements FINIS An APPENDIX for PEACE Transition I Have in my former Discourses endeavoured to satisfy and comfort weak fearful and melancholy spirits who though they have true Faith yet by reason of their own Distempers within and the Temptations without complain for want of that Faith and Assurance which they have already 1. It remains that I should farther put on to satisfy concerning Children that dye before they attain to Faith or the use of Reason in what condition their souls are in 2. As also concerning Innocents and Fools that all their life long are suspended from the use of Reason 3. As also concerning Mad-men who after the Exercise of Reason have been deprived thereof for ever or have lost it for a time and then recovered it and lost it again 4. As also of them that perish by Fire or Water or dye suddenly by any other accident 5. As also concerning them that in their health of Body enjoy health of mind but when Sicknesses have violently seized upon their Bodies their Souls have lost all sober use of understanding will or memory to the outward appearance only the Fancy abounds with absurd Idaeas and representations of things never acted by them or sometimes by any other And thence proceed expressions of Blasphemy Uncleanness Nonsense to the great trouble and amazement of their weak friends especially if they chance never to recover their wits again 6. And lastly concerning those honest Heathens that have excelled in virtue and the fear of God either upon the stock of natural knowledge and their own practice or some farther secret Revelation that God hath made unto them In what state or condition their Souls may be thought to be in And these are all the cases of doubt that I can think on upon this present Subject To these I shall strive to give a modest answer with submission to better Judgments being farr from a Magisterial Spirit of absolute Determination in any thing save what God hath most cleerly revealed to all 1. I say then as to the first Case of Infants that dye in that estate Chap. 1. I think their souls are in a very safe condition Reason And the Reason is from Gods infinite justice as well as Grace That though their Fathers have eaten sown Grapes yet they their childrens teeth shall not be set on edge They must dye because they are the children of the first Adam by Nature that brought in death by his Sin which is the wages thereof But they shall not dye everlastingly because they are the children of the Second Adam by Grace that brought in life everlasting by his Righteousness which is the Reward thereof As for their actual non-stipulation such as is required in ordinary Covenants and in the Covenant of Grace I suppose their incapacity which God puts them in of such Stipulation for want of Power to use Reason shall not render them incapable of the Grace of God to excuse them by extraordinary favour for what they could not help For notwithstanding the impossibility of actual acceptation of their Will yet probably God may convey that Grace unto them which he hath promised to the faithful and their Seed though at present they do not know it yet hereafter they shall know it to their great admiration of that Grace that brought them unto Glory And what should hinder them from being susceptible of the benefit of Gods Promises although they understand not Faith For are they not innocent and will God condemn the innocent as he doth the wicked shall not the Judge of all the World do right This be farre from God to judge unrighteous Judgment and this be far from us to think of God after such a fashion Are not Infants free from all love of the World or malicious wilfulness to put by Grace or to grieve the Spirit of God whereby they are sealed unto the day of their Redemption And is it not an exuberancy of Love and such as becomes the God of Love to help those poor creatures that cannot help themselves And can he in Justice create such innumerable and helpless Souls and give them but a short life without all knowledge or sense of pleasure on purpose to damn them to everlasting pain and make them fuel for Hell-fire only to shew what he can do Certainly Gods thoughts are not like mans thoughts so cruel neither are his wayes like mans wayes so unjust But they are of a better fashion neither may we think God to be such a one as our selves Secondly concerning Innocents and Fools Chap. 2. that have lived long and yet never attained to the use of a Rational Soul I think these are more miserable wretches then children that dyed in their Infancy but not more sinful but both are alike innocent and harmless before God That stained condition that they as Sons of Traitors are in by Law that have forfeited their Estates is a sufficient punishment for this World by Grace they are most certainly free from the punishment of the next World For these poor Lambs what have they done that never were in a capacity so much as to will good or bad And 't is a true saying Nihil ardet in inferno nisi propria voluntas Nothing suffers in Hell but the sinful Will What does Baptisme consign Chap. 3. but an