A14095:1074
A discovery of D. Jacksons vanity. Or A perspective glass, whereby the admirers of…A discovery of D. Iacksons vanitie. Or A perspective glasse, wherby the admirers of…
A discovery of D. Jacksons vanity. Or A perspective glass, whereby the admirers of D. Jacksons profound discourses, may see the vanity and weakness of them, in sundry passages, and especially so far as they tend to the undermining of the doctrine hitherto received. Written by William Twice, Doctor of Divinity, as they say, from whom the copy came to the pressA discovery of D. Iacksons vanitie. Or A perspective glasse, wherby the admirers of D. Iacksons profound discourses, may see the vanitie and weaknesse of them, in sundry passages, and especially so farre as they tende to the undermining of the doctrine hitherto received. Written by William Twisse, Doctor of Divinitie, as they say, from whom the copie came to the presse
Amsterdam: printed by the successors of Giles Thorp, 1631
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
You say, God could not give a law for the authorizing of promiscuous or preposterous lust. Yet it is manifest, that promiscuous lust in brute beasts, in all sorts, hath its course, without any transgression, and it being a course of nature in them, it cannot be denied to be a work of God. And Suarez, though he takes upon him to maintain a tenet like unto 1yours, namely, that God cannot dispense as touching his moral law; yet he professeth that God may make it lawful for one man to have many wives. And I pray you, why may he not as well make it lawful for one woman to have many husbands, and what then I pray you will this want of promiscuous and preposterous lust? It may be plurality of husbands to one wife, may bring a greater inconvenience in the course of nature, as touching the corrupting of conceptions, and hindering the course of generation, then plurality of wives; but how in morality it should be more intolerable then the other, I know not. And withal we read of Messalina, that notwithstanding all her luxurious courses this way, yet not only brought forth children, but also those like unto her husband also; and being demanded how that came to pass, made this answer, Non nisi pl•na nave vectorem fero. For the brother and sister to know one another carnally, we count it incest; yet unless Adams sons had married with their sisters, it was impossible there should have been any propagation of mankind. And in like sort Abraham is supposed to have been the Uncle of Sarah; and do you think that holy Patriarch would have continued in so sinful a course after his calling, had it been such that God could not any way have made it lawful?
You say, God could not give a law for the authorizing of promiscuous or preposterous lust. Yet it is manifest, that promiscuous lust in bruit beasts, in all sorts, hath its course, without any transgression, and it being a course of nature in them, it cannot bee denied to bee a worke of God. And Suarez, though hee takes upon him to maintaine a tenet like unto 1yours, namely, that God cannot dispense as touching his morall law; yet he professeth that God may make it lawfull for one man to have many wives. And I pray you, why may hee not as well make it lawfull for one woman to have many husbands, and what then I pray you will this want of promiscuous and preposterous lust? It may be plurality of husbands to one wife, may bring a greater inconvenience in the course of nature, as touching the corrupting of conceptions, and hindring the course of generation, then plurality of wives; but how in morality it should be more intolerable then the other, I know not. And withall we reade of Massalina, that notwithstanding all her luxurious courses this way, yet not onely brought forth children, but also those like unto her husband also; and being demanded how that came to passe, made this answer, Non nisi plna nave vectorem fero. For the brother and sister to know one another carnally, we count it incest; yet unlesse Adams sonnes had maried with their sisters, it was impossible there should have beene any propagation of mankinde. And in like sort Abraham is supposed to have beene the Vncle of Sarah; and doe you thinke that holy Patriaroh would have continued in so sinfull a course after his calling, had it beene such that God could not any way have made it lawfull?