A14095:1087
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.
And all created glory, I hope, be it never so great, is no part of Gods happiness, which is, you say, an immediate consequent unto his nature; wherein notwithstanding I doubt much, you speak as Peter sometimes did, when he spake he knew not what; as namely, in distinguishing Gods happiness from his nature, as an immediate consequent thereof. You doubt of Lactantius his consequence, as neither certain, nor authentic; as if it might be authentic, though not certain in your opinion. Yet you embrace the same consequence applied to another matter that serves your turn, and you swallow it with great facility, it never sticks by the way like a Burr in your throat, as if consequences were but ceremonies, and you the master of them. But you put a difference; Lactantius his inference is sometimes doubtful, you say; but out of all question, yours (if we may take your word) is not. But you take too great liberty to your self, to put things at your pleasure out of question. We should have a mad Church and a mad world, if you had power to put out of question what you list. But let us consider your inference, God doth bid us unfeignedly bless our persecutors, therefore he doth unfeignedly tender his blessings to such as persecute him in his members. This then belike is that conformity to Gods nature which we must aspire unto. But by your leave I find no conformity herein. 1For first, we are bid to bless our persecutors, not to tender our blessings unto them upon condition they will admit ⟨p. 476⟩them; but you do not say, God doth bless his persecutors; you only say, he doth tender his blessings unto them. Again, God biddeth us bless them that persecute us: you do not say, that God doth bless, or tender his blessings to them that persecute him, but to them that persecute others, to wit, his members. Thirdly, and chiefly, God bids us to bless all our persecutors.; for he exhorts us to be merciful unto all, as you confess in the next words; but you dare not say, that God doth bless, or tender his blessings unto all; but here you lisp, and speak indefinitely, saying, God doth tender his blessings to them that persecute him in his members; and that, He she weth kindness to them that are most unkind. Indeed, he doth so to some, but not unto all, but unto whom he will:
And all created glory, I hope, bee it never so great, is no part of Gods happinesse, which is, you say, an immediate consequent unto his nature; wherin notwithstanding I doubt much, you speake as Peter sometimes did, when he spake he knew not what; as namely, in distinguishing Gods happines from his nature, as an immediate consequent thereof. You doubt of Lactantius his consequence, as neither certaine, nor authentique; as if it might be authentique, though not certaine in your opinion. Yet you embrace the same consequence applied to another matter that serves your turne, and you swallow it with great facility, it never stickes by the way like a Burre in your throat, as if consequences were but ceremonies, and you the master of them. But you put a difference; Lactantius his inference is sometimes doubtfull, you say; but out of all question, yours (if we may take your word) is not. But you take too great liberty to your selfe, to put things at your pleasure out of question. We should have a mad Church and a mad world, if you had power to put out of question what you list. But let us consider your inference, God doth bid us unfainedly blesse our persecuoors, therefore he doth unfainedly tender his blessings to such as persecute him in his members. This then belike is that conformity to Gods nature which we must aspire unto. But by your leave I finde no conformity herein.