A14095:122
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 we must take heed that the Metaphysical extract of vis unita fortior (which you speak of) do not so far possess us with the contemplation of Gods unity, as to deny the Trinity. And touching the attributes of God, as neither distinct from the essence of God, nor from themselves, we do not much affect curiosity of demonstration; but if any man voluntarily undertake such a task, we look for substance of sound proofs, and are not content to have our mouths filled with empty spoons. You seem to gratify God with your hyperboles; but surely he doth not put us to tell any untruths for him, as man doth for man, to gratify him. You entertain a conceit of Gods power, above all conceit of infinite power; of Gods wisdom above all conceit of infinite wisdom; of Gods goodness above all conceit of infinite goodness. To be essential to the nature of God, is more noble, I grant, then to be accidental: but how any power can be greater then power infinite, or any wisdom greater then wisdom infinite, or any goodness greater then goodness infinite, I cannot comprehend yet I verily believe, that wheresoever infinite power, & infinite wisdom, & infinite goodness is found, that nature is not ⟨p. 81⟩accidentally but essentially both powerful, and wise, & good, as namely the nature of God: though of the evident demonstration thereof, for ought you have brought to help us herein, we may be still to seek. As for succession, and extension, we hold that each is impossible to be infinite. And neither of them any attribute of God, as power, and wisdom, and goodness is. And therefore, the comparison you make of the nature of God in this kind, must needs be wondrous wild.
And we must take heede that the Metaphysicall extract of vis unita fortior (which you speake of) doe not so farre possesse us with the contemplation of Gods unity, as to deny the Trinity. And touchinge the attributes of God, as neyther distinct from the essence of God, nor from themselves, we doe not much affect curiosity of demonstration; but if any man voluntarily undertake such a taske, we looke for substance of sound proofes, and are not content to have our mouthes filled with emty spoones. You seeme to gratify God with your hyperboles; but surely he dothe not put us to tell any untruthes for him, as man dothe for man, to gratify him. You enterteyne a conceyte of Gods power, above all conceyte of infinite power; of Gods wisedome above all conceyte of infinite wisedome; of Gods goodnes above all conceyte of infinite goodnes. To be essentiall to the nature of God, is more noble, I grant, then to be accidentall: but howe any power can be greater then power infinite, or any wisedome greater then wisedome infinite, or any goodnes greater then goodnes infinite, I cannot comprehend yet I verily believe, that whersoever infinite power, & infinite wisedome, & infinite goodnes is founde, that nature is not