A14095:1241
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.
But then I pray consider, did not God from everlasting know whether they would repent or no? I think you doubt not, but that God knew they would repent. And I pray what need was there then of any two such dooms as you have devised, when one would serve the turn, and that absolute, to ⟨p. 558⟩wit, that God from everlasting determined they should not be destroyed, and thereupon took a course whereby they might be brought to repentance.
But then I pray consider, did not God from everlasting know whether they would repent or no? I thinke you doubt not, but that God knew they would repent. And I pray what need was there then of any two such doomes as you have devised, when one would serve the turne, and that absolute, to ⟨p. 558⟩wit, that God from everlasting determined they should not be destroyed, and thereupon tooke a course whereby they might be brought to repentance.
By the way I am glad to hear you make the repentance of the Ninevites the object of Gods will, which is called, voluntas beneplaciti, which we take to be all one with Gods decree; but I have no cause to rejoice to see you thus contradict your self: for you have in divers places maintained, that no contingent thing, especially no act of man is the object of Gods decree: but to the contrary have professed, that God, though he decreed the contingency of things, yet he doth not decree the contingent things themselves. You must be driven to take the same course in respect of Gods promises of blessing, as well as of his threatenings of judgement. But to distinguish herein as you do between Gods word and his oath, is most out of season. For suppose God had sent Jonah with the same message in this manner, say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed, might it not admit the same justification according to the dooms proposed by you thus, As I live, Nineveh continuing in this sinful course, wherein I find it shall be destroyed at forty days end, not otherwise.