A14095:126
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.
Let us come to the consideration of the unity of Gods attributes, especially with Gods essence, whence it will follow, that an unity of them is to be acknowledged amongst themselves. And the question will come to this, whether there be any accident in God? Not that I have any edge to these Metaphysical speculations; or that I think our language to be fit for them, for want of terms of Art in common use to express such notions, as here must necessarily occur: But only being provoked hereunto by your discourse, ⟨p. 84⟩who here and there inculcate foul errors in Divinity, & that depending sometimes upon these, or such like Metaphysical contemplations.
Let us come to the consideration of the unitie of Gods attributes, especially with Gods essence, whence it will followe, that an unitie of them is to be acknowledged amongst themselves. And the question wil come to this, whether there be any accident in God? Not that I have any edge to these Metaphysicall speculations; or that I thinke our language to be fitt for them, for want of termes of Art in common use to expresse such notions, as here must necessarily occurre: But only being provoked herunto by your discourse, ⟨p. 84⟩who here and there inculcate foule errors in Divinitie, & that depending sometimes upon these, or such like Metaphysicall contemplations.
Some therefore argue thus. If there were any accident in God, then there should be some essence common unto God with complete substances create, to wit an essence supporting accidents. And if there were any common essence to God with other substances, then there were to be acknowledged something in nature before God; as the Genus is commonly accounted in nature before the Species thereof. And further, it seems, that if any generical nature were common to God and us, then some part of Gods essence should be found in us, and some part of our essence should be found in God. Like as the essence of Animality being common unto man & beast, is found both in man and beast. And consequently. God creating substances, should create in part a certain common essence, which is found in himself, and so the self same essence should be both the Creator, and the creature. If to avoid these dangerous consequences, it be replied that to support accidents is not of any essential denomination, but accidental; as great absurdities seem to follow on that part also. For if to support accidents be an accident, this makes way to a progress in insinitum without end. For even this supportation of accidents, if it be an accident, must be supported by a substance and so without end. Again if to support accidents be an accident; it must either flow from substance, in case it be an accident proper; or be brought from without by some agent, if it be an accident common. This latter cannot be admitted in respect of God. If the former be, then there must be acknowledged some common essence both to God and other substances, whence this accident flows, and then we are, where we were.