A14095:167
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 must you not hereby be driven to the acknowledgement of a Vacuum before the World was, and that containing distinction of parts, in such sort, as to make way for the denominations of here and there, and every where, and that God was therein, and every where therein, before the World was? which opinion your self in this very section have impugned. To discourse of the effects of Gods infinite power, in case his knowledge were not infinite; or of the effects of his infinite knowledge in case his power were not infinite, I judge to be a very vain thing; because it is impossible that the one should be infinite without the other. For seeing many things cannot be brought to pass without knowledge; like as without knowledge none of such things can be brought to pass at all: so likewise, without sufficiency of knowledge, such things could not be brought to pass, as require such a proportion of sufficient knowledge to perform them. And if God had but a finite power, he could foreknow no more things, then could be brought to pass by that finite power. It is true, God is, where any thing is, but how? as containing it, not as contained by it; but it is untrue, that God is, where any thing may be. For without the Heavens something may be; but God is not without the Heavens. For without the Heavens is Vacuum; but God is not in Uacuo, as before your self have disputed. And indeed how should he be there seeing he could neither be there as containing, nor as contained. For that which is nothing, is neither fit to contain, nor fit to be contained. In fine, I observe, how Gods being in all things you reduce unto two heads; The one is his creation; the other, his preservation of them. And so I confess, God is not distant from any of us; for as much as we live and move, and have our being in him as the Apostle speaketh.
And must you not herby be driven to the acknowledgement of a Vacuum before the World was, and that conteyning distinction of parts, in such sort, as to make way for the denominations of here and there, and every where, and that God was therein, and every where therein, before the World was? which opinion your selfe in this very section have impugned. To discourse of the effects of Gods infinite power, in case his knowledge were not infinite; or of the effects of his infinite knowledge in case his power were not infinite, I judge to be a very vayne thinge; because it is impossible that the one shoulde be infinite without the other. For seing many things cannot be brought to passe without knowledge; like as without knowledge none of such thinges can be brought to passe at all: so likewise, without sufficiency of knowledge, such things coulde not be brought to passe, as require such a proportion of sufficient knowledge to performe them. And if God had but a finite power, he coulde foreknowe no more thinges, then coulde be brought to passe by that finite power. It is true, God is, where any thing is, but howe? as conteyning it, not as conteyned by it; but it is untrue, that God is, where any thing may be. For without the Heavens something may be; but God is not without the Heavens. For without the Heavens is Uacuum; but God is not in Uacuo, as before your selfe have disputed. And indeede how should he be there seing he coulde neyther be there as conteyninge, nor as conteyned. For that which is nothing, is neyther fitt to conteyne, nor fitt to be conteyned. In fine, I observe, how Gods being in all things you reduce unto two heads; The one is his creation; the other, his preservation of them. And so I confesse, God is not distant from any of us; for as much as we live and moove, and have our beinge in him as the Apostle speakethe.