A14095:173
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.
They do exist in place, that is the measure of corporal extension; but doth God exist in place, who hath no extension? doth he not rather exist in his own immensity which ⟨p. 114⟩is all one with himself, like as is his eternity? In a word, the several beings of one thing in another are usually comprehended in these verses. Insunt pars, totum, Species, Genus, & calor igni. Rex in Regno, res in sine locoque locatum.
They doe exist in place, that is the measure of corporall extension; but doth God exist in place, who hathe no extension? dothe he not rather exist in his owne immensitie which ⟨p. 114⟩is all one with himselfe, like as is his eternitie? In a word, the severall beings of one thing in another are usually comprehended in these verses. Insunt pars, totum, Species, Genus, & calor igni. Rex in Regno, res in sine locoque locatum.
Now see whether any of these are competible unto God. Your self have observed and approved the Hebrews conceit in calling him [Greek or Hebrew] Place. Let this then pass for a peculiar being of God in all his creatures, whether visible or invisible, corporal or spiritual, namely that as he hath made them, so he contains them, preserves them, ordereth them, filleth them all with his effects, and works the good pleasure of his own will in them, and by them. And this his presence, it is impossible he should withdraw from them, •ave as he shall be pleased •o destroy them, and take all being from them; and lastly that his very essence is as indistant from the meanest worm, as from the most glorious Angel. But to talk, of Gods piercing or penetrating all things not with his effects only, but with his essence, as the light pierceth the air, I dare not entertain any such g•osse conceit of the most simple and spiritual nature of God, for fear attributing extension unto his essence, and such as should continue though the World were destroyed, and make room for the essence of God, to extend it self in Uacuo, and the parts thereof (which are merely imaginary) as well as in the World, and in the parts thereof, like as before I have argued. The power of God doth exercise it self, according to the pleasure of his will: And therefore it seems wondrous strange to me, that you should ascribe power to God, to dispose of his essence, as touching the placing of it in space local.