A14095:266
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 what is this strange assertion you are impregnated withal, when you deliver it as a rare and curious conceit, that things contained in time do suppose a fountain of life not only to the beginnings of them, but also to their future terminations and motions. Whereas to my poor conceit, if a fountain of life be presupposed to things past, it must be presupposed also to things to come: And there is no curiosity in this; the inference rather is most vulgar; For seeing future things are behind things past, quod est prius priori must needs be prius posteriori; yet, that which is before a former thing, must needs be before a latter thing.
But what is this strang assertion you are impregnated withall, when you deliver it as a rare and curious conceyt, that things conteyned in time doe suppose a fountaine of life not only to the beginnings of them, but allso to their future terminations and motions. Whereas to my poore conceyt, if a founteyne of life be presupposed to things past, it must be presupposed allso to things to come: And there is no curiosity in this; the inference rather is most vulgar; For seing future things are behind things past, quod est prius priori must needs be prius posteriori; yet, that which is before a former thinge, must needs be before a latter thinge.
Hence you proceed (whether by following on, or falling of, let the Reader judge) to censure that common saying, Tempus edax rerum, as relishing more of poetical wit, then of Metaphysical truth. For which kind of censure delivered by you, I find no just reason; For what? can no truth satisfy you, but that which is Metaphysical? And why you should make such an opposition I know not; as if what I ever relished not of Metaphysical truth, were no truth, but rather of Poetical wit: and whatsoever relished of poetical wit, did not relish of truth. You may as well censure Aristotle's Physics, and Ethics, and Politics, and Rhetorics, for surely they do not relish of Metaphysical truths; no nor Euclides Mathematics; no nor of Poetical wit neither; belike they are liable to a double censure.
Hence you proceede (whether by following on, or falling of, lett the Reader judge) to censure that common saying, Tempus edax rerum, as relishing more of poeticall witt, then of Metaphysicall truth. For which kind of censure delivered by you, I find no just reason; For what? can no truth satisfie you, but that which is Metaphysicall? And why you should make such an opposition I know not; as if what I ever relished not of Metaphysicall truth, were no truth, but rather of Poeticall witt: and whatsoever relished of poeticall witt, did not relish of truth. You maye as well censure Aristotles Physicks, and Ethicks, and Politiques, and Rhetoricks, for surely they doe not relish of Metaphysicall truths; no nor Euclides Mathematicks; no nor of Poeticall witt neyther; belike they are liable to a double censure.