A14095:531
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.
This is the foul flaw we find in the major: let us come ⟨p. 206⟩to the minor which was this; But Gods existence extends infinitely further, and was infinitely before his now existence. I answer thus; By Gods now existence, you understand his existence, either in the present instant of time, or in the present instant of eternity; if of the present instant of time, then the proposition was not true in any one part of it; For certainly neither the Million of years next past, nor the Million of years next to come, are coexistent with God, now existent in instant of time, both because neither many years can possibly exist in an instant of time; nor God himself; but rather his existens is in the instant of eternity, though both he and his eternity be coexistent with every instant of time: Now if it be understood of the instant of eternity, I deny that God was before this instant, or shall continue one ace of duration after it; And no marvel, seeing both everlastingness for the time past, and everlastingness for the time to come, are supposed, to coexist in this instant of eternity; Yet have I not all this while discovered the vanity of the conceit, which is as a mist before your eyes: You say, the next Million of years doth coexist with eternity now existent; I say this is notoriously untrue, whether you take it of years past or of years to come, all is one; for that which is past, and that which is to come, hath no existence with God now existent: And I prove it thus; That which hath no existence at all at this present, that cannot be said to have any coexistence, but things past and things to come have no existence at all at this present, therefore they cannot be said to have any coexistence with God; Things future shall have coexistence with God, to wit, when the time of their actual existence cometh; Likewise things past have had their coexistence with God, to wit, when the time of their actual existence was.
This is the fowle flawe we finde in the major: let us come ⟨p. 206⟩to the minor which was this; But Gods existence extends infinitely further, and was infinitely before his now existence. I answeare thus; By Gods now existence, you understand his existence, eyther in the present instant of time, or in the present instant of eternity; if of the present instant of time, then the proposition was not true in any one part of it; For certeinly neyther the Million of yeares next past, nor the Million of yeares next to come, are coexistent with God, now existent in instant of time, both because neyther many years can possibly exist in an instant of time; nor God himselfe; but rather his existens is in the instant of eternity, though both he and his eternity be coexistent with every instant of time: Now if it be understood of the instant of eternity, I deny that God was before this instant, or shall continue one ace of duration after it; And no merveyle, seinge both everlastingnesse for the time past, and everlastingnesse for the time to come, are supposed, to coexist in this instant of eternity; Yet have I not all this while discovered the vanity of the conceyte, which is as a mist before your eyes: You say, the next Million of years doth coexist with eternity now existent; I say this is notoriously untrue, whether you take it of years past or of years to come, all is one; for that which is past, and that which is to come, hath no existence with God now existent: And I proove it thus; That which hath no existence at all at this present, that cannot be sayd to have any coexistence, but things past and things to come have no existence at all at this present, therefore they cannot be sayd to have any coexistence with God; Things future shall have coexistence with God, to witt, when the time of theyr actuall existence cometh; Likewise things past have had theyr coexistence with God, to witt, when the time of theyr actuall existence was.