A14095:56
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.
Neither doth it follow, that therefore those Giants were men still, because the matter of nutrition and augmentation was finite & limited. For though they had been turned into Wolves or other beasts, the matter of nutrition had been limited still; yet in such a case, they had ceased to be men. As touching the stature of men so much lessened in these days in comparison unto former times; I no way like the reason thereof assigned by you. First because it carieth no evidence with it, & you give no light unto it, but barely suppose the truth of it. Secondly because you limit it, in comparison of the like causes before the flood; As if there were no Anakims known since the flood. Of late years in the place where I dwell, hath been taken up the bone of a mans leg, broken in the digging of a well, the bare bone was measured to be two and twenty inches about, in the calf, and the spur about the heel was found also, & that of a very vast proportion. It seems the whole body lieth there. If King James were alive, and heard of it; it is like enough that out of his curious and Scholastical Spirit, whereby he was carried to the investigation of strange things, he would give order that the body might be digged up, & the parts to be kept as monuments of the great proportion and stature of men in former times. As touching the stature of men in these days what doth Captain Smith write by his own experience of the Sasque Sahanocts, borderers 1upon Virginia on the North; He professeth they seemed like Giants to the English; One of their wero•nees that came aboard the English, the calf of his leg was 3. quarters of a yard about, and the rest of his limbs answerable to that proportion. Sure I am the siege of Troy was ⟨p. 31⟩since the flood; and Homer writing of the stone that Aeneas took up to throw at his enemies calleth it [Greek or Hebrew] [Greek or Hebrew]. And he was little acquainted with Noah's flood, that said Terra malos homines nunc educat atque pusillos. Thirdly in these days some are very low, some very tall of stature in comparison; yet the vigour of causes nutritive and augmentative is the same to each. So in all likelihood both before the flood and after, such difference was found.
Neyther dothe it followe, that therfore those Gyants were men still, because the matter of nutrition and augmentation was finite & limited. For thoughe they had bene turned into Woolves or other beastes, the matter of nutrition had bene limited still; yet in such a case, they had ceassed to be men. As touchinge the stature of men so much lessened in these dayes in comparison unto former times; I no way like the reason therof assigned by you. First because it caryethe no evidence with it, & you give no light unto it, but barely suppose the truthe of it. Secondly because you limit it, in comparison of the like causes before the flood; As if there were no Anakims knowne since the flood. Of late yeares in the place where I dwell, hathe bene taken up the bone of a mans legge, broken in the digging of a well, the bare bone was measured to be two and twentie inches about, in the calfe, and the spurre about the heele was founde allso, & that of a very vast proportion. It seemes the whole body lyethe there. If King Iames were alive, and heard of it; it is like enoughe that out of his curious and Scholasticall Spirite, wherby he was caryed to the investigation of strange things, he woulde give order that the body might be digged up, & the parts to be kept as monuments of the great proportion and stature of men in former times. As touching the stature of men in these dayes what dothe Capteyne Smith write by his owne experience of the Sasque Sahanocts, borderers