A14095:587
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.
For look how many circles are made, upon the eighth spheres turning round in a moment; so many circles are made, by the turning of it round in 24. hours, For the body of the heavens is divisible alike, whether it turn round in a day, or in an hour, or in a moment; saving that the turning of it round in a moment; deserves rather to be accounted a vigorous rest, and may be called a cessation from motion, as your self have professed, and consequently a cessation from making any circles at all.
For looke how many circles are made, upon the eighthe spheares turninge round in a moment; so many circles are made, by the turning of it rounde in 24. houres, For the body of the heavens is divisible alike, whether it turne round in a day, or in an houre, or in a moment; savinge that the turning of it round in a moment; deserves rather to be accoumpted a vigorous rest, and may be called a cessation from motion, as your selfe have professed, and consequently a cessation from making any circles at all.
But howsoever; I say the body of the heavens is alike divisible and that in infinitum, because it is corpus continuum; and for the same reason a tennis ball is so too & upon his turning round, you may as well imagine infinite circles made by him, according as the points therein are infinite.
But howsoever; I say the body of the heavens is alike divisible and that in infinitum, because it is corpus continuum; and for the same reason a tennis ball is so too & upon his turning rounde, you may as well imagine infinite circles made by him, according as the points therin are infinite.
Now we come to the application of this fiction (prosecuted with much variety, partly of Chimerical, and partly of vulgar inventions) unto eternity it self, as followeth: Thus in him that is eternal, or being infinite and in eternity, are actually contained durations successively infinite. Thus in him, say you; and what I pray, may an Atheist reply out of that heart of his wherein he saith There is no God. For may he not rejoin in this manner? And if it be but Thus; like as the fiction here supposed by you, is of a thing utterly impossible, so you give us liberty to conceive alike of the Eternity of your God: not to reiterate the variety of vain conceits, which have bloomed from the several branches of this your discourse in prosecuting so vile a fiction to represent Gods eternity thereby. Again, how doth God contain durations successively infinite? Not formally, you well know, but only eminently, for as much as he can produce them.