A14095:629
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 how was that possible, seeing like as before the World it could not be, because then there was no time; so in the beginning of the World it could not be, because the time to come as yet was not. If you say, though it were not present, yet it was to come, and therefore God could by virtue of his infinite eternity move thorough it in an instant, I answer, that by the same reason, he might as well move thorough all time before ever the World was. For even then, though there was no time present, yet there was time enough to come.
But how was that possible, seing like as before the World it could not be, because then there was no time; so in the beginning of the World it could not be, because the time to come as yet was not. If you say, thoughe it were not present, yet it was to come, and therfore God coulde by vertue of his infinite eternitie moove thorough it in an instant, I answeare, that by the same reason, he might as well moove thorough all time before ever the World was. For even then, thoughe there was no time present, yet there was time enoughe to come.
But like as it is absurd to say, that God by his immensity did fill all places before the world, when as yet there was no place to fill: so it is alike absurd to say, that God by his eternity did fill all times before the world was, when as yet there was no time to fill. And now I pray, be pleased soberly to consider, what little need there is of all this pains, in straining our conceits as it were upon tenter hooks, till they are quite out of joint: what need of so many absurd fictions, of so many impossibilities to prove that which is most untrue, and yet confidently supposed by you as a principle out of a superficial consideration of the nature of Gods eternity, Namely, that God by virtue of his eternity doth coexist with all times past, present, and to come.
But like as it is absurd to say, that God by his immensitie did fill all places before the world, when as yet there was no place to fill: so it is alike absurd to say, that God by his eternitie did fill all times before the world was, when as yet there was no time to fill. And now I pray, be pleased soberly to consider, what litle neede there is of all this paynes, in streyning our conceytes as it were upon tenter hookes, till they are quite out of joynt: what neede of so many absurd fictions, of so many impossibilities to proove that which is most untrue, and yet confidently supposed by you as a principle out of a superficiall consideration of the nature of Gods eternitie, Namely, that God by vertue of his eternity doth coexist with all times past, present, and to come.