A14095:656
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.
And as for the immensity corporal, that is a thing utterly impossible; the motion you devise must needs be in vacuo or not at all. Now the force of the centre is no way fit whereby to illustrate this power of God. For certainly if the earth were placed in the hollow of the Moon, it together with his centre would tumble down again; as little congruous ⟨p. 238⟩is it; for the illustration of that power of God, whereby he is able to dissolve Rocks of Adamant with the fillip of his finger, sooner than bubbles of water with the breath of the Canon; In all which you seem to affect not Metaphysical truth only, but Rhetorical if not Poetical flourishes also. We believe that God, as by his word he made all things out of nothing, so by his word he can return them into nothing; this is plain English neither hath his power need of any Pyrgopolinices bombast eloquence to illustrate the Majesty thereof or set it forth.
And as for the immensitie corporall, that is a thing utterly impossible; the motion you devise must needes be in vacuo or not att all. Now the force of the center is no way fitt wherby to illustrate this power of God. For certainly if the earth were placed in the hollowe of the Moone, it together with his center would tumble downe againe; as little congruous ⟨p. 238⟩is it; for the illustration of that power of God, wherby he is able to dissolve Rocks of Adamant with the phillep of his finger, sooner thē bubbles of water with the breath of the Canon; In all which you seeme to affect not Metaphysicall truthe only, but Rhetoricall if not Poeticall florishes allso. We beleeve that God, as by his word he made all thinges out of nothing, so by his word he can returne them into nothing; this is plaine English neyther hath his power neede of any Pyrgopolinices bombast eloquence to illustrate the Majesty therof or sett it forth.
3. But from the breath of the Canon you fall congruously upon the consideration of the mother of it, which creature is commonly called gunpowder. And here you tell us first that our admiration of Gods active power may be raised by calculating the imaginary degrees of active powers increase in creatures; that which followeth divisible as well in quantity as operation, is of no importance but only to fill up. The Canon sends forth his bullet with greater violence then the Saker, like enough, and so every Ordinance exceeds other in force of Battery, according to the quantity of charge, or length of barrel, which I leave to the consideration of the Master of the Ordinance. To this you add that if the same quantity of steel or iron, were possible to be as speedily converted into a fiery vapour as gunpowder is, the blow would be 10. times more irresistible then it is. I do not think your meaning is to instruct the would in a new way of making Saltpetre, if it were, Saltpetre men should be your scholars, I would be none of them.