A14095:687
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.
4. By useful knowledge as I take it, you mean the knowledge of useful things. Of this you say there are two offices, The one steadfastly to propose a right end: The other to make, and prosecute a right, choice of means for effecting it. By this it appears that you speak only of that kind of wisdom which is referred to action, and whereby agents are accommodated ad•res gerendas. From the consideration of humane wisdoms imperfection, you take a course the better to set ⟨p. 252⟩forth the perfection of wisdom divine. Humane wisdom (you say) is ofttimes blind in both, and usually lame in the latter.
4. By usefull knowledge as I take it, you meane the knowledge of usefull things. Of this you say there are two offices, The one steadfastly to propose a right ende: The other to make, and prosecute a right, choyse of meanes for effecting it. By this it appeares that you speake onely of that kind of wisedome which is referred to action, and whereby agents are accommodated ad•res gerendas. From the consideration of humane wisedomes imperfection, you take a course the better to set ⟨p. 252⟩forth the perfection of wisedome divine. Humane wisedome (you say) is oftimes blinde in both, and usually lame in the latter.
I will endeavour to give some illustration of this. The end, we aim at, is our good. For Finis., & bonum convertuntur. Ethic. 1. 1. This good is either natural, or supernatural, both in respect of power to discern it, as also in respect of power to compass it. The natural good which every one aims at, is the preservation of his esse, or naturall being, and the acquiring of his bene esse, or well being natural. In both these are found errors enough. For though nothing is a more natural object of mans desires then the preservation of his being, yet sometimes they are found most unnaturally to affect their destruction; sometimes through passion, (and that in divers kinds) in wonderful manner blinding reason, not only to avoid shame or rather the suffering of shame, or to avoid a worse kind of death, but sometimes out of miserableness, rather then they will part with a little, they are wilfully set to part with all. [Greek or Hebrew] [Greek or Hebrew]