A14095:80
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 if God could make the creature like unto himself in everlastingness, why not in any thing else, seeing the Apostle, speaking of the Godhead as evidenced by his works, noteth it to consist in his eternal power. But come we to that manner of demonstration which is expected, leaving such arguments as Mornay prosecuteth, 1as namely the novel invention of all Arts and Sciences, as appears by History, and the like, evidencing that the World had a beginning: It is well known that the most general opinion is (even of Aristotle himself) that an infinite magnitude or a number actually infinite, is a thing utterly impossible as that which implieth manifest contradiction. Now let those arguments be well observed, and considered, whether the most pregnant amongst them, may not with as great evidence be accommodated against the everlastingness of the World, to prove it to be a thing impossible. As for example. One of the most forcible arguments that I have found to prove the impossibility of an infinite magnitude is this. If a magnitude were actually infinite, then it should consist of an infinite number of yards or ells; for if it consisted but of a finite number of them, the whole could be but finite. Now it is manifest that such an infinite magnitude can consist but of an infinite number of inches. And herehence it followeth, that the number of inches, and the number of yards or ells in such a magnitude are equal; & herehence it followeth that an inch in this case should be equal to a yard or •ll; which is impossible, and consequently as impossible it is that there should be any magnitude infinite. In like sort, if the World were everlasting, then the days past should be infinite, & not so only but the years past should ⟨p. 48⟩be infinite; and so the number of days and number of years past, should be equal, and consequently a day should be equal to a year; For if twenty days were equal to twenty years, then certainly one day should be equal to one year. For fi ab aequalibus aequalia demas quae remanent erunt aequalia. Now it is impossible that a day should be equal to a year, & consequently it is impossible that the World should be everlasting without beginning. Perhaps some may say that the same reason might prove as well that it is a thing impossible the World should be without end.
And if God coulde make the creature like unto himselfe in everlastingnes, why not in any thing els, seinge the Apostle, speaking of the Godhead as evidenced by his workes, noteth it to consist in his eternall power. But come we to that manner of demonstration which is expected, leaving such arguments as Mornay prosecutethe,