A14095:876
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.
3. In the next place you propose a difficulty, and that is this: How Gods will or counsel should be eternally immutable, and yet everlastingly free. And in stead of answer you tell us, You see not what appearance of difficulty can present it self, at least to such as bear the two former principles before mentioned level in their minds and thoughts. So then two principles will serve the turn to clear all this, provided that we keep them level in our minds and thoughts: otherwise woe be to the funambulus if he swerve never so little awry. Now these principles you say are first, That God is absolutely infinite in being, the other, That he is absolutely perfect according to all the branches of being or perfection by us conceivable or more then all these, perfection it self. If you will believe me, I assure you, I do believe all this, and yet I am as far to seek for clearing of the former difficulty as ever. If the reason be because I do not keep them so level in my mind and thought as I should, I assure you, I would willingly help this also if I knew how. I would do any thing for a quiet life, and to clear such a difficulty as this which in my opinion is a wondrous one, if rightly understood. But I much doubt whether every one that proposeth it, rightly understandeth it.
3. In the next place you propose a difficultie, and that is this: How Gods will or counsell should be eternally immutable, and yet everlastingly free. And in stead of answer you tell us, You see not what appearance of difficultie can present it selfe, at least to such as beare the two former principles before mentioned levell in their mindes and thoughts. So then two principles will serve the turne to cleare all this, provided that we keepe them levell in our mindes and thoughts: otherwise woe bee to the funambulus if he swerve never so little awry. Now these principles you say are first, That God is absolutely infinite in being, the other, That he is absolutely perfect according to all the branches of being or perfection by us conceivable or more then all these, perfection it selfe. If you will believe me, I assure you, I doe believe all this, and yet I am as farre to seeke for clearing of the former difficultie as ever. If the reason be because I doe not keepe them so levill in my minde and thought as I should, I assure you, I would willingly helpe this also if I knew how. I would doe any thing for a quiet life, and to cleare such a difficultie as this which in my opinion is a wondrous one, if rightly understood. But I much doubt whether every one that proposeth it, rightly understandeth it.