A14095:928
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.
Again, as touching the word accomplished, that is very ambiguous. For like as Gods promises which are not eternal but in time, and the significations of Gods decrees may justly be said not to be accomplished until they be fulfilled; in like sort Gods decrees may be said in a good sense not to be accomplished until they be executed by performing that which God hath decreed. But you speak of the finishing of Gods decree actu interno, not actu externo. For you oppose them that maintain that Gods decrees of things to come are already (that is, before the things decreed do come to pass) finished. Now never any man was known to dream waking any such dream, as to think or affirm that Gods decrees were finished actu externo, that is in plain terms executed before the things decreed were brought to pass.
Againe, as touching the word accomplished, that is very ambiguous. For like as Gods promises which are not eternall but in time, and the significations of Gods decrees may justly be said not to be accomplished untill they be fulfilled; in like sort Gods decrees may be said in a good sense not to bee accomplished untill they be executed by performing that which God hath decreed. But you speake of the finishing of Gods decree actu interno, not actu externo. For you oppose them that maintaine that Gods decrees of things to come are already (that is, before the things decreed doe come to passe) finished. Now never any man was knowne to dreame waking any such dreame, as to thinke or affirme that Gods decrees were finished actu externo, that is in plaine termes executed before the things decreed were brought to passe.
Now lets examine your opinion cleared from ambiguities. I say the decrees of God were finished actu interno before the World was made; And I prove it thus. Every decree is finished actu interno when it is made and hath existence. But the decrees of God were made and had their existence before the World was (otherwise they should not be eternal) therefore the decrees of God are not only already finished but were finished before the World was made. And the Major I farther prove thus. If before the World things were decreed by God, then also before the World, Gods decrees were made and had existence, but before the World many things were decreed by God, therefore before the World, Gods decrees