A14095:956
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.
It is not always so with man in the execution of his promises. If Gods one and indivisibly everlasting decree without any variety or shadow of change fits all the changes, several dispositions and contingent actions of men and Angels, as exactly as if he did conceive and shape a new Law for every one of them; what moved you heretofore to profess that the reservation of liberty, and that to make grants and to revoke them, is a point of so high perfection, as that you would fain bestow it upon the nature of God? What mean you here to profess that ⟨p. 397⟩God ceaseth not to decree, which to my understanding sounds as if the meaning were, that God is still in making of new decrees. Gods decrees continue I confess as God himself continueth, and more unalterable then laws of Medes and Persians. But neither could they be said in this respect not to cease to make laws, so neither can God be said not to cease to make decrees. For like as while laws are in making, they are not yet made; so to intimate that Gods decrees are in making (as you do while you say God ceaseth not to decree) is to imply that Gods decrees are not yet made; which you do more plainly signify in the words following, when you say, They are conceived and brought forth as well befitting them as the skin doth the body, which nature hath enwrapped in it. Whereby you manifestly profess that Gods decrees are brought forth in time, not only the executions of them, and thus howsoever you flatter your readers ear with bestowing on Gods decrees the title of everlasting, yet you plainly declare your mind that they are brought forth in time, together with the execution of them.
It is not alwayes so with man in the execution of his promises. If Gods one and indivisibly everlasting decree without any variety or shadow of change fitts all the changes, severall dispositions and contingent actions of men and Angells, as exactly as if he did conceive and shape a new Law for every one of them; what mooved you heretofore to professe that the reservation of libertie, and that to make grants and to revoke them, is a point of so high perfection, as that you would faine bestow it upon the nature of God? What meane you here to professe that ⟨p. 397⟩God ceaseth not to decree, which to my understanding sounds as if the meaning were, that God is still in making of new decrees. Gods decrees continue I confesse as God himselfe continueth, and more unalterable then lawes of Medes and Persians. But neither could they bee said in this respect not to cease to make lawes, so neither can God bee said not to cease to make decrees. For like as while lawes are in making, they are not yet made; so to intimate that Gods decrees are in making (as you doe while you say God ceaseth not to decree) is to imply that Gods decrees are not yet made; which you doe more plainly signifie in the words following, when you say, They are conceived and brought forth as well befitting them as the skinne doth the body, which nature hath enwraped in it. Wherby you manifestly profess that Gods decrees are brought forth in time, not onely the executions of them, and thus howsoever you flatter your readers eare with bestowing on Gods decrees the title of everlasting, yet you plainly declare your minde that they are brought forth in time, together with the execution of them.