Popular errors, in generall poynts concerning the knowledge of religion having relation to their causes, and reduced into divers observations / by Jean D'Espaigne.

Title

Popular errors, in generall poynts concerning the knowledge of religion having relation to their causes, and reduced into divers observations / by Jean D'Espaigne.

Author

Espagne, Jean d', 1591-1659.

Publication

London :: Printed for Tho. Whittaker,

1648.

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Subject terms

Christianity -- Philosophy.

Link to this Item

https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A38612.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"Popular errors, in generall poynts concerning the knowledge of religion having relation to their causes, and reduced into divers observations / by Jean D'Espaigne." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A38612.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed October 31, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• illustration
• To the most Illustrious CHARLES, Monarch of great Brittaine, &c. Defender of the Faith.
• To the Reader.
• The first Section.
  • CHAPTER I. The first Errour which arose amongst Christians.
  • CHAP. II. Of the efficacy and differencie of humours up∣on the intelligency of Religion and of the strange opinions they produce.
  • CHAP. III. Naturall humours taken for Christian ver∣tues: and the particular spirit, for the Spirit of the holy Ghost: The divell falsly accused of all our evill thoughts: why it is hard for a man to know the time when he was regenerated, why certaine articles of our faith are more easie to our beliefe then others: why divine Revelations were communicated to men in their sleepe.
  • CHAP. IIII. Concerning the Sences: and of the imagina∣tions: vulgar meditations: matters which seeme better in Painting, then in the words of the holy Scripture. Why the corporall figure of our Saviour is not delineated in the Gospell: Why the sight of the places (esteemed holy) takes away the admira∣tion thereof.
  • CHAP. V. Of the difference and capacity of spirits: Of the faculties of the soule: Of those who promise themselves to beleeve, so that they have proofe, and doe assure themselves they should have beleeved in Christ, if they had seene his Miracles; Of those who li∣mit God, according to their owne wisdome, or beleeve the truth, because it is confor∣mable to their owne opinion.
  • CHAP. VI. Some say Knowledge produceth Atheisme, all here saies have not proceeded from lear∣ned men. The abuses of humane learning in religion.
  • CHAP. 7. Why learned men receive the truth with more difficulty then other men, and if the promp∣titude of belief is alwayes most praise worthy.
  • CHAP. 8. Why the learned are subject to more doubts then the simple people.
  • CHAP. 9 Of common proverbs in generall and of cer∣tain maximes in favour of ignorance.
• The second Section.
  • CHAPTER 1. Divinity reduced into a verball science a∣bundance of tearmes, as well scholastick as Oratorian: A difference in this re∣spect amongst the Sciences: an objection touching the stile of the Scripture.
  • CHAP. 2. The matters of the Scripture made verball by the ignorant, the solidity of its stile, mysteries turned into Retoricall figures.
  • CHAP. 3. The essence of Christianity annihilated by the maximes of the vulgar, who reduce Religion into morality, which is the most excellent and most necessary doctrine of Religion. A difference between the me∣thod of Philosophers and the order that Theologie sets forth in the instruction of manners.
  • CHAP. IV. Why common people loves not rather to be in∣structed in manners, then in any other point of religion. Everyone hath a naturall o∣pinion to be saved by his workes.
  • CHAP. V. The Scripture made absurd by vulgar, and by those Preachers who turne it into mo∣rality. Popular vertues.
  • CHAP. VI. Touching curiosities, Rash questions of those which are returned from the dead: Of the Divell who exhorted to repentance: Of the knowledge of evill.
  • CHAP. 7. Wherefore Scholastick Theologie was invented and how it was established: with a con∣trary successe.
  • CHAP. 8. The boldnesse of the vulgar, the last Christi∣ans ought to know more then the first. The modern Church ought to be called ancient.
  • CHAP. IX. Concerning that Maxime; That we cannot say any thing but what hath been already spoken.
  • CHAP. X. Of Paradoxes, or matters which are strange to the vulgar.
  • CHAP. XI. Of Problemes, and of their difference, and of morall Problemes in particular.
  • CHAP. 12. Of certain cases of Conscience which are not as yet resolved.
  • CHAP 13. Of certain questions which are indifferent in which the one ought the rather to be deli∣vered then the other.
  • CHAP. 14. Indifferent questions sometimes become ne∣cessary. Many things are held for prob∣lematicall which are not so in effect. Problematicall points ought not to be be∣lieved with the same faith, as the articles necessary to salvation.
  • CHAP. 15. Of those who will know nothing but what is found in the Scripture.
  • CHAP. XVI. Of those which studie nothing but controver∣sies, what sort of controversies may teach us most doctrine: What points of doctrine are the most difficult amongst Christians. What expedient may weake ones take in the highest questions. A rule which is not to be found, but in the reformed Religion. Of Miracles. Of Martyres. Concerning the question where was the Church before the Reformation.
  • CHAP. 17. The conversion of a Romane Catholick is now more difficult then in the beginning of the Reformation.
  • CHAP. 18. Why the conversion of a Jew at this day, then it was at the beginning of Christian Re∣ligion.
  • CHAP. 19. Why the opinions the most erronious are main∣tained with greater obstinacy, then those which are lesse absurd. The plea of these which burnt their children. Pretexts for transubstantiation.
• The third Section.
  • CHAPTER 1. What manner of knowledge or instruction is most naturall to the vulgar.
  • CHAP. 2. Of the superficiall knowledge of each point of Of religion. Of their definitions, and of their exact Knowledge. An example in the doctrine of the Eucharist.
  • CHAP. III. Of the distinction, conjunction, and Aran∣ging of points of religion.
  • CHAP. IIII. Of those which believe the truth, by vertue of a false principle, or of some passage of Scripture which toucheth not the question.
  • CHAP. V. Every point of Religion hath its peculiar reasons, examples, and considerations to this purpose.
  • CHAP VI. Of the exercise of the mind in every point of Religion. The default of the vulgar, and of preachers herein. The Scripture speaks by proofs.
  • CHAP VII. Of Popular reasons, as well in the Romane Religion, as amongst the vulgar of the Or∣thodox Churches. The difference betwixt the maximes of faith, and those of charity.
  • CHAP. VIII. Of whose who perswade themselves of the truth by false reasons. Of those which falsely accuse themselves.
  • CHAP. IX. Of points whereof one ought to know the cau∣ses. Many matters of Religion are ridi∣culous without their causes. The under∣standing whereof decides many questions. From whence come the greatest part of er∣rours.
  • CHAP. X. Of the ignorance of the vulgar, who believe that one ought not to search nor give any other reason of the points of Religion, then the will of God.
  • CHAP XI. Objections of the vulgar touching the reasons Scripture expresseth not, and how we may know them.
  • CHAP. XII. Of the prudence that is requisite in the exa∣mination of points where the cause is un∣certaine Of a Ly. Whether Satan made Pilates wife speak for the innocence of Jesus Christ.
  • CHAP. XIII. Of hidden reasons of some impertinent opini∣ons on this subject.
  • CHAP. XIIII. Of points resulting from others, and of the multitude of consequences.
• The fourth Section.
  • CHAP. I. Generall considerations on the Scripture. Of matters which seem vulgar and of easie understanding.
  • CHAP. 2. Of matters which seeme unprofitable in Scripture. Considerations upon Chronolo∣gie, upon the Genealogies, Proper names, Ceremoniall Laws, Rules, Particularities little considerable in appearance, and hi∣stories of enormous Acts.
  • CHAP. III. Of the method which seems defective in ma∣ny discourses of Scripture. Of the stile thereof. Of superfluous words. Of strange similitudes. Of the imitation of Scrip∣ture language. Of mysterious omissions.
  • CHAP. IIII. Of infused knowledge. Of Apostleship. Of those that know nothing but by books.
  • CHAP. V. Of eloquence. The principall part thereof is unknowne by the greatest part of Prea∣chers. Of vulgar matters in Sermons. The excuse and deceit of ignorant Prea∣chers. Whether the word of God be in like lustre in the mouthes of all.
  • CHAP. VI. That the words of Scripture had more Em∣phasis in the mouth of Jesus Christ, and his first Disciples, then they have in ours. The reason of this difference.
  • CHAP. VII. What men are most hardly saved. Of the vul∣gar error which imports that the Pastors manners edifie asmuch as his doctrine.
  • CHAP. VIII. That it is more profitable for us to be taught by men then by Angels. Why the world va∣lues not prophets, but after their death.
  • CHAP. IX. The want of particular instructions.
  • CHAP. X. Of books of religion, and of the time imploy∣ed in them to the prejudice of Scripture. Of the multitude, vanity, kinds and re∣formation of them.
  • CHAP. XI. Great knowledge lieth not in the quantity of matters, but in their quality. The title of great divines given fasly to many.