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

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.

THE ignorance of generall as well as particular points proceed from this, that popular spirits learn an infinity of descriptions, but very few defi∣nitions; I speak not in favour of subtil and artificiall definitions of which every one is not capable. But certainly it is im∣possible to have the true knowledge of a point without knowing how to mark and define the essence, if not exactly, yet at least, very near the truth.

When a man can say sinne is the poyson of the soule, and knows how to give it a hundred epithites of this sort, yet hath he not learnt what sinne is, this ignorance is entertained by a multitude of Preachers who are content to declaim by descripti∣ons and abundance of metahpots never showing but the superficies of matters in stead of setting forth the dimensions. I leave the points which are elevated above all definition. The imagination of Idiots who not understanding what is properly that eternity, although they know that God hath neither beginning nor end, be∣lieve him neverthelesse to have more age then he had foure thousand yeares since. This point and many others are not the mark at which we shoot. I could show that the greatest part of our differencies proceed from the ignorance of definiti∣ons. If the Romish Church comprehend∣ed intercession to be a sacerdotall act, and that Christ prayes in quality of a soveraign Priest dead for us; and this function con∣sists in the comparition of his person, &c.

She would never transport to others the ti∣tle of intercessor. But to make you see how many excellent matters the exact intelli∣gence of one point furnisheth in respect of a superficiall knowledge, we will pro∣duce only one example. In the words of the Lord in the Eucharist, the most ignorant understand sufficiently, that the flesh of Christ therein is presēted unto us as meat, and not only in this respect, but as meat of sacrifice, for it is properly in this quality that it is offered unto us. And the termes of our Lord carry a manifest allusion to the flesh of sacrifices which they gave to eat to those for whom it had been sacrifi∣ced. A meat which the Jewes because of its importancy preferred before all other a∣liments. But you must know they did not participate but of the Eucharisticall sacri∣fices: for the people eat not the flesh of the sacrifices of expiation although that they were offered for them, the sacrificers onely did participate thereof. Nay more, a sacrificer when he offered for his own sins had no part in the sacrifice, but was to

burn it intirely. And which is more, in the solemne expiation, in which the blood of beasts was carried into the tabernacle for the universall remission of sinnes, no man might tast of the flesh of the sacrifice, the law commanding that it should be carried out of the camp far from the people, and there consumed in fire. In brief, it was a maxime in the law, that none of those for whom the sacrifice of expiation was offe∣red should eat thereof. But our Lord by a disposition new, and unknown to the law, presents us to eat of the flesh of the sacri∣fice of expiation, the body which hath been delivered for our sinnes. For the law forbidding those which were culpable to participate of the expiations shewed the nullity of them; and taught that those sa∣crifices were unprofitable, seeing that those in whose favour they were offered had no nourishment by them: But Jesus Christ shews that his sacrifice is fruitfull, seeing that sinners participate thereof, marking in evident tearmes the difference which we see between the blood of the new

alliance given for drink, and the bloud of Legall sacrifices whose participation was rigorously forbidden; the law forbidding to drink any blood gives this reason, that the blood was shed for the expiation of sinnes, and so ought not to be imployed for nourishment; to the contrary, our Lord invites us to drink his blood, because that it is shed for the remission of sinnes; Imploying (for to oblige us to the partici∣pation of blood) the same reason for which it was interdicted in the law. This consi∣deration may furnish many others where∣by to comprehend the subject of the Eu∣charist.