Rome makes the Church a superior revelation that proves Scripture
The Pontificii will not let sacred Scripture deserve and win our faith immediately and of itself. They teach another divine revelation by which Scripture must be proved, so that the Church may publicly settle its standing. For them that revelation is the Church's voice and testimony — the doctrine of her overseers. They want God to speak today through the Church's pastors as through organs infallible in the doctrine of faith, as he once spoke through Prophets and Apostles.
So they admit Scripture is a rule of faith, yet a subordinate and partial one that needs proving by a superior, fuller rule. When they prove dogmas they do cite sacred Scripture's authority. Asked why they trust sacred Scripture, they say: because of their Church's testimony — and in that testimony, as the supreme external principle of faith, they must rest if they mean to keep their own teachings.
We too bring the Church's constant testimony when we prove a sacred book's authority. But not as they do — not as a principle of faith to which our faith must be subjected. For us it is only an argument from the later effect: sound and strong, yet not wholly divine and infallible.
Latin
XXIII. At vero Pontificii nolunt Scripturam sacram immediate et per se fidem apud nos mereri et obtinere; sed docent esse aliam divinam revelationem per quam Scripturam probari necesse sit, ut publice de ea in Ecclesia constet. Et haec revelatio ipsis est Ecclesiae vox et testimonium, hoc est praepositorum Ecclesiae doctrina. Siquidem Deum ipsum per Ecclesiae pastores hodie loqui volunt, tanquam per organa, quoad fidei doctrinam, infallibilia, quemadmodum olim locutus est per Prophetas atque Apostolos. Itaque admittunt quidem Scripturam esse fidei regulam, sed subalternam atque partialem, quae superiori et ampliori regula probari indigeat. Quapropter ad fidei dogmata comprobanda afferunt quidem Scripturae sacrae authoritatem. Sed si rogentur cur sacrae Scripturae fidem adhibeant, dicunt se id facere propter Ecclesiae suae testimonium, et in hoc testimonio, tanquam inter fidei externa principia supremo, conquiescere ipsos necesse est, si quidem suis placitis stare velint. Nos quidem ad libri alicujus sacri authoritatem comprobandam afferimus quoque constans Ecclesiae testimonium: verum non sicut ipsi, tanquam aliquod fidei principium cui fides nostra subjicienda sit: sed solum tanquam quoddam argumentum a posteriori, validum quidem et bonum, sed non prorsus divinum atque infallibile.
About this text
Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu - Sedan Theological Theses, newly rendered from the 1675 London Latin. Covers De Theologia through Angelorum & Hominum Sanctorum Cultu Romana I-LXXVII and Pars Secunda (Reformata) I-XL. Not the collected folio.
English follows locked Pitt Latin through Imaginum CLOSED + Sanctorum Cultu Romana CLOSED + Pars Secunda Reformata I-XL. 1675 PDF ~384-390 (book ~370-376); Vision OCR + pdftotext + tess. No modern English. This slice densifies Sanctorum Pars Secunda I-XL. Next: Pars Secunda XLI–fin (~CI). Claim stays claimed (book densify not done).
Catalogue & scope
ESTC R17887; Wing L802. IA bub_gb_eOkHAW4G0-wC (+ EEBO 1675 for gap leaves). Densify through Sanctorum Cultu Romana I-LXXVII + Pars Secunda Reformata I-XL (Pars Secunda not closed; not whole folio).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Theologia I-XLIII (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
- Checked print Internet Archive PDF of the 1675 Pitt folio (Latin)
- Checked print pdftotext of De Theologia pages (Latin)
- Checked print Internet Archive DjVu OCR of the 1675 Pitt folio (Latin)
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Fide I-XXII (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Authoritate Scripturae Pars I I-XLVII + Pars II I-XXXV + Pars III I-VIII (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Scripturae plenitudine densify (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.