Theology is wisely called wisdom: hardest mysteries, and independent of every other science
Therefore by highest right this sacred discipline ought to be called wisdom. For according to Aristotle himself, wisdom is the science of the most excellent things. But as is clear from what has been said, theology treats of the most excellent things: namely of God and of his wonderful works, both in creation and in our redemption. Then also of things of the greatest moment with respect to us, and which it is of the highest interest for us to know — namely of our highest happiness, and of life rightly ordered according to God, which is the way to attaining that happiness. Nor does it treat only of the most excellent things, but also in the most excellent manner: namely not from the inventions of human reason, but from divine revelation.
Besides, among the marks of wisdom it is commonly reckoned that it is occupied about things most difficult and remote from sense; next, that it does not depend on another science; and finally that it directs and judges the other sciences, as their arbiter and mistress. All of which fit theology exactly.
For first it opens to us mysteries far most difficult, which in themselves are not only remote from the senses, but far surpass the capacity of the human mind. For they are, as the Apostle says, things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have ascended into the heart of man; but God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, who searches all things, even the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
Second, theology does not depend on any other science. For one science is said to depend on another in two ways. First, when a certain science takes its principles from another, which principles are conclusions of that superior science. So the art of fortifying cities depends on geometry; for geometrical conclusions are the principles of that art. Then, when the end of one science is referred to the end of another science. So military science depends on politics; since the military end is referred to the political end, and is a means to attaining it. But in both of those ways theology is plainly independent. For since the end of theology is the last end of man — namely his eternal beatitude — it cannot be referred to any end, but all things are necessarily referred to it. Then also there is no human science from which theology takes its principles; but it has them immediately from the revelation of God, whose are the utterances and pronouncements.
Latin
XXXVI. Itaque summo jure sacra haec disciplina sapientia dici debet. Etenim juxta ipsum Aristotelem, Sapientia est scientia rerum praestantissimarum. Sed ut patet ex dictis, Theologia de rebus praestantissimis agit: videlicet de Deo et mirandis ejus operibus, tam in creatione quam in redemptione nostra. Deinde quoque de rebus respectu nostri maximi momenti, et quae nosse nostra maxime interest, nempe de summa nostra felicitate, et de vita secundum Deum recte instituenda, quae via est ad illam felicitatem adeundam. Nec tantum de rebus praestantissimis agit, verum etiam praestantissimo modo: scilicet non ex humanae rationis inventis, sed ex divina revelatione. XXXVII. Praeterea inter notas sapientiae recenseri solet, quod versetur circa maxime difficilia et a sensu remota. Deinde quod ab alia scientia non pendeat. Ac demum quod dirigat et judicet scientias alias, tanquam earum arbitra et domina. Quae omnia apprime in Theologiam quadrant. XXXVIII. Etenim primo nobis mysteria aperit longe difficillima, quae in se non tantum sunt a sensibus remota, sed mentis humanae captum longe superant. Sunt enim, ut ait Apostolus, quae nec oculus vidit, neque auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascenderunt: sed Deus ea nobis revelavit per Spiritum suum, qui Spiritus omnia scrutatur, etiam profunditates Dei, 1 Cor. 2. XXXIX. Secundo Theologia non pendet ab ulla alia scientia. Etenim una scientia ab alia pendere dicitur duobus modis. 1. Quum scientia quaedam ab altera sumit sua principia, quae superioris istius scientiae sunt conclusiones. Et ita ars urbes muniendi a Geometria pendet. Conclusiones enim Geometricae sunt istius artis principia. Deinde quum finis unius scientiae refertur ad finem scientiae alterius. Et ita militaris a politica pendet: quandoquidem finis militaris refertur ad politicae finem, et est medium ad illum consequendum. Utroque vero isto modo Theologia est plane independens. Nam, cum finis Theologiae sit finis hominis ultimus, aeterna scilicet ejus beatitudo, ad nullum finem referri potest, sed ad illum omnia necessario referuntur. Tum quoque nulla est humana scientia, a qua Theologia sua principia sumat: sed illa immediate habet ex revelatione Dei, cujus sunt effata et pronunciata.
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.