Scripture's authority is received immediately — not proved from Scripture
Faith's first principles must bear marks and characters of their divinity and truth, and arguments that recommend them. But they cannot, directly and properly, prove themselves. Nor do they lean on other faith principles from which they would borrow authority.
That first rule of religion — the principles of Christian faith — is for us the divine Scriptures, a fixed set of God-breathed books (θεοπνεύστων).
So on our view Scripture's authority should not be proved from Scripture itself. All Christians receive it immediately, and for its own sake.
Latin
XVIII. Habere quidem debent prima fidei principia divinitatis & veritatis suae notas & characteres, & argumenta quibus probentur & suadeantur: sed directe & proprie seipsa probare non possunt: nec etiam ab aliis pendent fidei principiis, unde authoritatem & fidem mutuentur. Jam vero prima illa religionis regula, & Christianae fidei principia nobis sunt Scripturae divinae constantes certo numero librorum θεοπνεύστων. Ac proinde sacrae Scripturae authoritas, juxta sententiam nostram, ex ipsa Scriptura probari non debet, sed ab omnibus Christianis immediate & propter se suscipi.
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.