If Scripture's divinity is doubted, prove it a posteriori — not from faith principles
If a contentious man denies a science's first principles, you do not prove them from themselves. You must leave that science's bounds and seek proofs elsewhere — or even use weaker, a posteriori arguments aimed at that man. That does not lessen the principles' perfection or sufficiency.
So if Gentiles and profane men call Scripture's divinity into doubt, it must be proved — yet not from Scripture's own testimony, nor from any other faith principle. The proofs called de fide (drawn from faith principles properly so named) no longer apply.
Other proofs must be used: various marks, inward and outward, by which Scripture's divinity can be known and confirmed. That still leaves Scripture, for believers, the fullest and most perfect rule of religion and faith.
Latin
XIX. Sed quemadmodum, si prima cujusdam scientiae principia negentur ab homine contentioso, non probantur illa ex seipsis, sed illius scientiae fines transire necesse est, & aliunde eorum probationes quaerere: aut etiam recurrere ad quaedam minus nota quibus probentur a posteriori, & ad hominem illum; neque hoc quicquam derogat principiorum illorum perfectioni & sufficientiae: Ita si Scripturarum sacrarum divinitas in dubium vocetur, ut fit ab Ethnicis & profanis hominibus, probanda quidem erit, non tamen ex proprio earum testimonio, aut ex alio quopiam fidei principio, neque amplius suppetunt probationes quas vocant de fide, hoc est, quae petitae sint ex proprie dictis fidei principiis: sed aliae probationes adhibendae erunt, quae petentur ex variis notis, tum intus, tum externis, quibus Scripturae Sacrae divinitas innotescere, & confirmari potest. Neque hoc obstat quominus, fidelium respectu, plenissima sit & perfectissima religionis & fidei regula.
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.