Rome's 'Scripture cannot prove Scripture' does not defeat sufficiency
Here is how to meet the argument Rome loves: that Scripture is not a full and sufficient rule of faith because Scripture cannot be proved by Scripture.
A rule need not prove itself to be perfect and sufficient. It is enough that by it everything else of the same kind can be examined and proved.
In analyzing faith, unless you allow a circle or an infinite regress — both absurd — you must stop at some principle that cannot be proved by another better known in that order, and that cannot prove itself. Nothing proves itself.
Latin
XX. Atque hinc patet quomodo occurrendum sit argumento, quo se plurimum jactant Pontificii, dum, scilicet, se demonstrare putant Scripturam non esse plenam & sufficientem fidei regulam, quoniam ipsa Scriptura per Scripturam probari non potest. Nec enim, ut patet ex dictis, ad perfectionem & sufficientiam regulae requiritur, ut possit seipsam probare. Sed satis est ut per eam examinari & probari possint omnia praeter ipsam quae sunt ejusdem generis. Ac praeterea in fidei analysi, nisi quis velit admittere circulum, aut progressum in infinitum, quorum utrunque absurdum est, necesse est devenire ad principium quoddam in quo sistendum sit, & quod probari non possit per aliud in eo genere notius, nec etiam seipsum probare, quandoquidem, ut dictum est, nihil probat seipsum.
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.