Theology's dignity shines most in its end and use — perfect beatitude, not a particular good of this life

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But in no matter does the dignity and excellence of theology shine forth more than in the excellence of its end and use. For among practical disciplines, the further and more universal the end of any discipline is, the more worthy and excellent that discipline is. So politics excels military science, because the end of military science is victory, which is a means to obtaining public peace and tranquillity — which is the end of political science, and some greater good. But the end of this science is the highest and last of all: namely the perfect beatitude of man, to which the ends of all the other arts and disciplines are subordinated.

The remaining disciplines and arts care for some particular good of man. Medicine, for example, the health of the body; jurisprudence, estates; politics, public peace and tranquillity. But none of these suffices to make a person blessed. Theology, however, cares for the whole happiness of man, and supplies whatever things are desired for living well and blessedly.

Philosophy also strives toward that, indeed. But it attains its scope less fully, and whatever goods it tries to procure for a person are contained within the compass of this life. But theology offers eternal life and happiness, and renders them to those who follow its leading. And so it teaches how to order the present life, that we may be blessed not only for the state of this life, but in such a way that it leads through to everlasting beatitude.

Latin

XXXIII. Sed in nulla re magis Theologiae dignitas et excellentia elucet quam in praestantia finis et usus ejus. Etenim, inter disciplinas practicas, quo alicujus disciplinae finis ulterior est et magis universalis, eo disciplina illa dignior et praestantior est. Ita Politica praestat scientiae militari, quia militaris scientiae finis est victoria, quae medium est ad adipiscendam publicam pacem et tranquillitatem, quae politicae scientiae finis est, et bonum aliquod majus. At hujus scientiae finis summus est et ultimus omnium, perfecta scilicet hominis beatitudo, cui subordinantur caeterarum omnium artium atque disciplinarum fines. XXXIV. Disciplinae et artes reliquae particulare aliquod hominis bonum curant. Medicina v. g. corporis sanitatem: Jurisprudentia, facultates: Politica, publicam pacem et tranquillitatem. Sed harum nulla sufficit ad hominem beandum. Theologia vero integram hominis felicitatem curat, et suggerit quaecunque desiderantur ad bene beateque vivendum. XXXV. Ad id quidem etiam contendit Philosophia. Sed scopum suum minus assequitur, et quaecunque bona homini procurare conatur, intra hujus vitae ambitum continentur. At Theologia vitam et felicitatem aeternam offert, et praestat iis qui sequuntur ejus ductum. Et sic docet praesentem vitam instituere, ut non tantum pro hujus vitae statu beati simus, sed ita ut ad sempiternam beatitudinem perducat.

About this text

Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu, Sedan Theses, newly rendered from Latin: from theology proper through the Roman theses I–77 and the Reformed theses of Part Two. The theses only — not the collected works.

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.