In dispute we often prove what is prior by what is posterior
So not every proof is taken from what is simply better known and more certain.
In dispute we must adapt to those we are dealing with. Against people who deny principles — even things most certain in themselves — we use weaker proofs and arguments called a posteriori: proving what is prior in knowledge, simply speaking, through what is posterior in knowledge.
Against Gentiles who deny the Christian religion we often argue from the opinions of the wise, from philosophical axioms, and from the nations' consensus — yet none of that has, for us, as much certainty as the Christian religion itself.
Even first principles, than which nothing is absolutely better known or more certain, we illustrate by examples and inductions; but their certainty and authority do not depend on those illustrations.
Latin
XLIII. Itaque dicendum est non omnes probationes ab eo sumi quod est simpliciter notius & certius. Etenim inter disputandum cogimur nos attemperare illis, quibuscum nobis res est: Et contra eos qui principia negant, & ea quae sunt in se certissima, uti minus certis probationibus, & argumentis illis quae vocantur a posteriori, hoc est, quibus quod est cognitione prius, simpliciter loquendo, probatur per illud quod est cognitione posterius. Sic contra Ethnicos qui negant religionem Christianam, argumentamur saepe ex placitis sapientum, philosophicis axiomatibus, & consensu gentium. Et tamen omnia ista tantam respectu nostri certitudinem non habent, quam religio Christiana. Et ipsa prima principia, quibus absolute nihil est notius & certius, probamus exemplis & inductionibus, unde tamen non pendet principiorum illorum certitudo & authoritas.
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.