Clearer split: religion’s substance vs indifferent rites and discipline
To cut ambiguity, some of our theologians prefer a clearer distinction.
They separate what is the substance — the body of Christian religion — necessary by divine institution not only for faith but for morals and church order, from mere appendages and ornaments of that body.
Those ornaments are not necessary by nature or divine institution; they are indifferent, kept for order and decency: many disciplinary canons, and rites and ceremonies universal or particular — freely observed, yet not to be despised or dropped by private authority alone.
Latin
VI. Ideoque ut vitetur omnis ambiguitas, nonnulli ex nostris Theologis utuntur hac distinctione clariori & commodiori. Observant enim distinguendum esse inter ea in quibus substantia est, & quasi corpus religionis Christianae, & quae ex vi divinae institutionis necessaria sunt non tantum ad fidem, sed etiam ad mores formandos, politiamque Ecclesiae continendam: & alia quae sunt tantum hujus substantiae veluti appendices, & corporis hujus ornamenta, quaeque nec ex natura sua, nec ex divina institutione, necessaria sunt, sed indifferentia, ordinisque tantum & decoris gratia in usum recepta: ut sunt multae disciplinae partes variis Canonibus sancitae, ritus etiam & caeremoniae variae, tum universales, tum particulares, observationis liberae quidem, sed hactenus ut nemo sua privata authoritate illa possit aut debeat contemnere rejicereve.
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.