1ſhewed the way how to make the Powers of the Soul to command
one another, and the inferior the Superior; ſo that the imaginati
on and will might, and ſhould believe contrary to what the Intel
lect underſtands: I ſtill mean in Propoſitions purely Natural, and
which are not de Fide, and not in the Supernatural, which are
de Fide.
one another, and the inferior the Superior; ſo that the imaginati
on and will might, and ſhould believe contrary to what the Intel
lect underſtands: I ſtill mean in Propoſitions purely Natural, and
which are not de Fide, and not in the Supernatural, which are
de Fide.
I would entreat theſe Wiſe and Prudent Fathers, that they
would withal diligence conſider the difference that is between
Opinable and Demonſtrative Doctrines: To the end, that well
weighing in their minds with what force Neceſſary Illations ob
lige, they might the better aſcertain themſelves, that it is not in
the Power of the Profeſſors of Demonſtrative Sciences to change
their Opinions at pleaſure, and apply themſelves one while to
one ſide, and another while to another; and that there is a great
difference between commanding a Methametitian or a Philoſo
pher, and the diſpoſing of a Lawyer or a Merchant; and that the
demonſtrated Concluſions touching the things of Nature and of
the Heavens cannot be changed with the ſame facility, as the
Opinions are touching what is lawful or not in a Contract, Bar
gain, or Bill of Exchange. This difference was well underſtood
by the Learned and Holy Fathers, as their having been at great
pains to confute many Arguments, or to ſay better, many Phi
loſophical Fallacies, doth prove unto us; and as may expreſly be
read in ſome of them, and particularly we have in S. Auguſtine
the following words: (g) This is to be held for an undoubt
ed Truth, That we may be confident, that whatever the Sages of
this World have demonſtrated touching Natural Points, is no waies
contrary to our Bibles: And in caſe they teach any thing in their
Books that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures, we may without any
ſcruple conclude it to be moſt falſe; And aceording to our ability
let us make the ſame appear: And let us ſo keep the Faith of our
Lord, in whom are hidden all the Treaſures of Wiſdom; that we
be neither ſeduced with the Loquacity of falſe Philoſophy, nor
ſcared by the ſuperſtition of a counterfeit Religion.
would withal diligence conſider the difference that is between
Opinable and Demonſtrative Doctrines: To the end, that well
weighing in their minds with what force Neceſſary Illations ob
lige, they might the better aſcertain themſelves, that it is not in
the Power of the Profeſſors of Demonſtrative Sciences to change
their Opinions at pleaſure, and apply themſelves one while to
one ſide, and another while to another; and that there is a great
difference between commanding a Methametitian or a Philoſo
pher, and the diſpoſing of a Lawyer or a Merchant; and that the
demonſtrated Concluſions touching the things of Nature and of
the Heavens cannot be changed with the ſame facility, as the
Opinions are touching what is lawful or not in a Contract, Bar
gain, or Bill of Exchange. This difference was well underſtood
by the Learned and Holy Fathers, as their having been at great
pains to confute many Arguments, or to ſay better, many Phi
loſophical Fallacies, doth prove unto us; and as may expreſly be
read in ſome of them, and particularly we have in S. Auguſtine
the following words: (g) This is to be held for an undoubt
ed Truth, That we may be confident, that whatever the Sages of
this World have demonſtrated touching Natural Points, is no waies
contrary to our Bibles: And in caſe they teach any thing in their
Books that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures, we may without any
ſcruple conclude it to be moſt falſe; And aceording to our ability
let us make the ſame appear: And let us ſo keep the Faith of our
Lord, in whom are hidden all the Treaſures of Wiſdom; that we
be neither ſeduced with the Loquacity of falſe Philoſophy, nor
ſcared by the ſuperſtition of a counterfeit Religion.
(g) Hoc indu
bitanter tenendum
eſt, ut quicquid
Sapientes hujus
Mundi, de Natu
ra rerum veraci
ter demonſtrare
potuerint, oſtenda
mus, noſtris libris
non eſſe contrari
um: quicquid au
tem illi, in ſuis vo
lumintbus, contra
rium Sacris Lit
teris docent, ſine
ulla dubitatione
credamus, id falſiſ
ſimum eſſe, & quo
quo modo poſſu
mus, etiam oſten
damus; atque it a
teneamus Fidem
Domini noſtri, in
quaſunt abſconditi
omnes theſauri
Sapientiæ, ut ne
que falſæ Philoſo
phiæ loquacitate
ſeducamur, neque
ſimulata Religio
nis ſuperſtitione
terreamur.
bitanter tenendum
eſt, ut quicquid
Sapientes hujus
Mundi, de Natu
ra rerum veraci
ter demonſtrare
potuerint, oſtenda
mus, noſtris libris
non eſſe contrari
um: quicquid au
tem illi, in ſuis vo
lumintbus, contra
rium Sacris Lit
teris docent, ſine
ulla dubitatione
credamus, id falſiſ
ſimum eſſe, & quo
quo modo poſſu
mus, etiam oſten
damus; atque it a
teneamus Fidem
Domini noſtri, in
quaſunt abſconditi
omnes theſauri
Sapientiæ, ut ne
que falſæ Philoſo
phiæ loquacitate
ſeducamur, neque
ſimulata Religio
nis ſuperſtitione
terreamur.
From which words, I conceive that I may collect this Do
ctrine, namely, That in the Books of the Wiſe of this World,
there are contained ſome Natural truths that are ſolidly demon
ſtrated, and others again that are barely taught; and that as to
the firſt ſort, it is the Office of wiſe Divines to ſhew that they
are not contrary to the Sacred Scriptures; As to the reſt, taught,
but not neceſſarily demonſtrated, if they ſhall contain any thing
contrary to the Sacred Leaves, it ought to be held undoubtedly
falſe, and ſuch it ought by all poſſible waies to be demon
ſtrated.
ctrine, namely, That in the Books of the Wiſe of this World,
there are contained ſome Natural truths that are ſolidly demon
ſtrated, and others again that are barely taught; and that as to
the firſt ſort, it is the Office of wiſe Divines to ſhew that they
are not contrary to the Sacred Scriptures; As to the reſt, taught,
but not neceſſarily demonſtrated, if they ſhall contain any thing
contrary to the Sacred Leaves, it ought to be held undoubtedly
falſe, and ſuch it ought by all poſſible waies to be demon
ſtrated.
Gen. ad Litteram.
lib I. Cap. 25.
lib I. Cap. 25.
If therefore Natural Concluſions veritably demonſtrated, are
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