Conclusion III: what is unclear or of uncertain unanimous tradition is not necessary as infallible Word
CONCLUSION III. If some dogma is not found in the Scriptures so clearly and evidently that it cannot be contradicted, and it is at least uncertain and doubtful whether it has been deduced from the Scriptures, believed, and handed down by the unanimous consent of all the saints whose monuments have reached us — we confess we today see no cause why it must necessarily be believed as the infallible and undoubted Word of God; indeed, why this or that person may not doubt it.
For since all the prophets who followed Moses — indeed the Apostles and Christ Himself — if they handed down anything to be believed as God's Word that was not already altogether plain and written without doubt, demonstrated it both from Scripture by solid consequences and legitimate interpretations and from signs and other undoubted testimonies, so that the Lord dared to affirm that if He had not done among them works which no other did, they would not have sin (John 15:24) — how much less ought others to be believed for what is not contained in the Scriptures, unless they can demonstrate it by the Scriptures or by signs and testimonies worthy of faith? Especially since our salvation can nevertheless stand for us if only we receive in mind the dogmas comprehended in the two prior conclusions.
Therefore we not undeservedly fear lest we corrupt God's Word by unnecessary additions (Proverbs 30:6; 2 Corinthians 2:17), preach another Gospel (Galatians 1:8), and tempt God if we lay a new yoke on the disciples (Acts 15:10), and force as necessary and beyond dispute what has not been constantly, unanimously, and publicly handed down from Sacred Scripture in God's Church in every age. And not undeservedly is Augustine's word against the Donatists objected to us: "Are you alone wise? Do you alone see clearly? Do you count all others stocks and blind? Has no church besides your little synagogue had eyes or mind?"
Latin
CONCLUSIO III. Si quod dogma in scripturis non ita clare et evidenter invenitur ut ei contradici nequeat, legatur, et saltem incertum dubiumque sit an ab omnibus sanctis, quorum monumenta ad nos pervenerunt, unanimi consensu e scripturis deductum, creditum traditumque sit: fatemur nos hodie nullam causam videre ob quam id tanquam infallibile indubitatumque Dei verbum necessario credendum sit — imo cur non hic aut ille de eo dubitare possit. Nam quoniam prophetae omnes Mosen secuti, imo Apostoli et Christus ipse, siquid tanquam Dei verbum credendum tradiderunt quod non omnino manifestum et sine dubio ante scriptum fuerit, id tum e scriptura solidis consequentiis et legitimis interpretationibus, tum e signis aliisque indubitatis testimoniis demonstra verunt, adeo ut Dominus affirmare ausit, nisi opera inter eos operatus fuisset quae nemo alius operatus est, peccatum non haberent (Joh. 15.24) — quanto minus aliis credendum quod scripturis non continetur, nisi id scripturis aut signis testimoniisque fide dignis demonstrare possint? maxime cum salus nostra nihilominus constare nobis possit, si modo dogmata duabus prioribus conclusionibus comprehensa animo recipiamus. Quapropter non immerito nobis metuendum est ne forte verbum Dei non necessariis additionibus corrumpamus (Prov. 30.6; 2 Cor. 2.17), aliud Evangelium praedicemus (Gal. 1.8), Deumque tentemus si novum jugum discipulis imponamus (Act. 15.10), illudque ut necessarium et anamphibeton citra dubium credendum obtrudamus quod non constanter, unanimiter et publice ex sacra scriptura in Ecclesia DEI omni tempore traditum sit — et nobis haud immerito objicitur illud Augustini adversus Donatistas: An vos soli sapitis? An vos soli clare videtis? An omnes alios stipites existimatis et caecos? Nullane ecclesia praeter vestram synagogulam oculos habuit aut mentem?
About this text
Ludwig Crocius — Book IV Chapter 9 On the forensic law.
English follows the locked 1636 Bremen Latin of Liber I Cap. 10, reconstructed from SLUB Dresden page images. Same-page OCR (tesseract lat + Vision) used as check. No modern English was copied. Cap. 11 (CAPUT UNDECIMUM / De S. Theologiae distributione) begins. Cap. 9 complete. Liber I still open. No Internet Archive copy was located.
Catalogue & scope
VD17 14:684303C. SLUB id335860389. Liber I Cap. 10 De principio S.S. Theologiae a primo dependente.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Locked Latin, Liber I Cap. 10 complete (Villerian 1636) (Latin)
- Checked print SLUB per-page OCR of Liber I Cap. 10 pages (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.