2604. Divine truths are to be supported by Philosophy, not the reverse
It is a Divine truth that the Lord rules the universe both in generals and in particulars, or as in universals, so in singulars-this is a truth Divine. For the Lord says that not even a hair of the head falls from the head without His will [Luke 21:18, Acts 27:34, Matt. 10:30, Luke 12:7]. This truth can be supported in very many ways by means of nature and human philosophy, as for example the consideration that the universe could not otherwise continue, nor heaven nor the human race, nor nature and the kingdoms of nature.
It is also confirmed philosophically, in that a universal Providence cannot possibly exist except from most singular things, for its universality consists in them, just as a general cannot possibly exist without particulars, for the particulars taken together must constitute the general. In this way Divine truths can be supported, illuminating the human mind by natural and philosophical truths. But if one wishes from natural science and philosophy to deduce Divine truths, one falls at once into darkness and fog. Then people immediately support the idea that there is a universal providence, not a singular one, and this is contrary to the truth Itself, and in fact they do so on the basis of particular and singular things that occur that they do not understand, which to them are nearly everything.
2604. THAT DIVINE TRUTHS SHOULD BE CONFIRMED BY PHILOSOPHY, NOT THE REVERSE.
It is a divine truth that the Lord rules the universe, as well in generals as in particulars, or in universals as in singulars. This is a divine truth; for the Lord says that not even a hair of the head falls from the head without His will. This truth may be confirmed by nature and by human philosophy from very many things, as [for instance] that the universe can by no means subsist, nor heaven, nor the human race, nor nature, and the kingdoms of nature. It is also confirmed by philosophy, to wit, that a universal providence can never be given save from the most singular things [ex singularissimis], hence His universal [principle] like as a general [principle] could never exist without particulars, for particulars taken together constitute the general. Thus divine truths can be confirmed to the illumination Of the human mind by natural and philosophic truths. But if anyone wishes to infer [deduce] divine truths from natural science and philosophy, he immediately falls into darkness and mist, then immediately confirms himself in this, that providence is universal, [and] not singular, and indeed [so concludes] from those things which happen in particulars and singulars which he does not understand, and these are nearly everything.
2604. Quod Divinae veritates confirmandae sint per Philosophiam, non 1
vice versa
Divina veritas est, quod Dominus regat universum, tam in communibus quam in particularibus, seu sicut in universalibus ita in singularibus, haec veritas Divina est; nam Dominus dicit, quod ne quidem capillus capitis decidat de capite, absque Ipsius voluntate [Luc. XXI: 18, Acta XXVII: 34, Matth. X: 30, Luc. XII: 7]. Haec veritas per naturam, et per philosophiam humanam confirmari potest perplurimis, sicut quod universum subsistere alioquin nequeat, neque coelum neque humanum genus, neque natura, et naturae regna; confirmatur 2
quoque per philosophiam, nempe quod Providentia universalis nusquam dari possit, nisi ex singularissimis, inde universale Ipsius, sicut commune nusquam existere posset absque particularibus, nam particularia simul 3
sumta constituent 4
commune: ita confirmari possunt, ad illuminationem mentis humanae, veritates Divinae, per veritates naturales et philosophicas; sed si quis velit ex naturali scientia et philosophia concludere Divinas veritates, illico cadit in tenebras et caliginem: tunc illico confirmat se in eo, quod universalis providentia sit, non singullris, quod contrarium est Ipsi veritati, nam non dari potest, et quidem ex iis quae in particularibus 5
et singularibus contingunt, quae non intelligit, quae fere omnia sunt.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has Philosophia (sic!) non
2. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition confirmatum
3. imperfectum in the Manuscript
4. The Manuscript has constituet
5. partim oblitum et abscissum in the Manuscript