Natural light remains after the Fall; theology assents by God's revealing authority from proximate scriptural principles
12. Nor can it be denied that such reason — such knowledge — still belongs to the human being after the fall. To deny it is to deny the innate notions and the law of nature themselves, and so to contradict the Scriptures, which acknowledge nature's light in theoretical and in practical matters alike.
13. In theoretical matters Scripture confirms that this light and knowledge still remain, so far that what stands first in that order is said to be known naturally in some measure — namely that God is, and that he is cause of all things, just, and the avenger of crimes (see Psalm 19:1; Psalm 19:2; Wisdom of Solomon 13:2; Acts 14:16; Acts 17:26; Romans 1:19–Romans 1:21).
14. In practical matters the sacred writings acknowledge the same light no less clearly (Romans 1:32; Romans 2:14–Romans 2:15; 1 Corinthians 11:14).
15. But in the second kind of discipline — the one named in number 7 — the ground of assent is the authority of God who reveals.
16. Still, both of these grounds are remote. They do not so much enter the discursive chain as stand presupposed before it begins.
17. Philosophers prove their dogmas from proximate principles — physics from physical principles, mathematics from mathematical ones — not from the most general maxim, "Whatever right reason dictates is true." In the same way theologians prove their dogmas from proximate principles, namely from the sayings and oracles of sacred Scripture — not from the remote and most general maxim, "Whatever God reveals is true."
Latin
12. Et vero negari nequit, rationem talem aut notitiam etiam post lapsum homini competere, nisi simul ipsas notitias innatas & legem naturae quis velit inficiari, ipsisque adeo Scripturis contradicere, quae lumen naturae agnoscunt tam in theoreticis quam in practicis. 13. In theoreticis lumen illud naturae & notitiam superesse hactenus confirmat, ut, quod primum in eo genere est, naturaliter quadantenus notum esse dicat, nempe Deum esse, eumque rerum omnium causam, justum, scelerum vindicem &c. ut psal. 19. v. 1. & 2. Sap. 13. v. 2. Act. 14. v. 16. & c. 17. v. 26. & Rom. 1. v. 19. 20. 21. 14. In practicis hoc lumen sacrae literae aeque clare agnoscunt, Rom. 1. v. ult. & c. 2. v. 14. 15. & 1. Cor. 11. v. 14. 15. In posteriore vero disciplinarum genere, de quo num. 7. ratio assentiendi est DEI revelantis auctoritas. 16. Utraque tamen haec ratio est remota, quae non tam discursum ingreditur, quam ante ipsum supponitur. 17. Philosophi enim dogmata sua e proximis principiis demonstrant, nempe physica e physicis, Mathematica e Mathematicis, non vero ex illo generalissimo: Quicquid recta ratio dictat, verum est: eodem in modum Theologi dogmata sua e proximis principiis demonstrant, nempe e dictis & oraculis sacrae Scripturae, non vero ex illo remoto & generalissimo, Quicquid DEUS revelat, verum est.