The First Principles Of Sacred Science, in accordance with St. Thomas of Aquinas
1. The first principle of sacred science is necessity: man is definitely made for a purpose above his own reason, and this purpose must be revealed to him if he is to seek it.
2. Because man’s purpose must be revealed to him, sacred science is scientific: just as music accepts the principles of mathematics, so sacred science accepts the principles of God’s revelation.
3. Because sacred science accepts the principles of God’s revelation, sacred science is unified: it considers material things under the likeness of God’s revelation.
4. Because it considers material things under this likeness, sacred science is both speculative & practical, but primarily speculative: God knows both Himself and His works by one science.
5. Because God knows both Himself and His works by one science, sacred science is universal, Catholic: the purpose of sacred science is eternal bliss, and so all other sciences are harmonized under this purpose as their ultimate end.
6. Because its purpose is eternal bliss, sacred science is identical with wisdom: it considers the highest possible cause of all things.
7. Because sacred science considers the highest possible cause of all things, God is its object: all things either are God or refer to God as their beginning and end.
8. Because all things either are God or refer to God, sacred science is reasonable: it does not argue in proof of its principles, but instead demonstrates proofs from its principles.
9. Because it demonstrates proofs from its principles, sacred science is analogical: spiritual truths are taught under the likeness of material things.
10. Because spiritual truths are taught under this likeness, sacred science is multivalent: words signify things - their literal meaning - but the things signified by words can have further signification - the spiritual meaning.
To be continued…