Theological Theses · §1008 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Law justifies the worker by debt, never the sinner—even if penitent

Law justifies only the perfect worker by debt—never the sinner by grace.

Born in sin, no one can be justified by law-works.

Latin

XXXIII. Itaque lex justificat non credentem, sed operantem, idque secundum debitum, non secundum gratiam. Nec enim lex rigide accepta ulli gratiam facit, aut promittit, sed unicuique severe denunciat quod illi ex stricto jure debetur. Ac proinde nullum impium & peccatorem justificat; quantumvis supponatur poenitentia ductus redire ad meliorem frugem. Adeoque cum omnes homines & in peccato nati, & multi peccatores sint, nullus omnino potest ex legis operibus, & per legem justificari.

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About this text

Louis Le Blanc, a Reformed professor at Sedan, sets out theology in theses argued against Rome: Scripture, faith, grace, free choice, good works and the saints.

This volume holds the Theses on Theology I–XLIII and On Faith I–XXII, in eighteen sections.

Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu (1614–1675) was minister and professor of theology at the Academy of Sedan, the Reformed school on France's eastern border. His Theses were disputed by students over many years and collected in a London folio (1675).

The Theological Theses range across the whole Reformed system — Scripture, God, predestination, grace, and justifying faith — in the crisp thesis-and-proof form of the seventeenth-century schools.

Date1675 AD (Sedan theses; London collection)

No modern English.

Reference

ESTC R17887; Wing L802. IA bub_gb_eOkHAW4G0-wC (+ EEBO 1675 for gap leaves).

Printed text used

Translated from Latin (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
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