Theological Theses · §2288 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Repentance too is a prerequisite condition: Maresius, Ames, Chemnitz

Thesis XXVIII. They also acknowledge that repentance, or penitence, is the condition on which the forgiveness of sins, in which a sinner's justification consists, is offered in the Gospel. So the celebrated Maresius teaches that forgiveness of sins belongs to repentance 'conditionally, inasmuch as it is offered to us in the Gospel on the condition of repentance and faith' (disputation On repentance and Christian liberty, thesis 32).

Likewise Ames, in Bellarmine Disarmed, book 5, on justifying faith, chapter 3, grants that penitence precedes justification as a disposition prerequisite in order, but not as a cause. The same can be seen in Chemnitz himself at the place just cited.

Yet penitence and repentance involve many good works, such as the resolve to live a new life, hatred of sin, and even some love of God, which arises from the hope of obtaining pardon from him. So a good number of good works precede justification. Indeed Ames, at the place already cited, expressly acknowledges that 'some love of God comes before the forgiveness of sins, or justification, as a prerequisite disposition', though 'no love precedes forgiveness as a causing disposition'.

Latin

XXVIII. Fatentur etiam resipiscentiam, sive poenitentiam esse conditionem sub qua remissio peccatorum, in qua hominis peccatoris justificatio consistit, offertur in Evangelio. Sic docet celeberrimus Maresius peccatorum remissionem resipiscentiae competere Conditionaliter, prout haec nobis sub resipiscentiae & fidei conditione offertur in Evangelio Disputatione de Resipiscentia & libertate Christiana, Thesi 32. Et similiter Amesius in Bellarmino Enervato libro quinto de fide justificante capite tertio, Concedit poenitentiam antecedere justificationem ut dispositionem ex ordine praerequisitam, sed non ut causam. Quod idem videre est apud Kemnitium ipsum loco modo citato. Jam autem in poenitentia & resipiscentia bona opera multa involvuntur, quale est vitae novae propositum, peccati detestatio, & quaedam etiam dilectio Dei, quae oritur ex spe veniae a Deo obtinendae. Ac proinde non pauca bona opera praecedunt justificationem. Quin idem Amesius loco jam allegato disertis verbis agnoscit Dei Dilectionem aliquam esse priorem remissione peccatorum, sive justificatione, ut dispositionem praerequisitam, licet dilectio nulla remissionem praecedat ut dispositio causans.

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