Wittich (via Widmar): remission-assurance accidental; essential acts are assent, love, refuge-trust
Wittich (Leiden), following Widmar: trust that sins are already remitted is accidental — an effect of strengthened faith, not justifying faith's essence.
Weak believers may truly believe yet be unable to persuade themselves they have or will receive remission.
Essential acts: general assent to revelation; special assent that Christ is sufficient Savior for those who flee to him (including me if I desire righteousness); sincere love of Christ; trust of certain help in trials.
Resting in Christ as sole fountain of salvation is essential; persuasion of past/future remission can be lacking in weak but real faith.
Latin
CXX. In eandem quoque sententiam citavimus Wittichium Professorem Leydensem, qui inter actus fidei salvificae accidentales, & qui fidei tantum corroboratae conveniunt, ponit fiduciam de remissione peccatorum a Deo impetrata. Et observat ad fidei justificantis essentiam, sive rationem formalem, Non requiri fiduciam remissionis peccatorum, sive in praeterito, sive in futuro, sed eam esse effectum fidei magis corroboratae & plenae. Quoniam experientia docet infirmos quosdam fideles revera habere fidem, qui tamen nondum possunt sibi, propter suam imbecillitatem, persuadere, quod habeant vel sint consecuturi remissionem peccatorum. Actus autem fidei essentiales docet esse, assensum tum generalem omnibus revelatis, tum specialem huic veritati, quod Christus sit sufficiens salvator omnibus ad se confugientibus, adeoque etiam mihi, si serio desiderem justitiam, atque ad Christum confugere velim. Deinde amorem Christi syncerum inde orientem. Ac tertio fiduciam qua nobis persuademus, auxilium certum nos accepturos a Christo salvatore in omnibus angustiis & tentationibus, innixi promissionibus factis omnibus ad se confugientibus. Denique distinguit fiduciam illam, per quam acquiescimus in Christo & Deo, tanquam unico fonte & authore salutis, & servatore sufficienti omnibus ad se confugientibus, quam dicit ad fidei essentiam omnino pertinere, a fiducia prout significat persuasionem de remissione peccatorum, sive in praeterito, sive in futuro, qua dicit fidem posse destitui, sed ejusmodi fidem infirmam esse. Quam doctrinam testatur se primum accepisse a praeceptore suo reverendo Widmario Professore Groningano.
About this text
Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu, Sedan Theses, newly rendered from Latin: from theology proper through the Roman theses I–77 and the Reformed theses of Part Two. The theses only — not the collected works.
English follows locked Pitt Latin through Imaginum CLOSED + Sanctorum Cultu Romana CLOSED + Pars Secunda Reformata I-XL. 1675 PDF ~384-390 (book ~370-376); Vision OCR + pdftotext + tess. No modern English. This slice densifies Sanctorum Pars Secunda I-XL. Next: Pars Secunda XLI–fin (~CI). Claim stays claimed (book densify not done).
Catalogue & scope
ESTC R17887; Wing L802. IA bub_gb_eOkHAW4G0-wC (+ EEBO 1675 for gap leaves). Densify through Sanctorum Cultu Romana I-LXXVII + Pars Secunda Reformata I-XL (Pars Secunda not closed; not whole folio).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Theologia I-XLIII (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
- Checked print Internet Archive PDF of the 1675 Pitt folio (Latin)
- Checked print pdftotext of De Theologia pages (Latin)
- Checked print Internet Archive DjVu OCR of the 1675 Pitt folio (Latin)
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Fide I-XXII (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Authoritate Scripturae Pars I I-XLVII + Pars II I-XXXV + Pars III I-VIII (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
- Copy-text Locked Latin, De Scripturae plenitudine densify (Pitt 1675) (Latin)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.