Wesley Corpus

38.) A. (2.) She teacheth that attrition, or imperfect contrition, proceeding merely from the fear of hell, is equivalent to contrition, by virtue of confession; and that attrition doth dispose to receive the grace of the sacrament of penance, and leads to justification. (Sess. 14, cap. 4. Bellarm. de Paenit. l. 2, c. 18, sec. Sed sciendum est.)--See Question 77. REPLY. Contrition is but another word for repentance; and repentance is a qualification for pardon and reconciliation: “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm li. 17.) “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts iii. 19.) The same texts which make contrition sufficient, without confession to the Priest, make attrition insufficient without there be contrition. And as the former doctrine of the insufficiency of contrition without confession, makes that necessary which God hath not made necessary; so this latter of the sufficiency of attrition upon confession to the Priest without contrition, makes that unnecessary which God hath made necessary. Q. 15. What is the judgment of the Church of Rome as to good works? A. The Church of Rome doth affirm that the good works of justified persons do truly deserve eternal life; (Concil. Trid. Sess. 6, c. 16;) and if any one say that such works do not truly deserve an increase of grace here, and eternal life hereafter, let him be accursed. (Ibid. Can. 32.) “Our good works do merit eternal life, not only by virtue of God’s covenant and acceptation, but also by reason of the work itself.” (Bellarm. de Justif. l. 5, c. 17.) REPLY. Truly to deserve is to make 'our debtor: “To him that worketh ” (that is, that meriteth) “is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” (Rom. iv. 4.) “But can a man be profitable to God?” (Job xxii. 2.) Our Saviour teaches us otherwise: “When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke xvii. 10.) A command to do it, and grace to obey that command, and a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” as a reward, (2 Cor. iv. 17,) will shame the pretence of real merit, and turn the anathema upon themselves.