Chemnitz: Trent's canon read in the wide sense; preparations granted in the strict
Thesis XXXIV. This can be seen in Calvin and Chemnitz, where they censure the canon of the Council of Trent already mentioned. Chemnitz, condemning that canon, takes it to pronounce anathema on those who deny that unbelievers dispose themselves for grace by their works: 'In the seventh canon,' he says, 'they pronounce anathema on those who deny that unbelievers dispose themselves for grace by their works' (Examination, part 1, page 157, column a).
But earlier in the same work, taking justification in the stricter sense, he admits that penitence, faith, contrition and the resolve not to go on in sin are, according to Scripture, certain preparations for justification. 'God wills,' he says, 'that we begin from knowledge of his word and assent to it. And contrition must come before justification: that is, a serious acknowledgement of our sins, the terrors of a conscience that recognises God's wrath against our sins and grieves over sin. In this contrition the resolve to persist and go on in wickedness is not kept but thrown away.
Faith must be added to this, so that by knowing and trusting the mercy God has promised for the sake of his Son the Mediator it may raise up and comfort the mind again, and we may not be crushed by despair and rush into eternal ruin. Faith must rather come to God, seek, desire, ask for, lay hold of and receive the forgiveness of sins' (page 155).
Latin
XXXIV. Id videre est apud Calvinum atque Kemnitium, ubi censura sua notant Canonem jam dictum Synodi Tridentinae. Kemnitius enim Canonem illum damnans, supponit per eum anathema dici illis qui negant infideles, per sua opera se disponere ad gratiam. Nam, inquit, Canone septimo anathema dicunt illis, qui negant infideles per sua opera se disponere ad gratiam. In prima parte Examinis pagina 157. col. a. In praecedentibus vero justificationem sensu strictiori sumens, fatetur poenitentiam, fidem, contritionem, & propositum in peccato non pergendi, esse secundum scripturam praeparationes quasdam ad justificationem. Vult enim Deus, inquit, a notitia & assensu verbi sui nos ordiri. Et ante justificationem oportet praecedere contritionem, hoc est, seriam agnitionem peccatorum, pavores conscientiae agnoscentis iram Dei adversus nostra peccata, & dolentis propter peccatum, in qua contritione non retinetur, sed abjicitur propositum perseverandi & pergendi in sceleribus. Ad hoc vero necesse est accedere fidem, quae agnitione & fiducia misericordiae Dei promissae, propter filium Mediatorem, rursus erigat & consoletur animum, ne oppressi desperatione ruamus in aeternum exitium: sed fides accedat ad Deum, quaerat, desideret, petat, apprehendat & accipiat remissionem peccatorum. Pag. 155.