280、当今流行的第二个错误观点是：当罪得赦免时，它们也被除去了。持这种错误观点的，是那些以为自己的罪通过圣餐礼得了赦免的人，尽管他们并未通过悔改移走这些罪。那些以为自己唯独凭信得救的人，以及那些以为自己凭教皇特许得救的人，也持守这种错误观点。这些人都相信脱离方法的直接怜悯和瞬间得救。然而，当这种观点反过来时，它就成了真理，即：当罪被移走时，它们也就得到赦免，因为悔改先于赦免，没有悔改，就没有赦免。所以主吩咐祂的门徒：
传悔改，使罪得赦。（路加福音24:47）
又：
约翰宣讲悔改的洗礼，使罪得赦。（路加福音3:3）
主赦免每个人的罪。祂既不指控，也不归咎。然而，祂只能照着祂的圣治律法除去它们；因为当彼得问，他该饶恕得罪他的弟兄几次，七次够不够时，主说，彼得不是要饶恕七次，乃是要饶恕七十个七次（马太福音18:21-22）。那么，作为怜悯本身的主会怎样饶恕呢？
280. Another error of the age is to suppose that when sins have been forgiven they are also put away. People caught up in that error are those who believe that sins are forgiven them by the sacrament of the Holy Supper, even if they have not put them away from themselves by repentance.
Caught up in that error as well are people who believe themselves saved by faith alone. Those, too, who believe themselves saved by papal dispensations. They all believe in mercy apart from means and in instantaneous salvation.
However, when this proposition is turned around, it becomes the truth, namely that when sins have been put away, they are also forgiven. For repentance precedes forgiveness, and apart from repentance there is no forgiveness. Therefore the Lord commanded His disciples to preach repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47). And John preached a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 3:3).
The Lord forgives all people their sins. He does not accuse or impute. But He still cannot take those sins away except in accordance with the laws of His Divine providence. For when Peter asked Him how often he should forgive a brother sinning against him, whether he should do so up to seven times, the Lord said that he should forgive not only seven times, but up to seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). That being the case, what will the Lord not do, who is mercy itself?
280. Another popular misconception is that when sins have been forgiven they are also set aside. This misconception is characteristic of people who believe that their sins are forgiven through the sacrament of the Holy Supper even though they have not set them aside by repenting from them. It is characteristic also of people who believe they are saved by faith alone or by papal dispensations. They all believe in direct mercy and instant salvation.
When the sequence is reversed, though, it is true: when sins have been set aside, they are forgiven. Repentance must precede forgiveness, and apart from repentance there is no forgiveness. That is why the Lord told his disciples to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:27) and why John preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3).
The Lord forgives everyone's sins. He does not accuse us or keep score. However, he cannot take our sins away except by the laws of his divine providence; for when Peter asked him how many times he should forgive someone who had sinned against him, whether seven was enough, he said that Peter should forgive not seven times but seventy times seven times (Matthew 18:21-22). What does this tell us about the Lord, who is mercy itself?
280. It is also an error of this age to suppose that when sins are remitted they are also removed. Those are in this error who believe that their sins are remitted by the Sacrament of the Supper, although they have not removed them from themselves by repentance. Those also are in this error who believe that they are saved by faith alone, as well as those who believe that they are saved by papal dispensations. All these believe in immediate mercy and in instantaneous salvation. On the other hand, when this is reversed it becomes a truth, namely, that when sins are removed they are also remitted; for repentance precedes remission, and without repentance there is no remission. Therefore the Lord commanded His disciples
That they should preach repentance for the remission of sins. Luke 24:27; and John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Luke 3:3.
The Lord remits the sins of all: He does not accuse and impute. Yet He can take them away only in accordance with the laws of His Divine Providence; for He said to Peter, when he asked how often he should forgive a brother sinning against him, whether seven times, that he should forgive not only seven times but until seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22.
What then will not the Lord do, who is Mercy itself?
280. Another error of the age is that when sins have been remitted they are removed. Those are in this error who believe that sins are remitted to them by the sacrament of the Supper, although they have not removed them from themselves by repentance. Those also are in it who believe that they are saved by faith alone; also those who believe that they are saved by papal dispensations. All of these believe in mercy apart from means and in instant salvation. Yet when this is reversed it becomes a truth, namely, that when sins have been removed they have also been remitted; for repentance precedes remission, and without repentance there is no remission. Therefore the Lord commanded the disciples
To preach repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47).
And John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 3:3).
To every one the Lord remits sins. He does not accuse and impute. And yet He can take them away only in accordance with the laws of His Divine providence; for when to Peter (who asked how often he should forgive a brother sinning against him, whether seven times), the Lord said that he should forgive not only seven times but until seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22), what will not He forgive who is mercy itself?
280. Quod peccata cum remissa sunt etiam sint remota, est quoque error saeculi; in illo errore sunt, qui credunt per sacramentum Coenae sibi remissa esse peccata, tametsi non removerunt illa a se per poenitentiam: in illo etiam sunt, qui per solam fidem credunt salvari; tum etiam qui per dispensationes papales; omnes illi credunt immediatam Misericordiam, et momentaneam salvationem. At cum hoc invertitur, fit veritas, nempe quod cum remota sunt peccata, etiam remissa sint; poenitentia enim praecedet remissionem, et absque poenitentia nulla est remissio; quare Dominus mandavit discipulis, ut praedicarent poenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, Lucas 24:47 : 1et Johannes praedicavit baptisma poenitentiae in remissionem peccatorum, 2Lucas 3:3. Dominus remittit omnibus sua peccata; non arguit et imputat, sed usque non potest nisi secundum leges Divinae Providentiae suae illa auferre; nam cum dixit Petro interroganti quoties remitteret fratri in illum peccanti, num septies, quod remitteret non modo septies, sed usque ad septuagies septies, 3Matthaeus 18:21-22; quid non Dominus, qui est ipsa Misericordia.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: 24:27 :
2 Prima editio: peccatorum"
3 Prima editio: septies"