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illumination of the mind and a strengthening of the will. Man can resist this grace, but can also
assent to it. If he assents to it, it turns into a gratia co-operans, in which man co-operates to
prepare himself for justification. This preparation consists of seven parts: (a) a believing
acceptance of the Word of God, (b) an insight into one’s sinful condition, (c) hope in the mercy
of God, (d) the beginning of love to God, (e) an abhorrence of sin, (f) a resolve to obey the
commandments of God, and (g) a desire for baptism. It is quite evident that faith does not
occupy a central place here, but is simply co-ordinated with the other preparations. It is merely
an intellectual assent to the doctrines of the Church (fides informis) and acquires its justifying
power only through the love that is imparted in the gratia infusa (fides caritate formata). It can
be called justifying faith only in the sense that it is the basis and root of all justification as the
first of the preparations named above. After this preparation justification itself follows in
baptism. This consists in the infusion of grace, of supernatural virtues, followed by the
forgiveness of sins. The measure of this forgiveness is commensurate with the degree in which
sin is actually overcome. It should be borne in mind that justification is given freely, and is not
merited by the preceding preparations. The gift of justification is preserved by obeying the
commandments and by doing good works. In the gratia infusa man receives the supernatural
strength to do good works and thus to merit (with a merit de condigno, that is, real merit) all
following grace and even everlasting life. The grace of God thus serves the purpose of enabling
man once more to merit salvation. But it is not certain that man will retain the forgiveness of
sins. The grace of justification may be lost, not only through unbelief, but through any mortal
sin. It may be regained, however, by the sacrament of penance, consisting of contrition (or,
attrition) and confession, together with absolution and works of satisfaction. Both the guilt of
sin and eternal punishment are removed by absolution, but temporal penalties can be canceled
only by works of satisfaction.
4. THE ARMINIAN VIEW.
The Arminian order of salvation, while ostensibly ascribing the work of
salvation to God, really makes it contingent on the attitude and the work of man. God opens up
the possibility of salvation for man, but it is up to man to improve the opportunity. The
Arminian regards the atonement of Christ “as an oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the
whole world” (Pope), that is, for the sins of every individual of the human race. He denies that
the guilt of Adam’s sin is imputed to all his descendants, and that man is by nature totally
depraved, and therefore unable to do any spiritual good; and believes that, while human nature
is undoubtedly injured and deteriorated as the result of the fall, man is still able, by nature, to
do that which is spiritually good and to turn to God. But because of the evil bias, the
perverseness, and the sluggishness of sinful human nature, God imparts to it gracious
assistance. He bestows sufficient grace upon all men to enable them, if they choose, to attain to
the full possession of spiritual blessings, and ultimately to salvation. The gospel offer comes to
all men indiscriminately and exerts a merely moral influence on them, while they have it in their