We have declared why we assigned these two parts, contrition and faith, to repentance. We have done this willingly. Many writings about repentance are published that cite the fathers in a butchered way, The adversaries have distorted these to put faith out of sight. Among these are, "Repentance is to lament past evils, and not to commit again deeds that ought to be lamented." Again, "Repentance is a kind of vengeance of him who grieves, thus punishing in himself what he is sorry for having committed." In these passages, no mention is made of faith. Not even in the schools, when they interpret them, is anything added about faith. Therefore, in order that the doctrine of faith might be clearer, we have named it among the parts of repentance. For experience shows that those passages are dangerous that require contrition or good works, and make no mention of justifying faith. Caution can justly be desired in those who have collected these centos of the Sentences and decrees. Since the Fathers speak in some places about one part of repentance, and in other places about another part, it would have been good to select and combine their judgement not only about one part but about both, that is, about contrition and faith.
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Therefore, there are sentences written by the Fathers not only about contrition and works, but also about faith. But the adversaries, since they understand neither the nature of repentance nor the language of the Fathers, select passages about a part of repentance, namely, about works. They overlook the declarations made elsewhere about faith, since they do not understand them.
~BOC, AP, XII (V), 91-93, 97
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