The Sixth Session
Celebrated on the thirteenth day of the month of January, 1547.
DECREE ON
JUSTIFICATION
Proem.
Whereas there is, at this time, not without
the shipwreck of many souls, and grievous detriment to the unity of the
Church, a certain erroneous doctrine disseminated touching Justification; the
sacred and holy, ecumenical and general Synod of Trent, lawfully assembled in
the Holy Ghost,-the most reverend lords, Giammaria del Monte, bishop of
Palaestrina, and Marcellus of the title of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem,
priest, cardinals of the holy Roman Church, and legates apostolic a latere,
presiding therein, in the name of our most holy father and lord in Christ,
Paul III., by the providence of God, Pope,-purposes, unto the praise and
glory of Almighty God, the tranquillising of the Church, and the salvation of
souls, to expound to all the faithful of Christ the true and sound doctrine
touching the said Justification; which (doctrine) the sun of justice, Christ
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, taught, which the apostles
transmitted, and which the Catholic Church, the Holy Ghost reminding her
thereof, has always retained; most strictly forbidding that any
henceforth presume to believe, preach, or teach, otherwise than as by this
present decree is defined and declared.
CHAPTER I.
On the Inability of Nature and of the Law to justify
man.
The holy Synod declares first, that, for the correct and sound
understanding of the doctrine of Justification, it is necessary that each one
recognise and confess, that, whereas all men had lost their innocence in the
prevarication of Adam-having become unclean, and, as the apostle says, by
nature children of wrath, as (this Synod) has set forth in the decree on
original sin,-they were so far the servants of sin, and under the power of
the devil and of death, that not the Gentiles only by the force of nature,
but not even the Jews by the very letter itself of the law of Moses, were
able to be liberated, or to arise, therefrom; although free will, attenuated
as it was in its powers, and bent down, was by no means extinguished in
them.
CHAPTER II.
On the dispensation and mystery of Christ's
advent.
Whence it came to pass, that the heavenly Father, the father of
mercies and the God of all comfort, when that blessed fulness of the time was
come, sent unto men, Jesus Christ, His own Son-who had been, both before the
Law, and during the time of the Law, to many of the holy fathers announced
and promised-that He might both redeem the Jews who were under the Law, and
that the Gentiles, who followed not after justice, might attain to justice,
and that all men might receive the adoption of sons. Him God hath proposed as
a propitiator, through faith in his blood, for our sins, and not for our sins
only, but also for those of the whole world.
CHAPTER III.
Who are justified through Christ.
But, though He died
for all, yet do not all receive the benefit of His death, but those only unto
whom the merit of His passion is communicated. For as in truth men, if they
were not born propagated of the seed of Adam, would not be born
unjust,-seeing that, by that propagation, they contract through him,
when they are conceived, injustice as their own,-so, if they were not born
again in Christ, they never would be justified; seeing that, in that new
birth, there is bestowed upon them, through the merit of His passion, the
grace whereby they are made just. For this benefit the apostle exhorts us,
evermore to give thanks to the Father, who hath made us worthy to be
partakers of the lot of the saints in light, and hath delivered us from the
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his
love, in whom we have redemption, and remission of sins.
CHAPTER IV.
A description is introduced of the Justification of the
impious, and of the Manner thereof under the law of grace.
By which
words, a description of the Justification of the impious is indicated,-as
being a translation, from that state wherein man is born a child of the first
Adam, to the state of grace, and of the adoption of the sons of God, through
the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. And this translation, since the
promulgation of the Gospel, cannot be effected, without the laver
of regeneration, or the desire thereof, as it is written; unless a man be
born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of
God.
CHAPTER V.
On the necessity, in adults, of preparation for Justification,
and whence it proceeds.
The Synod furthermore declares, that in
adults, the beginning of the said Justification is to be derived from the
prevenient grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that is to say, from His
vocation, whereby, without any merits existing on their parts, they are
called; that so they, who by sins were alienated from God, may be disposed
through His quickening and assisting grace, to convert themselves to their
own justification, by freely assenting to and co-operating with that said
grace: in such sort that, while God touches the heart of man by the
illumination of the Holy Ghost, neither is man himself utterly without doing
anything while he receives that inspiration, forasmuch as he is also able to
reject it; yet is he not able, by his own free will, without the grace
of God, to move himself unto justice in His sight. Whence, when it is said in
the sacred writings: Turn ye to me, and I will turn to you, we are admonished
of our liberty; and when we answer; Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall
be converted, we confess that we are prevented by the grace of God.
CHAPTER VI.
The manner of Preparation.
Now they (adults) are
disposed unto the said justice, when, excited and assisted by divine grace,
conceiving faith by hearing, they are freely moved towards God, believing
those things to be true which God has revealed and promised,-and this
especially, that God justifies the impious by His grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus; and when, understanding themselves to be
sinners, they, by turning themselves, from the fear of divine justice whereby
they are profitably agitated, to consider the mercy of God, are raised unto
hope, confiding that God will be propitious to them for Christ's sake; and
they begin to love Him as the fountain of all justice; and are therefore
moved against sins by a certain hatred and detestation, to wit, by that
penitence which must be performed before baptism: lastly, when they purpose
to receive baptism, to begin a new life, and to keep the commandments of God.
Concerning this disposition it is written; He that cometh to God,
must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him; and, Be of
good faith, son, thy sins are forgiven thee; and, The fear of the Lord
driveth out sin; and, Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost; and, Going, therefore, teach ye all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost; finally, Prepare your hearts unto the Lord.
CHAPTER VII.
What the justification of the impious is, and what are the
causes thereof.
This disposition, or preparation, is followed by
Justification itself, which is not remission of sins merely, but also the
sanctification and renewal of the inward man, through the voluntary reception
of the grace, and of the gifts, whereby man of unjust becomes just, and of an
enemy a friend, that so he may be an heir according to hope of life
everlasting.
Of this Justification the causes are these: the final cause
indeed is the glory of God and of Jesus Christ, and life everlasting; while
the efficient cause is a merciful God who washes and sanctifies gratuitously,
signing, and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of
our inheritance; but the meritorious cause is His most beloved only-begotten,
our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies, for the exceeding charity
wherewith he loved us, merited Justification for us by His most holy Passion
on the wood of the cross, and made satisfaction for us unto God the Father;
the instrumental cause is the sacrament of baptism, which is the sacrament of
faith, without which (faith) no man was ever justified; lastly, the alone
formal cause is the justice of God, not that whereby He Himself is just, but
that whereby He maketh us just, that, to wit, with which we being endowed by
Him, are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and we are not only reputed, but
are truly called, and are, just, receiving justice within us, each one
according to his own measure, which the Holy Ghost distributes to every one
as He wills, and according to each one's proper disposition and co-operation.
For, although no one can be just, but he to whom the merits of the Passion of
our Lord Jesus Christ are communicated, yet is this done in the said
justification of the impious, when by the merit of that same most holy
Passion, the charity of God is poured forth, by the Holy Spirit, in the
hearts of those that are justified, and is inherent therein: whence, man,
through Jesus Christ, in whom he is ingrafted, receives, in the said
justification, together with the remission of sins, all these (gifts) infused
at once, faith, hope, and charity. For faith, unless hope and charity be
added thereto, neither unites man perfectly with Christ, nor makes him
a living member of His body. For which reason it is most truly said, that
Faith without works is dead and profitless; and, In Christ Jesus
neither circumcision, availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which
worketh by charity. This faith, Catechumen's beg of the Church-agreeably to a
tradition of the apostles-previously to the sacrament of Baptism; when they
beg for the faith which bestows life everlasting, which, without hope and
charity, faith cannot bestow: whence also do they immediately hear that word
of Christ; If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Wherefore,
when receiving true and Christian justice, they are bidden, immediately on
being born again, to preserve it pure and spotless, as the first robe given
them through Jesus Christ in lieu of that which Adam, by his disobedience,
lost for himself and for us, that so they may bear it before the
judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, and may have life
everlasting.
CHAPTER VIII.
In what manner it is to be understood, that the impious is
justified by faith, and gratuitously.
And whereas the Apostle saith,
that man is justified by faith and freely, those words are to be understood
in that sense which the perpetual consent of the Catholic Church hath held
and expressed; to wit, that we are therefore said to be justified by faith,
because faith is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation, and the
root of all Justification; without which it is impossible to please God, and
to come unto the fellowship of His sons: but we are therefore said to be
justified freely, because that none of those things which precede
justification-whether faith or works-merit the grace itself of justification.
For, if it be a grace, it is not now by works, otherwise, as the same Apostle
says, grace is no more grace.
CHAPTER IX.
Against the vain confidence of Heretics.
But, although
it is necessary to believe that sins neither are remitted, nor ever were
remitted save gratuitously by the mercy of God for Christ's sake; yet is it
not to be said, that sins are forgiven, or have been forgiven, to any one who
boasts of his confidence and certainty of the remission of his sins,
and rests on that alone; seeing that it may exist, yea does in our day
exist, amongst heretics and schismatics; and with great vehemence is this
vain confidence, and one alien from all godliness, preached up in opposition
to the Catholic Church. But neither is this to be asserted,-that they who are
truly justified must needs, without any doubting whatever, settle within
themselves that they are justified, and that no one is absolved from sins and
justified, but he that believes for certain that he is absolved and
justified; and that absolution and justification are effected by this faith
alone: as though whoso has not this belief, doubts of the promises of God,
and of the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ. For even as no
pious person ought to doubt of the mercy of God, of the merit of Christ, and
of the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, even so each one, when he
regards himself, and his own weakness and indisposition, may have fear and
apprehension touching his own grace; seeing that no one can know with a
certainty of faith, which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained
the grace of God.
CHAPTER X.
On the increase of Justification received.
Having,
therefore, been thus justified, and made the friends and domestics of God,
advancing from virtue to virtue, they are renewed, as the Apostle says, day
by day; that is, by mortifying the members of their own flesh, and
by presenting them as instruments of justice unto sanctification, they,
through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith
co-operating with good works, increase in that justice which they have
received through the grace of Christ, and are still further justified, as it
is written; He that is just, let him be justified still; and again, Be not
afraid to be justified even to death; and also, Do you see that by works a
man is justified, and not by faith only. And this increase of justification
holy Church begs, when she prays, "Give unto us, O Lord, increase of faith,
hope, and charity."
CHAPTER XI.
On keeping the Commandments, and on the necessity and
possibility thereof.
But no one, how much soever justified, ought to
think himself exempt from the observance of the commandments; no one ought to
make use of that rash saying, one prohibited by the Fathers under an
anathema,-that the observance of the commandments of God is impossible for
one that is justified. For God commands not impossibilities, but, by
commanding, both admonishes thee to do what thou are able, and to pray for
what thou art not able (to do), and aids thee that thou mayest be able; whose
commandments are not heavy; whose yoke is sweet and whose burthen light. For,
whoso are the sons of God, love Christ; but they who love him, keep his
commandments, as Himself testifies; which, assuredly, with the divine help,
they can do. For, although, during this mortal life, men, how holy and just
soever, at times fall into at least light and daily sins, which are also
called venial, not therefore do they cease to be just. For that cry of the
just, Forgive us our trespasses, is both humble and true. And for this cause,
the just themselves ought to feel themselves the more obligated to walk in
the way of justice, in that, being already freed from sins, but made servants
of God, they are able, living soberly, justly, and godly, to proceed onwards
through Jesus Christ, by whom they have had access unto this grace. For God
forsakes not those who have been once justified by His grace, unless he be
first forsaken by them. Wherefore, no one ought to flatter himself up
with faith alone, fancying that by faith alone he is made an heir, and will
obtain the inheritance, even though he suffer not with Christ, that so he may
be also glorified with him. For even Christ Himself, as the Apostle saith,
Whereas he was the son of God, learned obedience by the things which he
suffered, and being consummated, he became, to all who obey him, the cause of
eternal salvation. For which cause the same Apostle admonishes the justified,
saying; Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one
receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. I therefore so run, not as
at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air, but I chastise my
body, and bring it into subjection; lest perhaps, when I have preached to
others, I myself should become a cast-away. So also the prince of the
apostles, Peter; Labour the more that by good works you may make sure your
calling and election. For doing those things, you shall not sin at any time.
From which it is plain, that those are opposed to the orthodox doctrine of
religion, who assert that the just man sins, venially at least, in every good
work; or, which is yet more insupportable, that he merits eternal
punishments; as also those who state, that the just sin in all their works,
if, in those works, they, together with this aim principally that God may be
gloried, have in view also the eternal reward, in order to excite their
sloth, and to encourage themselves to run in the course: whereas it is
written, I have inclined my heart to do all thy justifications for the
reward: and, concerning Moses, the Apostle saith, that he looked unto the
reward.
CHAPTER XII.
That a rash presumptuousness in the matter of Predestination
is to be avoided.
No one, moreover, so long as he is in this mortal life,
ought so far to presume as regards the secret mystery of divine
predestination, as to determine for certain that he is assuredly in the
number of the predestinate; as if it were true, that he that is justified,
either cannot sin any more, or, if he do sin, that he ought to promise
himself an assured repentance; for except by special revelation, it cannot be
known whom God hath chosen unto Himself.
CHAPTER XIII.
On the gift of Perseverance.
So also as regards the
gift of perseverance, of which it is written, He that shall persevere to the
end, he shall be saved:-which gift cannot be derived from any other but Him,
who is able to establish him who standeth that he stand perseveringly, and to
restore him who falleth:-let no one herein promise himself any thing as
certain with an absolute certainty; though all ought to place and repose a
most firm hope in God's help. For God, unless men be themselves wanting to
His grace, as he has begun the good work, so will he perfect it, working (in
them) to will and to accomplish. Nevertheless, let those who think themselves
to stand, take heed lest they fall, and, with fear and trembling work out
their salvation, in labours, in watchings, in almsdeeds, in prayers and
oblations, in fastings and chastity: for, knowing that they are born again
unto a hope of glory, but not as yet unto glory, they ought to fear for the
combat which yet remains with the flesh, with the world, with the devil,
wherein they cannot be victorious, unless they be with God's grace, obedient
to the Apostle, who says; We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according
to the flesh; for if you live according to the flesh, you shall die; but if
by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.
CHAPTER XIV.
On the fallen, and their restoration.
As regards
those who, by sin, have fallen from the received grace of Justification, they
may be again justified, when, God exciting them, through the sacrament of
Penance they shall have attained to the recovery, by the merit of Christ, of
the grace lost: for this manner of Justification is of the fallen the
reparation: which the holy Fathers have aptly called a second plank after the
shipwreck of grace lost. For, on behalf of those who fall into sins
after baptism, Christ Jesus instituted the sacrament of Penance, when He
said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive, they are
forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. Whence it
is to be taught, that the penitence of a Christian, after his fall, is very
different from that at (his) baptism; and that therein are included not only
a cessation from sins, and a detestation thereof, or, a contrite and humble
heart, but also the sacramental confession of the said sins,-at least in
desire, and to be made in its season,-and sacerdotal absolution; and likewise
satisfaction by fasts, alms, prayers, and the other pious exercises of a
spiritual life; not indeed for the eternal punishment,-which is, together
with the guilt, remitted, either by the sacrament, or by the desire of the
sacrament,-but for the temporal punishment, which, as the sacred writings
teach, is not always wholly remitted, as is done in baptism, to those who,
ungrateful to the grace of God which they have received, have grieved the
Holy Spirit, and have not feared to violate the temple of God. Concerning
which penitence it is written; Be mindful whence thou art fallen; do penance,
and do the first works. And again; The sorrow that is according to God
worketh penance steadfast unto salvation. And again; Do penance, and bring
forth fruits worthy of penance.
CHAPTER XV.
That, by every mortal sin, grace is lost, but not
faith.
In opposition also to the subtle wits of certain men, who, by
pleasing speeches and good words, seduce the hearts of the innocent, it is to
be maintained, that the received grace of Justification is lost, not only by
infidelity whereby even faith itself is lost, but also by any other mortal
sin whatever, though faith be not lost; thus defending the doctrine of the
divine law, which excludes from the kingdom of God not only the unbelieving,
but the faithful also (who are) fornicators, adulterers, effeminate, liers
with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, railers, extortioners, and all
others who commit deadly sins; from which, with the help of divine grace,
they can refrain, and on account of which they are separated from the grace
of Christ.
CHAPTER XVI.
On the fruit of Justification, that is, on the merit of good
works, and on the nature of that merit.
Before men, therefore, who
have been justified in this manner,-whether they have preserved
uninterruptedly the grace received, or whether they have recovered it when
lost,-are to be set the words of the Apostle: Abound in every good work,
knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord; for God is not unjust,
that he should forget your work, and the love which you have shown in his
name; and, do not lose your confidence, which hath a great reward. And, for
this cause, life eternal is to be proposed to those working well unto
the end, and hoping in God, both as a grace mercifully promised to the sons
of God through Jesus Christ, and as a reward which is according to the
promise of God Himself, to be faithfully rendered to their good works and
merits. For this is that crown of justice which the Apostle declared was,
after his fight and course, laid up for him, to be rendered to him by the
just judge, and not only to him, but also to all that love his coming. For,
whereas Jesus Christ Himself continually infuses his virtue into the said
justified,-as the head into the members, and the vine into the branches,-and
this virtue always precedes and accompanies and follows their good works,
which without it could not in any wise be pleasing and meritorious before
God,-we must believe that nothing further is wanting to the justified, to
prevent their being accounted to have, by those very works which have been
done in God, fully satisfied the divine law according to the state of this
life, and to have truly merited eternal life, to be obtained also in its
(due) time, if so be, however, that they depart in grace: seeing that Christ,
our Saviour, saith: If any one shall drink of the water that I will give him,
he shall not thirst for ever; but it shall become in him a fountain of water
springing up unto life everlasting. Thus, neither is our own justice
established as our own as from ourselves; nor is the justice of God ignored
or repudiated: for that justice which is called ours, because that we are
justified from its being inherent in us, that same is (the justice) of God,
because that it is infused into us of God, through the merit of Christ.
Neither is this to be omitted,-that although, in the sacred writings, so much
is attributed to good works, that Christ promises, that even he that shall
give a drink of cold water to one of his least ones, shall not lose his
reward; and the Apostle testifies that, That which is at present momentary
and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an
eternal weight of glory; nevertheless God forbid that a Christian should
either trust or glory in himself, and not in the Lord, whose bounty towards
all men is so great, that He will have the things which are His own gifts be
their merits. And forasmuch as in many things we all offend, each one ought
to have before his eyes, as well the severity and judgment, as the mercy and
goodness (of God); neither ought any one to judge himself, even though he be
not conscious to himself of anything; because the whole life of man is to be
examined and judged, not by the judgment of man, but of God, who will bring
to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels
of the hearts, and then shall every man have praise from God, who, as it is
written, will render to every man according to his works. After this Catholic
doctrine on Justification, which whoso receiveth not faithfully and firmly
cannot be justified, it hath seemed good to the holy Synod to subjoin these
canons, that all may know not only what they ought to hold and follow, but
also what to avoid and shun.
The Sixth Session
JUSTIFICATION CANONS
CANON I.-If any one saith,
that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through
the teaching of human nature, or that of the law, without the grace of God
through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema.
CANON II.-If any one saith,
that the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, is given only for this, that man
may be able more easily to live justly, and to merit eternal life, as if, by
free will without grace, he were able to do both, though hardly indeed and
with difficulty; let him be anathema.
CANON III.-If any one saith, that
without the prevenient inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and without his help,
man can believe, hope, love, or be penitent as he ought, so as that the grace
of Justification may be bestowed upon him; let him be anathema.
CANON
IV.-If any one saith, that man's free will moved and excited by God,
by assenting to God exciting and calling, nowise co-operates towards
disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of Justification; that
it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate,
it does nothing whatever and is merely passive; let him be
anathema.
CANON V.-If any one saith, that, since Adam's sin, the free
will of man is lost and extinguished; or, that it is a thing with only a
name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the
Church by Satan; let him be anathema.
CANON VI.-If any one saith, that
it is not in man's power to make his ways evil, but that the works that are
evil God worketh as well as those that are good, not permissively only, but
properly, and of Himself, in such wise that the treason of Judas is no less
His own proper work than the vocation of Paul; let him be
anathema.
CANON VII.-If any one saith, that all works done before
Justification, in whatsoever way they be done, are truly sins, or merit the
hatred of God; or that the more earnestly one strives to dispose himself for
grace, the more grievously he sins: let him be anathema.
CANON
VIII.-If any one saith, that the fear of hell,-whereby, by grieving for our
sins, we flee unto the mercy of God, or refrain from sinning,-is a sin,
or makes sinners worse; let him be anathema.
CANON IX.-If any one
saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean,
that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the
grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be
prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be
anathema.
CANON X.-If any one saith, that men are just without the
justice of Christ, whereby He merited for us to be justified; or that it is
by that justice itself that they are formally just; let him be
anathema.
CANON XI.-If any one saith, that men are justified, either by
the sole imputation of the justice of Christ, or by the sole remission of
sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in
their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and is inherent in them; or even that the
grace, whereby we are justified, is only the favour of God; let him be
anathema.
CANON XII.-If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing
else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake;
or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be
anathema.
CANON XIII.-If any one saith, that it is necessary for every
one, for the obtaining the remission of sins, that he believe for certain,
and without any wavering arising from his own infirmity and disposition, that
his sins are forgiven him; let him be anathema.
CANON XIV.-If any one
saith, that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified, because that
he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified; or, that no one is
truly justified but he who believes himself justified; and that, by this
faith alone, absolution and justification are effected; let him be
anathema.
CANON XV.-If any one saith, that a man, who is born again and
justified, is bound of faith to believe that he is assuredly in the number of
the predestinate; let him be anathema.
CANON XVI.-If any one saith,
that he will for certain, of an absolute and infallible certainty, have that
great gift of perseverance unto the end,-unless he have learned this by
special revelation; let him be anathema.
CANON XVII.-If any one saith,
that the grace of Justification is only attained to by those who are
predestined unto life; but that all others who are called, are called indeed,
but receive not grace, as being, by the divine power, predestined unto evil;
let him be anathema.
CANON XVIII.-If any one saith, that the commandments
of God are, even for one that is justified and constituted in grace,
impossible to keep; let him be anathema.
CANON XIX.-If any one saith,
that nothing besides faith is commanded in the Gospel; that other things are
indifferent, neither commanded nor prohibited, but free; or, that the ten
commandments nowise appertain to Christians; let him be
anathema.
CANON XX.-If any one saith, that the man who is justified and
how perfect soever, is not bound to observe the commandments of God and of
the Church, but only to believe; as if indeed the Gospel were a bare and
absolute promise of eternal life, without the condition of observing the
commandments ; let him be anathema.
CANON XXI.-If any one saith, that
Christ Jesus was given of God to men, as a redeemer in whom to trust, and not
also as a legislator whom to obey; let him be anathema.
CANON XXII.-If
any one saith, that the justified, either is able to persevere, without the
special help of God, in the justice received; or that, with that help, he is
not able; let him be anathema.
CANON XXIII.-If any one saith, that a man
once justified can sin no more, nor lose grace, and that therefore he that
falls and sins was never truly justified; or, on the other hand, that he is
able, during his whole life, to avoid all sins, even those that are
venial,-except by a special privilege from God, as the Church holds in regard
of the Blessed Virgin; let him be anathema.
CANON XXIV.-If any one saith,
that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God
through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs
of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him
be anathema.
CANON XXV.-If any one saith, that, in every good work, the
just sins venially at least, or-which is more intolerable still-mortally, and
consequently deserves eternal punishments; and that for this cause only he is
not damned, that God does not impute those works unto damnation; let him be
anathema.
CANON XXVI.-If any one saith, that the just ought not, for
their good works done in God, to expect and hope for an eternal recompense
from God, through His mercy and the merit of Jesus Christ, if so be that they
persevere to the end in well doing and in keeping the divine commandments;
let him be anathema.
CANON XXVII.-If any one saith, that there is no
mortal sin but that of infidelity; or, that grace once received is not lost
by any other sin, however grievous and enormous, save by that of infidelity ;
let him be anathema.
CANON XXVIII.-If any one saith, that, grace being
lost through sin, faith also is always lost with it; or, that the faith which
remains, though it be not a lively faith, is not a true faith; or, that he,
who has faith without charity, is not a Chris taught; let him be
anathema.
CANON XXIX.-If any one saith, that he, who has fallen after
baptism, is not able by the grace of God to rise again; or, that he is able
indeed to recover the justice which he has lost, but by faith alone without
the sacrament of Penance, contrary to what the holy Roman and universal
Church-instructed by Christ and his Apostles-has hitherto professed,
observed, and taught; let him be anathema.
CANON XXX.-If any one
saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every
penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is
blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal
punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next
in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to
him); let him be anathema.
CANON XXXI.-If any one saith, that the
justified sins when he performs good works with a view to an eternal
recompense; let him be anathema.
CANON XXXII.-If any one saith, that the
good works of one that is justified are in such manner the gifts of God, as
that they are not also the good merits of him that is justified; or, that the
said justified, by the good works which he performs through the grace of God
and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly
merit increase of grace, eternal life, and the attainment of that eternal
life,-if so be, however, that he depart in grace,-and also an increase of
glory; let him be anathema.
CANON XXXIII.-If any one saith,that,by the
Catholic doctrine touching Justification, by this holy Synod inset forth in
this present decree, the glory of God, or the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ
are in any way derogated from, and not rather that the truth of our faith,
and the glory in fine of God and of Jesus Christ are rendered (more)
illustrious; let him be anathema.
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