Council of
1545-1563
THE NECESSITY OF PREPARATION
FOR JUSTIFICATION [SALVATION]
IN ADULTS, AND WHENCE
IT PROCEEDS
It is furthermore declared that in adults the beginning of that justification
must proceed from the predisposing grace of God through Jesus Christ, that is,
from His vocation, whereby, without any merits on their part, they are called;
that they who by sin had been cut off from God, may be disposed through His
quickening and helping grace to convert themselves to their own justification
by freely assenting to and cooperating with that grace; so that, while God
touches the heart of man through the illumination 0f the Holy Ghost, man
himself neither does absolutely nothing while receiving that inspiration, since
he can also reject it, nor yet is he able by his own free will and without the
grace of God to move himself to justice in His sight. Hence, when it is said in
the sacred writings: Turn ye to me, and I will turn
to you [Zach. 1:3], we ate reminded of our liberty; and when we reply: Convert
us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted [Lam. 5:21], we confess
that we need the grace of God.
HOW THE GRATUITOUS
JUSTIFICATION OF THE SINNER
BY FAITH IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD
But when the Apostle [Paul] says that man is justified by faith and freely, these words are to be understood in that sense in which the uninterrupted unanimity of the Catholic Church has held and expressed them, namely, that we ate therefore said to be justified by faith, because faith is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and toot of all justification, without which it is impossible to please God [Heb. 11:6] and to come to the fellowship of His sons; and we are therefore said to be justified gratuitously [unearned, as a freely given gift], because none of those things that precede justification, whether faith or works, merit the grace of justification. For, if by grace, it is not now by works, otherwise, as the Apostle says, grace is no more grace [Rom.11:6].
IN WHAT THE JUSTIFICATION OF
THE SINNER CONSISTS, AND
WHAT ARE ITS CAUSES
… For though no one can be just except he to whom the merits
0f the passion of out Lord Jesus Christ are communicated, yet this takes place
in that justification of the sinner, when by the merit of the most holy passion,
the charity of God is poured forth by the Holy Ghost in the hearts [Rom.
5:5] of those who are justified and inheres in them; whence man through Jesus
Christ, [with] whom he is [ now one], receives in that justification, together
with the remission of sins, all these infused at the same time, namely, faith, hope
and charity. For faith, unless hope and charity be added to it,
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 [James 2:17, 20] and of no profit, and in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision. but faith that worketh by charity [Gal. 5:6, 6:15]. This faith, conformably
to Apostolic tradition, catechumens [candidates for
baptism] ask of the Church before the sacrament of baptism, when they ask for
the faith that gives eternal life, which without hope and charity faith cannot
give. Whence also they hear immediately the word of Christ: If thou wilt
enter into life, keep the commandments [Matt. 19:17]….
Furthermore, to check unbridled spirits, it [the council] decrees that no one relying on his own judgment shall, in matters of faith and morals pertaining to the edification of Christian doctrine, distorting the Holy Scriptures in accordance with his own conceptions, presume to interpret them contrary to that sense which holy mother Church, to whom it belongs to judge of their true sense and interpretation, has held and holds, or even contrary to the unanimous teaching of the [church) Fathers, even though such interpretations should never at any time be published. Those who act contrary to this shall be made known by the ordinaries [bishops) and punished in accordance with the penalties prescribed by the law.
And wishing, as is proper, to impose a restraint in this matter on printers also, who, now without restraint, thinking what pleases them is permitted them, print without the permission of ecclesiastical superiors the books of the Holy Scriptures and the notes and commentaries thereon of all persons indiscriminately, often with the name of the press omitted, often also under a fictitious press-name, and what is worse, without the name of the author, and also indiscreetly have for sale such books printed elsewhere, (this council) decrees and ordains that in the future the Holy Scriptures, especially the old Vulgate [Latin] Edition, be printed in the most correct manner possible, and that it shall not be lawful for anyone to print or to have printed any books whatsoever dealing with sacred doctrinal matters without the name of the author, or in the future to sell them, or even to have them in possession, unless they have first been examined and approved by the ordinary [the local bishop], under penalty of anathema [condemnation and excommunication] and fine….
ON THE INVOCATION,
VENERATION, AND RELICS OF
SAINTS, AND ON SACRED IMAGES
The holy council commands all bishops and others who hold the office of teaching and have charge of the cura animarum [care of souls], that in accordance with the usage of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, received from the primitive times of the Christian religion, and with the unanimous teaching of the holy Fathers and the decrees of sacred councils, they above all instruct the faithful diligently in matters relating to intercession and invocation of the saints, the veneration of relics, and the legitimate use of images, teaching them that the saints who reign together with Christ offer up their prayers to God for men, that it is good and beneficial suppliantly to invoke them and to have recourse to their prayers, assistance and support in order to obtain favors from God through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone is out redeemer and savior.
Also, that the holy bodies of the holy martyrs and of others living with Christ, which were the living members of Christ and the temple of the Holy Ghost, to be awakened by Him to eternal life and to be glorified, are to be venerated by the faithful, through which many benefits ate bestowed by God on men. - . . Moreover, that the images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the other saints are to be placed and retained especially in the churches, and that due honor and veneration is to be given them….
CANONS ON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL
Canon 1. If anyone says that the sacraments of the New Law were not all instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, or that there are more or less than seven, namely, baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, order and matrimony, or that any one of these seven is not only and intrinsically a sacrament, let him be anathema [cursed]….
CANONS ON THE SACRAMENT OF ORDER
Canon 1. If anyone says that there is not in the New Testament a visible and external priesthood, or that there is no power of consecrating and offering the true body and blood of the Lord and of forgiving. . . sins, but only the office and bare ministry of preaching the Gospel; or that those who do not preach are not priests at all, let him be anathema.