Page:Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Buckley.djvu/74

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42
SESSION VI.

himself, and not in the Lord,[1] whose goodness towards all men is so great, that He will have the things which are His own gifts to be their own merits.[2] And whereas in many things we all offend,[3] each one ought to have before his eyes, as well severity and judgment, as mercy and goodness; neither ought any one to judge himself, even though he be not conscious to himself of anything;[4] inasmuch as the whole life of man is to be examined and judged, not by the judgment of men, 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 of God,[5] who, as it is written, will render to every man according to his works.[6]

After this Catholic doctrine on justification, which whosoever receiveth not faithfully and firmly cannot be justified, it hath pleased 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.

ON JUSTIFICATION.

Canon i. If any one shall say, that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the strength of human nature, or through the teaching of the law, without the divine grace through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema.

Canon ii. If any one shall say, that the divine grace through Jesus Christ is given only unto this, that man may more easily be able to live justly, and to merit eternal life, as if, by free will without grace, he were able [to do] both, though hardly and with difficulty; let him be anathema.

Canon iii. If any one shall say, that without the preventing inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and his help, man can believe, hope, love, or be penitent, as he ought, so that the grace of justification may be conferred upon him; let him be anathema.

Canon iv. If any one shall say, that the free will of man moved and excited by God, by assenting to God exciting and calling, nowise co-operates to the end that it should dis-

  1. 1 Cor. i. 31; 2 Cor. x. 17.
  2. Ep. Cœlest. i., c. 12.
  3. James iii. 2.
  4. 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4.
  5. 1 Cor. iv. 5.
  6. Matt. xvi. 27.