The canons and decrees of the Council of Trent celebrated under Paul III, Julius III, and Pius IV, Bishops of Rome / faithfully translated into English.

The Seventh Session, Celebrated the Third day of March, M.D.XLVII.

A Decree concerning the Sacraments.

The Proem.

FOR the Consummation of that Salutiferous Doctrine of Justification, which was made publick by the Unanimous consent of all the Fathers in the last foregoing Session, it is now thought meet to treat of the most Holy Sacraments of the Church, through which all true Righteousness either takes its beginning, or being begun is increased, or being lost is repaired: And therefore this most Holy Oecumenick and General Council of Trent, lawfully gathered together in the Spirit of Holiness, the said Legats of the Apostolick See presiding there∣in, for the rooting out of Errors, and the Extirpation of Heresies revived again in our times about the most Holy Sacraments, as well those which were con∣demned by our Ancestors as those newly sprung up since, which do very much incommode the purity of the Catholick Church, and the Salvation of Souls; hath thought fit to Establish and Confirm these following Canons ground∣ed upon Scripture, the Traditions of the Apostles, and the consent of other Councils and Fathers; for other Canons which are wanting towards the per∣fection of this work begun, with Gods good leave, they shall be hereafter published.

Of the SACRAMENTS.

Can. I. IF any one shall say, That the Sacraments of the New Testament, were not all Instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ; or, That there are more or less than Seven; viz. Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Pennance, Extream Unction, Order, and Matrimony; or likewise, That any one of these Seven is not truly and properly a Sacrament; Let him be Accursed.

Can. II. If any one shall say, That the Sacraments of the New Testament do not differ from those of the Old, excepting that the Ceremonies and outward Rites are others; Let him be Accursed.

Can. III. If any one shall say, That these seven Sacraments are so equal in themselves, that one is not any ways more worthy than another; Let him be Accursed.

Can. IV. If any one shall say, That the Sacraments of the New Testament are not ne∣cessary to Salvation, but superfluous; and without them, or a desire of them, man is able through Faith only to obtain of God the grace of Justification, though to every one they are not all necessary; Let him be Accursed.

Can. V. If any one shall say, That these Sacraments were instituted for the increase of Faith alone; Let him be Accursed.

Can. VI. If any one shall say, That the Sacraments of the New Testament do not con∣tain Grace which they imply; or, That they do not conferr that Grace upon them that do not refuse it, they being only, as 'twere, external signs of Grace and Righteousness receiv'd by Faith, and certain marks of the Christian Professi∣on, whereby men distinguish the Faithful from the Unfaithful; Let him be Accursed.

Can. VII. If any one shall say, That Grace by these sort of Sacraments is not given al∣ways, and to all, on Gods part, if the Receivers receive them rightly, but on∣ly sometimes and to certain persons; Let him be Accursed.

Can. VIII. If any one shall say, That Grace is not conferred by these Sacraments of the New Testament for the Work finish'd, but that Faith alone in the Divine Promise is sufficient for the obtaining of Grace; Let him be Accursed.

Can. IX. If any one shall say, That in these three Sacraments (viz.) Baptism, Confir∣mation, and Order, there is not imprinted in the Soul a Character, that is, a certain Spiritual and Indelible Sign, whereby they cannot be again performed; Let him be Accursed.

Can. X. If any one shall say, That all Christians have a power to administer the Word and all the Sacraments; Let him be Accursed.

Can. XI. If any one shall say, That that Intention of Acting, at least as the Church does, is not required in Ministers, while they give and administer the Sacraments; Let him be Accursed.

Can. XII. If any one shall say, That a Minister being in deadly Sin, though he preserve all things essential to make and constitute a Sacrament, does not therefore make and constitute the Sacrament; Let him be Accursed.

Can. XIII. If any one shall say, That the received and approved Rites of the Catholick Church, wont to be used in the Solemn Administration of the Sacraments, may be contemn'd, or omitted without Sin at the Ministers pleasure, or that

every Pastor of the Church may change them for others new; Let him be Accursed.

Of BAPTISM.

Can. I. IF any one shall say, That the Baptism of John had the same Efficacy with that of Jesus Christ; Let him be Accursed.

Can. II. If any one shall say, That the Water in Baptism is not real and natural, and therefore pervert those words of our Lord Jesus Christ by some Metaphor, Ex∣cept a man be born of Water and of the Holy Ghost; Let him be Accursed.

Can. III. If any one shall say, That the true Doctrine of the Sacrament of Baptism, is not in the Romish Church, which is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches; Let him be Accursed.

Can. IV. If any one shall say, That Baptism, given even by Hereticks in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, with the same intention as the Church acts it, is not true Baptism; Let him be Accursed.

Can. V. If any one shall say, That Baptism is free, that is, That it is not necessary to Salvation; Let him be Accursed.

Can. VI. If any one shall say, That a Baptized person cannot, if he would, lose Grace, let him offend never so much or often, unless he will not believe; Let him be Accursed.

Can. VII. If any one shall say, That the Baptized by their Baptism are made Debtors of Faith alone, and not of keeping the whole Law of Christ; Let him be Ac∣cursed.

Can. VIII. If any one shall say, That the Baptized are free from all the Mandates of Ho∣ly Church, either written or unwritten, so as that they are not bound to observe them, unless voluntarily they will submit themselves to them; Let him be Accursed.

Can. IX. If any one shall say, That men ought to be so recalled to the Remembrance of their Receiv'd Baptism, that they may think all their Vows as of Promise, which are made after Baptism, being before made in Baptism, to be of no effect; as if by them the Faith also which they profess might be taken away by the same Bap∣tism; Let him be Accursed.

Can. X. If any one shall say, That all sins, committed after Baptism are either remit∣ted or made Venial only by Remembrance or Faith of Baptism received; Let him be Accursed.

Can. XI. If any one shall say, That he that has been brought up an Infidel and de∣ny'd the Faith of Christ, whensoever he shall repent, ought to be baptiz'd with the true and rightly conferred Baptism; Let him be Accursed.

Can. XII. If any one shall say, That none ought to be Baptized, but of the same Age with those that Christ Baptized, or are at the Point of Death; Let him be Ac∣cursed.

Can. XIII. If any one shall say, That little Infants, because they have not the Act of Be∣lieving after having received Baptism, are not to be reckon'd in the number of the Faithful; and that, therefore, when they come to Years of discretion, they are to be baptiz'd again; or, that it is better their Baptism be omitted, than that, not believing in their own proper Act, they be baptiz'd upon the Faith of the Church; Let him be Accursed.

Can. XIV. If any one shall say, That the said little Infants, when they come to maturity, are to be asked, whether they will stand to what their God-fathers promised in their Names in Baptism; and when they shall Answer, They will not, they are to be left to their own Liberty, and be compell'd to the Christian Life by no other punishment, except that they be deny'd the receiving of the Eucharist, and other Sacraments, until they repent of themselves; Let him be Accursed.

Of CONFIRMATION.

Canon I. IF any one shall say, That Confirmation of the Baptized is an idle Ceremony, and not rather a true and proper Sacrament; or that formerly it was nothing else but a certain sort of Catechizing, whereby the younger sort did give an Ac∣count of their Faith before the Church; Let him be Accursed.

Can. II. If any one shall say, That they are Enemies to the Holy Ghost who attribute any Virtue to the Sacred Chrism in Confirmation; Let him be Accursed.

Can. III. If any one shall say, That the Ordinary Minister of Holy Confirmation is not the Bishop alone, but any single Preacher whatsoever; Let him be Accursed.

A Decree concerning Reformation.

THE aforesaid most Holy Synod, together with the Presidents and Le∣gats, intending to prosecute the Intention of Residence and Business of Reformation, to the praise of God, and the Increase of the Christian Religion, hath thought fit to decree as follows, the Authority of the Apostolick See, be∣ing always untoucht in every thing.

CHAP. I.

LET none be receiv'd into the Government of Cathedral Churches, but such as are born in lawful Matrimony, and of full Age, Endow'd with Gravity and Learning, according to the Constitution of Alexander the III. which begins Cum in cunctis, in Concilio Lateranensi promulgatam, &c.

CHAP. II.

LET none presume, in what dignity, degree or preheminence soever shi∣ning, to accept and retain more Metropolitical or Cathedral Churches than one, by Claim or Advowson, or any other name whatsoever, contrary to the Institutions of the Sacred Canons, seeing he is to be reckon'd very happy, whose fortune it is to govern one Church well, to Edification, and with the Sal∣vation of the Souls committed to his Care. And they shall be obliged, who hold more Churches than one, contrary to the Tenor of this present Decree, keeping any one which they please, to resign the rest within Six Months, if they be in the free disposal of the Apostolick See; and such as are not, within a Twelve-month: Otherwise the Churches themselves, the last received only to be Excepted, shall be deem'd hereby void.

CHAP. III.

INferiour Ecclesiastick Benefices, especially such as have the Cure of Souls, shall be bestowed upon fit and worthy Persons, and who will reside in the place, and may be able of themselves to exercise that Cure, according to the Constitution of Alexander the III. in the Lateran Council, which begins thus, Quia nonnulli, &c. and that other of Gregory X. in the General Council of Lyons, which begins, Liceat Canon, &c. but if Provision be otherwise made to be wholly void or vacant: And the Ordinary Collator may know that he shall incurr the punishments of the Constitution of the General Council, which begins, Grave nimis, &c.

CHAP. IV.

LET him, whosoever he be, that for the future shall dare to receive, and also retain, more Cures, or otherwise incompatible Benefices Ecclesiastick than one, either by way of Inheritance for Life, or perpetual Advowson, or by any other Name or Claim whatsoever, contrary to the Form of the sacred Ca∣nons, and especially of the Constitution of Innocent III. which begins, Demulta, &c. be depriv'd of their Benefices themselves, according to the Disposition of the said Constitution, ipso jure, and by the power of the Present Canon.

CHAP. V.

LET all Ordinaries of Places strictly compell all such as obtain more Cures, or otherwise Incompatible Ecclesiastick Benefices than one, to exhibit their Dispensations; and let them proceed otherwise according to the Constitution of Gregory X. in the General Council of Lyons, which begins, Ordinarii, &c. which the aforesaid holy Synod hath thought fit to renew and doth renew; adding moreover, That the Ordinaries themselves do wholly take care, by the Depu∣tation of Fit Ministers, and the Assignation of a Proportionable Revenue, that the Cure of Souls be no ways neglected: The Benefices themselves to be no way defrauded of the due perquisites, by any Appellations, Priviledges, or Ex∣emptions whatsoever, even the deputation of Special Commissaries, and their Inhibitions favouring none in the Premises.

CHAP. VI.

SUccessions for Lives, though made forty years before, may be examin'd by the Ordinaries, as being Delegates of the Apostolick See: And let such places as are obtain'd by stealing from, or stealing into, be declared null. And let those be presumed to be obtain'd by Surreption, which granted since the aforesaid time, have not yet in part or in whole obtained their effect, and which will be hereafter made at any ones Instance, unless it appear plainly by lawful and otherwise reasonable Causes justifiable that such Successions have been before the Ordinary of the Place made, whom it Concerns; and therefore, unless it shall be otherwise declar'd by the Apostolick See, let them be altogether of no effect.

CHAP. VII.

LET Ecclesiastical Benefices provided of a Curate, which are always found united or adjoin'd to Cathedrals, Collegiate or other Churches, or Monasteries, Benefices, or Colleges, or other pious Places whatsoever, be visi∣ted every Year by the Ordinaries of Places, who shall be very careful that the Cure of Souls may be laudably exercised by fit Ministers, and those to be con∣stant, unless the Ordinaries shall see it otherwise expedient towards the good Go∣vernment of the Church, to be deputed therein by their allowing them a greater or lesser portion of a third part of the Fruits, at the discretion of the Ordinary, to be assigned upon a certain account; Appellations, Priviledges, Exemptions, yea, the Deputation of Commissaries and their Inhibitions, no way favouring the Premises.

CHAP. VIII.

LET the Ordinaries of places be obliged by their Apostolick Authority, eve∣ry year to visit all Churches, howsoever exempt, and provide by seasona∣ble

Remedies of Law, that what things want repairing may be repaired; and that they be not in the least defrauded of a Pastor, if there be any belonging to them, or other Appurtenances: Appellations, Priviledges, Customs, even time out of mind prescribed, the Deputations of Commissaries or Judges, and their Inhibitions, being wholly excluded.

CHAP. IX.

LEt those promoted to greater Churches pay their Consecration-money be∣fore the time allowed by Law; and let no Prorogations after six months be granted to any.

CHAP. X.

IT shall not be lawful for Chapters of Churches, the Bishops seat being vacant, to grant their Licence of Ordaining, or Letters Demissory, or Reverend, as some call them, within a year after the Day of Vacation, to any one beneficed already, or not yet straiten'd upon the account of Receiving a Benefice, either by the Disposition of the Common Law, or else by the force of any Custom or Privilege. If it be otherwise done, the Chapter shall lye under an Ecclesiastick Prohibition; so that those that are so ordain'd, if they be constituted in lesser Or∣ders, shall have no Priestly priviledge, especially in Criminal Cases: but if they be constituted with more ample Orders, let them be ipso jure suspended from the Execution of their Orders, at the pleasure of the Bishop, that next enjoys the See.

CHAP. XI.

LIcences of Promotion may not be allow'd by any one, unless they have a Lawful Cause, to be expressed in their Letters, why they could not be or∣dain'd by their own Bishops; and even then they may not be ordain'd, unless by a Bishop, then Residing in his Dioeess, or doing the Office of a Bishop for him, there having been diligent Examination made before.

CHAP. XII.

LIcences of Non-promotion granted, except in cases expressed in the Law, shall only continue for a year.

CHAP. XIII.

NO one Presented, Elected, or Named by any Ecclesiastical Persons, even by the Nuncio's of the Apostolick See, may be Instituted, Confirm'd, or Admitted into any Ecclesiastical Benefices, though under pretext of Priviledge or Custom; and that prescribed time out of mind, unless they be first examin'd and found fit by the Ordinaries of the places: And none may defend himself by

Appellation, so that thereby he may be exempted from the Undergoing of an Examen, except those that are presented, chosen, or named by the Universities, or Colledges of General Studies.

CHAP. XIV.

IN the causes of exempted persons, let the Constitution of Innocent the Fourth, which begins, Volentes, set forth by the General Council of Lions, be obser∣ved; which this same most Holy Synod hath thought good to Renew, and doth Renew; adding moreover, that in civil causes of Bribes, and miserable Persons, the Secular, or Regular Clergy-men, living without the Monastery, howsoever exempt, shall notwithstanding have a certain Judge over them, deputed by the Pope; but in other cases if such a Judge be wanting, they may be compell'd to convene before the Ordinaries of the Places, being Delegates in this Case from the Apostolick See; Priviledges, Exemptions, Deputations, and their Inhibitions against the Premises being void.

CHAP. XV.

LET Ordinaries take care that all Hospitals whatsoever be Governed Faithful∣ly and Diligently by their Ministers, by what Name soever call'd, or howsoever exempt, that the Form of the Constitution of the Council of Vienna, which begins, Quia Contingit, be Preserved; which Constitution the said Holy Synod hath thought fit to Renew, and doth Renew, with the Derogations there∣in contained.

An Order for the next Session.

This most Holy Synod doth appoint the next Session to be held and celebrated on Thurs∣day, the Fifth Holiday after the following Sunday in Whitson-week, which shall be the Twenty First of April, of the present Year, M.D.XLVII.