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2GO THE HISTORY OF HERESIES,
iv.
THE SINNER IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY FAITH ALONE
28. The sectarians say, that the sinner, by means of Faith,
or confidence in the promises of Jesus Christ, and believing with
an infallible certainty, that he is justified, becomes so, for the
justice of Jesus Christ is extrinsically imputed to him, by which
his sins are not indeed concealed,* but covered, and are thus
not imputed to him, and they found this dogma on the words of
David: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and
whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile"
(Psalm xxxi, 1, 2).
29. The Catholic Church, however, condemns and anathe
matizes the doctrine, that as man is absolved from his sins, by
Faith alone, that he is justified. Hear the Council of Trent on
this subject (Sess. vi, can. 14) :
"
Si quis dixerit, hominem a
peccatis absolvi, ac justificari ex eo quod se absolvi ac justificari
certo credat ; aut neminem vere esse justificatum, nisi qui credat
se esse justificatum, et hac sola fide absolutionem, et justifica-
tionem perfici ; anathema sit." The Church, besides, teaches,
that in order that the sinner should become justified, it is ne
cessary that he be disposed to receive Grace. Faith is necessary
for this disposition, but Faith alone is not sufficient. The Council
of Trent (Sess. vi, cap. 6), says, that acts of hope, of love, of
sorrow, and a purpose of amendment are also necessary, and
God then finding the sinner thus disposed, gives him gratuitously
his Grace, or intrinsic justice (ibid. cap. 7), which remits to him
his sins, and sanctifies him.
30. We shall now examine the points on which the suppo
sition of our adversaries rests. In the first place, they say, that
by means of faith in the merits and promises of Jesus Christ, our
sins are not taken away, but are covered. This supposition is,
however, totally opposed to the Scriptures, which teach that the
sins are not alone covered, but are taken awav and cancelled in