2. Of the transmission of t)iar. sin to his posterity.
3. Of its remedy, i. e. holy b:iplism.
4. Of iiifMUt baptism.
.5. Of the concupiscence wluch still remains in those ■who have been baptized.
A great dispute arose between the Franciscans and Do- minicans concerning the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin. The Franciscans insisted that she should be specially declared to be free from the taint of original sin; the Dominicans, on the other hand, main- tained that, although the Cluirch had tolerated the opin- ion concerning the immaculate conception, it was suf- ficiently clear that the Virgin was not exempt from the common infection of our nature. A decree of reforma- tion, in two chapters, was also read.
/Session V (June 17, 1540). — In this session the de- cree concerning original sin was passed, containing the five canons mentioned above, enforced by anathemas. Afterwards the fathers declared that it was not their intention to include the Virgin in this decree, and that upon this subject the constitutions of pope Sixtus IV were to be followed, thus leaving the immaculate con- ception an open question.
In a congregation held June 18, they proceeded to consider the questions relating to grace and good works. Also the subject of residence of bishops and pastors was discussed. The cardinal del IMonte and some of the fa- thers attributed the heresies and disturbances which had arisen to the non-residence of bisliops, while many of the bishops maintained that they were to be attrib- uted to the multitudes of friars and other privilegeil persons whom the pope permitted to wander about and preach iu S|)ite of the bisliops, who, in consequence, could do no good even if they were in residence.
In the congregation held .lime ot), twenty-five articles, professedly drawn up from the Lutheran writings on the subject of justification, were proposed for examination. Some of these articles seem well to have merited the judgment passed upon them; thus, among others,
5. Declares that repentance for pant siu is altogether un- necessary if a man lead a new life.
7. The" fear of hell is a sin, and makes the sinner worse.
8. Contriiion arising; fioiii nieilitaliini upon, and sorrow for. i)a<t sin makes a man a great sinner.
11. Failh alone is required; the only sin is nnbelief; otlier tliiiiLTs are neither coniniaiided nor forbidden.
1'2. He who has faith is free from the precepts of the law, and has no need ofworks in order to be saved ; noth- ing that a believer can do is so finful that it can either ac- CUf^e or condemn him.
13. No sin separates from God's grace bnt want of faith.
14. Failh and works are contrary to one another; to teach the latter is to destroy the former, etc.
At this time the three ambassadors of the king of France arrived — viz. Durse, Lignieres, and Pierre Danez. The last mentioned delivered a long discourse, in the course of which he entreated the council to suffer no attack to be made upon the privileges of the kingdom and Church of France.
In a congregation held Aug. 20, the subject of justifi- cation was again warndy discussed, as well as the doc- trine of Luther concerning free-will and predestination. UiMiii this latter subject nothing worthy of censure was found in the writings of Luther or in the Confession of Augsburg ; liut eiglit articles were drawn up for exam- ination from the writings of the Zwinglians. L'pon some of these there was much difference of opinion. ]?v the advice of the bishop of Sinagaglia, the canons drawn up embodying the decrees of tlie council were divided into two sets — one set, which they called the decrees of doc- trine, contained the Catholic faith upon the subjects decided ; the others, called caiioiis, stated, condemned, and anathematized the doctrines contrary to that faith. These decrees were mainly composed by cardinal Sainte- Croix, who bestowed infinite pains ujion them ; at least one hundred congregations were held iifjon the subject. Afterwards they returned to the consideration of the re- form of the Church, and to the question about episcopal residence. Most of the theologians present, especially the Dominicans, maintained that residence was a mat- ter not merely canonically binding, bnt of divine injunc- tion. The Spaniards held the same opinion. The leg- ates, seeing that the discussion tended to bring the pa- pal authority and power into question, endeavored to put a stop to it.
Session VI (Jan. 13, 1547). — In this session the decree concerning doctrine was read ; it contained sixteen chap- ters and thirty-three canons against heretics.
These chapters declare that sinners are brouirht into a state to receive jusiitication when excited and heli)ed by grace, and, believing the word of God, they freely turn to God, believiiiET all that he has revealed and i)romiseil, es- pecially that the sinner is justified by the grace of God, given to him throuLih the redemi'/tion of Jesus Christ; and when, ackuowlediring their sinfulness and tilled with a salutary fear of God's jiistice, yet trusting to his mercy, they conceive hope and contideirce that God will he favor- able to them for the sake of Jesus Christ, and thereupon begin to love him as the only sonrce of all righteousness, and to turn from their sins through tlie hatred which they liave conceived against Iliem, i. e. through that repentance which all must feel before baptism; in short, when they resolve to be haptized, to lead a new life, and to follow the commandments of God.