Council of Carthage (against the Pelagians)
Concilium Carthaginense (contra Pelagianos) · AD 418 · Carthage
Canon 1 — Quod Adam non sit factus a Deo mortalis. Denz. 101
Ut quicunque dicit Adam primum hominem mortalem factum, ita ut sive peccaret sive non peccaret, moreretur in corpore, hoc est, de corpore exiret, non peccati merito, sed necessitate naturae, anathema sit.
That Adam was not created by God subject to death. That whosoever says that Adam, the first man, was created mortal, so that whether he had sinned or not, he would have died in body--that is, he would have gone forth of the body, not because his sin merited this, but by natural necessity, let him be anathema.
Canon 2 — Quod parvuli in peccatorum remissionem baptizentur. Denz. 102
Item placuit, ut quicunque parvulos recentes ab uteris matrum baptizandos negat, aut dicit in remissionem quidem peccatorum eos baptizari, sed nihil ex Adam trahere originalis peccati, quod lavacro regenerationis expietur, unde sit consequens ut in eis forma baptismatis in remissionem peccatorum non vera, sed falsa intelligatur, anathema sit. Quoniam non aliter intelligendum est quod ait Apostolus: Per unum hominem peccatum intravit in mundum, et per peccatum mors, et ita in omnes homines pertransiit, in quo omnes peccaverunt; nisi quemadmodum Ecclesia catholica ubique diffusa semper intellexit. Propter hanc enim regulam fidei etiam parvuli, qui nihil peccatorum in seipsos adhuc committere potuerunt, ideo in peccatorum remissionem veraciter baptizantur, ut in eis regeneratione mundetur, quod generatione traxerunt.
That infants are baptized for the remission of sins. Likewise it seemed good that whosoever denies that infants newly from their mother's wombs should be baptized, or says that baptism is for remission of sins, but that they derive from Adam no original sin, which needs to be removed by the laver of regeneration, from whence the conclusion follows, that in them the form of baptism for the remission of sins, is to be understood as false and not true, let him be anathema. For no otherwise can be understood what the Apostle says, "By one man sin is come into the world, and death through sin, and so death passed upon all men in that all have sinned," than the Catholic Church everywhere diffused has always understood it. For on account of this rule of faith (regulam fidei) even infants, who could have committed as yet no sin themselves, therefore are truly baptized for the remission of sins, in order that what in them is the result of generation may be cleansed by regeneration.
Canon 3 — Quod gratia Dei non solum remissionem tribuit peccatorum, sed etiam praestat adjutorium, ne peccetur. Denz. 103
Item placuit ut quicunque dixerit gratiam Dei, qua justificatur homo per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum, ad solam remissionem peccatorum valere, quae jam commissa sunt, non etiam ad adjutorium ut non committantur, anathema sit.
That the grace of God not only gives remission of sins, but also affords aid that we sin no more. Likewise it seemed good, that whoever should say that the grace of God, by which a man is justified through Jesus Christ our Lord, avails only for the remission of past sins, and not for assistance against committing sins in the future, let him be anathema.
Canon 4 — Quod gratia Christi non solum scientiam tribuit auid agamus, sed etiam dilectionem nobis inspirat, ut quod scimus implere valeamus. Denz. 104
Item quisquis dixerit eamdem gratiam Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum propter hoc tantum nos adjuvare ad non peccandum, quia per ipsam nobis revelatur, et aperitur intelligentia mandatorum, ut sciamus quid appetere, quid vitare debeamus: non autem per illam nobis praestari, ut quod faciendum cognoverimus etiam facere diligamus atque valeamus, anathema sit. Cum enim dicat Apostolus, Scientia inflat, charitas vero aedificat, valde impium est ut credamus ad eam quae inflat nos habere gratiam Christi, ad eam quae aedificat non habere: cum sit utrumque donum Dei, et scire quid facere debeamus, et diligere ut faciamus, ut aedificante charitate scientia non possit inflare. Sicut autem de Deo scriptum est, Qui docet hominem scientiam, ita etiam scriptum est, Charitas ex Deo est.
That the grace of Christ gives not only the knowledge of our duty, but also inspires us with a desire that we may be able to accomplish what we know. Also, whoever shall say that the same grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord helps us only in not sinning by revealing to us and opening to our understanding the commandments, so that we may know what to seek, what we ought to avoid, and also that we should love to do so, but that through it we are not helped so that we are able to do what we know we should do, let him be anathema. For when the Apostle says: "Wisdom puffeth up, but charity edifieth" it were truly infamous were we to believe that we have the grace of Christ for that which puffeth us up, but have it not for that which edifieth, since in each case it is the gift of God, both to know what we ought to do, and to love to do it; so that wisdom cannot puff us up while charity is edifying us. For as of God it is written, "Who teacheth man knowledge," so also it is written, "Love is of God."
Canon 5 — Quod sine Dei gratia nihil boni possimus implere. Denz. 105
Item placuit ut quicunque dixerit ideo nobis gratiam justificationis dari, ut quid facere libero jubemur arbitrio, facilius possimus implere per gratiam, tanquam et si gratia non daretur, non quidem facile, sed tamen possimus etiam sine illa implere divina mandata, anathema sit. De fructibus enim mandatorum Dominus loquebatur, ubi non ait, Sine me difficilius potestis facere: sed ait, Sine me nihil potestis facere.
That without the grace of God we can do no good thing. It seemed good that whosoever should say that the grace of justification was given to us only that we might be able more readily by grace to perform what we were ordered to do through our free will; as if though grace was not given, although not easily, yet nevertheless we could even without grace fulfil the divine commandments, let him be anathema. For the Lord spake concerning the fruits of the commandments, when he said: "Without me ye can do nothing," and not "Without me ye could do it but with difficulty."
Canon 6 — Quod non solum humilis, sed verax sanctorum vox ista est, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus. Denz. 106
Item placuit, quod ait sanctus Joannes apostolus: Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est, quisquis sic accipiendum putaverit, ut dicat, propter humilitatem oportere dici nos non habere peccatum, non quia vere ita est, anathema sit. Sequitur enim apostolus, et adjungit: Si autem confessi fuerimus peccata nostra, fidelis est et justus, qui remittat nobis peccata, et mundet nos ab omni iniquitate. Ubi satis apparet hoc non tantum humiliter, sed etiam veraciter dici. Poterat enim Apostolus dicere: Si dixerimus, non habemus peccatum, nos ipsos extollimus, et humilitas in nobis non est: sed cum ait, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est, satis ostendit eum qui dixerit se non habere peccatum non verum loqui, sed falsum.
That not only humble but also true is that voice of the Saints: "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves." It also seemed good that as St. John the Apostle says, "If we shall say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us," whosoever thinks that this should be so understood as to mean that out of humility, we ought to say that we have sin, and not because it is really so, let him be anathema. For the Apostle goes on to add, "But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity," where it is sufficiently clear that this is said not only of humility but also truly. For the Apostle might have said, "If we shall say we have no sins we shall extoll ourselves, and humility shall have no place in us;" but when he says, "we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" he sufficiently intimates that he who affirmed that he had no sin would speak not that which is true but that which is false.
Canon 7 — Quod in oratione Dominica sancti pro se dicant, Dimitte nobis debita nostra. Denz. 107
Item placuit ut quicunque dixerit in oratione dominica ideo dicere sanctos, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, ut non pro seipsis hoc dicant, quia non est eis jam necessaria ista petitio, sed pro aliis, qui sunt in suo populo peccatores, et ideo non dicere unumquemque sanctorum, Dimitte mihi debita mea, sed, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, ut hoc pro aliis potius quam pro se justus petere intelligatur, anathema sit. Sanctus enim et justus erat apostolus Jacobus, cum dicebat: In multis enim offendimus omnes Nam quare additum est, omnes, nisi ut ista sententia conveniret et psalmo, ubi legitur: Ne intres in judicio cum servo tuo, quoniam non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens: et in oratione sapientissimi Salomonis: Non est homo qui non peccavit; et in libro sancti Job: In manu omnis hominis signat, ut sciat omnis homo infirmitatem suam. Unde etiam Daniel sanctus et justus, cum in oratione pluraliter diceret: Peccavimus, iniquitatem fecimus, et caetera, quae ibi veraciter et humiliter confitetur: ne putaretur, quemadmodum quidam sentiunt, hoc non de suis, sed de populi sui potius dixisse peccatis, postea dixit: Cum orarem, et confiterer peccata mea, et peccata populi mei Domino Deo meo, noluit dicere peccata nostra, sed peccata populi sui dixit, et sua: quoniam futuros istos, qui tam male intelligerent, tanquam Propheta, praevidit.
That in the Lord's Prayer the Saints say for themselves: "Forgive us our trespasses." It has seemed good that whoever should say that when in the Lord's prayer, the saints say, "forgive us our trespasses," they say this not for themselves, because they have no need of this petition, but for the rest who are sinners of the people; and that therefore no one of the saints can say, "Forgive me my trespasses," but "Forgive us our trespasses;" so that the just is understood to seek this for others rather than for himself; let him be anathema. For holy and just was the Apostle James, when he said, "For in many things we offend all." For why was it added "all," unless that this sentence might agree also with the psalm, where we read, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified;" and in the prayer of the most wise Solomon: "There is no man that sinneth not;" and in the book of the holy Job: "He sealeth in the hand of every man, that every man may know his own infirmity;" wherefore even the holy and just Daniel when in prayer said several times: "We have sinned, we have done iniquity," and other things which there truly and humbly he confessed; nor let it be thought (as some have thought) that this was said not of his own but rather of the people's sins, for he said further on: "When I shall pray and confess my sins and the sins of my people to the Lord my God;" he did not wish to say our sins, but he said the sins of his people and his own sins, since he as a prophet foresaw that those who were to come would thus misunderstand his words.
Canon 8 — Quod veraciter a sanctis dicatur, Dimitte nobis debita nostra. Denz. 108
Item placuit ut quicunque ipsa verba dominicae orationis, ubi dicimus, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, ita volunt a sanctis dici, ut humiliter, non veraciter hoc dicatur, anathema sit. Quis enim ferat orantem, et non hominibus, sed ipsi Domino mentientem, qui labiis sibi dicit dimitti velle, et corde dicit, quae sibi dimittantur, debita non habere?
That the Saints say with accuracy, "Forgive us our trespasses." Likewise also it seemed good, that whoever wished that these words of the Lord's prayer, when we say, "Forgive us our trespasses" are said by the saints out of humility and not in truth let them be anathema. For who would make a lying prayer, not to men but to God? Who would say with his lips that he wished his sins forgiven him, but in his heart that he had no sins to be forgiven.