GodHeals. You asked . . .
Prevenient grace is actual grace right? Why the beginning in adults and not children? Not to side track the conversation.
Good question. Certainly God HAS to make the first move on humanity and not the other way around (and I can tell, that you know that too but other readers may not).
I had wondered the same thing many years ago and went back and re-read it all in context and here is what I came up with . . . .
The context of THAT section of Trent has to do with WORKS IN GRACE.
Since babies cannot be expected to carry out works of charity, I think the Council didn’t want someone objecting and saying: “Well what about babies? How can THEY do works?”
So when the Council talks of “adults” in this section, they are pre-empting that objection.
They are NOT trying to say here, “Well adults need God’s prevenient grace, but not babies.”
Everyone including babies need God’s prevenient grace (and again I know YOU know that) and the Council just matter of factly taught that elsewhere.
The adults need to freely assent to it AND COOPERATE with it.
CANON III. (From Trent, Sixth Session) If any one saith, that
without the prevenient inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and without his help,
man can believe, hope, love, or be penitent as he ought, so as that the grace of Justification may be bestowed upon him; let him be anathema.
It will become clearer I think if I use a larger quote for more context.
COUNCIL OF TRENT Decree on Justification (Chapter V) The Synod furthermore declares, that in adults, the beginning of the said Justification is to be derived from the prevenient grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that is to say, from His vocation, whereby, without any merits existing on their parts, they are called; that so they, who by sins were alienated from God, may be disposed through His quickening and assisting grace, to convert themselves to their own justification,
by freely assenting to and co-operating with that said grace: in such sort that, while God touches the heart of man by the illumination of the Holy Ghost, neither is man himself utterly without doing anything while he receives that inspiration, forasmuch as he is also able to reject it; yet is he not able, by his own free will, without the grace of God, to move himself unto justice in His sight. Whence, when it is said in the sacred writings: Turn ye to me, and I will turn to you, we are admonished of our liberty; and when we answer; Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted, we confess that we are prevented by the grace of God.
Baptized individuals possess the gifts of faith, hope, and charity (see CCC 1266), but the infants usually cannot EXPRESS these gifts publicly (
although here is at least one exception to infants or “sucklings” not being able to show or express these gifts).
I hope this helps.
God bless.
Cathoholic
Edit:
Sorry. I just realized fhansen already answered it.
I believe it’s only because an infant can’t be called-so as to respond to or cooperate with grace by an act of the will-as an adult can.
