Stapleton's sixth proposition: not sinning in keeping the commandments
Thesis XLV. The following thesis sums up chapter 7: 'Although the righteousness of this life does not fulfil all the commandments without often stumbling, and is in progress rather than in perfection, that is, rather than in perfect action or possession of the virtues, yet in observing or fulfilling the commandments he does keep, the righteous person does not sin, even if he does not fulfil the commandment itself most perfectly as to the manner or degree of fulfilling it.'
He then warns that it must be carefully noted that the Catholic Church does not teach that the most perfect obedience to the commandments is necessary for righteousness and salvation, but true obedience, the kind the divine law requires us to have in this life.
'It is one thing,' he says, 'to satisfy a commandment of the law truly and fully, so that you are not its transgressor but keep it truly and fully, with the result that neither the law itself nor God on account of the law can justly condemn anything in your work. It is another to satisfy the divine law most fully and most perfectly, so that neither the law nor God on account of the law looks for anything more in your work. The first holds true in every righteous work. The second is thirsted and hungered for in this life, but not attained or possessed.'
Latin
XLV. Capitis septimi summam complectitur haec thesis, Quamvis justitia hujus vitae non sic adimpleat omnia mandata, quin saepius offendat, sitque potius in profectu quam in perfectione, id est perfecta operatione, aut possessione virtutum, tamen in eorum mandatorum quae facit justus observatione, seu adimpletione non peccat, utcunque mandatum ipsum perfectissime non impleat, quoad modum, seu gradum adimplendi. Et postea monet diligenter notandum, Catholicam Ecclesiam non docere perfectissimam mandatorum obedientiam esse ad justitiam & salutem necessariam: sed veram obedientiam, & hujusmodi qualem lex divina in hac vita a nobis exigit ut habeamus. Aliud enim est, inquit, vere & plene satisfacere legis mandato, ut illius, scilicet, transgressor non sis: sed illud vere & plene custodias, ita ut nec lex ipsa, nec Deus propter legem, quicquam in tuo opere juste damnet: aliud vero plenissime & perfectissime legi divinae satisfacere, ita sane ut nec lex, nec Deus propter legem quicquam in tuo opere amplius desideret. Illud enim in omni opere justo verum est. Istud in hac vita sititur & esuritur, non autem comprehenditur, non habetur.