Augustine. For, on the one hand, he saith[1], "that, by the same washing of regeneration; and word of sanctification, all the ills of regenerated man are wholly cleansed and healed; not only the sins, which are now in Baptism all forgiven, but those also which are afterwards contracted by human ignorance and infirmity. Not that Baptism is to be repeated as often as sin is committed, but because thereby that it is once given, there is obtained for the faithful, pardon for all sins, not only for those before, but even for those afterwards committed. For what would repentance benefit, either before Baptism, unless Baptism followed; or afterwards, unless it preceded? In the Lord's prayer itself, which is our daily cleansing, with what fruit or effect would the words 'forgive us our trespasses' be used, unless by persons baptized?" On the other hand, he says distinctly[2], "when an infant begins to have sins of its own after Baptism, these are not removed by Regeneration, but are healed by another cure." And so again he distinguishes at length[3] between three sorts of penitence: one, necessary previous to Baptism, for all except infants, (who, since they cannot exercise freewill, may, through the interrogatories and answers of others, be cleansed from the stains of sins which they contracted through others, of whom they were born;) secondly, the daily penitence, during the whole of our mortal life, for those blameworthy and unholy motions, which, day by day, through the infirmity of the flesh, creep over us; thirdly, for those sins comprised under the Decalogue, if they should be committed. So
- ↑ De Nuptiis, § 38.
- ↑ Epist. 98. ad Bonifac.
- ↑ De Pœnitentia, Serm. 351 (alias 50 inter 50), § 2 fin. The same triple division of repentance recurs in his de Symbolo, § 15. "In three ways are sins remitted in the Church,—in Baptism, in prayer, in the deeper humiliation of penitence; yet God forgiveth not sin, except to the baptized. Those very sins, which He first remits, He remits only to the baptized; when? when they are baptized. The sins, which are afterwards forgiven to us on our praying, and to the penitent, whom He forgiveth, He forgiveth them, as being baptized. For how can they say 'Our Father,' who are not yet born? As long as they are Catechumens, (disciples but unbaptized), their sins are upon them."
