The Enchiridion 119

St Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) · De fide spe et charitate · PL 40, 230–290

119 The Grace of Regeneration Washes Away All Past Sin and All Original Guilt PL 40, 287

Now in whichever of these four stages (as we may call them) the grace of regeneration finds any particular man, all his past sins are there and then pardoned, and the guilt which he contracted in his birth is removed in his new birth; and so true is it that “the wind bloweth where it listeth,” that some have never known the second stage, that of slavery under the law, but have received the divine assistance as soon as they received the commandment.

Regeneratio peccata abolet universa in quavis aetate. Servitus sub Lege nonnullis inexperta. In quacumque autem quatuor istarum velut aetatum singulum quemque hominem gratia regenerationis invenerit, ibi ei remittuntur praeterita universa peccata; et reatus ille nascendo contractus, renascendo dissolvitur. Tamque multum valet quod Spiritus ubi vult spirat. , ut quidam secundam illam servitutem sub Lege non noverint, sed cum mandato incipiant adjutorium habere divinum.

Philip Schaff (ed.), Buffalo/New York: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886-1889. Public domain: English translation first published 1885-1900 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series). Latin: Migne, Patrologia Latina (1844-1855), public domain; transcription from Corpus Corporum (University of Zurich).

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