16. In three ways then are sins remitted in the Church; by Baptism, by prayer, by the greater humility of penance; yet God doth not remit sins but to the baptized. The very sins which He remits first, He remits not but to the baptized. When? when they are baptized. The sins which are after remitted upon prayer, upon penance, to whom He remits, it is to the baptized that He remitteth. For how can they say, “Our Father,” who are not yet born sons? The Catechumens, so long as they be such, have upon them all their sins. If Catechumens, how much more Pagans? how much more heretics? But to heretics we do not change their baptism. Why? because they have baptism in the same way as a deserter has the soldier’s mark:45    “Characterem.” just so these also have Baptism; they have it, but to be condemned thereby, not crowned. And yet if the deserter himself, being amended, begin to do duty as a soldier, does any man dare to change his mark?

CAPUT VIII.

16. Peccata tribus modis dimittuntur. Ergo tribus modis dimittuntur peccata in Ecclesia; in Baptismate, in oratione, in humilitate majore poenitentiae: tamen Deus non dimittit peccata, nisi baptizatis. Ipsa peccata quae primum dimittit, non nisi baptizatis dimittit. Quando? Quando baptizantur. Peccata quae postea orantibus dimittuntur, et poenitentibus, quibus dimittit, baptizatis dimittit. Nam quomodo dicunt, Pater noster, qui nondum nati sunt? Catechumeni quamdiu sunt, super illos sunt omnia peccata eorum. Si catechumeni, quanto magis Pagani? quanto magis haeretici? Sed haereticis Baptismum non mutamus. Quare? Quia sic habent Baptismum, quomodo desertor habet characterem: ita et isti habent Baptismum; habent, sed unde damnentur, non unde coronentur. Et tamen si desertor ipse correctus incipiat militare, numquid audet quisquam ei characterem mutare?