To Florus 1.53

For there I set out the following sequence of words, after saying that God is the author of heaven and earth and everything in them, and therefore also of human beings, for whose sake all things were made (compare Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11). I said: “I am aware that when we say these things, a report will be spread about us that we do not think Christ's grace necessary for infants. Such a statement rightly and deeply offends Christian people. If only they did not suppose us responsible for a saying that is wicked in itself! Then they would not incur guilt by believing falsehoods about their brothers, and they would show their devotion to the love of the faith. We must therefore defend this position against the assault of empty talk and sew up the mouths of our detractors with a brief confession.

We acknowledge that the grace of baptism is beneficial to every age, so completely that we pronounce an eternal anathema on all who think it unnecessary even for infants. But we believe this grace to be rich in spiritual gifts. Abundant in its many favors and worthy of reverence for its powers, it heals the different kinds of weakness and the different conditions of human beings by one power that bestows both remedies and gifts. When it is administered, it does not need to be changed to suit particular cases: it distributes its own gifts according to the capacity of those who approach. No craft itself suffers loss or gain because of the different materials it takes up to work on; remaining always the same and in the same condition, it is adorned by a variety of effects. In the same way, according to the apostle, there is ‘one faith, one baptism’ (Ephesians 4:5). These multiply and expand in their gifts, yet are not changed in the order of their mysteries.

But this grace, which washes away the stains of injustice, does not oppose justice. It does not create sins but cleanses them; it acquits the guilty, not falsely accuses the innocent. Christ, the redeemer of his own work, increases his benefits toward his image with continual generosity. Those whom he made good by creating them he makes better by renewing and adopting them” (quoted also in Augustine, Against Julian 3.8 and following). Through this grace, pardon for the guilty, spiritual illumination, adoption as God's children, citizenship in the heavenly Jerusalem, sanctification, incorporation into Christ's members, and possession of the kingdom of heaven are given to mortals. Anyone who thinks this grace should be denied to anyone deserves the abhorrence of all good people (compare Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 2:19; Hebrews 12:22–23; 1 Corinthians 12:13).