Chapter — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Chapter IV. On The Necessity Of Baptism
114. Principle. Baptism is necessary by a necessity of means for eternal salvation; nevertheless, baptism of water, as regards its principal effect, namely, sanctifying grace, can be supplied a) through baptism of blood in adults and infants; b) through baptism of desire (flaminis) in adults alone.
The stated principle has three parts: 1. baptism is necessary by a necessity of means; 2. the principal effect of baptism of water, namely, sanctifying grace, can be obtained by adults through baptism both of desire and of blood; 3. by infants, or the perpetually insane, the same effect cannot be obtained except through baptism of blood.
Concerning the first and second parts no controversy exists among Catholic theologians. Concerning the third part, however, several theologians, for example, Durandus, Biel, Gerson, Toletus, Cajetan, Klee, Laurent, Schell, and others, think otherwise, judging that infants can be saved even without baptism of water or of blood. Cajetan102 hesitantly and "subject to correction" opines that such infants can be saved through baptism received not in reality but in the desire of their parents. Others think, according to that saying of St. John, "He enlightens every man coming into this world,"103 that these infants before death are miraculously enlightened by God and are saved if they consent to such illumination, but are damned if they do not. The reason why these theologians devised a substitute for baptism of water for infants is the very great difficulty of how otherwise God supplies sufficient grace for eternal salvation to children, and how otherwise it can truly be said: "God wills all men to be saved."
Nevertheless, Sacred Scripture, the Holy Fathers, and the definitions of the Church constantly teach the absolute necessity of baptism. Thus Christ says to Nicodemus: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a man is reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,"104 upon which text St. Ambrose notes: "Certainly He excepts no one; not an infant, not one overtaken by some necessity; ... no one ascends into the kingdom of heaven except through the sacrament of baptism."105 St. Augustine says: "Do not believe, or say, or teach that infants overtaken by death before they are baptized can attain the forgiveness of original sins, if you wish to be a Catholic."106 St. Thomas teaches: "These [children] cannot be assisted by another remedy except through the sacrament of baptism."107 The Council of Trent, however, defines: "If anyone says that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation, let him be anathema."108
102 Comm. in 3, q. 68, aa. 1 and 2.
103 John 1:9.
104 John 3:5.
105 De Abraham, l. 2, c. 11 (Migne, Patr. lat. 14, 521). The words which immediately follow in some editions of the works of St. Ambrose seem to be interpolated. These are the words: "Let them nevertheless have that hidden immunity from punishments; I do not know whether they have the honor of the kingdom."
106 De anima, l. 3, c. 9 (Migne, Patr. lat. 44, 516).
107 S. theol. 3, q. 68, a. 3.
115. As regards the principal effect, that is, sanctifying grace, in a case of necessity baptism of water can be supplied, and indeed:
1. Through baptism of desire (flaminis), which is an act of perfect charity with the desire for baptism, as was said above, n. 97. It is evident of itself that infants before the use of reason cannot, without a miracle, receive this baptism of desire, because they cannot elicit any act of perfect charity. Baptism of desire causes sanctifying grace insofar as it is joined with the desire to receive baptism of water as soon as possible.
That baptism of desire truly causes sanctifying grace is of faith. For the Council of Trent defines:109 The justification of the impious is "a translation from that state in which man is born a son of the first Adam, into the state of grace and of the adoption of the sons of God through the second Adam, Jesus Christ our Savior; this translation, after the Gospel has been promulgated, cannot take place without the laver of regeneration or the desire thereof." Under this desire for baptism, baptism of desire is understood. St. Pius V condemned the following proposition of Baius (31): "Perfect and sincere charity, which is from a pure heart and a good conscience and an unfeigned faith, can exist both in catechumens and penitents without the remission of sins."110 The same is established from Innocent III111 and from several Holy Fathers already cited above, n. 97. Added to these is the authority of St. Thomas, who teaches: "Without actual baptism [someone] can attain salvation because of the desire for baptism, which proceeds from faith working through charity, by which God sanctifies man inwardly, whose power is not bound to visible sacraments."112 The desire for baptism need not necessarily be explicit, but an implicit desire, which is present with an act of perfect charity, seems to suffice. Therefore, when a catechumen, with the assistance of God moving him, elicits an act of perfect charity, he always receives sanctifying grace; but if afterward he receives baptism, grace is increased, and the sacrament, per accidens, does not give but increases grace; if, however, he culpably neglects to receive baptism, he transgresses a grave precept of Christ and, consequently, by sinning mortally loses the grace previously possessed.
109 Sess. 6, c. 4 (Denz., n. 796).
110 Denz., n. 1031.
111 c. 4, X 3, 42, and c. 2, X 3, 43.
112 S. theol. 3, q. 68, a. 2.
116. 2. Through baptism of blood, or martyrdom endured for preserving the faith and other religious virtues, baptism of water is supplied both in adults and infants. Above, II, n. 622, when the virtue of fortitude was discussed, enough was already said concerning the essence and effects of martyrdom.
Baptism of blood, or martyrdom, gives sanctifying grace not only to adults possessing the use of reason, but also to infants. Thus stands the constant doctrine of the Church, which celebrates the feast of the "Innocents" slain for Christ. St. Thomas gives the reason: Baptism of water has its efficacy from the Passion of Christ, to which it is conformed. Now through martyrdom every man, even an infant, is conformed in a very perfect manner to Christ crucified. Therefore, it is fitting that martyrdom have the principal effect of baptism, namely, sanctifying grace. Moreover, in adults martyrdom is always joined with a perfect act of charity, according to that saying: "Greater love no man has than that a man lay down his life for his friends."113 Martyrdom effects the remission of guilt and punishment as if ex opere operato, and not because of a preceding formal act of contrition or charity; this indeed is evident of itself in infants, since they are not capable of eliciting those acts. In adults, however, martyrdom is not of less efficacy than in infants; and therefore a formal act of perfect charity or contrition is not required in them either. Faith and hope are required, however, since otherwise they are not true martyrs; moreover, aversion from the personal sins committed is required, at least through attrition, because no sin is remitted without detestation of it, as was already said above, n. 109. St. Thomas114 says simply: "Martyrdom cleanses from every guilt, both venial and mortal, unless it actually finds the will adhering to sin."
113 John 15:13.
114 S. theol. 3, q. 87, a. 1 ad 2.
117. Scholion. On the lot of infants who have died without baptism. Theologians treating the necessity of baptism are accustomed to discuss the lot of infants dying without baptism. Since, however, this question pertains more to Dogmatic Theology than to Moral Theology, and since, moreover, nothing certain can be said about it, we touch upon it only in passing. The Council of Florence defined: "The souls of those who depart in actual mortal sin or in original sin alone descend immediately into hell, to be punished, however, with unequal punishments."115 From these words it seems to follow, 1. that some men depart with original sin alone; 2. that the same suffer punishments. Hence the opinions of those theologians are excluded who admit in dying infants some miraculous illumination at the moment of death, by the acceptance of which they are saved, but by the rejection of which they are damned. For then there would be either eternal salvation from grace accepted, or hell from grace rejected and actual sin. Likewise excluded are those opinions which admit at least perfect natural beatitude. For how can perfect beatitude exist together with the punishments by which these infants are afflicted? For at the resurrection before the Last Judgment, infants will know the existence of heaven; and, moreover, every man has a natural desire to see God through His essence.116 Nevertheless, these infants do not have the punishment of sense, as St. Thomas117 teaches with the most common opinion against Gregory of Rimini, because the punishment of sense is not owed except for a disordered conversion to earthly goods, and such a disordered conversion cannot exist in infants. Since these things are so, either some very slight punishment in the limbo of children must be admitted with St. Augustine,118 or with St. Thomas119 it can be granted that these infants rejoice greatly in the natural knowledge and love of God. Moreover, possessing a right will and knowing well that they do not merit supernatural beatitude, they do not grieve so greatly over the lack of the beatific vision.120
115 Denz., n. 693. Cf. also the rather severe words of the Second Council of Milevis, Denz., n. 102, note 3.
116 Cf. S. theol. 1, q. 12, a. 1.
117 De malo, q. 5, a. 2.
118 Contra Julian., l. 5, c. 11, n. 44 (Migne, Patr. lat. 44, 809).
119 2, dist. 33, q. 2, a. 2 ad 5, and De malo, q. 5, a. 3.
120 Cf. Synod of Pistoia, prop. 26 (Denz., n. 1526), and Schanz, Die Lehre v. d. Sakr. I, § 20.