Chapter I. The Nature of Baptism

THE first of the sacraments, the door by which men enter into the Church of God, by which they are made her children and the sons of God, is Baptism. The Catechism of the Council of Trent defines Baptism as the sacrament of regeneration by water in the word. This is but expressing in other words what our Lord said to Nicodemus, “‘ Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”¹ The new birth which takes place in Baptism is the new life of grace which is given to the soul by the sacrament, and by this vivifying grace the soul which was dead to God lives to him with a supernatural life.

Baptism, then, is a total washing of the soul from the stains of sin, both original and actual, if any have been committed, and a complete cancelling of all the debt of punishment which may be due to sin. This is brought about by the infusion of sanctifying grace into the soul, together with the habits of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Moreover, by Baptism a character is imprinted on the soul by which it is known to God and his angels as that of a baptized Christian; and the person baptized becomes a member of the Church, a child of God, and heir to the kingdom of heaven.

¹ John iii 5.

By the positive will of Jesus Christ Baptism is necessary for salvation, as may be gathered from the words quoted above. This truth was defined by the Council of Trent,¹ “ If anyone saith that Baptism is optional, that is, not necessary unto salvation—let him be anathema.” Without Baptism, then, it is impossible to be saved, not merely because Christ commanded all to receive this sacrament, but because it infuses sanctifying grace into the soul, that nuptial garment without which no one can be admitted to the beatific vision. If, however, for one cause or another it is not possible to receive the Baptism of water, its place may be supplied by an act of perfect contrition or of the pure love of God, and by martyrdom. On this account Baptism is said by theologians to be threefold: the Baptism of water, the Baptism of desire, and the Baptism of blood. Perfect conversion to God by contrition for sin or by Se certainly infuses sanctifying grace into the soul and forgive: sin, as Holy Scripture frequently declares, and as the Council of Trent teaches² In this, therefore, its effect is similar to the primary effect of Baptism, and it is rightly called the Baptism of desire. Still, after the promulgation of the New Law the Baptism of desire only produces its effect because explicitly or implicitly it contains a desire and a purpose to receive the Baptism of water, should occasion offer. Although the Baptism of desire reconciles the sinner to God, yet it does not imprint any character on the soul, nor does it necessarily remit all the temporal punishment due to sin. The extent to which it does this will depend on the intensity of the act.

Martyrdom, also, or death patiently endured for the sake of Christ or for some Christian virtue, has the same effect as the Baptism of desire. “‘ Greater love than this,” said our blessed Lord, “no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’’³ Still martyrdom does not produce its effect simply as an act of love, but in a manner ex opere operato, by a special privilege, as being an imitation of the passion and death of Christ. Thus the Church honours as saints in heaven the Holy Innocents and other children who have been put to death for the sake of Christ. In the case of adults who have committed sin there must at least be attrition for sin in order that martyrdom may produce its effect as a kind of Baptism.

¹ Sess. vii, c. 5, de Bapt.

² Sess. xiv, c. 4.

³ John xv 13.