it is written (1 Pet. 3:21) that "Baptism saveth"
men; "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the
examination of a good conscience towards God." But children have no
conscience, either good or bad, since they have not the use of
reason: nor can they be fittingly examined, since they understand
not. Therefore children should not be baptized.

_On the contrary,_ Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. iii): "Our heavenly
guides," i.e. the Apostles, "approved of infants being admitted to
Baptism."

_I answer that,_ As the Apostle says (Rom. 5:17), "if by one man's
offense death reigned through one," namely Adam, "much more they who
receive abundance of grace, and of the gift, and of justice, shall
reign in life through one, Jesus Christ." Now children contract
original sin from the sin of Adam; which is made clear by the fact
that they are under the ban of death, which "passed upon all" on
account of the sin of the first man, as the Apostle says in the same
passage (Rom. 5:12). Much more, therefore, can children receive grace
through Christ, so as to reign in eternal life. But our Lord Himself
said (John 3:5): "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy
Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Consequently it
became necessary to baptize children, that, as in birth they incurred
damnation through Adam so in a second birth they might obtain
salvation through Christ. Moreover it was fitting that children
should receive Baptism, in order that being reared from childhood in
things pertaining to the Christian mode of life, they may the more
easily persevere therein; according to Prov. 22:5: "A young man
according to his way, even when he is old, he will not depart from
it." This reason is also given by Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. iii).

Reply Obj. 1: The spiritual regeneration effected by Baptism is
somewhat like carnal birth, in this respect, that as the child while
in the mother's womb receives nourishment not independently, but
through the nourishment of its mother, so also children before the
use of reason, being as it were in the womb of their mother the
Church, receive salvation not by their own act, but by the act of the
Church. Hence Augustine says (De Pecc. Merit. et Remiss. i): "The
Church, our mother, offers her maternal mouth for her children, that
they may imbibe the sacred mysteries: for they cannot as yet with
their own hearts believe unto justice, nor with their own mouths
confess unto salvation .