Whether the Children Who Died in Original Sin Were Delivered by
Christ?
Objection 1: It would seem that the children who died in original sin
were delivered from hell by Christ's descending thither. For, like
the holy Fathers, the children were kept in hell simply because of
original sin. But the holy Fathers were delivered from hell, as
stated above (A. 5). Therefore the children were similarly delivered
from hell by Christ.
Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 5:15): "If by the offense of
one, many died; much more the grace of God and the gift, by the grace
of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." But the children
who die with none but original sin are detained in hell owing to
their first parent's sin. Therefore, much more were they delivered
from hell through the grace of Christ.
Obj. 3: Further, as Baptism works in virtue of Christ's Passion, so
also does Christ's descent into hell, as is clear from what has been
said (A. 4, ad 2, AA. 5, 6). But through Baptism children are
delivered from original sin and hell. Therefore, they were similarly
delivered by Christ's descent into hell.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Rom. 3:25): "God hath proposed
Christ to be a propitiation, through faith in His blood." But the
children who had died with only original sin were in no wise sharers
of faith in Christ. Therefore, they did not receive the fruits of
Christ's propitiation, so as to be delivered by Him from hell.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 6), Christ's descent into hell
had its effect of deliverance on them only who through faith and
charity were united to Christ's Passion, in virtue whereof Christ's
descent into hell was one of deliverance. But the children who had
died in original sin were in no way united to Christ's Passion by
faith and love: for, not having the use of free will, they could have
no faith of their own; nor were they cleansed from original sin
either by their parents' faith or by any sacrament of faith.
Consequently, Christ's descent into hell did not deliver the children
from thence. And furthermore, the holy Fathers were delivered from
hell by being admitted to the glory of the vision of God, to which no
one can come except through grace; according to Rom. 6:23: "The grace
of God is life everlasting." Therefore, since children dying in
original sin had no grace, they were not delivered from hell.
Reply Obj. 1: The holy Fathers, although still held bound by the debt
of original sin, in so far as it touches human nature, were
nevertheless delivered from all stain of sin by faith in Christ:
consequently, they were capable of that deliverance which Christ
brought by descending into hell. But the same cannot be said of the
children, as is evident from what was said above.
Reply Obj. 2: When the Apostle says that the grace of God "hath
abounded unto many," the word "many" [*The Vulgate reads 'plures,'
i.e. 'many more'] is to be taken, not comparatively, as if more were
saved by Christ's grace than lost by Adam's sin: but absolutely, as
if he said that the grace of the one Christ abounded unto many, just
as Adam's sin was contracted by many. But as Adam's sin was
contracted by those only who descended seminally from him according
to the flesh, so Christ's grace reached those only who became His
members by spiritual regeneration: which does not apply to children
dying in original sin.
Reply Obj. 3: Baptism is applied to men in this life, in which man's
state can be changed from sin into grace: but Christ's descent into
hell was vouchsafed to the souls after this life when they are no
longer capable of the said change. And consequently by baptism
children are delivered from original sin and from hell, but not by
Christ's descent into hell.
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