Whether Plain Water Is Necessary for Baptism?
Objection 1: It seems that plain water is not necessary for Baptism.
For the water which we have is not plain water; as appears especially
in sea-water, in which there is a considerable proportion of the
earthly element, as the Philosopher shows (Meteor. ii). Yet this
water may be used for Baptism. Therefore plain and pure water is not
necessary for Baptism.
Obj. 2: Further, in the solemn celebration of Baptism, chrism is
poured into the water. But this seems to take away the purity and
plainness of the water. Therefore pure and plain water is not
necessary for Baptism.
Obj. 3: Further, the water that flowed from the side of Christ
hanging on the cross was a figure of Baptism, as stated above (A. 3,
ad 3). But that water, seemingly, was not pure, because the elements
do not exist actually in a mixed body, such as Christ's. Therefore it
seems that pure or plain water is not necessary for Baptism.
Obj. 4: Further, lye does not seem to be pure water, for it has the
properties of heating and drying, which are contrary to those of
water. Nevertheless it seems that lye can be used for Baptism; for
the water of the Baths can be so used, which has filtered through a
sulphurous vein, just as lye percolates through ashes. Therefore it
seems that plain water is not necessary for Baptism.
Obj. 5: Further, rose-water is distilled from roses, just as chemical
waters are distilled from certain bodies. But seemingly, such like
waters may be used in Baptism; just as rain-water, which is distilled
from vapors. Since, therefore, such waters are not pure and plain
water, it seems that pure and plain water is not necessary for
Baptism.
_On the contrary,_ The proper matter of Baptism is water, as stated
above (A. 3). But plain water alone has the nature of water.
Therefore pure plain water is necessary for Baptism.
_I answer that,_ Water may cease to be pure or plain water in two
ways: first, by being mixed with another body; secondly, by
alteration. And each of these may happen in a twofold manner;
artificially and naturally. Now art fails in the operation of nature:
because nature gives the substantial form, which art cannot give; for
whatever form is given by art is accidental; except perchance when
art applies a proper agent to its proper matter, as fire to a
combustible; in which manner animals are produced from certain things
by way of putrefaction.
Whatever artificial change, then, takes place in the water, whether
by mixture or by alteration, the water's nature is not changed.
Consequently such water can be used for Baptism: unless perhaps such
a small quantity of water be mixed artificially with a body that the
compound is something other than water; thus mud is earth rather than
water, and diluted wine is wine rather than water.
But if the change be natural, sometimes it destroys the nature of the
water; and this is when by a natural process water enters into the
substance of a mixed body: thus water changed into the juice of the
grape is wine, wherefore it has not the nature of water. Sometimes,
however, there may be a natural change of the water, without
destruction of species: and this, both by alteration, as we may see
in the case of water heated by the sun; and by mixture, as when the
water of a river has become muddy by being mixed with particles of
earth.
We must therefore say that any water may be used for Baptism, no
matter how much it may be changed, as long as the species of water is
not destroyed; but if the species of water be destroyed, it cannot be
used for Baptism.
Reply Obj. 1: The change in sea-water and in other waters which we
have to hand, is not so great as to destroy the species of water. And
therefore such waters may be used for Baptism.
Reply Obj. 2: Chrism does not destroy the nature of the water by
being mixed with it: just as neither is water changed wherein meat
and the like are boiled: except the substance boiled be so dissolved
that the liquor be of a nature foreign to water; in this we may be
guided by the specific gravity (_spissitudine_). If, however, from
the liquor thus thickened plain water be strained, it can be used for
Baptism: just as water strained from mud, although mud cannot be used
for baptizing.
Reply Obj. 3: The water which flowed from the side of Christ hanging
on the cross, was not the phlegmatic humor, as some have supposed.
For a liquid of this kind cannot be used for Baptism, as neither can
the blood of an animal, or wine, or any liquid extracted from plants.
It was pure water gushing forth miraculously like the blood from a
dead body, to prove the reality of our Lord's body, and confute the
error of the Manichees: water, which is one of the four elements,
showing Christ's body to be composed of the four elements; blood,
proving that it was composed of the four humors.
Reply Obj. 4: Baptism may be conferred with lye and the waters of
Sulphur Baths: because such like waters are not incorporated,
artificially or naturally, with certain mixed bodies, and suffer only
a certain alteration by passing through certain bodies.
Reply Obj. 5: Rose-water is a liquid distilled from roses:
consequently it cannot be used for Baptism. For the same reason
chemical waters cannot be used, as neither can wine. Nor does the
comparison hold with rain-water, which for the most part is formed by
the condensing of vapors, themselves formed from water, and contains
a minimum of the liquid matter from mixed bodies; which liquid matter
by the force of nature, which is stronger than art, is transformed in
this process of condensation into real water, a result which cannot
be produced artificially. Consequently rain-water retains no
properties of any mixed body; which cannot be said of rose-water or
chemical waters.
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