4. An Intermediate Opinion

48. So it is possible, as to this article, to hold an intermediate opinion as concerns an adult, that it is licit for an adult to receive baptism from someone in schism if another minister cannot be had.

49. And this seems to be held by Augustine, On Baptism against the Donatists VI ch.5 n.7 (fairly quickly after the beginning): “However someone separated [from the Church] can bestow baptism, just as he can have baptism, but ruinously bestow it; but he to whom he bestows it can receive it in a sound way, if he who receives it is not separated; just as to many it has happened that, with a Catholic mind and heart not alien to the unity of peace, they have, by some necessity of approaching death, come to some heretic and have received the baptism of Christ from him, without his perversity; and, whether deceased or set free, they would never remain with them [sc. heretics] to whom they had never in their heart passed over.”

50. An adult is also able perhaps not to receive [baptism from a heretic], because the baptism of desire would suffice for him if, because of reverence for the Church, he were to avoid such a heretic. However, all things considered, it seems better that he receive from such a person than that he depart from life without baptism.

51. But as to a child, if no one but someone in schism can be had to baptize him, and danger threatens, because it would not be possible to wait to get a suitable minister, he who has the child [n.44] is necessarily bound to offer his child to someone in schism. For it would be too hard to say that he would be bound to permit his child to be perpetually damned although he could have someone to baptize him, and although the child would be saved whoever was the baptizer, even it be a pagan doing the baptizing, according to Gratian, Decretum p.3 [n.36].