Holy Baptism holds the first place among all the Sacraments because it is the door of the spiritual life. By it we are members of Christ and of His Body, the Church. And since through the first man death has come to all men, unless we are re-born of water and the Holy Ghost, we cannot into the kingdom of Heaven. 

------Council of Florence

 It should be known that Baptism is not only the first but also the most necessary of all the Sacraments. Without Baptism, no one can enter Heaven. 

------St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori

 We are bound to receive Baptism, the Sacrament of Faith, in this present life in order to obtain the happiness of eternal life.

------St. Augustine

 The fault of our nature remains so deeply impressed in our offspring as to make them guilty even when the guilt of the self-same fault has been washed away in the parent by the remission of sin. The guilt, therefore, of that corruption will remain in the carnal offspring of the regenerated until it also is washed away in them by the laver of regeneration. A regenerated man does not regenerate, but generates sons according to the flesh. So his first birth holds a man in that bondage from which nothing but his second birth delivers him.

------St. Augustine

This regeneration is effected by Baptism, for just as a man cannot live in the flesh unless he is born in the flesh, even so a man cannot have the spiritual life of grace unless he be born again spiritually. 

------St. Thomas Aquinas

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

------St. John 3: 6

Flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God.

------1 Corinthians 15: 50
 

Not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to His mercy He has saved us by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Spirit. 

------St. Titus 3: 5

It would tend to the ruin of our souls if, from our refusal of the saving font of Baptism to those who seek it, any of them should depart this life and lose the kingdom and eternal life. 

------Pope St. Siricius

We believe the way of salvation to be open only to those who are Baptized . . . Men are bound to those things without which they cannot attain salvation . . . Consequently, it is clear that everyone is bound to be Baptized, and that without Baptism there is no salvation for men. 

------St. Thomas Aquinas

They who are not Baptized cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven. 

------Ven. Louis of Granada

The universal and absolute necessity of Baptism our Savior has declared in these words: "Unless a person be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

------The Catechism of the Council of Trent
 

Whoever is not reborn of water and the Holy Spirit cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

------John 3: 5

As a herald, I therefore proclaim to you: Come, all ye families of the Gentiles, to the immortality of Baptism. I announce to you who dwell in the darkness of ignorance the glad tidings of life. Come out of slavery unto liberty; out of tyranny into a Kingdom; from corruption unto incorruption. And how, you ask, shall we come? How? Through water and the Holy Ghost. This is that water, combined with the Spirit, by which Paradise is watered . . . the water by which man, having been regenerated, is made a living creature . . . But perhaps someone will ask: What does it conduce unto piety to be Baptized? In the first place, that you may do what has seemed good to God; In the next place, being born again by water unto God so that you change your first birth, which was from concupiscence, and are able to attain salvation, which otherwise would be impossible. For thus the prophet hath sworn to us: Amen, I say to you, unless ye be born again with living water, into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, fly to the water, for this alone can extinguish the rage of the fire. He who will not come to the water still carries around with him the spirit of insanity, for the sake of which he will not come to the living water for his own salvation. 

------St. Hippolytus of Rome

Baptism is necessary for salvation.

------Pope Benedict XIV

Baptism is the Sacrament of absolute necessity.

------St. Thomas Aquinas

The necessity of Baptism is absolute, for Baptism is not only the first in order among the Sacraments but is also the most necessary of all. 

------St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori

If anyone says that Baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation: let him be anathema. 

------Council of Trent 

That the rewards of eternal life are given without Baptism is very foolish. 

------Pope St. Innocent I

It is obvious that all who die without Baptism are lost.

------St. Prosper of Aquitaine

No one ascends into the kingdom of Heaven except by the Sacrament of Baptism. No one is excused from Baptism: not infants nor anyone hindered by any necessity.

------St. Ambrose

In explicit terms Christ affirmed the necessity of Baptism, and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church: for through Baptism as through a door men enter the Church.

------II Vatican Council

No one shall enter the Church unless he is united to the Body of Christ through Baptism.

------St. Bede the Venerable

Without Baptism, faith will not secure salvation, since only through Baptism come the remission of sin and the special graces . . . When the Lord Jesus Christ was about to give us the form of Baptism, He came to John, and John said to Him: "I ought to be Baptized by Thee, and comest Thou to me?" And Jesus, answering, said to him: "Suffer it to be so for now. For thus it becometh us to fulfill all justice" [Matthew 3: 14-15]. See how all justice rests on Baptism.

------St. Ambrose

Without the Sacrament of Baptism, no one is ever justified. 

------Council of Trent

[The Council taught that the beginning of justification in adults was faith in Christ, the repentance of sin, and the desire for Baptism, that the final perseverance in justification cannot be attained without Baptism. This is what is meant by the above.----The Web Master]

God does not forgive sins except to those who are Baptized.

------St. Augustine

Forgiveness of sins is bestowed upon us only by the Baptism of Christ. ------Pope St. Gregory the Great

God provides Baptism for all His Elect.

------St. Robert Bellarmine

One is the Baptism which the Church administers: the Baptism of water and the Holy Ghost, with which catechumens need to be Baptized. Therefore, the three witnesses in Baptism are one: the water, the blood, and the Spirit; for if you take away one of these, the Sacrament of Baptism does not exist. For what is water without the cross of Christ? A common element without any sacramental effect. Nor does the mystery of regeneration exist at all without water: "For unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom" [John 3: 5]. Now, even the catechumen believes in the cross of the Lord Jesus, with which he also signs himself; but, unless he be Baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, he cannot receive remission of his sins nor the gift of spiritual grace.

------St. Ambrose

It is not enough merely to believe. He who believes and is not yet Baptized, but is only a catechumen, has not yet fully acquired salvation.

------St. Thomas Aquinas

Occasionally the grace of God towards men may be such that . . .t hey may have remission, justification, and sanctification prior to the external reception of the Sacraments. However . . . such persons must necessarily receive the Sacraments. 

------St. Augustine

God might have said: "Come, all of you, for, after all, you will lose nothing by coming; and I will give drink to those whom I think fit for it." But, since He said we were all to come, without making this condition, I feel sure that no one will fail to receive this living water unless they can not keep to the path.

------St. Teresa of Avila

To him who has God, nothing shall be lacking, if he be not lacking to God.

------St. Cyprian

God does not abandon the Just unless they first abandon Him.

------St. Augustine

Everyone can obtain the Sacrament of Baptism because it is a gift of God's grace.

------St. Pacian

Everyone whosoever desires can draw the water of life from the Church.

------St. Irenaeus of Lyons

 He Who lavishes His gifts on so many Mohammedans, blasphemers, godless persons, and atheists, will He forsake His own true children? It is impossible! Utterly impossible! . . . If He is concerned even about the "hairs of our heads" [Luke 21: 18], how much more about things of greater importance! Let us be anxious only to please Him and accomplish faithfully what He asks of us, and He will take care of all that is necessary and expedient for us.

------St. John Eudes

God provides Baptism for all His Elect.

------St. Robert Bellarmine

      My Elect shall not labor in vain . . . I have given waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, to My chosen ones.

------Isaias 65: 23; 43: 20

      If, then, God wills all men to be saved, it follows that He gives to all men that grace and those aids which are necessary for the attainment of salvation; otherwise, it could never be said that He has a true will to save everyone.

------St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori

   For God anticipates us with His inspiration, so that we may will. And He follows us with His support, so that we do not will in vain but may be able to carry out what we will.

------Pope St. Gregory the Great

Taken From THE APOSTOLIC DIGEST, Sacred Heart Press

  TRADITION------------TRUE FAITH

www.catholictradition.org/Tradition/faith3.htm