Wesley Corpus

But whose fault is this? It is not the fault of the Church, which care fully guards against this very thing, by ordering “that none but communicants be admitted to be godfathers or god mothers.” Now, communicants we may presume to be serious persons who will both consider and perform what they undertake. It is altogether the fault of those foolish parents who will, on any account whatever, either desire or suffer those to be sponsors for their children, that do not take care of their own souls. It is these inconsiderate and cruel men, who have no compassion for their own flesh, that deprive their children of all the benefits of this wise institution, and bring a scandal on the institution itself, by their wicked abuse of it. I therefore earnestly exhort all who have any concern, either for their own or their children’s souls, at all hazards to procure such persons to be sponsors, as truly fear God. Regard not whether they are rich or poor; and if they are poor, see that it be no expense to them. You will then tear up by the roots one of the most plausible objections which can be made against this primitive custom. 6. For, Thirdly, there is no reason why any truly serious man should scruple to undertake the office. If you suppose godfathers and godmothers undertake what is impossible to perform, you entirely mistake. And your mistake lies here: You think they undertake what they do not. Do not you think the sponsors themselves undertake or promise that the child shall “renounce the devil and all his works, constantly believe God's holy word, and obediently keep his command ments?” Whereas in truth they neither undertake nor promise any such thing. When they answer, “I renounce them all,” “This I steadfastly believe,” “I will” (obediently keep God’s holy will and commandments), they promise nothing at all; they engage for nothing; it is another person that promises all this. Whatever is then promised or undertaken, it is not by them, but by the child. It is his part, not theirs. So the Church tells you expressly: “This infant must for his part promise.” It is he promises in these words, not they.