ldren another's feet that they may come, and another's
heart that they may believe, so, too, she lends them another's ears,
that they may hear, and another's mind, that through others they may
be taught. And therefore, as they are to be baptized, on the same
grounds they are to be instructed.

Reply Obj. 3: He who answers in the child's stead: "I do believe,"
does not foretell that the child will believe when it comes to the
right age, else he would say: "He will believe"; but in the child's
stead he professes the Church's faith which is communicated to that
child, the sacrament of which faith is bestowed on it, and to which
faith he is bound by another. For there is nothing unfitting in a
person being bound by another in things necessary for salvation. In
like manner the sponsor, in answering for the child, promises to use
his endeavors that the child may believe. This, however, would not be
sufficient in the case of adults having the use of reason.
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 71, Art. 2]

Whether Exorcism Should Precede Baptism?

Objection 1: It seems that exorcism should not precede Baptism. For
exorcism is ordained against energumens or those who are possessed.
But not all are such like. Therefore exorcism should not precede
Baptism.

Obj. 2: Further, so long as man is a subject of sin, the devil has
power over him, according to John 8:34: "Whosoever committeth sin is
the servant of sin." But sin is taken away by Baptism. Therefore men
should not be exorcized before Baptism.

Obj. 3: Further, Holy water was introduced in order to ward off the
power of the demons. Therefore exorcism was not needed as a further
remedy.

_On the contrary,_ Pope Celestine says (Epist. ad Episcop. Galliae):
"Whether children or young people approach the sacrament of
regeneration, they should not come to the fount of life before the
unclean spirit has been expelled from them by the exorcisms and
breathings of the clerics."

_I answer that,_ Whoever purposes to do a work wisely, first removes
the obstacles to his work; hence it is written (Jer. 4:3): "Break up
anew your fallow ground and sow not upon thorns." Now the devil is
the enemy of man's salvation, which man acquires by Baptism; and he
has a certain power over man from the very fact that the latter is
subject to original, or even actual, sin. Consequently it is fitting
that before Baptism the demons should be cast out by exorcisms, lest
they impede m