Tertullian, On Baptism 18

People whose job this is know better than to treat baptism as something you take on faithlessly. Handing it to every single person who asks turns the rite into a charity receipt — your own title, same as almsgiving. No, the real rule is the one Jesus gave: don't throw holy things to dogs, don't toss pearls before pigs, don't lay hands on anyone lightly, or you'll end up sharing the guilt of their sins. (Matthew 7:6) You want to cite Philip and the eunuch as proof that speed is fine? Look closer. The Lord's own dignity stepped in, plain and unmistakable. The Spirit ordered Philip onto that road; the eunuch wasn't drifting — he had gone up to Jerusalem to worship, already gripped by Scripture. God sent an apostle to him unasked; the Spirit told Philip to catch the chariot; the passage he was reading hit home at the exact moment; he was urged on, seized the Lord, believed without delay, didn't wait for water, and Philip was snatched away the instant the work was done. That's not a precedent for haste — it's a miracle. Paul's quick baptism? Same thing. His host Simon recognized him instantly as God's chosen vessel. God's dignity fronts its own privileges; every request can deceive and be deceived. So the delay of baptism fits each person's condition, disposition, even age — especially with children. Why risk sponsors? They can die and break their promises, or be fooled by a child's bad turn. The Lord says, 'Don't stop them from coming to me.' (Matthew 19:14) Fine — let them come while they grow, while they learn, while they're taught what they're coming for; let them become Christians when they can actually know Christ. What's the rush to send an innocent age to the remission of sins? You're more careful with worldly goods — you don't trust earthly substance to someone until they prove they can handle it; do the same with divine things. Let them learn to seek salvation, so that when they ask, you've actually given them something. The same logic holds for the unmarried: temptation waits for virgins in maturity and widows in loneliness, until they either marry or grow steady in continence. Anyone who grasps the weight of baptism fears the consequence more than the delay; intact faith is already safe for salvation.