Disproof.
First I deny your Consequence, secondly your Antecedent, as both stark false, and that is as much as can well be false in an Enthememe.
First, I shall be bold to tell you Sirs, that your Argumentation from present faith, to a present having the holy Spirit is most invalid, and unconsonant to the Scripture, for if by the holy Spirit you mean (as you must else it serves not your turn at all to the proof of baptism) the spirit in that special sense, viz. the holy spirit of promise; the consequen••e from faith to the having of it will not universal∣ly hold true, for as much as faith not only must be in time before it (unless God be better than his word, and that he may be when he pleases, and so he was Act. 10, 44. where the spirit by Anticipation was given out before obedience at least in baptism, which yet by promise cannot be expected till after it Ast. 2. 38.) I say not only must be before it, but also may be a pretty while without it; this will be counted the mad mans mad Divinity with you (I doubt not) but ile clear it to the Dimmest Divine of you all, yea see if the whole body of the Testament of Christ doth not tell you plainly, that as faith must be before it in an ordinary way, before we have warrant to expect it, so it may for some while be without it, and therefore cannot prove the holy spirit to be alwaies where it is; for the spirit of promise is given after faith, if given according to the promise, and so long after it too now and then, as is enough to make it undeniably appear, that the having of faith, is no proof of ones present having the holy spirit: among sun∣dry others let those Scriptures be seriously searcht into, Ephes. 1.13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, Act. 19.2. have ye received the holy spirit since ye believed? they answered no, also Act. 8.12. when they believed, &c. they were baptized, &c. but verse 16. the holy spirit was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized, Act. 5.32. The ho∣ly spirit which God hath given to them that obey him: yea the gift of the spirit though Gods ordinary way so limits not himself but that he may give it extraordi∣narily before Act. 10. yet is it neither promised nor (as by promise) to be expect∣ed but upon obedience in faith, repentance, turning to God, baptism and pray∣er Pro. 1.23. Act. 2.38. Luke 11.15. Iohn 7.38.39. the places are so plain to the purpose, that i'le not disparage your judgement so much, as like a fresh man to stand to frame formal Syllogisms to you out of them: to conclude then as to your Consequence, had you argued from the holy spirit, in the special sence, in which you take it to faith, it might have past for me without correction, but ••ith you began at the wrong end of your business, I beseech you take it for a war∣ning Sirs and begin again.
Secondly, I deny your Antecedent, which if your Consequence were never so true, is most false, for infants of believers have not faith; if they have unbeliev∣ers infants (for ought you make appear to the contrary) have as much, and so (though that grieve and go against you, and cannot be owned so kindly by you in o∣pinion