Christianismus redivivus Christndom both un-christ'ned and new-christ'ned, or, that good old way of dipping and in-churching of men and women after faith and repentance professed, commonly (but not properly) called Anabaptism, vindicated ... : in five or six several systems containing a general answer ... : not onely a publick disputation for infant baptism managed by many ministers before thousands of people against this author ... : but also Mr. Baxters Scripture proofs are proved Scriptureless ... / by Samuel Fisher ...

Disproof.

How often shall I adjure you the next time you write to write no more then truth at least in matter of fact? if you will needs utter falsehood in matter of Doctrine? do not your selves bear me witness before all the world not above two pages be∣hind that I denyed circumcision to be a seal of the righteousness of faith, to any but Abrahams person only, and avouched it to be no such thing to his posterity and yet how quickly have you forgotten your selves so far as to the contradicting of your selves, as well as the truth, to represent it here as if I had confessed it? and having began to faulter, and falsifie things for your own ends, how easily do you multiply misreport, and run from ore shooes, as the Proverb is, to ore boots too, for no less than a pair of pretty ones are here recorded; for how be it my declared judgement then was, now is and I believe ever will be, for ought you can say to clear the contrary, that circumcision (though a seal to Abraham to honor the greatness of that faith he had, and to notify him to be the father of the faithful, as it is plainly exprest Rom. 4.11.) was not set as a seal in any sense at

all to any other, but as a bare sign and token in their flesh to mind them upon sight thereof, immediately of the Covenant that then was, remotely as a type (as every other thing under the law did) of something in the Gospel Covenant viz. circumcision of the heart, and that baptism it self is no seal at all, but a bare sign of the Gospel Covenant, and is not so much as a sign, or any thing else, but a meer nullity to little infants, yet the world is here belied into the belief of it, that I confesse both that circumcision was a seal of the Gospel Covenant, and that under such a notion as a seal of that Covenant Ishmael himself had right to it, and received it, for so you expresse it p. 7. and that baptism is the seal of the Gospel Covenant, even to little infants themselves as well as others.

I do therefore in answer to this last piece of yours, and in order to your better understanding of me for the future, and of the truth too, as it is in Jesus, at pre∣sent professe against two things herein,

First your forgeries and misrepresentations of my opinion to the world, which was not so darkly declared at that time as that you must needs mistake it.

Secondly, against the falsities and mistakes that are in your own opinion in this point viz. in stiling both circumcision, as dispensd to Abrahams fleshly posterity and baptism also as dispensed not to others onely, but even to infants by the name of seals of the Covenant of grace. As for circumcision that it was not so, though I might adde much more to what hath been before spoken in proof hereof in my animadversion of your account, yet Ile save my self that labor, and refer you for fuller understanding, what circumcision was, and was not, to a certain book, that is extant of one Mr. Iackson, once of Bi∣denden in Kent, stiled 19. Arguments, proving circumcision to be no seal of the Covenant of grace, whereunto is annexed the unlawfulnesse of Infant bap∣tism upon that ground, of which book I must needs give testimony thus far to the world, that it being brought to me, whilst it was but a manuscript, and my self a Presbyter of your high places, in some confidence that I could answer it, how easily I might have shufled it off, had I set my self so to do I will not say, but I could not answer it solidly, nor salva consciencia, and therefore I let it alone for a time, till considering further of it, and of other things I was stirrd up to the stu∣dy of by it, I was at last converted to the truth, whereupon as the best answer I was capable to give, I signed it in such wise (as I find Luther once signed ano∣ther book in the like case) viz. memorandum that taking this book in hand at first to confute it, I was at last convinced by it.

Which 19. proofs of circumcision to be no seal of the Covenant of Grace, if they be weak, and invalid, such a multitude as you are have time enough among you to disprove them, but if you yield to them, be silent and say no∣thing.

As for baptism I confesse it to be truly and properly a sign, and that of the Covenant of Grace, remission of sins by Christ his death and resurrection, which are both not onely signified, but also lively represented, and resembled in the true dispensation of it to believers, yet that it is so much as a sign at all to infants in infancy, or when grown to years either (if dispensed in infancy) I absolutely deny, and affirm that the very nature, use and office of it (as a sign to its subject) is totally destroyed by such immature administration: for a sign (specially proprie dictum) that is properly, and not improperly so called in reference to that person, whose sign it is, is some outward thing appearing to the senses, through which some other thing, some inward thing is at the same time apprehended by the un∣derstanding, This is the most true and proper difinition that your Divines give of a sign in general, but in special of these signes, viz. baptism, and the supper, so Pareus and Kekermaen both do define a sign out of Austin r and so do you all define these signs viz. in oculis incurrentia signa, but such a thing baptism cannot be to infants in their infancy, nor after their infancy neither, if dispensed while

they are infants, the sign and thing signified being not possible in that way to be ever apprehended both together as they must be viz. the sign by the senses, the thing signified by the understanding, and that at the same time when the sign appears to the senses, or else the sign is a meer Nullity, and of no use and benefit as a sign at all, for though infants may have the sense of the thing so as to see and feel if they were dipt in infancy, yet have they then no understanding of its meaning, and though when they come to years they are capable to gather the meaning of things, or from an appearing sign to conceive what is signified thereby, yet then the sign it self is fled out of sight, and so far out of the reach of their remembrance, that as thers nothing now presented, so neither ever was there any thing (for ought they can conjecture any more then by meer human hearsay) objected to their sen∣ses at all: when the Jewes required a sign of Christ, they required something that might be seen, what sign shewest thou that we may see and believe?

A sign then must be some memorandum, some object obvious to the senses, of that person to whom tis a sign properly taken, either continually, or at some∣time or other, even then which the understanding drinks in the thing signified, else if there neither is, nor ever was any such sight or sense of the sign, as from the then, or now present appearance of it, while the understanding of the party, whose sign it is, is lively acted on the thing, then to that person the sign (unlesse improperly, and improper signes the sacraments are not) can possibly be no sign at all, this Pare∣us teacheth us to the life, p. 35.7. where de••ining baptism and the supper to be signa in oculos incurrentia, hoc est visibilia, signs that are, or once were to be seen by him whose signes they are, even at that time while he is to learn something by them, he further backs it, as I have set down in his own words in the mar∣gent, and for the use of the unlearned Englished thus viz. for they ought to be such that they may signifie things invisible, for if they ought to be helps to our faith, they must be perceived by the external sense, whereby the internal sense is mov∣ed, for what thouseest not is no sign to thee, he that makes an invisible signimplies a contradiction, and makes the sign not a sign at all; they are invisible things, not signes, otherwise also the signes could not so much as signifie the things, much lesse confirm them, because an uncertain thing would be confirmed by a thing as uncertain as it self hence the antients define a Sacrament thus, a sacrament is a visible sign of some invisible grace.

So then we see that according to your selves a sign is no sign at all to him, that is never seen all by him, who is to observe it, and that too at sometim•• or other af∣ter he comes to observe what is meant by it, whereupon I testifie that what was done to us in infancy had it been the true sign of Christs own institution viz. bap∣tism as twas rather a sign of meer mans institution viz. the sign Rantism, and the sign of the crosse, neither was nor is, nor ever will be any sign at all to you or me, if at any time it be a sign to vs it must be either while we are infants, or when grown to years, but not while infants, for then we apprehend not the thing signed, nor when at years, for then we apprehend not the sign. How mighty your memo∣ries, and how exquisite your apprehensive powers are to bring these two, I mean the sign and thing signified together in your thoughts I know not, but I plainly acknowledge (notwithstanding Dr Channels councel to the Auditory at the Dispute at Petworth Ian. 5. 1651 to remember, and call to mind what was signified to them in their infant baptism) that as in infancy I perceived not to what purpose I was signed, so now (save what I have by hearsay) I perceive not, nor ever did of my self to my best remembrance that I was then so signed at all. As for that true baptism, which I have since submitted to some 4 or 5 years ago, as it then

preached (so far as a sign may be said to preach) most precious things to my un∣derstanding, so it lively appeared to my senses, and left such impression upon them and such an Idea thereof in my mind, that me thinks I both see and remember it still, and so shall I hope have good cause to do whilest I live. I conclude then that to signifie things to infants by baptism in infancy is a meer blank, and ut∣ter nullity, a silly cypher, that stands for nothing and is of no use to them at all.

Yea as it would be thought no better then meer mockery, or witless wisdom, for any Priest to stand talking, and making signs over one a sleep, while he is un∣derstandingly sensible of nothing, and then after he is awake, and as little a ware of any thing as before, begin to make the application, and will him to di∣vine both what was done to him, by whom, and why, and to take cognizance and clearer evidence of such, and such things, by the same token that they were told him, and signified to him by what was done while he was asleep, by certain signs, which he never saw yet, nor never shall: so is it to me to baptize meer infants: or as it were no better than flat folly for any father (in a serious and not lusory way) to shew the form of the City Ierusalem to his infant 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infan∣cy by the figure, and draught of it in a Map, saying look here child, this stands for the Temple, this signifies, and sets forth the manner of Mount Sion, and and all this is shewed thee now, that thou maiest remember it another time, that Ierusalem is thus and thus scituated, and then when he comes to age (without any more resemblance of it to him in the map) to indoctrinate him in what was done in his i••fancy, and bid him reflect back, and call to mind what was shewn him in that map, in which it was manifested to him what manner of ci∣ty Ierusalem was, and other such like ridiculous stuff and prate of the things so long since done, that they are now flown both out of sight and mind; even such and no better is it, yea such piteous poor, and meer painted piety is it, for per∣sons, whether Priests or parents to stand prating to and ore poor ignorant infants, and signing them at a Font or Bason, whilest (if they be not a sleep, as my own silly experience teaches me they have been many a time, while I have been sprin∣kling them in the midwives, or the mothers armes yet) they are at best no better then asleep, because as heedless of whats done, saying to them very seriously by name, as if they would have them mind what is said, Thomas— Anne— &c. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, &c. in token of remission of sins, and then to sign them with the sign of the Cross, in token to them still that hereafter (when it is impossible) they must by what is now so clearly manifested to their senses, un∣derstand, and remember that they must not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified &c. and then when they are grown up, to set them to School to the Font again, and wish them to learn by what was once done to them there, that this and that is signified, saying, you must understand that Christ was crucified, dead and raised for the remission of your sins, and that you are now to leave your sins, to dy to them, live a holy life, take up your cross and follow him, and all these things I now inform you in by word of mouth, you must call to mind how they were most plainly manifested to you, and lively evi∣denced to your very external senses, and thereby to your internal senses in your baptism, which is a visible sign to you, and a most sensible demonstration ther∣of, a most lively preaching and resembling of them before your eies; these things you must remember by the same token, that you had once such a most notable, remarkable, memorable matter done unto you (so long since that you cannot pos∣sibly observe, perceive, discover, remember, that ever it was done at all, but as we tell you)

Notes

• r

  See Pareus p. 357. and Kekerman Sy∣stem. log. p. 12. tignum est quod sei••lum sensui, et pre∣ter se aliquid animo osten∣dit. or R••s•• preter speci∣em, quam i••∣ger•• sensibus, ali••d asiquid saciens incog∣nitionem ve∣nire.
• Taia enim debent esse, ••t res invisi∣bile•• signifi∣cent, ••i enim debent esse adminicula fi∣dei, oportet percipi exter∣no sensu▪ quo movetur sen∣sus internus, quod enim non vides non est tibi signum, qui facit signum invisibile, implicat contradictionem et facit signum non signum: res sunt invisibiles non signa, alioqui signa non possent significare res, multo minus confirmare, quia incertum confirmaretur per aeque ince••tum, hinc veteres sacramentum ita definiunt sacra∣mentum est signum visibile invisibilis gratiae.