Baby-baptism meer babism, or, An answer to nobody in five words to every-body who finds himself concern'd in't by Samuel Fisher.

Disproof.

First whereas you quere how those we baptize make it appear that they have the holy spirit before we baptize them.

I answer I know no necessity of making it appear that persons have the holy spi∣rit before their admission to baptism, for though we find once that God Antici∣pated his promise, and gave the holy spirit before baptism, Act. 10. yet I know not, nor yet do you, any promise there is, wherupon in an ordinary way we can expect it, of receiving the holy spirit of promise till after faith, repentance obedience, turning to God, baptism, and asking of it, Prov. 1. 23. Iohn 7. 38. 39. Act. 2. 38. chap. 5. 32. chap. 8. 16. 19. Luke 11. 13. Ephes. 1. 13.

Secondly, as for the holy spirits appearing infallibly.

I answer first it may possibly appear infallibly to be in some, in whom it is, as Act. 10. 44. 45. 46. 47. by sundry fruits, and manifestations of it, which may warrant us to say God is in them of a truth: Mat. 7. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 Cor. 14. 25.

It may I say undoubtedly appear to be in men and women, but cannot any way at all so appear to be in infants, if we may believe your selves, who tell us p, 8. that infants have not the exercise and fruit offaith, and p. 18. that instruction of the understanding in matter of faith in some sort must go before any act of faith can be discovered, and that no judgement of science can be past upon infants, till the acts themselves be seen and examined, for a posteriore onely the discovery of habits is made, and that unlesse it could be certainly presumd what children have it, what have not there can be no conclusion made.

And howbeit I am not of the seekers mind, that an appearance of the holy spi∣rit in any person before baptism in water doth exempt him from it, but am well assured that it strictly rather ingages him to it, or else Peter could not have com∣manded them in name of the Lord to be baptiz'd in water, upon whom the holy spirit fell Act. 10. but must rather have forbid it, as frustraneous, and altoge∣ther superfluous; yet that the spirit should appear at all to be in men, in order to their baptism, much more that it should appear infallibly to be in them, is a mat∣ter of no necessity that I know of, sith in the word its not required that persons be baptized with the holy spirit first in order to their baptism with water, but that they be first baptized in water, in order to their receiving the holy spirit Act. 2. 38. for the baptism of the spirit as tis promised onely to believers; so we believ∣ing, obeying the Gospel, and asking the holy spirit, tis signified to us as one thing that shall be given among the rest, in that very way of water baptism: so that its enough for us (as to the baptism of persons) to take cognizance of it that they believe and repent, which things though they cannot do without the spirit performing its common office of striving, drawing, mo∣ving, inlightning, convicting of good and evil, sin and righteousness &c. in all which it acts to the whole world, Gen. 6. Rom. 1. 20. Iohn 16. 8. Act. 7. 51. yet they not only may do them without, but must dothem before they can by promise expect the spirit, in those special respects, wherein he is promised to believers, and calld that holy spirit of promise.

And now because you ask how we know they have faith whom we baptize? I answer by their profession, which gives though not infallibility; yet by your leave, for all your preferring the Eulogies given in general to all infants above any mans personal profession for himself in this case a far clearer and better grounded judgement of charity concerning them, that they have faith, then that you have con∣cerning infants, which at best is but charity mistaken for cruelty, whilst it takes that to be in infants, and that on pain of their damnation too they dying without it, viz. believing see p. 8. which infants are utterly uncapable of; and whilst it takes even that too, without which it holds no infants are saved, to be in but very few infants viz. believers infants onely, and so damns all other dying infants, which are far more innumerable, and as capable of faith, and as little barring them∣by actual sin from salvation, and as little deserving damnation, as the other, so that whether we or you plead the cause of innocent infants let the world judge.

And whereas you suppose that because in charity onely we judge men and wo∣men to believe, therefore we passe no other judgement then that of charity onely on them to be the subjects of baptism: herein you grossely mistake our grounds of baptizing, for though that of charity onely is the judgement whereby we judge them to be believers, yet that is not the onely judgement whereby we judge them to be the subjects of baptism, but as to that we go upon a judgement of certainty and infaellibility also, for though it be not infallible to us that every one that pro∣fesses to believe, doth as truly believe as he professes, yet this is infallible to us concerning him that professes viz. both that he professes, and also that professing to believe with all his heart, so that we in charity may judge him so to do, whe∣ther he lie or no, he is by the rule of the word quoad no•…•… a warrantable, undoubt∣ed, and (as no infant is) infallible subject of baptism, for the word requires us to

baptize such, as after our preaching the faith to them, do truly professe to believe whether they believe as truly as they profest or no, for that indeed is not so in∣fallible to us, but it warrants us not to baptize any infants, who can neither be∣lieve nor professe.

Moreover sith you say let us pass the same judgement upon little infants as you do, of whom in generall say you the Scripture gives so good a report, and against whom in particular no exception can be raised, and so the controversie shall be at an end.

I tell you we do passe not the same, but a far surer judgement then that of charity upon infants dying in infancy; and have an hundred fold moreclear, and more ten∣der opinion of them then your selves, whilst we have from the word well grounded hopes and assurance that no dying infant is damned, but you with over pleading the bare outward priviledges of some, most ignorantly damn 20 dying infants to one. But as to your judgement of charity concerning infants believing, and be∣ing thereby inrighted to baptism, or that same judgement of charity which we act toward professors of faith; you may dream as long as you will on such erroneous Enthusiasm, but those that are awake to righteousnesse, and resolved to sin no more by popish superstition, know well enough that infants (though nere the worse for want out yet) cannot believe in Christ of whom they are not capable to hear, much less can they professe so to do, and thereby give that good ground, which right charity must have, whereupon to build her faith of this, i. e, to believe that they do believe, and believing are certainly to be baptized, so that we have chari∣ty well grounded concerning infants, and such as comparatively to which your tender mercy to millions of them is meer cruelty, and yet the controversie is not ended, nor is likely to come to an end in such a way.

Give me leave therefore a little to play upon you here with your own weapons, and to call for an answer from you to your own queres, and so it may be in a fair way towards an end in time, whereas then you plead the baptism of believers infants and no others, upon such a sufficient appearance that they have faith and the holy spirit. I ask

First how do these make it appear that they have faith and the holy spirit since they cannot do it by profession.

Secondly, how far forth do they make it appear to you? infallibly? or but pro∣bably? your selves say not infallibly, for the spirit is not bound to all the chil∣dren of Christian parents, nor barrd from any of the children of infidels.

Thirdly, what judgement do you passe upon believers infants to be the sub∣jects of baptism, rather then other infants? that of charity? or that of certain∣ty? that of certainty you disclaim p. 18. in these words, no judgement of science can be passed, till the Acts of faith themselves be seen and examined, and in these also viz. unlesse it could be certainly presumed what children have the habit, what have not, for the working of the spirit is not known to us, he is not bound nor barrd, there can be no conclusion made.

That of charity then is the onely judgement you passe on these, and, whereby you judge believers infants and no other, to have faith, the spirit and right to baptism•…•… which charity teacheth us praesumere &c. to believe and hope all things & hope the best concerning all till ye see the worst, especially since little children of believers have not by any actuall sin barrd themselves, or deserved to be exempted from the generall state of little children declared in Scriptures.

Well then to close up all, let me but desire you to passe the same judgement of charity on all little infants, as you do on some, even upon the little ones of unbe∣lievers, Infidels, Turks and Pagans (whilst infants) of whom in general, and in∣discrimmatim the Scripture gives a good report, not commending believers in∣fants above them, and against whom in particular no exception can be raised, more then against the other, saving that one fault (of theirs) onely that they were not born of believings parents, which I hope you have so much charity as to pardon.

Hope, I say as well of the infants of unbelieving parents, that they have faith and the holy spirit, specially since it cannot appear that these have by any actual sin barred themselves, or deserved any more then the other to be exempted from the general state of little infants declared in Scripture, and then the controver∣sie between you and me, which is whether little children born of believing parents only, may be lawfully baptized, is like to be at an end, for then certainly you will either agree to it that all infants in the world, even of infidels, Turks, and Pagans (there being in the judgement of Charlty as undeserving damnation as o∣thers) may be and are (dying in infancy, though this with you is as heinous a thing as to say the Divels may be saved p. 7.) in as much possibility to be saved, and so at least in as much right as the others to be baptized, or else that no infants at all (it being not possible to be presumed certainly which have the spirit, and which not, and charity judging a like of all, till it see a difference) are at all to be baptized, both which being the very truth, I am content for my part to agree with you therein with all my heart.

To which Dilemma I am well enough assured you can answer nothing in the least measure satisfactory, as the most judicious readers (if you Ministers inquire of them) will undoubtedly affirm also. and so I proceed to your other Argu∣ments.