Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

Mr. Tombs being my Neighbour within two Miles, and denying Infant Baptism, and having written a Book or two against it, he was not a little des•ous of the Propagation of his Opinion, and the Success of his Writings; and he thought that I was his chiefest Hinderer, though I never meddled with the point: Whereupon, he came constantly to my Weekly Lecture, waiting for an Opportunity to fall upon that Controversy in his Conference with me: But I studiously avoided it; so that he knew not how to begin: And he had so high a Conceit of his Writings that he thought them unanswerable, and that none could deal with them in that way.

Mr. Tombs being my Neighbour within two Miles, and denying Infant Baptism, and having written a Book or two against it, he was not a little des•ous of the Propagation of his Opinion, and the Success of his Writings; and he thought that I was his chiefest Hinderer, though I never medled with the point: Whereupon, he came constantly to my Weekly Lecture, waiting for an Opportunity to fall upon that Controversy in his Conference with me: But I studiously avoided it; so that he knew not how to begin: And he had so high a Conceit of his Writings that he thought them unanswerable, and that none could deal with them in that way.

At last, some how, he urged me to give my Judgment of his Writings; and I let him know that they did not satisfy me to be of his Mind, but went no farther with him: Upon this, he forbore coming any more to our Lecture; and he unavoidably contrived me into the Controversy, which I shunned; for there came unto me five or six of his chief Proselytes, as if they were yet unresolved, and desired me to give them in Writing the Arguments which satisfied me for Infant Baptism. I asked them whether they came not by Mr. Tombs's Direction: And they confessed that they did. I asked them whether they had read the Books of Mr. Cobbet, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Church, Mr. Blake for Infant Baptism: And they told me, No. I desired them to read that which is written already, before they called for more; and then come to me, and tell me what they had to say against them. But this they would by no means do; but must have my Writings. I told them, that now they plainly confessed that they came upon a Design to promote their Party by contentious Writings, and not in sincere Desire to be informed, as they pretended: But to be short, they had no more Modesty than to insist on their Demands, and to tell me that if they turned against Infant Baptism, and I denied to give them my Arguments in Writing, they must lay it upon me. I asked them whether they would continue unresolved till Mr. Tombs and I had done our Writings; seeing it was some Years since Mr. Blake and he began, and have not ended yet. But no Reasoning served the turn with them, but they still call for my written Arguments: When I saw their factious Design and Immodesty, I bid them tell Mr. Tombs, that he should neither thus command me to lose a Years time in my Weakness, in quarrelling with him, nor yet should have his End in insulting over me, as if I fled from the Light of Truth: Therefore I offered him, if we must needs contend, that we might do it the shortest and most satisfactory way, and spend one Day in a Dispute at his own Church, where I would attend him, (that his People might not remain unsatisfied, till they saw which of us would have the last Word); and after that we would consider of Writing.