Letters that passed between Mr. Baxter and Mr. Tombs concerning the disputeLetters that passed between Mr. Baxter and Mr. Tombes concerning the dispute

MY Message was this, sith I intend the next Lords day to prosecute what I have begun in examining the Hypotheses upon which the Argument from Circumcision for Infant-baptism (which is the Paedo-baptists Achilles) is built; I was willing to invite you to be a hearer, and if you judged it meet, to oppose what you should think good in a Logic way without Rhetoric. That your judgment should be against disputing on the Lords day, seems strange, who (as I have been told) would if invited, come to preach about that Controversy, which I take to be all one with Disputing. That which concerns your Weakness, is sufficient to hinder you I confess, yet me thinks if you might do it on Monday, you might do it almost with the like safety on the Lords day at Evening. I know not how fit it will be to gather a Congregation to hear us on a week day in public, whereby poor people will be drawn from their work; and the Bailiff being now very sick, I doubt it will be very disorderly. Tuesday being a Holiday as they count it, perhaps there will be more of the ruder sort and disorderly, and it may carry a show of celebrating it. Thursday I intend for Herefordshire, and not to return till Saturday come fortnight. Yet if you choose to come over either Monday or Tuesday, I shall be ready to justify my doctrine openly or privately, by word or writing, as it shall be judged convenient.

MY Message was this, sith I intend the next Lords day to prosecute what I have begun in examining the Hypotheses upon which the Argument from Circumcision for Infant-baptism (which is the Paedo-baptists Achilles) is built; I was willing to invite you to be a hearer, and if you judged it meet, to oppose what you should think good in a Logick way without Rhetorick. That your judgment should be against disputing on the Lords day, seems strange, who (as I have been told) would if invited, come to preach about that Controversie, which I take to be all one with Disputing. That which concerns your Weaknesse, is sufficient to hinder you I confess, yet me thinks if you might do it on Munday, you might do it almost with the like safetie on the Lords day at Evening. I know not how fit it will be to gather a Congregation to hear us on a week day in publick, whereby poor people will be drawn from their work; and the Bayliff being now very sick, I doubt it will be very disorderly. Tuesday being a Holiday as they count it, perhaps there will be more of the ruder sort and disorderly, and it may carry a shew of celebrating it. Thursday I intend for Herefordshire, and not to return till Saturday come fortnight. Yet if you choose to come over either Munday or Tuesday, I shall be ready to justifie my doctrine openly or privately, by word or writing, as it shall be judged convenient.