PANT II. Reverend Mr. RichardBaxter. 221 The Letter to the Lady Anne Lindfey. Madam .! + HE Reafons that moved me to be fo importunate with you for a Conference ` 1 in your hearing with the ableft Jefuit, Priett, or other Papifl you couldget, were (as I told you) a. My very highefteetn of your truly Honourable Mother whofe Sorrow hath been fo great for your Delufion, that I mutt confers, though. ` buta Stranger, I fuffer much with herby Còmpatiïon. And as it would much relieve her if you were recovered, fo if God deny herthat Mercy, it will lomea v4hat fatisfie her Confcience,that the bath not been wanting in the ufe of means. ' 2. And for yourown fake,whom I the more compatfionate; becaufe you are not only the Daughter of fuch Parents,but of fo modelt and lobera Difpofition your felf,that I amnot out of hopes ofyour Recovery, though the Difeafe be Inch as few are cured of,that catch it by relapfe and delertion of theTruth. I can imagine nothidg butConfcioufnefs of a bad Caufe, that can caufe theni thus to decline a Conference. You fay the Perlon well knoweth me ( thought `know not him ) and dare truft himfelf, be. why thenwill he not meet me to de, bate the Cafe? He cannotbut have exceeding great oddsor advantages of me ai ` to perfonal preparations; for they are trained up fleetly tothis work, (I am loath ' to fay to deceive) and have all the helps that Art can afford them. I was never of any Univerfitie, nor.had one Months affdlance of any Tutor in all my Stu- 'dies, of Sciences or Theology. If you can get no Jefuit, Fryar or Prieft that ` will fairly debate his Caufe with one of fopoor Preparations and Abilities, doth ' it not 11mw that they are lamentahly diffident of their Caule. All the Conditions ' or Terms that I delireto be beforeagreed to-are but there. r. That I may one day produce myReafons why you fhould not have turned Papïft, and therefore fhould return ; and he Anfwer them as I urge them. And that the next day (or ' the firft if he delre it) hewill produce his Reafonswhy you ought to turn to ` them as you did, and Ianfwer them. 2. That we May fpeak by turns, without interruptingone another. 3. That whatever Paffages muff be determined by Books (or Witneffes) that are not at hand, they may be noted down, and left tilt 'there-be leiluretòperufe them. 4. That there be two Witneffes on each fide (of ` whom one to be a Scribe ) and as many moreas he defreth : And I, and thofd ' with me, !hall be engaged to do him no wrongby any difcovery of his Perlon, to endanger him as to theLaw or Governoùrs. This is all that I Ihould oblige ' him to beforehand. I again intrear you, if one will not, get another. to mode- ' rate the Work. I underhand by you, that the Perfon you depend on avoideth me not in any Contempt : for you tell me he hath honourable. thoughts ofeue, and ' well knoweth Me. Iffo, why will he not conferwith me, as well as he hath done with Dr. Gunning? For Writing, s. It's likefie knoweth that I am here engaged in fo much una- voidable Work, that I have fcarce time to eat or Seep. 2. You cannot but ' know that by Writing it's like to be ayear , or many years work : And them= -elves have cut me out Work enough already for my Pen, if I had no more (and now would take me off it, that I might be forced to omit one). I look not to live to enda Difpute by Writing, fo many are my Infirmities, and are you con- ' tent toflay fo long before you have she benefit ? 3. If Writings will be ufeful to you, may you not as well read what is written already ? Many great Volumes ` are yet unanfwered by them. 4. I have already written divers Writings againft ` their Delu lions ( viz. The Safe Religion'; AKey for Catholicks , &c. A Windingfheet for Papery ; The true Catbolickand the Catbolick Church defribed; A Diqutation with ' Mr.Johnfon about the Succegive Vtftbilityof the Church] and they never.anfweredany ' one of them; no not fo much as the-fingle Sheet that ever I heard of. When they ' have anfwered them all, let them-call for more , or offer writing. s. But yet; rather than be wanting to you, let the Perfon butvouchfafe me this Verbat Con- ference firfI, and try what we can-do in a few hours there, and ifthere fhall then appear to be caufe to profecute it by Writing, I intend not to fail of taking the firlt opportunity for it, that greater Duties will permit. I have done my part iii 'urgingyou und ehem with my offer, till you call me unto more. In the mean time, Madam, may I intreat you to read impartially and delibe- á rately, a. My little look called, The True Catbolick and Catbolick Cbarcb,&c.(which
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