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A76055
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A breif narration of the truth of some particulars in Mr. Thomas Edwards his book called Gangræna. Concerning one Nichols an Anabaptist, some opinions he maintained to Master Greenhill, and a discourse that passed between Master Greenhill and Master Burroughs upon occasion of those opinions. / By the author Thomas Alle.
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Alle, Thomas.
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1646
(1646)
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Wing A953; Thomason E341_24; ESTC R200919
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4,658
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8
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A BREIF NARRATION OF The truth of some particulars in Mr. THOMAS EDWARDS his Book called GANGRAENA Concerning one NICHOLS an Anabaptist some Opinions he maintained to Master Greenhill and a Discourse that passed between Master Greenhill and Master Burroughs upon occasion of those Opinions By the Author THOMAS ALLE LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1646. A BREIF Narration of the truth of some particulars in Mr THOMAS EDWARDS his Book called Gangraena concerning one Nichols an Anabaptist SEeing the hand of providence for so it is that hath ordered it and doth order all things for I had no thought nor knowledge of my being brought upon the Stage in Print untill I saw my name in Master Edwards his Book called Gangraena for what ends Master Edwards set my name there or the Discourse I spake of openly to many I know not but himself can best make it out But my name being in his Book hath caused many of my friends to look bigge upon me and to harbour causelesse jealousies against me and many that formerly were seeming friends have given me very scurrilous speeches and unchristian like language and would give me no reason of their so speaking but said I was in Master Edwards his Book and seeing there are some things that are there that never came from me And so there are differences grown therefore that there may be a cleer understanding of the truth I shall impart what is and was my Relation and leave the rest The first particular wherein I am named in Master Edwards his Book was about a Petition that was brought unto my hand for the furtherance and promoting of it which I confesse I had the handling of and carried it up to the Dr H. his house and it was read publikly which was I conceive the best way so that if any had ought against it they might understand of it and it being disliked and opposed by Master Burroughs and Master Greenhill in the publike I followed it no further this Petition was for the setling of the Government of the Church the want of which maketh sad the hearts of such as are deare to God if any say that the Government understood in that Petition was not right I say to such as they tender the honour of God as they are Christians and tender the credit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ let them bring in another that is more neer the Rule of the Word and wee shall gladly receive it and let us make good use of the words of an enemy Sir Jacob Ashly when he was taken said that he thought the work was done except God give us over in his judgement to fall out amongst our selves and so destroy one another We may see the eies of our enemies are upon our great divisions which grow for want of a Government that may restraine the great wantonnesse of spirit by the abuse of liberty which in New England brought forth monstrous Errours Therefore M. Sheapheards letter of New-England sent over here and in Print called New-Englands lamentation for old-Englands present Errours and feared future desolation if not timely prevented Which were worthy of our Noble Senatours best and serious thoughts upon it for experienced counsell is not to be slighted 2. Another thing in Master Edwards Book is about Mistresse Chidly who had some dicourse with Master Greenhill and hee used arguments unto her which is true 3. Another thing mentioned in Master Edwards his Book is about one Nichols an Anabaptist that lived in Moore-Feilds unto which Master John Goodwin in a Pamphlet hath made some overture and that from a testimony from Master Burroughs his hand who said that I know no such man as Mr. Nichols nor of no meeting concluded of about him or any of his opinions either intended desired or resolved upon Which testimony of Master Burroughs to Master Goodwin Gangraena pag. 79. for ought I know is true in his sence viz. that he knowes no such man as Nichols or that he never heard that there was such a man in the world or that there was any meeting concluded of about him But here is no deniall of what I related or what Master Edwards hath printed except in the circumstance that there was a meeting concluded of at which Master Burroughs was present for by this ensuing relation it will appear that what Master Edwards hath related for the substance of it is true also for I do averre and say that there was such a man as Nichols an Anabaptist in Moore-Feilds and that the same Nichols did come to Stepney to Master Greenhills and did hold forth unto him these ensuing damnable Errours 1. That God was the Authour of all sinne 2. That Children owe no obedience unto Parents except they be godly 3. That all lyes come out of the mouth of God and seemed to prove it out of the Kings from the lying spirit who asked leave of God to be a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets and God said go 4. Further the same Nichols said That no man or woman went to hell for any sinne that they commit he being asked why any went to hell he answered it was the will of God All which particulars Master Greenhill did relate unto Master Burroughs on a Sabbath day following after the morning Sermon at Colonel Zacharies house where Master Burroughs usually goeth in after his morning exercise I being there present with some others heard Master Greenhill relate this sad Story with great greif of spirit and said that it made his flesh tremble to heare such horrid things uttered Master Burroughs replyed Brother were it not a sad case if so be your wife and my servants and children were drawn away to such damnable Errours and that we could have no other remedy for it but say Lord have mercy upon us Master Greenhill said yes so it were M. Burroughs again said Brother there is a necessity of a Government and power in the Magistrate and power over Conscience Then Master Greenhill said that whosoever should teach unto a people any thing that raceth fundamentals or any thing that striketh against the power of godlinesse or any thing that tendeth to the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdome ought to be supprest Unto whom I answered Sir hold forth this in publike and I hope all the godly shall well agree saying it was as much as I desired Master Burroughs further said that he in his house was Master and that he might keep out such a one out of his Family Master Greenhill answered so he might Again Master Burroughs said unto us wee foure of six dwelling at the corner of a street together bewailing one to the other how our servants and children and wives are seduced agree together to keep such a person out of our family Master Greenhill said so they might Master Burroughs said a whole street might joyn so
together to keep such persons out of their families 'T was granted so they might Again he said a whole Town might joyn together and so a whole County and then a whole Kingdome might do the same to which some standers by seemed not to assent but said Master Burroughs it is as lawfull in the last place as at the first This is the naked truth a neer as I can remember of the discourse about these Errours And I hope in all this there is no just cause given by me of offence to these two Worthies Mr. Burroughs and Master Greenhill But when I first spake it upon just occasion I did it to their honour and so I hope the printing of it will be to shew their soundnesse in judgement against such Errours Now if Master John Goodwin do bundle up such horrid Errours as these to amount to no more nor higher rate then the infirmities of the Saints as in the beginning of his Pamphlet doth appear for he saith Satan hath been this foure yeers sifting up the Authour might have taken in with the same breath the old Serpent himself into the Catalogue of such Saints as well as such that held such damnable Errours as are testified in this Relation For the Serpent was more moderate and said unto the woman yee shall not surely dye and did not so impudently say as this Nichols did who said all lyes come out of the mouth of God But it may be the man upon second thoughts will see his mistake as that there is no such infirmities as these to be found in the Saints not in the whole Book of God Now for such a man of Learning and parts to vent himself with such vain words and jeers and to make use of Scripture language to serve his own brain and humor is not as becomes the Gospel of Christ as will appear if the Reader well weighs his ensuing words as followeth Wherein he saith the Authour of the said Treatise known by the mark of a Gangraena or Cancer in the forehead of it being as it seems of Satans counsel and partaker of his intentions against the Saints hath diligently swept his floore gathered together his siftings all that drosse and beggery of weaknesses and infirmities which Satan meaning Master Edwards within the compasse of four yeers by his own confession was able to sift out of them and he to come to the knowledg of and hath ground kneaded and hath bak'd it and made shew-bread of it for such of the Presbyterian sonnes of Levi and their retinue to eat as are of his own diet and constitution Certainly this language of Master John Goodwin is not becoming the Minister of the Gospel Having faithfully related the truth of some particulars in Master Edwards Book touching Nichols the Anabaptist I thought good for a closure to speak something of a Toleration which is too much by Master Goodwin and others in Pulpit and in printed Pamphlets pleaded for I have heard some presse it from the example of Amsterdame that it is so there and I can helpe them to one place more which is at Constantinople where the Turks have places for Mahomet to be worshipped and they allow the Jewes their Synagouges for worship And also the Greeks have their publike places for worship so the French Italians and English have all their liberty of Conscience Now if the Turks follow the Hollander in this particular or the Hollander taketh it from the Turks In them both it is but for mony and Trades sake and not for the honour of God Which God forbid should ever be so in England But rather let us follow the best examples of the Saints out of the Word of God where good Nehemiah would not suffer the Sabbath to be violated by selling of wares and commodities Which some in my hearing and not dwelling far off from me do plead for and practise working on their callings on the Lords day and do this out of pretence of Conscience I pray was it a good law or no in Nebuchadnezar in Daniel 3.29 where he made decree against any which spake any thing against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego should be cut in peeces Much more it would hold good against any that act against the known lawes of God To come nearer the Gospel you may finde in that Evangelicall Prophet Zachariah 13.3 It is said thou shall not live for thou speakest lyes against the Name of the Lord. So that I do not find that pretended Consciences have any allowance in the Word of God neither did the Apostles and Holy men of God when they suffered use this Argument You Magistrates have nothing to do with our Consciences But pleaded the justnesse of their cause and innocency of their persons Yet not that I would have any man that is a Native English one though a Jew in opinion or a Papist or any else that now are to be banished nor imprisoned nor fined for his Conscience and opinion But that I would not have them to Congregate and draw others after them but if it be their Light as they pretend or their Faith let them as the Apostle saith have it to themselves And that there may be a stop to these floods of Errours that are cast out against the Church and truth I conceive this course might be taken that no man should take upon him nor be suffered to Officiate in a Ministeriall way as a Pastor over a people but such as shall be approved on and allowed by Authority as I conceive it is so in New-England And not a Toleration for every man to vent his own brain and Errours For where then will the guilt of the bloud that hath been shed lie If Toleration might be suffer'd the Papists sure would never have gone in the feilds to have their bellies shot through with bullets nor our ignorant Country people in Counties and Shires would never have risen by thousands if they might have had the Service Book and good old Prayers as they call them still continued unto them So I conclude praying for a Reformation and not a Toleration and rest a well wisher to Truth and Peace FINIS Imprimatur James Cranford Aprill 24. 1646.