John Biddle

or Biddellus, as he is by some Authors written, Son of Edw. Bid. a Taylor, was born at Wotton Under Edge in Glocestershire, baptized on the 14. of January 1615, and afterwards being a youth of great hopes, was, by the benevolence and exhibition of George Lord Berkley, educated in Grammar learning in the Freeschool there, by John Rugg and John Turner successive Masters thereof. Under the last, he made so great proficiency in his studies that he englished Virgils Bucolicks and the Two first Satyrs of Juvenal. Both which were printed at Lond. in 1634 in oct. and dedicated to John Smith of Nibley in the said County Esq. Mecaenas of the Wottonian Muses. In the beginning of that year, (having a little before composed, and recited before a full auditory, an elaborate oration in Latine, for the gracing the funeral of an honorable School fellow) he was entred a Student of Magd. Hall, and for a time, if I mistake not, was put under the tuition of John Oxenbridge, a Person then noted to be of no good principles. Before he had taken the degree of Master of Arts, (being about that time a Tutor in the said Hall) he was invited to take upon him the care of teaching the School wherein he had been educated, by the Overseers thereof, but refused it; and after he had compleated the said degree, which was in 1641, he became Master of Crypt School within the City of Glocester, where for a time he was much esteemed for his diligence in his profession, severity of manners, and sanctity of life. At length the Nation being brought into confusion by the restless Presbyterians, the said City garrison’d for the use of the Parliament, and every one vented his, or their, opinions, as they pleased, he began to be free of his discourses of what he had studied there at leisure hours concerning the Trinity, from the holy Scriptures, having not then, as he pretended, convers’d with Socinian Books. But the Presbyterian Party, then prevalent there, having notice of these matters, and knowing full well what mischief he might do among his disciples, the Magistrate summoned him to appear before him; and after several interrogatories, a form of confession under three heads, was proposed to him to make, which he accordingly did 2. May 1644, but not altogether in the words proposed. Which matter giving then no satisfaction, he made another confession in the same month more evident than the former, to avoid the danger of imprisonment which was to follow, if he should deny it. Afterwards being more satisfied in his mind by reading various Authors, he drew up several arguments against the generally received deity of the Holy Ghost, which he intended shortly after to print; but being betrayed by one, whom he took to be his sure friend, who had, as it seems, a copy of them, he acquainted the Magistrate and Parliament Committee then in the said City, of the matter. Whereupon, after they had perused them, they committed the Author, then labouring under a feaver, to the common Goal there, on the 2. of Decemb. 1645 to remain in that place till the Parliament should take cognizance of the matter. But a certain Person of note dwelling in Glocester, who had a respect for Biddle (for the truth is except his opinions, there was little or nothing blame worthy in him) he procured his liberty, by giving sureties for his appearance when it should please the Parliament to send for him. About the month of June in 1646 the learned Usher Primate of Ireland travelled through that City in his way to London, and having before heard of, spake to, and used, him with all fairness and pity, as well as with strength of arguments to convince him of his dangerous error, telling him that either he was in a damnable error, or else that the whole Church of Christ, who had in all ages worshipped the Holy Ghost had been guilty of Idolatry: But Biddle who had little to say, was no whit moved either by the learning, gravity, piety, or zeal of that good Archbishop, but continued, as ’tis said, obstinate. After he had remained about six months at liberty in Glocester, he was cited to Westminster to make his defence; but being put off by the Parliament to a Committee to be examined, his crime was by them laid closely to his charge. The crime he denied not, and desired withal that some Theologist, whom they should appoint, might dispute with him concerning that criminal matter in hand. But it being delayed from day to day, Biddle desired a certain Knight (Sir Hen. Vane) of that Committee that his cause might be heard, or he set at liberty. The Knight proposed it and shewed himself a friend to Biddle, who thereupon was confin’d more close than before. Whereupon came out his book for the satisfaction of all People with this title.

Twelve questions or arguments drawn out of Scripture, wherein the commonly received opinion touching the Deity of the Holy Spirit is clearly and fully refuted—Printed 1647. in qu. Before which is printed a letter tending to the said purpose, written to the said Sir Henry Vane, a member of the H. of Commons: And at the end is An exposition of five principal passages of the Scripture alledged by the Adversaries to prove the Deity of the Holy Ghost. These, I say, being published, and making a great noise in the World, the Author was summoned to appear at the Bar of the H. of Com. & being asked whether he owned that book or Tw. questions, &c. and the opinions therein, he answered yea, and that they were his: Whereupon being remitted to his Prison, they ordered on the 6. of Sept. 1647 that the said Book, blasphemous against the Deity of Christ, be called in and burnt by the hand of the common Hangman, and that the Author be examined by the Committee of plunder’d Ministers: Both which were done, viz. the book burnt on the 8 of the same month, and he examined. While these things were in doing, the book vended so fast, that the same year it was printed again in oct. and afterwards answer’d by Matthew Poole M. A. of Eman. Coll. in Cambridge in his Plea for the Godhead of the Holy Ghost, &c. Soon after, or at the same time, was published of Biddles writing,

A confession of faith touching the Holy Trinity according to Scripture. Lond. 1648. oct. It consists of 7 articles, each of which is confirmed all along by subjoyned proofs and reasonings on them; which for the most part tend to disprove the Deity of our Saviour. Before the said confession is put a Preface against the Holy Trinity; and about the same time came out of our Authors composition,

The testimonies of Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Novatianus, Theophilus, Origen, (who lived in the two first centuries after Christ was born, or thereabouts) as also of Arnobius, Lanctantius, &c. concerning that one God and the Persons of the Trinity, together with observations on the same.—Printed in oct. Upon the coming out of which things the Assembly of Divines, sitting at Westminster, made their endeavours to the Parliament, that he might suffer death, in the month of May 1 [•] 48, but what hindred it, I cannot tell, unless it was the great dissention that was then in the said Parliament: However his confinement was made close. Some time after the publication of Biddles first book, it hapned that Joh. Cloppenburch D. D. and Professor in the University of Frisia was at Bristow in England, where meeting with Will. Hamilton a Scot, lately Fellow of Alls. Coll. in Oxon, the said William did not only then furnish him with a copy of that book, but debated the controversie with him. Afterwards upon the return of Cloppenburch to his own Country, he did excellently well answer it in Latine, which he had translated (so much as he answer’d) in a small treatise entituled, Vindiciae pro Deitate spiritus sancti, adversus Pneumatomachum Johan. Bidellum Anglum. printed at Franeker 1652. qu. It must be also noted that upon the publishing of the said book of Biddle (I mean his Twelve questions) Samuel Maresius D. D. and chief Professor of that faculty at Gronningen, did take occasion in his Epist. ded. before his first Vol. ((*))((*)) Printed at Gronning. an. 1651. qu. entit. Hydra Socianismi (written against Joh. Volkelius and Jo. Crellius) to give this account of the growth of Socinianisme.—Vigesimus jam praeteriit annus ex quo pestilentissima haec nutrix, viz. Socinianismus in Sarmaticis paludibus primum nata, caput erexit, & per Germaniam, ac Belgiam nostram sibilis & halitu faedissimo grassata, etiam tetrum suum virus superato oceano intulit in Angliam, in quâ tristi hoc tempore dicitur incredibiles progressus fecisse, &c. As for the Confession of Faith, &c. beforemention’d, it was examined and confuted by Nich. Estwick Rector of Warkton in Northamptonshire, in a book published by him in qu. an. 1656: Which being dedicated to Edward Lord Montague of Boughton, he takes occasion to say that “ Biddles writings have not been enclosed within the confines of our nation, but have taken their wings, and have fled beyond the Seas to the disreputation of our dear Country, in the reformed Churches, insomuch that Maresius Professor of Divinity at Groningen is bold to avouch (I cannot say either truly or charitably) that Socinianisme hath fixed its seat here in England, and displayed openly the banners of its impiety.” —The said Estwick also had some years before held forth an antidote against the Poyson of Biddles Twelve arguments against the Deity of the Holy Ghost. Since which, as ’tis usual in deceivers (so Estwick words it) Biddle grew worse and worse, and levied his forces against the Holy Trinity, and published notwithstanding other matters replenished with Socinian Tenents. Our Author Biddle continued yet in restraint and none of the Assembly durst venture to give him a visit, either out of charity, or to convince him of his errors; nor indeed any Divine of note of the other party, only Mr. Pet. Gunning who had several friendy conferences with him. At length some of the Layty of London, and others of the Country would come to him, either to see or converse with him; who being taken with his religious discourse, and Saint-like conversation, a certain Justice of Peace of Staffordshire prevailed so far with his keeper, that, upon security given for his appearance upon the least summons, he should be surrendred up to him. Whereupon he was conveyed into Staffordshire, and not only made by him his Chaplain, but also Preacher of a Church there. These matters soon after being known at London, John Bradshaw President of the Council of State his Capital enemy, sent a messenger for, and committed, him more close than before. Soon after the said Justice of Peace died, left Biddle a considerable Legacy, but in a short time devour’d by the frequent paying of the fees of a Prisoner. So that being in a manner reduced to great indigence, he was employed by Roger Daniel a Printer of London to correct the Greek Version of the Septuagint of the Old Testament, which he was about most accurately to publish: And this he did, knowing full well that Biddle was an exact Greecian, and had time enough to follow it. Which employment, and another in private, did gain him for a time a comfortable subsistance. In Feb. 1651 was published by the Parliament a general Act of oblivion, that restored, among others, our Author Biddle to his full liberty, which he improv’d among those friends he had gained in London, in meeting together every Sunday for the expounding of the Scripture, and discoursing thereupon, for the clearing of matters therein contained; by which means the Doctrine of one God and Christ his only Son, and his holy spirit was so propagated, that the Presbyterian Ministers in London were exceedingly offended at it, but could not hinder it by secular power, which then favoured liberty of religion and conscience. About that time part of the second impression of his Twelve Arguments, the Confession of Faith, Testimonies, &c. which as I have told you were published in oct. laying dead on his, or the Booksellers, hands, there was this title put to them, The Apostolical and true opinion concerning the holy Trinity revived and asserted, &c. Lond. 1653. oct, but no alterations or augmentation made in them, as ’tis expressed in the said title set before them, which were put and sold together in one volume, the Long Parliament being then dissolved. Afterwards was written and published by the said Biddle,

A Twofold Catechisme, the one simply called a Scripture Catechisme, the other a brief Scripture Catechisme for Children. Lond. 1654. The last of which two was printed again by it self in 3 sheets in a little octavo the same year. Soon after, the Twofold Catechisme coming into the hands of certain Persons elected to sit in the Little Parliament (called by Oliver) which began at Westminster 3. Sept. 1654, was a publick complaint by some made of it in the House, being instigated thereunto by frequent and open preachments against it. Whereupon Biddle being sent for, he gave answer to their interrogatories, and did not deny before them, but that he was the Author: So that the matter being refer’d to a Committee, he was examined by them, and in conclusion adhered to the answer that he had before given to the House. Reports therefore being made by the said Committee of such things that had passed, the House voted on the 12 of Dec. 1654 that the whole drift and scope of the said Twofold Catechisme is to teach and hold forth many blasphemous and heretical opinions, and that in the preface of the said Catechisme the Author thereof doth maintain and assert many blasphemous and heretical opinions, and doth therein cast a reproach upon all the Catechismes now extant. They then voted also that all the printed books entit. the Twofold Catechisme be burnt by the hand of the common Hangman. That the Sherriffs of London and Middlesex be authorized and required to see the same done accordingly in the New Pallace-yard at Westm. and at the Old Exchange. That the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the company of Stationers in London, be required immediatly to make search for all the printed books as aforesaid, and seize all the said Books, and deliver them to the Sherriffs. The next day Biddle was brought to the bar of the House, and there, after it was read unto him, what had been done, he owned his Books, and was thereupon the same day committed Prisoner to the Gatehouse in Westminster, and his Books burnt by the Hangman in the beforemention’d places on the 14 of the same month. But this was not all, for the members of Parl. perceiving full well what mischief the said Twofold Cat. did do, and was likely more to do, and that many People were more greedy to buy, or obtain, it than before, the matter was agitated again in January following by the Committee, who resolved on the 16. of the same month, that the whole drift and scope, &c. and that it be burnt, &c. The particulars in the said Catechisme which moved them thereunto were partly these. (1) The infinite God is confin’d to a certain place. (2) God hath a bodily shape, hath a right and a left hand in a proper sense. (3) God hath passions in him. (4) God is not omnipotent and immutable. (5) The three Persons are not to be believed with our whole heart. (6) Jesus Christ hath not the nature of God dwelling in him, and that he hath only a divine Lordship, without a divine nature. (7) There is no Godhead of the Holy Ghost. (8) Christ was not a Priest whilest he was upon Earth, nor did he reconcile God unto us, &c. At the same time were other particulars gathered from his several books going under the general title of The Apostolical and true opinion concerning the holy Trinity, &c. The first of which runs thus, That God the Father only, separated from the Son and Holy Ghost, is the first cause of all things that pertain to salvation, &c. The rest I shall omit for brevity sake. These things being reported to the Parliament, they ordered the Committee to bring in a Bill for punishing the said Biddle; which being accordingly done, they ordered as before that the Twofold Cat. be burnt, and the Master, Wardens, &c. to seize upon all copies, and to deliver them to the Sherriffs, in order to their burning, &c. In the mean time they consulted what to do with Biddle, but came to no result, tho pressed eagerly on by the Presbyterian Ministers to take away his life. On the 10. of Febr. following he, the Printer, and Bookseller of the said Catechisme, with another in the custody of a Messenger, as also Theauraw John ((*))((*)) Tho. Tany Goldsmith, who, by the Lords voice that he heard, changed his name from Thomas, to Theauraw John, Tany on the 23. of Nov. 1649 living then at the Three Golden Keys without Temple-bar, London. He was then and before a blasphemous Jew. Tany (who burnt the Bible and struck at several Persons with his naked sword at the Parliament door while the members were sitting) were, upon their petitions to the Upper bench, all permitted to have liberty upon sufficient bail (which they then put in) to appear in that Court on the first day of the next term following, where then they were to be tried. On the 2. of May 1655, they accordingly appeared, but were put off till the next term, 28. May following: Which day appearing, he and they were with much ado set at liberty. Afterwards Biddle falling into the company of one John Griffin, said to be an Anabaptist teacher, discourses pro and con were so high between them, that there was a publick dispute appointed to be held to decide the matter. The place wherein they were to dispute was the Stone Chappel in S. Pauls Cathedral, and the question, Whether Jesus Christ be the most High or Almighty God? The time being come, they appeared, but Griffin being put to it for want of the true way of argumentizing, the disputation was deferr’d to another day. Whereupon Griffin being conscious to himself that he was not able to grapple with Biddle, he and his party brought it so to pass, that upon report of more blasphemies utter’d by Biddle, he was, by command from Oliver the Protector, seized, on the 3. of July (being the day before they were to make an end of the Disputation) an. 1655 and forthwith committed Prisoner to the Poultry Compter. Soon after, being translated to Newgate Prison, he suffered more misery, was brought to a publick trial for his life at the Sessions house in the Old Baylie, upon the obsolete and abrogated Ordinance, called the Draconick Ordinance, against blasphemy and heresie, of May 2. an. 1648. To the indictment hereupon, he prays counsel might be allowed to him to plead the illegality of it; which being denied him by the Judges, and the sentence of a Mute threatned, he, at length gave into Court his exceptions ingrossed in parchment, and with much strugling, had counsel allowed him. But Oliver the Protector well knowing it was not for the interest of his government, either to have him condemned, or absolv’d, took him out of the hands of the law, caused him to be detain’d in Prison, with intentions to bestow him elsewhere. At length several prime Persons of the Anabaptistical party remaining in London (some of whom, as ’tis said, had entertained his opinions) drawing up a petition in his behalf in the month of Sept. an. 1655, presented it to Oliver, to obtain his mercy towards him under pretence of liberty of conscience. On the 28. of the same month they were to receive an answer to it, but before the said Oliver gave one, the Petition was read in the hearing of divers of them, under whose hands it had been presented: which being done many of them did disown it, as being alter’d both in the matter and title of, since they signed, it, and so looked upon it as a forged thing. They then desired, that the original which they had signed might be produced, but Jerem. Ives and some other of the contrivers and presenters of it, were not able to do, nor had any thing to say in excuse of so foul a miscarriage. However his Highness Oliver did then open before them the great evil of such a practice, and also, how inconsistent it was for them, who professed to be members of the Church of Christ, and to worship him with the worship due to God, to give any countenance to one who reproached themselves, and all the Christian Churches in the World, as being guilty of Idolatry; shewing also that if it be true which Biddle holds, viz. that Jesus Christ is but a creature, then all those that worship him, with the worship due to God, are Idolaters, and that the maintainers of that opinion of Biddle, are guilty of great blasphemy against Christ, who is God equal with the Father, &c. Afterwards the Petitioners being dismiss’d, and Biddle understanding his doom, he wrot a Letter to Oliver, that he would be pleased to admit him into his presence for the hearing of his case. But being denied, and Oliver continually baited by Presb. and Indep. Ministers to have him banished, he the said Biddle as a reviver of the blasphemous opinion owned by Arrius, was removed from Newgate to Plymouth 10. Oct. 1655, in order to his transportation to ths isle of Scilly beyond the lands end in Cornwall, there to remain in S. Maries Castle in close custody during life; where for the present we’ll leave him, and in the mean time tell you, that his Twofold Catechisme was answered by Dr. John Owen then Dean of Ch. Church, and animadverted upon by Maresius before mention’d in his Preface to the Reader before his second ((a))((a)) Edit. Groning, an. 1654. in qu. tome of Hydra Socinianismi, and by Nich. Arnoldus Professor of Divinity in Franeker in West-Frisen, in the latter end of his Preface to the Reader before his book ((b))((b)) Edit. Amstel. 1654 in qu. entit. Religio Sociniana, seu Catethesis Rucoviana major, &c. As for Maresius, he is very large against him, and deplores the sad condition of England, that after all the contests that it hath had against the Hierarchy, Arminianisme, Popery and I know not what, should at length be overwhelm’d with Socinianisme, all sort of Sectaries, Atheisme, &c. Which character, as falling from the Pen of a Person, well known to be no friend to Episcopacy, seems to be a considerable argument to prove (even in his perswasion) that the pretended strictness and severity of the then established Church Government, was not so an effectual remedy against all Libertisme in opinions and practice, as was the Episcoparian Government then lately thrown out of doors. After Biddle had continued Prisoner, not without improvement as to, and in, his opinion, to the beginning of the year 1658, he, by the intercession of many friends, was conveyed from S. Maries Castle by Habeas Corpus to the Upper Bench at Westm, where appearing without any thing laid to his charge, was set at liberty by the L. Ch. Justice Jo. Glynn. While he was in Prison (where the Protector allowed him a hundred Crowns per an. for his subsistance) he solely gave himself up to the studying of several intricate matters, and of the various opinions concerning the Beast in the Apocalyps, Antichrist, and the personal raign of Christ on Earth; which being digested according to his mind, he explain’d them, after his return, in Conventicles, held every Sunday in the afternoon, before his Disciples. Which being done, he published them with this, or the like, title.

Learned notes on some of the Chapters of the Apocolyps. Or thus, An Essay to the explaining of the Revelation. When, or where, printed, or in what Vol. I know not, for I have not yet seen them or it. After Olivers death, and Richard set in the Throne, a Parliament was called, mostly consisting of Presbyterians, whom, of all men, he most dreaded. Whereupon by the advice of a noble friend then in Authority, he caused Biddle (for whom he had a respect) to be conveyed away privately into the Country; where remaining till that Parliament was dissolved (which was soon after) he returned to the City and carried on his Conventicles and Disputes for some time without contradiction. At length his Majest. Ch. 2. being restored to his Dominions, and with him the Church of England, he took other measures, held his meetings more private, and but seldom. However his waters being narrowly watch’d, he was taken in the house of a certain Citizen while he was conventicling, in the beginning of July 1662: whereupon being carried before Sir Rich. Browne, then lately Lord Mayor, was by him imprison’d, and used, as his party saith, with great cruelty, especially in this respect, that he hindred all Sureties or Bail to be given for him. So that by the filth of a Prison in hot weather, contracting a disease, he died thereof in the month of Septemb. (one tells me the second, and another the 22d day) about 5 of the Clock in the morning, to the great grief of his disciples, in sixteen hundred sixty and two:1662. Whereupon his body being conveyed to the burial place joyning to Old Bedlam in Morefields near London, was there deposited by the Brethren, who soon after took care that an altar monument of stone should be erected over his grave with an inscription thereon, shewing that he was Master of Arts of the University of Oxon, and that he had given to the world great specimens of his learning and piety, &c. He had in him a sharp and quick judgment, and a prodigious memory; and being very industrious withal, was in a capacity of devouring all he read. He was wonderfully well vers’d in the Scriptures, and could not only repeat all St. Pauls Epistles in English, but also in the Greek tongue, which made him a ready Disputant. He was accounted by those of his perswasion a sober man in his discourse, and to have nothing of impiety, folly, or scurrility to proceed from him: Also, so devout, that he seldom or never prayed without being prostrat or flat on the ground, as his life ((c))((c)) Joannis Biddelli (Angli) Acad. Oxoniensis quondam Artium Magistri celeberrimi vita. Lond. 1682. in 3. sh. and an half in oct. The Author of which, was, as I have been informed, (for there is no name set to it) one Joh. Farrington J C T. of the Inner Temple. which I have, attests. Soon after his death his Twofold Catechisme was turned into Latine, and printed in oct. 1665. The first called A Scripture Cat. was done by Anon. The other called A brief Scripture Cat. for Children, was done by a youth called Nathaniel Stuckey, and at the end of it was printed. (1) Oratiuncula de passione & morte Christi, made by the said Stuckey. (2) Exemplum literarum Jeremiae Felbingeri ad Joh. Biddellum, dated at Dantsick 24. Aug. Styl. vet. 1654. This Nath. Stuckey who had been partly bred up in Grammar and Logick by Biddle, or at least by his care, died 27. Sept. 1665 aged 16 years, and was buried close to the grave of Biddle, as it appears by an inscription engraven for him on one side (at the bottom) of Biddles monument. A certain ((d))((d)) Jam. Heath in his Brief Chron. of the late intestine war, &c. in the latter end of the year 1654. Author tells us that the said Biddle translated into English the Alchoran, and the book called The three grand Impostors, damn’d for shame. But upon what ground he reports these things he tells us not. Sure I am that there is no such thing mention’d in his life; and whether there be such a book in rerum natura as the Three grand Impostors, meaning Moses, Mahomet and Christ, is by many knowing men doubted. After the coming to the Crown of England of William Prince of Orange, when then more liberty was allowed to the press than before, were several of John Biddles things before mention’d reprinted in the beginning of the year 1691, viz. (1) His 12 questions, with An exposition of five principal passages, &c. (2) A confession of faith, &c. (3) The Testimonies of Irenaeus, &c. And before them, was set a short account of his life, taken from that written in Latine by J. F. as I have here in the margin told you.