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defence of his fentlments on this fubjedl in a traft, entitled, 

 " Twelve arguments, drairn out of the fcriptures, wherein 

 the commonly received opinion touching the deitv of the 

 Holy Spirit is clearly and fully refuted." A copy of this 

 tre^tife, which he had (hewn to fome of his friends, having 

 been, by the treachery of au acquaintance, delivered to the 

 magiftrates of the city, and to the parliament comir.ittce 

 then refiding there, he was committed, in December 1645, 

 to the common gaol. He was releafed, however, on giv- 

 ing fecurity for his appearance when called for. Six months 

 after he had obtained his liberty, he was fummcned to ap- 

 pear before the parliament at Weftminfter, and examined 

 by a committee. As he freely prorv.-fred his difoclief of the 

 commonly received opinion concerning the divinity of the 

 holy Spirit, he was committed to the ruftody of one of the 

 officers, and kept in that ftate of rellraint for five years. 

 In the mean while, his book entitled " Twelve argi-r'.ents, 

 &c." was publifhed, and being declared blafphemous agaiiift 

 the divinity of Chriil, the houfe, in 1647, ordered it to be 

 burnt by the common hangman. In the foHowing year, 

 the author, perfiiling in his opinions, and avowing his fenfe 

 of their importance, publiihed two other tracls of a fimilar 

 nature ; one entitled, " A confeffion of Jaith touching the 

 holy Trinity, according to the fcripture ;" and another en- 

 titled, " The teftimonies of Irenasus, Juftin Maityr, Ter- 

 tuilian," and of feveral other eaily writers, relating to the 

 fame fubiecl. Thefe books excited an alarm, and were the 

 means of procuring a fevere ordinance of parliament, iflued 

 in May 164^1, at the folicitation of the Aflembly of divines, 

 \vho atled in this inftance in a manner that entails difgrace 

 on their memory, and denouncing the penalty of death a- 

 gainft thofe who held opinions contrary to thole that were 

 eftabhfhed refpefting the Trinity, and fome other doflrines, 

 accounted blafphemies and herefies ; and fevere penalties on 

 thofe who differed in leffcr matters. By this infamous and 

 execrable decree the fate of Biddle feemed to be inevitable. 

 But he efcaped in confequence of a diflenfion in parliament, 

 fupported by a party in the army, to whofe cafe this or- 

 dinance would have extended. After the death of the king, 

 the Independents acquired influence, and introduced a kind 

 of general toleration, -under which Biddle was allowed to go 

 to StafFordfhire, where he was hofpitably received by a 

 juftice of the peace, who, at his death, left him a legacy. 

 From this retired afylum, however, he was remanded by 

 prefident Bradlhaw to clofer confinement, in which ftate he 

 continued for feveral years, under an imputation of blaf- 

 phemy and herefy, which deprived him of all fociety, and 

 reduced him to fuch lamentable indigence, that his whole 

 fupport for a confiderable time was a draught of milk morn- 

 ing and evening. The only divine who vifited him, during 

 this period, was Mr. Peter Gunning, afterwards bifliop of 

 Ely. In thefe clrcumftances he obtained temporary relief 

 by being employed in corredling the prefs for a Oreek Sep- 

 tuagint, printed in London by Roger Daniel ; and in 

 1651, he regained his liberty by the general atl of oblivion, 

 pubhlhtd bv the parliament in this year. Of this liberty he 

 availed himfclf, by inftituting a Sunday's leflure for reading 

 and expounding the fcripture, and thus propagating his 

 opinions. The Preftyterian miniilers were rendered tmeafy 

 by his zeal and fuccefs , more efpecially as they could derive 

 no afliftance for reftraining him from the fecular power. 

 Not fatisced with the opportunities he enjoyed rf diiremi- 

 natir.g his fentiments from the pulpit, and in the intercourfe 

 of private friendfhip, he had again recourfe to the prefs, 

 and in 1654, publiihed his "Twofuld Scripture catechifm;" 

 one larger and more comprehenfive, and the other more brief, 

 for the ufe of children. For this publication he was Ciillcd 



to the bar of Cromwell's parliament, and committed to ths 

 Gate-houfe, where he was debarred the ufe of pen and ink, 

 and the acccfs of any vifitor ; and his books were alfo or- 

 dered to be burnt. Although a bill was brought into par- 

 liament for punifhing him, he obtained iiis liberty after fix 

 months' confinement, by due courfe of law. Some time 

 after, he had a difpute withabaptift teacher; in the courfe 

 of which he made ufe of fome exprcfiions, for which he was 

 thrown into Newgate, and tried for his Ufe at the next 

 fcffions, on the ordinance above-mentioned. On this occa- 

 fion couiifel was at firft denied him, bnt afterwards granted, 

 and the trial deferred. In the mean while Cromwell inter- 

 fered, and difapproving of this kind of intolerance, con- 

 tented himfclf at firft with detaining him in prifon ; but 

 afterwards, in order to filence the clamours and petitions 

 that were preferred againft him, banifhed him for Hfe to St. 

 Mar) 's calUe in the ifland of Scilly, afTigning iiim an an- 

 nual fubliltence of 100 crowns. In this place of exile Biddle 

 continued three years, applying hinifelf to clofe ftudy, and 

 particularly to that of the Apocalypfe. His friends at 

 length prevailed with Cromwell to recall him ; and in 1658, 

 as no charge appeared againft him, he was Hberated. He 

 then became paitor of an independent fociety in London, 

 and propagated bis opinions without moleftation, till the 

 fear of the preftjyterian parhament aflemblcd by Richaid 

 Cromwell, and the advice of his friends, i:iduced him to re- 

 tire into the country. On the diflblution of that parlia- 

 ment, he returned to his former llation. After the reftora- 

 tion of Charles II. he withdrew from public fervice, and 

 exercifed his miniftry in private aflembhes with his feleft 

 friends. However, in June 1662, their meeting was dif- 

 covered, and both he and his friends were apprehended and 

 committed to prifon ; and at length, by procefs of law, 

 each of his hearers was fined 20I. ar.d Biddle himfeif iccl. ; 

 and they were ordered to remain in prifon till thefe fines 

 were paid. The clofe confinement and foul air of a prifon, 

 within five weeks, brought upon him a diftemper, which 

 terminated his life September 2Z, 1662, in the 47th year of 

 his age : and thus was his death haftened by the intolerance 

 which perfecuted him during the greateit part of his hfe. 

 Mr. Biddle poflefied a confiderable degree of learning ; and 

 with the Scriptures he was fo converfnnt, that he could re- 

 peat the New Tcilament from memory, both in Englilh and 

 in Greek, as far as the 4th chapter of the revelation of St. 

 John. He poflelTed alfo, with this retentivencfs of memor)', 

 powers of reafoning, which eminently qualified him for dif- 

 feminating his peculiar opinions, and gaining piofelyte.'. 

 In his private character he was diftinguifhed .by his 

 piety and devotion, by his moderation and temperance, by 

 his condefcenfion and benevolence, and by his irreproachable 

 virtue. As he differed in fome refpeds from Socinus and . 

 the foreign Unitarians, his foUovvcrs were for fome time- 

 denominated " Bidxkllians ;" but the name did not fubfiit 

 after his death Biog. Brit. Toulmin's Life of Biddle, 

 ill LTnitarian tracts, vol. iv. 1 79 1. Neal's tl'iA. of .the Pu- 

 ritans, vol. ii. p. 470, 4to. 



BIDDLES, in Geography, a fettlement-on a branch of 

 Licking river, in Bourbon countv, J^entucky, about 6 miles 

 N.W. from Millers on the N.E. fide of the fame branch, 

 and 32 miles N.N.E. from Lexington. 



BIDENS, fo named from the feed being terminated with 

 two teeth or awns, in Botany. Lin. gen. n. 932. Reich. «. 

 I0I2. Schreb. .1267. Tournef. t. 262. Jufs. iSS. Dil). 

 Elth. 43. 47. Gsrtn. t. 167. Ceratocephalus. Vaill. Act. 

 Gall. 172c. f. 47i 48, 49. Clafs, fyngemfia poiygamia 

 xqv.alii. Nat. ord. compofitit oppofiiofolL'. Ctirymhifers, JuiT. 

 G.cn, Char. Calyx, common, imbricate ereft ; leaflets often 



equal, 



