Tuesday, the 12th of December, 1654.
Prayers.
Settling the Government.
THE House this Day resumed the Debate upon the
Report made by Mr. Hoskins, from the Grand
Committee, upon the Government.
Resolved, That it be referred to a Committee, to
consider of the particular Enumeration of damnable
Heresies; and where it shall be inserted.
Colonel John Birch, Colonel Puresoy, Sir Wm. Strickland, Lieutenant-Colonel Kelsey, Lieutenant-Colonel
Worsley, Mr. Yeo. Sir Rich. Lucy, Alderman Gibbs, Mr.
Swinton, Mr. Henry Cromwell, Mr. Godfrey, Serjeant
Glyn, Major Gibbs, Lord Commissioner Whitlock, Mr.
Ceely, Mr. Turnor, Colonel Fynes, Mr. Bulkley, Sir Wm.
Masham, Colonel Beale, Sir Anth. Ashly Cooper, Mr.
Whitway, Lord Commissioner Widdrington, Lord Commissioner Lisle, Mr. Wakering, Colonel Goff, Mr. Hayes,
Mr. Boys, Lord Dacres, Mr. Recorder, Lord Lambert,
Mr. Purefoy, Colonel Ireland, Mr. Elvins, Mr. Lechmere, Colonel Jones, Mr. Seliard, Colonel Rous, Major
Beak, Colonel Mathewes, Mr. Gewen, Mr. Yorke, Mr.
Grove, Mr. Barnard, Mr. Long, Colonel Zanchie, Colonel Whetham, Mr. Nath. Bacon, Mr. Francis Bacon,
Mr. Trenchard, Sir Richard Onslow, Sir Henry Vane,
Colonel Bridges, Colonel Welden, Mr. Rous, CommissaryGeneral Whaley, Mr. James Ash, Colonel Thomas Birch,
Mr. Maidston, Colonel Fothergill, Lord Broghill, Mr.
John Goodwin: And are to meet in the Inner Court of
Wards, this Afternoon, at Two of Clock.
Resolved, That the Committee for Religion do sit on
Thursday in the Afternoon.
Resolved, That this Word, "Atheism," be Part of the
Question.
Religion.
Sir Wm. Masham reports, from the Committee impowered to confer with Divines, touching Articles of
Faith, Twenty Articles, with the Proofs thereof from
Scripture.
Resolved, That the Thanks of the House be given to
the Ministers, whose Assistance the Committee hath made
use of in this Business, for the great Pains taken therein:
And that Sir Wm. Masham, Sir Wm. Strickland, Mr.
Rous, Lord Broghill, Mr. Bulkley, and Mr. Maidston,
do give them the Thanks of this House, accordingly:
And that they do also desire them, from the House, to
proceed with, and perfect what they have further prepared, or under their Consideration, or as they judge fit,
to be presented to this House for their Consideration,
containing such Doctrinal Truths as they conceive fit to
be owned by such Ministers as shall receive the publick
Maintenance.
Resolved, That Sir Wm. Strickland be added to the
Committee that was appointed to take the Assistance of
the Ministers: And that they have Power to appoint a
Quorum of the Ministers.
Resolved, That Three hundred Copies of these Articles
be printed, only for the Service of the House: And that
they be delivered to the Clerk, to deliver one to every
Member: And that no greater Number be printed; nor
that any of them be delivered to any others than the
Members: And that the same be printed by Thursday
Morning next: And that then the same be again taken
into Consideration by the House.
Blasphemous Publication.
Resolved, upon the Question, by the Parliament, That
a Committee be appointed to consider of these Two
Books now presented: The one intituled, "The apostolical and true Opinion concerning the Holy Trinity
revived and asserted; or, Twelve Arguments drawn out
of Scripture, wherein the commonly received Opinion,
touching the Deity of the Holy Ghost, is clearly and
fully refuted:" And the other, intituled, "A Twofold
Catechism:" Both of them by John Biddle: And have
Power to send for the Author before them; and to restrain
him, and to suppress his School; and also to send for the
Printers and Publishers thereof: And have Power to
seize upon, and call-in the Books, and to prevent the
further printing of them; and to examine the Particulars
of the Books; and to report the same, with their Opinion,
to the House.
Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee for
Printing: And Mr. Nathaniel Bacon, Mr. Lechmere,
Mr. Read, Mr. Bulkley, Mr. Grove, Sir Wm. Masham,
Mr. Boys, Mr. Badger, Mr. Ceely, Colonel Goff, Sir
John Hobart, Mr. Hobart, Colonel Harvey, Sir Anth.
Ashley Cooper, Mr. Beale, Colonel Mathew, Mr. Yeo,
Mr. Rous, Sir Tho. Honywood, Mr. Shatterden, Mr.
Maidston, Major-General Skippon, Mr. Scudamore,
Lieutenant-Colonel Kelsey, Colonel Purefoy, Sir Thomas
Rous, Mr. Dunch, Mr. Nicholl, Lieutenant-Colonel
Baines, be added to this Committee.
Resolved, That the Book, intituled, "The apostolical
and true Opinion concerning the Holy Trinity revived
and asserted, &c. or, Twelve Arguments drawn out of
Scripture, wherein the commonly received Opinion,
touching the Deity of the Holy Spirit is clearly and
fully refuted;" doth contain impious and blasphemous
Opinions against the Deity of the Holy Ghost.
Resolved, That the House doth adjudge the said Book
to be burnt by the Hand of the common Hangman.
Ordered, That the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex
be required to search for, and seize, all the printed Copies
of the said Book; and to cause them to be burnt,
accordingly, at the Old Exchange, and in the New
Palace at Westminster, on Thursday next.
Resolved, That John Biddle be sent for in Custody, as
a Delinquent.
Resolved, That the Serjeant at Arms, attending this
House, do seize, and cause to be seized, all the printed
Copies of the said Book, to be burnt, as aforesaid.