Wednesday, the 13th of December, 1654.
Prayers.
Equal Assessments.
RESOLVED, That the House be resolved into
a Grand Committee of the whole House, on the
2d of January next, to take into Consideration the best
way how the Proportions of Assessments may be most
equally laid for the future: And that Mr. Speaker do
forbear to take the Chair.
Settling the Government.
The House this Day resumed the Debate, upon the
Report made by Mr. Hoskins from the Grand Committee
for the Government.
Resolved, That this Word, "Blasphemy," be Part of
this Question.
Resolved, That this Word, "Popery," be Part of
this Question.
Resolved, That this Word, "Prelacy," be Part of this
Question.
Resolved, That this Word, "Licentiousness," be Part
of this Question.
Resolved, That this Word, "Profaneness," be Part of
this Question.
The Question being put, That the Word, "publish"
stand in this Question;
It passed in the Negative.
Resolved, That these Words, "preach and print," do
stand in this Question.
Resolved, That these Words, viz. "contrary to the
fundamental Principles of Doctrine held forth in the
publick Profession," be Part of the Question.
The Question being propounded, That these Words
be Part of the Question; "viz. which shall be agreed
upon by the Lord Protector, and the Parliament;"
And the Question being put, That this Question be
now put;
The House was divided.
The Noes went forth.
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Mr. Maidston, |
Tellers for the Yeas: |
62. |
| Colonel Rous, |
With the Yeas, |
| Mr. Grove, |
Tellers for the Noes: |
80. |
| Mr. Bulkley, |
With the Noes, |
So it passed in the Negative.
Blasphemous Publication.
The House being informed that John Biddle, being
apprehended by the Serjeant at Arms according to the
Order of the House, was at the Door; He was called in:
And being come to the Bar, kneeled awhile, till Mr.
Speaker bid him stand up: And, being demanded, what
his Name is; he answereth, John Biddle: And being
shewed the Book, intituled, "The apostolical and true
Opinion concerning the Holy Trinity revived and asserted;" saith, He doth acknowlege the Book, and the Contents of it; and that he wrote it: And being shewed the
Book, intituled, "A Two-fold Catechism," saith, He
knoweth the Book, and the Contents of it; and that he
wrote it: Denieth he keepeth a School: Saith, he hath
no Congregation: Being asked, Who printed these
Books; saith, Hitherto he hath answered as a Christian,
to give an Account of the Hope that is in him: What
the Law of Christ doth warrant him to answer, he will
do; but beyond That he will not: The Law of Christ
enjoins him not to betray his Brethren:
Being asked, Whether the Law of Christ did enjoin him
to believe the Holy Ghost is not God; saith, The Law
of Christ doth no-where tell him, the Holy Ghost is God:
And thereupon was commanded to withdraw.
And, afterwards, he was again called in:
And, being come to the Bar, was, by Order of the
House, demanded by Mr. Speaker, Whether the Holy
Ghost be God? Saith, He hath examined the Scriptures;
and doth nowhere find, in the Old or New-Testament,
that the Holy Spirit is God: He doth own the Books;
and his Opinion is sufficiently declared in them.
Being demanded, whether Jesus Christ be God from
Everlasting to Everlasting; answered, He doth own the
Books; and therein hath declared his Judgment: But
saith, He doth not find, in Scripture, where Jesus Christ
is called the Most High God, or God from Everlasting
to Everlasting.
Being asked, Whether God be confined to a certain
Place; saith, This is not to the Hope that is in a Christian:
Therefore there is no Necessity lying on him to answer.
Being asked, Whether God have a bodily Shape; saith,
He hath answered sufficiently to That already.
Ordered, That John Biddle be committed Prisoner to
the Gatehouse in Westminster; and there to be kept close
Prisoner, without Pen, Ink, or Paper, in order to a
further Proceeding against him.
Resolved, That the Committee do proceed in the
Reference of these Two Books of Biddle's: And that
they bring in the Report on Monday next.