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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76698	The apostolical and true opinion concerning the Holy Trinity, revived and asserted partly by twelve arguments levied against the traditional and false opinion about the Godhead of the Holy Spirit. Partly by a confession of faith touching the Three Persons. Both which having been formerly set forth, were much altered and augmented, with explications of Scripture, and with reasons: and finally, with testimonies of the Fathers, and of others. All reprinted, anno 1653. By John Bidle, M.A. And now again with the life of the author prefixed, anno Dom. 1691.	Biddle, John, 1615-1662.; Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon.	1691 (1691)	Wing B2868B; ESTC R211856	15,790	16

THE APOSTOLICAL And True Opinion concerning the HOLY TRINITY Revived and Asserted Partly by Twelve ARGUMENTS levied against the Traditional and False Opinion about the Godhead of the Holy Spirit Partly by a CONFESSION of FAITH touching the Three Persons Both which having been formerly set forth were much altered and augmented with Explications of Scripture and with Reasons And finally With TESTIMONIES of the FATHERS And of Others All Reprinted Anno 1653. By JOHN BIDLE M. A. And now again with the LIFE of the Author prefixed Anno Dom. 1691. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF John Bidle M. A. Sometimes of Magd. Hall Oxon. THE intelligent and searching Reader finding in this Book under the Title of The Apostolical and true Opinion concerning the Holy Trinity Revived and Asserted c. several Explications of Holy Scripture and Testimonies out of the most ancient Christian Writers touching that great and momentous Doctrine much differing from the commonly-receiv'd Opinions of both Papists and Protestants of these later Ages will without doubt be desirous to know something of the Author's Life and Qualifications Let him please therefore to take this plain and short Account without those Embellishments which the Lives of eminent Men are deservedly adorned with but which my Abilities will not reach to Know then that the Author John Bidle was born at Wotton-under-hedg in the County of Gloucester in the Year of our Lord Christ 1615. His Father Edward Bidle was of a middle sort of Yeomen and also dealt in Woollen Clothes by which means he maintained his Family honestly and with credit suitable to his Rank or rather above it His Son John our Author was educated in the Free-School of that Town where his proficiency in the Learning there taught was soon taken notice of both by Neighbours and those more remote among whom my Lord Barkley as a Personage of the greatest Honour so great a lover and promoter of Learning is in the first place to be remembred Who in respect to the early Blossoms of a rare Wit great Probity and Ingenuity in our young Scholar conferr'd upon him the exhibition of ten Pounds per Annum among other the poorer Scholars although by his Age being not of ten Years he was not qualified according to common Method for that Donation And this Favour it seems added greater Vigour and Industry to the Youth's Studies for after this he did not only with ease surpass those his School-fellows of the same Rank but in Time even out-run his Instructions and became Tutor to himself so overcoming both the Labours of his Task and those Difficulties he met with in his Course However the want of fit Teaching on the one hand and the benefit of that Exhibition on the other or perhaps the want of fit Provisions for a Student in the University detain'd him longer in that School than was otherwise for his Improvement for here he continued till he was about Seventeen Years of Age. In this Time he gave some Specimens of his pregnant both Wit and Judgment in the Translation of Virgil's Bucolicks and the two first Satyrs of Juvenal into elegant English Verse afterward publish'd in print with approbation of Learned Men. He composed also and recited before a full Auditory an elaborate Oration in Latin for a gracing to the Funeral of an honourable School-fellow Yea even in these younger Years was observed in him a singular piety of Mind and contempt of secular Affairs Whence it came that he applied himself to the study of Vertue together with the Liberal Arts and with great diligence gave dutiful Assistance to his Mother become a Widow by the Death of his Father From hence he was sent to the University of Oxford and was admitted a Student in Magdalen-Hall there where in due time he proceeded Master of Arts with good applause and was reckon'd among those of his rank that did in an especial manner commend the Learning of that Academy Here he did so Philosophize as it might be observed he was determined more by Reason than Authority however in Divine Things he did not much dissent from the common Doctrine as may be collected from a little Tract he wrote against Dancing But the fame of his Learning and Prudence in instructing Pupils there having conciliated to him the Esteem of Persons of Quality and more particularly of the Overseers of the School of Wootton he was chosen by them to succeed in the Mastership thereof which he may seem to have as wisely as modestly refused but did in the mean time commend to them another fit Person whom they accepted of This refusal gave opportunity to the Magistrates of Gloucester upon ample Recommendations of the principal Persons in the University to chuse and importune him to be Master of the Free-School of Crisps in that City which he consented to and at his approach thither was met and received by them with much Joy and Honour Anno 1641. Neither did he deceive their Expectations nor come short of the Character had been given of him whilst he discharged that Imployment with such skil and faithfulness that they thought themselves not a little happy in that behalf who could commit their Sons to his Instruction Whence it came to pass that not so much by the Salary which is not great but by the Gratuities of Parents he reap'd considerable Profits But Money did not infect his Mind with the love of it his Mind was set upon the Knowledg of Divine Truth and that not for Curiosity but for the Love of Christ who is Truth and Life And having laid aside the Impediments of Prejudice he gave himself liberty to try all things that he might hold fast that which is good Thus diligently reading the Holy Scripture for Socinian Books he had read none and fervently imploring Divine Illumination he perceiv'd the common Doctrin concerning the Holy Trinity was not well grounded in Revelation much less in Reason And being as generous in speaking as free in judging he did as occasion offered discover his Reasons of questioning it Which some Zealots not being able to bear they accus'd him to the Magistrates of Heresy in that Point before whom he exhibited in Writing this Confession May 2 1644. 1. I believe there is but one Infinite and Almighty Essence called God 2. I believe that as there is but one Infinite and Almighty Essence so there is but one Person in that Essence 3. I believe that our Saviour Jesus Christ is truly God by being truly really and properly united to the only Person of the Infinite and Almighty Essence But when this did not satisfy the Magistrates but they did still press upon him to acknowledg three Persons in the Divine Essence and he it seems knowing that the word Persons when ascribed to God is taken both by the Ancient Fathers and by Modern Writers in various Significations did about fourteen days after confess that that there are three in that one Divine Essence commonly termed Persons By this

Christ whom he had sent but return'd to his long interrupted Exercises among his Friends But he could not long labour in this Field for about five Months after the Protector Oliver dies and his Son Richard succeeding calls a Parliament dangerous certainly to John Bidle in the first place if to any other which being foreseen he was forced as it were for he did it with regret by the Importunity of a Noble Friend to retire into the Country during their Session But that Parliament being dissolv'd he returned to his wonted Station till such time as the Divisions between the Protector and Army had brought into Power again the Long Parliament and the Divisions of that Parliament and Army and People had brought in General Monk out of Scotland he the Secluded Members and they the Exil'd King Charles and with him a restoration of the Antient Government in Church and State Then after some time the liberty of Dissenting Worshippers was taken away and their Meetings punish'd as seditious Now J. Bidle yields to the Time and restrains himself from publick to more private Assemblies But neither could he long enjoy those however peaceable and harmless for on the first of June 1662. He was haled out of his Lodgings where he was conven'd with some few of his Friends for Divine Worship and carried before Sir Rich. Brown who forthwith committed them all to the publick Prison J. Bidle to the Dungeon where he lay for five hours and was denied the benefit of the Law which admits Offenders of that sort to Bail for their Appearance There they lay till the Recorder moved with more reverence of the Laws took security for their answering to their Charge next Sessions which they perform'd accordingly But when the Court could not find any Statute whereon to form any Criminal Indictment against them they were referr'd to the Sessions following and then were proceeded against by pretext of an Offence against Common Law the Rules of which lie mostly in the Judges Breasts and thereupon fined every one of the Hearers in the penalty of Twenty Pounds and J. Bidle in One Hundred to lie in Prison till paid Now though the Sheriff would generously have been satisfied with Ten Pounds for him and he would have paid it yet the Enmity of Sir Rich. Brown was such as he could not be induced to consent thereto upon any terms but threatn'd him with a Seven Years Imprisonment though he should pay the whole Hundred Pounds This was the cause of his continuing in Prison but he had not been there full five Weeks till by reason of the noisomness of the Place and pent Air to him whose only Recreation and Exercise had been for many Years to walk daily into the free Air he contracted a Disease which in a few days alas put a period to his Life In this Extremity Sir R. Brown could not be moved to grant the Sick Prisoner the present Comfort of a Removal in order to a Recovery but Sheriff Meynel to the praise of his great Humanity did grant it But alas the second Day after his removal between five and six a Clock in the Morning the 22th of September 1662. he quietly gave up his Spirit to God He was then in the strength of his Age the 47th Year of his Life Now it did appear as he had said formerly that by frequent Meditations of the Resurrection and future Happiness he had made Death contemptible to himself For as soon as by the Disease more strongly annoying his Brain he perceiv'd a great Alteration he signified it to his Friends and would not be induced to any Discourse but compos'd himself as it were to sleep during that eight hours time which after that he liv'd being very sparing of Words or indeed of Groans that might argue any Impatience notwithstanding when a certain pious Matron who ministred to him broke forth into this as it were Farewel-saying God grant we may see one another in the Kingdom of Heaven He now his Speech failing left up his quivering Hand shewing thereby it seems how pleasing that Wish was to him And that he was not surpriz'd with dying at this time may be collected from his often saying before That if he should be once more cast into Prison he should never be restor'd to Liberty and moreover That the Work was done meaning That that Truth which God had rais'd him up to profess was sufficiently brought to light there wanted only Ingenuity in Men for the embracing and acknowledging it Having in this manner described the Course of John Bidle's Life it may perhaps be enquired why being so learned and able a Man he published so few Books especially being provoked by divers Answers to what he did publish to which he did not reply To this it may be answered first That he was verily perswaded that Truth being in it self plain and simple especially what is necessary and very useful is easy to be apprehended by few words it 's Error that seeks Garnish in many Words and Figures of Speech Again what he did publish he well deliberated of so that he did not find in the adverse Writings any thing of moment which an attentive Reader might not perceive already obviated And they that attend not to the first Propositions will not receive benefit by Replies and Rejoinders We add that he treading in a Path long over-grown with Briars and Thorns of Error and Sophistry it requir'd vastly greater Labour and Diligence to find out the Way of Truth in which no English-Man had by any appearing Foot-steeps gone before him for many Ages But that which in my Judgment does more commend our John Bidle than all his Labours and Sufferings for the propagation of great and important Truths is his great Zeal for promoting Holiness of Life and Manners for this was always his End and Design in what he taught He valued not his Doctrines for Speculation but Practice insomuch that he would not discourse of those Points wherein he differed from others with those that appear'd not religious according to their Knowledg Neither could he bear those that dissembled in Profession for Worldly Interests He was a strict Observer himself and a severe Exactor in others of reverence in speaking of God and Christ and Holy Things so that he would by no means hear their Names or any Sentence of Holy Scripture us'd vainly or lightly much less any foolish Talking or Scurrility He would often tell his Friends that no Religion would benefit a bad Man and call upon them to resolve with themselves as well to profess and practise the Truth that is according to Godliness as to study to find it out and that against all Terrors or Allurements to the contrary being assured that nothing displeasing to Almighty God could be in any wise profitable to them But as for those that were really of a contrary Mind to him how mean soever for he was very humble and condescending they could not oblige him more than