Biddle's "Catechisme," but his "Confession of Faith." For this curious blunder he thus apologises. "Christian Reader, we are to advertise thee of our great mistake in prefixing this title in the front of many pages: Mr. Biddle's Socinian Catechism Examined and Confuted: whereas it should have been, A Confession of Faith touching the Holy Trinity, according to the Scripture, Examined and Confuted we tooke this his Confession of Faith to be his Catechism; but now wee understand that they are distinct Treatises, and of a different nature." The error was rectified when the title-page was printed, which contains no allusion to the Catechism. The work was dedicated to Edward, Lord Montague, of Broughton; and in the course of the Dedication, the author takes occasion to say, that Mr. Biddle's "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, in so much that Maresius, Professour of Divinity at Groningen, a city which gives denomination to one of the seventeen Provinces, is bold to avouch, I do not say either truly or charitably, that Socinianisme hath fixed its metrapolitical seat here in England, and displayed openly the banners of its impiety."

That Unitarian opinions had found many advocates in England, when Mr. Estwick wrote, is evident from Chewney's "Anti-Socinianism," published in 4to., 1656, with an Appendix, entitled, " Aipeorapxar, or, A Cage of Unclean Birds, containing the Authors, Promoters, Propagators, and Chief Dissemi

nators of this damnable Socinian Heresie;" and from Bagshaw's "Dissertationes Duæ Anti-Socinianæ, in quibus probatur, (1) Socinianos non debere dici Christianos: (2) Discussio istius Quæstionis, An bona Infidelium Opera sint Peccata?" Lond. 1657, 12mo. The "Anti-Socinianism" of Chewney professes to contain "A brief Explication of some places of Holy Scripture, for the Confutation of certain gross Errours, and Socinian Heresies, lately published by William Pynchion, Gent. in a Dialogue of his, called, 'The Meritorious Price of our Redemption;"" and the "Aiperiapxai" is made up of a series of highly-wrought biographical sketches, or rather caricatures, of some of the most eminent Antitrinitarians of modern times, including Servetus, the two Socini, uncle and nephew, Gentilis, Gribaldus, Blandrata, Alciati, Davidis, and many others. Bagshaw's work, which is dedicated to the Governors and Patrons of Westminster College and School, was written for the purpose of shewing, that, as long as the Socinians deny the Divinity of Christ they are not Christians; and that, as long as they follow the mere guidance of reason they are not Christians. The former thesis he endeavours to establish, first, by the authority of the Church ; secondly, by the authority of Scripture; and thirdly, from the analogy of heathenism and Socinianism. In defence of the latter, (namely, that reason alone does not suffice for the understanding of the Mysteries of Faith,) he argues, first, against the weakness of the instrument, which is the human intellect; and secondly, from the excellence of the object, which consists of the Credenda and Agenda of the

Christian Religion. The latter part of the book is devoted to a discussion of the question respecting the good works of unbelievers, among whom, as a matter of course, he ranks the Socinians. The author of these Dissertations, the Rev. Edward Bagshaw, M. A., was the second Master of Westminster School. We learn from Wood,* that he was a man of abandoned and dissolute character, and one upon whose word no reliance could be placed; and yet this person takes upon himself to prove, that Unitarians are not Christians, and that their good works are of the nature of sin!

Biddle was now beyond the reach of his enemies; but it required all Cromwell's firmness and address, to stop the tide of persecution, and prevent those, who rejected the popular doctrine of the Trinity, from being molested, on account of their religious opinions. Allusion has already been made to the rebuke, which he gave to one of his Parliaments, for its intolerance, when he prematurely dissolved it, on the 22nd of January, 1655. On the 17th of September, 1656, at the opening of a new Parlia ment, he cautioned the members against the indulgence of an exclusive spirit; and plainly told them, that he would not allow one sect to tyrannize over another. "If a man of one form," said he, on that occasion, "will be trampling upon the heels of another form: if an Independent, for example, will despise him under Baptism, and will revile him, and reproach and provoke him, I will not suffer it in him. If, on the other side, those on the Anabaptists

• Athen. Oxon. Vol. II. p. 492.

shall be censuring the godly ministers of the nation that profess under that of Independency, or those that profess under Presbytery shall be reproaching or speaking evil of them, traducing and censuring of them; as I would not be willing to see the day on which England shall be in the power of the Presbytery, to impose upon the consciences of others that profess faith in Christ, so I will not endure any to reproach them. But God give us hearts and spirits to keep things equal; which, truly, I must profess to you, hath been my temper. I have had boxes and rebukes on one hand, and on the other; some envying me for Presbytery, others as an inletter to all the sects and heresies in the nation. I have borne my reproach; but I have, through God's mercy, not been unhappy in preventing any one Religion to impose upon another."

By assuming this bold, and determined attitude, Cromwell succeeded in checking the spirit of intolerance; and preventing any one religious party from obtaining the ascendancy. Nothing but the extraordinary energy of his own character would have enabled him to do this. Had he listened exclusively to the counsels of one particular party, he would soon have created a host of enemies: but by humouring all in turn, and giving a preference to none, he was able to keep the balance even. At the beginning of the Long Parliament, he sided with the Presbyterians, who were then the predominant party; and when the Independents grew more numerous, and began to acquire political importance, he attached himself to them. But after he was advanced to the Protectorate, he made it his

aim to treat all religious parties alike, and shewed himself a friend to universal toleration. "He had some chaplains of all sorts," says Bishop Burnet ;* "and he began in his latter years to be gentler towards those of the Church of England." It was this Catholic spirit which led him to extend over Biddle the shield of his protection, by placing him beyond the reach of those, who were thirsting for his blood; and the first moment that he thought he could safely recal him, an order was sent for his return, and he was brought to London by a writ of Habeas Corpus, after a banishment of between two and three years. No direct opposition appears to have been made to this act of clemency, by the zealots of any party: but it created much secret dissatisfaction, which was carefully suppressed during the short remnant of Cromwell's life, but which broke out into loud and open complaints immediately after his death. That event took place on the 3rd of September, 1658, about five months after the liberation of Biddle; and it is not improbable, that it was effected by poison, prepared, if not actually administered, by the hands of intolerance and fanaticism.

Richard Cromwell summoned a Parliament for the 27th of January, 1659; and before it met, Mr. Biddle left London, and went into the country. It was with difficulty, however, that he was prevailed upon to do so; for he felt that the post of danger

History of his own Time. London, 1724, Fol. Vol. I. p. 68.