BIDDLE, Joust (1615-62). The founder of English Unitarianism. He was born at NVotton under-Edge, in Gloucestershire. baptized .January 14, 1615, and in 1631 entered Magdalen, Oxford, where he took his degree of B.A. 1638 and M.A. 1641. In 1641 he was elected master of the free school in the town of Gloucester, the duties of which office he discharged with such zeal that the character of the institution was greatly im proved: but having embraced certain opinions— which lie put in writing for private circulation— in regard to the personality of the Holy Spirit, at variance with those held by the majority of Christians, he was thrown into jail, December 2. 1645, but bailed out. Being in January, 1647, summoned before the Parliament at IVestmin ster, on account of his heresy, he was imprisoned and then published the manuscript T WON" OK'S t 1011S or Arguments Drawn Out of Scripture, the Commonly lieceirol Opinion Touch ing the Deity of the Holy Spirit Is Clearly and Fully Refuted (London, 1647). He was for mally tried, and condemned to imprisonment. The famous NVestminster assembly of divines undertook to 'settle' Biddle's case, but unfortu nately their arguments—as is usual in disputa tion—had only the effect of strengthening his previous convictions. In 1648, while still in prison, he published a Confession of Faith Con cerning the Holy Trinity, etc., which was fol lowed by another tract containing the opinions of the Church Fathers on the same question. In consequence of this attempt to combat the ortho dox doctrine, the Westminster divines called upon the Parliament to pass an net declaring the denial of the Trinity a crime punishable by death. The army, however, strange to say,
proved on this occasion less cruel than the Church. fur it manifested such strong opposition that the act remained a dead letter. He was again bailed out and preached in Staffordshire; again east into prison at Newgate, London: and on February TO, 1652, by order of Oliver Crom well, Parliament passed a general act of oblivion, and so Biddle was released.
He now commenced to gather a congregation of those whom he had converted to his opinions --namely, that there was but one person, as there was but one nature, in the Godhead. The members were first called Bidellians, then So einians, and finally assumed for themselves the name of Unitarians. In December, 1654, he was again imprisoned, for faith's sake, released on May 28, 1655. only again to be imprisoned after a month, and Cromwell was, on October 5, 1655. in order to save his life, compelled to banish him to one of the S'eilly Isles. Three years of im prisonment having elapsed, lie was permitted to return. and Continued to preach in London till the death of Cromwell (September 3, 1658), and also after the Restoration. until June, 1662, when he was again apprehended and fined £100. Being unable to pay, he was eimunitted to jail, where lie died September 22, 1662, His personal character was highly esteemed by those who knew hint For biography, consult Joshua Toulmin (London, 1789: new ed., 1805).