A brief Scripture Catechisme for children. Wherein, notwithstanding the brevity thereof all things necessary unto life and Godliness are contained. By the same. London. 1654.
These were originally printed as one book; but the brief Scripture Catechism was printed again by itself in a small octavo the same year. The British Museum Library contains copies in the twofold form, from which the preceding titles are taken.
On December 12th, 1654, the House of Commons resolved that a Committee be appointed to consider of this book, with power to send for the author, and to restrain him, and to suppress his school. The next day Biddle was brought to the bar of the House, and on examination acknowledged the authorship, but denied that he kept a school, and also that he had a congregation. Being asked who printed the book, he said "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 being 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."
It was thereupon ordered that Biddle should be committed prisoner to the Gatehouse in Westminster. On January 15th, 1654/5, the House of Commons resolved that the whole drift and scope of this book was "to teach and to hold forth many blasphemous and heretical opinions," and that in the preface the author thereof did "maintain and assert many blasphemous and heretical opinions, and doth therein cast a reproach upon all the catechisms now extant;" also "that report be made to the House of the manner of the author's venting his said errors, together with several particular errors and blasphemies in the said book contained; that the manner is by proposing a blasphemous and dangerous opinion, by way of question, and by mis-applying of Scripture, by way of answer to the same."
"The several particulars are as followeth: