The accuser sham'd: or, A pair of bellows to blow off that dust cast upon John Fry, a Member of Parliament, by Col: John Downs, likewise a Member of Parliament, who by the confederacy and instigation of some, charged the said John Fry of blasphemy & error to the Honorable House of Commons. Whereunto is annexed, a word to the priests, lawyers, Royalists, self-seekers, and rigid-Presbyterians. Also a brief ventilation of that chaffie and absurd opinion, of three persons or subsistences in the Godhead. / By the accused John Fry.

The ACCUSER ſham'd: OR, A pair of Bellows To Blow off that Duſt caſt upon JOHN FRY, A Member of PARLIAMENT, by Col: John Downs, likewiſe a Member of Parliament, Who by the Confederacy and Inſtigation of ſome, charged the ſaid JOHN FRY of Blaſphemy & Error To the Honorable Houſe of COMMONS.

Whereunto is annexed,

A word to the Prieſts, Lawyers, Royaliſts, Self-Seekers, and Rigid-Presbyterians.

Alſo a brief Ventilation of that chaffie and abſurd Opinion, of Three Perſons or Subſiſtences in the Godhead.

By the accuſed JOHN FRY.

Rom 10 2. I bear them record, they have a zeal, but not according to knowledge. Acts 17. 23, 24, &c. For as I paſſed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this inſcription, To the unknown God: whom therefore ye ignorantly worſhip, him declare I unto you. God that made the world, and all things therein, ſeeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands.

London, Printed for John Harris, and are to be ſold at his houſe on Addle hill. Febr. 1648.

I Do wave any Epiſtle, either Dedicatory, or to the Reader, for theſe Reaſons:

Firſt, To avoid ſuſpition of guiltineſs of the crimes laid againſt me, as if I needed a protector.

Secondly, To ſhun the thoughts of Cenſoriouſneſs, as though I thought that Truth could not walk abroad without a Paſs-Port.

Thirdly, To decline that unworthineſs (which I think ſome men are guilty of) of begging mens ſuffrages to what I aſſert.

I did not adventure thus to ſtraggle abroad, without much oppoſition in my ſelf, which chiefly was the conſciouſneſs of mine inſufficiency to abide the Teſt of judicious mens Cenſures, for method, congruity, and aptneſs of words and ſence.

But rather then I would lye under ſuch a charge of Error and Blaſphemy, I choſe to lay open my weakneſs to the world, in point of art, being ſtirred up too by ſome of my (I am perſwaded) very cordial friends.

What ſatisfaction I ſhall give to the world, I am not much troubled at, becauſe I ſeek not the ſatisfaction of al; if by this I may avoid the cenſure of the godly, it is the height of my deſire; however, this I am ſure of, mine own conſcience doth not condemn me.

I were a ſingular man, if I had not adverſaries, ſuch a man is certainly very miſerable, according to that in Luke 6. 26. We be to you when all men ſhall ſpeak well of you, for ſo did their fathers to the falſe prophets: And therefore the having of adverſaries is rather a comfort then a trouble.

Upon the beſt inquiry into, and recollection of paſſages for ſome years laſt paſt, I cannot finde that I have gained any Enemies, but either for adhering to the publike intereſt, oppoſing of ſelf-intereſts according to my truſt, or declaring my opinion in matters of Religion; for the latter, I think advantages have been taken of me, more in policy then piety, ſome being glad of ſuch an opportunity (as I have often been credibly informed) to remove me out of the way to their private ends.

I am not diſcouraged a whit, to think that in a time when the Preſs is ſo free, and accute wits ſo much in view, that mine muſt come in the rear of all; if that were the conſideration, I ſhould not have manifeſted ſo much folly as to be in Print; that is proper for his thoughts that writes more to ſhew his parts, then for one that is neceſſitated to vindicate himſelf from ſo foul an aſperſion as is caſt upon me: if any man ſhall ſay, I am too tender of my reputation, I wiſh him to make it his own caſe, and if that will not change his Opinion, he muſt give me leave to doubt whether he be in good earneſt or no.

I am not very greedy to ſolicite ſtrangers to become my friends in this particular, my deſires are to confirm my old acquaintance and Chriſtian friends; yet I would not be wanting ſo far as 'tis meet, to ſatisfie thoſe that have nothing to lead their judgements but reports. I ſhall therefore give my poſitive denyal to my Charge, together with my opinion in the point, to be put in one ſcale, and but his bold and untrue aſſertion in the other, and if this will not at leaſt ſuſpend their judgement of me, I appeal to all the world, whether they are upon grounds of equity or no.

I hear that many who have onely heard of me, and had good thoughts of me, are now ſtaggering upon the report that I deny the God-head of the Son; if by what I have, and ſhall ſay, I cannot regain their good opinions, their uncharitableneſs will more wound themſelves then me, for were it ſo that no man will believe me, mine own conſcience, as to my ſelf, is inſtead of a thouſand witneſſes to acquit me before the Judge of all.

I hear that ſome ſay (upon what grounds I know not) that what I tendred to the Houſe of Commons for their ſatisfaction, is ſo covertly expreſſed, that they conclude I have but deceived them, & that I am ſtill, & have been for a twelve moneth paſt of the opinion, that the ſecond in the Trinity, to wit, Jeſus Chriſt is not God; but how groundleſly they conclude this of me, if I have not loſt all reputation amongſt them, will be very evident by what I hold forth.

That I have many Enemies, I doubt not, and ſuch as are not of petty profeſſions and repute, as namely, Prieſts, Lawyers, Cavies, Self-ſeekers, and Rigid-Presbyterians, of all theſe not a few: to ſuch mens ways I profeſs my ſelf an Enemy, but not to their perſons; and till I ſee ſome amendment of them in their trades, I ſhall not, I hope, alter my thoughts of them; how the Goſpel, Law, mens Eſtates, and the Liberties and Freedoms of the people are bought and ſold, I am not altogether a ſtranger to; and what palpable contradictions there are in theſe mens profeſſions and actions, I ſhall endeavor to clear.

Firſt, let us take a brief ſurvey of the Prieſt, but if any ſhall ſay there is too much gall in my pen for uſing this word Prieſt, I ſhall refer him to what the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 7. 11. Where there is a change of the Prieſthood, there is of neceſsity a change of the Law; then it will follow, where the Law is not aboliſhed, there the Prieſthood is not aboliſhed; and that the Law is kept on foot, I ſhall inſtance in one particular onely (though I could ſhew their legality in many things) as that of Tythes: Was not the Tythes due under the Law to the Prieſts, as ſuch onely? and do our Tythe and Parſonage-mongers, claim it upon any other ſcore? They like the profit, but not the title the Law giveth them; they would alter the term Prieſt, into the name of a Miniſter of the Goſpel: but how well this becometh them, their preaching and practice conſidered, I profeſs, I think a man of ordinary capacity can ſee without a pair of ſpectacles. Our Savior Chriſt in that Commiſſion to the Preachers of the Goſpel, Matth. 10. 7. commands them, Go preach, ſaying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Verſe 8. Freely ye have received, freely give. Verſe 14. Whoſoever ſhall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that houſe or City, ſhake off the duſt of your feet. Luke 9. 5. ſaith, Shake off the duſt of your feet for a teſtimony againſt them: This was practiced by Paul and Barnabas, Acts. 13. 51. They ſhook off the duſt of their feet againſt them, and came to Iconium: But is this the practice of theſe Goſpel-Preachers (would be called?) nay, will they not rather ſhake off the duſt of their feet, and be gone from the Saints, where the maintenance is not great, and go among men that ſcorn both them and the Goſpel, for a good fat Parſonage, and there caſt the Goſpel in the beſt maner they can, which is the pearl mentioned, Mat. 6. 7. unto a company of Swine, contrary to the command? How eager are many of them for a Gooſe, or a Tythe egg at Eaſter with their Neighbors? if they conceive they have not that which they call their Due, it ſhall make a breach between them, that they will never love one another again: if theſe be Goſpel-Preachers, or if theſe do not ſell the Goſpel, I confeſs I know nothing.

Enter Lawyer.

Who would think that a Gentleman of ſo demure a garb, had ſo much (I had almoſt ſaid knavery) craft under his Sattin-Cap and long Robe? put him what Caſe you will, he wil tell you 'tis good, and perchance he ſpeaks truth; but the ſilly Clyent knoweth not the meaning, he thinks that his Cauſe is good, but there is another meaning in it, which is this, it is good for the Lawyers, for they ſhall get money by it: Doth not too much experience manifeſt this? There is a diſeaſe called Caninus-appetitus, let us ſee whether they are not ſick of this, eſpecially thoſe that are any thing eminent, and have the priviledge to plead within the Bar: Do not many finde their appetites are ſo great, that whereas heretofore ten or twenty ſhillings would ſerve their turn, now you muſt give them five or ten pounds, and yet their panches hardly ſatisfied? Nay, do not many of them take a mans money and not do his work? Doth it not many times fall out, that while the Lawyer is pleading in one Court for one Clyent, another of his Clyents Cauſe is hearing in another? And when it is the Lawyers fault to entertain ſo many Cauſes, that he cannot give attendance to them all, Do they reſtore the Fees they have taken, though the man be undone for depending upon him? if there be any ſuch, for my part, I neither know them, nor have I heard of them, but it may be there are black Swans.

A word to the Cavies.

How theſe have endeavored to ſell their own and their Neighbors Freedoms for a meſs of pottage, I mean the Kings favor, is ſo apparent and obvious in every eye, that I need not uſe arguments to prove it; and therefore I ſhall onely ſay this to them, Sithence what they have reaped of all their labor, is but ſcorn and contempt of all honeſt true-hearted Engliſh men, and a Sequeſtration to boot, I hope they will take warning for the future, by what is paſt.

In the next place comes the Self-ſeeker.

This Gentleman, notwithſtanding his falſe vizard of zeal to the publike intereſt (which mask is likewiſe put on by all that I have to do with now) is eaſily diſcovered: Do they think that thoſe which have raiſed handſome Eſtates out of nothing, and vaſt Eſtates out of mean Eſtates, ſince our general calamity upon the ruine of many, as well friend as foe, can deſerve any other title then Self-ſeekers? and though they bleſs themſelves in their miſ-gotten goods, that any honeſt hearts can but condemn them for their unſeaſonable building their neſts ſo high? let them read what the Prophet Haggai ſaith, ch. 1. v. 4. Is it time for ye, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houſes, and this houſe lie waſte? So may I ſay, Is it a time for you, O ye Self-ſeekers, to ceil and raiſe up your houſes, when the Nation lies waſte? Is not this a prepoſterous way, to raiſe your Eſtates upon your Brethrens ruine? I ſpeak to thoſe chiefly, that contrary to the Self-denying Ordinance, ſtill keep the Offices of the Commonwealth, the profit of which, eſpecially in ſuch a time as this is, ought (allowing a competent Sallery to thoſe that execute them) to be converted to the publike uſe: And though I ſpeak principally to ſuch, yet I condemn all thoſe new made Officers too, that have enriched themſelves (whiles others, better affected to the Nation, have been undone) by the Excize, Sequeſtrations, &c.

In the next place a word to Rigid Sir John Presbyter.

How zealous this Gentleman is in his way, would be needleſs to hold forth, becauſe he is ſo wel known; but the blindeneſs of his zeal is not as generally known, and therefore I ſhall ſay ſomething to that. I ſhall propound two Queſtions:

Firſt, Whether a man may be queſtioned in matters Divine onely?

Secondly, If ſo, How, and upon what grounds he challengeth this Juriſdiction, more then a man of a different judgement?

To the firſt I anſwer, I am altogether unſatisfied, that the Magiſtrate can take Cognizance upon Goſpel-Rules which we ought to walk by, or call any man to an account for any thing, but what is really prejudicial to his Neighbor, in his perſon, eſtate or good Name; becauſe it is ſaid, Who art thou that condemneſt another? he either ſtandeth or falleth to his own maſter. And I challenge any one to ſhew me a Text in all the New Teſtament, for ſuch a practice; if they cannot, and yet will practice it, do they not condemn the New Teſtament of imperfection in matters of Rules, or elſe uſurp this authority becauſe they will, and have no other Reaſon but their will for it?

But to the ſecond: Suppoſe ſuch a thing, yet I am not convinced by any thing I ever heard or read, that he hath right to aſſume this power: If Fire and Faggot be an Argument, or the deſtroving of men in Priſons, what do they leſs then juſtifie all the perſecutions that ever were made upon the Saints? If this Gentleman could but demonſtrate to me his infallibility, I ſhould be much ſtaggered; nay, they are ſo far from this, that they dare not ſay ſo much: and if ſo, what is it but the begging of the Queſtion? I wiſh they would remember that ſaying of God, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye; and conſider whether that Propheſie in the Goſpel may not concern them, The days ſhall come, when they ſhall put you to death, and think they do God good ſervice. And for that Argument, They that have the power may do it, and the majority of Voyces ought to carry all matters: I ſhall anſwer it with that place of the Evangeliſt, Matth. 7. 13, 14. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that go therein: But ſtrait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that finde it. I could ſay much more, but I ſtudy brevity. There is a ſaying amongſt Phyſitians, That when diſeaſes are diſcovered, they are half cured; and that I may not do my work to halves, I ſhall beſtow the beſt skill I can.

For the Prieſt, I would leave him to the people, ſo as the Diſciples and Apoſtles of Chriſt were; and if they are his Meſſengers, he will ſurely pay them their wages though men wil not: certainly, as they have freely received, ſo they ought freely to give; and if once I ſaw them of that diſpoſition, I doubt not but God would ſtir up the hearts of men to be as free towards them in their Carnal things, as they are towards the people in Spiritual things: For a Goſpel-people, will be a free-people.

For the Lawyers cure, I would have the Parliament to ſtint him in his Fee, and if he exceeded, or took more Cauſes then he could manage, ſo that any man were undone by it, I would have him ſuſpended from practiſing, and his Gown pulled over his ears.

And for the Cavies, I would take them ſhort enough for ever being able to abuſe themſelves and countrymen by any power they ſhould be truſted with: I would never put a Sword into his hands, that had formerly uſed it to the enſlaving of himſelf and country; and if he will be troubleſom, and not take ſuch fair warning as he hath had, I would ſend him to a New Plantation; for it is pity, and dangerous to have any more of the Breed of him here.

As for the Self-ſeeker, I would be ſure to truſt him ſo far as I could ſee him, and no farther: And to ſtop this Leaprous diſeaſe, I would not onely give him a Vomit, that he might diſgorge thoſe filthy Morſels he hath ſo greedily ſwallowed, to the prejudice of the Body Politique; but alſo have a ſpecial care, and exact eye upon all the Money-vangers for the future, and not let paſs more then a moneth, for the calling of thoſe to an account, who weekly, nay almoſt daily receive money in ſome places, as your Treaſurers in Counties, who receive money for the Army, and money for Sequeſtred goods, and Rents, and after this proportion of time, according as moneys comes in to all the ſeveral money-takers for the Commonwealth, I would deal with them.

Rigid Sir John Presbyter is as deſperately ſick as any of the reſt, and therefore it will require more art then mine, I fear; but yet I will do my beſt, and what is wanting, let it be ſupplyed by an abler Artiſt. By my caſting of his ſtate, his diſeaſe ſeems to be ſomewhat of kin to Mr. Cavies; and therefore I ſhall preſcribe much of what I did to him. I would almoſt as ſoon put a Sword into the hands of a mad-man, as into the hands of a high-flying Presbyter; certainly, the forcing of a mans conſcience by civil Power, is a note beyond the Apoſtles Ela: But what do I ſpeak of the Apoſtles and Diſciples of Chriſt? they were puiſns, and lived in the nonage of time; they never ſaw ſuch an Aſſembly of Divines, and a gallant Book called The Annotations upon the Bible, which coſt them many years travel. Truly, this Book coſt me Twenty five ſhillings, and if any one will give me but twenty for it again, I will give him thanks, though it be not two pence the worſe for my uſing of it; he that can, or will afford time to read it over, hath more leiſure and liking to it then I. Happily the Pen-men of the New Teſtament writ at a venture, as King James did his Book, entituled, Demonalogy; and as old Mr. Allen of New-Inn Hall in Oxford, a reputed Conjurer, underſtood King James his Book better then himſelf; ſo theſe Gentlemen may the New Teſtament, then the writers of it: If theſe Gentlemen will needs be doing, I would make them Maſters over all the Bedlams in England, and if that be not work enough, let them go into America, and try their newfound experiment there; in my opinion, it is not fit for Europe, except as afore. We read Heb. 11. 6. That without faith it is impoſsible to pleaſe God, &c. And that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rom. 10. 17. And that faith is a gift, Epheſians 2. 8. 'Tis true, that at Rome where this new firſt diſcovery was made, the Civil Sword hath been uſed to drive men to Heaven whither they would or no, but whether it ever wrought that effect, or was at firſt intended for that end, I very much doubt, whatſoever was pretended: And ſince this Opinion was forged there, I wiſh the Parliament of England would ſend it from whence it came, and quite baniſh it our Land; Theſe diſeaſes are grown Epidemical, otherwiſe I ſhould have ſpared this labor.

A true Narrative, according to the best ſcrutiny I can make into my thoughts, of what paſt between Col: Downs and my ſelf, upon which he accuſed me.

IN January laſt paſt, about the fifteenth day, I was with many other Gentlemen of the Houſe of Commons in the afternoon, in the Committee-Chamber above the Parliament-Houſe, by a fire there; one Cornelius Holland, Eſq; a worthy Parliament man, and true Patriot to his Countrey (who Moſes-like, choſe rather to ſuffer with the people of God, then to be one in the Kings Court, and enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, as manifeſtly appears by his taking part with the Parliament, and good people of this Iſland againſt the King and his God-damme blades) came to me, and deſired me to go to the Committee of plundered Miniſters, to help free a Miniſter that had lyen in Priſon two or three years for denying the perſonality of Chriſt, to which I gave my ready concurrence, being one of that Committee: Col: Downs ſtanding by, and hearing our diſcourſe, brake out into paſſionate Language, ſaying, He deſerved to lye by it, and to have far greater puniſhment; I would be loath to abuſe the Gentleman as he hath done me, but I take it, he ſaid, he deſerved to be hanged; to which I reply'd, I do not ſee any ground for ſuch a hard cenſure; for I did think, that according to the common acceptation of that word, it could hardly be defended by Scripture; and for my part, I was altogether diſ-ſatisfied with thoſe expreſſions of three diſtinct Perſons, or Subſiſtences in the God-head: to which he reply'd, I do not care for the word perſonality, but ſaid, Jeſus Chriſt was God, which I did not apprehend to be the queſtion before us, and this was all that paſt at that time.

About two or three days after, I met the ſaid Col: Downs in the Painted-chamber at Weſtminſter, whether we came as Members of the High Court of Juſtice, for the Tryal of the King, but being ſomewhat earlier then others, I ſpake to him thus, If it pleaſe you, ſince we have opportunity, for I ſuppoſe the Court will not ſit yet, let us calmly make a farther progreſs into that diſcourſe we entred upon the other day in the Committee-room, and had not time then to proſecute; to which he conſented: but whereas I deſired him to diſpute without heat, he could not forbear that. The two main things we inſiſted upon, were theſe:

Firſt, the Trinity of perſons in the Unity of the Godhead.

Secondly, what the Union was between Chriſt and his Saints.

But as I did not deliver my Opinion poſitively in either, but onely Argumentatively, ſo neither was there any method in our diſcourſe, which hardly can ever be obtained from a paſſionate man: After I had gained his conſent to ſpeak together, as aforeſaid, I began thus, Truly, I do not believe Jeſus Chriſt to be God, after that maner which ſome do hold him forth, for according to my beſt underſtanding of their words and expreſſions, they hold forth three Gods, and I would fain know how it can be demonſtrated, that there can be three diſtinct perſons, or ſubſiſtences in one entire being; and for the word Subſistence, it holds forth no more, in my judgement, of Chriſt his being in the Godhead, then may be affirmed of every Creature, according to that in Acts 17. 24. In him we live, move, and have our being. I offered to his conſideration, touching the Saints Union with Chriſt, thoſe Scriptures where it is ſaid, That Chriſt is the head, and the Saints are the members, which is in many places of the New Teſtament, and then ſaid, That whatſoever the head did partake of, that did the members alſo, and my foot was as really of my body as my head, but not indeed in ſo excellent a maner: I quoted that Scripture alſo of 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promiſes, that by theſe you might be partaker of the Divine Nature: And walking in a round in our diſcourſe; for as I have ſaid, it was very immethodical, I ſpake of that word Subſiſtence again, ſaying, That according to my underſtanding of that word, I might be ſaid to be God too, as well as Jeſus Chriſt, and the like might be affirmed of all other Creatures whatſoever; to which he ſaid, You had beſt ſay the Devil is ſo too: After he had ſpoken this, there was not a word more paſt between us at that time, for the Lord Preſident came into the Chair, which ended our diſcourſe. I ſuppoſe many more words paſt between us, but this is the ſubſtance of what I ſpake. Had I imagined I ſhould have been called to an accompt for it, 'tis very probable I ſhould have thought upon it more then I did, and ſo have been fitter to give a more large and punctual relation, but I have not dealt unfaithful in any material thing. I have often diſcourſed with many, but I was never ſo injuriouſly and diſcourteouſly dealt with in all my life, that I remember; which whether it was not far beneath the part of a Gentleman, I leave to the world to judge.

About nine or ten days after, I was going in the morning from my Lodging at Weſtminſter, up into the City, about ſome occaſions I had there, and by the way I met with a Noble Lord, my very good and much honored friend, and after I had humbly ſaluted him, he ſaid he would tell me ſome news, I liſtned to him, being very willing to hear what it was, he told me that Col: Downs had adviſed with Mr. Speaker, to frame a charge againſt me of Blaſphemy, which was, That I ſhould ſay, That Jeſus Chriſt was not God: I muſt confeſs, I was ſomewhat affected with it upon the ſudden, but I thanked his Lordſhip, and told him, I doubted not but to anſwer it well enough, and took my leave of him, haſting about my buſineſs, that I might return, if poſſible, before the Houſe ſate, that in caſe they were reſolved to charge me, I might be preſent at the report to make my defence; but yet I muſt profeſs, when I had conſidered it, I did not think Col: Downs could be inſtigated, upon a private broken diſcourſe as that was, to charge me in the higheſt Court of England: For, knowing with what minde I diſcourſed, and the confuſedneſs of it too, it ſeemed to be ſo far beyond the Rules of Civility, Chriſtianity and Prudence, that I thought it incredible, that a Gentleman ſhould ſo much forget himſelf. But the Gentlemans zeal, or rather weakneſs (for I profeſs I think he was abuſed by thoſe that ſet him on, they feeling his pulſe, made a Mountain of a Mole-hill, and ſo heightned his ſpirit, that, poor Gentleman, he thought himſelf bound in Conſcience to proſecute me as he did) tranſported him beyond all rules. I may be bold to ſay, without partiality, becauſe I have heard divers Gentlemen of that judgement, That he much tranſgreſſed the bounds of Civility; and certainly, it was not done like a Chriſtian, for they will admoniſh one another, and uſe all fair means of converſion, and upon good grounds; ſo that they are incorrigible, before they will lay open their faults to thoſe in Authority. And if it were prudentially done to engage his Reputation in a buſineſs of this nature, upon his ſingle Teſtimony, I am much miſtaken. I think a wiſe man, if he had thought me of that opinion, by what diſcourſe he heard from me, & conceived himſelf obliged in Conſcience to diſcover it, would have asked me before witneſs, whether I did hold that Opinion, or no? that upon my owning of it before others, he might with clearneſs have charged me, without the leaſt appearance of reflection upon himſelf. I ſhall recommend that place of Scripture to him, and all of his minde, for their direction for the future, it is Gal. 6. 1. Brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are ſpiritual, reſtore ſuch a one in the ſpirit of meekneſs, conſidering thy ſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted. I made ſo quick a return out of London, that I came to the Houſe before the Speaker was in the Chair; I looked over all the Houſe for Col: Downs, to ſpeak with him about it, but he was not there, but about half an hour after the Houſe was ſate, he came in; I removed where he was, and ſate juſt behinde him, and there being a great ſilence in the Houſe, while the Clerk was looking for an Order by Mr. Speakers direction, I ſpake to Col: Downs with a very low voyce, thus, Sir, I underſtand you have a charge againſt me, you will do me a favor to give me a copy of it before you report it, that I may be the better enabled to make my defence; he anſwered not a word: whereupon I asked whether he did hear me or no; and withal, ſaid, I do not deſire this as an argument to have you wave it, or that I am careful to anſwer what you ſhall charge me with, but if I know beforehand what you will ſay, I ſhall be the better prepared to ſpeak to it (and for this I have a witneſs that ſate by, Col: John Bingham by name) he ſtarted up immediately in a great fit of paſſion, and cryed out, Mr. Speaker, to the Orders of the Houſe; Maſter Speaker, to the Orders of the Houſe; leave being granted him to ſpeak, he ſaid, you were ſpeaking but now that your ſecluded Members did you ill offices without door, but I much more fear your Members within door. I do not often trouble you with Speeches, neither would I at this time, but that the Gent. whom it concerns preſt me to give him a Copy of what I am about to ſpeak: I muſt confeſs it lies heavy upon my Spirit, and I can no longer be burthened with it; I acquainted ſome of this Houſe with it ſome days ſince, hoping I ſhould have been called up to make this report, but failing in my expectation, and having this opportunity offered me, I ſhall diſcharge my conſcience. About nine or ten days ſince, in the Painted-Chamber, this Gentleman behinde me, Mr. Fry, engaged me in a diſcourſe, in which he delivered as his Opinion, and maintained it with Arguments, and quoted Scripture for confirmation of it, That Jeſus Chriſt is not God; That Jeſus Chriſt was no more God then he was, but he ſaid, 'tis true, he hath more of God in him then I have, but ſo far as God giveth forth himſelf to me, I am as much God as he is: and this I do poſitively charge him with. To this I immediately anſwered;

This Gentlemans memory ſerves him well, that he could keep this in his minde nine or ten days without any addition or diminution, but with his favor, Mr. Speaker, his report is very untrue; for firſt, I ſay thus, That I did not believe Jeſus Chriſt to be God, after that maner ſome held him forth; 2. That according to that word Subſiſtence, no more was imported of Jeſus Chriſt his being in the Godhead, in my judgement, then might be affirmed of me and all other Creatures, according to that in Act. 17. 24. In him we live, & move, and have our being: And touching the Union of the Saints with Jeſus Chriſt, I ſaid, he was called in Scripture, the Head, and the Saints the Members, now we know that the hand is of the body as well as the head, though the head is more tranſcendently of the body, and it is ſaid, we are made partakers of the Divine Nature; This I ſpake in the Painted-Chamber, by way of Argument, not delivering my Opinion poſitively in any thing, and Mr. Speaker, if you can make any thing of this, I muſt ſubmit to you.

The Houſe fell into ſome debate of it, and it was moved, ſince I was poſitively charged with the aforementioned particulars, though I did as poſitively deny it, yet for the ſatisfaction of the Houſe, I ſhould deliver what my Opinion was in that point, which for reaſons then occurring into my minde, I declined; Thereupon a Vote paſſed I ſhould withdraw; and after I was withdrawn, it was Voted, I ſhould be ſuſpended ſitting in Parliament, till I gave the Houſe ſatisfaction: I took the matter into the moſt ſerious conſideration I could, and ſuppoſing if I did not ſomething according to the pleaſure of the Houſe, it would be ſome blemiſh to my reputation, I drew up my Opinion of the Trinity in the Godhead in a paper, and delivered it into the hands of a Member of the Houſe, my very good friend, to tender it to the Houſe, which accordingly was done; and after the reading of it, and ſome debate thereupon, I was reſtored; and for the ſatisfaction of all thoſe to whoſe hands this ſhall come, I have here inſerted it verbatim.

The Opinion of Joh. Fry of the Trinity of the Godhead, humbly tendred to the Honorable Houſe of Commons, to take off, if it may be, all prejudice of Error in that point, that lieth upon him by reaſon of a Charge untruly reported (whether upon miſtake or other ground, I know not) by Col: John Downs; Together with his Anſwer to the ſaid Charge.

BEfore I ſpeak to the aboveſaid particulars, I ſhall take leave to make my apology for not delivering my opinion at that inſtant, when I was charged, the reaſons that prevailed with me, which occurred then into my memory, were theſe:

Firſt, I thought my denying the charge was enough to ſatisfie the Houſe.

Secondly, I thought it would much reflect upon me, to be catechized after that maner.

But conſulting ſince with the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 3. 15. who adviſeth to be ready to give an account to every man that asketh you a reaſon of the hope that is in you, &c. I ſhall faithfully deliver my Opinion in the point.

I do and ever did, ſince I knew any thing of Divinity, really believe, That the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghoſt is God, and that theſe three are equally God; That God the Son took our nature, and manifeſted himſelf gloriouſly in it, and in a myſtery, according to the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controverſie, great is the myſtery of godlineſs, which is, God manifeſted in the fleſh, &c. That the Son remains God for ever, and yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

My Charge as followeth.

FIrſt, that I ſhould ſay, I do not believe Jeſus Chriſt to be God.

Secondly, that I ſhould ſay, He is no more God then I am: It is true, he hath more of God in him then I have, but ſo far as God giveth forth himſelf to me, I am as much God as he is. Thus far my Charge.

To the firſt I anſwer, and this I do as in the preſence of God, That according to the beſt of my remembrance, I did ſay, I did not believe Jeſus Chriſt to be God in that maner that I conceived ſome did hold him forth; for according to my beſt underſtanding of their expreſſions, they make Jeſus Chriſt a diſtinct God from God the Father, and God the Holy Ghoſt, and the like they do of the Father & the Holy Ghoſt, and ſo they hold forth three Gods; and this is not my Opinion alone of them, for I meet with others of the ſame judgement.

To the laſt I anſwer, in a word, I deny it totally; for as it was never in my thoughts that Jeſus Chriſt God, is not God, or that I ſhall ever partake of the Eſſence of God, ſo I do abominate the Opinions charged upon me. The end of my paper to the Houſe.

I ſhall briefly ſpeak to that groſs and carnal Opinion of three diſtinct Perſons, or Subſiſtences in the God▪head, and conclude.

Perſons or Subſiſtences, are Subſtances, or Accidents; as for the word Perſon, I do not underſtand that it can properly be attributed but to man; it is out of doubt with me, that if you ask the moſt part of men what they mean by a Perſon, they wil either tell you 'tis a man, or elſe they are not able to give you any anſwer at all: & for the word Accident, I ſuppoſe none will attribute that to God; for according to my poor skill, that word imports no more but the figure or colour, &c. of a thing, and certainly no man ever ſaw the likeneſs of God, as the Scriptures abundantly teſtifie; and therefore neither of the words, Perſons, or Subſiſtences, can hold forth ſuch a meaning as Accidents in God.

Athanaſius in his Creed, ſaith, There is one Perſon of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghoſt; others ſay, That there are three diſtinct Subſiſtences in God: Well, theſe three Perſons or Subſiſtences, cannot be Accidents, neither do I think it is the meaning of any: Then certainly they muſt be Subſtances; if ſo, then they muſt be created or uncreated, limited or unlimited; if created and limited, then the perſon of the Father is a Creature, the perſon of the Son a Creature, and the perſon of the Holy Ghost a Creature, which I think none will affirm; if they are not created or limited, then they muſt be uncreated or unlimi • ed, for I know no medium between created and uncreated, limited and unlimited: If they are uncreated and unlimited, then there are three uncreated and unlimited Subſtances, and ſo conſequently three Gods. For my part, I finde no footing for ſuch expreſſions in Scripture; and I think them fit onely to keep ignorant people in carnal and groſs thoughts of God, and therefore I do explode them out of my Creed. I could have come forth in a better dreſs, if I would have made uſe of help, which was offered me; but I rather choſe to be ſeen in a true face, homely garb, and ruſſet coat, then a painted face, borrowed accoutrements, and an hypocritical poſture. A ruſſet coat ſerves the Countreymans turn very well, and ſuits beſt for a man of his profeſsion, and he thinks it comely enough, till he ſtands by a Sattin or Scarlet ſuit, then he ſees what a home ſpun fellow he is; if there be no other benefit of this, but to be a foil to ſet off other mens parts, it will not be altogether uſeleſs.

FINIS.