seems to precede repentance, since we || his word. It appears, says Dr. Gill, in cannot repent of that of which we have the performance of what he has said no clear perception, or no concern with respect to the world in general, about.-3. Repentance is an after- that it shall not be destroyed by a flood, thought, or sorrowing for sin, the evil as it once was, and for a token of it, has nature of which faith perceives, and set his bow in the clouds; that the orwhich immediately follows faith.-4. dinances of heaven should keep their Conversion is a turning from sin, which due course, which they have done for faith sees, and repentance sorrows for, almost 6000 years exactly and punctuand seems to follow, and to be the end ally; that all his creatures should be of all the rest. supported and provided for, and the elements all made subservient to that end, which we find do so according to his sovereign pleasure, Gen. ix. Isa. liv. 9. Ps. clxv. Deut. xi. 14, 15. 2 Pet. iii. As to the properties or adjuncts of faith, we may observe, 1. That it is the first and principal grace: it stands first in order, and takes the precedence of other graces, Mark xvi. 16. Heb. xi. 6.-2. It is every way precious and 2. It appears in the fulfilment of what valuable, 1 Pet. ii. 1.-3. It is called in he has said with respect to Christ. Scripture, one faith; for though there Whoever will take the pains to comare several sorts of faith, there is but pare the predictions of the birth, poverone special or saving faith, Eph. iv. 5. ty, life, sufferings, death, resurrection, -4. It is also denominated common and ascension of Christ, with the acfaith ; 'common to all the regenerate, complishment of the same, will find a Tit. i. 4.-5. It is true, real, and un-striking demonstration of the faithfulfeigned, Acts viii. 37. Rom. x. 10.-ness of God. 6. It cannot be finally lost as to the 3. It appears in the performance of grace of it, Phil. i. 6. Luke xxii. 32.- the promises which he has made to his 7. It is progressive, Luke xvii. 5. 2 people. In respect to temporal blessThess. i. 3.-8. It appropriates and ings, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Psal. lxxxiv. 11. Is. realizes, or, as the apostle says, is the xxxiii. 16.-2. To spiritual, 1 Cor. i. 9. substance of things hoped for, and the In supporting them in temptation, evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1.1 Corinth. x. 13. Encouraging them The evidence or effects of faith, are, 1. Love to Christ, 1 Pet. i. 8. Gal. v. 6. -2. Confidence, Eph. iii. 12.-3. Joy, Rom. v. 11. Phil. i. 25.-4. Prayer, Heb. iv. 16.-5. Attention to his ordinances, and profit by them, Heb. iv. 2. -6. Zeal in the promotion of his glory, 1 Cor. xv. 58. Gal. vi. 9.-7. Holiness of heart and life, Matt. vii. 20. 1 John ii. 3. Acts xv. 9. James ii. 18, 20, 22. See articles ASSURANCE and JUSTIFICATION, in this work; and Polkill on Precious Faith; Lambert's Sermons, ser. 13, 14, &c.; Scott's Nature and Warrant of Faith; Romaine's Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith; Rotherham's Ess. on Faith; Dore's Letters on Faith; A. Hall, on the Faith and Influence of the Gospel; Goodwin's Works, vol. iv. FAITH, ARTICLE OF. See AR under persecution, 1 Pet. iv. 12, 13. Isa. xli. 10. Sanctifying afflictions, Heb. xii. 4 to 12. Directing them in difficulties, 1 Thess. v. 24. Enabling them to persevere, Jer. xxxi. 40. Bringing them to glory, 1 John ii. 25. 4. It appears in the fulfilling of his threatenings. The curse came upon Adam according as it was threatened. He fulfilled his threatening to the old world in destroying it. He declared that the Israelites should be subject to his awful displeasure, if they walked not in his ways; it was accordingly fulfilled, Deut. xxviii. See IMMUTABILITY. FALL OF MAN, the loss of those perfections and that happiness which his Maker bestowed on him at his creation, through transgression of a positive command, given for the trial of man's obedience, and as a token of his holding every thing of God, as lord paramount of the creation, with the use of every FAITH, IMPLICIT. See IMPLI- thing in it, exclusive of the fruit of one CIT FAITH. tree. This positive law he broke by FAITHFULNESS. See FIDELI-eating the forbidden fruit; first the wo TICLE. FAITH, CONFESSION OF. See CONFESSION. TY. man, then the man: and thus the conFAITHFULNESS MINISTERI-dition or law of the covenant being broAL. See PASTOR. FAITHFULNESS OF GOD, is that perfection of his nature whereby he infallibly fulfils his designs, or performs ken, the covenant itself was broken. The woman was enticed by an evil genius, under the semblance of a serpent, as appears from its reasoning the wo the general rebellion of the brute creation against us; the various poisons that lurk in the animal, vegetable, and mineral world, ready to destroy us: the man into the transgression of the law, of which a brute beast is incapable. Hence the evil genius is called a murderer and a liar from the beginning, John viii. 44. Rom. v. 12, the old ser-heavy curse of toil and sweat to which pent, Rev. xii. 9. xx. 2. Moses relates, this history, from what appeared externally to sense; both, therefore, are to be conjoined, the serpent as the instrument, and the devil as the primary cause. Man suffered himself to be seduced by perverse and confused notions of good and evil, prompted by a desire of a greater degree of perfection, and swayed by his sensual appetite, in contradiction to his reason, Gen. iii. 6. And thus it appears possible, how, notwithstanding the divine image with which man is adorned, he might fall; for, though included in it knowledge, it did not exclude from it confused notions, which are those arising from sense and imagination, especially when off our guard and inattentive, blindly following the present impression. From this one sin arose another, and then another, from the connection of causes and effects, till this repetition brought on a habit of sin, consequently a state of moral slavery; called by divines a death in sin, a spiritual death, a defect of power to act according to the law, and from the motive of the divine perfections, as death in general is such a defect of power of action; and this defect or inability, with all its consequences, man entailed on his posterity, remaining upon them, till one greater man remove this, and reinstate them in all they forfeited in Adam. we are liable; the innumerable calamities of life, and the pangs of death. Again, it is evident, if we consider him as a citizen of the moral world; his commission of sin; his omission of duty; the triumph of sensual appetites over his intellectual faculties; the corruption of the powers that constitute a good head, the understanding, imagination, memory, and reason; the depravity of the powers which form a good heart, the will, conscience, and affections; his manifest alienation from God; his amazing disregard even of his nearest relatives; his unaccountable unconcern about himself; his detestable tempers; the general out-breaking of human corruption in all individuals; the universal overflowing of it in all nations. Some striking proofs of this depravity may be seen in the general propensity of mankind to vain, irrational, or cruel diversions; in the universality of the most ridiculous, impious, inhuman, and diabolical sins; in the aggravating circumstances attending the display of this corruption; in the many ineffectual endeavours to stem its torrent, in the obstinate resistance it makes to divine grace in the unconverted; the amazing struggles of good men with it; the testimony of the heathens concerning it; and the preposterous conceit which the unconverted have of their own goodness. Dict. of the Bible; Fletcher's Appeal to Matters of Fact; Berry Street Lectures, vol. i. 180, 189; South's Sermons, vol. i. 124, 150; Bates's Harmony of Div. Att. p. 98; Boston's Four-fold State, part i. FALSEHOOD, untruth, deceit. See LYING. In the fall of man we may observe, 1. The greatest infidelity.-2. Prodigious pride.-3. Horrid ingratitude.-4. Visible contempt of God's majesty and justice.-5. Unaccountable folly.-6. A cruelty to himself and to all his posterity. Infidels, however, have treated the account of the fall and its effects, with FALSE CHRISTS. See MESSIAH. contempt, and considered the whole as FAMILIARS OF THE INQUISIabsurd; but their objections to the man- TION, persons who assist in apprener have been ably answered by a va- hending such as are accused, and carryriety of authors; and as to the effects, ing them to prison. They are assistants one would hardly think any body could to the inquisitor, and called familiars, deny. For, that man is a fallen crea- because they belong to his family. In ture, is evident, if we consider his mise- some provinces of Italy they are called ry as an inhabitant of the natural world; cross bearers; and in others the schothe disorders of the globe we inhabit, lars of St. Peter the martyr; and wear and the dreadful scourges with which it a cross before them on the outside garis visited; the deplorable and shocking ment. They are properly bailiffs of the circumstances of our birth; the painful inquisition: and the vile office is esteemand dangerous travail of women; our ed so honourable, that noblemen in the natural uncleanliness, helplessness, igno- || kingdom of Portugal have been ambirance, and nakedness; the gross dark- tious of belonging to it. Nor is this surness in which we naturally are, bothprising, when it is considered that Inwith respect to God and a future state;nocent III. granted very large indulgen cies and privileges to these familiars; || and that the same plenary indulgence is granted by the pope to every single exercise of this office, as was granted by the Lateran council to those who succoured the Holy Land. When several persons are to be taken up at the same time, these familiars are commanded to order matters that they may know nothing of one another's being apprehended; and it is related, that a father and his three sons and three daughters, who lived together in the same house, were carried prisoners to the inquisition without knowing any thing of one another's being there till seven years afterwards, when they that were alive were released by an act of faith. See art. ACT OF FAITH. FAMILY PRAYER. See PRAYER. FAMILY OF LOVE, or FAMILISTS. See LOVE. FANATICS, wild enthusiasts, visionary persons, who pretend to revelation and inspiration. The ancients called those fanatici who passed their times in temples (funa;) and being often seized with a kind of enthusiasm, as if inspired by the Divinity, showed wild and antic gestures, cutting and slashing their arms with knives, shaking the head, &c. Hence the word was applied among us to the Anabaptists, Quakers, &c. at their first rise, and is now an epithet given to modern prophets, enthusiasts, &c.; and we believe unjustly to those who possess a considerable degree of zeal and fervency of devotion. FARNOVIANS, a sect of Socinians, so called from Stanislaus Farnovius, who separated from the other Unitarians in the year 1568. He asserted that Christ had been engendered or produced out of nothing by the Supreme Being, before the creation of this terrestrial globe, and warned his disciples against paying religious worship to the Divine Spirit. This sect did not last long; for having lost their chief, who died in 1615, it was scattered, and reduced to nothing. FASTING, abstinence from food, more particularly that abstinence which is used on a religious account. The Jews had every year a stated and solemn fast on the 10th day of the month Tisri, which generally answered to the close of our September. This solemnity was a day of strict rest and fasting to the Israelites. Many of them spent the day before in prayer, and such like penitential exercises. On the day itself, at least in later times, they made a tenfold confession of their sins, and were careful to end all their mutual broils. See Lev. xvi. Numb. xxix. 7, 12. Lev. xxiii. 23, 32. Individuals also fasted on any extraordinary distress. Thus David fasted during the sickness of his adulterous child, 2 Sam. xii. 21. Ahab, when he was threatened with || ruin, 1 Kings xii. 27. Daniel, when he understood that the Jewish captivity drew to an end, 9th and 10th chapters of Nehemiah, Joshua, &c. However light some think of religious fasting, it seems it has been practised by most nations from the remotest antiquity. The Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Assyrians, had their fasts as well as the Jews. Porphyry affirms that the Egyptians, before their stated sacrifices, always fasted a great many days; Sometimes for six weeks. The Greeks observed their fasts much in the same manner. At Rome, kings and emperors fasted themselves. Numa Pompilius, Julius Cæsar, Augustus, Vespasian, and others, we are told, had their stated fast days; and Julian the apostate was so exact in this observation, that he outdid the priests themselves. The Pythagoreans frequently fasted rigidly for a long time; and Pythagoras, their master, continued his fast, it is said, for forty days together. The Brachmans, and the Chinese, have also their stated || fasts. Every one knows how much fasting has been considered as an important rite in the church of Rome, and the extremes they have run into in this respect. See article ABSTINENCE. The church of England also has particular seasons for fasting, especially that of || Lent, which is to be observed as a time of humiliation before Easter, the general festival of our Saviour's resurrection. Fast days are also appointed by the legislature upon any extraordinary occasions of calamity, war, &c. See art. ROGATION, LENT. || Religious fasting consists, 1. "In abstinence from every animal indulgence, and from food, as far as health and circumstances will admit.-2. In the humble confession of our sins to God, with contrition or sorrow for them.-3. An earnest deprecation of God's displeasure, and humble supplication that he would avert his judgments.-4. An intercession with God for such spiritual and temporal blessings upon ourselves and others which are needful.” It does not appear that our Saviour instituted any particular fast, but left it optional. Any state of calamity and sorrow, however, naturally suggests this. The propriety of it níay appear, 1. From many examples recorded in Scripture. Thus St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, &c. are -2. By plain and undeniable inferences called Greek fathers, and St. Augustine from Scripture, Matt. vi. 16.-3. From and St. Ambrose, Latin fathers. No divine commands given on some occa- author who wrote later than the twelfth sions, though there are no commands century is dignified with the title of which prescribe it as a constant duty.- father. 4. It may be argued from its utility. Some suppose that the study of the The end or uses of it are these.-1. A fathers is barren and unimproving; that natural expression of our sorrow.-2. A though there are some excellent things help to devotional exercises.-3. Keep-interspersed in their writings, yet the ing the body in subjection.-4. May be instruction to be derived from them rendered subservient to charity. How will hardly repay the toil of breaking far or how long a person should abstain from food, depends on circumstances. The great end to be kept in view is, humiliation for, and abstinence from sin. "If," says Marshall, "abstinence divert our minds, by reason of a gnawing appetite, then you had better eat sparingly, as Daniel in his greatest fast," Dan. x. 2, 3. They, however, who in times of public distress, when the judgments of God are in the earth, and when his providence seems to call for humiliation, will not relinquish any of their sensual enjoyments, nor deny themselves in the least, cannot be justi-received since their time, they must be fied; since good men in all ages, more or less, have humbled themselves on such occasions; and reason as well as Scripture evidently prove it to be our duty, Matt. ix. 15. 1 Cor. vii. 5. Bennet's Christ. Orat. vol. ii. p. 18, 25; Tillotson's Sermons, ser. 39; Simpson's Essay on Feasting; Marshall on Sanc. p. 273, 274. up the ground; that a life-time would hardly suffice to read them with care, and digest them completely. Others have such an high opinion of the fathers, as to be almost afraid of interpreting Scripture against their decision. They suppose, that as some of them were companions, disciples, or successively followers of the apostles, it is highly probable that they must have been well informed, that their sentiments must be strongly illustrative of the doctrines of the New Testament; and that as controversies have increased, and dogmas much less entangled with decisions merely human than more recent commentators. Perhaps it is best to steer between these two opinions. If a person have ability, inclination, and opportunity to wade through them, let him but if not, referring to them occasionally may suffice. One caution, however, is necessary, which is this; that though FATE (fatum) denotes an inevitable the judgment of antiquity in some disnecessity depending upon a superior putable points certainly may be useful, cause. The word is formed a fando, yet we ought never to put them on the "from speaking," and primarily implies same footing as the Scriptures. In the same with effatum, viz. a word or many cases they may be considered as decree pronounced by God, or a fixed competent witnesses; but we must not sentence whereby the Deity has pre- confide in their verdict as judges. Jorscribed the order of things, and allotted tin's Works, vol. vii. chap. 2; Kett's to every person what shall befal him. Serm. at Brampton Lec. ser. 1; WarThe Greeks called it aguεvn, as it burton's Julian; Simpson's Strictures were a chain or necessary series of on Religious Opinions, latter end; things indissolubly linked together. It Daille's Use of the Fathers, p. 167; is also used to express a certain una-Law's Theory; Dr. Clarke's View of voidable designation of things, by which the Succession of Sacred Literature, all agents, both necessary and voluntary, are swayed and directed to their ends. Fate is divided into physical and divine. 1. Physical fate is an order and series of natural causes, appropriated to their effects; as, that fire warms; bodies communicate motion to each other, &c." and the effects of it are all the events and phenomena of nature.2. Divine fate is what is more usually called providence. See PROVIDENCE, NECESSITY. FATHERS, a term applied to ancient authors who have preserved in their writings traditions of the church. p. 312. FAULT, a slight defect or crime which subjects a person to blame, but not to punishment; a deviation from, or transgression of a rule in some trifling circumstance. FAVOUR OF GOD. See GRACE. FEAR is that uneasiness of mind which arises from an apprehension of danger, attended with a desire of avoiding it. "Fear," says Dr. Watts, "shows itself by paleness of the cheeks, sinking of the spirits, trembling of the limbs, hurry and confusion of the mind and thoughts, agonies of nature, and faint ing. Many a person has died with fear. I rification. Feasts, and the ceremonies Sometimes it rouses all nature to exert thereof, have made great part of the itself in speedy flight, or other methods religion of almost all nations and sects; to avoid the approaching evil: sudden hence the Greeks, the Romans, Mahoterror has performed some almost in- metans, and Christians, have not been credibles of this kind." without them. Feasts, among us, are either immoveable or moveable. Immoveable feasts are those constantly celebrated on the same day of the year. The principal of these are Christmas-day, Circumcision, Epiphany, Candlemas or Purification; Lady-day, or the annunciation, called also the incarnation and conception; All Saints and All Souls; besides the days of the several apostles, as St. Thomas, St. Paul. Moveable feasts are those which are not confined to the same day of the year. Of these the principal is Easter, which gives law to all the rest, all of them following and keeping their proper distances from it. Such are Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Ash Wednesday, Sexagesima, Ascension-day, Pentecost, and Trinity Sunday. Fear is of different kinds: 1. There is an idolatrous and superstitious fear. which is called Sodapona, a fear of dæmons, which the city of Athens was greatly addicted to. "I perceive," says the apostle Paul, "that in all things ye are too superstitious," or given to the fear and worship of false deities.-2. There is an external fear of God, an outward show and profession of it, which is taught by the precepts of men: as in the men of Samaria, who pretended to fear the Lord, as the priest instructed them, and yet served their own gods; and such an external fear of God, Job's friends supposed was all that he had, and that even he had cast that off-3. There is an hypocritical fear, when men make a profession of religion; but only serve him for some sinister end and selfish view, which Besides these feasts, which are geneSatan insinuated was Job's case. "Dothral, and enjoined by the church, there Job fear God for nought?" Job i. 9.- are others local and occasional, enjoined 4. There is a servile fear, which they by the magistrate, or voluntarily set on possess who serve God from fear of foot by the people; such are the days punishment, and not from love to him. of thanksgiving for delivery from war, -5. There is a filial fear, such as that plagues, &c.; such also are the vigils of a son to his father.. Fear is sinful or wakes in commemoration of the dewhen-1. It proceeds from unbelief or dication of particular churches. distrust of God: 2. When it ascribes The prodigious increase of feast-days more to the creature than is due; or in the Christian church, commenced towhen we fear our enemies without con- wards the close of the fourth century, sidering they are under God: 3. When occasioned by the discovery that was we fear that in God that is not in him, made of the remains of martyrs, and or that he will break his promise, &c. 4. other holy men, for the commemoration When our fear is immoderate, so as to of whom they were established. These, distract us in duty. See next article. instead of being set apart for pious exFEAR OF GOD, is that holy dispo-ercises, were abused in indolence, vosition or gracious habit formed in the soul by the Holy Spirit, whereby we are inclined to obey all God's commands; and evidences itself, 1. By a dread of his displeasure.-2. Desire of his favour.-3. Regard for his excellencies.-4. Submission to his will.-5. Gratitude for his benefits.-6. Sincerity in his worship.-7. Conscientious obedience to his commands, Prov. viii. 13. Job xxviii. 28. Bates's Works, page 913; Gill's Body of Divinity, vol. iii. book i. FEAR OF DEATH. See DEATH. The principal feasts of the Jews were the feasts of trumpets, of expiation, of tabernacles, of the dedication, of the passover, of Pentecost, and that of pu luptuousness, and criminal practices. Many of them were instituted on a pagan model, and perverted to similar purposes. See HOLY DAY. FEAST OF ASSES. This was a festival in the Romish church, and was celebrated at Beauvais. They chose a young woman, the handsomest in the town; made her ride on an ass richly harnessed, and placed in her arms a pretty infant. In this state, followed by the bishop and clergy, she marched in procession from the cathedral to the church of St. Stephen; entered into the sanctuary, placed herself near the altar, and then celebrated mass; not forgetting to explain the fine qualities of the animal, and exhorting him to make a devout genuflection, with a variety of other fooleries. FEELINGS RELIGIOUS, are those |