sensations or emotions of the mind pro-read of four great monarchies, the Asduced by the views we have of religion. syrian, Persian, Grecian, and the RoWhile some enthusiasts boast of, depend man; and these men, believing that on, and talk much of their feelings, there this new spiritual kingdom of Christ are others who are led to discard the was to be the fifth, came to bear the term, and almost to abandon the idea name by which they were called. Their of religious feeling; but it is evident, leader was Thomas Venner, a wine that however many have been mis- cooper, who, in his little conventicle in guided and deceived by their feelings, Coleman-street, warmed his admirers yet there is no such thing as religion with passionate expectations of a fifth without this. For instance; religion universal monarchy, under the personal consists in contrition, repentance, and reign of King Jesus upon earth, and that devotion: now, what is contrition but the saints were to take the kingdom to a feeling of sorrow for sin? what is re- themselves. To introduce this imapentance but a feeling of hatred to it, ginary kingdom, they marched out of with a relinquishing of it? what is de- their meeting-house, towards St. Paul's votion but a feeling of love to God and church-yard, on Sunday, Jan. 6th, 1660, his ways? Who can separate the idea to the number of about fifty men, well of feeling from any of these acts? The armed, and with a resolution to subvert fact is this; religious feelings, like every the present government, or to die in thing else, have been abused; and the attempt. They published a declamen, to avoid the imputation of fanati- ||ration of the design of their rising, and cism have run into the opposite evil of placed sentinels at proper places. The lukewarmness, and been content with ford mayor sent the trained bands to a system without feeling its energy. disperse them, whom they quickly routSee AFFECTION, ENTHUSIASM, EXPE-ed, but in the evening retired to Cane

RIENCE.

FELLOWSHIP, joint interest, or the having one common stock. The fellowship of the saints is twofold: 1. With God, 1 John i. 3. 1 Cor. i. 9. 1 Cor. xiii. 14.-2. With one another, 1 John i. 7.

Fellowship with God, consists in knowledge of his will, Job xxii. 21. John xvii. 3. Agreement, Amos iii. 2. Strength of affection, Rom. viii. 38, 39. Enjoyment of his presence, Ps. iv. 6. Conformity to his image, 1 John ii. 6. 1 John i. 6.

Fellowship of the saints, may be considered as a fellowship of duties, Rom. xii. 6. 1 Cor. xii. 1. 1 Thess. v. 17, 18. James v. 16. Of ordinances, Heb. x. 24. Acts ii. 46. Of graces, love, joy, &c. Heb. x. 24. Mal. iii. 16. 2 Cor. viii. 4. Of interest spiritual, and sometimes temporal, Rom. xii. 4. 13. Heb. xiii. 16. Of sufferings, Rom. xv. 1, 2. Gal. vi. 1, 2. Rom. xii. 15. Of eternal glory, Rev. vii. 9. See COMMUNION.

FIDELITY, faithfulness, or the conscientious discharge of those duties of a religious, personal, and relative nature, which we are bound to perform. See an excellent sermon on the subject in Dr. Erskine's Sermons, vol. ii. p. 304.

FIFTH MONARCHY MEN, were a set of enthusiasts, in the time of Cromwell, who expected the sudden appearance of Christ to establish on earth a new monarchy or kingdom. In consequence of this illusion, some of them aimed at the subversion of all human government. In ancient history we

Wood, between Highgate and Hampstead. On Wednesday morning they returned and dispersed a party of the king's soldiers in Thread-needle-street In Wood-street they repelled the trained bands, and some of the horse guards; but Venner himself was knocked down, and some of his company slain; from hence the remainder retreated to Cripplegate, and took possession of a house, which they threatened to defend with a desperate resolution; but nobody appearing to countenance their frenzy, they surrendered after they had lost about half their number. Venner, and one of his officers, were hanged before their meeting house door in Colemanstreet, Jan. 19th; and a few days after nine more were executed in divers parts of the city.

FILIAL PIETY, is the affectionate attachment of children to their parents, including in it love, reverence, obedience, and relief. Justly has it been observed, that these great duties are prompted equally by nature and by gratitude, independent of the injunctions of religion; for where shall we find the person who hath received from any one benefits so great, or so many, as children from their parents? And it may be truly said that if persons are undutíful to their parents, they seldom prove good to any other relation. See article CHILDREN.

FILIATION OF THE SON OF GOD. See SON OF GOD.

FIRE PHILOSOPHERS. See THEOSOPHISTS.

draws just conclusions from false principles. But this seems too confined a definition. Folly, in its most general acceptation, denotes a weakness of intellect or apprehension, or some partial absurdity in sentiment or conduct See EVIL, SIN.

FIRST FRUITS, among the Hebrews, were oblations of part of the fruits of the harvest, offered to God as an acknowledgment of his sovereign dominion. There was another sort of first fruits which was paid to God. When bread was kneaded in a family, a portion of it was set apart, and given FOOL, one who has not the use of to the priest or Levite who dwelt in the reason or judgment. In Scripture, wickplace. If there were no priest or Le-ed persons are often called fools, or foolvite there, it was cast into the oven, and consumed by the fire. These offerings made a considerable part of the revenues of the priesthood, Lev. xxiii. Ex. xxii. 29. Chron. xxiii. 19. Numb. xv. 19, 20.

ish, because such act contrary to reason, trust to their own hearts, violate the laws of God, and prefer things vile, trifling, and temporal, to such as are important, divine, and eternal.

FOOLISH SPEAKING, such kind The first fruits of the Spirit, are such of conversation, as includes folly, and communications of his grace on earth, can no ways be profitable and interestas fully assure us of the full enjoyment ing, Eph. v. 4. Facetiousness, indeed, is of God in heaven, Rom. viii. 23. Christ allowable, when it ministers to harmis called the first fruits of them that less divertisement, and delight to conslept; for as the first fruits were ear-versation; when it is used for the purnests to the Jews of the succeeding harvest, so Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection, or the earnest of a future resurrection; that as he rose, so shall believers also rise to happiness and life. 1 Cor. xv. 20.

First fruits are mentioned in ancient writers as one part of the church re

venue.

First fruits, in the church of England, are the profits of every spiritual benefice for the first year, according to the valuation thereof in the king's book.

pose of exposing things which are base and vile; when it has for its aim the reformation of others; when used by way of defence under unjust reproach. But all such kind of speaking as includes profane jesting, loose, wanton, scurrilous, injurious, unseasonable, vain-glorious talk, is strictly forbidden. See Barrow's excellent Sermon on this subject in his Works, vol. i. ser. 14.

FORBEARANCE, is the act of patiently enduring provocation or offence. The following may be considered as FIVE POINTS, are the five doc- the most powerful incentives to the extrines controverted between the Armi-ercise of this disposition:-1. The connians and Calvinists. See CALVINISTS. FLACIANS, the followers of Matthias Flacius Illyricus, who flourished in the sixteenth century. He taught that original sin is the very substance of human nature; and that the fall of man was an event which extinguished in the human mind every virtuous tendency, every noble faculty, and left nothing behind it but universal darkness and corruption.

sideration that we ourselves often stand in need of it from others, Gal. vi, 1.— 2. The express command of Scripture, Eph. iv. 2. Col. iii. 13.-3. The felicity of this disposition. It is sure to bring happiness at last, while resentment only increases our own misery.-4. That it is one of the strongest evidences we can give of the reality of our religion, John xiii. 35.-5. The beautiful example of Christ, Heb. xii. 3. 1 Pet. ii.

FLAGELLANTES. See WHIP-||21-23.

PERS.

FORBEARANCE OF GOD. See PATIENCE OF GOD.

FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD, is his foresight or knowledge of every thing that is to come to pass, Acts ii. 23. This foreknowledge, says Charnock, was from eternity. Seeing he knows things possible in his power, and things future in his will, if his power and resolves were from eternity, his knowledge must be so too; or else we must make him ignorant of his own power, and ignorant of his own will from eternity, and consequently not from eternity blessed and perfect. His knowledge of possible things must run

parallel with his will. If he willed from || eternity, he knew from eternity what he willed; but that he did will from eternity we must grant, unless we would render him changeable, and conceive him to be made in time of not willing, willing. The knowledge God hath in time was always one and the same, because his understanding is his proper essence, as perfect as his essence, and of an immutable nature.

"To deny this is, (says Saurin,) to degrade the Almighty; for what, pray, is a God who created beings, and who could not foresee what would result from their existence? A God, who formed spirits united to bodies by certain laws, and who did not know how to combine these laws so as to foresee the effects they would produce? A God forced to suspend his judgment? A God who every day learns something new, and who doth not know to-day what will happen to-morrow? A God who cannot tell whether peace will be concluded or war continue to ravage the world; whether religion will be received in a certain kingdom, or whether it will be banished; whether the right heir will succeed to the crown, or whether the crown will be set on the head of an usurper? For according to the different determinations of the wills of men, of king, or people, the prince will make peace, or declare war; religion will be banished or admitted; the tyrant or the lawful king will occupy the throne: for if God cannot foresee how the volitions of men will be determined, he cannot foresee any of these events. What is this but to degrade God from his Deity, and to make the most perfect of all intelligences a being involved in darkness and uncertainty like ourselves?" See OMNISCIENCE.

FORGIVENESS, the pardon of any offence committed against us. This is a virtue which our Lord expressly inculcates, not as extending to our friends only, but to our enemies. "Ye have heard," saith he, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies," &c. "This," says an ingenious writer, "was a lesson so new, and utterly unknown, till taught by his doctrines and enforced by his example, that the wisest moralists of the wisest nations and ages represented the desire of revenge as a mark of a noble mind; but how much more magnanimous, how much more beneficial to mankind, is forgiveness! It is more magnanimous, because every generous and exalted disposition of the human mind is requisite to the practice

of it; and it is the most beneficial, because it puts an end to an eternal succession of injuries and retaliations." Let us, therefore, learn to cherish this noble disposition; let the bitterest enemy we have be softened by its effects; let us consider also how friendly it is to our own happiness, and how much it prevents the unhappiness of others. "The feuds and animosities, in families, and between neighbours, which disturb the intercourse of human life, and collectively compose half the misery of it, have their foundation in the want of a forgiving temper, and can never cease but by the exercise of this virtue on one side, or on both." Paley's Mor. Phil. vol. i. p. 271; Soame Jenyne's Int. Evid. p. 67, 68; Clarke's Sermons, ser. 2. vol. x; Tillotson's Ser. vol. viii. p. 254.

FORGIVENESS OF SINS. See PARDON, MERCY.

FORMALIST, one who places too much dependence on outward ceremonies of religion, or who is more tenacious of the form of religion than the power of it.

FORMS OF PRAYER. See PRAYER.

FORNICATION, whoredom, or the act of incontinency between single persons; for if either of the parties be married, it is adultery. While the Scriptures give no sanction to those austerities which have been imposed on men under the idea of religion, so on the other hand, they give no liberty for the indulgence of any propensity that would either militate against our own interest or that of others. It is in vain to argue the innocency of fornication from the natural passions implanted in us, since "marriage is honourable in all," and wisely appointed for the prevention of those evils which would otherwise ensue; and, besides the existence of any natural propensity in us, is no proof that it is to be gratified without any restriction. That fornication is both unlawful and unreasonable, may be easily inferred, if we consider, 1. That our Saviour expressly declares this to be a crime, Mark vii. 21—23.— 2. That the Scriptures declare that fornicators cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. vi. 9. Heb. xii. 16. Gal. v. 19-22.-3. Fornication sinks into a mere brutal commerce, a gratification which was designed to be the cement of a sacred, generous, and tender friendship.-4. It leaves the maintenance and education of children, as to the father at least, utterly unsecured.-5. It strongly tempts the guilty mother to guard

this poverty as a sacred rule both to pel of Jesus. Accordingly Albizi, a himself and to the few that followed Franciscan, of Pisa, published a book in him. This new society, which appeared 1383, with the applause of his order, ento Innocent III. extremely adapted to titled the Book of the Conformities of the present state of the church, and pro- St. Francis with Jesus Christ. In the per to restore its declining credit, was beginning of this century the whole solemnly approved and confirmed by Franciscan order was divided into two Honorius III. in 1223, and had made a parties; the one embracing the severe considerable progress before the death discipline and absolute poverty of St. of its founder in 1226. Francis, through Francis, and were called spirituals; and an excessive humility, would not suffer the other, who insisted on mitigating the monks of his order to be called fra- the austere injunctions of their founder, tres, i. e. brethren or friars; but frater- were denominated brethren of the comculi, i. e. little brethren, or friars mi-munity. These wore long, loose, and nor, by which denomination they have good habits, with large hoods; the forbeen generally since distinguished. The mer were clad in a strait, coarse, and Franciscans and Dominicans were zeal- short dress, pretending that this dress ous and active friends to the papal hie- was enjoined by St. Francis, and that no rarchy, and in return were distinguished power on earth had a right to alter it. by peculiar privileges and honourable Neither the moderation of Clement V. employments. The Franciscans, in par- nor the violence of John XXII. could ticular, were invested with the treasure appease the tumult occasioned by these of ample and extensive indulgences, the two parties; however, their rage subdistribution of which was committed to sided from the year 1329. In 1368 these them by the popes as a mean of subsis- two parties were formed into two large tence, and a rich indemnification for bodies, comprehending the whole Frantheir voluntary poverty. In consequence ciscan order, viz. the conventual breof this grant, the rule of the founder,|| thren, and the brethren of the obser which absolutely prohibited both per-vance, or observation, from whom sonal and collective property, so that sprang the Capuchins and Recollects. neither the individual nor the commu-The general opinion is, that the Frannity were to possess either fund, reve- ciscans came into England in the year nue, or any worldly goods, was consi- 1224, and had their first house at Candered as too strict and severe, and dis-terbury, and their second at London; pensed with soon after his death. In but there is no certain account of their 1231, Gregory IX. published an inter- being here till king Henry VII. built pretation of this rule, mitigating its ri- two or three houses for them. At the gour; which was farther confirmed by dissolution of the monasteries, the conInnocent IV. in 1245, and by Alexander ventual Franciscans had about fifty-five IV. in 1247. These milder operations houses, which were under seven custowere zealously opposed by a branch of dies or wardenships, viz. those of Lonthe Franciscans, called the spiritual; don, Worcester, York, Cambridge, Brisand their complaints were regarded by tol, Newcastle, and Oxford. Nicholas III. who, in 1279, published a FRATERNITY, in the Roman Cafamous constitution, confirming the rule tholic countries, signifies a society for of St. Francis, and containing an elabo- the improvement of devotion. Of these rate explication of the maxims he re- there are several sorts, as, 1. The fracommended, and the duties he prescri- ternity of the Rosary, founded by St. bed. In 1287, Matthew, of Aqua Spar- Dominic. It is divided into two branches, ta, being elected general of the order, called the common rosary, and the perdiscouraged the ancient discipline of the petual rosary; the former of whom are Franciscans, and indulged his monks in obliged to confess and communicate abandoning even the appearance of po- every first Sunday in the month, and verty; and this conduct inflamed the the latter to repeat the rosary continuindignation of the spiritual or austere ally.-2. The fraternity of the ScapulaFranciscans; so that, from the year ry, whom it is pretended, according to 1290, seditions and schisms arose in an the Sabbatine bull of pope John XXII. order that had been so famous for its the Blessed Virgin has promised to depretended disinterestedness and humili- liver out of hell the first Sunday after ty. Such was the enthusiastic frenzy of their death.-3. The fraternity of St. the Franciscans, that they impiously Francis's girdle are clothed with a sack maintained that the founder of their or- of a grey colour, which they tie with a der was a second Christ, in all respects cord; and in processions walk baresimilar to the first, and that their insti- | footed, carrying in their hands a wooden tution and discipline were the true Gos- | cross.-4. That of St. Austin's leather