ses.

pect our own hearts, but not the treasure of ample and extensive firmness and freeness of the promi-indulgencies, the distribution of which was committed to them by FRANCISCANS, a religious the popes as a mean of subsistence, order founded by St. Francis in the and a rich indemnification for year 1209. Francis was the son of their voluntary poverty. In cona merchant of Assisi, in the pro-sequence of this grant, the rule of vince of Umbria, who, having led the founder, which absolutely proa dissolute life, was reclaimed by hibited both personal and colleca fit of sickness, and afterwards tive property, so that neither the fell into an extravagant devotion individual nor the community that looked less like religion than were to possess either fund, revealienation of mind. Soon after nue, or any worldly goods, was this, viz. in the year 1208, hear-considered as too strict and severe, ing the passage repeated in which and dispensed with soon after his Christ addresses his apostles, Pro- death. In 1231, Gregory IX pubvide neither gold nor silver, &c.lished an interpretation of this rule, Matt. x, 9, 10. he was led to mitigating its rigour; which was consider a voluntary and absolute farther confirmed by Innocent IV poverty as the essence of the gos-in 1245, and by Alexander IV pel, and to prescribe this poverty in 1247. These milder operations as a sacred rule both to himself were zealously opposed by a branch and to the few that followed him. of the Franciscans, called the spiThis new society, which appeared ritual; and their complaints were to Innocent III extremely adapted regarded by Nicholas III, who, in to the present state of the church, 1279, published a famous constiand proper to restore its declining tution, confirming the rule of St. credit, was solemnly approved and Francis, and containing an elaconfirmed by Honorius III, in borate explication of the maxims 1223, and had made a considerable it recommended, and the duties progress before the death of its it prescribed. In 1287, Matthew, founder in 1226. Francis through of Aqua Sparta, being elected gean excessive humility, would not neral of the order, discouraged the suffer the monks of his order to be ancient discipline of the Franciscalled fratres, i. e. brethren or cans, and indulged his monks in friars; but fraterculi, i. e. little abandoning even the appearance brethren, or friars minor, by of poverty; and this conduct inwhich denomination they have flamed the indignation of the spibeen generally since distinguished. ritual or austere Franciscans; so The Franciscans and Dominicans that, from the year 1290, seditions were zealous and active friends to and schisms arose in an order that the papal hierarchy, and in return had been so famous for its prewere distinguished by peculiar pri-tended disinterestedness and huvileges and honourable employ-mility. Such was the enthusiastic ments. The Franciscans, in par- frenzy of the Franciscans, that ticular, were invested with the they impiously maintained that the

founder of their order was a second built two or three houses for them. Christ, in all respects similar to the At the dissolution of the monasfirst, and that their institution and teries, the conventual Franciscans discipline were the true gospel of had about fifty-five houses, which Jesus. Accordingly Albizi, a Fran-were under seven custodies or warciscan, of Pisa, published a book denships, viz. those of London, in 1383, with the applause of his Worcester, York, Cambridge, Brisorder, entitled the Book of the tol, Newcastle, and Oxford. Conformities of St. Francis with FRATERNITY, in the Roman Jesus Christ. In the beginning of Catholic countries, signifies a societhis century the whole Francis-ty for the improvement of devotion. can order was divided into two Of these there are several sorts, as, parties: the one embracing the 1. The fraternity of the Rosary, severe discipline and absolute po-founded by St. Dominic. It is verty of St. Francis, and were divided into two branches, called called spirituals; and the other, the common rosary, and the perpewho insisted on mitigating the aus-tual rosary; the former of whom tere injunctions of their founder, are obliged to confess and commuwere denominated brethren of the nicate every first Sunday in the community. They wore long, loose, month, and the latter to repeat and good habits, with large hoods; the rosary continually.-2 The the former were clad in a straight, fraternity of the Scapulary, whom course, and short dress, pretending it is pretended, according to the that this dress was enjoined by St. sabbatine bull of pope John XXII, Francis, and that no power on the Blessed Virgin has promised earth had a right to alter it. Nei-to deliver out of hell the first Sunther the moderation of Clement day after their death.-3. The V, nor the violence of John XXII, fraternity of St. Francis's girdle could appease the tumult occa- are clothed with a sack of a gray sioned by these two parties; how-colour, which they tie with a cord; ever, their rage subsided from the and in processions walk bareyear 1329. In 1368 these two footed, carrying in their hands parties were formed into two large a wooden cross.-4. That of St. bodies, comprehending the whole Austin's leathern girdle compreFranciscan order, viz. the conven-hends a great many devotees. tual brethren, and the brethren of Italy, Spain, and Portugal are the the observance, or observation, from countries where are seen the greatwhom sprang the Capuchins and est number of these fraternities, Recollects. The general opinion some of which assume the name of is, that the Franciscans came into arch-fraternity. Pope Clement England in the year 1224, and VII instituted the arch-fraternity had their first house at Canterbury, of charity, which distributes bread and their second at London; but every Sunday among the poor, and there is no certain account of their gives portions to forty poor girls on being here till king Henry VII the feast of St. Jerome, their pa

tron. The fraternity of death ||tenets. They held the Romish buries such dead as are aban-church to be Babylon, and prodoned by their relations, and posed to establish another far causes masses to be celebrated for more perfect one: they maintained them. that the rule of St. Francis was the FRATRICELLI, an enthu-evangelical rule observed by Jesus siastic sect of Franciscans, which Christ and his apostles. They rose in Italy, and particularly in the foretold the reformation of the marquisate of Ancona, about the church, and the restoration of the year 1294. The word is an Italian true gospel of Christ by the genuine diminutive, signifying fraterculi, followers of St. Francis; and deor "little brothers," and was here clared their assent to almost all used as a term of derision, as they the doctrines which were pubwere most of them apostate monks, lished under the name of the abwhom the Italians call fratelli, or bot Joachim, in the "Introducfratricelli. For this reason the tion to the Everlasting Gospel," a term fratricelli, as a nick-name, book published in 1250, and exwas given to many other sects, as plained by one of the spiritual the Catharists, the Waldenses, &c. friars, whose name was Gerhard. however different in their opinions Among other errors inculcated in and their conduct. But this de-this book, it is pretended that St. nomination, applied to the austere Francis was the angel mentioned part of the Franciscans, was con-in Rev. xiv, 6. and had promulsidered as honourable. See FRAN-gated to the world the true and everlasting gospel; that the gospel

CISCANS.

The founders of this sect were of Christ was to be abrogated in P. Maurato and P. de Fossom-1260, and to give place to this new broni, who, having obtained of and everlasting gospel, which was pope Celestin V a permission to to be substituted in its room; and live in solitude after the manner of that the ministers of this great rehermits, and to observe the rule formation were to be humble and of St. Francis in all its rigour, se-bare-footed friars, destitute of all veral idle vagabond monks joined worldly employments. Some say, them, who, living after their own they even elected a pope of their fancies, and making all perfection church; at least they appointed a to consist in poverty, were soon general with superiors, and built condemned by pope Boniface monasteries, &c. Besides the opiVIII and his successor, and the nions of Oliva, they held that the inquisitors ordered to proceed sacraments of the church were inagainst them as heretics; which valid, because those who admicommission they executed with nistered them had no longer any their usual barbarity. Upon this, power or jurisdiction. They were retiring into Sicily, Peter John condemned again by pope John Oliva de Serignan had no sooner XXII, in consequence of whose published his comment on the cruelty they regarded him as the Apocalypse, than they adopted his true antichrist; but several of

them, returning into Germany, other arrogantly claims a part, were sheltered by Lewis duke of yea, the very turning point of salBavaria, the emperor. vation. According to the latter, There are authentic records, we need only certain helps or assistfrom which it appears, that no ances, granted to men in common, less than 2000 persons were burnt to enable us to choose the path of by the inquisition, from the year life; but, according to the former, 1318 to the time of Innocent VI, our hearts being by nature wholly for their inflexible attachment to depraved, we need an almighty and the order of St. Francis. The se-invincible Power to renew them. verities against them were again See NECESSITY. revived, towards the close of the FREE THINKER, an appelfifteenth century, by pope Nicho-lation given to those persons who las V and his successors. How-deny revelation or the christian reever, all the persecutions which ligion. One of the most admirathis sect endured were not suffi-ble and pointed addresses to freecient to extinguish it; for it sub-thinkers any where to be met with, sisted until the times of the refor-may be found in the dedication mation in Germany, when its re-to Warburton's Divine Legation maining votaries adopted the cause of Moses, where these gentlemen and embraced the doctrine and dis- are combated with abilities worthy cipline of Luther. of that great and acute author. FREE AGENCY is the power See also an admirable paper in of following one's inclination, or the Guardian, No. 70; and article whatever the soul does, with the DEISTS. full bent of preference and desire. Many and long have been the disputes on this subject; not that FRENCH PROPHETS. They man has been denied to be a free first appeared in Dauphiny and Viagent; but the dispute has been varais. In the year 1688, five or six in what it consists. See articles hundred Protestants of both sexes LIBERTY and WILL. A distinc-gave themselves out to be prophets, tion is made by writers between and inspired of the Holy Ghost. free agency, and what is called the They soon became so numerous, Arminian notion of free will. The that there were many thousands of one consists merely in the power them inspired. They were people of following our prevailing incli-of all ages and sexes without disnation; the other in a supposed tinction, though the greatest part power of acting contrary to it, or of them were boys and girls from at least of changing it. The one six or seven to twenty-five years of predicates freedom of the man; age. They had strange fits, which the other, of a faculty in man; came upon them with tremblings which Mr. Locke, though an anti-and faintings as in a swoon, which necessarian, explodes as an ab-made them stretch out their arms surdity. The one goes merely to and legs, and stagger several times render us accountable beings; the before they dropped down. They

FRENCH CHURCH.
CHURCH GALLICAN.

See

struck themselves with their hands,||dren: and they had delivered unthey fell on their backs, shut their der inspiration four or five hundred eyes, and heaved with their breasts. prophetic warnings.

They remained awhile in trances, The great things they pretended and, coming out of them with by their spirit was, to give warning twitchings, uttered all which came of the near approach of the kingdom into their mouths. They said they of God, the happy times of the saw the heavens open, the angels, church, the millennium state. Their paradise, and hell. Those who were message was (and they were to just on the point of receiving the proclaim it as heralds to the Jews, spirit of prophecy dropped down and every nation under heaven, not only in the assemblies, crying beginning at England) that the out mercy, but in the fields, and in grand jubilee, the acceptable year their own houses. The least of their of the Lord, the accomplishment of assemblies made up four or five those numerous scriptures conhundred, and some of them cerning the new heaven and the new amounted to even three or four carth, the kingdom of the Messiah, thousand persons. When the pro-the marriage of the Lamb, the first phets had for a while been under resurrection, or the new Jerusalem agitations of body, they began to descending from above, were now prophesy. The burden of their even at the door; and this great prophecies was, Amend your lives; operation was to be wrought on the repent ye: the end of all things part of man by spiritual arms only, draws nigh! The hills rebounded proceeding from the mouths of with their loud cries for mercy, those who should by inspiration, and imprecations against the or the mighty gift of the Spirit, be priests, the church, the pope, and sent forth in great numbers to against the anti-christian domi- labour in the vineyard; that this nion, with predictions of the ap-mission of his servants should be proaching fall of popery. All they witnessed to by signs and wonders said at these times was heard and from heaven, by a deluge of judgreceived with reverence and awe.ments on the wicked universally In the year 1706, three or four throughout the world, as famine, of these prophets came over into pestilence, earthquakes, &c. that England, and brought their pro- the exterminating angels shall root phetic spirit along with them, out the tares, and there shall rewhich discovered itself in the same main upon earth only good corn; ways and manners, by ecstacies and the works of men being thrown and agitations, and inspirations down, there shall be but one Lord, under them, as it had done in one faith, one heart, and one voice France; and they propagated the among mankind. They declared like spirit to others, so that before that all the great things they spoke the year was out there were two or of would be manifest over the three hundred of these prophets in whole earth within the term of and about London, of both sexes, three years. of all ages; men, women, and chil

These prophets also pretended