3. With some old astronomers tXxa firmament is the orb of the fixed stars, or the highest of all the heavens. But in Scripture and in common language it is used for the middle regions, the space or expanse appearing like an arch immediately above us in the heavens. Many of the ancients, and of the moderns also, ac- count the firmament a fluid substance ; but those who gave it the name of " firmament" must have regarded it as solid. In the Ptolemaic astronomy, i\\6 firmament is called the eighth heaven or sphere, with respect to the seven spheres of the planets, which it surrounds. It is supposed to have two motions — a diurnal motion imparted to it by tha primum mobile, from east to west, about the poles of the ecliptic, and another opposite motion from west to east, which last is completed, according to Tycho, in 25,412 years ; according to Ptolemy, in 30,000 ; and according to Copernicus, in 25,800 ; in whicli time the fixed stars return to the same points in which they were at the beginning. This period is called the Plutonic, or Great Year. — Kitto, s. V. ; Smith, s. v. See Astkonomy.
Pirniicus, Julius M.vternus, a Christian writer of the 4th centurj', of whom little is known. There was an astrologer of the same name and time, who wrote Matheseos lib. viii. There was a bishop of Milan of the same name, who flourished at the same time, but probably not the same person. He wrote a book, De Errore Profanarum Religionum, which he dedicated to Constantius and Constans ; and from this it appears he was bred up in heatiienism, and afterwards converted to the Christian faith. He is not mentioned bj' an}^ ancient writer; and there is no direct evidence that he held any sacred office in the Christian Church. From internal evidence, it appears certain that the treatise was written between A.D. 343 and 350. An analysis of it is given by Ceillier, Auteurs Sacn's (Var. 18C5), iv, 310 sq. The object of the treatise is to trace the history of the pagan faith, and to demonstrate the falsehood of its various forms. It adopts and applies the theory of Euhemerus (q. v.). It was first printed by Matt. Flacius (Strasburg, 1562) ; the latest separate edition is that of Munter (Copenhagen, 1826, 8vo), with prolegomena and notes. It may be found also in Bib. ^far.' Patrol, iv, 164 ; Galland, Bib. Patrol, v, 23; and Mignc, Patrol. Lot. vol. xii.
Firniilian, St., bishop of Ctesarea, in Cappadocia, was an intimate friend both of Origen (Euseb. vi, 27) and Cyprian, with the latter of whom he took part in the controversy relative to the necessity of rebaptiz- ing those who had been baptized by heretics. On this subject he wrote an Epistle to St. Cyprian, which was undoubtedly written in Greek, thougli the epistle ex- tant in St. C.yprian's works is in Latin ; it is generally allowed to have been translated by Cyprian himself. It is very valuable in disproving the authority of the bishop of Rome as ]wj)e in the 3d century. This epis- tle, whicli is a very long one, is the sixtj'-fifth among
FIRMIN
670
FIRST-BORN^
those of St. Cj'prian, and maj' be found in Oberthiir's editioTi of Cyprian (i, 254) ; also in Kouth, Script. Eccl. Opusculti (Oxon. 1840, i, 227) ; and in Migne, Patrol. Lat. vol. iii. Baroniiis places tlie death of Firmilian A.D. 272.— Clarke, Succession of Sacred Literature, i, 172; C&ve, Hint. Liter. (Geneva, 1720), i, 78; Ceillier, Auteurs Sacres (Paris, 18G5), ii, 435 sq.
Firmin, Thomas, an English Unitarian, noted for pulilic benefactions and charities, was born at Ips- wich, in Suffolk, June, 1632. His parents were Puri- tans, very reputable and substantial people, and at a proper age put out their son to an apprenticeship in London. His master was an Arminian, a hearer of Mr. John Goodwin, to whose sermons young Firmin resorting, "exchanged," as we are told, "the harsh opinions of Calvin, in which he had been educated, for those more reasonaljle ones of Arminius and the Eemon- strants." He was led to certain opinions not agreeable to the orthodox faith, for instance, that "the unity of God is a unity of person as well as of nature, and that the Holy Spirit is indeed a person, but not God." He settled in business in Lombard Street, and be- came intimate with Whichcote, Wilkins, Tillotson, etc. ; so particularly with the last that, when obliged to be out of town, at Canterbury, perhaps, where he was dean, he left to Mr. Firmin the provision of preach- ers for his Tuesday's lecture at St. Laurence. Queen Mary heard of his usefulness, and that he was hetero- dox in the articles of the Trinity, the divinity of our Saviour, and the atonement. She spoke to Tillotfon, therefore, to set him right in those weighty and neces- sary points, who answered that he had often endeav- ored it, but that Mr. Firmin had now so long imbibed the Socinian doctrine as not to be capable of renounc- ing it. However, his grace, for he was then arch- bishop, published his sermons, formerly preached at St. Laurence's, concerning those questions, and sent Mr. Firmin one of the first copies fn m the press, who, not convinced, caused a respectful answer to be drawn lip and published, with this title, Considerations on the Explications and Defences <]f the Doctrine of the T7-i7ntt/, himself giving a copy to his grace. The plague in 16G5, and the lire in 16G6, furnished him Avith a variety' of objects of charity. He went on with his trade in Lombard Street till 167G, at which time his biographer supposes him to have been worth £0000, though he had disposed of incredible sums in charities. This year he erected his warehouse in Little Britain for the employment of the poor in the linen manufacture, on which Tillotson spoke honorably in his funeral sermon on Mr. Gouge in 1681. In 1680 and 1681 came over the French Protestants, who furnished new work for ]Mr. Finnin's zeal and charity, and in 1082 he set up a lincu UKuuifacture for them at Ipswich. During the last twenty years of his life he was one of the govern- ors of Christ-church Hospital in London, to which he procured manj' considerable donations. In April, 16'.i.3, he became a governor of St. Thomas's Hospital in Soutliwark ; and, indeed, there was hardly any pub- lic trust or charity in which he either was not or might not have been concerned. He was buried, ac- cording to his desire, in tlie cloisters of Christ-church Hospital, and there is placed in the wall near his grave an inscription in terms of the highest panegyric. His Life was jniblislied in 16!)S, and again by Cornish, 1780, l2mo.— AV/f Gen. Biog. Diet. s. v. ; Wesley, Works (N. Y.), ii, 574.