, a person memorable for public benefactions and charities, was
, a person memorable for public benefactions and charities, was born at Ipswich in Sutfolk, in
June 1633. His parents, whowere puritans, and very
reputable and substantial people, 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, 77 as we are
told,
” the harsh opinions of Calvin, in which he had been
educated, for those more reasonable ones of Arminius and
the remonstrants.“But here he did not stop: being what
is called a free inquirer into religious matters, he was afterwards carried by this spirit and temper to espouse some
opinions totally at variance with the orthodox faith: he
became persuaded, for instance,
” that “the unity of God is
an unity of person as well as of nature; and that the Holy
Spirit is indeed a person, but not God.
” He adopted these
principles first from the noted Biddle, who was imprisoned
for his opinions in 1645, and Firmin was so zealous in his
cause, that when he was only an apprentice, he delivered a
petition for his release to Oliver Cromwell, who gave him
this laconic answer: “You curl-pated boy, do you think I'll
show any favour to a man that denies his Saviour, and
disturbs the government?
”