Plato styles prudence the leading virtue; and Cicero observes, "that not one of the virtues can want prudence;" which is certainly most true, since without prudence to guide them, piety would degenerate into superstition, zeal into bigotry, temperance into austerity, cou rage into rashness, and justice itself into folly. See Watts's Ser., ser. 28; Grove's Moral Phil. vol. ii. ch. 2; Mason's Christian Mor. vol. i. ser. 4; Evans's Christ. Temper, ser. 38.

PSALMODY, the art or act of singing psalms. Psalmody was always esteemed a considerable part of devotion, and usually performed in the standing posture; and as to the manner of pronunciation, the plain song was sometimes used, being a gentle inflection of the voice, not much different from reading, like the chant in cathedrals; at other times, more artificial compositions were used, like our anthems.

As to the persons concerned in singing, sometimes a single person sung alone; sometimes the whole assembly joined together, which was the most ancient and general practice. At other times, the psalms were sung alternately, the congregation dividing themselves into two parts, and singing, verse about, in their turns. There was also a fourth way of singing, pretty common in the fourth century, which was, when a single person began the verse, and the people joined with him in the close; this was often used for variety in the same service with alternate psalmody. See SINGING.

PSATYRIANS, a sect of Arians, who, in the council of Antioch, held in the year 360, maintained that the Son was not like the Father as to will; that he was taken from nothing, or made of nothing; and that in God generation was not to be distinguished from creation. PURE, a term in theology, which is applied to certain doctrines or articles of faith, in contradistinction from those which are called mixed. Pure doctrines are such as are only and entirely derived from the holy Scriptures, such as those of the Trinity, incarnation, &c.; whereas those which are mixed are such as may be discovered or demonstrated by reason, from which, as well as from Scripture, proofs may be derived, as to the existence of certain of the attributes of God.

PURGATORY is a place in which the just who depart out of this life are

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supposed to expiate certain offences which do not merit eternal damnation. Broughton has endeavoured to prove that this notion has been held by pagans, Jews, and Mohammedans, as well as by Christians; and that, in the days of the Maccabees, the Jews believed that sin might be expiated by sacrifice after the death of the sinner. The arguments advanced by the Papists for purgatory are these. Every sin, how slight soever, though no more, than an idle word, as it is an offence to God, deserves punishment from him, and will be punished by him hereafter, if not cancelled by re pentance here.-2. Such small sins do not deserve eternal punishment.-3. Few depart this life so pure as to be totally exempt from spots of this nature, and from every kind of debt due to God's justice.-4. Therefore, few will escape without suffering something from his justice for such debts as they have carried with them out of this world, according to that rule of divine justice by which he treats every soul hereafter according to its works, and according to the state in which he finds it in death. From these propositions, which the Papist considers as so many self-evident truths, he infers that there must be some third place of punishment; for since the infinite goodness of God can admit nothing into heaven which is not clean and pure from all sin, both great and small, and his infinite justice can permit none to receive the reward of bliss who as yet are not out of debt, but have something in justice to suffer, there must, of necessity, be some place or state, where souls departing this life, pardoned as to external guilt or pain, yet obnoxious to some temporal penalty, or with the guilt of some venial faults, are purged and purified before their admittance into heaven. And this is what he is taught concerning purgatory, which, though he know not where it is, of what nature the pains are, or how long each soul is detained there, yet he believes that those who are in this place are relieved by the prayers of their fellow-members here on earth, as also by alms and masses offered up to God for their souls. And as for such as have no relations or friends to pray for them, or give alms to procure masses for their relief, they are not neglected by the church, which makes a general commemoration of all the faithful departed in every mass, and in every one of the

canonical hours of the divine office. Besides the above arguments, the following passages are alleged as proofs: 2 Maccabees xii. 43, 44, 45; Matt. xii. 31, 32; 1 Cor. iii. 15; 1 Pet. iii. 19. But it may be observed, 1. That the books of Maccabees have no evidence of inspiration, therefore quotations from them are not to be regarded.-2. If they were, the texts referred to would rather prove that there is no such place as purgatory, since Judas did not expect the souls de parted to reap any benefit from his sinoffering till the resurrection. The texts quoted from the Sciptures have no reference to this doctrine, as may be seen by consulting the context, and any just commentator thereon.-3. Scripture, in general, speaks of departed souls going, immediately at death, to a fixed state of happiness or misery, and gives us no idea of purgatory, Isa. lvii. 2; Rev. xiv. 13; Luke xvi. 22; 2 Cor. v. 8.-4. It is derogatory from the doctrine of Christ's satisfaction. If Christ died for us, and redeemed us from sin and hell, as the Scripture speaks, then the idea of further meritorious suffering detracts from the perfection of Christ's work, and places merit still in the creature; a doctrine exactly opposite to Scripture. See Doddridge's Lectures, lec. 270; Limborch's Theol. 1. 6, ch. 10, sec. 10, 22; Earl's Sermon, in the Sermons against Popery, vol. ii. No. 1; Burnett on the Art. 22; Fleury's Catechism, vol. ii. p. 250.

PURIFICATION, a ceremony which consists in cleansing anything from pollution or defilement. Purifications are common to Jews, Pagans, and Mohammedans. See IMPURITY.

PURITANS, a name given in the primitive church to the Novatians, because they would never admit to communion any one who, from dread of death, had apostatised from the faith; and was revived by Saunders, the Jesuit, to cast reproach upon the persons and way of the Reformers, and render them suspicious and odious to the state; but the word has been chiefly applied to those who were professed favourers of a further degree of reformation and purity in the church before the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. After this period, the term Nonconformists became common, to which succeeds the appellation Dis

senter.

"There have been High Church and Low Church, which are only different

expressions for Puritan and anti-Puritan, Conformist and Nonconformist, ever since the Reformation. In the reign of Edward, Cranmer and Ridley headed the one class; Rogers and Hooper the other. Though all four died at the stake for the common faith, the two last had suffered severely from the two former, on account of their opposition to certain imposed rites and ceremonies. In the days of Mary, both parties fled into foreign countries for security. But, even when in exile, the former stiffly adhered to the ceremonies which they had endeavoured to impose when at home, while the latter, availing themselves of the privilege of strangers, as resolutely refused to submit to them. This created no small dissension between the parties while abroad. On their return, after the advancement of Elizabeth to the throne, each hoped to carry their point. Those who were zealous for rites and usages, however, gained the queen's favour; their views being more in unison with her arbitrary disposition, and her love of pomp, in religious as well as in civil matters. But although the other party were disappointed, they were not entirely thrown out. As there was a great deficiency of properly qualified persons to occupy the pulpits and principal places in the establishment, many of those who were known to be opposed to some of its ritual were allowed to officiate in the churches, and their noncompliance with parts of the rubric was connived at. Some of them were also raised to dignified offices. In the course of her reign, however, the bonds were gradually drawn tighter and tighter, and very severe sufferings came to be inflicted on a body of excellent and conscientious

men.

"What is said of the Israelites in Egypt, may be said with justice of the Puritans, the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied and grew. The severities they experienced only increased their resolution to submit to no human impositions in religion, to resist encroachments on conscience, and added to their influence among those who respected men suffering for conscience sake. Nothing but the energy and vigilance of Elizabeth's government prevented very serious disturbances in the country from these causes. Parliament would more than once have given relief, but was prevented from doing so by the

archbishop, and his influence over the queen. In her last days, when the nation was beginning to worship the rising sun, some abatement took place; but still the conflict went on.

"A vigorous attempt was made by the Puritans, at the beginning of James's reign, to accomplish a further reformation of the church, and to secure liberty for those who conscientiously scrupled to observe some of its rites, though they wished still to remain within its pale. James's hatred of Presbyterianism, which he transported across the Tweed, defeated this project. The canons formed by the convocation, under his direction, increased instead of mitigating the evils under which the Puritans groaned; and, during the whole of his reign, and that of his unfortunate son and successor, matters gradually grew worse and worse, till they finally came to a grand crisis.

"The pontificate of Laud was a great means of accelerating that conflict in which he lost his head. The conforming Puritans were in his time severely dealt with. If they did not bow to the altar, would not read the book of sports, or were guilty of the crime of holding lectures, or of preaching twice on the Lord's day, it was enough to bring them before the high-commission court, and subject them to all its oppressive and iniquitous censures. The consequences were, that multitudes of the ablest ministers, and of the best of the people, left their native country, and fled for an asylum to the wilds and deserts of America. At last, oppression brought the country to desperation; and, in the struggle which ensued, both the church and the monarchy were wrecked.

"There was religious peace, but not general satisfaction, during the Protectorate. The friends of the fallen church were still numerous; the lovers of form and ceremony in religion were not few, though they were silent and sullen. The opponents of the hierarchy were divided among themselves; the largest frag

QUAKERS, a sect which took its rise in England about the middle of the seventeenth century, and rapidly found its way into other countries in Europe, and into the English settlements in North America. The members of this society, we believe, called themselves at

ment, the Presbyterian, opposed themselves to all the sectaries, were enamoured with an established church, and not as a body inimical to a certain species of episcopal government.

"When Charles II. was restored, the episcopal establishment, as a matter of course, was reinstated in all its rights and privileges; and the body of the ministers who were attached to a simpler, and what they regarded a more Scriptural form of religion, were driven away. The vast majority of these persons did not decidedly object to a modified episcopacy-to a liturgical form of worship, and to the use of various rites, provided they were not absolutely imposed on their consciences as matter of faith and scriptural practice. They were mostly believers in the lawfulness of a civil establishment of Christianity, and consequently were not dissenters from the church; they only objected to certain things belonging to, or imposed by it."

PURITY, the freedom of anything from foreign admixture; but more particularly it signifies the temper directly opposite to criminal sensualities, or the ascendency of irregular passions. See CHASTITY. Purity implies, 1. A fixed habitual abhorrence of all forbidden indulgences of the flesh.-2. All past impurities, either of heart or life, will be reflected on with shame and sorrow.3. The heart will be freed, in a great measure, from impure and irregular desires.-4. It will discover itself by a cautious fear of the least degree of impurity.-5. It implies a careful and habitual guard against everything which tends to pollute the mind. See Evans's Sermons on the Christian Temper, ser. 23; and Watts's Sermons, ser. 27.

PURPOSE OF GOD. See DECREE. PUSILLANIMITY, is a feebleness of mind, by which it is terrified at mere trifles or imaginary dangers, unauthorised by the most distant probability.

PYRRHONISTS. See SCEPTICS.

first Seekers, from their seeking the truth; but after the society was formed, they assumed the appellation of Friends. The name of Quakers was given to them by their enemies; and, though an epithet of reproach, seems to be stamped upon them indelibly. George Fox is

supposed to be their first founder; but, after the restoration, Penn and Barclay gave to their principles a more regular form. The doctrines of the society have been variously represented; and some have thought and taken pains to prove them favourable to Socinianism. But, according to Penn, they believe in the Holy Three, or the Trinity of the Father, Word, and Spirit, agreeably to the Scripture. In reply to the charge that they deny Christ to be God, Penn says, "that it is a most untrue and uncharitable censure that they truly and expressly own him to be so according to the Scripture." To the objection that they deny the human nature of Christ, he answers, "We never taught, said, or held so gross a thing, but believe him to be truly and properly man like us, sin only excepted." The doctrines of the fall, and the redemption by Christ, are, according to him, believed by them; and he firmly declares, "that they own Jesus Christ as their sacrifice, atonement, and propitiation."

But we shall here state a further account of their principles and discipline, as extracted from a summary transmitted by one of their most respectable members.

They tell us that, about the beginning of the seventeenth century, a number of men, dissatisfied with all the modes of religious worship then known in the world, withdrew from the communion of every visible church, to seek the Lord in retirement. Among these was their honourable elder, George Fox, who, being quickened by the immediate touches of divine love, could not satisfy his apprehensions of duty to God without directing the people where to find the like consolation and instruction. In the course of his travels, he met with many seeking persons in circumstances similar to his own, and these readily received his testimony. They then give us a short account of their sufferings and different settlements; they also vindicate Charles II. from the character of a persecutor; acknowledging that, though they suffered much during his reign, he gave as little countenance as he could to the severities of the legislature. They even tell us that he exerted his influence to rescue their friends from the unprovoked and cruel persecutions they met with in New England; and they speak with becoming gratitude of the different acts passed in their favour during the reigns of William and Mary, and George I.

They then proceed to give us the following account of their doctrine :

"We agree with other professors of the Christian name, in the belief of one eternal God, the Creator and Preserver of the universe; and in Jesus Christ, his Son, the Messiah and Mediator of the New Covenant, Heb. xii. 24.

"When we speak of the gracious display of the love of God to mankind, in the miraculous conception, birth, life, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Saviour, we prefer the use of such terms as we find in Scripture; and, contented with that knowledge which divine wisdom hath seen meet to reveal, we attempt not to explain those mysteries which remain under the veil; nevertheless we acknowledge and assert the divinity of Christ, who is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation. 1 Cor. i. 24.

"To Christ alone we give the title of the word of God, John i. 1, and not to the Scriptures, although we highly esteem these sacred writings, in subordination to the Spirit (2 Pet. i. 21), from which they were given forth; and we hold, with the apostle Paul, that they are able to make wise unto salvation, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. iii. 15.

"We reverence those most excellent precepts which are recorded in Scripture to have been delivered by our great Lord; and we firmly believe that they are practicable and binding on every Christian; and that in the life to come every man will be rewarded according to his works, Matt. xvi. 27. And further, it is our belief that, in order to enable mankind to put in practice these sacred precepts, many of which are contradictory to the unregenerate will of man, (John'i. 9,) every man coming into the world is endued with a measure of the light, grace, or good Spirit of Christ; by which, as it is attended to, he is enabled to distinguish good from evil, and correct the disorderly passions and corrupt propensities of his nature, which mere reason is altogether insufficient to overcome. For all that belongs to man is fallible, and within the reach of temptation; but this divine grace, which comes by him who hath overcome the world, (John xvi. 33,) is, to those who humbly and sincerely seek it, an all-sufficient and present help in the time of need. By this the snares of the enemy are detected, his allurements avoided, and de