Bible, directed by Montanus, &c. the either the doctrine of polytheism must Paris Bible of Michael Jay, a French be true theology, or this instinct or sense gentleman, in ten huge volumes, folio, is of such a nature as to have, at differcopies of which were published in Hol-ent periods of the world, misled all land under the name of pope Alexander || mankind. Ali savage tribes are at the Seventh and that of Brian Walton, present polytheists and idolaters; but afterwards bishop of Chester. The last among savages every instinct appears is the most regular and valuable. It in greater purity and vigour than among contains the Hebrew and Greek origi-people polished by arts and sciences; nals, with Montanus's interlineary ver- and instinct never mistakes its objects. sion; the Chaldee paraphrases, the The instinct or primary impression of Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, nature which gives rise to self-love, afthe Syrian and Arabic Bibles, the Per-fection between the sexes, &c. has, in sian Pentateuch and Gospels, the Ethio- || all nations and in every period of time, pian Psalms, Song of Solomon, and New Testament, with their respective Latin translations; together with the Latin Vulgate, and a large volume of various readings, to which is ordinarily joined Castel's Heptaglot Lexicon. See BIBLE, No. 29, 30.

POLYTHEISM, the doctrine of a plurality of gods, or invisible powers superior to man.

a precise and determinate object which it inflexibly pursues. How, then, comes it to pass that this particular instinct, which, if real, is surely of as much importance as any other, should have uniformly led those who had no other guide, to pursue improper objects, to fall into the grossest errors, and the most pernicious practices?

For these and other reasons, which "That there exists beings, one or ma- might easily be assigned, they suppose ny, powerful above the human race, is that the first religious principles must a proposition," says lord Kaims, "uni-have been derived from a source differversally admitted as true in all ages ent as well from internal sense as from and among all nations. I boldly call it the deductions of reason; from a source universal, notwithstanding what is re- which the majority of mankind had ported of some gross savages; for re- early forgotten; and which, when it ports that contradict what is acknow- was banished from their minds left ledged to be general among men, re- nothing behind it to prevent the very quire more able vouchers than a few|| first principle of religion from being illiterate voyagers. Among many sa- perverted by various accidents or vage tribes there are no words but for causes; or, in some extraordinary conobjects of external sense: is it surprising currence of circumstances, from being. that such people are incapable of ex- perhaps, entirely obliterated. This pressing their religious perceptions, or source of religion every consistent theist any perception of internal sense? The must believe to be revelation. Reason conviction that men have of superior could not have introduced savages to powers, in every country where there the knowledge of God, and we have just are words to express it, is so well vouch-seen, that a sense of Deity is clogged ed, that, in fair reasoning, it cught to be with insuperable difficulties. Yet it is taken for granted among the few tribes undeniable that all mankind have bewhere language is deficient." The lieved in superior invisible powers; and, same ingenious author shows, with great if reason and instinct be set aside, there strength of reasoning, that the opera- remains no other origin of this universal tions of nature and the government of belief than primeval revelation corthis world, which to us loudly proclaim rupted, indeed, as it passed from father the existence of a Deity, are not suffi to son in the course of many generations. cient to account for the universal belief It is no slight support to this doctrine, of superior beings among savage tribes. that, if there really be a Deity, it is He is therefore of opinion that this uni-highly presumable that he would reveal versality of conviction can spring only from the image of Deity stamped upon the mind of every human being, the ignorant equal with the learned. This, he thinks, may be termed the sense of Deity.

himself to the first men; creatures whom he had formed with faculties to adore and to worship him. To other animals the knowledge of the Deity is of no importance, to man it is of the first importance. Were we totally igThis sense of Deity, however, is ob-norant of a Deity, this world would apjected to by others, who thus reason: All nations, except the Jews, were once polytheists and idolaters. If, therefore, his lordship's hypothesis be admitted,

pear to us a mere chaos. Under the government of a wise and benevolent Deity, chance is excluded, and every event appears to be the result of es

tablished laws. Good men submit to whatever happens without repining, knowing that every event is ordered by Divine Providence: they submit with entire resignation; and such resignation is a sovereign balsam for every misfortune or evil in life.

tion, that we find it extremely difficult to conceive any being without assigning to him a form and a place. Hence bishop Law supposes that the earliest generations of men (even those to whom he contends that frequent revelations were vouchsafed) may have been no As to the circumstances which led to better than Anthropomorphites in their polytheism, it has been observed, that conceptions of the Divine Being. Be this taking it for granted that our original as it may, it is easy to conceive that the progenitors were instructed by their members of the first colonies would Creator in the truths of genuine theism, | quickly lose many of the arts and much there is no room to doubt but that of the science which perhaps prevailed those truths would be conveyed pure in the parent state; and that, fatigued from father to son as long as the race with the contemplation of intellectual lived in one family, and were not spread objects, they would relieve their overover a large extent of country. If any strained faculties by attributing to the credit is due to the records of antiquity, Deity a place of abode, if not a human the primeval inhabitants of this globe form. To men totally illiterate, the lived to so great an age, that they must place fittest for the habitation of the have increased to a very large number Deity would undoubtedly appear to be long before the death of the common the sun, the most beautiful and glorious parent, who would of course, be the object of which they could form any bond of union to the whole society; and idea; an object from which they could whose dictates, especially in what re- not but be sensible that they received lated to the origin of his being, and the the benefit of light and heat, and which existence of his Creator, would be lis- experience must soon have taught them tened to with the utmost respect by eve to be in a great measure the source of ry individual of his numerous progeny. || vegetation. From looking upon the sun Many causes, however, would conspire as the habitation of their God, they to dissolve this family, after the death would soon proceed to consider it as his of its ancestor, into separate and inde- || body. Experiencing the effects of pendent tribes, of which some would be power in the sun, they would naturally driven by violence, or would voluntarily conceive that luminary to be animated wander to a distance from the rest. as their bodies were animated; they From this dispersion great changes would feel his influence when above the would take place in the opinions of horizon; they would see him moving some of the tribes respecting the object from east to west; they would consider of their religious worship. A single fahim, when set, as gone to take his remily, or a small tribe, banished into a pse; and those exertions and interdesert wilderness (such as the whole inissions of power being analogous to earth must then have been) would find what they experienced in themselves, employment for all their time in pro- they would look upon the sun as a real viding the means of subsistence, and in || animal. Thus would the Divinity apdefending themselves from beasts of pear to their untutored minds to be a prey. In such circumstances they would compound being like a man, partly corhave little leisure for meditation: and, poreal and partly spiritual; and as soon being constantly conversant with objects as they imbibed such notions, though of sense, they would gradually lose the || perhaps not before, they may be propower of meditating upon the spiritual nounced to have been absolute idolaters, nature of that Being by whom their an- When men had once got into this train, cestors had taught them that all things their gods would multiply upon them were created. The first wanderers with wonderful rapidity. The moon, would, no doubt, retain in tolerable pu- the planets, the fixed stars, &c. would rity their original notions of Deity, and become objects of veneration. Hence they would certainly endeavour to im- we find Moses cautioning the people of press those notions upon their children; || Israel against worshipping the hosts of but in circumstances infinitely more fa-heaven, Deut. iv. 19. Other objects, vourable to speculation than theirs could have been, the human mind dwells not long upon notions purely intellectual. We are so accustomed to sensible objects, and to the ideas of space, exten- From these accounts given us by the sion, and figure, which they are per- best writers of antiquity, it seems that petually impressing upon the imagina-though the polytheists believed heaven.

however, from which benefits were received or dangers feared, would likewise be deified; such as demons, departed herces, &c. See IDOLATRY.

PONTIFICATE, is used for the state or dignity of a pontiff, or high priest; but more particularly, in modern wri ters, for the reign of a pope.

POPE, a name which comes from the Greek word Пana and signifies Father. In the East, this appellation is given to all Christian priests; and in the West, bishops were called by it in ancient times; but now for many centuries it has been appropriated to the bishop of Rome, whom the Roman Catholics look upon as the common father of all Christians.

earth, and to preserve the unity of it, giving him the power requisite for these ends. They also believe that our Sa

earth, and hell, were all filled with di-Jews, too, had their pontiffs; and among vinities, yet there was One who was the Romanists the pope is styled the considered as supreme over all the rest, sovereign pontiff. or, at most, that there were but two self-existent gods from whom they conceived all the other divinities to have descended in a manner analogous to human generation. It appears, however, that the vulgar Pagans considered each divinity as supreme, and unaccountable within his own province, and therefore entitled to worship, which rested ultimately in himself. The philosophers, on the other hand, seem to have viewed the inferior gods as accountable for every part of their conduct to him who was their sire and sovereign, and to have paid to them only All incommunion with the see of Rome that inferior kind of devotion which the unanimously hold that our Saviour Jechurch of Rome pays to departed saints. sus Christ constituted St. Peter the The vulgar Pagans were sunk in the apostle chief pastor under himself, to grossest ignorance, from which states-watch over his whole flock here on inen, priests, and poets, exerted their utmost influence to keep them from emerging; for it was a maxim, which, however absurd, was universally re-viour ordained that St. Peter should ceived, "that there were many things have successors, with the like charge true in religion which it was not con- and power to the end of time. Now, as venient for the vulgar to know; and St. Peter resided at Rome for many some things, which, though false, it was years, and suffered martyrdom there, expedient that they should believe." It they consider the bishops of Rome as was no wonder, therefore, that the vul- his successors in the dignity and office gar should be idolaters and polytheists.of the universal pastor of the whole The philosophers, however, were still Catholic church. worse; they were wholly "without ex- The cardinals have for several ages cuse, because that, when they knew been the sole electors of the pope. God, they glorified him not as God; These are seventy in number, when the neither were thankful, but became vain sacred college, as it is called, is comin their imaginations, and their foolish plete. Of these, six are cardinal biheart was darkened, Professing them-shops of the six suburbicarian churches; selves wise, they became fools, and wor- fifty are cardinal priests, who have all shipped and served the creature more titles from parish churches in Rome; than the Creator, who is God, blessed and fourteen are cardinal deacons, who for ever," Rom. i. 20, 21, 22, 25. See have their titles from churches in Rome list of books under article IDOLATRY; of less note, called diaconias, or deaconPrideaux's Con. v. i. p. 177, 179; ries. These cardinals are created by Kaim's Sketches of the History of the pope when there happen to be váMan; Bishop Law's Theory of Reli-cancies, and sometimes he names one or gion, p, 58, 65 to 68, 94. 296; article Polytheism in Enc. Brit. Farmer on the Worship of Human Spirits.

two only at a time; but commonly he defers the promotion until there be ten or twelve vacancies, or more; and PONTIFF, or HIGH PRIEST, a per- then at every second such promotion, son who has the superintendence and the emperor, the kings of Spain and direction of divine worship, as the of- France, and of Britain, when Catholic, fering of sacrifices and other religious are allowed to present one each, to be solemnities. The Romans had a col-made cardinal, whom the pope always lege of pontiffs, and over these a sove-admits, if there be not some very great reign pontiff, instituted by Numa, whose objection. These cardinals are comfunction it was to prescribe the ceremonly promoted from among such clermonies each god was to be worshipped gymen as have borne offices in the Rowithal, compose the rituals, direct the man court; some are assumed from revestals, and for a good while to per-ligious orders; eminent ecclesiastics of form the business of augury, till, on other countries are likewise often hosome superstitious occasion, he was pro- noured with this dignity. Sons of sovehibited intermeddling therewith. The reign princes have frequently been

members of the sacred college. Their on every cell, and small papers, with distinctive dress is scarlet, to signify that corresponding numbers, are put into a they ought to be ready to shed their box; every cardinal, or some one for blood for the faith and church, when him, draws out one of these papers, the defence and honour of either re- which determines in what cell he is to quire it. They wear a scarlet cap and lodge. The cells are lined with cloth; hat the cap is given to them by the and there is a part of each one separated pope if they are at Rome, and is sent to for the conclavists, or attendants, of them if they are absent; but the hat is whom two are allowed to each cardinever given but by the pope's own hand. || nal, and three to cardinal princes. They These cardinals form the pope's stand- are persons of some rank, and generally ing council, or consistory, for the ma- of great confidence; but they must carnagement of the public affairs of church ry in their master's meals, serve him at and state. They are divided into differ- table, and perform all the offices of a ent congregations for the more easy menial servant. Two physicians, two despatch of business; and some of them surgeons, an apothecary, and some have the principal offices in the ponti- other necessary officers, are chosen for fical court; as that of cardinal, vicar, the conclave by the cardinals. penitentiary, chancellor, chamberlain, prefect of the signature of justice, pre-death, the cardinals who are then at fect of memorials, and secretary of state. They have the title given them of eminence and most eminent.

On the tenth day after the pope's

Rome, and in a competent state of health, meet in the chapel of St. Peter's, which is called the Gregorian chapel, On the demise of a pope his pontifical where a sermon on the choice of a pope seal is immediately broken by the cham-is preached to them, and mass is said berlain, and all public business is inter- for invoking the grace of the Holy rupted that can be delayed; messengers Ghost. Then the cardinals proceed to are dispatched to all the Catholic sove-the conclave in procession, two by two, reigns to acquaint them of the event,that and take up their abode. When all is they may take what measures they properly settled, the conclave is shut think proper: and that the cardinals, in || up, having boxed wheels, or places of their dominions, if any there be, may communication, in convenient quarters; hasten to the future election, if they there are, also, strong guards placed choose to attend; whilst the whole at all around. When any foreign cardinal tention of the sacred college is turned to arrives after the inclosure, the conclave the preservation of tranquillity in the is opened for his admission. In the becity and state, and to the necessary pre-ginning every cardinal signs a paper, parations for the future election. The containing an obligation, that, if he shail cardinal chamberlain has during the va be raised to the papal chair, he will not cancy of the holy see. great authority; alienate any part of the pontifical dohe coins money with his own arms on it, || minion; that he will not be prodigal to lodges in the pope's apartments, and is his relations; and any other such stipu attended by the body guards. He, and lations as may have been settled in forthe first cardinal bishop, the first cardi- mer times, or framed for that occasion. nal-priest, and the first cardinal-deacon, have, during that time, the government almost entirely in their hands. The body of the deceased pope is carried to St. Peter's, where funeral service is performed for him with great pomp for nine days, and the cardinals attend them every morning. In the mean time, all necessary preparations for the election are made; and the place where they assemble for that purpose, which is called the Conclave, is fitted up in that part of the Vatican palace, which is nearest to St. Peter's church, as this has long been thought the most convenient situation. Here are formed, by partitions of wood, a number of cells, or chambers, equal to the number of cardinals, with a small distance between every two, and a broad gallery before them. A number is put

We now come to the election itself; and that this may be effectual, twothirds of the cardinals present must vote for the same person. As this is often not easily obtained, they sometimes remain whole months in the conclave. They meet in the chapel twice every day for giving their votes: and the election may be effectuated by scru tiny, accession, or acclamation. Scrutiny is the ordinary method, and consists in this: every cardinal writes his own name on the inner part of a piece of paper, and this is folded up and sealed; on the second fold of the same paper, a conclavist writes the name of the person for whom his master votes. This, according to agreements observed for some centuries, must be one of the sacred college. On the outer side of the paper is written a sentence at random,

which the voter must well remember. | der and dignity, but has also a power Every cardinal, ou entering into the and jurisdiction over ali Christians, in chapel, goes to the altar, and puts his order to preserve unity and purity of paper into a large chalice. faith and moral doctrine, and to main|| tain order and regularity in all churches. See SUPREMACY. Some Catholic divines are of opinion that the pope cannot err when he addresses himself to all the faithful on matters of doctrine. They well know that, as a private doctor, he may fall into mistakes as well as any other man; but they think that, when he teaches the whole church, Providence must preserve him from error. We have, however, already examined this sentiment under the article INFALLIBILITY, to which the reader may refer.

When all are convened, two cardinals number the votes; and if there be more or less than the number of cardinals present, the voting must be repeated. When this is not the case, the cardinal appointed for the purpose, reads the outer sentence, and the name of the cardinal under it; so that each voter, hearing his own sentence, and the name joined with it, knows that there is no mistake. The names of all the cardinals that are voted for are taken down in writing, with the number of votes for each; and when it appears that any one has two-thirds of the number present in his favour, the election is over; but when this does not happen, the voting papers are all immediately burnt, without opening up the inner part. When several trials of coming to a conclusion by this method of scrutiny have been made in vain, recourse is sometimes had to what is called accession. By it, when a cardinal perceives that when one or very few votes are wanting to any one for whom he has not voted at that time, he must say that he accedes to the one who has near the number of votes requisite ; and if his one vote suffices to make up the two-thirds, or if he is followed by a sufficient number of acceders, or new voters, for the said cardinal, the election is accomplished: Lastly, a pope is sometimes elected by acclamation; and that is, when a cardinal being pretty sure that he will be joined by a number sufficient, cries out in the open chapel, that such a one shall be pope. If he is properly supported, the election becomes unanimous; those who would, perhaps, oppose it, forseeeing that their opposition would be fruitless, and rather hurtful to themselves. When a pope is chosen in any of the three above-mentioned ways, the election is immediately announced from the balcony in the front of St. Peter's, homage is paid to the new pontiff, and couriers are sent off with the news to all parts of Christendom. The pope appoints a day for his coronation at St. || Peter's, and for his taking possession of the patriarchal church of St. John La. teran; all which is performed with great solemnity. He is addressed by the expression of holiness and most holy father.

The Roman Catholics believe that the bishop of Rome is, under Christ, supreme pastor of the whole church, and as such is not only the first bishop in or

The see of Rome, according to Roman Catholics, is the centre of catholic unity. All their bishops communicate with the pope, and by his means with one another, and so form one body. However distant their churches may be, they all meet at Rome either in person or by their delegates, or at least by their letters. And, according to the discipline of the latter ages, though they are presented to the pope for their office from their respective countries, yet from him they must receive their bulls of consecration before they can take possession of their sees. See POPERY.

POPERY comprehends the religious doctrines and practices adopted and maintained by the church of Rome. The following summary, extracted chiefly from the degrees of the council of Trent, continued under Paul III. Julius III. and Pius IV. from the year 1545 to 1563, by successive sessions, and the creed of Pope Pius IV. subjoined to it, and bearing date November 1564, may not be unacceptable to the reader. One of the fundamental tenets strenuously maintained by popish writers, is, the infallibility of the church of Rome; though they are not agreed whether this privilege belongs to the pope or a general council, or to both united; but they pretend that an infallible living judge is absolutely necessary to deter mine controversies, and to secure peace in the christian church. However, Prctestants allege, that the claim of infallibility in any church is not justified by the authority of Scripture, much less does it pertain to the church of Rome; and that it is inconsisten: with the nature of religion, and the personal obligations of its professors; and that it has proved ineffectual to the end for which it is supposed to be granted, since popes and councils have disagreed in matters of importance, and they have