Charnock, Flavel, Hoakwell, Hopkins,|| Sherlock, Collings, and Fawcet on Pro vidence; Gill's Body of Divinity; Ridgley's Body of Drvinity, qu. 18; Blair's Ser. ser. 13, vol. v. Forsythe's Piece on Providence, Enc. Brit. Wollaston's Religion of Nature delineated sec. 5: Thomson's Seasons, Winter, conclusion. Moral Phil. vol. ii. ch. 2; Mason's 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. PRUDENCE is the act of suiting words and actions according to the circumstance of things, or rules of right reason: Cicero thus defines it: "Est rerum expetendarum fugiendarum scientia.""The knowledge of what is As to the persons concerned in sing to be desired or avoided." Grove thus: ing, sometimes a single person sung Prudence is an ability of judging what || alone; sometimes the whole assembly is best in the choice both of ends and joined together, which was the most anmeans. Mason thus: Prudence is a cient and general practice. At other conformity to the rules of reason, truth, times,the psalms were sung alternately, and decency, at all times, and in all cir- the congregation dividing themselves cumstances. It differs from wisdom into two parts, and singing verse about, only in degree; wisdom being nothing in their turns. There was also a fourth but a more consummate habit of pru- way of singing, pretty common in the dence; and prudence a lower degree fourth century, which was, when a sinor weaker habit of wisdom." It is di- gle person began the verse, and the peo vided into, 1. Christian prudence,ple joined with him in the close: this which directs to the pursuit of that was often used for variety in the same blessedness which the Gospel discovers service with alternate psalmody. See but the use of Gospel means.-2. Moral SINGING. prudence has for its end peace and sa- PSATYRIANS, a sect of Arians who tisfaction of mind in this world, and the in the council of Antioch, held in the greatest happiness after death.-3. Ci-year 360, maintained that the Son was vil prudence is the knowledge of what ought to be done in order to secure the outward happiness of life, consisting in prosperity, liberty, &c.-4. Monastic, relating to any circumstances in which a man is not charged with the care of others.-5. Economical prudence regards the conduct of a family.-6. Political refers to the good government of a state. The idea of prudence, says one, includes, or due consultation: that is, concerning such things as demand consultation in a right manner, and for a competent time, that the resolution taken up may be neither too precipitate nor too slow; and cures, or a faculty of discerning proper means when they occur. To the perfection of prudence these three things are farther required. viz. devons, or a natural sagacity. Ayxia, presence of mind, or a ready turn of thought; andEμzuga, or experience. 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, courage into rashness, and justice itself into folly. See Watt's Ser. ser. 28; Grove's 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. PURGATORY is a place in which the just who depart out of this life are 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 Mahometans, 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: 1. Every sin, how slight soever, though no more than an idle word, as it is an offence to God, deserves punishment from him, and wil be punished by him hereafter, if not cancelled by repentance 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 PURIFICATION, a ceremonywhich consists in cleansing any thing from pollution or defilement. Purifications are common to Jews, Pagans, and Maho of divine justice by which he treats, rious suffering detracts from the per every soul hereafter according to its fection of Christ's work, and places own works, and according to the state in|| merit still in the creature; a doctrine which he finds it in death. From these exactly opposite to Scripture. See propositions, which the Papist considers Doddridge's Lec. lec. 270; Limborch's as so many self-evident truths, he infers Theol. 1, 6, ch. 10, § 10, 22; Earl's Serthat there must be some third place of mon, in the Sermons against Popery, punishment; for since the infinite good- vol. ii. No. 1; Burnett on the Art. 22;. ness of God can admit nothing into hea- Fleury's Catechism, vol. ii. p. 250. ven 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 jus-metans. See IMPURITY. tice to suffer, there must of necessity, PURITANS, a name given in the be some place or state, where souls de- primitive church to the Novatians, beparting this life, pardoned as to the ex- cause they would never admit to comternal guilt or pain, yet obnoxicus to munion any one, who from dread of some temporal penalty, or with the death, had apostatized from the faith; guilt of some venial faults, are purged but the word has been chiefly applied to and purified before their admittance in- those who were professed favourers of to heaven. And this is what he is taught a farther degree of reformation and puconcerning purgatory, which, though herity in the church before the act of uniknow not where it is, of what natureformity, in 1662. After this period, the the pains are, or how long each soul is term Nonconformists became common, detained there, yet he believes that to which succeeds the appellation Disthose who are in this place are relieved || senter. by the prayers of their fellow members During the reign of queen Elizahere on earth, as also by alaus and beth, in which the royal prerogative masses offered up to God for their was carried to its utmost limits, there souls. And as for such as have no re- were found many daring spirits who lations or friends to pray for them, or questioned the right of the sovereign to give alms or procure masses for their prescribe and dictate to her subjects relief, they are not neglected by the what principles of religion they should church, which makes a general com- profess, and what forms they ought to memoration of all the faithful departed adhere to. The ornaments and habits in every mass, and in every one of the worn by the clergy in the preceding canonical hours of the divine office. reign, when the Romish religion and Besides the above arguments, the fol- rites were triumphant, Elizabeth was lowing passages are alleged as proofs: desirous of preserving in the Protestant 2 Maccabees, xii. 43, 44, 45. Matt. xii. service. This was the cause of great 31, 32. 1 Cor. iii. 15. 1 Pet. iii. 19. But discontent among a large body of her it may be observed, 1. That the books subjects: multitudes refused to attend of Maccabees have no evidence of in- at those churches where the habits spiration,therefore quotations from them and ceremonies were used; the conare not to be regarded.-2. If they forming clergy they treated with conwere, the texts referred to would rather tumely; and from the superior purity prove that there is no such place as and simplicity of the modes of worship purgatory, since Judas did not expect to which they adhered, they obtained the souls departed to reap any benefit the name of Puritans. The queen from his sin-offering till the resurrection. made many attempts to repress every The texts quoted from the Scriptures thing that appeared to her as an innovahave no reference to this doctrine, as tion in the religion established by her may be seen by consulting the context, authority, but without success: by her and any just commentator thereon.-3. almost unlimited authority she readily Scripture, in general, speaks of depart- checked open and avowed opposition, ed souls going immediately at death to but she could not extinguish the princia fixed state of happiness or misery, ples of the Puritans, by whom alone, and gives us no idea of purgatory, Isa.according to Mr. Hume, the precious Ivii. 2. Rev. xiv. 13. Luke, xvi. 22. 2 spark of liberty had been kindled and Cor. v. 8.-4. It is derogatory from the was preserved, and to whom the Endoctrine of Christ's satisfaction. If glish owe the whole freedom of their Christ died for us, and redeemed us constitution.' Some secret attempts from sin and hell, as the Scripture that had been made by them to establish speaks, then the idea of farther meritoa separate congregation and discipline, and by their labours and sufferings the spirit of the reformation was kept alive in the land. But after the revolution, one part of the Protestant Dissenters, chiefly Presbyterians, first veered to had been carefully repressed by the strict hand which Elizabeth held over|| all her subjects. The most, therefore, that they could effect was, to assemble in private houses, for the purpose of worshipping God according to the dic-wards Arminianism, then revived the tates of their own consciences. These practices were at first connived at, but afterwards every mean was taken to suppress them, and the most cruel methods were made use of to discover persons who were disobedient to the royal pleasure." Arian controversy, and by degrees many of them settled in Socinianism. At the same time another part of them, chiefly Independents and Baptists, earnestly contending for the doctrines of grace, and conceiving as it would seem, that the danger of erring lay entirely on one side, first veered towards high Calvinism, then forbore the unregenerate to repent, believe, or do any thing practically good, and by degrees many of them, it is said, settled in Antinomian Such are the principles which have found place amongst the descendants of the Puritans. At the same time, however, it must be acknowledged that a goodly number of each of the three denominations have adhered to the doctrine and spirit of their forefathers; and have proved the efficacy of their principles by their concern to be holy in all manner of conversation. See articles BROWNISTS, INDEPENDENTS, and NONCONFORMISTS, in this work. See also list of books under the last-mentioned article. The severe persecutions carried on against the Puritans during the reigns of Elizabeth and the Stuarts, served to lay the foundation of a new empire in the western world. Thither as into a wilderness they fled from the face ofism. their persecutors, and, being protected in the free exercise of their religion, continued to increase, till in about a century and a half they became an independent nation. The different principles, however, on which they had originally divided from the church establishment at home, operated in a way that might have been expected when they came to the possession of the civil power abroad. Those who formed the colony of Massachusett's Bay, having never relinquished the principles of a national church, and of the power of the civil magistrate in matters of faith and worship, were less tolerant than those who settled at New Plymouth, at Rhode Island, and at Providence Plantations. The very men (and they were good men too) who had just escaped the persecutions of the English prelates, now in their turn persecuted others who dissented from them, till at length the liberal system of toleration established in the parent country at the revolution, extending to the colonies, in a good measure put an end to these proceedings. Neither the Puritants before the passing of the Bartholomew act in 1662, nor the Nonconformists after it, appear to have disapproved of the articles of the established church in matters of doc trine. The number of them who did so however, was very small. While the great body of the bishops and clergy had from the days of archbishop Laud abandoned their own articles in favour of Arminianism, they were attached to the principles of the first reformers: PURITY, the freedom of any thing 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 every thing which tends to pollute the mind. See Evans's Sermons on the Christian Temper, ser. 23; and Watt's Sermons, ser. 27. PURPOSE OF GOD. See DEGREE. 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. 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 vin. dicate 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 legisla. ture. They even tell us that he exerted his influence to rescue their friends from the unprovoked and cruel perse 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 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 Bar-cutions they met with in New England; elay gave to their principles a more regular form. and they speak with becoming gratitude of the different acts passed in their fa vour during the reigns of William and Mary, and George 1. They then proceed to give us the following account of their doctrine. 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 "We agree with other professors of Holy Three, or the trinity of the Fa- the Christian name, in the belief of one ther, Word, and Spirit, agreeable to the eternal God, the Creator and PreScripture. In reply to the charge that server of the universe; and in Jesus they deny Christ to be God, Penn, says, Christ his Son, the Messiah and me. "that it is a most untrue and unchari-diator of the new covenant, Heb. xii. 24. table censure that they truly and ex- "When we speak of the gracious pressly own him to be so according to display of the love of God to mankind, the Scripture." To the objection that in the miraculous conception, birth, life, they deny the human nature of Christ, miracles, death, resurrection, and ashe answers, "We never taught, said,||cension of our Saviour, we prefer the 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 of the redemption by Christ are, according to him, believed firmly by them; and he 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 to me from 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 withcut directing the people where to find 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 acknow. ledge 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 ing worship, it follows that the ministry we approve must have its origin from the same source; for that which is needful for man's own direction, and for his acceptance with God, Jer. xxiii. 30, to 32, must be eminently so to enable him to be helpful to others. Accord. ingly we believe that the renewed assistance of the light and power of Christ is indispensably necessary for all true ministry; and that this holy influence is not at our command, or to be procured 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 to correct the disorderly passions and corrupt propensi-by study, but is the free gift of God to ties of his nature, which mere reason is chosen and devoted servants. Hence altogether insufficient to overcome. For arises our testimony against preaching all that belongs to man is fallible, and for hire, in contradiction to Christ's powithin the reach of temptation; but sitive command, Freely ye have rethis divine grace, which comes by himceived, freely give,' Matt. x. 8. and who hath overcome the world, John, xvi. 33. is, to those who humbly and sincerely seek it, an all sufficient and present help in time of need. By this the snares of the enemy are detected, his allurements avoided, and deliverance is experienced through faith in its effectual operation; whereby the soul is translated out of the kingdom of dark-condition in life, or to the male sex ness, and from under the power of Satan, unto the marvellous light and king-|| dom of the Son of God. "Being thus persuaded that man, without the Spirit of Christ inwardly revealed, can do nothing to the glory of God, or to effect his own salvation, we think this influence especially necessary to the performance of the highest act of which the human mind is capable; even the worship of the Father of lights and of spirits, in spirit and in truth: therefore we consider as obstructions to pure worship, all forms which divert the attention of the mind from the secret influence of this unction from the Holy One, 1 John, ii. 20, 27. Yet, although true worship is not confined to time and place, we think it incumbent on Christians to meet often together, Heb. x. 25. in testimony of their dependence on the heavenly Father, and for a renewal of their spiritual strength: nevertheless, in the performance of worship, we dare not depend for our acceptance with him on a formal repetition of the words and experiences of others; but we believe it to be our duty to lay aside the activity of the imagination, and to wait in silence to have a true sight of our condition bestowed upon us; believing even a single sigh (Rom. vii. 24.) arising from such a sense of our infirmities, and of the need we have of divine help, to be more acceptable to God than any performances, however specious, which originate in the will of man. From what has been said respect hence our conscientious refusal to support such ministry by tithes, or other means. "As we dare not encourage any ministry but that which we believe to spring from the influence of the Holy Spirit, so neither dare we attempt to restrain this influence to persons of any alone; but, as male and female are one in Christ, we allow such of the female sex as we believe to be endued with a right qualification for the ministry, to exercise their gifts for the general edification of the church; and this liberty we esteem a peculiar mark of the Gospel dispensation, as foretold by the prophet Joel, Joel, ii. 28, 29. and noticed by the apostle Peter, Acts, ii 16, 17. There are two ceremonies in use among most professors of the Christian name-water-baptism, and what is termed the Lord's supper. The first of these is generally esteemed the essential means of initiation into the church of Christ; and the latter of maintaining communion with him. But as we have been convinced that nothing short of his redeeming power, invariably revealed, can set the soul free from the thraldom of sin, by this power alone we believe salvation to be affected. We hold, that, as there is one Lord and one faith, Eph. iv. 5. so his baptism is one, in nature and operation; that nothing short of it can make us living members of his mystical body; and that the baptism with water; administered by his forerunner John, belonged, as the latter confessed, to an inferior dispensation, John, iii. 30. "With respect to the other rite, we believe that communion between Christ and his church is not maintained by that, nor any other external performance, but only by a real participation of his divine nature (1 Pet. ii. 4.) through faith, that this is the supper alluded to |