princes, and all princes from slaves. To be proud of knowledge, is to be blind in the light; to be proud of virtue, is to poison ourselves with the antidote; to be proud of authority, is to make our rise our downfall." The imperfection of our nature, our scanty knowledge, contracted powers, narrow conceptions, and moral inability, are strong motives to excite us to humility. We should consider also, what punishment this sin has brought on mankind. See the cases of Pharaoh, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and others. How particularly it is prohibited, Prov. xvi. 18. 1 Pet. v. 5. James iv. 6. Prov. xxix. 23; what a torment it is to its possessor, Esther v. 13; how soon all things of a sublunary nature will end; how disgraceful it renders us in the sight of God, angels, and men; what a barrier it is to our felicity and communion with God; how fruitful it is of discord; how it precludes our usefulness, and renders us really contemptible. See HUMILITY.

der in which the several courses were to serve was determined by lot; and each course was, in all succeeding ages, called by the name of its original chief. It has been much disputed, whether in the Christian church there be any such officer as a priest, in the proper sense of the word. If the word priest be taken to denote a person commissioned by divine authority to offer up a real sacrifice to God, we may justly deny that there is a priest upon earth. Under the Gospel, there is but one priest, which is Christ: and but one sacrifice, that of the cross. The church of Rome, however, erroneously believe their priests to be empowered to offer up to the Divine Majesty a real proper sacrifice, as were the priests under the Old Testament. Ecclesiastical history informs us that, in the second century, some time after the reign of the emperor Adrian, when the Jews, by the second destruction of Jerusalem, were bereaved of all hopes of the restoration PRIEST, a person set apart for the of their government to its former lustre, performance of sacrifice, and other of the notion that the ministers of the fices and ceremonies of religion. Before Christian church succeeded to the chathe promulgation of the law of Moses, racter and prerogatives of the Jewish the first-born of every family, the fa- priesthood, was industriously propagathers, the princes, and the kings, were ted by the Christian doctors; and that, priests. Thus Cain and Abel, Noah, in consequence, the bishops claimed a Abraham, Melchizedec, Job, Isaac, and rank and character similar to that of Jacob, offered themselves their own sa- the Jewish high-priest; the presbyters crifices. Among the Israelites, after to that of the priests; and the deacons their departure from Egypt, the priest- to that of the Levites. One of the perhood was confined to one tribe, and it nicious effects of this groundless comconsisted of three orders, the high-parison and pretension seems to have priest, priests, and Levites. The priest-been, the introduction of the idea of a hood was made hereditary in the family real sacrifice in the Christian church, of Aaron; and the first-born of the old- and of sacrificing priests. est branch of that family, if he had no In the church of England, the word legal blemish, was always the high-priest is retained to denote the second priest. This divine appointment was observed with considerable accuracy till the Jews fell under the dominion of the Romans, and had their faith corrupted by a false philosophy. Then, indeed, the high-priesthood was sometimes set up to sale, and, instead of continuing for life, as it ought to have done, it seems, from some passages in the New Testament, to have been nothing more than an annual office. There is sufficient reason, however, to believe, that it was never disposed of but to some descendant of Aaron capable of filling it, had the older branches been extinct. [For the consecration and offices of the Jewish priesthood, we refer our readers to the books of Moses.] In the time of David, the inferior priests were divided into twenty-four companies, who were to serve in rotation, each company by itself, for a week. The or

order in her hierarchy, but we believe with very different significations, according to the different opinions entertained of the Lord's supper. Some few of her divines, of great learning, and of undoubted protestantism, maintain that the Lord's supper is a commemorative and eucharistical sacrifice. These consider all who are authorized to administer that sacrament as in the strictest sense priests. Others hold the Lord's supper to be a feast upon the one sacrifice, once offered on the cross; and these, too, must consider themselves as clothed with some kind of priesthood. Great numbers, however, of the English clergy, perhaps the majority, agree with the church of Scotland, in maintaining that the Lord's supper is a rite of no other moral import than the mere commemoration of the death of Christ. These cannot consider themselves as

priests in the rigid sense of the word, but only as presbyters, of which the word priest is a contraction of the same import with elder. See LORD'S SUPPER.

power it was needful that a commission from God, its founder, should be granted in absolute and perspicuous terms; but no such commission is extant in Scripture.-2. If so illustrious an office PRIMACY, the highest post in the was instituted by our Saviour, it is church. The Romanists contend that strange, that no where in the evangeliSt. Peter, by our Lord's appointment, cal or apostolical history there should be had a primacy of sovereign authority any express mention of that institution. and jurisdiction over the apostles. This, --3. If St. Peter had been instituted however, is denied by the Protestants, sovereign of the apostolical senate, his and that upon just grounds. Dr. Bar-office and state had been in nature and row observes, (Works, vol. i. p. 557,) kind very distinct from the common of that there are several sorts of primacyfice of the other apostles, as the office of which may belong to a person in re- a king from the office of any subject; spect of others. 1. A primacy of worth and probably would have been signified or personal excellency.-2. A primacy by some distinct name, as that of "archof reputation and esteem.-3. A pri- apostle, arch-pastor, the Vicar of Christ, macy of order or bare dignity and pre- or the like; but no such name or title cedence.-4. A primacy of power and was assumed by him, or was by the rest jurisdiction. As for the first of these, a attributed to him.-4. There was no of primacy of worth, we may well grant it fice above that of an apostle, known to to Peter, admitting that probably he did the apostles or primitive church, Eph. exceed the rest of his brethren in per- iv. 11. 1 Cor. xii. 28.-5. Our Lord sonal endowments and capacities; par- himself declared against this kind of ticularly in quickness of apprehension, primacy, prohibiting his apostles to afboldness of spirit, readiness of speech, fect, to seek, to assume, or admit a sucharity to our Lord, and zeal for his periority of power one above another, service.-2. As to the primacy of re- Luke xxii. 14-24. Mark ix. 35.-6. pute, which St. Paul means when he We do not find any peculiar adminisspeaks of those who had a special re- tration committed to St. Peter, nor any putation, of those who seemed to be pil- privilege conferred on him which was fars, of the supereminent apostles, Gal. not also granted to the other apostles, ii. 6, 9. 2 Cor. xi. 5. xii. 11. this advan- John xx. 23. Mark xvi. 15.-7. When tage cannot be refused him, being a ne- Peter wrote two catholic epistles, there cessary consequent of those eminent does not appear in either of them any qualities resplendent in him, and of the intimation or any pretence to this archillustrious performances achieved by apostolical power.-8. In all relations him beyond the rest. This may be in- which occur in Scripture about controferred from that renown which he hath versies incident of doctrine or practice, had from the beginning; and likewise there is no appeal made to St. Peter's from his being so constantly ranked in judgment or allegation of it as decisive, the first place before the rest of his no argument is built on his authority, brethren.-3. As to a primacy of order 9. St. Peter no where appears interor bare dignity, importing that common- meddling as a judge or governor paraly in all meetings and proceedings, the mount in such cases; yet where he doth other apostles did yield him the prece-himself deal with heretics and disorderdence, may be questioned; for this does ly persons, he proceedeth not as a pope not seem suitable to the gravity of such decrecing; but as an apostle, warning, persons, of their con-lition and circum- arguing and persuading against them. stances, to stand upon ceremonics of re- 10. The consideration of the apostles spect; for our Lord's rules seem to ex-proceeding in the conversion of people, clude all semblance of ambition, all in the foundation of churches, and in kind of inequality and distance between administration of their spiritual a ffairs, his apostles. But yet this primacy may will exclude any probability of St. Pebe granted as probable upon divers ac- ter's jurisdiction over them. They went counts of use and convenience; it might about their business, not by order or libe useful to preserve order, and to pro- cence from St. Peter, but, according to mote expedition, or to prevent confu- special direction of God's Spirit. -11. sion, distraction, and dilatory obstruction The nature of the apostolic ministry, in the management of things.-4. As to their not being fixed in one place of rea primacy importing a superiority in sidence, but continually moving bout command, power or jurisdiction, this the world; the state of things at that we have great reason to deny upon the time, and the manner of St. Peter's life, following considerations. 1. For such a render it unlikely that he had su tha

jurisdiction over the apostles as some assign him.-12. It was indeed most requisite that every apostle should have a complete, absolute, independent authority in managing the duties and concerns of the office, that he might not any wise be obstructed in the discharge of them, not clogged with a need to consult others, not hampered with orders from those who were at a distance.-13. The discourse and behaviour of St. Paul towards St. Peter doth evidence that he did not acknowledge any dependence on him, or any subjection to him, Gal. ii. 11.-14. If St. Peter had been appointed sovereign of the church, it seems that it should have been requisite that he should have outlived all the apostles; for otherwise, the church would have wanted a head, or there must have been an inextricable controversy who that head was. But St. Peter died long before St. John, as all agree, and perhaps before divers others of the apostles.

From these arguments we must evidently see what little ground the church of Rome hath to derive the supremacy of the pope from the supposed primacy of St. Peter.

PRIMATE, an archbishop who is invested with a jurisdiction over other bishops. See ARCHBISHOP.

PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS, those who lived in the first ages of Christianity, especially the apostles and immediate followers of our Lord.

PRINCIPLE, an essential truth from which others are derived: the ground or motive of action. See DISPOSITION and DOCTRINE.

PRIOR, the head of a convent; next in dignity to an abbot.

guilty of dissimulation upon some occasions, and deceived their adversaries oy cunning stratagems, is true; but that they held it as a maxim, that lying and perjury were lawful, is a most notorious falsehood, without even the least shadow of probability.

PROBITY, honesty, sincerity, or veracity. "It consists in the habit of actions useful to society, and in the constant observance of the laws which justice and conscience impose upon us. The man who obeys all the laws of society with an exact punctuality, is not, therefore, a man of probity: laws can only respect the external and definite parts of human conduct; but probity respects our more private actions, and such as it is impossible in all cases to define; and it appears to be in morals what charity is in religion. Probity teaches us to perform in society those actions which no external power can oblige us to perform, and is that quality in the human mind from which we claim the performance of the rights commonly called imperfect."

PROCESSION, a ceremony in the Romish church, consisting of a formal march of the clergy and people, putting up prayers, &c. and in this manner visiting some church, &c. They have processions of the host or sacrament of our Saviour to mount Calvary; of the Rosary, &c.

Processions are said to be of Pagan original. The Romans, when the empire was distressed, or after some victory, used constantly to order processions, for several days together, to be made to the temples, to beg the assistance of the gods, or to return them thanks.

The first processions mentioned in ecclesiastical history, are those set on foo at Constantinople, by St. Chrysostom The Arians of that city, being forced to hold their meetings without the town, went thither night and morning, singing anthems. Chrysostom, to prevent their perverting the Catholics, set up counter-processions, in which the clergy and people marched by night, singing prayers and hymns, and carrying crosses and flambeaux. From this period the cus

PRISCILLIANISTS, the followers of Priscillian, in the fourth century. It appears from authentic records, that the difference between their doctrine and that of the Manicheans was not very considerable. For they denied the reality of Christ's birth and incarnation; maintained that the visible universe was not the production of the Supreme Deity, but of some dæmon or malignant principle; adopted the doctrines of ons, or emanations from the divine nature; considered human bodies as prisons formed by the author of evil to en-tom of processions was introduced slave celestial minds; condemned marriage, and disbelieved the resurrection of the body. Their rule of life and manners was rigid and severe; the accounts, therefore, which many have given of their lasciviousness and intemperance deserve not the least credit, as they are totally destitute of evidence and authority. That the Priscillianists were

among the Greeks, and afterwards among the Latins; but they have subsisted longer, and been more frequently used in the Western than in the Eastern church.

PROCESSION OF THE HOLY GHOST, a term made use of in reference to the Holy Ghost, as proceeding from the Father, or from the Father

PROFANE, a term used in opposi tion to holy; and in general is applied to all persons who have not the sacred character, and to things which do not belong to the service of religion. PROFESSION, among the Roman

order, whereby a person offers himself to God by a vow of inviolably observing obedience, chastity, and poverty.

and the Son. It seems to be founded on ||ed for. The Latin church, however, that passage in John xv. 26. "When has not scrupled to say that the Spirit the Comforter is come, whom I will proceeds from the Father and the Son; send unto you from the Father, even but the Greek church chooses to exthe Spirit of Truth which proceedeth press it thus: the Spirit proceeds from from the Father, He shall testify of me." the Father by or through the Son, or he The procession of the Holy Ghost, it is receives of the Son, Gal. iv. 6. See said, is expressly taught by Christ, in HOLY GHOST; Bishop Pearson on the very strong terms, in this text. This Creed, p. 324; Watts's Works, 8vo. ed. procession, it is alleged, is here evi- vol. v. p. 199; Hurrion on the Holy dently distinguished from his mission; Spirit, p. 204; Ridgley's Div. qu. 11; for it is said, "Whom I will send to you Dr. Lightfoot's Works, vol. i. p. 482. from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father." If his mission and proceeding were the same thing, there would be a tautology in the words, his mission, according to that interpretation, being mentioned twice in the same verse. Dr. Watts,ists, denotes the entering into a religious however, observes, that the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father, respects not his nature or substance, but his mission only; and that no distinct and clear ideas can be formed of this procession; consequently it must be given up as popish, scholastic, inconceivable, and indefensible. But, it is answered, what clear idea can be given us of the originate, self-existent, eternal being of the Father? Shall we, therefore, deny him to be without beginning or end, and to be self-existent, because we know not how he is so? If not, why must we give up the procession of the Spirit, because we know not the mode of it. We can no more explain the manner how the Spirit proceeds from the Father, than we can explain the eternal generation and hypostatical union of the two natures of the Son. We may say to the objector, as Gregory Nazianzen formerly did to his adversary, "Do you tell me how the Father is unbegotten, and I will attempt to tell you how the Son is begotten, and the Spirit prooeeds."

The clearest and fullest account of this procession, next to that in the above-mentioned text, is that in 1 Cor. ii. 12. "The Spirit which is of God;" that is (say the advocates for this doctrine,) the Spirit which is the same in nature and essence with the Father, and so is said to be of him, or out of him, not as to local separation, but with respect to identity of nature.

Christians are required to make a profession of their faith, 1. Boldly, Rom. i. 16.-2. Explicitly, Matt. v. 16.—3. Constantly, Heb. x. 23.-4. Yet not ostentatiously, but with humility and meekness.

PROFESSOR, a term commonly used in the religious world, to denote any person who makes an open acknowledgment of the religion of Christ, or who outwardly manifests his attachment to Christianity. All real Christians are professors, but all professors are not real Christians. In this, as in all other things of worth and importance, we find counterfeits. There are many who become professors, not from principle, from investigation, from love to the truth; but from interested motives, prejudice of education, custom, influence of connections, novelty, &c. as Saul, Jehu, Judas, Demas, the foolish virgins, &c. See article CHRISTIAN: Jay's Sermons, ser. 9; Mead's Almost Christian; Bellamy's True Religion delineated; Shepherd's Sincere Convert, and on the Parable of the Ten Virgins; Secker's Nonsuch Professor.

PROMISE is a solemn asseveration, by which one pledges his veracity that he shall perform, or cause to be performed, the thing which he mentions.

The obligation of promises arises from the necessity of the well-being and exAbout the eighth and ninth centuries istence of society. "Virtue requires," there was a very warm dispute between as Dr. Doddridge observes, "that prothe Greek and Latin churches, whether mises be fulfilled. The promisee, i. e. the Spirit proceeded from the Father the person to whom the promise is only, or from the Father and the Son; made, acquires a property in virtue of and the controversy arose to such a the promise. The uncertainty of proheight, that they charged one another perty would evidently be attended with with heresy and schism, when neither great inconvenience. By failing to fulside well understood what they contend-fil my promise, I either show that I was