perfect rule of faith, and action,—that is, the BIBLE!

“The Bible, I say, the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants. Whatsoever else they believe besides it, and the plain, irrefragable, indubitable consequences of it, well may they hold it as a matter of opinion; but as a matter of faith and religion, neither can they with coherence to their own grounds believe it themselves, nor require belief of it of others, without most high and most schismatical presumption. I, for my part, after a long and (as I verily believe and hope) impartial search of the true way to eternal happiness, do profess plainly, that I cannot find any rest for the sole of my foot, but upon this rock only. I see plainly, and with my own eyes, that there are popes against popes, and councils against councils; some fathers against other fathers, the same fathers against themselves; a consent of fathers of one age, against a consent of fathers of another age; traditive interpretations of scripture are pretended, but there are few or none to be found; no tradition but that of scripture can derive itself from the fountain; but may be plainly proved, either to have been brought in, in such an age after Christ, or that in such an age it was not in. In a word, there is no sufficient certainty, but of scripture only, for any considering man to build upon. This therefore, and this only, I have reason to believe. This I will profess; according to this I will live; and for this, if there be occasion, I will not only willingly, but even gladly, lose my life, though I should be sorry that Christians should take it from me.

"Propose me any thing out of this book, and require whether I believe or no, and seem it never so incomprehensible to human reason, I will subscribe it with hand and heart, as knowing no demonstration can be stronger than this,-God hath said so, therefore it is true. In other things, I will take no man's liberty of judging from him; neither shall any man take mine from me. I will think no man the worse man, nor the worse Christian; I will love no man the less for differing in opinion from me; and what measure I mete to others, I expect from them again. I am fully assured that God does not, and therefore men ought not, to require any more than this:-to believe the scripture to be God's word; to endeavour to find the true sense of it, and to live according to it."-[The Religion

of Protestants a safe way, &c. chap. vi. § 56.1

PROVIDENCE, (Nuns of,) a community of young women at Paris, established about the year 1647, by Madame Polaillon, for the reception of poor virgins, who might otherwise be exposed, through poverty, to the temptations of the world. This pious lady, having formed the design, was discouraged from prosecuting it by several persons, who represented to her, that she had not a fund sufficient to carry it on; to whom she replied, that Providence should be her fund; and, accordingly, having succeeded in her undertaking, she gave to her community the name of The Nuns of Providence.

Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV., gave to this community, in 1651, the Hospital de la Sante, in the suburb of St. Marcellus; after which it increased greatly, and Madame Polaillon found herself at the head of a great number of sisters. The Archbishop of Paris declared himself protector of this society, and established more communities of the same sort at Paris. Several bishops, in imitation of the archbishop, erected the like communities in their respective dioceses.

Young women are admitted into this order at twenty years of age, and make vows of chastity and obedience. They board young ladies, who, without entering into the community, chuse to pass their time in this seminary of virtue. They likewise educate young girls, who must not be above ten years of age, and so poor as to be destitute of all human assistance.

They elect a Superioress every three years; besides whom they have a Superior, appointed by the Archbishop of Paris.

The Nuns of Providence are habited in black. They are indebted for the rules and constitutions, by which they are at present governed, to Cardinal Noailles.— [Broughton's Dict.]

PSALMISTS, and PSALMODISTS. The former term means the Authors, the latter the Singers of Psalms.

"The service of the antient Christian Church usually began with reading or singing of Psalms. We are not to understand this, as if their Psalmody was all performed in one continued course of many Psalms together, without intermission; but rather, with some respite, and a mixture of other parts of divine service, to make the whole more agreeable and delightful.

"As to the persons concerned in singing the Psalms publicly in the church, they may be considered in four different respects, according to the different ways of Psalmody. For sometimes the Psalms were sung by one person alone; and sometimes the whole assembly joined together, men, women, and children. This was the most antient and general practice. At other times, the Psalms were sung alternately; the congregation dividing themselves into two parts, and singing verse for verse. Besides all these, there was yet a fourth way of singing, pretty common in the 4th century, which was, when a single person began the verse, and the people joined with him in

the close.

"Psalmody was always esteemed a considerable part of devotion, and upon that account was usually performed in the standing posture. As to the voice, or pronunciation, used in singing, it was of two sorts; the plain song, and the more artificial. The plain song was only a gentle inflexion, or turn of the voice: not very different from the chaunting in our cathedrals. The artificial song seems to have been a regular musical composition, like our anthems.

"It was no objection against the Psalmody of the church, that she sometimes made use of Psalms and Hymns, of human composition, beside those of the inspired writers. St. Augustin himself made a Psalm of many parts, (in imitation of the 119th) to preserve his people from the errors of the Donatists. St. Hilary and St. Ambrose likewise made many hymns, which were sung in their respective churches. But two corruptions crept into the Psalmody, which the Fathers declaim against with great zeal. The first was, the introducing secular music, or an imitation of the light airs of the theatre, in the devotions of the church. The other was, the regarding more the sweetness of the composition than the sense and meaning; thereby pleasing the ear, without raising the

affections of the soul.

"The use of musical instruments in

singing of Psalms, seems to be as antient as Psalmody itself. The first Psalm we read of was sung to a timbrel; viz., that, which Moses and Miriam sung after the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt: and afterwards, at Jerusalem, when the temple was built, musical instruments were constantly used at their public services. And this has been the

common practice in all ages of the church. When the use of organs was first introduced is not certainly known: but we find, that about the year 660, Constantine Copronymus, Emperor of Constantinople, sent a present of an organ to King Pepin of France.

Clement Marot, groom of the be chamber to Francis I. King of France. was the first who set about translating the Psalms into metre. He went throug the first fifty, at the instigation of \ tablus, Hebrew Professor at Paris; a afterwards, upon his return to Gener he made an acquaintance with Beza, turned the rest, and had tunes set them. And thus they began to be s in private houses; and afterwards we brought into the churches of the Frenc and other countries. In imitation this version, Sternhold, one of the gros of the privy chamber to our King Edwar VI., set about a translation of the Psal in metre. He went through but th seven of them, the rest being soon af done by Hopkins, and others. T translation was at first discountenance by many of the clergy, who looked up it as done in opposition to the pract of chaunting the Psalms in the cathedr The use of these singing Psalms is rat connived at than allowed, since no could ever discover any authority for either from the crown, or the co cation."-[Broughton's Dict.]

So far Mr. Broughton, (a little abridge whose account generally corresponds Mr. Bingham's, and is substantially cont We shall, however, take the liberty add some additions and observations.

1. As to the different methods of ing, the first seems to have originated the Egyptian monasteries, where p singing was made a branch of educati and the finest voices, as in our cathedr selected for the solo parts; but the Psalm, or part of it, was always formed in chorus, with the addition the Gloria Patri. The method of alt nate singing was, doubtless, taken fr the Jews, or more early Hebrews; was evidently adopted by the first Ch tians, who, in their devotions, "ad nished one another in Psalms, Hy and Spiritual Songs." (Col.iii. 16.; v. 19.) It is probable also, that th

alternate services were sometimes ex pore, as were also those of the Hebre the antient Greeks, and modern Ita Improvisari. This practice may conceived to be much more easy,

easily

their verses were unshackled by rhyme, and their music not barred off.

2. As to their tunes, we conceive that the Jewish Christians borrowed theirs from the chaunting in the Temple; to which the Greek converts probably added some of the sacred melodies of their Pagan temples, which from a few specimens, preserved by Dr. Burney and others, appeared to have been very much in the style of our oldest psalm tunes. But that, in the first instance, they borrowed any of the profane airs of their theatres, is not admitted by the best authorities.[Burney's Hist. of Music, vol. i. p. 87. et seq. ii. pp. 8, 20.]

3. Afterwards, however, in the monasteries and cathedrals, a more artificial, and of course a lighter, style of composition was allowed, called the canto figurato; and these singers seem to have been as fond of running divisions as our modern Italian Opera singers.

4. The use of human compositions in he primitive church is unquestionable; out the use of metrical Psalmody, as well is of Hymns, seems rather to be tolerated n the Church of England than authoised at the same time, that toleration has been so long, so general, and under so high sanction, that it would be both rash and ridiculous to withdraw it.

5. The use of musical instruments in he Jewish church is undisputed; but heir use in the first ages of the Christian church has been rather inferred than proved. Music was a branch of education, both among the Jews and Greeks, n their best days. The former were aught to "handle the harp and organ,”generic term, to include stringed and vind instruments. As to the Greeks, not o be able to "strike the lyre," with them was a reproach as great, as it is among is, not to be able to read and write. It has, therefore, been naturally enough concluded, that their lyres were not instrung by their conversion, but used at least privately. In public worship mong Christians, however, there is no proof of their being used previous to the ime of Constantine, when their introluction gave great offence to the eccleiastical doctors; and these seem to have been followed in some places by a sort of eligious dances, now very properly >bsolete. [Burney's Hist. of Music, vol. ii. pp. 25-27. Busby's Ditto, vol. i. p. 254. Bedford's Great Abuse of Music, part i. chap. 4.]

A very ingenious writer, who hath

considered the subject more at length, and with much learning and argument, would make musical instruments in public worship as obsolete as sacred dances, not sparing even "the pealing organ;" and his pamphlet is highly worthy the perusal of advocates for instrumental Psalmody, especially among Dissenters.

Jefferson's Lyra Evangelica, 8vo. 1805.] 6. As to the organ, its antiquity may be carried somewhat farther back. Not, indeed, to the time of Jubal, whose organ was probably nothing more than the whistling pipes of Pan. The Greeks had

a prodigious machine," called an hydraulic organ, the construction of which can hardly now be guessed at, farther than that it was moved by water. The first mention of an organ blown by bellows, is in a Greek epigram of the 4th century: this consisted of a set of" brazen pipes,' connected with keys, or pedals, and played on by the fingers. In the 6th century, we read of " divers pipes, formed into a kind of tower, which, by means of bellows, is made to produce a loud sound; and to have, in the inside, movements, which, being impressed by the fingers of the player, produced the most pleasing and brilliant tones."

The first church organ is supposed to have been introduced at Rome in the 7th century, prior to that sent to France by Constantine; from which time they have been received and employed in the Established Churches of Rome and England, not only without scruple, but as most desirable in public worship.-[Burney's Hist. vol. ii. pp. 65, 66.]

The Puritans and Nonconformists, and since their time, Presbyterians and Dissenters in general, have, till very recently, held them to be improper, and even unlawful, in public worship. The question in the Editor's mind, reduces itself to a narrow compass: where they are so employed as to render the singing more sweet, solemn, and devotional, in his opinion, they are justified by their utility; but where they are used only to amuse the auditory, or display the talents of the organist, these motives are far from legitimate or Christian. Perhaps, comparing the different modes of worship, we may say of them, as Pope does of different forms of government,

"Whate'er is best administer'd is best."

7. The invention of metrical Psalmody must be admitted to be a great improvement, since it is the only kind of sacred music which can generally be adopted:

but there are some circumstances attending the rise of French Psalmody, very characteristic of their national levity. Marot is said to have been a good poet for his time, and being an attendant upon the Court, his verses soon became popular, and were sung to their favourite song and dance tunes. Prince Henry, who was fond of the chace, sung" Like as a hart," when he went a-hunting. The Dauphin's mistress used to sing, "From the depth of my heart, O Lord!" The Queen's favourite was, “O Lord, rebuke me not!" and the King of Navarre's, "Stand up, O Lord, and revenge my quarrel!" Thus profanely were burlesqued and parodied the sacred odes, which the royal Psalmist dedicated to Jehovah!

Early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, metrical Psalmody was introduced into this country. The new morning prayer began at St. Antholin's, London, when "a Psalm was sung in the Geneva fashion; all the congregation, men, women, and boys, singing together." Bishop Juel says, that "the singing of Psalms, begun in one church in London, did quickly spread itself, not only through the city, but in the neighbouring places; sometimes at Paul's Cross, 6000 people singing together."-[Hawkins's Hist. of Music, vol. iii. pp. 488-89.]

A curious controversy on this subject arose among the Dissenters, in the end of the 17th century. Whether singing in public worship had been partially discontinued during the times of persecution to avoid informers, or whether the miserable manner in which it was performed gave persons a distaste towards it, so it appears, that in 1691, Mr. Benjamin Keach published a tract, entitled, "The Breach repaired in God's Worship: or, Psalms, Hymns, &c. proved to be a Holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ." To us it may appear strange, that such a point should be disputed; but Mr. Keach was obliged to "labour earnestly, and with a great deal of prudence and caution," to obtain "the consent of his people to sing a hymn in the conclusion of the Lord's Supper." After six years more, they agreed to sing on the thanksgiving days; but it required still fourteen years more, before he could persuade them to sing every Lord's day; and then it was only after the last prayer, that those who chose might withdraw without joining in it!!! Nor did even this satisfy these scrupulous consciences; for, after all, a separation took place, and the inharmonious Seceders formed a new

church in May's Pond; where it was above twenty years longer before singing the praises of God could be endured.

It is difficult at this period to believe it but Mr. Ivimey quotes Mr. Crosby, as say ing, that Mr Keach's was the "first church in which Psalm-singing was introduced This remark, however, must probably confined to the Baptist churches. The Presbyterians, it seems, were not quit so unmusical; for the Directory of the Westminster Divines distinctly state that “it is the duty of Christians to pras God publicly by singing of Psalms gether in the congregation." And besic the old Scotch Psalms, Dr. John Patno of the Charterhouse, made a versi which was in very general use amon Dissenters (Presbyterians and Indepe dents) before it was superseded by t far superior compositions of Dr. Wa These Psalms, however, like those of t English and Scotch establishment, we drawled out in notes of equal length, wit out accent or variety. Even the introd tion of triple-time tunes, probably about time of Dr. Watts's Psalms, gave also ge offence to some people, because it marke the accent of the measure. Thomas Bradbury used to call this t "a long leg and a short one."-[lin History of the Baptists, vol. ii. pp. -375. Westminster Directory. p. 40.]

Old

The beautiful compositions of Watts, and the rise of Methodism, duced a considerable revolution in mods Psalmody. The animated strains of former required more animated tunes were then in use: but to no indivi is our modern Psalmody so much debted as to the Rev. Martin Ma Chaplain to the Lock Hospital, who posed and compiled the beautiful lodies there sung, and accompanied Mr. Lockhart, with equal taste and plicity of style; many of which obtained universal acceptance among D senters; and have forced themselves, their popularity, even into some of i parish churches.

PSATYRIANS, a party of the Ani who, in a council held A. D. 360, ma tained that the Son was created out nothing.-See Arians.

PTOLEMAITES, or PTOLOMEANS branch of the Valentinians in the century; so called from Ptolemy, leader, who differed from Valenti chiefly in the number of cons, to wh he added eight.-See Valentinians.