Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Supplement, Volume 1.djvu/327

 BLA

B L A

Bias Meteor. & Bias Humanum. See alfo Caji. Lex. Med. p. 1 06, feq.

BLASIA, in botany, the name of a genus of plants approaching to the nature of the lichens, the characters of which are thefe j the male flower has a cup compofed of one leaf, which is oval at the bafe, fomewhat cylindric in the middle, and expanded and truncated at the top ; in this are contained a number of loofe granules, which feemto perform the office of apices, and contain the farina fcecundans. The female flower has fcarce any cup, but produces a fingle roundifh fruit, ufually im- merfed in the leaves ; in this are contained certain round bo- dies which appear to be feeds. Linnaeus is much in doubt, whether thefe flowers are not to be underftood a contrary way, and feems to fufpect, that what are called female flowers are really male ones ; and what are called male, female. Lmnai, Gen. Plant, p. 807.

BLASPHEMY, blafpbcmia, or blafphemium, in middle-age wri- ters, denotes fimplythe blaming, or condemning of a perfon, or thing. Du Gange, Gloff. Lat. T. 1. p. 570. voc. blaf- pbemare. Trev. Diet. Univ. T. 1, p. 1064. voc. blafmer. The word is Greek, /foswrpijf««, though others will have it de- duced from the Italian hiafimare, or French blafmer, which fig- nifies the fame. Menag. Orig. p. 105. Ccfen. Orig. p. 25. voc. Blafmer. Trev. loc. cit. Vaff. Etym. p. 72. voc. blaf- pbemus. Spe.'m. Gloff. Arch. p. 83. voc. blafpbemare. In this fenfe, we meet with to blafpbcme the religion of a mo- naftery. Azymos bread in the Eucharift was called, pant's blafphematus, as being held unlawful. Du Cangc, Gloff. Lat. T. 1. p. 570. . ..

To blafpbcme a judgment or fentence, blafpbemare judiaum, was to falfify, i. e. impugn it as falfe, and appeal from it 5 an- fwering to the French formula, ftill in ufe, blafmer une fen- tence.

Among the Greeks to blafphemc, &aatyny,ta* <p&y£«<r$«i, was to ufe words of evil omen, or that portended fomething ill, which the antients were careful to avoid, fubftituting in lieu of them other words of fofter and gentler import, fometimes the very reverfe of the proper ones. Vid. Lakcmak. Antiq.Grasc. Sacr. P. 3. c. 10. $.4. p 566, feq.

Blasphemy is more particularly ufed for the accufmg or con- demning a thing that is good, eft blafpbcmia cum ahqita mala dicuntur de bonis. In which fenfe, blafphemy may hold both in refpect of God and man.

Accordingly, among the fchoolmen and cafinfts, we meet with blafphemy ufed for reproachful words againft the faints, things facred, the myfteries of religion, £5V. Trev. Diet. Univ. T. 1. p. ic66. Magr. Not Vocab. Ecclef. p. 37.

Blasphemy is more peculiarly retrained to evil or reproachful words fpoken of the Deity. Auguftin fays, jam vulgo blafpbe- mia non accipitur nift mala verba de Deo dtcere. Vid. Auguft. de Morib. Manich, 1. z. c. 1 1. Du Gunge, Gloff Lat. T. 1.

P- 5 7°-

In which fenfe, blafphemy may be defined, either by detracting from God that power or goodnefs which belongs to his na- ture, or by attributing to God fomething that is not agreeable to his eflential attributes. Wood, Inft:. Imp. Law. 1. 3. c. j 0. p. 270.

Blafphemy, in this fenfe, makes a crime to be punifhed by the judge. St. Chryfoftom does not allow it to be left to the ma- giftrate, but enjoins private perfons to inflict a punifhment. If thou meeteft a man blafpheming, ftrike him a box on the ear, <nve him a dafti on the mouth, and fanctify thy hand with a blow. Chryfoft. Horn. 1. ad Antioch. p. 460. Edit. Savil. The antient church diftinguifhed three kinds of blafphemy, viz. that of apoftates, and lapfers -, of heretics, and prophane perfons ; and the blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft. The blafphemy of apoftates, and lapfers, confifted in a formula of words reviling, and curling Chrift, which the heathen per- fecutors obliged their converts to pronounce. This appears to have been the common way of renouncing their religion. Eu- fob. Hid. Ecclef. I.4. c. 15.

There feems to have been a peculiar formula of blafphemous words, which the confeflbrs were required to pronounce ; but what they were does not appear. Bingh Orig. Ecclef. 1. 16,

c. 7. §- i-

What the blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft is, which is pronounced unpardonable, has been much controverted ; fome hold it to be lapfing into idolatry ; others denying Chrift ; o- thers oppofing the divinity of the Holy Ghoft :;_ others in attri- buting the miraculous works of the Holy Spirit to the opera- tion of the devil. Vid. Matth. c. 12. v. 31. Eulog. Contr. Novat. 1. 1. Phot. Bibl. Cod. 280. p. 1599- Bingh. loc, cit. $. 3.

The blafphemy of heretics, and prophane perfons, confifted ei- ther in maintaining impious doctrines, or uttering impious difcourfes, derogatory to the honour and majefty of God, or detracting from the excellencies of the divine nature; In this fenfe Chryfoftom a terms thofe b'afpbemers, who introduced fate, in derogation of the providence of God. Irenaeus b gives the fame appellation to thofe who denied God to be the creator of the world. And the Arians and Neftorians are generally charred with the fame, for denying the divinity of Chrift c. St. Cyril has written exprefsly againft the blafphemies of Neffo- rius a .~[ a Chryfoft. Horn. 2. de fato. opp. T. 1. p. 118.

b If en. Praf. ad Libr. 4. c Bingh. 1. c. §. 2. * Vid. Fa- bric. Bibl. Grffic. I. 5. c. 27. §. 16. T. 8. p. c68.] In this knfe, heathens, Jews, and other infidels, are charged with; blafpheming Chrift, and his gofpel. Porphyry, Celfus, Julian, andProclus, are noted blafphmers ; and Lucian, for his farcafms, has even acquired the furname Dyff.bc?nus, or the blnfj.hemer. Fabric. Bibl Gnec. 1. 5. c. 40. p. 730. The charge ofb'ajphemy on the Jews has been maintained by feveral of the converts from judaifm* as ChriftHeb a and o- thers. Rabbi Lipman's book, entitled Nizzacbon, is full of blafphemies of this kind b. But much more fo is another book among the Jews, called Zefer toldot Jehofchua hanozeri, or the book of the generation of J ejus the wanderer ; where he is never mentioned, but as the moft vile and flagitious of men ; and charged with crimes moft abominable tonature c .— [ a Vid. Wolf. Bibl. Hebr. T. 3. p. 958. " Id. ibid. T. 1. p. 736. c Vid; Nigri. Tract, contra Judaeos, p. 64. ap. Wof. Bibl. Hebr. T. 2. I.5. p. ri 14. J

By the canon law, blafphemy was punifhed only by a folemn penance; and by cuftom, either by a pecuniary or corporal punifhment a. By the Englifh laws, blafphe?nic; of God, as denying his being, or providence, and all contumelious re- proaches of Jefus Chrift, &c. are punifhed by fine, imprifon- ment, and pillory b. And, by the ftatute law, he that denies one of the perfons in the Trinity, or afferts there are more than one, or denies Chriftianity to be true ; for the firft of- fence, the party is rendered incapable of any ofEce ; for the fe- cond, adjudged incapable of firing, being executor or guardian^ receiving any gift or legacy, and to be imprifoncd for three years c. — [ a Greenw. de Legib. Abrog. in Nov. 77. h Hawk. PI. Cr. T. r. p. 8. c Stat. 9 and 10 Will. 3. c. 32. Wood, Inft. Engl, Law. 1. 3. c. 3. p. 396.]

By the mofaic law, blafphemy was punifhed with death. Le- vit. xxiv. 13 — 16. As alfo by the civil law. Novel. 77. In Spain, Naples, France, and Italy, the pains of death are not now inflicted. In the empire, either amputation, or death, is made the punifhment of this crime. See Carpzov. P. 1. Q* 45. n. 4. and 24.

Yet it is to be obferved, that the law of thofe countries takes blafphemy as lesfa majeftas divina ; and that it may be com- mitted, either by the abfolute denial of the exiftence of the fupreme being j or of any of his eft'ential attributes. Abfolute blafphemy, that is, the abfolute denial of the exiftence of God, is punifhed capitally ; and this punifhment is extended to thofe, who utter maledictions againft the author of their being. But this rule is limited in practice, and only inflicts an arbitrary punifhment. 1. In the cafe of thofe under a total alienation of mind, by the effects of wine. 2. Of thofe furprized by fome violent fit of grief or anger, from fome caufe of moment} and while lawfully employed. 3. Of thofe who fhew a fudden repentance, accompanied with horror at their crime : but rufti- city is no excufe.

According to the law of Scotland, the punifhment of blafphemy is death. The firft fpecies thereof confifts in railing at, or curfing God, and here the fingle act conftitutes the crime. The fecond confifts in denying the exiftence of the fupreme being, or any of the perfons of the Trinity ; and therein ob- ftinateiy perfevering to the laft. For reiterated denial does not fully conftitute the crime, becaufe the Stat, of Charles 2. 1 661. admits of repentance before conviction, as a complete expia- tion.

This ftatute of i66r, is ratified by a ftatute of king William, whereby the calling in queftion the exiftence of God, or of any of the perfons of the Trinity, or the authority of fcripture^ or the divine providence, is made penal. For the firft offence imprifonment, till fatisfaction given by publick repentance in fack-cloth. For the fecond, a fine of a year's valued rent of the real eftate, and twentieth part of the perfonal eftate. And the trial in both thefe cafes is competent to inferior judges. The trial of the third offence is death, to be tried only by the jufrices. Bayne.

BLAST, flatus, in the military art, a fudden comprefiion of the air, caufed by the difcharge of the bullet out of a great gun. Trev. Diet. Univ. T< 4. p. 1829. voc - Souffle. The blaft fometimes throws down part of the embrafures- of the wall.

Blast is alfo applied, in a more general fenfe, to any forcible ftream of wind, or air; excited by the mouth, bellows, or the like. Men, trees, houfes, are fometimes thrown down by a blaft of lightning : A blaft of gunpowder will fometimes fhatter the windows at a diftance. Vid. Phil. Tranf. N° 236. p. 11. See Thunder, Lightning, &c. The walls of Jericho fell down with the blaft of rams-horn. St. John fpeaks of the blaft s of a trumpet ufhering in the refur- rection. Thefe have been adopted by the followers of Maho- met, who have many traditions concerning the three blaft s of the laft trumpet. The firft, which they call the blaft of con- fternation, is to ftrike all creatures in heaven and earth with terror ; to fhake the earth, level mountains, and throw the ftars into the Tea. The fecond is called the blaft of inanition, at which all creatures, both in heaven and earth, are to be an- nihilated, except thofe whom God fhall he pleafed to exempt from the common fate. Forty years after is to be heard the third, or blaft of 'refurreftisn ; at which the angels, being re-

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