Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 1.djvu/915

 GNO

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GOB

whole Sine : to the Tangent of the Sun's Altitude above the Horizon.

Or, more accurately, thus 5

Make a Circular Perforation in a Brafs Plate, to tranfmit enough of the Sun's Rays to exhibit his Image on the Floor: Fix it parallel to the Horizon in a high Place, proper for Obfervation: Let fall a Line, and Plummet, wherewith to meafure the Height of the Perforation from the Floor. Take care the Floor be perfectly level, and exactly hori- zontal ; and let it be whiten'd over, to exhibit the Sun more diftinctly. Draw a Meridian Line thereon, paffing thro' the F°ot of the Gnomon, i. e. thro' the Point the Plummet points out: Note the extreme Points of the Sun's Diameter on the Meridian Line K and I, and from each fubtract a Right Line equal to the Semi-diameter of the Aperture, viz. K H, T'ah. Aftron. Fig.f]. on one Side, and L I on the other.— Then will H L be the Image of the Sun's Dia- meter, which biffected in B, gives the Point on which the Rays fall from the Centre of the Sun.

Now, having given the Right Line A B, and the Alti- tude of the Gnomon, with the Angle A, which is Right ; the Angle A B G, or the apparent Altitude of the Sun's Centre, is eafily found : For, affuming one of the given Sides A B for Radius ; A G will be the Tangent of the op- ■ pofite Angle, B. Then fay, As one Leg, A B, is to the other A G 5 So is the whole Sine, to the Tangent of the Angle B.

Gnomon, in Dialling, is the Style, Pin, or Cock of a Dial; the Shadow whereof pointeth out the Hours. See Style, and Dial.

The Gnomon of every Dial is fuppos'd to reprefent the Axis of the World; and therefore the two Ends or Extremi- ties thereof muft directly anfwer to the North, and South Poles. See Meridian.

The Word is Greek, yvoy-ov ; which literally imports fome- what that makes a thing known 5 by reafon the Srylc, or Pin makes the Hour, &c. known.

GNOMONICA, or Gnomonice, Gnomonicks, the Art of ^Dialling ; or of drawing Sun and Moon Dials, &c. on any given Plane. See Dial, and Dialling.

'Tis thus call'd, as it fhews how to find the Hour of the Day, &c. by the Shadow of a Gnomon, or Style.

GNOSIMACHI, an ancient Seft in Religion, whofe di- ftingui filing Character was that they were profefs'd Ene- mies of all ftudied Knowiegc in Divinity.

"Damafcenus fays that they were perfectly averfe to all the Gnoftsof Chriftianity, /. e. to all the Science, or Know- lege therein. They held it an ufclefs Labour to feek for Gnofes in the Holy Scriptures h that God requires nothing of Men but good Works ; that it were, therefore, much better to walk with more Simplicity, and not to be io follicitous about the Dogmata of the Gnoftic Life.

This Gnofis which they decried, is commonly underftood of Science ; and "Damafcenuss Interpreters tranflate the Word fo.

Some Authors take the Word Gnofis to have a further Meaning, and that in the firfl Ages of Chriftianity, it fignifled much the fame with what we call Spirituality, and the Gnoftic Life, Tmeiw sr&.yy.cLi&a., In which Senfe the Gno~ fimachi mult have been fuch as were Enemies of the Spiri- tual Life; who contended for the doing of good Works in all Simplicity ; and blamed fuch as aim'd to render them more perfect: by Meditation, a deeper Knowlege and Infight into the Doctrines and Myfteries of Religion, and the fub- limer, and more abftracted Exercifes. See Gnostic.

The Word is Greek, yvaeip.sL-x©- a q. d. an Enemy of Wifdom. —

GNOSTICKS, antient Hcreticks, famous from the firft Rife of Chriftianity ; principally in the Eaft. See Here- ticks.

The Name Gnoftic, which properly fignifles learned, was adopted by thofe of this Sect, as if they were the only Per- fons who had the true Knowlege of Chriftianity : Accor- dingly, they look'd on all the other Chriftians as fimple, ignorant, and barbarous Perfons, who explain'd, and inter- preted the Sacred Writings in too low, and literal a Signifi- cation.

At firft, they were no more than the Philofophers, and Wits of thofe Times, who form'd themfelves a peculiar Sy- ftcm cf Theology, agreeable to the Philofophy of 'Pytha- goras, and Plato ; to which they accomodated all their In- terpretations of Scripture.

But the Word Gnoftic afterwards became a generical Name, comprehending divers particular Seels, and Parties of Hereticks, who rofe in the firft Centuries ; and who, tho' they differ ■ among themfelves as to Circumftances, yet all agreed in fome common Principles : Such were the Falenti- nians, Shnomaus, Carpocraiians, Nicoiaita7zs,8i.c. See Va-

tE&TINLA&S, SlMONlANS, &C

Sometimes, the Word Gnoftic is us'd as a proper Name,

and peculiarly attributed to the Succeflbrs of the firft .NZ- colaitans, and Carper atiavs'm the fecond Century, upon their laying afide the Names of the firft Authors. SeeCAR-

POCRATIANS, NlCOLAITANS, &C.

Such as would be thoroughly acquainted with all their Doctrines, Reveries, and Virions, may confult St. Iren<eus, T'ertullian, Clemens Alexandrians, Origen, and St. Epi- phanius ; particularly the firit of thefe Writers, who relates their Sentiments at large, and confutes them at the fame time : Indeed, he dwells more exprelly on the Valcntinians % than on any other Sort of Gnofticks ; but he fhews the Ge- neral Principles whereon all their miftaken Opinions were founded, and the Method they followed in explaining Scripture.

He accufes them with introducing into Religion certain vain and ridiculous Genealogies, i. e. a kind of divine Pro- ceftlons, or Emanations; which had no other Foundation but in their own Imaginations. See Eon, Abp.a, Cada-

ERA, &C.

In effect, the Gnofticks confefs'd that thefe Emanations were no where exprefly deiiver'd in the facred Writings; but infifted at the fame time, that Jefus Chrift had intimated them in Parables, to fuch as could underltand him.

They built their Theology not only on the Gofpels, and the Epiftles of St. Paul ; but alfo on the Law of Mofes, and the Prophets. Thefe laft were peculiarly ferviceable to them, on account of the Allegories, and Allufions they abound withal 5 which are capable of different Interpreta- tions.

They fet a great Value on the Beginning of the Gofpel of St. John; where they fancied they faw a great deal of their Emanations, under the Word, the Life, the Light, ckc,

They divided all Nature into three kinds of Beings ; viz. Hylic, or Material; Pfychic, or Animal; and Pneumatic, or Spiritual.

On the like Principle they alio diftinguifli'd three Sorts of Men; Material, Animal, and Spiritual: The iirvr, who were Material, and incapable of Knowlege, inevitably pe- riuYd both Soul and Body : The third, fuch as the Gnofticks themfelves pretended to be, were all certainly faved : The Pfychic, or Animal, who were the middle between the other two, were capable either of being faved, or damn'd, accord- ing to their good, or evil Actions.

The Word Gnoftic is form'd of the Latin Gnofticus, and that of the Greek yvo^tnh?, knowing, learned, witty, en- lighten'd, fpiritual ; o£yivdtxx.o, I know.

The Name Gnoftic fome times occurs in a good Senfe, in the antient Ecclefiaftical Writers, and particularly Clemens Alcxandrinus, who, in the Perfon of his Gnoftic, describes the Characters and Qualities of a perfect Chriftian. This Point he labours in the feventh Book of his Stromata, where he fliews that none but the Gnoftic, or learned Perfon has any true Religion. He affirms, that were it poffible for the Knowlege of God to be feparated from eternal Salvation - the Gnoftic would make no Scruple to chufe the Knowlege : And that if God ihould promife him Impunity in dojngof any thing he has once fpoke againft, or offer him Heaven on thofe Terms, he would never alter a Whit of his Mea- fures. See Gnosimaciii.

In this Senfe that Father ufes Gnoftic, in opposition to the Hereticks of the fame Name; affirming that the true Gnoftic i§ grown. old in the Study of the Holy Scripture; and that he preferves the Orthodox Doctrine of the Apo^ ftles, and the Church : Whereas the falfe Gnoftic abandons all the Apoftical Traditions, as imagining himfelfwifer than the Apoftlcs.

At length the Name Gnoftic, which originally was the moft glorious, became infamous, by the idle Opinions, and diflolute Lives of the Perfons who bore it : much, as in the prefent Age, has fared with the Names guictift, Pietift % &c. See Quietism, &c.

GO, is fometimes ufed in Law, in a fpecial Signification: Thus, to go without Z)ay ■ and, to go to God, is as much as to be difmifs'd the Court ; to be acquitted.

GOAD, Stimulus, a Stick arm'd at one End with a pointed Iron, to prick, and urge on a Horfe, Ox, or the like.

In fpeaking of Horfes, we more commonly ufe the French Name Valet ; referving Goad for Oxen. —

GOAL, a Prifbn, or Place of legal Confinement. See Prison.

The Word is form'd of the French Geole ; and that of the" Barbarous Latin Geola, Gaola, Gayola, a Cage : Whence the <Picards ftill call a Bird-cage, Gayolle.

The Goaler, Geolier, was cali'd Gaularius, and Cajula- rius. Scaliger derives the Word Goaler from JanicularitiS4 Some Latin Authors call him Comment arienfis, by reafan he keeps a Regifter, or Lift of all thofe under his Cuilody.

GOBLET, or Gobelet, a kind of Drinking-cup, or Bowl, ordinarily of a round Figure, and without either Foot, or Handle.


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Goblets^