CON
C 308
CON
a Pine-Apple ; whence M, <Des Cartes call'd it 'Pinealis, ami fix'd there the Seat of the Rational Soul. See Pineal Gland,
CONSANGUINITY, the Relation of Kinfbip, between Fcrfons of the fame Blood, or iflu'ci from the fame Root.
Marriage is prohibited by the Church to the fourth De- gree aiCmifanguinity, inclufive; but by the Law of Nature, Conjanguimty is no obftaclc to Marriage, except in a direct Line. See Agnation, and Cocnation.
Confdngttinity terminates in the fixth or feventh Degree, excepting in the Succeffion to the Crown ; in which Cafe, Conjanguinity is continu'd to infinity.
The Civilians call Fratres Confanguinci, thofe born of the fame Father ; in oppofition to Fratres Uterini, who are on- ly born of the fame Mother. See Brother.
According to the common Opinion, thefe, and Brothers- German were not allow'd to complain of an inofficious Tef- tament, i. e. of being difinhcrited without caufe ; excepting from the Turpitude of the Perfon appointed Heir in their place. But Van Water endeavours to fhew the contrary 5 and urges, that the Confmguinei might plead Inofficiofity, even where the Tcftament was not made in favour of a Per- fon incapable.
CONSCIENCE, Confckufnefs, in Ethicks, a fecret Tef- timony or Judgment of the Soul, whereby it gives its Ap- probation to Things it does that are naturally good j and re- proaches it felf for thofe that are evil. See Judgment, Goon, and Evil.
Or, Conscience is a Dictate of the undcrftanding Power, concerning Moral Actions 5 confider'd as it has the Know- ledge of Laws ; and confequently as confeious of what is to be done, or not done to the Legiflator. See Moral.
In the more popular Senfe of rhe Word, Conference is a Judgment, either true or falfe, whereby we pronounce a Thing good or evil. This makes what we call the Inner Forum, or Tribunal.
Some Divines maintain, that Conscience is infallible 5 and hold it to be that immutable Law wheteby God will judge Men: They deny that the Undcrftanding can be the Source of Errors, and lay 'em all at the (ioor of the Will. A Man, fay they, may fecure hi mfelf from Error, by forbearing to judge of Things till he have a clear and diftinct Perception thereof. See Liberty.
Some of the Schoolmen difHnguifh between the Consci- ence antecedent to an Acfion, and that confequent thereto : The firft, called antecedent Confcience, determines what is good and what evil ; and confequently prefcribes what is to be done, and what avoided. Confequent Confcience is a kind of fecondary or reflex Judgment, with regard to the Good- ness, l£c. of Things already done or committed.
The Ride of Confcience is the Will of God ; fo far as it is made known to us, either by the Light of Nature, or by that of Revelation. Sec Reason, and Revelation.
With refpecf. to the Knowledge of this Rule, Confcience is laid to be rightly informed, or miflaken 5 firm, or waver- ing, or fcriipiilous, &c.
With refpecf: to the Conformity of our Actions to this Rule when known, Confcience is faid to be good, or evil, &c.
The Philofophers, in lieu of the Word Confcience, which feems appropriated to Theological Matters, ordinarily ufe that of Confcioufnefs ; whereby they mean an inner Senti- ment of a Thing, whereof one may have a clear and dif- tincr. Notion. In this Senfe, they fay, that we don't know our own Soul, nor are atTur'd of the Exiftence of our own Thoughts, otherwife than by Self- con fciottfnefs. See Exis- tence.
CONSCRIPT, CONSCRIPTUS, a popular Term in the Roman Hiftory, ufed in fpeaking of Senators, who were called Confcript-Vathets, Patres-Confcripti ; in regard their Names were written in the Regifter, or Catalogue of the Senate. See Senator.
'Plutarch obferves, that thofe only were properly denomi- nated Confcript, whofc Names were added to thofe of the Antients ; as being new-created from among the Knights. See Father.
CONSECRATION, the Aaion of converting or ferting apart any profane or common Thing, to a pious Purpofe j with the Ceremonies, Prayers, Benedictions, &c. ufed therein.
Confecration is the revcrfe of Sacrilege ; which confifts in the perverting a Thing fet apart for a pious Purpofe, to a profane and popular one. See Sacrilege.
Thus, we fay, the Bifhop conjecrates a Church, or a Cha- lice ; the Pope conjecrates Medals, Agnus Hei's, Loaves, Cakes, /'. e. he grants Indulgences to thofe who bear 'cm ahrmt 'em with Devotion.
Ifhe Confecration or Dedication of a Church, is an Epif- copal Ceremony, confiding in a great number of Benedic- tions, with Afperfions, and Unctions of Chrifm, &c. on the Walls, both withinfide and without. See Church.
The Cuflom of confecrating Perfons, Temples, Altars, Veftmcnts, Utenfils, &c. is very antient ; and all the Cere- monies thereof are prefcrib'd under the Old Law. Under the
New Law, when thofe Confecration! relate to Men, and perform'd by appointment of Jcfus Chtift, they are pr .,*™ call'd Ordinations ; excepting thofe perform'd to Bifh and Kings, which flill retain the Name of Confecration sT Bishop, and King ; fee alfo Ordination.
Thofe which only confifl in a Ceremony infiituted by th Church, are more properly call'd Scncditlions. See Ik* '
DICTION.
When they regard Churches, Altars, Veffels, l£c. they a {Willy called Dedications: Sec Dedication.
Consecration is panicularly ufed for the Benedicts of the Elements in the Eucharift.
The Romanifls define it the Converfion of the Bread an! Wine into the real Body and Blood of Jefus Chrift . an J that this is the Sentiment of that Church, is evident from the Prieft's elevating the Hoft immediately alter Confecration (at rhe People to adore it.
There is a great Controverfy between the Latin and Greek Churches, touching the Words of Confecration : The com- mon Opinion among the Romanifls, agreeable to St. fl;c- mas and the Schoolmen, is, that the Confecration of the Bread and Wine confifts in thefe Words, T'his is my Body ■ this is my Stood. The Greeks, on the contrary, attribute the Change of the Elements to a certain Prayer which they call the Invocation of the Holy Ghoft, rehears 'd after the Words T'his is my Sody, this is my "Blood, which the Greeks maintain are only neceflary in the Procefs of the Coitfecra. tion, as they contain the Hiftory of the Inflitution ; not as they contribute any thing to the Change.
Consecration, among Mcdalifts, is the Ceremony of the Apotheofis of the Emperors ; or their Translation into Heaven, and Reception among the Gods : The Procefs whereof, fee under Apotheosis.
On Medals, the Apotheofis is thus reprefented ; On one fide is the Emperor's Head, crovvn'd with Laurel, fome- times veil'd, and the Infcription gives him the Title of 2);. vus : on the Reverfe is a Temple, a Stiflum, an Altar, or an Eagle taking its Flight towards Heaven, either from' off the Altar, or from a Cipptts : At other times the Empcrot is feen in the Air, bore up by the Eagle ; the Infcription al- ways, Confecratio.
Thefe are the ufual Symbols : yet on the Reverfe of that of Antoninus, is the Anthonine Column.
In the Apotheofis of Emprefles, inftead of an Eagle is a Peacock.
For the Honours render'd them after Death, they were explain'd by the Words Confecratio, (Pater, TJivus, and T)eus. Sometimes, around the Temple or Altar are put, Memoria felix, or Memorite JEtentrC : For Princeffes, JEm- nitas, and Siderihus recepta ; on the Side of the Head Dea, or ©See.
CONSECTARY, is a Propofition that follows, or is de- duced from fome preceding Definitions, Lemmata, Axioms, Conclusions, or the like : Whence fome chufe rather to call it a Confequence ; and others a Corollary, ckc. See Corol- lary, and Consequent.
CONSECUTIVELY, CONSECUTIVE', in the School- Philofophy, is fometimes ufed in oppofition to antecedent!}, and fometimes to effectively, or caufally.
Thus, fay the Schoolmen, the Corruption of one Thing is the Generation of another, not effectively, but confecuthe- ly : That is, fince Matter cannot be without Form, 'tis ne- ceffary that the Generation of one Thing follow upon the Corruption of another.
CONSENT of Tarts, in the Animal Oeconomy, a cer- tain Agreement, or Sympathy, by means whereof, when one Part is immediately affe&ed, another, at a diflance, becomes affected in like manner. See Sympathy.
This mutual Accord, or Confent, is doubtlefs effected by the Commerce of the Nerves, and their artful Distribution and Ramification throughout the Body. See Nerve.
The Effect is fo fenfible, as even to come under the Phy- ficians cognizance: Thus, the Stone in the Bladder, by vcl- heating the Fibres there, will pain and draw them fo much into Spafms, as to affect the Coats of the Bowels in the fame manner, by the Intermediation of nervous Threads, and make a Cholic there ; and alfo extend their Twitch" fometimes fo far as the Stomach, and occafion grievous Vo- mitings : The Remedy therefore, in fuch Cafes, is to re- gard the Part originally affected, how remote and grievous foever may be the Confequences and Symptoms in other Places.
The fifth Conjugation of Nerves branch'd to the Parts °j the Eye, the Ear, thofe of the Mouth, Cheeks, Pnecordia,^ Parts adjacent, iSc. are fuppos'd by Naturaliils to be the In- ftruments of that extraordinary Confent between thofe Par's- Hence it is, that a favoury Thing feen or imelt, excites the Appetite, and affefts rhe Glands and Parts of the Mouth ; that a fhameful thing feen or heard, affects the Cheeks win" Blufhes 5 on the contrary, if it pleafe, it affects the Pnecor- dia, and excites the Mufcles of the Mouth and Face to laugh- ter ; if it grieve, affects the Glands of the Eyes, fo as ro ' <> ' occafion
