ANTIOCH, a city of Upper Syria, on the river Orontes, about twenty miles from the place where it discharges itself into the Mediter.

separates Libanus from Antilibanus is very fruit-believer; and should he happen to die before ful: it was formerly, on the side of Syria, in- God call him to believe, he would not be lost." closed with a wall, whereof there are now no Repentance and confession of sin are not traces. Strabo says, that the name of Colo- necessary to forgiveness. A believer may cerSyria, or "the hollow Syria," belongs principally tainly conclude before confession, yea, as soon to the valley between Libanus and Antilibanus. as he hath committed sin, the interest he hath ANTINOMIANS are those who maintain in Christ, and the love of Christ embracing him." that the law is of no use or obligation under These dangerous sentiments, and others of a the Gospel dispensation, or who hold doctrines similar bearing, have been fully answered by that clearly supersede the necessity of good many writers; but by none more ably than by works and a virtuous life. The Antinomians the Rev. John Fletcher, in his "Checks to took their origin from John Agricola, about Antinomianism." the year 1538, who taught that the law was in no wise necessary under the Gospel; that good works do not promote our salvation, nor ill ones hinder it; that repentance is not to be preach-ranean. It was built by Seleucus Nicanor, about ed from the decalogue, but only from the Gospel. This sect sprung up in England during the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell; and extended their system of libertinism much farther than Agricola, the disciple of Luther. Some of their teachers expressly maintained, that as the elect cannot fall from grace nor forfeit the divine favour, the wicked actions they commit are not really sinful, nor are to be considered as instances of their violation of the divine law; and that consequently they have no occasion either to confess their sins, or to break them off by repentance. According to them, it is one of the essential and distinctive characters of the elect, that they cannot do any thing which is displeasing to God. Luther, Rutherford, Schlusselburgh, Sedgwick, Gataker, Witsius, Bull, Williams, &c, have written refutations; Crisp, Richardson, Saltmarsh, &c, defences, of the Antinomians; Wigandus, a comparison between ancient and modern Antinomians.

The doctrine of Agricola was in itself obscure, and is thought to have been represented worse than it really was by Luther, who wrote against him with acrimony, and first styled him and his followers Antinomians. Agricola, in defending himself, complained that opinions were imputed to him which he did not hold. The writings of Dr. Crisp in the seventeenth century are considered as highly favourable to Antinomianism, though he acknowledges that, "in respect of the rules of righteousness, or the matter of obedience, we are under the law still, or else," as he adds, "we are lawless, to live every man as seems good in his own eyes, which no true Christian dares so much as think of." The following sentiments, however, among others, are taught in his sermons: "The law is cruel and tyrannical, requiring what is naturally impossible." "The sins of the elect were so imputed to Christ, as that though he did not commit them, yet they became actually his transgressions, and ceased to be theirs." "The feelings of conscience, which tell them that sin is theirs, arise from a want of knowing the truth." "It is but the voice of a lying spirit in the hearts of believers, that saith they have yet sin wasting their consciences, and lying as a burden too heavy for them to bear." "Christ's righteousness is so imputed to the elect, that they, ceasing to be sinners, are as righteous as he was, and all that he was." "An elect person is not in a condemned state while an un

three hundred years before Christ; and became the seat of empire of the Syrian kings of the Macedonian race, and afterward of the Roman governors of the eastern provinces; being very centrally and commodiously situated midway between Constantinople and Alexandria, about seven hundred miles from each, in 37° 17′ north latitude, and 36° 45′ east longitude. No city perhaps, Jerusalem excepted, has experienced more frequent revolutions, or suffered more numerous and dire calamities, than Antioch; as, besides the common plagues of eastern cities, pestilence, famine, fire, and sword, it has several times been entirely overthrown by earthquakes.

In 362, the emperor Julian spent some months at Antioch; which were chiefly occupied in his favourite object of reviving the mythology of Paganism. The grove at Daphne, planted by Seleucus, which, with its temple and oracle, presented, during the reigns of the Macedonian kings of Syria, the most splendid and fashionable place of resort for Pagan worship in the east, had sunk into neglect since the establishment of Christianity. The altar of the god was deserted, the oracle was silenced, and the sacred grove itself defiled by the interment of Christians. Julian undertook to restore the ancient honours and usages of the place; but it was first necessary to take away the pollution occa sioned by the dead bodies of the Christians, which were disinterred and removed! Among these was that of Babylas, a bishop of Antioch, who died in prison in the persecution of Decius, and after resting near a century in his grave within the walls of Antioch, had been removed by order of Gallus into the midst of the grove of Daphne, where a church was built over him; the remains of the Christian saint effectually supplanting the former divinity of the place, whose temple and statue, however, though neglected, remained uninjured. The Christians of Antioch, undaunted by the conspiracy against their religion, or the presence of the emperor himself, conveyed the relics of their former bishop in triumph back to their ancient repository within the city. The immense multitude who joined in the procession, chanted forth their execrations against idols and idolaters; and on the same night the image and the temple of the Heathen god were consumed by the flames. A dreadful vengeance might be expected to have followed these scenes; but the real or affected

clemency of Julian contented itself with shutting up the cathedral, and confiscating its wealth. Many Christians, indeed, suffered from the zeal of the Pagans; but, as it would appear, without the sanction of the emperor.

In 1268, Antioch was taken by Bibars, or Bondocdar, sultan of Egypt. The slaughter of seventeen thousand, and the captivity of one hundred thousand of its inhabitants, mark the final siege and fall of Antioch; which, while they close the long catalogue of its public woes, attest its extent and population. From this time it remained in a ruinous and nearly deserted condition, till, with the rest of Syria, it passed into the hands of the Ottoman Turks, with whose empire it has ever since been incorporated.

In this city the followers of Christ had first the name of Christians given them. We have the testimony of Chrysostom, both of the vast increase of this illustrious church in the fourth century, and of the spirit of charity which continued to actuate it. It consisted at this time of not less than a hundred thousand persons, three thousand of whom were supported out of the public donations. It is painful to trace the progress of declension in such a church as this. But the period now referred to, namely, the age of Chrysostom, toward the close of the fourth century, may be considered as the bright. est of its history subsequent to the Apostolic age, and that from which the church at Antioch may date its fall. It continued, indeed, outwardly prosperous; but superstition, secular ambition, the pride of life; pomp and formality in the service of God, in place of humility and sincere devotion; the growth of faction, and the decay of charity; showed that real religion was fast disappearing, and that the foundations were laid of that great apostasy which, in two centuries from this time, overspread the whole Christian world, led to the entire extinction of the church in the east, and still holds dominion over the fairest portions of the west.

To distinguish it from other cities of the same name, the capital of Syria was called Antiochia apud Daphnem, or Antioch near Daphne, a village in the neighbourhood, where was a temple dedicated to the goddess of that name; though, in truth, the chief deity of the place was Apollo, under the fable of his amor. ous pursuit of the nymph Daphne; and the worship was worthy of its object. The temple stood in the midst of a grove of laurels and cypresses, where every thing was assembled which could minister to the senses; and in whose recesses the juvenile devotee wanted not the countenance of a libertine god to abandon himself to voluptuousness. Even those of riper years and graver morals could not with safety breathe the atmosphere of a place where pleasure, assuming the character of religion, roused the dormant passions, and subdued the firmness of virtuous resolution. Such being the source, the stream could scarcely be expected to be more pure; in fact, the citizens of Antioch were distinguished only for their luxury in life and licentiousness in manners. This was an unpromising soil for Christianity to take root in. But here, nevertheless, it was planted at an early period, and flourished vigorously. It should be observed, that the inhabitants of Antioch were partly Syrians, and partly Greeks; chiefly, perhaps, the latter, who were invited to the new city by Seleucus. To these Greeks, in particular, certain Cypriot and Cy. renian converts, who had fled from the persecution which followed the death of Stephen, addressed themselves; "and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." When the heads of the church at Jerusalem were informed of this success, they sent Barnabas to Antioch, who encouraged the new disciples, and added many to their number; and finding how great were both the field and the harvest, went to Tarsus to solicit the assistance of Paul. Both this Apostle and Barnabas then taught conjointly at Antioch; and great numbers were, by their labours during a whole year, added to the rising church, Acts xi, 19-26; xv, 22–35. Here they were also joined by Peter, who was reproved by Paul for his dissimulation, and his concession to the Jews respecting the observ-after Alexander the Great. ance of the law, Gal. ii, 11-14.

Antioch, under its modern name of Antakia, is now but little known to the western nations. It occupies, or rather did till lately occupy, a remote corner of the ancient enclosure of its walls. Its splendid buildings were reduced to hovels; and its population of half a million, to ten thousand wretched beings, living in the usual debasement and insecurity of Turkish subjects. Such was nearly its condition when visited by Pocock about the year 1738, and again by Kinneir in 1813. But its ancient subterranean enemy, which, since its destruction in 587, never long together withheld its assaults, has again triumphed over it: the earthquake of the 13th of August, 1822, laid it once more in ruins; and every thing relating to Antioch is past.

Antioch was the birthplace of St. Luke and Theophilus, and the see of the martyr Ignatius.

ANTIOCH, of Pisidia. Beside the Syrian capital, there was another Antioch visited by St. Paul when in Asia, and called, for the sake of distinction, Antiochia ad Pisidiam, as belong. ing to that province, of which it was the capi. tal. Here Paul and Barnabas preached; but the Jews, jealous, as usual, of the reception of the Gospel by the Gentiles, raised a sedition against them, and obliged them to leave the city, Acts xiii, 14, to the end. There were several other cities of the same name, sixteen in number, in Syria and Asia Minor, built by the Seleucidæ, the successors of Alexander in these countries; but the above two are the only ones which it is necessary to describe as occurring in Scripture.

ANTIOCHÚS. There were many kings of this name in Syria, much celebrated in the Greek, Roman, and Jewish histories, after the time of Seleucus Nicanor, the father of Antiochus Soter, and reckoned the first king of Syria,

1. ANTIOCHUS SOTER was the son of Seleucus Nicanor, and obtained the surname of Soter, or Saviour, from having hindered the invasion

of Asia by the Gauls. Some think that it was on the following occasion: The Galatians having marched to attack the Jews in Babylon, whose army consisted only of eight thousand men, reinforced with four thousand Macedonians, the Jews defended themselves with so much bravery, that they killed one hundred and twenty thousand men, 2 Mac. viii, 20. It was perhaps, too, on this occasion, that Antiochus Soter made the Jews of Asia free of the cities belonging to the Gentiles, and permitted them to live according to their own laws.

2. ANTIOCHUS THEOS, or, the God, was the son and successor of Antiochus Soter. He married Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt. Laodice, his first wife, seeing herself despised, poisoned Antiochus, Berenice, and their son, who was intended to succeed in the kingdom. After this, Laodice procured Seleucus Callinicus, her son by Antiochus, to be acknowledged king of Syria. These events were foretold by Daniel: "And in the end of years," the king of Egypt, or of the south, and the king of Syria, or of the north, "shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times," Dan. xi, 6.

into the city the flesh of mules, asses, and horses to sell, under a severe penalty.

In the year of the world 3815, Antiochus was overcome by the Romans, and obliged to cede all his possessions beyond Mount Taurus, to give twenty hostages, among whom was his own son Antiochus, afterward surnamed Epiphanes, and to pay a tribute of twelve thousand Euboic talents, each fourteen Roman pounds in weight. To defray these charges, he resolved to seize the treasures of the temple of Belus, at Elymais; but the people of that country, informed of his design, surprised and destroyed him, with all his army, in the year of the world 3817, and before Jesus Christ 187. He left two sons, Seleucus Philopator, and Antiochus Epiphanes, who succeeded him.

4. ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, the son of Antiochus the Great, having continued a hostage at Rome fourteen years, his brother Seleucus resolved to procure his return to Syria, and sent his own son Demetrius to Rome in the place of Antiochus. Whilst Antiochus was on his journey to Syria, Seleucus died, in the year of the world 3829. When, therefore, Antiochus landed, the people received him as some propitious deity come to assume the government, and to oppose the enterprises of Ptolemy, king of Egypt, who threatened to invade Syria. For this reason Antiochus obtained the surname of Epiphanes, the illustrious, or of one appearing like a god.

3. ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT was the son of Antiochus quickly turned his attention to Seleucus Callinicus, and brother to Seleucus the possession of Egypt, which was then enCeraunus, whom he succeeded in the year of joyed by Ptolemy Philometor, his nephew, son the world 3781, and before Jesus Christ 223. to his sister Cleopatra, whom Antiochus the He made war against Ptolemy Philopator, king Great had married to Ptolemy Epiphanes, king of Egypt, but was defeated near Raphia, 3 Mac. i. of Egypt. He sent Apollonius, one of his Thirteen years after, Ptolemy Philopator being officers, into Egypt, apparently to honour Ptodead, Antiochus resolved to become master lemy's coronation, but in reality to obtain of Egypt. He immediately seized Colo-Syria, intelligence whether the great men of the kingPhenicia, and Judea; but Scopas, general dom were inclined to place the government of of the Egyptian army, entered Judea while Egypt in his hands during the minority of the Antiochus was occupied by the war against king his nephew, 2 Mac. iv, 21, &c. ApolloAttalus, and retook those places. However, nius, however, found them not disposed to he soon lost them again to Antiochus. On favour his master; and this obliged Antiochus this occasion happened what Josephus relates to make war against Philometor. He came to of this prince's journey to Jerusalein. After a Jerusalem in 3831, and was received there by victory which he had obtained over Scopas, Jason, to whom he had sold the high priestnear the springs of Jordan, he became master hood. He designed to attack Egypt, but reof the strong places in Cœlo-Syria and Sama. turned without effecting any thing. The amria; and the Jews submitted freely to him, re-bition of those Jews who sought the high ceived him into their city and furnished his army plentifully with provisions. In reward for their affection, Antiochus granted them, according to Josephus, twenty thousand pieces of silver, to purchase beasts for sacrifice, one thousand four hundred and sixty measures of meal, and three hundred and seventy-five measures of salt to be offered with the sacrifices, and timber to rebuild the porches of the Lord's house. He exempted the senators, scribes, and singing men of the temple, from the capitation tax; and he permitted the Jews to live according to their own laws in every part of his dominions. He also remitted the third part of their tribute, to indemnify them for their losses in the war; he forbade the Heathens to enter the temple without being purified, and to bring

priesthood, and bought it of Antiochus, was the beginning of those calamities which overwhelmed their nation under this prince. Jason procured himself to be constituted in this dignity in the stead of Onias III; but Menelaus offering a greater price, Jason was deprived, and Menelaus appointed in his place. These usurpers of the high priesthood, to gratify the Syrians, assumed the manners of the Greeks, their games and exercises, and neglected the worship of the Lord, and the temple service.

War broke out between Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolemy Philometor. Antiochus entered Egypt in the year of the world 3833, and reduced almost the whole of it to his obedience, 2 Mac. v, 3-5. The next year he returned; and whilst he was engaged in the siege of

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vexation. In this condition he wrote to the
Jews very humbly, promised them many things,
and engaged even to turn Jew, if God would
restore him to health. He earnestly recom-
mended to them his son Antiochus, who was
to succeed him, and entreated them to favour
He died, overwhelmed with pain and
the young prince, and to continue faithful to
him.
grief, in the mountains of Paratacene, in the
little town of Tabes, in the year of the world
3840, and before Jesus Christ 164.

5. ANTIOCHUS EUPATOR, Son of Antiochus
Epiphanes, was only nine years old when his
father died and left him the kingdom of Syria.
Lysias, who governed the kingdom in the name
of the young prince, led against Judea an army
of one hundred thousand foot, twenty thousand
horse, and thirty elephants, 1 Mac. vi; 2 Mac.
xiii. He besieged and took the fortress of
Bethsura, and thence marched against Jerusa-
lem. The city was ready to fall into his hands
when Lysias received the news that Philip,
whom Antiochus Epiphanes had entrusted
with the regency of the kingdom, had come to
Antioch to take the government, according to
the disposition of the late king. He therefore
proposed an accommodation with the Jews,
that he might return speedily to Antioch and
oppose Philip. After concluding a peace, he
immediately returned into Syria, with the
young king and his army.

Alexandria, a false report was spread of his death. The inhabitants of Jerusalem testifying their joy at this news, Antiochus, when returning from Egypt, entered this city by force, treated the Jews as rebels, and commanded his troops to slay all they met. Eighty thousand were killed, made captives, or sold on this occasion. Antiochus, conducted by the corrupt high priest Menelaus, entered into the holy of holies, whence he took and carried off the most precious vessels of that holy place, to the value of one thousand eight hundred talents. In the year 3835, Antiochus made a third expedition against Egypt, which he entirely subdued. The year following, he sent Apollonius into Judea, with an army of twentytwo thousand men, and commanded him to kill all the Jews who were of full age, and to sell the women and young men, 2 Mac. v, 24, 25. These orders were too punctually executed. It was on this occasion that Judas Maccabæus retired into the wilderness with his father and his brethren, 2 Mac. v, 29. These misfortunes were only preludes of what they were to suffer; for Antiochus, apprehending that the Jews would never be constant in their obedience to him, unless he obliged them to change their religion, and to embrace that of the Greeks, issued an edict, enjoining them to conform to the laws of other nations, and forbidding their usual sacrifices in the temple, their festivals, In the meantime, Demetrius Soter, son of The statue of Jupiter and their Sabbath. Olympus was placed upon the altar of the tem- Seleucus Philopator, and nephew to Antiochus ple, and thus the abomination of desolation Epiphanes, to whom by right the kingdom was seen in the temple of God. Many corrupt belonged, having escaped from Rome, came Jews complied with these orders; but others into Syria. Finding the people disposed for resisted them. Mattathias and his sons retired revolt, Demetrius headed an army, and marched to the mountains. Old Eleazar, and the seven directly to Antioch, against Antiochus and brethren, suffered death with great courage at Lysias. However, the inhabitants did not wait Antioch, 2 Mac. vii. Mattathias being dead, till he besieged the city; but opened the gates, Judas Maccabæus headed those Jews who con- and delivered to him Lysias and the young king tinued faithful, and opposed with success the Antiochus Eupator, whom Demetrius caused Antiochus Eupator generals whom king Antiochus sent into Judea. to be put to death, without suffering them to The king, informed of the valour and resist-appear in his presence. ance of Judas, sent new forces; and, finding reigned only two years, and died in the year of 6. ANTIOCHUS THEOS, or the Divine, the son his treasures exhausted, he resolved to go into the world 3842, and before Jesus Christ 162. Persia to levy tributes, and to collect large Mac. xi, sums which he had agreed to pay to the Ro- of Alexander Balas, king of Syria, was brought mans, 1 Mac. iii, 5-31; 2 Mac. ix, 1, &c; up by the Arabian prince Elmachuel, or, as he 1 Mac. vi, 1, &c. Knowing that very great is called in the Greek, Simalcue, riches were lodged in the temple of Elymais, 39, 40, &c. Demetrius Nicanor, king of Syria, he determined to carry it off; but the inhabit- having rendered himself odious to his troops, ants of the country made so vigorous a resist- one Diodotus, otherwise called Tryphon, came ance, that he was forced to retreat toward to Zabdiel, a king in Arabia, and desired him Babylonia. When he was come to Ecbatana, to entrust him with young Antiochus, whom he was informed of the defeat of Nicanor and he promised to place on the throne of Syria, Timotheus, and that Judas Maccabæus had which was then possessed by Demetrius NicaAfter some hesitation, Zabdiel complied retaken the temple of Jerusalem, and restored nor. the worship of the Lord, and the usual sacrifi- with the request; and Tryphon carried AntioOn receiving this intelligence, the king chus into Syria, and put the crown on his The troops dismissed by Demetrius, was transported with indignation; and, threat- head. ening to make Jerusalem a grave for the Jews, came and joined Tryphon, who, having formed commanded the driver of his chariot to urge a powerful army, defeated Demetrius, and the horses forward, and to hasten his journey. forced him to retreat to Seleucia. Tryphon However, divine vengeance soon overtook seized his elephants, and rendered himself him he fell from his chariot, and bruised all master of Antioch, in the year of the world his limbs. He was also tormented with such 3859, and before Jesus Christ 145. Antiochus pains in his bowels, as allowed him no rest; Theos, to strengthen himself in his new acquiand his disease was aggravated by grief and sition, sent letters to Jonathan Maccabæus,

ces.