ANTICHRIST

ANNUNCIATION, the tidings brought by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary of the incarnation of Christ. It is also used to denote a festival kept by the church on the 25th of March, in commemoration of those tidings.

ANOMOEANS, the name by which the pure Arians were called in the fourth century, in contra-distinction to the Semi-arians. The word is formed from the Greek voμs, different. See ARIANS and SEMI-ARIANS.

ANTEDILUVIANS, a general name for all mankind who lived before the flood, including the whole human race from the creation to the deInge. For the history of the Antediluvians, see Book of Genesis, Whiston's Josephus, Cockburn's Treatise on the Deluge, and article DELUGE. ANTHEM, a church song performed in cathedral service by choristers who sung alternately. It was used to denote both psalms and hymns, when performed in this manner; but, at present, anthem is used in a more confined sense, being applied to certain passages taken out of the Scriptures, and adapted to a particular solemnity. Anthems were first introduced in the reformed service of the English church, in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

ANTHROPOMORPHITES, a sect of ancient heretics, who, taking every thing spoken of God in the Scripture in a literal sense, particularly that passage of Genesis in which it is said, "God made man after his own image," maintained that God had a human shape.

ANTICHRIST

tion. 1 John ii. 18-22. "As ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son." We may say then that wherever, under the pro fession of Christianity, the true doctrines and institutions of the Gospel are contravened, there is the working of Antichrist; and we are not to look upon the name as the designation of an individual person, or some single formidable adversary, who was to arise and be a scourge to the church in the latter day, as was anciently believ ed, but rather as the denomination of a power, a corrupt and baneful influence, existing in a wicked mystical body, directly opposed to the spiritual body of Christ. Such is Antichrist of the Scriptures, which frequently employs a singular title to point out a collective body united in a kind of corporate capacity, or assimilated by a common character, and actuated by the same spirit. Thus the expression, the new man, is used to signify the whole mass of real believers. Satan is also a term of collective import; and what is still more to the point, man of sin, and son of per dition, are both employed as appellations of a community of wicked men, setting themselves against God and his kingdon, whatever might be their pretences. Antichrist, therefore, is a word of great latitude of meaning, and not confined in the Scriptures exclusively to any particular society, church, or communion, but as descriptive of all, in every place, and every age, who under the form of Christianity renounce its spirit, corrupt its doctrines, pervert its institutions, and assume the prerogatives of its Head. Still it may be supposed, and can doubtless be shown, that this epithet is emphatically applied wherever this impious power is more especially concentrated and drawn to a head, where it manifests itself in the most unblushing manner, and does, as it were, fix its throne and dominion. Accordingly, Protestant writers, with scarce a dissenting voice, agree in re-applying it pre-eminently to the church of Rome, which, as we learn from history, answers to all the characters of Antichrist. Grotius, Hammond, Bossuet, and others, supposed Rome pagan to be designed; but Rome Christian seems more evident, for John "saw the beast rise up out of the sea," Rev. xiii. 1.-Now, as heathen Rome had risen and been established long before his time, this could not refer to the Roman empire then subsisting, but to a form of government afterwards to arise. As, therefore, none did arise, after Rome was broken to pieces by the barbarians, but that of the papal power, it must be considered as applying to that. The descriptions, also, of the beast, as the great apostacy, the man of sin, the mystery of iniquity, and the son of perdition, will apply only to Christian Rome. See Daniel vii. 2 Thess. ii. and Rev. xiii. Besides, the time allowed for the continuance of the beast will not apply to heathen Rome; for power was given to the beast for 1260 years, whereas heathen Rome did not last 400 years after this prophecy was delivered.

ANTHROPOPATHY, a figure, expression, or discourse, whereby some passion is attributed to God which properly belongs only to man. Anthropopathy is frequently used promiscuously with anthropology; yet in strictness they ought to be distinguished, as the genus from the species. Anthropology may be understood of any thing human attributed to God, as eyes, hands, &c. but anthropopathy only of human affections and passions, as joy, grief. We have frequent instances of the use of these figures in holy Scripture. ANTIBURGHERS, a numerous and spectable body of dissenters from the church of Scotland, who differ from the established church chiedy in matters of church government; and who differ, also, from the Burgher seceders, with whom they were originally united, chiefly, if not solely, respecting the lawfulness of taking the Burgess oath. For an account of their origin and principles, see SECEDERS.

ANTICHRIST, from VT, against, and L, Christ. The exact import of the name is important to a right determination of the character. The Greek ar signifies pro, rice, loco, ie. in the place of, instead of, as well as contra, adtersus, i. e. against, in opposition to. Thus, Bar is pro-rer, or vice-king; avriosos, like a god, equal to a god; av, like a lion. Al though, therefore, Antichrist is usually defined an adversary of Jesus Christ, the word includes the twofold idea of rival and adversary, or one who becomes an adversary by claiming to be a rival. In order, then, to appropriate this title where it properly belongs, we must have recourse to the ait of history, and find if possible a power which combines the above attributes in itself. To bestow it where it is not due is to bear false-witness agunst our neighbour, and to become an accuser of the brethren. The words of an apostle furnish us with a luminous clue towards a right applica

Authors have differed as to the time when Antichrist arose. Some suppose that his reign did not commence till he became a temporal prince, in the year 756, when Pepin wrested the exarchate of Ravenna from the Lombards, and made it over to the pope and his successors.

ANTICHRIST

ANTINOMIANS

Others think that it was in 727, when Rome and own will. See Bp. Newton on the Prophecies; the Roman dukedom came from the Greeks to Simpsons's Key to ditto; Moseley's Ser. on Fall the Roman pontiff. Mede dates his rise in the of Babylon; Ward's Three Discourses on Proyear 456; but others, and I think with the great-phecy, and books under that article. est reason, place it in the year 606. Now, it is ANTICHRISTIANISM, a state or quality generally agreed that the reign of Antichrist is in persons or principles, which denominates them 1260 years; consequently, if his rise is not to be antichristian or opposite to the kingdom of Christ. reckoned till he was possessed of secular autho- M. Jurieu takes the idea of the visible unity of rity, then his fall must be when this power is the church to have been the source of Antitaken away. According to the first opinion, he christianism. Had not mankind been infatuated must have possessed his temporal power till the with this, they would never have stood in such year 2016; according to the second, he must have awe of the anathemas of Rome. It was on this possessed it till the year 1987. If his rise began, the popes erected their monarchical power. according to Mede, in 456, then he must have fallen in 1716. Now that these dates were wrong, circumstances have proved; the first and second being too late, and the third too early. As these hypotheses, therefore, must fall to the ground, it remains for us to consider why the last-mentioned is the more probable. It was about the year 606 that pope Boniface III., by flattering Phocas, the emperor of Constantinople, one of the worst of tyrants, procured for himself the title of Universal Bishop. The bishops of Rome and Constantinople had long been struggling for this honour; at last, it was decided in favour of the bishop of Rome; and from this time he was raised above all others, and his supremacy established by imperial authority: it was now, also, that the most profound ignorance, debauchery, and superstition reigned. From this time the popes exerted all their power in promoting the idolatrous worship of images, saints, reliques, and angels. The church was truly deplorable; all the clergy were given up to the most flagrant and abominable acts of licentiousness. Places of worship resembled the temples of heathens more than the churches of Christians; in fine, nothing could exceed the avarice, pride, and vanity of all the bishops, presbyters, deacons, and even the cloistered monks! All this fully answered the description St. Paul gave of Antichrist, 2 Thess. ii. It is necessary also to observe, that this epoch agrees best with the time when, according to prophecy, he was to be revealed. The rise of Antichrist was to be preceded by the dissolution of the Roman empire, the establishment of a different form of government in Italy, and the division of the empire into ten kingdoms; all these events taking place, make it very probable that the year 606 was the time of his rise. Nor have the events of the last century made it less probable. The power of the pope was never so much shaken as within a few years: "his dominion is, in a great measure, taken from him;" and every thing seems to be going on gradually to terminate his authority; so that, by the time this 1260 years shall be concluded, we may suppose that Antichrist shall be finally destroyed.

As to the cruelties of Antichrist, the persecutions that have been carried on, and the miseries to which mankind have been subject, by the power of the beast, the reader may consult the articles INQUISITION and PERSECUTION. In this we have to rejoice, that, however various the opinions of the learned may be as to the time when Antichrist rose, it is evident to all that he is fast declining, and will certainly fall, Rev. xviii. 1, 5. What means the Almighty may further use, the exact time when, and the manner how, all shall be accomplished, we must leave to Him who ordereth all things after the counsel of his

ANTIDORON, a name given by the Greeks to the consecrated bread; out of which the middle part, marked with the cross, wherein the consecration resides, being taken away by the priest, the remainder is distributed after mass to the poor. ANTINOMIANS, those who maintain that the law is of no use or obligation under the Gos pel dispensation, or who hold doctrines that clearly supersede the necessity of good works. The Antinomians took their origin from John Agricola, about the year 1538, who taught that the law is no way necessary under the Gospel; that good works do not promote our salvation, nor ill ones hinder it; that repentance is not to be preached from the decalogue, but only from the Gospel. This sect sprung up in England during the protectorate of Cromwell, and extended their system of libertinism much farther than Agricola did. Some of them, it is said, maintained, that if they should commit any kind of sin, would do them no hurt, nor in the least affect their eternal state; and that it is one of the distinguishing characters of the elect, that they cannot do any thing displeasing to God. It is necessary, however, to observe here, and candour obliges us to confess, that there have been others, who have been styled Antinomians, who cannot, strictly speaking, be ranked with these men; nevertheless, the unguarded expressions they have advanced, the bold positions they have laid down, and the double construction which might so easily be put upon many of their sentences, have led some to charge them with Antinomian principles. For instance; when they have asserted justification to be eternal, without distinguishing between the secret determination of God in eternity and the execution of it in time; when they have spoken lightly of good works, or asserted that believers have nothing to do with the law of God, without fully explaining what they mean; when they as sert that God is not angry with his people for their sins, nor in any sense punishes them for them, without distinguishing between fatherly correction and vindictive punishment; these things, whatever be the private sentiments of those who advance them, have a tendency to injure the minds of many. It has been alleged, that the principal thing they have had in view, was to counteract those legal doctrines which have so much abounded among the self-righteous : but granting this to be true, there is no occasion to run from one extreme to another. Had many of those writers proceeded with more caution, been less dogmatical, more explicit in the explanation of their sentiments, and possessed more candour towards those who differed from them, they would have been more serviceable to the cause of truth and religion. Some of the chief of those who have been charged as favouring the

ANTITYPE

APOCRYPHA

above sentiments are, Crisp, Richardson, Sall- The word antitype occurs twice in the New marsh, Hussey, Eatom, Town, &c. These Testament, viz. in the Epistle to the Hebrews, have been answered by Gataker, Sedgwick, Wit- chap. ix. v. 24. and in the 1st Epistle of St. Peter, sius. Bull, Williams, Ridgley, Beart, De Fleu- chap. iii. v. 21. where its genuine import has ry, 4c. See also Bellamy's Letters and Dia- been much controverted. The former says, that logues between Theron, Paulinus, and Aspasio; | Christ is not entered into the holy places made with his Essay on the Nature and Glory of the with hands, which are TT, the figures or anGospel; Edwards's Crispianism unmasked. titypes of the true-now to appear in the preANTIPATHY, hatred, aversion, repugnan-sence of God. Now Tuzos signifies the pattern

c. Hatred is entertained against persons, acerion and antipathy against persons or things, and repugnancy against actions alone. Hatred is more voluntary than aversion, antipathy, or repugnancy: these last have greater affinity with the animal constitution. The causes of antipathy are less known than those of aversion. Repugnancy is less permanent than either the one or the other. We hate a vicious character; we feel an aversion to its exertions. We are affected with antipathy for certain persons at first sight; there are some affairs which we transact with repugnancy. Hatred calumniates, aversion keeps us at a distance from certain persons. Antipathy makes us detest them; repugnancy hinders us from imitating them.

ANTIPEDOBAPTISTS (from T, against, and was, 1865, child, and Bar, baptize,) is a distinguishing denomination given to those who object to the baptism of infants. See BAPTISTS, BAPTISM.

ANTIQUITIES, a term implying all testimonies or authentic accounts that have come down to us of ancient nations. As the study of antiquity may be useful both to the inquiring Christian, as well as to those who are employed in, or are candidates for the Gospel ministry, we shall here subjoin a list of those which are esteered the most valuable.-Fabricii Bibliographia Antiquaria; Spencer de Legibus Heb. Ritualibus; Godwyn's Moses and Aaron; Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian Church; Jennings's Jewish Antiquities; Potter's and Harwood's Greek, and Kennett's and Adams's Roman Antiquities; Preface to the Prussian Testament, published by L'Enfant and Beauobre; Prideaux and Shuckford's Connections; Jones's Ariatic Researches; and Maurice's Indian Antiquities; Brown's Jewish Antiquities; Lewis's Origines Hebraæ; Fleury's Manners of the Ancient Israelites.

ANTISABBATARIANS, a modern religious sect, who deny the necessity of observing the Sabbath Day. Their chief arguments are, 1. That the Jewish Sabbath was only of ceremonial, not of moral obligation; and consequently, is abolished by the coming of Christ.2. That no other Sabbath was appointed to be observed by Christ or his apostles.-3. That there is not a word of Sabbath-breaking in all the New Testament.-4. That no command was given to Adam or Noah to keep any Sabbath.And, 5. That, therefore, although Christians are commanded "not to forsake the assembling of themselves together," they ought not to hold one day more holy than another. See article SAB

by which another thing is made; and as Moses was obliged to make the tabernacle, and all things in it, according to the pattern shown him in the Mount, the tabernacle so formed was the antitype of what was shown to Moses; any thing, therefore, formed according to a model or pattern, is an antitype. In the latter passage, the Apos tle, speaking of Noah's flood, and the deliverance of only eight persons in the ark from it, says,

*** HAAS AVTITUTO V νυν σώζει βαπτισμα: Βαρtism being an antitype to that, now saves us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, &c. The meaning is, that righteousness, or the answer of a good conscience towards God, now saves us, by means of the resurrection of Christ, as formerly righteousness saved these eight per sons by means of the ark during the flood. The word antitype, therefore, here signifies a general similitude of circumstances; and the particle, whereunto, refers not to the immediate antecedent daros, water, but to all that precedes.

ANTOSIANDRIANS, a sect of rigid Lutherans, who opposed the doctrine of Osiander relating to justification. These are otherwise denominated Osiandromastiges.-The Antosiandrians deny that man is made just, with that justice wherewith God himself is just; that is, they assert that he is not made essentially, but only imputatively just; or that he is not really made just, but only pronounced so.

APATHY, among the ancient philosophers, implied an utter privation of passion, and an insensibility of pain. The word is compounded of, priv. and as, affection. The Stoics affected an entire apathy; they considered it as the highest wisdom to enjoy a perfect calmness or tranquillity of mind, incapable of being ruffled by either pleasure or pain. In the first ages of the church, the Christians adopted the term apathy to express a contempt of all earthly concerns; a state of mortification such as the Gospel prescribes. Clemens Alexandrinus, in particular, brought it exceedingly in vogue, thinking hereby to draw such philosophers to Christianity who aspired after such a sublime pitch of virtue.

APELLEANS, so called from Apelles, in the second century. They affirmed, that Christ, when he came down from heaven, received a body not from the substance of his mother, but from the four elements, which at his death he rendered back to the world, and so ascended into heaven without a body.

APOCALYPSE, or Revelation, from the Greek т, to unreil, discover, reveal; the name of the last of the sacred books of the New Testament, and so called from its containANTITRINITARIANS, those who denying important revelations concerning the future

BATH.

the Trinity, and teach that there are not three persons in the Godhead. See TRINITY.

ANTITYPE, a Greek word, properly signifving a type or figure corresponding to some

other type.

destinies of the church. See REVELATION.-B.

APOCRYPHA, books not admitted into the canon of Scripture, being either spurious, or at least not acknowledged as divine. The word is Greek, and is derived from us, from, and

APOLOGY, a Greek term, literally import-authority of apostles. ing an excuse or defence of some person, cause, The first time the term apostolical is attributed or action. Both in ancient and modern times to bishops, as such, is in a letter of Clovis to the the word has been applied to works written for council of Orleans, held in 511, though that king the professed design of defending or vindicating does not there expressly denominate them aposChristianity from the attacks of its enemies, and tolical, but (apostolica sede dignissimi) highly also to those written in defence of certain reli-worthy of the apostolical see. in 581, Guntram gious sects by their advocates. Thus, among the calls the bishops, met at the council of Macon, ancients, we meet with the Apology of Justin apostolical pontiffs, apostolici pontifices. Martyr, the Apologetic of Tertullian, &c. And among the moderns, with Watson's Apology, Barclay's Apology, and others.-B.

In progress of time, the bishop of Rome growing in power above the rest, and the three patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, and JerusaAPOSTACY, a forsaking or renouncing our lem falling into the hands of the Saracens, the religion, either by au open declaration in words, titie apostolical was restrained to the pope and or a virtual declaration of it by our actions. The his church alone; though some of the popes, and primitive Christian church distinguished several St. Gregory the Great, not contented to hold the kinds of apostacy: the first, of those who went title by this tenure, began at length to insist that entirely from Christianity to Judaism: the se- it belonged to them by another and peculiar right, cond, of those who complied so far with the Jews, as being the successors of St. Peter. The counas to communicate with them in many of their cil of Rheims, in 1049, declared that the pope unlawful practices, without making a formal pro- was the sole apostolical primate of the universal fession of their religion; thirdly, of those who church. And hence a great number of apostolimingled Judaism and Christianity together; and|cals; apostolical see, apostolical nuncio, apostoli

APPROPRIATION

cal notary, apostolical brief, apostolical chamber, | apostolical vicar, &c.

APOSTOLICAL CONSTITUTIONS, a collection of regulations attributed to the apostles, and supposed to have been collected by St. Clement, whose name they likewise bear. It is the general opinion, however, that they are spurious, and that St. Clement had no hand in them. They appeared first in the fourth century, but have been much changed and corrupted since. There are so many things in them different from and even contrary to the genius and design of the New Testament writers, that no wise man would believe, without the most convincing and irresistible proof, that both could come from the same hand. Grabe's Answer to Whiston; Saurin'a Ser, vol. ii. p. 185; Lardner's Cred. vol. iii. p. 11. ch. ult.; Doddridge's Lect. lec. 119.

ARIANS

mind by which we apply the blessings of the Gos pel to ourselves. This appropriation is real when we are enabled to believe in, feel, and obey the truth; but merely nominal and delusive when there are no fruits of righteousness and true holiness. See ASSURANCE.

AQUARIANS, those who consecrated water in the eucharist instead of wine. Another branch of them approved of wine in the sacrament, when received at the evening: they likewise mixed water with the wine.

ARABICI, erroneous Christians, in the third century, who thought that the soul and body died together, and rose again. It is said that Origen convinced them of their error, and that they then abjured it.

ARCHANGEL, according to some divines, means an angel occupying the eighth rank in the APOSTOLIC FATHERS, an appellation celestial hierarchy; but others, not without reausually given to the writers of the first century, son, reckon it a title only applicable to our Sawho employed their pens in the cause of Chris-viour. Compare Jude ix. with Dan. xii. 1. 1 tianity. Of these writers, Cotelerius, and after Thes. iv. 16. him Le Clerc, have published a collection in two volumes, accompanied both with their own annotations, and the remarks of other learned men. See also the genuine epistles of the apostolic fathers by Abp. Wake.

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. See Suc

CESSION.

APOTACTITÆ, an ancient sect, who affected to follow the example of the apostles, and renounced all their effects and possessions. It does not appear that they held any errors at first; but afterwards they taught that the renouncing of all riches was not only a matter of counsel and advice, but of precept and necessity.

APPLICATION is used for the act whereby our Saviour transfers or makes over to us what he had earned or purchased by his holy life and death. Accordingly it is by this application of the merits of Christ that we are to be justified and entitled to grace and glory.

Application is also used for that part of a sermon in which the preacher brings home or apples the truth of religion to the consciences of his hearers. See SERMON.

ARCHBISHOP, the chief or metropolitan bishop, who has several suffragans under him. Archbishops were not known in the East till about the year 320; and though there were some soon after this who had the title, yet that was only a personal honour, by which the bishops of considerable cities were distinguished. It was not till of late that archbishops became metropolitans, and had suffragans under them. The ecclesiastical government of England is divided into two provinces, viz. Canterbury and York. The first archbishop of Canterbury was Austin, appointed by king Ethelbert, on his conversion to Christianity, about the year 598. His grace of Canterbury is the first peer of England, and the next to the royal family, having precedence of all dukes, and all great officers of the crown. It is his privilege, by custom, to crown the kings and queens of this kingdom. The archbishop of York has precedence of all dukes not of the royal blood, and of all officers of state, except the lord high chancellor. The first archbishop of York was Paulinus, appointed by pope Gregory about the year 622.

APPROBATION, a state or disposition of ARCHDEACON, a priest invested with authe mind, wherein we put a value upon, or be-thority or jurisdiction over the clergy and laity, come pleased with, some person or thing. Mo- next to the bishop, either through the whole diomists are divided on the principle of approbation, cese, or only a part of it. There are sixty in or the motive which determines us to approve or England, who visit every two years in three, dapprove. The Epicureans will have it to be when they inquire into the reparations and only self-interest: according to them, that which moveables belonging to churches; reform abuses; determines any agent to approve his own action, suspend; excommunicate; in some places prove is its apparent tendency to his private happiness; wills; and induct all clerks into benefices within and even the approbation of another's action their respective jurisdictions. flows from no other cause but an opinion of its ARCHONTICS, a sect about the year 160 or tendency to the happiness of the approver, either 203. Among many other extravagant notions, immediately or remotely. Others resolve appro- they held that the world was created by archanbation into a moral sense, or a principle of be-gels; they also denied the resurrection of the body. nevolence, by which we are determined to approve every kind affection either in ourselves or hers, and all publicly useful actions which we unagine to flow from such affections, without any view therein to our own private happiness. But may we not add, that a true Christian's approbation arises from his perception of the will at God? See OBLIGATION.

APPROPRIATION, the annexing a benefire to the proper and perpetual use of some religious house. It is a term also often used in the gious world as referring to that act of the

ARCH-PRESBYTER, or ARCH-PRIEST, a priest established in some dioceses with a superiority over the rest. He was anciently chosen out of the college of presbyters, at the pleasure of the bishop. The arch-presbyters were much of the same nature with our deans in cathedral churches.

ARIANS, followers of Arius, a presbyter of the church of Alexandria, about 315, who maintained that the Son of God was totally and essentially distinct from the Father; that he was the first and noblest of those beings whom God had