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pattern have we here for generals! To pray with humility, because all things depend on GOD; and to act with vigour, as if all things depended on man. We still possess (thanks to the Almighty) generals who believe it glorious to entertain such thoughts; and who, at the head of great armies, composed of as brave soldiers as ever were, as well as of officers and commanders of an almost unparalleled courage and zeal, do not rely on all those human advantages, but solely on the protection of the God of armies.

a Judas, encouraged by the important victory he had gained, and reinforced by a great number of troops, whom this success brought to him, employed the advantage which this gave him to distress the rest of his enemies. Knowing that Timotheus and Bacchides, two of Antiochus's lieutenants, were raising troops to fight him, he marched against them, defeated them in a great battle, and killed upwards of twenty thousand of their men.

Lysias, hearing of the ill success which Antiochus's arms had met with in Judæa, and the great losses he had sustained in that country, was in great astonishment and perplexity. However, knowing that the king had a strong desire to extirpate that nation, he made mighty preparations for a new expedition against the Jews. Accordingly he levied an army of sixty thousand foot and five thousand horse, all chosen troops; and, putting himself at their head, he marched into Judæa, firmly resolved to lay waste the whole country, and to destroy all the inhabitants.

He encamped at Bethsura, a city standing to the south of Jerusalem, towards the frontiers of Idumæa. Judas advanced towards him at the head of ten thousand men; and, fully persuaded that the LORD would assist him, he engaged the enemy with this disproportionate body of troops, killed five thousand of them, and put the rest to flight. Lysias, dismayed at the surprising valour of Judas's soldiers, who fought with intrepid courage, determined to conquer or die, led back his defeated army to Antioch; intending, nevertheless, to come and attack them again the next year with a still more powerful body of forces.

Judas, being left master of the country by the retreat of Lysias, took advantage of this interval of rest, and marched to Jerusalem; where he recovered the sanctuary from the heathens, purified and dedicated it again to the service of GOD. This solemn dedication continued for eight days, which were spent in thanksgiving for the deliverance that God had

a 2 Maccab. viii. 30-83.

b A. M. 3839. Ant. J. C. 165. 1 Maccab, iv. 26-35.

e, 11.

1 Maccab. iv. 35-61. and v. 1, 2, 2 Maccab. x. 1-8.

Joseph. Antiq. I. xii.

Joseph. Antig. 1. xii.

vouchsafed them; and it was ordained that the anniversary of it should be solemnized every year. The neighbouring nations, jealous of the prosperity of the Jews, made a league to destroy them, and resolved to join Antiochus, in order to extirpate that people.

4 This prince was then in Persia, levying the tribute which had not been paid regularly. He was informed that Elimais was thought to abound with riches; and especially, that in a temple of that city, which, according to Polybius, was dedicated to Diana, and to Venus, according to Appian, prodigious sums were laid up. He went thither with the design to take the city, and plunder the temple, as he had before done Jerusalem; but his design having been discovered, the country people and the inhabitants of the city took up arms to defend their temple, and gave him a shameful repulse. Antiochus, thunder-struck at this disgrace, withdrew to Ecbatana.

To add to this affliction, news was there brought him of the defeat of Nicanor and Timotheus in Judæa. In the violence of his rage, he set out with all possible expedition, in order to make that nation feel the dreadful effects of his wrath; venting nothing but menaces on his march, and breathing only final ruin and destruction. Advancing in this disposition towards Babylonia, which was in his way, fresh expresses came to him with advice of Lysias's defeat, and also that the Jews had retaken the temple, thrown down the altars and idols which he had set up in them, and re-established their ancient worship. At this news his fury increased. Immediately he commands his coachmen to drive with the utmost speed, in order that he might have an opportunity of fully satiating his vengeance; threatening to make Jerusalem the burying place of the whole Jewish nation, and not to leave one single inhabitant in it. He had scarce uttered that blasphemous expression, when he was struck by the hand of GOD. He was seized with incredible pains in his bowels, and the most excessive pangs of the cholic. "Thus the "murderer and blasphemer," says the author of the Maccabees, "having suffered most grievously, as he treated other men, so died he a miserable death."

But still his pride was not abated by this first shock: so far from it, that suffering himself to be hurried away by the wild transports of his fury, and breathing nothing but vengeance against the Jews, he gave orders for proceeding with all possible speed in the journey. But, as his horses were running forwards impetuously, he fell from his chariot, and thereby bruised, in a grievous manner, every part of his

a A. M. 3840. Ant, J. C. 164. 1 Maccab. vi 1-16. 2 Maccab. Ix 1-29. P& lyb. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 145. Appian. in Syr. p. 131.

body; so that his attendants were forced to put him into a litter, where he suffered inexpressible torments. Worms crawled from every part of him; his flesh fell away piecemeal, and the stench was so great, that it became intolerable to the whole army. Being himself unable to bear it, "It is meet," says he, "to be subject unto God; and man, "who is mortal, should not think of himself as if he were a god." Acknowledging that it was the hand of the GOD of Israel which struck him, because of the calamities he had brought upon Jerusalem, he promises to exert the utmost liberality towards his chosen people; to enrich with precious gifts the holy temple of Jerusalem, which he had plundered; to furnish, from his revenues, the sums necessary for defraying the expense of the sacrifices; to turn Jew himself; and to travel into every part of the world in order to publish the power of the Almighty. He hoped he should calm his wrath by these mighty promises, which the violence of his present affliction, and the fear of future torments extorted from his mouth, but not from his heart. But, adds the author of the Maccabees, ¿ "This wicked person vowed unto the LORD, "who now no more would have mercy upon him.” And indeed this murderer and blasphemer (these are the names which this writer substitutes in the place of illustrious, which men had bestowed on that prince), being struck in a dreadful manner, and treated as he treated others, finished an impious life by a miserable death.

Before he expired, he sent for Philip, who had been brought up with him from his infancy and was his favourite, and bestowed on him the regency of Syria during the minority of his son, then nine years of age. He put into his hands the diadem, the seal of the empire, and all the other ensigns of royalty; exhorting him, especially, to employ his utmost endeavours to give him such an education as would best teach him the art of reigning, and of governing his subjects with justice and moderation. Few princes give such instructions to their children till they are near their end; and that, after having set them a quite different example during their whole lives. Philip caused the king's body to be conveyed to Antioch. This prince had reigned eleven years.

SECT. IV.

Prophecies of Daniel relating to Antiochus Epiphanes. As Antiochus Epiphanes was a violent persecutor of the people of God, who formed the Jewish church, and was, at

a 2 Maccab. ix. 12.

b 2 Maccab. ix. 13.

c Polybius attests the truth of this, and relates that Antiochus was troubled with a perpetual delirium ; imagining that spectres stood continually before him, reproaching him with his crimes. This historian, who was unacquainted with the Scriptures, assigns, as the cause of this punishment, the sacrilegious at tempt formed by this prince against the temple of Diana in Elymais. Polyb. in. Excerpt. Vales. p. 145.

the same time, the type of the Antechrist, who in afterages was to afflict the Christian church; Daniel details much more fully his prophecy respecting this prince, than those which relate to any other of whom he makes mention. This prophecy consists of two parts; one of which relates to his wars in Egypt, and the other to the persecution carried on by him against the Jews. We shall treat these separately, and unite together the various places where mention is made of them.

P. THE WARS OF ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES AGAINST EGyrt, FORETOLD BY DANIEL THE PROPHET.

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"And in his [Seleucus Philopator's] estate shall stand up vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of "the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries." This verse, which points out the accession of Antiochus to the crown, has been already ex plained.

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"And with the arms of a flood shall they [the Syrians] "be overflown before him [Antiochus Epiphanes], and shall "be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant." Helio dorus, the murderer of Seleucus and his adherents, as also those of the Egyptian king, who had formed designs against Syria, were defeated by the forces of Attalus and Eumenes, and dispersed by the arrival of Antiochus, whose presence disconcerted all their projects. By the "prince of the cove"nant," we may suppose to be meant, either Heliodorus, the ringleader of the conspirators, who had killed Seleucus; or rather Ptolemy Epiphanes, king of Egypt, who lost his life by a conspiracy of his own subjects, at the very time that he was meditating a war against Syria. Thus Providence removed this powerful adversary, to make way for Antiochus, and raise him to the throne.

It appears that the prophet, in the following verses, points out clearly enough the four different expeditions of Antiochus into Egypt.

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ANTIOCHUS'S FIRST EXPEDITION INTO EGYPT.

"And after the league made with him [with Ptolemy Philometor his nephew, king of Egypt], he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong "with a small people." Antiochus, though he was already determined on the war, still assumed a specious appearance of friendship for the king of Egypt. He even sent Apollonius to Memphis, to be present at the banquet given on oc

a Dan. xi. 21.

b Ver 22.

c Dan xi, 23.

casion of that prince's coronation, as a proof that it was agreeable to him. Nevertheless, soon after, on pretence of defending his nephew, he marched into Egypt with a "small army," in comparison of those which he levied afterwards. The battle was fought near Pelusium. Antiochus was "strong," that is, victorious, and afterwards returned to Tyre. Such was the end of his first expedition.

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ANTIOCHUS'S SECOND EXPEDITION INTO EGYPT.

"He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places "of the province [Egypt], and he shall do that which his "fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall “scatter among them [his troops] the prey and spoil and "riches; yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the 66 strong holds, even for a time.

"And he shall stir up his power and his courage against "the king of the South [of Egypt] with a great ariny, and "the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall forecast devices against him.

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"Yea, they that feed of the portion of his [the king of Egypt's] meat shall destroy him, and his army shall over"flow; and many shall fall down slain."

In these three verses appear the principal characters of Antiochus's second expedition into Egypt; his mighty armies, his rapid conquests, the rich spoils he carried from thence, and the dissimulation and treachery he began to practise with regard to Ptolemy.

Antiochus, after employing the whole winter in making preparations for a second expedition into Egypt, invaded it both by sea and land the instant the season would permit. d" Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, "with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy. And made war against Ptolemy king of Egypt. "But Ptolemy was afraid of him and fled; and many were "wounded to death, Thus they got the strong cities in the "land of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof.”

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Daniel, some verses after, is more minute in his prophecy of this event.

e" And at the time of the end shall the king of the South 2: push at him [Ptolemy is here meant]; and the king of "the North [Antiochus] shall come against him like a "whirlwind, with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter into the countries, and shall "overflow and pass over.

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a Ver. 24. b Ver. 25.

c Dan. xi. 26, ä 1 Maccab. i. 17, 18, 19 e Ban, xi. 40.

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