neighbourhood. He fondly flattered himself, that he there should find sums sufficient to fill his coffers, and reinstate all his affairs upon their former prosperous foundations.* While he was forming all these projects, Lysias was meditating how he might best put in execution the orders he had left him, especially those which related to the Jews. The king had commanded him to extirpate them, so as not to leave one Hebrew in the country; which he intended to people with other inhabitants, and to distribute the lands among them by lot. He thought it necessary for him to make the more despatch in this expedition, because advice was daily brought him, that the arms of Judas made rapid progress, and increased in strength, by taking all the fortresses which he approached. Philip, whom Antiochus had left governor of Judea, seeing the success of Judas, had sent expresses, with advice of this, to Ptolemy Macron, governor of Colosyria and Palestine, on which Judea depended; and had pressed him, by letter, to employ such measures as might best support the interests of their common sovereign in this important conjuncture. Macron had communicated his advices and letters to Lysias. A resolution was therefore immediately taken to send an army, of which Ptolemy Macron was appointed generalissimo, into Judea. He appointed Nicanor, his intimate friend, his lieutenantgeneral; sent him before, at the head of twenty thousand men, with Georgias, a veteran officer of consummate experience, to assist him. Accordingly they entered the country, and were soon followed by Ptolemy with the rest of the forces intended for that expedition. The armies, when joined, came and encamped at Emmaus, near Jerusalem. It consisted of forty thousand foot, and seven thousand horse. Thither also repaired an army of another kind. It consisted of merchants who came to purchase the slaves, who, it was supposed, would certainly be taken in that war. Nicanor, who had flattered himself with the hopes of levying large sums of money by this means, sufficient to pay the two thousand talents, which the king still owed to the Romans on account of the ancient treaty of Sipy lus, published a proclamation in the neighbouring countries, declaring, that all the prisoners taken in that war, should be sold at the rate of ninety for a talent. A resolution had indeed been taken, to cut to pieces all the male adults; to reduce all the rest to a state of captivity; and one hundred and eighty thousand of the latter, at the price above mentioned, would have sold exactly for the sum in question. The merchants, therefore, finding this would be a very profitable article to them, as it was a very low price, flocked thither in crowds, and brought considerable sums with them. We are told that a thousand, all of them very considerable merchants, arrived in the Syrian camp on this occasion, without including their domestics, and the persons they should want to look after the captives they intended to purchase. Judas and his brethren, perceiving the danger with which they were threatened, by the approach of so powerful an army, which they knew had been commanded to extirpate entirely the Jewish nation, resolved to make a very vigorous defence; to fight for themselves, their law, and their liberty; and either to conquer, or die sword in hand. Accordingly they divided the six thousand men under their command into four bodies of fifteen hundred men each. Judas put himself at the head of the first, and gave the command of the three others to his brethren. He afterwards marched them to Maspha, there to offer together their prayers to God, and to implore his assistance in the extreme danger to which they were reduced. He made choice of this place, because, as Jerusalem was in the hands of their enemies, and the sanctuary trampled upon, they could not assemble in it to solemnize that religious act; and Maspha seemed the fittest place for that purpose, because God was worshipped there before the foundation of the temple. 1 Maccab. iii. 31-60. et iv. 1-25. 2 Maccab. viii. 9-28. Joseph. Antiq. 1. xii. c. 11. Appian. in Syr. p. 117. Hieron. in Dan. xi. 44. Here are now two armies ready to engage, the numbers on each side being very unequal, and the disposition of their minds still more so.* They agreed, however, in one point, viz. both were firmly persuaded they should gain the victory; the one because they had a mighty army of well disciplined troops, commanded by brave and experienced generals; the other, because they put their whole trust in the God of armies.f After proclamation had been made, according to the law, that those who had built a house that year, or married a wife, or planted a vine, or were afraid, had liberty to retire, the army of Judas was reduced to three thousand men. But this valiant captain of the people of God, resolutely determined to fight the mighty host of the enemy with only this handful of men, and to leave the issue to Providence, advanced with his few forces, encamped very near the enemy, and told his soldiers, after having animated them by all the motives which the present conjuncture supplied, that he intended to give the Syrians battle on the morrow, and therefore that they must prepare for it. But, receiving advice that same evening, that Gorgias had been detached from the enemy's camp with five thousand foot and a thousand horse, all chosen troops, and that he was marching a by-way, through which the apostate Jews led him, in order to come and surprise his camp in the night; he was not satisfied with frustrating that design, but even made use of that very stratagem which the enemy intended to employ against him, and was successful in it. For, raising his camp immediately, and carrying off the baggage, he marched and attacked the enemy's camp, weakened by the best troops having been detached from it; and spread such terror and confusion in every part of it, that after three thousand Syrians had been cut to pieces, the rest fled, and left him the whole plunder of their camp. As Gorgias was still at the head of his formidable detachment, Judas, like a wise captain, kept his troops together, and would not suffer them to disperse for plunder, or in pursuit of the enemy, till they should have defeated that body also. He was successful without coming to a battle; for Gorgias, after failing to meet with Judas in his camp, and having sought for him in vain in the mountains, whither he supposed he had retired, withdrew at last into his camp; and finding it in a blaze, and his soldiers scattered and flying away, it was impossible for him to keep them in order; so that these threw down their arms and fled also. Judas, and the men under his command, then pursued them vigorously, and cut to pieces a greater number on this occasion, than they had before done in the camp. Nine thousand Syrians were left dead on the field, and the greatest part of those who fled were either maimed or wounded. After this, Judas marched his soldiers back, in order to plunder the camp, where they met with immense booty; and great numbers who were come as to a fair, to buy the captive Jews, were themselves taken prisoners, and sold. The next day, being the Sabbath, was solemnized in the most religious manner. The Hebrews, on that occasion, gave themselves up to a holy joy; and unanimously returned thanks to the Creator, for the great and signal deliverance he had wrought in their favour. We have here a sensible image of the feeble opposition which the human arm is able to make against that of the Almighty, on whom alone the fate of battle depends. It is evident, that Judas was fully sensible of his own weakness." How can we," says he to the Almighty, before the battle," stand before them, unless thou thyself assistest us?" And it is as evident that he was no less firmly persuaded of the success of his arms. "The victory," he had said above, "does not depend on the number of soldiers, but it is from heaven that all our strength comes." But although Judas had so entire a confidence in God, he employed all those expedients which the most experienced and bravest general could use, in order to obtain the victory. How excellent a Judges, xx. 1. 1 Kings, vii. 5. + Deut. xx. 5. &c. 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. Judas, encouraged by the important victory he had gained, and reinforced by a greater 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 lieutenants of Antiochus, 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 the arms of Antiochus had met with in Judea, and the great losses he had sustained in that country, was in great astonishment and perplexity. Knowing, however, that the king had a strong desire to extirpate that nation, he made mighty preparations for a new expedition against the Jews. He, accordingly, levied an army of sixty thousand foot, and five thousand horse, all chosen troops; and, putting himself at their head, he marched into Judea, firmly resolved to lay waste the whole country, and to destroy all the inhabitants.f He encamped at Bethsura, a city to the south of Jerusalem, toward the frontiers of Idumæa. Judas advanced toward him, at the head of ten thousand men; and, fully persuaded that the Lord would assist him, he engaged the enemy with his inconsiderable body of troops, killed five thousand of them, and put the rest to flight. Lysias, dismayed at the surprising valour of the Jews, who fought with intrepid courage, determined to conquer or die, led back his conquered army to Antioch; intending to return and attack them again the next year, with a still more powerful body of forces. Judas being left master of the field, by the retreat of Lysias, took advantage of this opportunity, 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 a week, all which was spent in thanksgiving for the delivery that God had 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.‡ This prince was then in Persia, levying the tribute which had not been regularly paid. He was informed, that Elymais was thought to abound with riches; and especially, that in a temple of that city, which Polybius says was dedicated to Diana, and to Venus according to Appian, prodigious sums were laid up. He went thither, with a design to take the city, and plunder the temple, as he had before done Jerusalem. But his design being made known, the country people and the inhabitants of the city took up arms to defend their temple, and gave him a shameful repulse. Antiochus, thunderstruck at this disgrace, withdrew to Ecbatana.§ To add to his affliction, news was brought to him at that place of the defeat of Nicanor and Timotheus in Judea. 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 toward Babylonia, which was in his way, fresh expresses came to him with advice of the defeat of Lysias, and also that the Jews had retaken the temple, thrown down the altars and idols which he had set up in it, and re-established their ancient worship. At this news his fury increased. He immediately commanded his charioteers to drive with the utmost speed, in order that he might have an opportunity to satiate fully his vengeance; threatening to make Jerusalem the burying-place of the whole Jewish nation, and not to leave one single inhabi *2 Maccab. viii, 30-33. Joseph. Antiq. I. xii. c. 11. † A. M. 3839. Ant. J. C. 165 1 Maccab. iv. 26-35. 1 Maccab. iv. 35-61. et v. 1, 2. 2 Maccab. x. 1-8. A. M. 3840. Ant. J. C. 164. 1 Maccab. vi. 1—16. 2 Maccab. ix. i-29. Polyb. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 145. Appian. in Syr. p. 131. tant in it. He had scarcely 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, in a strange country, in the mountains." 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 forward impetuously, he fell from his chariot, and thereby bruised, in a very grievous manner, every part of his 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 piece-meal, 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." Acknow ledging that it was the hand of the Lord of Israel which struck him, because of the calamities he had brought upon Jerusalem, he promised to exert his utmost liberality toward 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 to calm the wrath of God 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 in question," This wicked person vowed unto the Lord, who now no more would have mercy upon him." Thus this murderer and blasphemer, names which the writer of the Maccabees substituted 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; 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 how to govern 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. SECTION IV.-PROPHECIES Oof 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 the same time, the type of the Antichrist, who, in after ages, was to afflict the Christian church; the prophe cies of Daniel expatiate much more on this prince than on any other mentioned in them. 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. 2 Maccab. ix. 12. 12 Maccab. xiii. Polybius attests the truth of this, and relates that Antiochus was troubled with a perpetual delirium; imagining that spectres stood perpetually before him reproaching him with his crimes. This historian, who was unacquainted with the Scriptures, assigns as the cause of this punishment, the sacrilegious attempt formed by this prince against the temple of Diana in Elymais.-Polyb. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 145, 1. THE WARS OF ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES AGAINST EGYPT, FORETOLD BY DANIEL THE PROPHET. "And in his (Seleucus Philopator's) estate shall stand up a 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 explained. 66 "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." Heliodorus, 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 covenant," we may suppose to be meant, either Heliodorus, the chief 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, when he was meditating a war against Syria. Thus Providence removed this powerful adversary, to make way for Antiochus, and raise him to the throne. The prophet, in the following verses, points out clearly the four different expeditions of Antiochus into Egypt. FIRST EXPEDITION OF ANTIOCHUS INTO EGYPT. "And after the league made with him," with Ptolemy Philometer 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," yet he shall assume a specious appearance of friendship for the king of Egypt." He even sent Apollonius to Memphis, to be present at the banquet given on occasion of that prince's coronation, as a proof that it was agreeable to him. But 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 strongest, that is, victorious, and afterwards returned to Tyre. Such was the end of his first expedition. SECOND EXPEDITION OF ANTIOCHUS 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 father's fathers; he shall scatter among them," his troops, "the prey and spoil and riches; yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the 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 army, 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." "Yea, they that feed on the portion of his" the king of Egypt's" meat, shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain."¶ In these three verses appear the principal characters of the second expedition of Antiochus 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, as soon as the season would permit. "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 |