To ABUSE; to use persons ori. 31. It made no great figure till things from wrong ends or motives; Ptolemy Philadelphus king of Egypt or in a sinful and dishonourable man- rebuilt it, and called it PTOLEMAIS: ner, Judg. xix. 25. Men abuse them- after which it often shared in the dis

selves with mankind, when they com-tress of the Syrian war. The Chrismit the horrid sin of Sodom, that brought ruin on that and the cities around, 1 Cor. vi. 9. Men abuse the world, when they use the good things of it to dishonor God, and gratify their own lusts, 1 Cor. vii. 31.

tian, religion was early established here; and here Paul visited the saints in his way to Jerusalem, Acts xxi. 7. Church history informs us, that here were bishops in the 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th, centuries of the Chris

To ACCEPT; (1.) To receive fa-||tian æra. vourably, Mal. i. 10—13. (2.) To take pleasure in, Jer. xiv. 10. (3.) To esteem highly, Luke iv. 24. To be accepted of God, is to be received into his grace and favour Acts x. 35. The saints are accepted in the beloved: || through union to the person, and imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, they are received into the divine favour, and entitled to all the blessings of eternal life, Eph. i. 6. || The sinful accepting of persons, is the shewing them partial respect in judg-is ment or otherwise, on account of some carnal circumstances and motives, as the Arabs will not allow it to be Prov. xviii. 5.

In the 12th and 13th centuries it was a place of great strength, and was the object of no small contention between the Mahometans and the Europeans in the sacred wars. It began about that time to be called St. John de Acra: and here the knights of St. John of Jerusalem fortified themselves a long time. It has for about 300 years been subject to the Turks, and is still remarkable for a deal of magnificent ruins of palaces, castles, and about 30 churches. It now but poorly built and inhabited ; scarce a mile about, and without walls;

inclosed, lest they should lose their un-power over it. It has an old church, and a bishop of the Greek church. The Popish monks have an inn, which serves them instead of a convent.

ACCESS; free admission; hampered entrance. Our access to a gracious state, and to God, is through Christ, as our ransom and way; by the Spirit, as applying to us the perACCOMPLISH; (1.) To person and fulness of Christ; and by faith, form; FULFIL; fully execute, Jer. as the means of receiving and im- xliv. 25. (2.) To bring to pass what proving Christ as the Lord our righ-is desired, purposed, or promised, teousness and strength, Eph. ii. 18. Prov. xiii. 9. (3.) To finish; so days Rom. v. 2. are accomplished, Acts xxi. 5. Luke

ACCHO, was a city of Gallilee, onii. 6. the coast of the Mediterranean sea, ACCORD; of its, or his own acabout 32 miles south of Tyre. It cord; freely, without pains or conwas built on a plain, but had moun-straint, Lev. xxv. 5. 2 Cor. viii. 17. tains surrounding it on all sides, ex- With one accord, with universal harcept towards the sea: on the south mony and agreement, Acts i. 14. and was Carmel; on the east the moun-ii. 46. and v. 12. tains of Galilee; and on the north the ladder of Tyre, about 12 miles distant. It had a fine harbour, and on the north of it the river Belus; and the sea shore afforded great quantities of sand for making glass. It was given to the tribe of Asher: but they suffered the Canaanites to continue in it, Judg.

ACCORDING; (1.) Agreeably to, 2 Tim. i. 9. (2.) Even as; in proportion to, Acts iv. 35. God rewards all men according to their works; that is, agreeably to the nature of their works, 2 Cor. v. 10. Rev. xxii. 12; but deals not with his elect according to the merit of their works, whether

good or bad, 2 Timothy i. iii. 5.

9. Titus || ver, brass, and iron, were under the form of a curse set apart to the serTo ACCOUNT to reckon; vice of God, and the rest devoted to rujudge; value, Deut. ii. 11. The He-in, Jo. vi. 16, 19. and vii. 1. The hanged brews made account for the Paschal male factors were accursed of God, delamb; every eater paid his share of voted to public punishment, and in emthe price, Exod. xii. 14. To put a blem of Jesus dying under the curse, thing to one's account, is to charge Deut. xxi. 23. To promote the salit on him as his debt; or reckon it vation of his Jewish brethren, Paul to him as his good deed, Philem. 18. could have wished himself accursed Phil. iv. 17. To take account, is to from Christ; not cast into hell, and search into and judge a matter, Mat. for ever under the power of sin, and xviii. 23. To give account, is to have employed in blasphemy of God, but our conduct tried, whether it be rea-cast out of the church, and made a sonable and lawful or not, Rom. xiv. temporary monument of God's wrath. 12. Heb. xiii. 17. 1 Peter iv. 5. God Rom. ix 3. Moses too is thought to giveth not account of his matters: he have offered himself to ruin for the does not ordinarily inform his crea-preservation of Israel; but I suppose tures of the reasons and circumstances he only wished that he might not outof his conduct; nor is he under obli- live the destruction of his people, gation to do it, Job xxxiii. 13. Exod. xxxii. 32. Haters of Christ, ACCURSED. The Hebrew word and preachers of righteousness by the HHEREM, and the Greek ANATHEMA, works of the law, are accursed, Isa. which our version often renders ac- lxv. 20. Gal. i. 8, 9. To be Anathecursed, signify things set apart or de-ma, Maranatha, is to be finally sepavoted; and with Jews and Christians rated from Christ and the saints, and marked the highest degree of excom-devoted to everlasting punishment by munication. They generally imported him at his second coming: the one the cutting off one from the commu-word is Greek, and the other Syriac. nity of the faithful, the number of the to import, that neither Jews nor Genliving, or the privileges of society; tiles shall be accepted, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. and of a thing from existence and To call Jesus accursed, is to account common use. The cities of king him a deceiver, and act toward him Arad, the seven nations of Canaan, as such in our profession or practice, the sacrifices of false gods, were ac1 Cor. xii. 3. cursed, or devoted to destruction, Numb. xxi. 2, 3. Deut. vii. 2, 26. Exod. xxii. 19. The Hebrews devoted to a curse such as did not assist in punishing the Benjamites, Judg. xxi. 5. Jephthah devoted whatever should first meet him from his house, Judg. xi. 29. Saul devoted such in his host as should taste any food before sun-Rom. ii. 15. Moses accused the Jews in set, while he pursued the Philistines, Christ's time; his law pointed out 1 Sam. xiv. 24. Above forty Jews and condemned them for the defects devoted themselves under a curse, if and irregularities of their practice, they did eat or drink before they had John v. 45. Satan is the accuser killed Paul, Acts xxiii. 12, 13. No- of the brethren before God day and thing devoted to the Lord, under the night without ceasing, he, by his form of a curse, could be redeemed, agents, accused the primitive ChrisLev. xxvii. 28, 29, The wealth of tians before the civil magistrates; Jericho was accursed; the gold, sil-" and towards GOD, to the world, and to

To ACCUSE; to charge with a crime, Dan. iii. 8. AccUSATION is the act of charging one with a fault; or the charge itself, Lu. xix. 8. 1 Tim, v. 19. Men's thoughts accuse them, when their conscience charges their sins on them, fills them with pain, shame, and fear on account thereof,

ACHAN, or ACHAR, a descendant of Judah by Zerah, Zabdi, Carmi. At the taking of Jericho, he contrary to the express charge of Joshua, coveted part of the accursed spoil: Having seized a Babylonish garment, a wedge of gold, and two hundred shekels of silver, he concealed them in his tent.

Offended with his crime,

and to deter others from secret wickedness, God marked his indignation hereat in the defeat of three thousand Hebrews before A1, and the slaughter of thirty-six. Pained with grief,

their own conscience, he, in every age, charges the saints with manifold crimes real or feigned, Rev. xii. 10. ACELDAMA; a field, said to have lain on the south of Jerusalem, just north of the rivulet Shiloah. It is said to have been the same with the fullers' field, where they whitened their cloth, Isa. vii. 3. It is certain it was the potter's field, whence they digged their materials: its soil being quite exhausted by them, it was of very small value. When Judas brought back the thirty pieces of silver, which he had received for betraying his Mas-Joshua and the elders of Israel rent ter, the high priest and rulers pre- their clothes, and cried to the Lord tended it was not lawful to cast it into for help. The Lord informed Joshthe sacred treasury, as it was the price ua, that one of the people had taken of blood, and purchased with it this of the accursed spoil, and hid it field to bury strangers in; and so it among his stuff; and that they were came to be called Aceldama, or Ha- to have no assistance from him, till keldama, the field of blood, Zech. xi. that evil should be discovered and pu12, 13. Matth. xxvii. 8. Acts i. 18. nished. By the direction of God, the Travellers assure us, that it is now whole assembly of Israel sanctified covered with an arched roof, and will themselves, and prepared for a soconsume a corpse in two or three lemn search on the morrow: the days. search was referred to the determiACHAIA, a country of the Greeks nation of the lot: First the tribe of in Europe. Sometimes it was taken Judah; next the family of Zerah; largely and answered to GRECIA pro-next the family of Zabdi; and lastly, per, now called Livadia: but Achaia || Achan himself was taken: admoproper was a very small canton annished of Joshua, he candidly.confesthe south of Greece, and north of sed his offence; and it is hoped, truthe Peloponesus or Morea. Its ca-ly repented of it: The stolen goods pital, and only city of note, was Co- were brought, and publicly exposed rinth. Gallio was the Roman deputy to the view of the assembly: Then here when Paul preached the gospel, he and his children, who probably conand founded various Christian con- curred in the theft, and all his cattle, gregations, Acts xviii. 1-12, 2 were, for the terror of others, publicCor. i. 1.* ly stoned to death; and the dead bodies, with his household furniture, burnt to ashes in the valley of Gilgal, called from that event ACHOR, that is trouble; and a great heap of stones cast on them. 1 Chron. ii. 5-7. Josh. vii.

* The provinces of the Roman Empire were of two kinds; those belonging to the Emperor, in which the Governor was called Proprætor; and those belonging to the Senate, in which the Governor was called Proconsul. The province of Achaia, which, in the reign of Augustus Cæsar, belonged to the Senate passed afterwards to the Emperor Tiberius. But Claudius restored it again to the Senate; so that when Paul preached there, the government was Proconsular; and the Governor Gallio was properly called the Proconsul, which is the signification of the word which in Acts xviii. is rendered deputy.

ACHISH, or ABIMELECH, king or lord of the Philistines of Gath. To avoid Saul's persecution, David retired to Gath. The courtiers represented to Achish that this David had killed Goliah, and been celebrated as a noted destroyer of their na

tion. Informed of these insinuations, || some brave warrior to wrest KirjathDavid, to secure himself, meanly sepher from the Canaanitish giants, counterfeited madness. Achish hin- Caleb proffered Achsah as his reted to his servants that they had no ward. On these terms, Othniel her reason to be afraid, and himself had cousin quickly obtained her. In her no need of a fool to make sport to way home to her husband's residence, him: He ordered them to expel him || she alighted from her ass, threw herfrom the city. About four years af- self at her father's feet, and begged, ter, David returned to Gath. Achish, that as he had portioned her with a the same who had formerly contem-south, a dry land, he would give her ned him, or perhaps his son, gave some moist field, abounding with him a friendly reception. He assign-springs of water: he gave her one, or ed him and his warriors Ziklag, one perhaps two fields, thoroughly moist. of his cities, to dwell in. Almost two Joshua xv. 16-19. Judges i. 12-15. years after, he required David and his warriors to assist him and the Philistines against Saul and the Hebrews, and promised to make them his life-guard. The other lords of the Philistines absolutely refused to allow David and his men to serve in their army. Achish, therefore, discreetly dismissed them to their home. | Psal. xxxiv. tit. 1 Sam. xxi. xxvii. xxviii. and xxix.

ACHSHAPH, a city about the foot of mount Tabor; Joshua conquered the king of it, and gave it to the tribe of ASHER. In Jerom's time, about 400 years after Christ, it seems to have been a small village called Chasalus, Josh. xii. 20. and xix. 25.

ACHZIB, a city pertaining to the tribe of Asher. It is thought to have been the same with Eedippa, now Zib, which stands on the shore of the ACHMETHA. Some think it Mediterranean sea, about half way signifies Ecbatana, the capital or chief between Tyre and Ptolemais, Joshua city of Media, built by Dejoces or xix. 29. There was another city of Phraortes, and surrounded with a this name in the tribe of Judah, Josh. sevenfold wall of different colours xv. 44. The houses, forts or families and unequal height. But perhaps it of Achzib were a lie to the kings of signifies but a strong box or press, Israel; disappointed them, or proved in which the old rolls of the Medo-unfaithful to their allegiance, during Persian court were deposited, Ezra the Assyrian invasion, Mic. i. 14. vi. 2.

To ACKNOWLEDGE; (1.) To ACHOR, the valley near Jericho own or confess, Gen. xxxviii. 26. (2.) where ACHAN was stoned. The val-To observe; take notice of, Isaiah ley of Achor being a rest for flocks, xxxiii. 13. (3.) To esteem and reand a door of hope, imports, that under spect, Isa. Ixi. 9. 1 Cor. xvi. 18. (4.) the gospel, cheifly during the thou-To approve of, 2 Cor. i. 13. Philem. sand years reign of the saints, the 6. (5.) To worship, profess, and own issue of discouraging troubles, and as a God, Dan. xi. 39. We acknowthe ordinances and influences of God's ||ledge the Lord in all our ways, when grace, shall afford restful pasture to in every matter we request and wait his people, and encourage their solid for his direction and assistance; when hope of the heavenly bliss; even as we observe what direction or encouthe Hebrews' first encampment in the ragement his word and providence valley of Achor was to them an hope-afford us in our affairs, temporal or ful pledge of their complete posses- spiritual, Prov. iii. 6. sion of the promised land. Joshua vii. 26. Isaiah lxv. 10. Hosea ii. 15.

ACHSAH, the daughter of Caleb the son of Jephunneh. To excite

To ACQUAINT; to get a familiar knowledge and intimacy, Psalm cxxxix. 3. To acquaint one's self with, or accustom ourselves to God,

ACQUIT, to clear from charge of guilt, Nah. i. 3.

is by repeated endeavours to get spi- || the gospel among the Gentiles by the ritual knowledge of, and intimacy dispersed preachers; and the contriwith him, Job xxii. 21. ACQUAIN-bution for the saints at Jerusalem in TANCE, persons to whom one is fa- the time of a dearth, chap. xi. 19— miliarly known and intimate, Job 39: of Herod's murder of James; xix. 13. imprisonment of Peter, and fearful death, chap. xii: of the council held at Jerusalem, which condemned the ACRE. The English acre is 4840 imposition of Jewish ceremonies, and square yards, the Scotch 6150 2-5ths, || advised to avoid offence of the weak, the Roman 3200, and the Egyptian || to forbear eating of meats offered to aroura 3698 7-9ths; but the Hebrew idols, or of things strangled, or blood, Tzemed appears to mean what one chap. xv. The rest of the book replough tilled at one time. Ten acres || lates the conversion, labours, and sufof vineyard yielding one bath, and the ||ferings of Paul, chap. ix. 1—31. and seed of an homer an ephah, imports xiii. and xiv. and xvi. to the end. It excessive barrenness; that the best contains the history of the planting ground should scarce produce the and regulation of the Christian church tenth part of the seed, Isa. v. 10. for about 30 years. Nor have we any other for 250 years after, that deseryes our belief. This large gap betwixt inspired history, and that of human authority which deserves credit, Providence no doubt ordered, that our faith and practice relative to the concerns of the church should stand, not in the wisdom of men, but in the authority of God.

ACT, ACTION, a deed; particularly a more noted one, Isaiah lix. 6. Deut. xi. 3. ACTIVITY, an alert briskness, attended with wisdom and prudence in doing business, Genesis xlvii. 6.

The ACTS of the Apostles, are an inspired history of their actions and sufferings, at or after the ascension of their adored Master. It chiefly relates these of PETER, JOHN, PAUL and BARNABAS. It gives us a part!cular account of Christ's ascension; of the choice of Matthias in place of Judas; of the effusion of the Holy Ghost at the feast of Pentecost; of the miraculous preaching of the gospel by the apostles, and the success thereof, and their persecutions on that account, chap. i. to v: of the choice || of the deacons, the prosecution and murder of Stephen, one of them, chap. vi. and vii: of a more general perseADAM. This name, which sigcution, and a dispersion of the Chris-nifies red earth, was divinely imposed tian preachers into Samaria and places on both the original parents of the adjacent; of the baptism and base-human race, to import their earthly ness of Simon the sorcerer; and of original, their comeliness, and affecthe conversion and baptism of the E-tionate conjunction, Gen. v. 2; but it thiopian eunuch, chap. viii: of Peter's is ordinarily appropriated to the man. raising Dorcas to life, preaching to and baptising the Gentiles of Cornelius's family, and vindication of his conduct herein, chap. ix. 32-43. and x. and xi. 1—18: of the spreading of

Luke the evangelist was the penman of this history: he wrote it as a continuation of his history of Christ. The Marcionite and Manichean heretics of the early ages of Christianity utterly rejected it. The Ebionites translated it into Hebrew, grossly corrupting it. Other heretics attempted to obtrude on the church a variety of forged imitations of it; as Abdias's Acts of the apostles, the ACTS of Peter, Paul, John, Andrew, Thomas, Philip, Matthias, &c.

On the sixth day of the creation, when God had fitted the earth for his residence, he formed man's body of the dust of the ground; he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and