ANTINOMIANS

(Gr. a»«, against, and io/mi?, law.) Oppugners of the law. In Theology, Antinomlans are such as interpret the law, to which St. Paul refers more especially in the Epistle to the Romans, as including all moral ordinances whatsoever; and push the contrast which the Apostle maintains between faith and the works of the law to an extreme extent, a erting the entire usele ne of good works, in any case, and the sole efficacy of faith. Hence the term Solifidian is applied to the same cla of religionists. The name of Antinomian was first given by Luther, as a term of reproach, to the followers of the opinions of John Agricola on this subject, who complained, however, that his notions had been unfairly represented. Similar doctrines appear to have been held in England by an ephemeral sect in the time of the commonwealth: but antinomianism may now be taken rather as expre ing the extreme to which the Calvin is tic scheme of theology has the tendency to lead men, than as denoting any distinct sect or congregation, either in this country or abroad. ANTI PiE DO BAPTISTS. In Theology. Those who object to the baptism of infants on the ground that they are not capable of understanding the nature of the rite, and of pledging themselves to such a course of life as is required of all such as come to be baptized. {See Baptists.^ [s. 73]