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fome of his own Provifion, and eat of that before them, that it might be imagined by the People, he had partaken of the Sacrifice, purfuant to the Decree of Epiphanes, and he might thereby fave his Life; but this venerable Hero, detefting fuch an impious Prevarication and Collufion, whereby many might have been induced, after his fuppofed Example, to difobey the Divine Law, would not in any wife give Ear to fuch a wicked Deceit. Enraged, at this his unfhaken Perfeverance in well-doing, his quondam Friends changing, on a fudden, the Good will they bore him a little before, into Hatred, hurried him away to the Place of Execu tion, where, after having patiently endured the moft cruel Torments, he refigned his Breath; leaving to all his Countrymen a glorious Example of Virtue, and holy Refolation.

Nor lefs remarkable, or edifying, was the Inftance of a certain Jewish Matron, and her feven Sons, who were all feized in one Day, and dragged before Antiochus, who caufed them to be cruelly fcourged, in order to compel them to pollute themfelves, by partaking of his idolatrous Feafts, notwithstanding which, they all refolutely refused to comply. Highly exafperated therear, the furious Tyrant, beginning with the eldeft, determined to put them to the cruelleft of Deaths; and firft he caufed his Tongue to be cut out, and the Extremities of his Limbs fevered from his Body; thus maimed in every Part, but yet alive, he was brought to a large Pan, which was prepared for that Purpofe, and placed therein upon the Fire, till he was fryed to Death, in the Prefence of his Mother and Brethren, who, in the mean while, were exhorting each other to die manfully for their Religion.

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The fecond was then feized, and after the Hair and Skin were torn from the Crown of his Head,

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was asked whether he would comply; which having refused, he was then tortured in the fame Manner with the former; profeffing, at the laft Gafp, his firm Belief, that though he fuffered for GoD upon Earth, he would raife him up to everlasting Life. The Executioner then proceeds to the Third, who, being commanded, readily put out his Tongue, and ftretched out his Hands to be cut off; bravely crying out, "Thefe I received from "Heaven, and for God's Laws, I defpife them;

hoping from him to have them again." Then was the Fourth mangled and tormented in the fame Manner; crying out, when juft ready to die, "It "is good, being put to Death by Men, to look "for Hope from GOD, to be raifed up again by "him; as for thee, thou fhalt have no Refurrec"tion to Life." The Fifth being next equally mangled and tortured, faid boldly to the Tyrant, "Thou haft Power over Men, though thou art cor"ruptible, but think not our Nation is forfaken of "Gop; but abide a while, and behold his great "Power, how he will torment thee, and thy Seed." The Sixth then fucceeded to the fame fiery Tryal, who being ready to expire, cried out, "Be not "deceived without Caufe; for we fuffer these "Things for ourselves, having finned against our "GOD: wherefore he permits us to be thus pu"nifhed; but think not thou, that darest even to "ftrive with the Almighty, that thou shalt escape " with Impunity."

All this while the Mother, who had been the Spectator, by Compulfion, of this inhuman Tragedy, fupported the Sight with invincible Patience, and incredible Refolution; being upheld by her firm Truft and Confidence in Heaven; infomuch, that the constantly exhorted them to Perfeverance in the fame glorious Courfe; and though far from

being

being deftitute of Maternal Tenderness, animated them with a more than Mafculine Courage, by Words to this Effect: "I cannot, by any Means, "conceive, in what Manner you was formed in "my Womb, for it was not in my Power either "to inspire you with a Soul, animate you with

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Life, or fashion your Limbs: No, this was all "far beyond the Art of Man, and confequently "must be the Work of our all-wife Creator; and "doubtless, the fame omnipotent and merciful "Being, who firft made Man after his own Image, "and called forth every Thing we fee, out of No

thing, will one Day restore you again to Life, "of his infinite Goodness, to reward you for ha"ving defpifed it here, for the fake of obferving his holy Commands.”

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Six of her Sons having thus expired under the moft inhuman Torments, and there ftill remaining her feventh and youngest Child, the Tyrant An tiachus left no Means u: eflayed, to prevail on him to forfake the Law of his Fathers, pollute himfelt by eating Swine's Flesh, and embrace his falfe Religion. To this end, he not only promifed, but affured him with Oaths, that, on his Compliance, he would promote him to Riches, Honour, and Power, and repofe a Truft and Confidence in him: And being fearful, left all this fhould not be fufficient, the young Hero feeming equally unmoved, both by his Promifes and Threatenings, the Tyrant addreffed himself to the Mother, and exhorted her, to advife, that her laft remaining Child, to avoid the fame Fate as his Brethren, and fave his own Life, by a timely Obedience to his Command; whereupon, that glorious Heroine promised him, that he would indeed give him the moft falutary Counfel in her Power.

Accordingly, going up to her Son, and directing her Speech to him in the Jewish Language, full of

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a noble Contémpt of the Tyrant, and his utmost Cruelty, fhe thus confirmed him in his Refolution, to fuffer all Things, rather than for fake the true Religion, and worship Devils: "Have Pity on

me, O my Son! on me, who not only bore you "Nine Months in my Womb, but nourished you "for Three Years, with Milk from my Breafts, and brought you up ever fince to Man's Eftate, and "took due Care of your Education. I conjure

you, therefore, my dear Child, confider the "Heavens and the Earth, and all that is contained "therein, how they were created by an Almighty "GOD out of Nothing, as was Man likewife of the "Duft of the Earth. Fear not then, my Son, this "bloody Tyrant, and cruel Executioner, neither"difhonour thy Brethren and Family, by a base "and cowardly Compliance with the King's impi"ous Commands; but, being worthy of thy Bre"thren, do thou follow their glorious Example, "by fubmitting chearfully to Death; that, by the "Divine Mercy, I may receive thee again with "them, in another and better World."

Hereupon, even whilft fhe was thus fpeaking, the young Man, ftrongly animated by her pious Example and Counfel, cried out aloud, For "what wait ye? I will not obey the King's Com"mand, but the Divine Law, that was given our "Forefathers by Mofes." Then addreffing himfelf directly to the King, who was prefent," And as for thee (purfued he) who haft been the wick"ed Author of all the Calamities of the Hebrews, "thou shalt not efcape the Vengeance of the Al.

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mighty. Our Sufferings indeed are juft, as they 64 are the due Reward of our Sins ; neverthelets, though the Living God be angry with us for a "Time, in order to chaftife, correct, and reform વડ us, his Wrath will foon be appeased, and he will "be reconciled again to us his People.

But

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But as for thee, I repeat it once more, thou "most wicked, and most impious of all Men, be not "exalted without a Cause, nor elate with uncer"tain Hopes, after lifting up thy Hands against the "Servants of the Moft High GOD; for thou haft "not yet escaped the Judgment of the Almighty, "whofe Eyes are over all the Works of the Chil"dren of Men. As to my Brothers, who have ex"pired under thy Tortures, after a Moment's Suf"fering here, they now tafte eternal Joys, having "died under the Covenant of everlafting Life; "whilft thou, through the juft Judgment of God, "fhalt receive the due Reward of thy Pride and "Impiety. And I myself alfo, in Imitation of my "Brethren, am now ready freely to give up my "Body and Life for the Laws of my Forefathers; "humbly befeeching Almighty God, that he would "Toon extend his Mercy to our Nation; and force "thee, by variousTorments and Plagues, to confefs "that he alone is the Living God; as alfo that his "Anger, which is juftly fallen upon the Hebrews "s for their Sins and Wickednels, may terminate "with my Death and Sufferings, and thofe of my

"Brethren."

It may well be imagined, that fo cruel a Tyrant, enraged and exafperated to the Height at finding himself fo disappointed, mocked, and infulted, would wreak his utmoft Vengeance upon the helplefs Object of his Fury; accordingly he caufed this young Man to be tortured yet more grievously than any of his Brothers: After which, to clofe the bloody Scene (at leaft for that Time) and to fhew that no Age nor Sex fhould efcape his Barbarity, he caufed the Mother likewife, who had already fuffered the wort of Torments, in being forced to be Witness to the Agonies and Murder of her feven hopeful Children, to suffer Death alfo in the fame Manner to our ve

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