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But it was not long before the Divine Juftice overtook this cruel and abominable Tyrant, Perfecuter, Murderer, and Blafphemer, and tortured him in as grievous a Manner, as he had many Hun-... dreds of the Jews; forcing this Monster of Cruelty... and Inhumanity, who before neither regarded GOD nor Man, to confefs, though much against his Will, and it is to be feared, when it was too late, that it is fit to be fubject unto the ALMIGHTY, and that Man who is mortal, fhould not think of himself as if he were GOD. A Speech, which it were greatly to be wifhed, that fome modern Princes, who tread too much in the Steps of this impious and bloody Tyrant, would keep perpetually in their Remembrance; to the end, that the Fear of meeting with the like Fare from the Hands of Providence, might deter them from continuing any longer the Pefts of Hu. man Society, and spreading Defolation all over the World, like a deftroying Angel..

In effect, this moft wicked of all Princes, who for his fignal Impiety, and bloody Perfecution of the Church of GOD, is fet forth to us in the Scriptures as an apt Type of Antichrift, who in After-Ages is to afflict and harrafs the Chriftian Church, foon after filled up the Measure of his Iniquities, by his defperate and monftrous Refolutions to perfift in his Hatred and Cruelty to the People of GoD; and became a moft remarkable Example of his Vengeance, and of that exquifite Mifery which all muft expect, who dare to exalt themselves againft Heaven. For, whilft he was abfent in Armenia, and Perfia, whi ther he went not only to levy the Tribute, which had not been paid regularly, but with Defign to plunder the Temple of Elymais, where, as he had been informed, immenfe Riches had been repofited, Judas Maccabeus, who, at the Flead of a few faithful Jews, had taken up Arms in Defence of the true Religion, defeated Apollonius Governor of Samaria, ¡

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and Seron, a General of the Syrian Army. The News of this double Overthrow being brought to Antiochus, highly exafperated against the whole Jewish Nation, and bent upon Revenge, he levied a vaft Army, but Money falling short for the Payment thereof, was obliged to divide his Forces, and fend only one Part of it against them, under the Command of Lfias, one of the Royal Blood, whilft with the other he went into Armenia, which had revolted against him.

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Lyfias, in Obedience to the Orders he had received, which were no lefs than to exterminate the whole Race of the Hebrews, or transplant them, by felling them as Slaves into other Countries, fent Ptolomy Macron at the Head of Forty Thoufand Foot, and Seven Thoufand Horfe into Judea, to put the King's Commands in Execution. And Ptolomy, for the greater Difpatch, detached Nicanor, as his Lieutenant General, with Twenty Thoufand Men, giving him, as an Affiftant, one Gorgias, a veteran Officer, of confummate Experience.

But to fee how vain are the Counfels of Men, when God is not called to the Confultation; this formidable Detachment, which thought to have devoured Judas, and his Handful of intrepid Warriors, who put their whole Truft in Heaven, were fhamefully defeated by them, and Nicanor forced to Ay with Ignominy and Grief to Antiochus. Not content with this, after giving due Thanks to Almighty God, and folemnizing the Sabbath in the most devout Manner, Judas having heard that Timotheus -and Bacthides, two other Generals, were coming against him, marched out to meet them, utterly overthrew them, put to the Sword above Twenty Thoufand, and returned back in Triumph, with vaft Spoils, which he piously diftributed equally, amongst the Ancient, the Maimed, the

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Widows, and Orphans, as well as amongst his own

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Enraged at these repeated Overthrows, and zealous to put the King's impious Commands in Execution, in fpite of all Oppofition, Lyfias himself refolved to march against him, with no less than Sixty Thoufand Foot, and Five Thoufand Horse, all choice Troops; a Power fufficient, one would think, to have swallowed them up. But vain is the Help of Man without the Protection of Heaven! Accordingly Judas, no ways difmayed at their Multitudes, boldly marched against them, at the Head of only Ten Thoufand Men, and put them fhamefully to flight, with the Slaughter of Five Thoufand Syrians.

During thefe Tranfactions, the haughty and impious Antiochus having been at Elymais, with Intent to plunder the Temple, as was before obferved, his Defign having taken vent, met with a fhameful Repulfe; the Inhabitants of the City and Country adjacent, taking up Arms in Defence of their Temple, and driving him away with Ignominy. Thanderftruck at this Difgrace, and exafperated at This Difappointment, he retired to Ecbatane, where he received the unwelcome News of the Defeat of Nicanor and Timotheus. This incenfing him yet more, he refolved to be fully revenged upon the Jews for all; and accordingly ordered his Army to march, with the utmost Expedition, towards Judea

But he had not got beyond Babylon, when he received the yet more mortifying Account of the Qverthrow of Lyfias; and, which was yet worse, that the Jews had retaken the Temple of Jerufalem, thrown down all the Altars and Idols he had fet up there, purged the Sanctuary, and re-established their ancient Worfhip. This News increasing his

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Fury beyond all Bounds, he immediately ordered his Charioteer to drive on with the utmoft Speed, that he might the fooner fatiate his Vengeance, vowing to make Jerufalem the common BuryingPlace of the whole Jewish Nation, and not leave a fingle Inhabitant therein.

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Scarce had he uttered this fhocking Expreffion, before this wicked Monfter, whom the Judgments of Heaven now followed, was ftruck with an incurable and invifible Plague, labouring under the. moft exquifite Pains in the Stomach and Bowels. However, nothing amended by this fevere Reproof, neither feeing the Hand of Divine Juftice in this Vifitation, but fuffering himself to be hurried away by the wild Tranfports of his Fury, and breathing nothing but Revenge against the whole Race of the Jews, he ftill continued to give Orders for proceeding onwards with all Expedition: But as the Horfes few along full Speed, he was toffed by a fudden Jolt from the Charior, and bruifed grievoufly all over, fo that he was forced to be put into a Litter, where he suffered inexpreffible Torments.

At length, fo dreadful was his Condition, that Worms bred in every Part of him, his Flesh rotting away Piece-meal, till the Stench grew fo great, that it became intollerable to his whole Army, and even at laft to himself. Then, and not till then, did this impious Monfter begin to come to himself, and acknowledge there was one in Heaven above him It is fit, fays he, as was before observed, to be fubject unto God, and that Man, who is mortal, Ifhould not think himself as if he were God. It was now however fomewhat of the lateft; for we are affured by the Writer of the Maccabees, if he had at all the Gift of Inspiration, (and it was never yet decided to the contrary) that this wicked Perfon vowed unto the Lord, who would now no more have Mercy upon him.

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In effect, as if he thought he could impose upon the Almighty him feif, as he had often done upon Man, particularly upon his Nephew Ptolomy Philmetor, King of Egypt, he promifed to exert his utmott Liberality and Favour towards the Jews, GOD's chofen People; to inrich the Temple with moft precious Gifts, in Compenfation for having moft facrilegiously plundered it; to defray, out of his own Revenues, the Sums neceffary for all their Sacrifices; and even to turn Jew himself, and travel throughout the World, to declare the mighty Power of the God of Ifrael.

Alas, poor Wretch! little did he know, that the Almighty not only faw the inmoft Secrets of his Heart then, but had exprefly and minutely foretold all his Abominations, by the Mouth of the Prophet Daniel, many Years before he or his Forefathers were born! Heaven therefore not being to be impofed on, as he had lived wickedly and impiously, he died miferably and terribly, in a ftrange Country, in the Mountains, leaving this ufeful Example to all future Princes, not to exalt themselves above the Most High, by the Perfecution of a People, which he looks upon as his own, and confequently as a moft henious Violation of the First Commandment; fince it is no lefs than actual Rebellion, and attempting to wage War even with God himself.

The laft Example we fhall cite at the prefent, of the dreadful Effects of the Breach of this Divine Mandate, though we might fwell the Catalogue with innumerable Inftances, both from Ancient and Modein Hiftory, fhall be that of Herod the Tetrarch: And this Example we the rather choose, before many others, becaufe, though this Prince imbrued his Hands in the Blood of the Apostle James, and intended to have done the fame by Peter alfo; nay, though he even was fo audacious, together with his Men of War, to let our Bleffed Saviour himself

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