A General Martyrology, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The persecution of the Church of God under Antiochus Epiphanes, before the nativity of Christ about 168 years.
AFterwards the Jews being divided amongst themselves, one part of them went to Antiochus, telling him that their purpose was to forsake the Religion and Ordinances of their forefathers,Apostates. and to follow that of the Kings, and to live after the manner of the Greeks, entreating him to license them to live in Jerusalem; which Antiochus assenting to, they went to Jerusalem, where they behaved themselves very wickedly, but finding opposition from the other party of the Jews, they sent for Antiochus, who led his army against Jerusalem, and encamped before it, and by his faction within, had the gates opened, and the City betraied to him,Antiochus entred Jerusalem. about the year of the world 3796. and before the nativity of Christ 168.
Being entred Jerusalem he slew many of the faithfull Jews, and having taken great spoils, he returned back to Antioch.
Two years after he came to Jerusalem again, and having seen what quantity of gold was in the Temple, and what a huge number of Presents and precious Ornaments were in the same, he was so overcome with covetousness, that he violated all conventions and conditions formerly made, equally raging against his own and the adverse party, sparing neither friend nor foe: then he spoiled the Temple, and carried away the Vessels dedicated unto God, the golden Table, the golden Candlestick, the Censers,Antiochus robs the Temple. &c. leaving nothing behind him of any value; yea, he inhibited the godly Jews from offering their usual and dailie sacrifices to God; and having spoiled the whole City,Forbideth the daily sacrifice. he slew many of the Inhabitants, and carried the rest away into Captivity, with their Wives and Children, to the number of ten thousand: He also burned the fairest buildings of the City, and brake down the wals, and raised a Fortress in the lower City, and having inclosed it with high wals, he planted a Garison of Macedonians therein, with whom remained the scum of the Apostate Jews. He also caused an Altar to be erected in the Temple, on which he commanded swine to be offered in Sacrifice, contrary to the Law.
He constrained the Jews to forsake God, and adore those Idols which himself vvorshiped; he forbad them to circumcise their Children▪ His Cruelty.and appointed Over-seers to constrain them to fulfill his Commandments, so that many for fear of punishment conformed themselves to his will; But such as were of upright hearts, and valiant minds, little respected his menaces; whereupon they were beaten,Christian courage. and exposed to cruel punishment many days together, in the midst of which they yielded up the ghost; for after they were whipt, and maimed in their bodies, they were tortured and crucified; the women vvere strangled, and the circumcised children vvere hung up about the necks of their parents; and vvhere any books of the sacred Scriptures vvere found, they defaced, and burnt them, and such with vvhom they vvere found,The Scriptures burnt. vvere put to most cruel deaths.
At this time there dvvelt at Modin (a Village of Jury) one vvhose name was Matthias, a Priest of the rank of Joarib, that had five sons, John called Gaddis, Simon called Matthes, Judas called Maccabeus, Eleazer called Aaron, and Jonathan called Apphas. This Matthias often complained to his sons of the miserable state of their Countrey, of the sacking of their City, the profanation of the Temple,Matthias his zeal. and the miseries of the people, telling them, that it was better for them to die for the Law, then to live in Ignominy. When therefore the Kings Commisaries came unto Modin, and commanded the people to sacrifice according to the Kings Edict; they first applied themselves to Matthias as to the most Honourable person amongst them, requiring him first to offer sacrifice, that others might follow his example, promising that the King vvould much honour him for it. Matthias ansvvered that he vvould by no means commit that Idolatry, assuring them,A noble Resolution. that though all other Nations, either for love or fear, should obey the Edicts of Antiochus, yet that he, nor his children could be induced to forsake the Religion of their fathers: As soon as he had thus spoken, a certain Jew stepped forth to offer sacrifice according to the command of the King, wherewith Matthias, inflamed with zeal, was so displeased, that he and his sons fell upon him,Zeal. and with their swords hewed him to pieces; he also slew Apelles the Kings Captain, and some other souldiers, who would have withstood him. Then he overthrew the Altar and with a loud voice, he said, If any one be affected to the Laws of their fathers, and to the service of God, let him follow me? and so he retired into the deserts with his sons; the like did the rest, with their wives and children, hiding themselves in caves and dens. The Kings Captains having intelligence hereof, with the Garison that was in the Citadel at Jerusalem, they pursued them into the desert, and having overtaken them, they first endeavoured by perswasions to draw them to Idolatry; but the Jews absolutely refusing to yield to their wicked wils, resolved rather to die then to submit to them, and to commit such impiety;The Jews murthered, refusing to fight on the Sabbath day. whereupon these bloody persecutors assailed them on the Sabbath day, and burned them in their caves, who neither resisted their enemies, nor closed up the mouths of their Caves, supposing it to be a violation of the Sabbath, if they should fight or work upon that day; some thousands of men, women and children were there stifled; yet divers escaped, who joined themselves with Matthias, and chose him for their Captain. Then did he inform them, that they ought to fight on the Sabbath day, if they were assailed by their enemies, and prevailed with them not to be guilty of their own death, by their neglect to defend themselves; and so having assembled a sufficient number, he destroyed the Altars, and slew those that had forsaken their Religion: commanding others to circumcise their Children, and driving those from every place, whom Antiochus had set to see his Laws executed. But when he had thus governed one year, he fell sick, and perceiving his end to approach, he called his sons, and exhorted them to follow his steps in maintaining the Law of God,Matthias his sickness. and fighting for their Countrey, telling them, that then they should have God for their Assister, who will not forsake those that love and fear him, but taking pleasure in their vertues, will once more grant them favour to recover their former peace and liberty; and saith he, God will establish you in the possession of your ancient Laws; His counsel to his sons.and though our bodies be mortal, and subject unto death, yet the memory of our virtuous actions is enfranchised by immortality; make therefore no difficulty to hazard your lives in so good a cause: But above all things I exhort you unto concord, and in whatsoever any one of you shall be found more naturally apt and fitted then another, let him prosecute the same without any contradiction from the rest: I charge you to obey your brother Simon (who is a Politick and valiant man) in whatsoever he shall counsel you: but make Judas your Captain, who is both valiant and strong, for he shall revenge the injuries and out-rages which have been done to our Nation, and shall put our enemies to flight; second him therefore with men of valour, His death.and such as fear God, and by this means you shall be sure to prevail.