A General Martyrology, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. The Martyrdom of the Maccabees.
WHilst Antiochus Epiphanes was living, he thrust out Onias the High-Priest from his Office, and put into his room Jason his brother, whereupon Jason promised to pay him yearly three thousand six hundred and sixty Talents of silver. This wicked Jason presently forced all the people to forsake their Religion, and to build Baths: He hindered the defence and building of the Temple. Hereat God was very wroth, and stirred up Antiochus to go to Jerusalem, where he was gallantly entertained by the Jews. Then did he presently make an Edict, That whosoever of the Jews refused to offer Sacrifice to the gods,Antiochus his cruel Edict. he should presently be broken to pieces on the wheel. But those that were godly did little esteem that Edict.
Antiochus perceiving that the rigour of his Edict prevailed little, and that many chose rather to die,Constancy. then to forsake their Religion, he sitting in an eminent place, and calling all the Jews together, caused swines-flesh to be sacrificed on the Altar, and to be offered to every Hebrew to eat. Amongst the multitude thus assembled, there was one Eleazer, a Priest a man that feared God, and one who was very aged, of a reverend countenance,Subtilty. and famous for his vertue; To him Antiochus said, Be advised by me, holy old man, to avoid those torments which are prepared for the obstinate; preserve thy reverend age, and contemn not the benefit of life; take the sacrifice, and eat of the swines-flesh, for no wise man will credit the Jews opinion to refuse that meat which nature hath ordained for mans use, as well as any other: Why should this beast be more abominable then others? &c. Or, suppose your Laws are to be observed, yet will they excuse thee, seeing thou sinnest not voluntarily, but by compulsion? To whom Eleazer answered;Courage. We, O Antiochus, follow not vanity, but the verity of Religion, and fear of torments cannot make us embrace another: but suppose that the Religion left us by our fore-fathers had no firm ground, yet should not torments make me forsake it. Do not esteem it a small matter to eat forbidden meat, and to taste of that which is sacrificed to Idols; for it is a profane thing to touch things that are prophane, and we are taught by our Law to suffer with patience whatsoever, for Gods cause, is inflicted upon us, &c. And therefore I refuse this profane meat, well knowing what I ought to eat, as warranted by Gods Law, which I have learned to obey, &c. and herein will I persist, though with tyrannous hand thou pluck out mine eyes, or with a sharp knife rip up my entrails. Think not that because I am old, my body is feeble: If I must be sacrificed for Gods sake, thou shalt find me as lusty, and constant as a young man, and most joyfull in torments. Prepare an extraordinary fire, or what else thou pleasest, thou shalt find me more constant in the midst of all torments, then I am now before they come, &c. The chaste, and pure company of Fathers shall receive me into their number, where I shall not fear (O impious King) thy threats, &c.
Whilst Eleazer spake thus boldly,Eleazer cruelly beaten. the souldiers haled him to be tortured, and stripping him naked, they hanged him up, and whipped him: and whilst on either side he was thus beaten, one cryed, Obey the Kings pleasure and command. But this worthy man was not overcome by torment, but suffered as though he had been in a sleep: and fixing his venerable eyes upon Heaven, he knew in whom he believed, and to whom he sacrificed his life, and beholding the flesh on each side of his body rent and torn with stripes, and the bloud issuing out abundantly, he admired his own patience, and thanked God the author of it: At last finding his own frailty, scarce able to endure such torments, he fell upon his face, which with stripes was all rent, and torne,His admirable patience. still glorifying God, as he did before: Then a souldier, to gratifie the King like a mad man, did spurn, and tread upon him, to encrease his sufferings: but Eleazer, strong in body and minde, like a Champion of the true God, did never shrink at those pains, but by patience overcame the cruelty of his tormentors; so that his torturers admired that he should be able to bear them: Then the Kinges Officers said, How long wilt thou forbear to obey the King? eat Swines flesh and free thy self from all that thou endurest. Eleazer, though hitherto he had been silent in all his torments, yet could he not hear such profane counsel without answering, whereupon he cryed out; We Hebrews are not so effeminate as to forsake the way of salvation wherein we walk to our old-age,His zeal. neither are we taught for feare of contumely, which will not long endure, to give others an occasion, and example to sin, &c. Wilt thou, O Tyrant, esteem of us if we should yield unto thee? nay, thou mightst justly reprove our inconstancy: Then did the souldiers, by the Kings command, cast him into the fire, and poured stinking, and loathsome liquors into his nostrils, all which he patiently suffered, till he was consumed in the flames: Yet when nature began to fail, lifting up his dazled eyes to Heaven, he said, Thou, O God, art he from whom life, and salvation proceedeth: Behold I die for observing thy Laws: Be mercifull to this thy Nation,His prayer at death. and forsake not them whom hitherto thou hast protected in thy bosom, and under the shadow of thy wings, let my death end all misery, &c. and so he joyfully yielded up the ghost.
Antiochus was but more incensed hereby, and therefore he caused seven Children of the Hebrews to be brought to Antioch, who being young, and therefore, as he thought, weak, and unable to endure torments, he presumed that either by perswasion, or fear, he should enforce them to forsake their Religion.
Then he commanded these seven, together with their mother Salamona now aged, to be brought before him: They were of excellent beauty, and worthy children of so vertuous a mother. The Tyrant beholding them, with a merry countenance, craftily spake unto them: I wish your good, O admirable young men, do not therefore like mad men resist my commands: Antiochus his subtilty.Avoid not only torments, but death also: I desire not only to exalt you to honour, but to encrease your riches, and possessions: Contemn therefore your own superstition, and embrace our Religion: If you refuse this (as I hope you will not) I will devise all torments, that by a lingring, and painfull death, I may consume you: And to terrifie them the more, he caused all sorts of Instruments for torment to be brought forth before them, as Wheels, Rods, Hooks, Racks, Cauldrons, Cages, Gridirons, &c. with Engines to torment the fingers, and hands, as Gauntlets, Auls, Bellows, Brazen-pots, and Frying-pans, &c. Then said he, Obey me, O prudent young men, for if I command that which is a sin, yet do not you offend, being compelled to it.
But these holy young men, inflamed with a divine spirit, contemned these torments, and despised both threats and flateries, denying to eat of the sacrificed Swines flesh, and saying: Wherefore,The seven brethrens courage O Tyrant, dost thou persecute us that are innocent? We desire to die, and will, till death expels life, firmly keep that which God commanded and Moses taught us: and therefore seek not, O Tyrant to seduce us by protesting thy unfeigned love: Thou lover of in justice, master of cruelty, deviser of iniquity, the pardon thou proferrest is more painfull to us then punishments: We contemn death, and esteem not thy words, our master Eleazer having taught us to despise them. Why dost thou expect such pusillanimity in us young men, when of late thou foundest such courage in an old man? Thou canst not know our minds except by tearing our bodies thou searchest them out: We will willingly for our God suffer any thing, and expect Heaven, whilst thou for thy cruelty to innocents, shalt be reserved to eternal fire.
The Tyrant greatly moved herewith, caused them to be beaten with Buls-pizels: first commanding Maccabeus the eldest to be stripped, and stretched out upon a Rack,Maccabeus his torments. and his hands to be bound, and so to be most cruelly beaten, who so wearied his tormentors by sufferring, that they rather desired to give over, then he requested it: Then was he put upon a Wheel, and a weight hanged at his feet, and so stretched round about it, that his sinews and entrails brake, yet all this while he called upon God:His resolute speech. and then said to the Tyrant: O bloudy Tyrant, who persecutest the Majesty of God; I whom thou thus tormentest, am no witch, nor murtherer, but one who dies for observing Gods Law: And when the tormentors, overcome with compassion, willed him to submit to the Kinges pleasure, he said; O ye wicked ministers of Tyranny! Your Wheels are not so sharp and cruel, that I thereby will be forced to forsake Heaven, whereon my minde is fixed: Tear my flesh, yea if you please, rost it at the fire: torture each parcel of my body with severall cruelties, yet you shall not be able to force us young men to impiety.
His Martyrdom.As he thus spake, a fire was kindled, & he thus racked on the Wheel, was thrown into it, and by flames was so burned that his bowels appeared, yet was his minde unmoved, and in the midst of his torments he cryed thus to his brethren; O beloved brethren, make me your example; despise the alluring baits of this world; obey God rather then this Tyrant,His speech at death. who can if he please humble the proud and mighty, and exalt the dejected: Then was he taken from the fire; and slain alive; his tongue was pulled out of his head, and he put into a frying pan, and so he departed out of this life, to the admiration of his enemies, and the joy of his mother, and brethren.
Then was the second brother, called Aber, haled by the souldiers; and the Tyrant shewed him all those instruments of torment, and asked him if he would eat of the sacrifice? which he, denying to do,Abers torments. his hands were bound with iron chains, and being hanged up thereby, the skin of his body was slain from the crown of his head to his knees, so that the entrails in his brest were seen: Then was he cast to a cruel Libard, greedily thirsting after blood, but the beast smelling at him,Or Leopard. forgat his cruelty, and went from him, without doing him any harm: This increased the Tyrants rage, and Aber by his torments grew more constant, crying aloud, O how pleasant is that death to me, which is caused by all sorts of torments for Gods sake! yea,H…s speech at death. the more pleasant, because I know I shall be rewarded in heaven; Let these torments, O Tyrant, satisfie thy cruelty, for my pain is not increased by them, but my pleasure, as thou shalt find by my patience in these sufferings; I am more willing to suffer, then thou to punish, yet my pain is less in suffering, then thine by inflicting: I am tormented for keeping the Law, thou by Gods Justice shalt be banished from thy Regal seat, yea, eternal torments are prepared for thee, which neither thy prophane mind is able to endure, nor thy power to decline, &c. And so shortly after he yielded up his soul to God.
Then Machir the third son was brought, whom all pitied,Machir brought forth. and exhorted by his brothers examples to forsake his opinion, and so decline the punishment; but he being angry at such Counsel, replied, One Father begat us, one Mother bore us, one Master instructed us,His courage. &c. Therefore no longer prolong the time in vain; I came to suffer, not to speak, use all the Tyranny that possibly you can against my body yet have you no power over my soul. This so moved the Tyrant, that he devised new torments beyond the reach of humane wit; and commanding a globe to be brought, he caused him to be tied about it in such sort, that all his bones were put out of joint,His torments. hanging one from another in a most pitifull manner; yet was the holy Martyr nothing dismaid; then the skin of his head and face was pulled off, and then was he put upon the wheel, but he could be racked no worse, for all his bones were dislocated before; the blood issuing from him abundantly, he said, We, O Tyrant, endure this torment for the love of God, and thou the Author of such cruelty,His speech at death. shalt be punished with everlasting pain; Then was his tongue cut out, and he being put into a fiery frying pan, resigned his spirit unto God.
Next followed Judas the fourth brother, whom all the people perswaded to obey the King:Judas his courage. But he said, Your fire shall not separate me from the Law of God, nor from my brethren; To thee, O Tyrant, I denounce destruction, but to such as believe, salvation: Try me thou cruel wretch, and see if God will not stand by me, as he did by my three brethren now in glory, &c. The cruel Tyrant hearing this, was so inraged, that he leaped down from his chaire to torment this Martyr himselfe;His torments. He commanded also his tongue to be cut out, to whom Judas said, Thy cruelty will nothing avail thee, our God needs not by voice to be awaked,His speech at death. &c. he heareth such as call upon him with their hearts, and know's our thoughts afar off, &c. Cut out my tongue if thou please, would thou wouldst so sanctifie all the parts of my body, &c. and think not that thou shalt long escape unpunished: Then was his tongue cut out, and he bound to a stake, was beaten with ropes ends, which torments he bore with admirable patience: After which he was put upon the wheel, where he ended his life, and went to the rest of his brethren.
Then spake Achas the fift brother, Behold, O Tyrant, I come to be punished before thou commandest me,Achas his courage. therefore hope not to alter his minde that desireth to be tormented: The bloud of my innocent brethren hath condemned thee to hell, I shall make up the fift, that by it thy torments may be increased: What offence have we committed that thou thus ragest against us? &c. All that thou canst alledge against us is, that we honour God and live in obedience to his Laws, and therefore we esteem not punishment, which is an honour to us; though no part of us be left untormented, yet we shall be the more rewarded by God. Then at the command of the Kings the executioner cast him into a brazen pot,His torments. where he was prest down with his head to his feet, and afterwards he sufferred all the torments inflicted on his brethren, but he was so far from being discouraged, that suddenly starting up,His speech at death. he said, Cruel Tyrant, how great benefits dost thou (though against thy will) bestow upon us! yea the more thou ragest, the more acceptable to God shalt thou make us; therefore I shall be sorry if thou shewest me any mercy: by this temporall death, I shall go to everlasting life. And having thus finished his sufferings, he died.
Then was Areth the sixt brother brought, to whom the Tyrant proferred the choise of honour,Areth his courage. or punishment; But he being grieved at this profer, said, O Tyrant, though I be younger in years then my brethren, yet the constancy of my minde is not inferiour; as we have lived, so we will die together in the fear of God: Hasten therefore thy torments, and what time thou wouldest spend in exhorting me, spend it in devising torments for me. Whereupon Antiochus in a rage, commanded him to be tied to a pillar with his head downwards: Then caused he a fire to be made at such a distance,His torments. as might not burn, but rost him: Then he made them prick him with awles, that the heat might pierce the sorer: In these torments much bloud, like froth, gathered about his head and face;His speech at death. yet said he, O noble fight! O valiant warre! O strife between piety and impiety! My brethren have past through their Agonies, whose crown of Martyrdom is the punishment of their Persecutors. I willingly follow them, that as by blood I am conjoyned to them, so by death I may not be separated from them. Devise, O Tyrant, some new torment, for I have overcome these already: O Master of cruelty, enemy of piety, and persecutor of Justice! we young men have conquered thy power, thy fire is cold, and heateth not: thy weapons are bended, and blunted in our bodies; our God giveth us more courage to suffer, then thou hast to punish, &c. As he thus spake, they pulled out his tongue with an hot pair of tongs, and lastly frying him in a frying pan, he gave up the ghost.
There being now only the youngest brother left, called Jacob, he,Jacob brought forth. Antiochus his subtilty. presenting himself before the Tyrant, moved him to some compassion, wherefore he called the Child to him, and taking him aside by the hand, he said, By the example of thy brethren thou seest what to expect if thou disobeyest me; therefore deliver thy self from these torments, and I will give thee what honour my Kingdom can afford: thou shalt be a Ruler, Generall of my Army, my Counceller &c. But when this prevailed not, he called his mother, who coming, and standing by her son, the Tyrant said to her, O worthy woman, where now are all thy Children? yet thou hast one remaining; advise him therefore not to ruine himself, and to leave thee childless by his obstinacy, &c. The mother bowing her self to the King, said to her child in Hebrew, that she might not be understood of others, Pity and comfort thy sorrowfull mother, O my son,His mother encourageth him. who bare thee nine moneths in my womb, gave thee suck with my brests three years, and with great care have brought thee up hitherto. I pray thee, dear son, consider the heavens and earth, and remember that God created them all of nothing, &c, fear not therefore these pains and torments, but imitate thy brethren, and contemn death, that in the day of mercy I may receive thee with thy brethren again in heaven. Then did he desire to be unbound, which being granted, he immediately ran to the torments,His noble courage. and coming where was a frying pan red hot, he said to the King; Cruel Tyrant, I now know thee, not only to have been cruel to my brethren, but even cruelty it self. Wretch that thou art, who gave thee these purple robes? who exalted thee to thy Kingdom? Even he whom thou in us dost persecute, whose servants thou tormentest and killest, for which thy self shalt suffer eternal torments; though thou art above others, yet he that made other men, made thee also of the same nature, for all are born, and must die alike. He that kils another, sheweth that he himself may be killed; thou tearest and tormentest thine own Image all in vain? In thy fury thou killest him, whom God created like thy self, &c. thou pullest out our tongues, tearest our bodies with flesh-hooks, and consumest us with fire; but they that have already suffered, have received everlasting joyes, and everlasting punishments attend thee. Think not that I expect any favour, I will follow my brethren, and remain constant in keeping Gods Law. The Tyrant herewith inraged, caused him to be tormented; but his mother comforted him, and with her kind hands held his head, when through violence of the torturers,His torments. the blood issued out of his mouth, nose, and privy parts; the tormentors not ceasing till his life was almost spent; but then giving over, God gave him strength to recover, and to endure more then any of his brethren had done. At last his hands and arms being cut off, with his eyes lift up to heaven, he cryed, O *Lord. His last words.Adonai. be mercifull unto me, and receive me into the company of my brethren. &c. Then was his tongue pulled out, and he of his own accord going into the fiery frying pan, to the great admirarion of Antiochus, died.
Salamona's zeal.The mother seeing all her Children dead, was inflamed with a holy zeal to suffer Martyrdom also; and despising the Tyrants threats, she offered her motherly brest to those torments which her Children had suffered before her. Indeed herein she excelled them all, in that she had suffered seven painfull deaths, before she came to suffer in her own person, and feared in every one of them, lest she should have been overcome. She alone with dry eyes did look upon them whilst they were torn in pieces, yea, she exhorted them thereunto, rejoycing to see one torn with flesh-hooks, another racked upon the wheel, a third bound and beaten, a fourth burned, and yet she exhorted the rest not to be terrified thereby; and though her grief in beholding their torments was greater then that which she had in child-birth, yet did she frame a chearfull countenance, as if it had been one triumphing, wishing rather the torments of their bodies then of their souls; for she knew that nothing was more frail then our lives, which are often taken away by Agues, Fluxes, and a thousand other ways. Therefore when they were first apprehended, she thus exhorted them in the Hebrew tongue, O my most dear and loving Children,Her speech to her Children. let us hasten to that Agony which may credit our profession, and be rewarded by God with eternal life. Let us fearlesly present our bodies to those torments which aged Eleazer endured. Let us call to mind our father Abraham, who having but one only son▪ willingly sacrificed him at Gods command, and feared not to bring him to the Altar, whom with many prayers he had obtained in his old age. Remember Daniel, the three Children, &c. Antiochus being enraged against her, caused her to be stripped naked,Her torments and death. hanged up by the hands, and cruelly whipt: then were her dugs and paps pulled off, and her self put into the red hot frying pan; where lifting up her eyes and hands to heaven, in the midst of her prayers she yielded up her chast soul unto God. But God suffered not the cruel Tyrant to escape unpunished, for in his wars against the Persians, See more of this before.the Lord struck him with madness, his intrals were devoured with worms, and stinking like a Carrion, in the extremity of his torments he gave up the ghost.
Concerning this Antiochus, Daniel, chap. 8.9, 10. &c. saw in the vision, that there came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great towards the south, and towards the East, and towards the pleasant Land, and it waxeth great even towards the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host, and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them: Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the Sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily Sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practised and prospered. Which afterwards is thus interpreted by the Angel unto Daniel, verse 23. &c. In the latter time of their Kingdom, when the Transgressors are come to the full, a King of fiery countenance, and understanding dark sentences shall stand up, and his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power, and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and holy people: And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand, and he shall magnifie himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: He shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes, but he shall he broken without hand.
Collected out of Josephus, and the Books of the Maccabees.
Here place the first Figure.