The spirit of the martyrs revived in a brief compendious collection of the most remarkable passages and living testimonies of the true church, seed of God, and faithful martyrs in all ages: contained in several ecclesiastical histories & chronological accounts of the succession of the true church from the creation, the times of the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

The Constancy and faithful Suffering of some of the ancient people of the Jews, rather then they would be forced to depart from the Laws of their Fathers, and not to live after the Laws of God.

Eleazer one of the principal Scribes, an aged man, and of a well-favoured countenance, was constrained to open his Mouth,* 1.1 and to eat Swines Flesh: But he choosing rather to dye gloriously, then to live stained with such an Abomination, spit it forth, and came of his own accord to the torment; as it behoved them to come, that are resolved to stand out against such things as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted: But they that had the charge of that wicked Feast, for the old acquaintance they had with the man, taking him aside, besought him to bring flesh of his own provision, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the Sacrifice commanded by the King; That in so doing he might be delivered from death, and for the old friendship with them, find favour. But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his Age, and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honour of his gray Head, whereunto he was come, and his most honest Education from a Child, or rather the holy Law made and given by God; therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them strait-wayes to send him to the Grave:

For it becometh not our Age, (said he) in any wise to dissemble, whereby many young persons might think that Eleazer being fourscore years old and ten, were now gone to a strange Religion, and so they through mine hypocri∣sie, and desire to live a little time, and a moment longer, should be deceived by me, and I get a stain to mine old Age, and make it Abominable; For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive, nor dead; wherefore now manfully changing this life, I will shew my self such an one, as mine Age re∣quireth,

and leave a notable example to such as be young, to die wil∣lingly and couragiously, for the honourable and holy Laws;

and when he had said these words, immediatly he went to the Torment; they that led him, changing the good will they bare him a little be∣fore, into hatred, because the foresaid speeches proceeded, as they thought, from a desperate mind. But when he was ready to dye with stripes, he groaned, and said,

It is manifest unto the Lord, that hath the holy knowledge, that whereas I might have been de∣livered from death, I now endure sore pains in body, by being bea∣ten, but in soul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear him.

And thus this man dyed, leaving his death for an example of a noble Courage, and a memorial of vertue, not only unto young men, but unto all his Nation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eleazer persecuted