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 Cruel Death of seven Brethren and their Mother in one day, because they would not eat Swines Flesh at the Kings Commandment.

Seven Brethren with their Mother were taken, and compelled by the King against the Law,* 1.1 to taste Swines Flesh, and were tormented with Scourges and Whips; but one of them that spake first, said thus,

What wouldst thou ask or learn of us? we are ready to dye 'rather then to transgress the Laws of our Fathers:

Then the King, being in a rage, commanded Pans and Caldrons to be made hot, which forthwith being heated, he commanded to cut out the Tongue of him that spake first, and to cut off the utmost parts of his Body, the rest of his Brethren, and his Mother looking on. Now when he was thus maimed in all his Members, he commanded him, being yet alive, to be brought to the Fire, and to be fryed in the Pan; and as the vapour of the Pan was for a good space disperced, they ex∣horted one another with the Mother, to dye manfully, saying thus,

The Lord God looketh upon us, and in Truth hath comfort in us, as Moses in his Song, which witnessed to their Faces, declared, say∣ing, and he shall be comforted in his Servants:

so when the first was dead, after this manner, they brought the second to make a mock∣ing stock; and when they had pulled off the skin of his Head with the hair, they asked him, 'Wilt thou eat before thou be punished 'throughout every member of thy Body; but he answered in his own Language, and said, No; wherefore he also received the next Torment in order as the former did; and when he was at the last gasp, he said;

Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have dyed for his Laws, unto everlasting life:

After him was the third made a mocking stock, and when he was required, he put out his tongue, and that right soon, holding forth his hands manfully, and said couragously, 'These I had from Heaven, and for his Laws I d••spise them, and 'from him I hope to receive them again; insomuch, that the King, and they that were with him marvailed at the young mans courage, for that he nothing regarded the pains. Now when this

man was dead also, they tormented and mingled the fourth in like manner; so when he was ready to dye, he said thus,

It is good being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up a∣gain by him; as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life.

Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mangled him; then looked he unto the King, and said

Thou hast power over men, thou art corruptible, thou dost what thou wilt, yet think not that our Na∣tion is forsaken of God; but abide a while, and behold his great power, how he will torment thee and thy seed.

After him also they brought the sixth, who being ready to dye, said,

Be not deceived without cause, for we Suffer these things for our selves, having sin∣ned against our God, therefore marvelous things are done unto us; but think not thou, that takest in hand to strive against God, that thou shalt escape unpunished.

But the mother was marvelous above all, and worthy of honorable memory, for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bare it with a good courage, because of the hope that she had in the Lord; yea she exhorted every one of them in her own Language, filled with couragious spirit, and stirred up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach, she said unto them;

I cannot tell how you came into my womb, for I nei∣ther gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you; but doubtless the Creator of the world, who formed the Generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again, as you now regard not your own selves for his Laws sake.

Now Antiochus thinking himself despised, and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech, whilst the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with Oathes, that he would make him both a rich and a happy man, if he would turn from the Laws of his Fathers; and that also he would take him for his Friend, and trust him with affairs; but when the young man would in no case hearken unto him, the King called his Mother, and exhorted her, that she would counsel the young man to save his life; and when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised him, that she would counsel her Son; but she bowing her self towards him, laughing the cruel Tyrant to scorn, spake in her Country language on this manner,

O my Son have pity upon me that bare thee nine Months in my Womb, and gave thee suck three Years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age, and endured the troubles of Education; I beseech thee my Son look up∣on the Heaven and the Earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not, and so was mankind made likewise; fear not this Tormentor, but being worthy of thy Brethren take thy death, that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy Brethren:

While she was yet speaking these words, the young man said,

Whom wait ye for? I will not obey the Kings commandment, but I will obey the Commandment of the Law that was given unto our Fathers by Moses; and thou that hast been the author of all mischeif against the Hebrews, shalt not escape the

hands of God, for we suffer because of our Sins; and though the living Lord be angry with us a little while, for our chastning and correction, yet shall he be at one again with his Servants. But thou, O Godless man, and of all other most wicked, be not lifted up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain hopes, lifting up thy hands against the Servants of God, for thou hast not yet escaped the Judgment of Almighty God who seeth all things; for our Bre∣thren who now have suffered a snort pain, are dead under Gods Covenant of everlasting Life; but thou, through the Judgment of God, shalt receive just punishment for thy Pride; but I, as my Bre∣thren, offer up my Body and Life for the Laws of our Fathers, beseech∣ing God that he would speedily be merciful unto our Nation, and that thou by Torments and Plagues mayest confess that he alone is God, and that in me and my Brethren the wrath of the Almighty, which is justly brought upon all our Nation, may cease.

Then the King, being in a rage, handled him worse then all the rest, and took it grievously that he was mocked; so this man dyed undefi∣led, and put his whole trust in the Lord: last of all, after the Sons, the Mother dyed. When her Sons were apprehended she exhorted them in the Hebrew Tongue, saying,

O my most dear and loving Children, let us hasten to that Agony which may credit our pro∣fession, and be rewarded by God with Eternal Life; let us fear∣lessly present our Bodies to those Torments which aged Eleazar en∣dured; let us call to mind our Father Abraham, who having but one only Son, willingly sacrificed him at Gods command, and fear∣ed not to bring him to the Alter, whom with many prayers he had obtained in his old age: Remember Daniel, the three Children, &c.

Antioch being enraged against her, caused her to be stript naked, 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 Hands and Eyes to Heaven, in the midest of her Prayers, she yielded up her chaste Soul unto God. But God suffered not the cruel Tyrant to escape unpunished; for in his Wars against the Persians the Lord struck him with Madness, his Intrals were de∣voured with Worms, and stinking like a Carrion, in the Extreamity of his Torments he gave up the Ghost.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Mo∣ther and her seven Chil∣dren perse∣cuted.