service of the God of Israel; for he determined to compel the Jews every where in his dominions, to conform in the worship of his idols. For this purpose he made a decree, as soon as he reached Antioch, that all his subjects should abandon their religious rites, and adopt his. He was advised to this measure by Ptolemy Macron, as an effectual one for extirpating the Jewish nation and religion at the same time. In order to carry this decree into effect he sent overseers into all the provinces to instruct the people in the new ritual, and enforce the observance of it. His heathen subjects readily conformed to his will; because one idol was to them the same as another. The Samaritans also were prompt to obey the king's orders, lest they should be regarded as Jews. They had no objection to claim affinity with that nation when by so doing they could share in its privileges; but now that the case was altered they openly declared themselves to be Medes and Persians, and supported their declaration by desiring that their temple on Mount Gerizim might be dedicated to the Grecian Jupiter. Antiochus complied with their request, and ordered that they should not be farther molested. It had been well for the Jews if the Samaritans only had apostatized; but too many of them also abjured their holy faith; and joining the king's officers, became the most bitter persecutors of their brethren. The king's overseer who came to Jerusalem was named Athenæus. On his arrival, all the ordinances and rites of worship were suppressed; the sabbath was profaned; the sacred Scriptures destroyed wherever they could be found; and all persons who were known to observe any of the laws of God were put to death by the Syrian soldiers. These severities however had not all the effect that was ex

pected from them; for many in Israel resolved to obey God rather than man, and yielded their lives as a willing sacrifice to his honour. The temple of the Lord was now converted into a heathen temple, and dedicated to Jupiter Olympias, whose image being set up on the altar of burnt-offerings, sacrifices were offered to it on another altar erected for that purpose.

Nor was it in Jerusalem only that these abominations were enforced; for officers were sent to all the cities of Judea, with authority to erect idol altars, and compel the people to partake of the sacrifices, and join in their processions.

LETTER XXXIII.

THE prophet Daniel had declared respecting this persecution of Antiochus, that the people should fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days; but that they who knew their God should be strong, and do exploits. The former declaration had been lamentably verified during six months, when it pleased the Lord to grant the means of deliverance to his suffering people. One of the king's commissioners named Apelles came to Modin, to initiate the people of that place in the heathen rites; and to superintend the observance of them. On his arrival he called the inhabitants together, and told them the purport of his visit; then addressing himself to a principal person among them, named Mattathias, a priest of the course of Joarib, he exhorted him to comply with the king's orders; as his example would have great weight with

the rest of the people. Mattathias indignantly withstood the persuasion of the king's officer, though it was. accompanied by promises of the royal favour, for himself and his family. He declared in the hearing of all the people, that nothing should ever induce him to depart from the covenant of his God; neither would he, nor any of his family, obey the king's command in this matter. At this moment a Jew approaching to sacrifice to the idol, Mattathias executed the law of God upon the apostate by slaying him; and then turning upon Apelles and his followers, with the assistance of his sons. and some others, he put them to death also. After this he collected his little band, with the rest of his family, and retired to the mountains of Judea: calling upon all who were zealous for the law of God to follow him. Many who heard what he had done, resorted to him; and others, who had fled from persecution in different cities, followed his example by retreating to the deserts. To these St. Paul alludes in his epistle to the Hebrews, when he says, "They wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."* About this time Philip the governor of Jerusalem being informed that a thousand of them were concealed in the wilderness near that city, went out with a party of soldiers against them. He at first called upon them to submit, and obey the king's command; promising that their past disobedience should be forgiven; but as they positively refused his conditions, he attacked them on the sabbath day, when he knew they would not defend themselves; and put them all to death: not even sparing the women and children. When Mattathias and his company heard of this melancholy transaction,

* Hebrews xi. 28.

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they were much grieved for the loss of their brethren; but perceiving that a similar fate awaited all the Jews, if they allowed the enemy to massacre them on the sabbath day without resistance, they came to a resolution to defend themselves when assaulted on that day. By consent of the priests and elders among them this resolution was passed into a decree for their future conduct; and was made known to all who were dispersed throughout the land, on account of this persecution. Antiochus finding that his orders met with considerable opposition in Judea, came to Jerusalem in person. He doubtless expected that the terror of his presence, and the cruelty of his conduct, would induce universal submission; but in this he was disappointed: for there were many who feared the King of kings; and consented to be" tortured, not accepting deliverance,” rather than renounce their confidence in him. Among these was Eleazar, a venerable man, eighty years of age. He was urged to comply with the king's command only in appearance, by coming to an idol festival, and bringing his own meat with him. But he scorned this wretched subterfuge, alleging the folly of deceit in the presence of an Omniscient Being; and the mischief that would result from his example, were he to appear as an apostate. His heathen friends finding their persuasions ineffectual, left him to his sentence; and he died in the midst of torments; declaring that his soul was content to suffer them, rather than cast off the fear of that God, to whom, living or dead, he was accountable. In like manner seven brothers were brought before the king, and put to death by the most cruel tortures. They steadily adhered to their faith, and mocked the impotent rage of the tyrant, who could not injure

their souls; while their mother exhorted them to suffer courageously, that she might receive them again, through the mercy of God; and at last resigned her own life also, in the hope of a blessed resurrection. In the meantime Mattathias and his party lay concealed among the mountains, where it was hardly possible the enemy could get access to them. His numbers daily increased; and his strength was greatly augmented by a company of Assideans, who were men peculiarly devoted to the defence of the temple and the Jewish religion; and distinguished by their zeal and valour in the sacred cause they had voluntarily espoused.

As soon as Antiochus had quitted Jerusalem, Mattathias, finding himself at the head of a little army, sallied forth from his concealment; and entering the towns and villages, threw down the idol altars, put to death the apostates and persecutors wherever he found them, and enforced the observance of the law of God, which they had sought to abolish. When Antiochus had commenced the persecution of the Jews, he gave particular orders that all copies of their scriptures should be taken from them; justly concluding that ignorance or neglect of them, would cause a forgetfulness and neglect of that God whose laws they contained. Mattathias having recovered some copies from the heathen, caused the public reading of them to be resumed in the synagogues; and restored the worship of God wherever he came. But this holy man, being advanced in years, did not long sustain the fatigue of this zealous warfare. When he found his end approaching, he called his sons around him, and exhorted them to adhere faithfully and courageously to the covenant of their God; reminding them by the examples and experience of Abraham and