CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
THE
FOURTH BOOK
OF MACCABEES:
CONTAINING
REFLECTIONS ON RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE: LIKEWISE, AN ACCOUNT OF HELIODORUS’ ATTEMPT TO PLUNDER THE TEMPLE: AND THE HISTORY OF ELEAZAR AND THE SEVEN BRETHREN PERSECUTED EVEN TO DEATH FOR THEIR ADHERENCE TO RELIGION.
CHAPTER XIII
B.C. 167
Reflections on the above-mentioned occurrence.
Now if these seven brethren despised sufferings even unto death, it is confessed on all sides that religious Principle is absolute master of the passions. For as, if being enslaved by their passions, they had eaten the unclean meat, we should have said that they were vanquished by these passions; so now it is not so: but through that principle which we have commanded a, by God’s help they overcame their passions. And it is impossible to overlook this victorious general-ship b of
settled purpose: for it prevailed over both passion and sufferings. How then can we avoid conceding to these men the conquest of their passions through rectitude of principle, who shrank not from the pains of fire? For like as towers c placed at the mouths of harbours, breaking the threats of the waves, afford a calm sea to those who are sailing into port; so that sevenfold d barrier, the right principle of these youths, having fortified the harbour of piety, conquered the headstrong violence of their passions. For having formed a holy band of piety, they animated each other, saying “Brothers! Let us die like brothers, in defence of the law. Let us imitate the three young men in Babilon, who despised the furnace equally torturing f to them all. Let us not shrink from shewing forth our piety.” And one said, “Take courage, brother”, and another, “Endure nobly.” And another, putting them in remembrance, said, “Remember whence ye are,” and by what father’s hand Isaac through his piety submitted to be offered for a victim.” And one and all looking on each other, cheerful and full of confidence, said ; “Let us with all our heart sacrifice ourselves to God who gave us our lives, and let us make our bodies serviceable for the preservation of the law. Let us not fear”
“him who appears to kill the body g. For a great trial and danger to the soul is laid up for those who transgress the commandment of God. Let us therefore arm ourselves with that mastery h over the passions which divine principle supplies. For when we shall have suffered thus, ” Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will receive us into their bosoms i, and all the fathers will praise us.” And to each one of their brethren who was dragged along, the rest said; “Do not disgrace us, brother; nor disappoint the Just hopes of those who have died before us,”
Now you are not ignorant of the charm and spell of brotherhood, which divine and all wise Providence has imparted through fathers to their children, and which it has implanted even from the mother’s womb. In which these brothers having remained an equal time, and being formed in the same period, and increasing in growth from the same blood, and being completed with the same life, and brought forth after equal periods, and drinking milk from the same fountains,—on those accounts the affectionate souls are nourished up together in the embraces of the same bosom; and increase in affection more and more by this bringing up together, and by daily intercourse, and by the rest of their education, and by that study and practice (which we use) of the law of God. Brotherly affection, therefore, being thus full of sympathy, even in ordinary cases, these seven brethren had between themselves a still more strongly sympathetic unanimity. For having been educated in the same law, and having practised the same virtues, and being brought up together in a life of righteousness, they loved l each other with still greater ardour. For a similar zeal for all which was right and honourable, added intensity to their mutual accordance. For by the addition of piety, it made brotherly affection more than ever desirable to them. But, although nature, and familiarity, and virtuous morals, had combined to increase in them the already strong ties of brotherhood; those who were left of them endured to behold their brethren, who were cruelly used for their religion, tortured even unto death.
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