to offer the Flesh of Swine and other unclean Beafts, and then to eat it; and he destroyed the Books of the Law wherefoever they were found.

Note, This Image of Jupiter fet up on the Altar by Antiochus Epiphanes, is fuppofed to be the Abomination that maketh defolate, foretold by Daniel, chap. xi. ver. 31. as the Roman Enfign with the Eagle on it, which was the Bird of Jupiter fet up in the Temple, was the Abomination of Defolation which Daniel foretels, Dan. ix. 27. and xii. 11. and which our Saviour refers to, Matth.xxiv. 15. Abomination is the common Name for an Idol in the Old Teftament, and when fuch are fet up in the Sanctuary, it may be well called Defolation, for the Priests are driven away, and the true Worship of God ceases.

Obferve yet further, that this Antiochus Epiphanes is called by fome the Jervish Antichrift, because several of the fame things are foretold of him by the Prophet Daniel, which are alfo predicted of the Roman Antichrift in the Chriflian Church by the Apostle John.

16 Q. Did any of the Ifraelites comply with his Commands? A. Though there were Multitudes who would not defile themselves, and break the Law of God, yet too many of them for fear, and fome out of Ambition to please the King, conformed to his Religion, and facrificed, and burnt Incense to Idols in the Streets of the Cities of Judea.

17 Q. How did the King punish thofe that refufed? A. He put the Men to death every Month, he flew feveral Women that had caufed their Chilren to be circumcifed, hanged the Infants about their Necks, and killed those that circumcised them. This Perfecution may be seen more at large, iMac. Chap. i, and iii, and 2 Mac, vi.

18 Q. What did the Samaritans do on this Occafion? A. When the Jews were in Prosperity, they challenged Kindred with the Jews, but they difowned them when they were under Perfecution: And therefore on this Occafion they made an Apology to Antiochus the King for having heretofore ufed the Jewish Rites, but now having renounced them, they complied with the Heathen Religion, and defired their Temple on Mount Gerizim might be made the Temple of the Grecian Jupiter, the Defender of Strangers, 2 Maccab. vi.

SECT. V. Of MATTATHIAS, the Fa ther of the MACCABEES, and the great Reformer.

QWHEN the Perfecution was fo violent

in Judea; was there any eminent publick Oppofition made to it by any of the Jews? A. Mattathias, a Prieft of the Course of foarib, who dwelt at Modin, was complimented by the King's Officers, and tempted to comply with Heathen Worship there, according to the King's Commandment; but he boldly renounced their Superftitions, and declared his Refolution to die in the Religion of the Jews, 1 Mac. ii.

22 What Inftance did he give of his Courage and Zeal? A. When one of the Jews came to facrifice on the Heathen Altar which was at Modin, he could not forbear to fhew his Indignation, as a Zealot, but ran and flew the Man upon the Altar, and at the fame Time killed the King's chief Officer there who came to enforce thefe wicked Commands.

3 Q. In what manner did he maintain his bold Enterprize? A. He cried with a loud Voice through the City, Whofoever is zealous of the Law let him follow me. So he and his Sons fled to the Mountains, and a great Number of Jews fled with them, and hid themfelves in the Wildernefs.

4 Q. Did not the King's Army pursue them? A. Yes, and camped against them, and attacked a confiderable Number of them on the Sabbathday?

5Q. And did the Jews make no Refiftance? A. None at all, because it was the Sabbath; but they said, Let us all die in our Innocency: Whereupon a thousand People were flain.

6Q. Did Mattathias and his Friends approve of this Conduct? A. It seems as if their Zeal at firft approved of it; but upon better Confideration they decreed, it was lawful and neceflary for them to defend themselves, if they were attacked again on the Sabbath-day.

Note, This Decree was ratified by the Confent of all the Priests and Elders amongst them, and it was fent to all others through the Land, and was made a Rule in their following Wars.

7 Q. What did King Antiochus do when he heard of this bold and publick Refiftance made to his Commands and his Government? A. He executed very great Cruelties on all the Jews that fell into his Hands who would not forfake the Laws of Mofes ; fince the mere terror of Death did not affright them.

8 Q. What very remarkable Inftances do we find in Hiftory of this Gruelty? A. Seven Brethren

with their Mother, were terribly tormented, to constrain them to eat Swine's Flesh, which the Law of Mofes forbids.

9 Q. How did they endure their Torments? A. With great Courage one after another in a long Succeffion they bore the various Tortures that were inflicted on them, and declared they were ready to fuffer rather than tranfgrefs the Laws of their Fathers.

10 Q What Tortures were thofe which the King executed upon them? A. A great Variety of exquifite and bloody Cruelties: Their Limbs were cut off, their Tongues were cut out, they were fryed in Frying-pans, the Skins of the Head was torn off with the Hair, and they died under the Anguish and Violence of thefe Torments, while the Mother at the fame time looked on, and encouraged them all to fuffer boldly, in oppofition to the Intreaties, Threatnings, and Commands of the King.

11 Q. In what manner did she encourage her Sons in their Sufferings? A. By the tenderest Speeches of an affectionate Mother to her Sons, fhe befeeched them to fear God, and not Man, and to endure, in hope of a happy Refurrection, when she should receive them all again in Mercy.

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12 Q. Did fhe herself alfo fuffer the Torment? A. When the had feen all her Sons die like Martyrs before her, the finifhed that fad Spectacle, and died alfo for her Religion, 2 Mac, vii.

13 Q. What did Mattathias do all this while in the Mountains? A. He ftill encouraged the Jews to join with him, and among others, there were many of the Affideans, who were zealous for the Law, reforted to him.

14 Q. Who were thefe Affideans, or Chafideans, as it ought to be written? A. A Sect among the Jews who were called Chafidim, or the Pious, who were not only zealous of the Law, but of many other Conftitutions and Traditions, and Forms of Mortification beyond what the Law required; whereas those who contented themselves with what was written in the Law, were called Zadikim, or the Righteous.

15 Q. What Exploits did Mattathias and his Friends perform? A. They went round about the Towns and Villages, pulled down the Heathen Altars, and circumcifed the Children; they flew and put to flight many of their Enemies, and recovered feveral Copies of the Jewish Law.

16 Q. When Mattathias died, who fucceeded him? A. Juft before his Death he made noble Speech to his five Sons to encourage them in the Defence of their Religion and their Country, he recommended his Son Simon as a Man of Counsel, but he made his Son Judas, furnamed Maccabeus, their Captain.

17 Q. How came he to be called Maccabeus? A. The Motte of his Standard was the first Letters of that Hebrew Sentence, Exod. xv. 11. Mi Camoka Baelim Jehovah, i. e. Who is like to thee among the Gods, O Lord? which Letters were formed into the artificial Word Maccabi, and all that fought under his Standard were called Maccabees.

Note, This has been a common Practice among the Jews to frame Words in this Manner. So Rabbi Mofes Ben Maimon, i. e. the Son of Maimon, is called Rambam, Rabbi Solomon Jarchi is called Rafi. Nor is the Use of the first Letters of Words for fuch kind of

purposes unknown among Heathens or Chriftians. The Let

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