High-Priest worshipeth for in my sleep I saw him in such an habit when I was in Macedonia consulting with my self how I might conquer Asia and he bad me to make no delay assuring me that he would both guide me and my Army and would deliver the Empire of the Persians into my hands Then gave he the High-Priest his hand and went with him to the City and comming to the Temple he offered sacrifice according to the direction of the High-Priest then did Jaddus shew him Daniels Prophecy wherein his victories over the Persians and his Monarchy were foretold which much rejoyced Alexander then did he command the Jews to ask some favours at his hands the High-Priest requested onely that they might live after the Ordinances of their forefathers and that every seventh year they might be exempted from taxes and tributes which he fully granted they besought him likewise that the Jews which were in Media and Babilon might be permitted to live after their own Laws which he willingly promised and so departed this was about the year of the world 3632. and before Christs nativity 332. After the death of Alexander his Kingdom was divided amongst his Captains amongst whom Ptolemy the son of Lagus held Egypt who falling out with Antigonus that held Asia minor there grew great wars between them wherein Ptolemy won from him all Syria and going to Jerusalem on a Sabbath day under pretence to offer sacrifice the Jews suspecting nothing he surprised the City carrying away many of the Jews into captivity into Egypt but after his death his son Ptolemy Philadelphus at his owne cost redeemed an hundred and twenty thousand of them paying twelve Crowns apeece for each of them and sent them back into their owne countrey He sent also by them fifty talents of gold for the temple and obtained of Eleazer the High Priest the Law of the Jews and 72 Interpreters out of every Tribe some who translated it into Greek in 72 daies and having finished their work Ptolemy returned them with great rewards for themselves and with many rich presents to Eleazer Antiochus and Ptolemy being at war each against other the Jews suffered much by them Mach. 1. Collected out of Josephus CHAP. III. The persecution of the Church of God under Antiochus Epiphanes before the nativity of Christ about 168 years AFterwards the Jews being divided amongst themselves one part of them went to Antiochus telling him that their purpose was to forsake the Religion and Ordinances of their forefathers and to follow that of the Kings and to live after the manner of the Greeks entreating him to license them to live in Jerusalem which Antiochus assenting to they went to Jerusalem where they behaved themselves very wickedly but finding opposition from the other party of the Jews they sent for Antiochus who led his army against Jerusalem and encamped before it and by his faction within had the gates opened and the City betraied to him about the year of the world 3796. and before the nativity of Christ 168. Being entred Jerusalem he slew many of the faithfull Jews and having taken great spoils he returned back to Antioch Two years after he came to Jerusalem again and having seen what quantity of gold was in the Temple and what a huge number of Presents and precious Ornaments were in the same he was so overcome with covetousness that he violated all conventions and conditions formerly made equally raging against his own and the adverse party sparing neither friend nor foe then he spoiled the Temple and carried away the Vessels dedicated unto God the golden Table the golden Candlestick the Censers c. leaving nothing behind him of any value yea he inhibited the godly Jews from offering their usual and dailie sacrifices to God and having spoiled the whole City he slew many of the Inhabitants and carried the rest away into Captivity with their Wives and Children to the number of ten thousand He also burned the fairest buildings of the City and brake down the wals and raised a Fortress in the lower City and having inclosed it with high wals he planted a Garison of Macedonians therein with whom remained the scum of the Apostate Jews He also caused an Altar to be erected in the Temple on which he commanded swine to be offered in Sacrifice contrary to the Law He constrained the Jews to forsake God and adore those Idols which himself vvorshiped he forbad them to circumcise their Children and appointed Over-seers to constrain them to fulfill his Commandments so that many for fear of punishment conformed themselves to his will But such as were of upright hearts and valiant minds little respected his menaces whereupon they were beaten and exposed to cruel punishment many days together in the midst of which they yielded up the ghost for after they were whipt and maimed in their bodies they were tortured and crucified the women vvere strangled and the circumcised children vvere hung up about the necks of their parents and vvhere any books of the sacred Scriptures vvere found they defaced and burnt them and such with vvhom they vvere found vvere put to most cruel deaths At this time there dvvelt at Modin a Village of Jury one vvhose name was Matthias a Priest of the rank of Joarib that had five sons John called Gaddis Simon called Matthes Judas called Maccabeus Eleazer called Aaron and Jonathan called Apphas This Matthias often complained to his sons of the miserable state of their Countrey of the sacking of their City the profanation of the Temple and the miseries of the people telling them that it was better for them to die for the Law then to live in Ignominy When therefore the Kings Commisaries came unto Modin and commanded the people to sacrifice according to the Kings Edict they first applied themselves to Matthias as to the most Honourable person amongst them requiring him first to offer sacrifice that others might follow his example promising that the King vvould much honour him for it Matthias ansvvered that he vvould by no means commit that Idolatry assuring them that though all other Nations either for love or fear should obey the Edicts of Antiochus yet that he nor his children could be induced to forsake the Religion of their fathers As soon as he had thus spoken a certain Jew stepped forth to offer sacrifice according to the command of the King wherewith Matthias inflamed with zeal was so displeased that he and his sons fell upon him and with their swords hewed him to pieces he also slew Apelles the Kings Captain and some other souldiers who would have withstood him Then he overthrew the Altar and with a loud voice he said If any one be affected to the Laws of their fathers and to the service of God let him follow me and so he retired into the deserts with his sons the like did the rest with their wives and children hiding themselves in caves and
and then marching to Malla a City of the enemies he surprised it slew all the men therein and burnt it with fire after which he destroyed Chaspomo Bosor and divers other places Shortly after Timothy leavied another great Army hired many of the Syrians and drew forth all his allies to his assistance with these he marched to Jordan exhorting them valiantly to oppose the Jews and to hinder their passage over the river telling them that if the Jews gat over they were sure to be put to the worst Judas hearing hereof marched hastily against his enemies and having passed the river he presently set upon them killing some and grievously affrighting the rest who casting away their arms immediately fled some of them to save themselves fled into a Temple called Carnain but Judas having taken the City and Temple slew them and burnt the same Then did he lead away with him all the Jews that lived in Galaad together with their wives children and substance and brought them into Judaea When he drew near to the town of Ephron they had baricadoed up his way that he could not pass then did he send Ambassadors to them to desire them to open his passage which when they refused he besieged the City took it by assault burned it down and slew all the men that were therein After having passed over Jordan they came into Judaea with great joy and gladnesse praising God and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving to him for the safe return of his Army for that in all those battels and encounters he had not lost one Jew But whilest Judas and Simon were gone upon these expeditions the two Captains which he had left to command the Garisons of Judaea being desirous to obtain the reputation of valiant men tooke their forces and went towards Jamnia against whom Gorgias Governor of that place issued out and slew two thousand of them the rest fled to Judaea Afterwards Judas and his brethren warred against the Idumaeans took divers of their Cities and with a great booty returned home with great joy Antiochus in the meane time being in Persia heard of a wealthy City called Elymais in which was a rich Temple of Diana c. thither he went and besieged it but the inhabitants sallied out and with great losse drave him from thence whereupon he returned to Babylon there also news was brought unto him of the overthrow of his Captains in Judaea and that the Jews were grown strong which together with his former defeat so wrought upon him that he fell sick and finding no hope of recovery he called his most familiar friends to him and told them that his sicknesse was violent and desperate and that he was plagued with this grevous affliction for that he had tormented the people of the Jews destroyed their Temple committed horrible sacriledge and contemned the reverence of God but now he vowed that if it would please the Lord to restore him he would become a Jew and do many great things for the people of God as also that he would goe through all the known world to declare the power of God Notwithstanding which the Lord knowing his hypocrisie continued to plague him after a terrible manner he had a remedilesse pain in his bowels and intollerable torments in all his inward parts His body bred abundance of worms which continually crawled out of the same yea he so rotted above ground that by reason of the intollerable stink no man could endure to come near him neither could he himselfe indure the same and thus this vile person who had formerly in a proud and insolent manner protested that he would make Jerusalem a common burying place and the streets thereof to run with the bloud of Gods people by Gods just judgement ended his life in extream misery but before his death he called Philip one of his chief Captains and made him governour of his kingdom requiring him to be very carefull of his son Antiochus Then was Antiochus proclaimed King and sirnamed Eupator About which time the Garisons and Apostates that were in the Fortress at Jerusalem did much mischief to the Jews for setting unawares upon those that came to the Temple to worship and to offer their sacrifices they slew them Hereupon Judas resolved to cut off these Garisons and to that end he assembled all the people and besieged them and having made certain Engins and raised divers Rams he earnestly prosecuted the siege but divers of those Apostates escaping by night went to Antiochus desiring him not to suffer them to perish who for his fathers sake had forsaken their Religion c. Then did Antiochus send for his Captains commanding them to raise a mighty Army which accordingly they did gathering together a hundred thousand footmen and twenty thousand horsemen and thirty two Elephants with these Forces he departed out of Antioch and made Lysias Generall of his Army Then did he besiege Bethsura a strong City but the inhabitants valiantly resisted him and sallying out burned his Engines which he had prepared for battery The King continuing the siege for a longe time Judas hearing of it raised his siege from before the Castle of Jerusalem and marched towards Antiochus his Army and when he came neer to the enemies Camp he lodged his Army in certain streights called Beth-zacharia The King hearing thereof raised his siege from Bethsura and marched to wards the streight where Judas with his Army was The King first caused his Elephants to march thorow the streight about each Elephant were a thousand Footmen and a hundred Horsemen for his guard each Elephant carried a Tower on his back furnished with Archers the rest of his Forces he caused to march two waies by the mountaines commanding them with huge shouts and cries to assail their enemies and to uncover their golden and brazen bucklers that the reflection thereof might dazle the eies of the Jews yet was not Judas at all amated but entertained the Army with a noble courage slaying about six hnundred of the forlorn hope But Eleazer Judas brother seeing a huge Elephant armed with royall trappings supposing that the King was upon him he ran against him with a noble courage and having slain divers that were about the Elephant he thrust his sword into the belly of the beast so that the Elephant falling upon him slew him with his weight Judas seeing the great strength of his enemies retired back to Jerusalem and Antiochus sent back part of his Army against Bethsura and with the rest he marched on towards Jerusalem The Bethsurites despairing of relief and their provisions failing them surrendred their City having the Kings oath that no out-rage should be offered to them yet he thrust them out of the City and placed a Garison in it He spent also along time in besieging the Temple at Jerusalem they within defending it gallantly for against every Engine that the King erected they set up
which I pray thee to amend with thy pen before thou readest the Book ERRATA in the general MARTYROLOGIE PAge 29 line 14 read him for them l 40 r India for Indian p 36 l 25 r whom for who p 37 l. 17. put in cease to l 21 put in to p 45 l 6 r were for was l 14 r Decree for degree p 62 l 22 r adorning for adoreing p 67 l 4 r this for his l 5 r com for cow l 8 r they for the. p 79 l 16 r that for the p 81 l 29 r stake for stalk p 84 l 41 r also for all p 94 l 28 r Torturers for tortures l 36 r Courtiers for Countries p 106 l ult put in whosoever p 114 l 37 r they for the. p 115 l 10 r was for were l 15 r Prince for Princes p 117 l 17 r which for with l 23 r belief for relief p 118 l 3 r edified for edifying p 120 l 1 r they for the p. p 121 l 25 put in whereupon p 122 l 26 r enjoyned for enjoyed p 128 l 41 r slaying for staying p 132 l 31 r children for child p 133 l 17 r receiving for receive p 135 l 32 r sixty for sixtly p 137 l 39 r opened for opening p 147 l 34 put out was p 149 l 7 r retaining for restraining p. 151 l 16 r their for they p 152 l 11 r represented for presented p 153 l 37 r approach for reproach p 154 l 1 r die for are l 31 r Bertrand for Bâ—trand p 156 l 1 r Bosnia for Bosina l 7 r when for where p. 158 l 41 r root for rout p 159 l ult r delivered for discovered p 160 l 15 r Maundy for munday p 161 l 29 r upon for of Cities for City p 163 l 5 r buried for burnt l 14 r they for the. l 29 r two for second p 164 l 1 r Catholick for Cathe p 186 l 42 r they for the. p 189 l 2 r breast for breasts l 8 r was for were p 193 l 8 r hoary for heavy p 198 l 7 put out should p 202 l 9 r were for was p 139 l 15 r this for his l 17 r for never no man r no man ever p 271 l 41 put in free p 279 l 8 put in one l 28 r sent for set p 297 l 16 r zeal for seal p 303 l 24 put in her p 304 l 13 put in took p 308 l 7 r girls for gilts l 11 r burnt for burn l 16 r goodly for godly l 30 r macerating for macecrating p 309 l 28 put in of p 334 l 3 r mouth for mouta p 351 l ult r Parisians for Persians p 375 l 18 put in brought p 378 l 9 put out and so p 383 l 21 r short for shot p 387 l 35 r leave for have p 404 l 12 r whom for where p 468 l 6 for Infections r Infractions Other literal faults are easily amended Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae Act. 14.22 1 Thes. 1.4 Lam. 3.33 34 Isa. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.17 Micha 7.9 1 Tim. 3.12 Heb. 12.7 Luk. 23.31 Praemonitus praemunitus Gen. 3.5 Gen. 4.8 Abel Noah Gen. 6.11 Gen. 9.22 Lot Isaac Jacob. Joseph Thâ— Israelites in Egypt Moses Moses and Aaron Israel in the time of the Judges Jsrael in Saul's time David 1 King 14.25 26. Judah under the Kings Asa persecutes a Prophet Michaiah Gods judgement on Persecutors Elijah Elisha Zechariah 2 Chron. 28.8 Isaiah Jer. 24.1 c. Jeremiah The 3 Children Daniel Mordecai Israel after the Captivity Nehe. 2.19 and â— 2 3 8. Nehemiah The Jews persecuted by Bagoses Prayer in times of danger Apostates Antiochus entred Jerusalem Antiochus robs the Temple Forbideth the daily sacrifice His Cruelty Christian courage The Scriptures burnt Matthias his zeal A noble Resolution Zeal The Jews murthered refusing to fight on the Sabbath day Matthias his sickness His counsel to his sons His death Apollonius slain Judas encouraged his souldiers Seron slain Antiochus his â—rpel command Fasting and prayer before the battel His exhortation to his Army A wonderfull vâ—ctory Gorgias flies Thanksgiving Prayer Lysias beaten The Temple cleansed The service of God restored The Edomites overcome The Ammonites overcome Simons victories in Galile Judas taketh Bozra Overcometh Timothy Timothy again overcome Ephron destroyed Thanksgiving for victory A miracle of mercy Vain-glory punished The Idumaeans overcome Antiochus his horrible death Gods judgemente on Persecatorâ— Antiochus Eupaâ—tor Bethsura besieged Eleazer slew and is slain by an Elephent Bethsura surrendred The Temple besieged A speciall providence Perfidiousness A just judgement Antiochus slain by Demetrius The wickednes of Apostates Bacchides sent against Judas Perjury Perfidiousness Alcimus his subtilty and cruelty Nicanor sent against Judas His subtility Judas in danger Judas forced to retreat Nicanors blasphemy A terrible battel Nicanor slain A just judgement Judas sends to the Romans A league between the Jews and Romans Bacchides sent â—gainst Judas twenty thousand Judas his resolution A terrible battel Judas slain Antiochus his cruel Edict Constancy Subtilty Courage Eleazer cruelly beaten His admirable patience His zeal His prayer at death Antiochus his subtilty The seven brethrens courage Maccabeus his torments His resolute speech His Martyrdom His speech at death Abers torments Or Leopard Hâ—s speech at death Machir brought forth His courage His torments His speech at death Judas his courage His torments His speech at death Achas his courage His torments His speech at death Areth his courage His torments His speech at death Jacob brought forth Antiochus his subtilty His mother encourageth him His noble courage His torments * Lord. His last words Salamona's zeal Her speech to her Children Her torments and death See more of this before Mat. 2.2 5 16. Gods Judgement on Persecutors Herods miserable death John Baptist beheâ—ded Mat. 14.10 Gods Judgements on Herod for it Caius Caligula Act. 4.1 17. The Apostles beaten Steven stoned Paul persecuted Act. 12.1 2. A Persecutor converted James beheaded Peter escapeth death Gods Judgement on Herod Paul and Barnabas persecuted Paul stoned Paul and Silas whipt Paul and Silas again persecuted Act. 17.5 13 14. Sosthenes beaten Paul in danger Acts 24.27 Pauls Martyrdom The Martyrdom of James His constancy in prayer Andrews martyrdom Philips Martyrdom Bartholemew Thomas Matthew Simon Zel. Judas Matthias Mark Nicanor Quinquennium Neronis Nero sets Rome on fire The Circus burnt down Nero charged it upon the Christians Raiseth the first Persecution Several kinds of torments Beastly cruelty Tertullians speech Peter and Paul martyred Domitians character He destroyes Davids seed St. John put into boiling oyl Banished into Patmos An excellent story â—f a young man Simâ—on crucified Flavia banished A cruel death Christians slandered Charged with Sedition and Rebellion and the causers of all publick Calamities Christianos ad Leones The Oath ex officio Variety of torments Burial denied them Protasius Gervasius Timothy and Dionysius martyred Trajans persecution Pliny writes in the Christians behalf