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Apocrypha. cir. 167. diately he went to the torment :

29 They that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into ha tred, because the foresaid speeches pro ceeded, as they thought, from || a desperate mind.

30 But when he was ready to die with stripes, he groaned, and said, It is manifest unto the Lord, that hath the holy know ledge, that whereas I might have been de livered from death, I now endure fore pains in body by being beaten : but in foul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear him.

31 And thus this man died, leaving his death for an example of a noble courage, and a memorial of virtue, not only unto young men, but unto all his nation.

T came to pass also, that seven brethren with their mother were taken, and compelled by the king against the law to taste swine's flesh, and were tormented with scourges and whips.

2 But one of them that spake first said thus, What wouldest thou ask or learn of us ? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the laws of our fathers.

3 Then the king, being in a rage, com manded pans and caldrons to be made hot :

4 Which forthwith being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spake first, and to cut off the utmost pare - of his body, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on.

5 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 fried in the pan : and as the vapour of the pan was for a good space dispersed, they exhorted one another with the mo ther to die manfully, saying thus,

6 The Lord God looketh upon us, and in truth hath comfort in us, as * Moses in his long, which witnessed to their faces, declared, saying, And he shall be comfort ed in his servants.

7 So when the first was dead after this manner, they brought the second to make him a mocking 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 ?

8 But he answered in his own language, and said, No. Wherefore he also received

9 And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou like a fury takest us out of t!«is present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for his laws, unto everlasting life.

10 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,

11 And said courageously, These I had from heaven ; and for his laws I despise them ; and from him I hope to receive. , them again.

12 Insomuch that the king, and they that were with him, marvelled at the young man's courage, for that he nothing re garded the pains.

13 Now when this man was dead also, they tormented and mangled the fourth in like manner.

14 So when he was ready to die he said thus, It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him : as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life.

15 Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mangled him.

16 Then looked he unto the king,and said* Thou hast power over men, thou art corrup tible, thou doest what thou wiltj yetthink not that our nation is forsaken of God

17 But abide a while, and behold his great power, how he will torment thee and thy feed.

18 After him also they brought the sixth, who being ready to die said, Be not de ceived without cause : for we suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God : therefore marvellous things are done unto us.

19 But think not thou, that takest in hand to strive against God, that thou shalt escape unpunished.

20 But the mother was marvellous above all, and worthy of honourable 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.

21 Yea, she exhorted every one of them in her own language, filled with courage ous spirits ; and stirring up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach, she said unto them.

22 I cannot tell how ye came into my womb ; for I neither gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you