Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/405

 world will  raise  up  us  who  die  for  His  laws,  in  the  resurrection of eternal  life.”

The third  brother  offered  his  hands  and  feet  to  be  cut  off, saying: “These  I have  from  heaven,  but  for  the  law  of  God  I now  despise  them,  because  I hope  to  receive  them  again  from Him.” Some  minutes  before  his  death  he  declared  aloud  his  willingness to  die  for  God,  as  his  brothers  had  already  done. When he was  dead,  the  fourth  brother,  the  fifth,  and  the  sixth  were all three  subjected  to  the  same  torments  as  their  elder  brothers, but each  one  died  in  the  same  manner,  having  the  same  spirit. They made  no  account  of  pain  and  death,  because  they  suffered all for  God.

The king  and  his  courtiers  were  amazed  at  the  constancy of these  young  men,  so*  that  when  the  seventh,  a mere  youth, was brought  forward,  the  king  told  him,  with  an  oath,  that  he would  make  him  rich  and  happy  if  he  would  obey  his  command. Seeing that  his  words  had  no  effect  on  the  courageous  boy,  Antiochus  called  on  the  mother  to  advise  her  son  for  his  own  good.

The mother  agreed  to  do  so. Then, addressing  her  son , she said  with  all  a mother’s  tender  affection: “My  son,  look  upon heaven and  earth,  and  all  that  is  in  them; and  consider  that  God made them  out  of  nothing,  and  mankind  also;  so  thou  shalt  not fear this  tormentor,  but,  being  made  a worthy  partner  with  thy brethren, receive  death,  that  in  that  mercy  I may  receive  thee again with  thy  brethren.”

While she  was  yet  speaking,  the  boy  said :  “For  whom  do you  stay? I will not  obey  the  commandment  of  the  king,  but