AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 73
than that she who had borne and made martyrs,should be
joined in the fellowshipof glory with them, and that she
herselfshouldfollowthosewhom she had sentbeforetoGod.
And lestany,when the opportunityeitherof a certificateor
of any such matter isofferedto him whereby he may deceive,
shouldembrace the wicked part of deceivers,letus not be
silent,moreover, about Eleazar,who, when an opportunity
was offeredhim by the ministersof the king,thathaving re
ceivedthe fleshwhich itwas allowableforhim to partakeof,
he might pretend,forthe misguidingof the king,thathe ate
those thingswhich were forcedupon him from the sacrifices
and unlawful meats,would not consentto thisdeception,say
ing thatitwas fittingneitherforhisage nor nobilityto feign
that,whereby otherswould be scandalizedand ledintoerror;
if they shouldthinkthatEleazar,being ninetyyearsold,had
leftand betrayedthe law of God, and had gone overto the
manner of aliens; and that it was not of so much conse
quence to gain the shortmoments of life,and soincureternal
punishment from an offendedGod. And he having been
long tortured,and now at lengthreduced to extremity,while
he was dying inthemidstof stripesand tortures,groaned and
said," O Lord, that hast the holy knowledge,itismanifest
that althoughI might be deliveredfrom death,I sufferthe
severestpainsof body,being beaten with scourges; but with
my mind, on account of Thy fear,I willinglysufferthese
things."1 Assuredly his faithwas sincereand his virtue
sound, and abundantly pure, not to have regarded king
Antiochus, but God the Judge, and to have known that it
could not availhim for salvationif he should mock and
deceiveman, when God, who isthe judge of our conscience,
and who only is to be feared,cannot at allbe mocked nor
deceived. If,therefore,we alsoliveas dedicatedand devoted
to God — if we make our way over the ancientand sacred
footstepsof the righteous,letus go through the same proofs
of sufferings,the same testimoniesof passions,considering
the gloryof our time the greateron thisaccount,thatwhile
ancient examples may be numbered, yet that subsequently,
12 Mace.vi.30.