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.