The

because of his valour, prudence, industry and success. transactions of his life and the wars in which he was engaged with Ptolemy, were accurately delineated in the eleventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel, from the tenth to the nineteenth

verse.

Under his son and successor Seleucus, the Jews enjoyed the privileges and immunities which had been granted them by Antiochus; and might have enjoyed many years of peace and quietness, had it not been for a bitter contention between Simon the governor of the Temple, and Onias, the High priest The former proving unsuccessful, fled to Apollonius, governor of Palestine, and gave him an exaggerated account of the treasures in the Temple. When Seleucus heard it he resolved to possess them, and sent his treasurer to bring them away. But, while in the act of robbery, Heliodorus, the treasurer, was suddenly struck with awful terror, by a vision, which caused him instantly to quit the city, fearing the power and wrath of God. The whole of the reign of Seleucus is expressed in the twentieth verse of the eleventh chapter of Daniel. He was little besides "a raiser of taxes,"

CHAPTER VIII.

Bold

The

Desolations of Jerusalem under Antiochus Epiphanes. Jason erects a Gymnasium Temple shut up for three years. and artful plot of Antiochus to extirpate the Church. Temple consecrated to Jupiter Olympus. Jewish martyrdoms. General revolt under Matathias. Wars of the Maccabees. Death of Antiochus. Prophecies fulfilled in him. Destruction of the Grecian, and establishment of the Roman empire, the legs and feet of Nebuchadnezzar's image. Prosperous state of the Jews under Jonathan and Simon. Apocryphal books.

We have hitherto contemplated the Jews in favourable circumstances. They had had some internal conflicts, and outward oppressions, but they had also enjoyed the protection of mighty monarchs, and had become a populous and wealthy nation. Vital piety had exceedingly declined, especially after the death of Simon the Just; but the Temple stood in its glory, and its service was strictly observed. But we are now to plate an awful and melancholy reverse. We are to

behold the whole nation nearly destroyed; their religion almost extirpated, and the Temple of Jehovah dedicated to Jupiter Olympus.

The successor of Seleucus in the Syrian monarchy, was Antiochus Epiphanes. He took the throne, 175 B. C. The prophet Daniel predicted that he should be " a vile person."* Such he proved himself, by all his private and public conduct. The first of his acts which seriously affected the Jews, was his selling the High Priesthood to Jason, brother to Onias, the reigning High Priest, for 360 talents, about 90,000 pounds sterling; and issuing an order for the removal of Onias, a person worthy of this sacred trust, to Antioch; there to be confined for life. Jason, despising the religion of his ancestors, and resolved to make himself popular with the unprincipled youth of his nation, procured also a royal decree for the erection of a Gymnasium, or place for games and amusements, similar to those established in Grecian cities; and by example and rewards, encouraged the people to attend upon it, and conform to the manners and customs of the Heathen. The flood gates of vice being set open, all respect for the law of Moses and the Temple, was soon swept away;-the very priests mingled in the amusements of the Gymnasium; the altar of God was forsaken, and vice, immorality and infidelity stalked forth triumphant.

Jason however enjoyed his power but a short period. After a reign of three years, he was supplanted by Menelaus, his brother, a greater monster in wickedness than himself, B. C. 174. Such men sought the office, first because it was hereditary in their family; but chiefly, because it now embraced the temporal government of Jerusalem. Menelaus publicly apostatized to the religion of the Greeks, and drew as many as possible in his train. He sold the sacred vessels from the sanctuary, to pay the enormous sum of three hundred talents, by which he had supplanted his brother; and caused Onias, who had reproved him for his sacrilege, to be put to death. But some virtue remained with the people, for they resented this sacrilege, put to death the instrument by which it was effected, and sent messengers to Antiochus, complaining of its vile author.

In strict fulfilment of the divine prediction in Daniel xi. 25, this vile king advanced with his armies, and conquered Egypt. Ptolemy Philometer fell into his hands, but he was not destroyed.

* Daniel xial.

On the contrary, he had his liberty, and sat at the table of Antiochus, as Daniel predicted he would, v. 27.—“ And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table." The Jews had a false report of his death, and Jason immediately marched into the city with a thousand men, to avenge himself on Menelaus. Antiochus hearing of this, and of the rejoicings in Jerusalem, supposed that the whole city and nation had revolted from him, and hastily marched into Jerusalem, put to death 40,000 persons, and sold an equal number for slaves. He broke into the Holy of holies, robbed the Temple of the altar of incense, the shew-bread, table, and the candlestick of seven branches, which were all of gold; the recent gifts of friendly monarchs; and to show his contempt and hatred of the Jewish religion, he sacrificed a hog upon the altar of burnt offering He made Philip, a man of ferocious spirit, governor of Judea, and restored Menelaus to the High Priesthood. Jason died a miserable vagabond. In about two years, the Egyptians revolted from Antiochus, and he again fell furiously on them. But the Romans interposed, and demanded a cessation of hostilities. Antiochus, having read the decree of the senate, said he would consult with his friends about it. But the Roman Ambassador drew around him a circle in the sand, and required his answer before he passed its bounds. Afraid of this bold and rising power, he acquiesced; but he turned and wreaked his vengeance on the unoffending Jews. He sent twenty-two thousand men under Appollonius, to sack Jerusalem. The inhabitants were unaware

of his horrid intentions, until the Sabbath after his arrival; when all being assembled for worship, he let loose upon them his troops, who butchered all the men within their reach, took the women and children to sell for slaves; set fire to the houses; demolished the walls, and carried away all the treasure. The Temple was suffered to stand, but a fortress was built near it, for the molestation of all who should approach it; so that no one dared to come near, and the daily sacrifice ceased. Such as escaped the carnage fled to the mountains, and lived in great distress and hardships.

Antiochus gloried in the greatest barbarities. In the language of Daniel, he had peculiar "indignation against the holy covenant," and he determined to destroy the Jewish religion or extirpate the nation. He issued therefore, a decree that all nations within his dominions should forsake their former rites and usages, and should conform to the religion of the king, and worship as he worshipped, under the severest pe

nalties. To ensure success, he placed inspectors in every province and directed them to treat the disobedient (and these he knew would be Jews only) with the greatest severity. An old and cruel minister, one Atheneas, was sent to Jerusalem with a commission to destroy any one who offered sacrifices to the God of Israel, or observed the Sabbath, or practised circumcision. He consecrated the Temple of Jehovah to Jupiter Olympus, and set up his statue upon the altar of burntoffering. He also set up altars, groves, and statues in all parts of his dominion, and required an absolute uniformity of worship, or the forfeiture of life. It was one of the boldest attempts to extirpate the religion of a nation, ever made. But God was in the midst of his Church, and the gates of hell could not prevail against her. The land might be desolate; the Temple might be shut up or polluted; the daily sacrifice might cease, but there were many temples of the Holy Ghost in which the fire of devotion burned with unwonted brightness. It was however an awful season for the Jews. They were hid in the caves of the rocks where they worshipped God, and subsisted on roots and herbs. Hypocrites threw off their disguises and proclaimed themselves Heathen; and the Samaritans who had said to the Jews in their prosperity, we will go with you, for we are bone of your bone, now ran to Antiochus and declared themselves not to be Jews, and requested that their temple might be dedicated to the Grecian Jupiter. When the saints were brought to martyrdom, their intrepid firmness filled the tyrant with rage and madness. Among others who were put to a violent death were the venerable Eleazer, and an aged woman with her seven sons. Their triumphant deaths strengthened their brethren, and the tyrant found it was not in his power to destroy the worship of Jehovah.

*

To violence Antiochus added the most seducing arts to bring the Jews to a compliance with his orders. Among his chief officers was one Apelles, whom he sent to the city of Modin, there to establish the heathen worship. Apelles assembled the people, and addressing Mattathias, a venerable priest of the Asmonean family, endeavoured by compliment and promises, to induce him to lead the way in apostatising from God and sacrificing to the idol. But Mattathias feared God; and, with a loud voice, declared, in hearing of all the people, that "no consideration whatever should induce him or any of his family, ever to forsake the law of their God; but that they would

* See plate I.

The

because of his valour, prudence, industry and success. transactions of his life and the wars in which he was engaged with Ptolemy, were accurately delineated in the eleventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel, from the tenth to the nineteenth

verse.

The

Under his son and successor Seleucus, the Jews enjoyed the privileges and immunities which had been granted them by Antiochus; and might have enjoyed many years of peace and quietness, had it not been for a bitter contention between Simon the governor of the Temple, and Onias, the High priest former proving unsuccessful, fled to Apollonius, governor of Palestine, and gave him an exaggerated account of the treasures in the Temple. When Seleucus heard it he resolved to possess them, and sent his treasurer to bring them away. But, while in the act of robbery, Heliodorus, the treasurer, was suddenly struck with awful terror, by a vision, which caused him instantly to quit the city, fearing the power and wrath of God. The whole of the reign of Seleucus is expressed in the twentieth verse of the eleventh chapter of Daniel. He was little besides "a raiser of taxes."

CHAPTER VIII.

Desolations of Jerusalem under Antiochus Epiphanes. Jason erects a Gymnasium Temple shut up for three years. Bold and artful plot of Antiochus to extirpate the Church. The Temple consecrated to Jupiter Olympus. Jewish martyrdoms. General revolt under Matathias. Wars of the Maccabees. Death of Antiochus. Prophecies fulfilled in him. Destruction of the Grecian, and establishment of the Roman empire, the legs and feet of Nebuchadnezzar's image. Prosperous state of the Jews under Jonathan and Simon. Apocry phal books.

WE have hitherto contemplated the Jews in favourable circumstances. They had had some internal conflicts, and outward oppressions, but they had also enjoyed the protection of mighty monarchs, and had become a populous and wealthy nation. Vital piety had exceedingly declined, especially after the death of Simon the Just; but the Temple stood in its glory, and its service was strictly observed. But we are now to contemplate an awful and melancholy reverse. We are to