this

And when this man also was dead, the sixth was brought, a mere boy, who in answer to the tyrant's inquiry whether he was willing to eat and be released, said:

AND when this one also died a blessed death, being cast into the cauldron, the seventh son, the youngest of them all, came forward.

Art thou not ashamed, being a man, O wretch with the heart of a wild beast, to take men of like feelings with thyself, made from the same elements, and tear out their tongues, and scourge and torture them in this manner?

And thee will he Punish both in this present life and after that thou art dead.'

And with this prayer he cast himself into the red-hot brazier, and so gave up the ghost.

But in this cam it was not so; on the contrary by their Reason, which was commended in the sight of God, they rose superior to their passions.

Let us imitate the Three Children at the Assyrian court who despised this same ordeal of the furnace.

After this our passion, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob shall receive us, and all our forefathers shall praise us.'

For there is this also to consider, that had the woman been weak of spirit, despite her motherhood, she might have wept over them, and perchance spoken thus:

But the holy and God-fearing mother wailed not with this lamentation over any one of them, neither besought she any to escape death, nor lamented over them as dying men; but, as though she had a soul of adamant and were bringing forth the number of her sons, for a second time, into immortal life, she besought rather and entreated of them that they should die for religion's sake.

For it would be shameful if, while this aged man endured the agony for religion's sake, you that are young men shrank before the pain.

And these men, therefore, having sanctified themselves for God's sake, not only have received this honour, but also the honour that through them the enemy had no more power over our people, and the tyrant suffered punishment, and our country was purified, they having as it were become a ransom for our nation's sin; and through the blood of these righteous men and the propitiation of their death, the divine Providence delivered Israel that before was evil entreated.

O Israelites, children born of the seed of Abraham, obey this Law, and be righteous in all ways, recognizing that Inspired Reason is lord over the passions, and over pains, not only from within, but from without ourselves; by which means those men, delivering up their bodies to the torture for righteousness' sake, not only won the admiration of mankind, but were deemed worthy of a divine inheritance.

He confirmed the words of Ezekiel, "Shall these dry bones live?" For he forgat not the song that Moses taught, which teaches, "I will slay and I will make alive. This is your life and the blessedness of your days."'

This is the Spirit of the Lord, which doth not lie, which teacheth the sons of men to know His ways.

My joy is the Lord and my impulse is toward Him: this path of mine is excellent:

And I asked the Truth 'Who are these?'; and He said to me, 'This is the deceiver and the error:

And the waves were lifted up on this side and on that, but the footsteps of our Lord Messiah stand firm and are not obliterated and are not defaced.