them within the cave, unknown to any one, saying, "When God shall choose to reveal unto the people the blessed remains of his champions, these tablets may show what they have suffered for his name." Then came those who had been sent forth, and rolling forward huge stones they blocked up the mouth of the cavern, and said, “let those perish of hunger, and eat of their own flesh, who have refused to sacrifice to our Gods."

Decius died, years rolled on, and the sceptre had now passed into the hands of Theodosius, the son of Arcadius, in whose time arose the filthy sect of the Sadducees, who wished to overthrow the hope of a resurrection, saying, verily, the dead do not arise." The heads of this heresy were the bishops Theodorus and Gaius, and they endeavoured to pervert the Emperor, who being greatly afflicted thereat, prostrated himself before the Lord, and prayed that God would tell him what he ought to believe. Now there was at this time at Ephesus a certain Dalius, very rich in cattle, who, going about Mount Celeus, commanded his herdsmen, saying, "prepare ye in this spot sheep-cotes for our sheep, for the place is apt for pasture." And the herdsmen collected stones to build a wall, till they came to the mouth of the cavern, but they did not enter in.

But the Lord commanded the spirits of the saints to

This has been the text of every priesthood in every age, and of the people, who have been led by them-"perish those who do not think as we do." Thus the Catholics tortured to death both Jews and Protestants; thus Calvin, in a smaller way, burnt such of his friends as presumed to deviate a hair's breadth from the narrow road he had chosen; and so too our Puritans were by no means negligent in doing what they were pleased to call "the work of the Lord "-that is to say, they unscrupulously cut the throats of all they could lay hands upon, who did not hold with them that pleasure was a crime and that prayers were religion.

return into their bodies, when they arose and saluted each other as usual, supposing they had only slept a single night; and not only were their bodies as fair as ever, but their garments were as fresh as when they had put them on many years before. Turning to Malchus, they said, "Tell us, we pray thee, brother, that we may know, what did the Emperor say last night, and is there any search for us?"-To whom he said,-" you are required to sacrifice to the Gods."-And Maximianus replied, 66 we are all prepared to die for Christ. But do you take silver, and go and buy food, and listen attentively, and that which you shall hear relate unto us." Hereupon he took the money and departed, and the coin had on it the name of Decius. On approaching the city-gate, he saw upon it the sign of the cross, whereat he was much amazed, saying to himself," Is it possible that yesterday, after sunset, when. I had left the city, the Lord changed the heart of Decius, that he should arm the city-gate with the sign of the cross."-Yet greater was his surprize when on entering within the walls he heard men swearing by the name of Christ, and saw priests walking about the streets, and he again spoke to himself in wonder, saying, "have you not wandered into some other city?"—And he went to the market, and showed his silver, and demanded food. But they beholding the coin, said, "This man must have found a treasure, for lo! he produces silver of the time of Decius." And Malchus, when he heard this, began to meditate within himself, and said, "what do these things mean? am I in a dream?" Then the men, laying hands upon him brought him before the Bishop Marinus and the Prefect of the city, and the Prefect said, "who are you? or from what country have you come?" To whom he replied, "From Ephesus; if indeed this be the city of the Ephesians, which I remember to have seen yesterday."-To whom again the Prefect" where did

you get this silver?"—And he replied, "I took it from the house of my father." Then said the Prefect, "Who is thy father?"-Hereupon he named his kindred, but no one knew them. And again the Prefect spoke and said— "Relate unto us where you got this silver, for it is of the time of Decius, who has been dead these many years? hence it is manifest you have come to delude the wise Ephesians, and therefore you shall be subjected to torture till you reveal the truth." And Malchus, being troubled, replied in tears and wonder, " I ask only one token of you, if you deem me worthy of it-where is Decius, the Emperor, who persecuted the Christians in this city?"-Then the Bishop said, "my dear son, there is no one within these walls who recollects the time of Decius, for he has been dead these many years."

When Malchus heard these things, he turned to them and said, "I thought that I and my brothers had slept only a single night; but, as I now perceive, many, many years have passed over our slumber. And now the Lord has raised me and my brothers that every age may know the resurrection of the dead. Follow me therefore, and I will show you my brothers, who have arisen with me." Then the Bishop, and the Prefect, and the people, all amazed, followed Malchus till they came to the cavern, when he related to his brothers what had happened in the city. Now the Bishop entering found the casket sealed with two silver seals; hereupon he went forth and convoking the multitude, he with the Prefect broke the seals, and found two leaden tablets, on which was written all the passion of the brothers, as we have narrated it, and they knew that those things were true which had been told unto them by Malchus.

Upon entering the cavern they found the blessed Martyrs seated in a corner thereof, and their faces were as the rose in bloom, and resplendent as the sun in its strength,

for nothing had faded either of their garments or of their bodies. And Marinus, the Bishop, with the Prefect, fell at their feet and worshipped them, and all the people glorified God, who had vouchsafed to show such a miracle to his servants, and the Saints related what had befallen them in the time of Decius. Then the former despatched messengers to Theodosius, the Emperor, saying, "hasten with what speed you may, if you wish to behold a great miracle, which by the will of God has been made manifest to our times. For if you come, you will see how greatly useful is the hope of a resurrection, according to the word of promise by the Evangelist."

Now when Theodosius, the Emperor, heard these tidings, he arose with much joy, and, extending his hand to Heaven, said, "I thank thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, thou sun of justice, for that thou hast vouchsafed to sprinkle the darkness of us mortals with the light of thy trutn ; I thank thee that thou hast not permitted the lamp of my confession to be obscured by the foul shades of heresy." Thus saying he mounted his horse and hastened to Ephesus, when he was met by the Bishop with the Prefect and a multitude of the citizens. And as they ascended the Mount, the Martyrs came forth, and Augustus fell upon the earth, and adored them, glorifying God. Then arising, he kissed them, and wept upon the neck of each, saying, "I look on your faces, as if I beheld our Lord Jesus Christ, when he called Lazarus from the grave, and greatly do I thank him that he has not deprived me of the hope of the resurrection.”—To whom Maximianus, "Know, O Emperor, that the Lord has bidden us to arise in order to confirm your belief. Therefore be of constant faith in the resurrection of the dead, since you have found us arising after death, and relating to you the wonders of God."

When they had spoken this and many other things,

they again fell asleep on the earth, rendering up their spirits to the Almighty. And now the Emperor fell upon their bodies, and with tears kissed them, and taking off his garments covered them, and ordered golden chests to be made that they might be preserved therein. But in the night the Saints appeared to him, saying, "Do not so, but leave us upon the earth, from which the Lord will raise us all in the great day of resurrection." Then the Emperor built over them a large church, and made there a receptacle for the poor, commanding that they should be maintained at the public expense, when the bishops being convoked they celebrated the feast of the Saints, and all glorified God, to whom in the Trinity are perfect honour and glory now and for evermore.

One would suppose that a fable of this kind could hardly be made the subject of serious discussion. Yet so it is. Baronius, a man of infinite learning, gravely argues against the truth of the latter part of the legend—not, as it would seem, that he finds any thing in such an event contrary to reason, but because the heresy, as it was called, that denied the corporeal resurrection, did not show itself till after the time of Theodosius, the younger. He insists upon it that the word, sleep, is not to be taken in its common acceptation, but is to be received in its scriptural sense of sleeping in the Lord, that is to say, of dying after a life of piety.* This no doubt strips the legend of the marvellous, but what then remains? the mere fact that seven men were persecuted and died, an event not very

* "Sententiæ illorum, qui putant hos non ob mortem dictos esse dormientes, sed quòd verè eo temporis spatio somno fuerint oppressi, magnoperè refragatur quod ipsi aiunt id miraculu divinitùs factum ob eam causam, quòd eo tempore de resurrectione carnis hæresis esset cùm re vera nihil tale temporibus Theodosii Junioris contigisse MARTYROLOGIUM ROMANUM, Auctore C. Baronio Sorano-Julii 27: p. 470.

orta; reperiatur."