Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/525

 once repented  Him  of  his  grievous  purpose,  and  would  no longer  keep  him  afflicted,  neither  would  He  likewise  longer  permit that  His  holy  people  should  lie  in  heresy;  but  He,  for  His great mercy,  both  granted  comfort  to  the  good  emperor,  and  very soon afterwards  He  willed  to  manifest  to  all  the  people,  what  each man ought  to  believe  with  certainty,  and  so  He  very  opportunely delivered His  Holy  Church  from  the  vexation  of  heretics,  and by the  deed  thus  wrought  He  revealed,  by  His  bright  and  true light, the  future  Resurrection  of  all  of  them.

Then, at  the  time  when  the  Christian  and  good  Theodosius  was fully trusting  in  God  Almighty,  as  many  of  his  ancestors  had  done before him,  and  was  very  earnestly  bemoaning  to  God  his  need,  it befell  in  the  days  when  these  aforesaid  things  happened,  that  God Almighty provided  a  very  prudent  man,  who  owned  possession over all  the  plot  on  the  Celian  Hill,  in  the  midst  of  which  was  the cave wherein  the  seven  Saints  lay  sleeping. He then,  this  same good man,  let  his  shepherd-boys'  cots  be  reared  there  all  about  the hill, that  they  might  lie   there  handy  to  their  lord's  cattle,  and might defend   themselves   against    cold  and   against    heat. And they, diligently,  the  shepherd-boys,  as   well   as  their  hand-mates (companions) for  about  two  days  were  employed  in  the  work  continually,  until,  being  nearly  wearied  out,  they  came  where    the seven Saints  lay  very  near;    and  they  there  soon,  unexpectedly, turned over  the  very  fast-set  hewn  stone ;  and  ever,  as  they  went nearer and  nearer,  they  found  one  stone  joined  on  to  another ;  and just on  the  second  day  they  set   free   the  keystone  of   the   cave, so that  they  could  easily  go  in  and  easily  go  out. Then it  happened  that  God  willed  that  the  holy  company  should  be  awaked who had  rested   in   the  cave  a  fitting  time. And He  then,  our Saviour — He Who  to  unborn  children  giveth  life  in  their  mother's womb,  He  Who  by  His    power  waketh    from   death    the   seared bones, He  Who  also  brought  Lazarus  to  life,  and  awaked  him  from death about  three  days  after  he  was  buried — He  Himself  extra-ordinarily, by   His  own   deed,   awaked  them,  those   seven   Saints who slept  in  the  cave,  from  sleep ;  and  they  all  sat  up  in  sound health after  their  own  manner,  and  sung  their  psalms;  for  there