Page:Historical catechism.pdf/8

 affirms, that a learned heathen who lived an hundred years before Chrit’s nativity, gives an account at large of the number, writings, country and ayes of the ten Sybils, and the author that mention’d them before his time.

Q. What is related in antient hitory concerning the even leepers?

A. They were born in the city of Epheus, in the time when Decius, the Heathen Roman emperor perecuted the chritians, thee good men being of that profeion: whoe names were Maxamillian, Malobus, Marchianus, Dorinas, John Sarophrom, and Contantius, to avoid torture and the worhip of idols fled into a cave, in mount Celion, after long praying, watching and fating, they fell aleep, the emperor expecting they were in that cave, caued the mouth thereof to be topt up with tones, o that they might die with hunger, Decius and that generation being dead, Theodocious a chritian emperor after many years ucceeded, at which time a citizen of Epheus deigning to make a lodge for his hephrrds in that cave, and the workmen opening the mouth of it, thee even chritians that had lept all this time awaked and aluted each other, verily uppoing they had lept but one night and began to remember their heavines the day before They ent Malobus to buy bread in the city, and gave him live hillings; coming to the mouth of the cave he wondered to ee the maons at work: and going into the city he found all things altered, and the cros et up on the churches: he oon went to the, they old bread, and they poke of Chrit, at which he much wondered that there hould be uch a change ince yeterday when none durt peak of the true God, but he was now profeed openly. But when he offered, the baker money for bread, the coin was moulded, then the people aid, “Sure this young man hath found ome antient treaure!” Upon which they carry’d him before the bihop and counel; where declared that he and ix more had hid themelves yeterday in a cave to ecape the cruelty of Decius, and had taken that money with them. The emperor Theodocius being made acquainted therewith, he with many others went and found the other ix chearful and hearty, their garments not being worn by age or time; the emperor thereupon glorified God, embracing and weeping over each of them for joy, aying, “I receive you like o many Lazarues rien from your graves!” they continued alive ome hort time after, and then died, and were buried in great pomp and tate by the emperor. It appeared they had lept two hundred and eight years.