Page:New historical catechism (3).pdf/19

 God restord the person to life. The people being enraged to see how the sorcerer had imposed upon them, were ready to have stoned him to death, had not the Apostle's charity and generosity rescued him. Yet this had so little influence upon him, that a while after he had the presumption or folly to enter upon another bold undertaking, which was to fly up into heaven; but his artificial wings, or his two invisible devils, as it is said, failing him, he fell to the ground, with such broken hones and bruises, as in a few days put an end to his life.

Q. Was there ever an attempt made to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem;

A. Yes; Julian the Apostate, Emperor of Rome, who was one a Christian, but afterwards returned to idolatry, resolved to build the temple in despite of Christ; and that this prophecy might not prove true. “ That one stone shall not be left upon another;” but when the workmen were laying the foundation, a dreadful earthquake happened, and fire issued out of the earth, destroyed all the men, and dispersed all the stones, so that there was not one stone but what was seperated from another.

Q. What happened at their laying the foundation?

A. There was a stone which slipt from its place, and discovered the mouth of a cave cut in a rock, but the overseers of the work not being able to see the bottom of it, let down a labourer by a rope, and being come to the bottom, he wasp to the ancles in water, and found the place four square, and laying his hands on a little pillar above water, he met with a book wrapped up in a clean linen cloth ; and being drawn up, the spectators were amazed it should be so fresh, lying in such a damp hole. The book being opened, surprised both the Jews and Grecians that were present, they finding