Now it was about fifteen days before Easter when they came, and they came daily to church, and specially to the relics of the most glorious Stephen, praying that God might now be appeased, and restore their former health.There, and wherever they went, they attracted the attention of every one.Some who had seen them elsewhere, and knew the cause of their trembling, told others as occasion offered.Easter arrived, and on the Lord's day, in the morning, when there was now a large crowd present, and the young man was holding the bars of the holy place where the relics were, and praying, suddenly he fell down, and lay precisely as if asleep, but not trembling as he was wont to do even in sleep.All present were astonished.Some were alarmed, some were moved with pity; and while some were for lifting him up, others prevented them, and said they should rather wait and see what would result.And behold ! he rose up, and trembled no more, for he was healed, and stood quite well, scanning those who were scanning him.Who then refrained himself from praising God? The whole church was filled with the voices of those who were shouting and congratulating him.
Then they came running to me, where I was sitting ready to come into the church.One after another they throng in, the last comer telling me as news what the first had told me already; and while I rejoiced and inwardly gave God thanks, the young man himself also enters, with a number of others, falls at my knees, is raised up to receive my kiss.We go in to the congregation: the church was full, and ringing with the shouts of joy, "Thanks to God ! Praised be God !" every one joining and shouting on all sides, "I have healed the people," and then with still louder voice shouting again.Silence being at last obtained, the customary lessons of the divine Scriptures were read.And when I came to my sermon, I made a few remarks suitable to the occasion and the happy and joyful feeling, not desiring them to listen to me, but rather to consider the eloquence of God in this divine work.The man dined with us, and gave us a careful account of his own, his mother's, and his family's calamity.
Accordingly, on the following day, after delivering my sermon, I promised that next day I would read his narrative to the people.(1) And when I did so, the third day after Easter Sunday, Imade the brother and sister both stand on the steps of the raised place from which I used to speak; and while they stood there their pamphlet was read.(2) The whole congregation, men and women alike, saw the one standing without any unnatural movement, the other trembling in all her limbs; so that those who had not before seen the man himself saw in his sister what the divine compassion had removed from him.In him they saw matter of congratulation, in her subject for prayer.Meanwhile, their pamphlet being finished, I instructed them to withdraw from the gaze of the people; and I had begun to discuss the whole matter somewhat more carefully, when lo ! as I was proceeding, other voices are heard from the tomb of the martyr, shouting new congratulations.
My audience turned round, and began to run to the tomb.The young woman, when she had come down from the steps where she had been standing, went to pray at the holy relics, and no sooner had she touched the bars than she, in the same way as her brother, collapsed, as if falling asleep, and rose up cured.While, then, we were asking what had happened, and what occasioned this noise of joy, they came into the basilica where we were, leading her from the martyr's tomb in perfect health.Then, indeed, such a shout of wonder rose from men and women together, that the exclamations and the tears seemed like never to come to an end.She was led to the place where she had a little before stood trembling.They now rejoiced that she was like her brother, as before they had mourned that she remained unlike him; and as they had not yet uttered their prayers in her behalf, they perceived that their intention of doing so had been speedily heard.They shouted God's praises without words, but with such a noise that our ears could scarcely bear it.What was there in the hearts of these exultant people but the faith of Christ, for which Stephen had shed his blood?
CHAP.9.--THAT ALL THE MIRACLES WHICH ARE DONE BY MEANS OF THE MARTYRSIN THE
NAME OF CHRIST TESTIFY TO THAT FAITH WHICH THE MARTYRS HAD IN CHRIST.
To what do these miracles witness, but to this faith which preaches Christ risen in the flesh, and ascended with the same into heaven? For the martyrs themselves were martyrs, that is to say, witnesses of this faith, drawing upon themselves by their testimony the hatred of the world, and conquering the world not by resisting it, but by dying.For this faith they died, and can now ask these benefits from the Lord in whose name they were slain.
For this faith their marvellous constancy was exercised, so that in these miracles great power was manifested as the result.
For if the resurrection of the flesh to eternal life had not taken place in Christ, and were not to be accomplished in His people, as predicted by Christ, or by the prophets who foretold that Christ was to come, why do the martyrs who were slain for this faith which proclaims the resurrection possess such power? For whether God Himself wrought these miracles by that wonderful manner of working by which, though Himself eternal, He produces effects in time; or whether He wrought them by servants, and if so, whether He made use of the spirits of martyrs as He uses men who are still in the body, or effects all these marvels by means of angels, over whom He exerts an invisible, immutable, incorporeal sway, so that what is said to be done by the martyrs is done not by their operation, but only by their prayer and request; or whether, finally, some things are done in one way, others in another, and so that man cannot at all comprehend them,--nevertheless these miracles attest this faith which preaches the resurrection of the flesh to eternal life.
