Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/419

 Then weened  the  country-folk  that  he  was  God  Himself,

and brought  him  diadems,  and  offered  him  robes

royally fashioned,  and  desired  to  offer  him

bullocks and  rams,  as  to  a  mighty  god.

Then Thomas  announced  that  they  should  all  come

to an  assembly,  that  he  might  tell  them

what there  was  for  them  to  do;    and  they  did  so.

Then they  came  again  from  afar  to  a  field,

and carried  many  thither  diversely  afflicted,

that the  holy  Thomas  might  heal  them.

Then the  holy  Apostle  ordered  them  to  take  up  all  the  sick

unto one  place,  and  stood  in  the  midst

with hands  upstretched  to  the  heavens,  and  said:

' O  Thou  Holy  God,  invisible  ruler,

and continuing  unchangeable  for  ever,

Thou who  didst  send  us  Thine  Almighty  Son,

Who gave  us  the  power  that  we  might  heal

all sick  and  infirm  in  His  name,

and promised  us,  moreover,  that  whatsoever  we  asked

in His  holy  name  of  His  Heavenly  Father,

that same  He  would  grant  us  as  being  Almighty  God:

now pray  we  in  His  name  that  Thou  wouldest  heal  these  infirm ones,

that this  people  may  know  with  full  faith

that Thou  art  God  alone,  with  Thine  only-begotten  Son,

and with  the   Holy  Ghost,  O  ruler  of  heaven.'

After this  invocation,  then  they  said,  '  Amen.'

Then came  there  such  a  light,  as  if  lightning  flashed  there,

so that  they  all  thought  that  they  should  be  destroyed,

and lay  long  prostrate  beside  the  apostle.

Then Thomas  arose  up,  and  bade  them  arise,  and  said:

' My  Lord  Himself  hath  come  hither  like  shining  lightning,

and hath  healed  you;  lift  up  your  heads.'