Part 28

Fram dham halgan easterlican daege sind getealde fiftig daga to thysum daege, and thes daeg is geh['a]ten Pentecostes, thaet is, se fifteogodha daeg dhaere easterlican tide. Thes daeg waes on dhaere ealdan ['ae] gesett and gehalgod. God bebead Moyse, on Egypta-lande, thaet h['e] and eall Israhela folc sceoldon offrian aet aelcum h['i]wisce Gode an lamb anes geares, and mearcian mid tham blode rode-tacn on heora gedyrum and oferslegum, dha on dhaere nihte ferde Godes engel, and acwealde on aelcum huse dhaes Egyptiscan folces thaet frumcennyde cild and thaet {312} leofoste. And Israhela folc ferde on dhaere ylcan nihte of dham leodscipe, and God h['i] laedde ofer dha Readan s['ae] mid drium fotum. Tha tengde se Pharao aefter mid mycelre fyrde. Dhadha he com on middan dhaere s['ae], tha waes thaet Godes folc up-ag['a]n, and God dha besencte dhone Pharao and eal his werod. Dha bebead God Moyse and tham folce thaet h['i] heoldon dha tid mid micelre arwurdhnysse, on aelces geares ymbrene. Tha waes seo tid tham folce geset to Easter-tide, fordhan dhe God h['i] hredde widh heora fynd, and heora ehteras fordyde. Tha thaes ymbe fiftig daga sette God tham folce ['ae], and waes gesewen Godes wuldor upp on anre dune the is geh['a]ten Syn['a]y. Thaer com micel leoht, and egeslic sweg, and blawende byman. Tha clypode God thone Moysen him to, and he waes mid Gode feowertig daga, and awr['a]t dha ealdan ['ae] be Godes dihte. Tha waes se daeg PENTECOSTES geh['a]ten on dhaere Ealdan Gesetnysse.

Thaet geoffrode l['a]mb getacnode Cristes slege, sedhe unscaedhdhig waes his Faeder geoffrod for ure alysednysse. Nu is his dhrowung and his aerist ure Easter-t['i]d, fordhan dhe he us alysde fram deofles theowdome, and ure ehteras beodh besencte thurh thaet halige fulluht, swa swa waes Pharao mid his leode on dhaere Readan s['ae]. Thas fiftig daga fram dham easterlican daege sind ealle gehalgode to anre maersunge, and thes daegdherlica daeg is ure Pentecostes, thaet is, se fifteogodha daeg fram dham Easter-daege. On dham ealdan Pentecosten sette God ['ae] dham Israhela folce, and on dhisum daege com se Halga Gast on fyres hiwe to Godes hirede; fordhi ealswa thaet lamb getacnode Cristes dhrowunge, swa eac seo ealde ['ae] getacnode godspel-bodunge under Godes gife. Threo tida sind on dhysre worulde: ['a]n is seo dhe waes butan ['ae]; odher is seo dhe waes under ['ae]; seo dhridde is nu aefter Cristes to-cyme. Theos t['i]d is gecweden 'under Godes gife.' We ne sind na butan ['ae], ne we ne moton healdan Moyses ['ae] lichamlice, ac Godes gifu ['u]s gewissadh to his willan, gif we gemyndige beodh Cristes bebodum and dhaera apostola lare.

{314} Hit is gereht on dhyssere pistol-raedinge, hu se Halga Gast on dhisum daege com to dham geleaffullan heape Cristes hyredes. Lucas se Godspellere awr['a]t on dhaere b['e]c 'Actus Apostolorum,' thaet "se halga hyred waes wunigende ['a]nmodlice on gebedum on anre upflora, aefter Cristes upstige, anbidigende his behates; tha on dhisum daege, the is Pentecostes gecweden, com faerlice micel sweg of heofonum and gefylde ealle dha upfleringe mid fyre; and waes aeteowed bufon heora aelcum swylce fyrene tungan, and h['i] wurdon dha ealle gefyllede mid tham Halgum Gaste, and ongunnon to sprecenne mid mislicum gereordum, be dham the se Halga Gast him taehte. Tha waeron gegaderode binnan dhaere byrig Hierusalem eawfaeste weras of aelcere dheode dhe under heofonum eardiadh; and tha apostoli spraecon to dhaes folces gegaderunge, and heora aelc oncneow his agen gereord."

"Dha weardh seo menigu swidhe ablicged, and mid wundrunge cwaedon, La h['u], ne sind thas dhe her sprecadh Galileisce? And ure aelc gehyrde hu hi spraecon urum gereordum, on dham dhe we acennede waeron! We gehyrdon h['i] sprecan Godes maerdha mid urum gereordum. La hwaet dhis beon sceole? Tha cwaedon dha Iudeiscan mid hospe, Thas men sindon mid muste fordrencte. Tha andwyrde Petrus, Hit is undern-t['i]d; hu mihte we on dhysre tide beon fordrencte? Ac dhaes witegan cwyde Ioheles is nu gefylled. God cwaedh thurh dhaes witegan mudh, thaet he wolde his Gast asendan ofer mennisc flaesc; and manna bearn sceolon witigian, and ic sylle mine forebeacn ufan of heofonum, and mine t['a]cna nidher on eordhan. Wite ge sodhlice thaet Crist ar['a]s of deadhe, and on ure gewitnysse astah to heofonum, and sitt aet his Faeder swidhran, swa swa Dauid be him witegode, thus cwedhende, Drihten cwaedh to minum Drihtne, Site to minre swidhran, odhthaet ic alecge dhine fynd under thinum fot-scamele. Tha thaet folc dhis gehyrde, dha wurdon h['i] onbryrde, and cwaedon to dham apostolon, La leof, hwaet is us to donne? Tha andwyrde Petrus, Behreowsiadh eowre synna, and underfodh fulluht on Cristes naman, and eowre synna beodh {316} adylegode, and ge underfodh thone Halgan Gast. Tha underfengon hi his lare, and bugon to fulluhte on dham daege dhreo dhusend manna. Tha waeron ealle on annysse mid tham apostolum, and beceapodon heora aehta, and thaet feoh betaehton dham apostolum, and hi daeldon aelcum be his neode."

"Eft on odhre bodunge gelyfdon fif dhusend wera on Crist, and weardh eall seo geleaffulle menigu swa anmod swilce h['i] ealle haefdon ane heortan and ane sawle; ne heora nan naefde synderlice aehta, ac him eallum waes gemaene heora dhing, ne dhaer naes n['a]n waedla betwux him. Tha dhe land-are haefdon hi hit beceapodon, and thaet wurdh brohton to dhaera apostola fotum: h['i] dha daeldon aelcum be his neode."

"Tha worhte God fela tacna on dham folce dhurh dhaera apostola handa, swa thaet hi gelogodon dha untruman be dhaere straet thaer Petrus fordh eode, and swa hradhe swa his sceadu hi hreopode, hi wurdon gehaelede fram eallum untrumnyssum. Tha arn micel menigu to of gehendum burgum, and brohton heora untruman and dha deofol-seocan, and h['i] ealle wurdon gehaelede aet dhaera apostola handum. Hi setton heora handa ofer gelyfede men, and h['i] underfengon thone Halgan Gast."

"Tha waes sum dhegen, Annanias geh['a]ten, and his w['i]f Saph['i]ra: h['i] cwaedon him betweonan, thaet h['i] woldon bugan to dhaera apostola geferraedene. Namon dha to raede, thaet him waerlicor waere, thaet h['i] sumne dael heora landes wurdhes aethaefdon, weald him getimode. Com dha se dhegen mid feo to dham apostolum. Tha cwaedh Petrus, Annania, deofol bepaehte dhine heortan, and dhu haefst alogen tham Halgan Gaste. Hw['i] woldest dhu swician on dhinum agenum? Ne luge dhu na mannum, ac Gode. Tha h['e] thas word gehyrde, tha feol h['e] ad['u]ne and gew['a]t. Thadha he bebyrged waes, tha com his wif Saph['i]ra, and nyste hu hire were gelumpen waes. Dha cwaedh Petrus, Sege me, beceapode ge dhus micel landes? Heo andwyrde, Gea, leof, swa micel. Eft dha cwaedh Petrus, Hw['i] geweardh inc swa, thaet gyt dorston fandian Godes? Heo feoll dhaerrihte and gew['a]t, and h['i] man {318} bebyrigde to hyre were. Tha weardh micel ege on Godes geladhunge and on eallum the thaet geaxodon."

Tha apostoli sidhdhan, aerdham dhe hi toferdon, gesetton Iacobum, the waes geh['a]ten Rihtw['i]s, on Cristes setle, and eal seo geleaffulle geladhung him gehyrsumode, aefter Godes taecunge. He dha gesaet thaet setl dhritig geara, and aefter him Symeon, thaes Haelendes maeg. Aefter dhaere gebysnunge wurdon araerede munec-l['i]f mid thaere gehealdsumnysse, thaet hi drohtnian on mynstre, be heora ealdres dihte, on claennesse, and him beon heora aehta eallum gemaene, swa dha apostoli hit astealdon.

Ge gehyrdon lytle ['ae]r, on dhisre raedinge, thaet se Halga Gast com ofer dha apostolas on fyrenum tungum, and him forgeaf ingehyd ealra gereorda; fordhan dhe se eadmoda heap geearnode aet Gode thaet i['u] ['ae]r thaet modige werod forleas. Hit getimode aefter Noes flode, thaet entas woldon araeran ane burh, and aenne stypel swa heahne, thaet his hrof astige odh heofon. Tha waes an gereord on eallum mancynne, and thaet weorc waes begunnen ongean Godes willan. God eac fordhi h['i] tostencte, swa thaet he forgeaf aelcum dhaera wyrhtena seltcudh gereord, and heora n['a]n ne cudhe odhres spraece tocnawan. H['i] dha geswicon dhaere getimbrunge, and toferdon geond ealne middangeard; and waeron sidhdhan swa fela gereord swa dhaera wyrhtena waes. Nu eft on dhisum daege, thurh dhaes Halgan Gastes to-cyme, wurdon ealle gereord ge-anlaehte and gedhwaere; fordhan dhe eal se halga heap Cristes hyredes waes sprecende mid eallum gereordum; and eac thaet wunderlicor waes, dhadha heora ['a]n bodade mid anre spraece, aelcum waes gedhuht, dhe dha bodunge gehyrde, swilce he spraece mid his gereorde, waeron h['i] Ebreisce, odhdhe Grecisce, odhdhe Romanisce, odhdhe Egyptisce, odhdhe swa hwilcere dheode swa h['i] waeron the dha lare gehyrdon. On dhysre geferraedene geearnode heora eadmodnys thas mihte, and dhaera enta modignys geearnode gescyndnysse.

Se Halga Gast waes aeteowod ofer dha apostolas on fyres {320} hiwe, and ofer Criste, on his fulluhte, on anre culfran anlicnysse. Hw['i] ofer Criste on culfran hiwe? Hw['i] ofer Cristes hirede on fyres gelicnysse? On bocum is geraedd be dham fugelcynne thaet his gecynd is swidhe bilewite, and unscaedhdhig, and gesibsum. Se Haelend is ealles mancynnes dema, ac he ne com na to demenne mancynn, swa swa he sylf cwaedh, ac to gehaelenne. Gif he dha wolde deman mancynn, dhadha he aerest to middangearde com, hwa wurde thonne gehealden? Ac he nolde mid his to-cyme dha synfullan fordeman, ac wolde to his rice gegaderian. Aerest he wolde us mid lidhnysse styran, thaet he sidhdhan mihte on his dome us gehealdan. Fordhi waes se Halga Gast on culfran anlicnysse gesewen bufan Criste, fordhan dhe h['e] waes drohtnigende on dhisre worulde mid bilewitnysse, and unscaedhdhignysse, and gesibsumnysse. He ne hrymde, ne he biterwyrde naes, ne he sace ne astyrede, ac forbaer manna yfelnysse thurh his lidhnysse. Ac se dhe on dham aerran to-cyme lidhegode, tham synfullum to gecyrrednysse, se demdh stidhne dom tham receleasum aet dham aefteran to-cyme.

Se Halga Gast waes gesewen on fyrenum tungum bufon dham apostolon, fordhan dhe h['e] dyde thaet hi waeron byrnende on Godes willan, and bodigende ymbe Godes rice. Fyrene tungan h['i] haefdon, dhadha h['i] mid lufe Godes maerdha bodedon, thaet dhaera haedhenra manna heortan, dhe cealde waeron thurh geleaflaeste and flaesclice gewilnunga, mihton beon ontende to dham heofenlicum bebodum. Gif se Halga Gast ne laerdh thaes mannes m['o]d widhinnan, on idel beodh thaes bydeles word widhutan geclypode. Fyres gecynd is thaet hit fornimdh swa hwaet swa him gehende bidh: swa sceal se l['a]reow d['o]n, sedhe bidh mid tham Halgan Gaste onbryrd, aerest on him sylfum aelcne leahter adwaescan, and sidhdhan on his underdheoddum.

On culfran anlicnysse and on fyres hiwe waes Godes Gast aeteowod; fordhan dhe h['e] dedh thaet dha beodh bilewite on unscaedhdhignysse, and byrnende on Godes willan, the he mid his gife gefyldh. Ne bidh seo bilewitnys Gode gecweme butan {322} snoternysse, ne seo snoternys butan bilewitnysse; swa swa gecweden is be dham eadigan I['o]b, thaet he waes bilewite and rihtwis. Hwaet bidh rihtwisnys butan bilewitnysse? Odhdhe hwaet bidh bilewitnys butan rihtwisnysse? Ac se Halga Gast, dhe taehdh rihtwisnysse and bilewitnysse, sceolde beon aeteowod aegdher ge on fyre ge on culfran, fordhan dhe h['e] dedh thaera manna heortan dhe h['e] onliht mid his gife, thaet hi beodh lidhe thurh unscaedhdhignysse, and onaelede dhurh lufe and snoternysse. God is, swa swa Paulus cwaedh, fornymende fyr. He is ['u]nasecgendlic fyr, and ungesewenlic. Be dham fyre cwaedh se Haelend, "Ic com to dhi thaet ic wolde sendan fyr on eordhan, and ic wylle thaet hit byrne." He sende dhone Halgan Gast to eordhan, and he mid his blaede onaelde eordhlicra manna heortan. Thonne byrndh seo eordhe, thonne dhaes eordhlican mannes heorte bidh ontend to Godes lufe, seodhe aer waes ceald thurh flaesclice lustas.

Nis na se Halga Gast wunigende on his gecynde, swa swa h['e] gesewen waes, fordhan dhe he is ungesewenlic; ac for dhaere getacnunge, swa we aer cwaedon, he waes aeteowod on culfran, and on fyre. He is gehaten on Greciscum gereorde, Paraclitus, thaet is, Frofor-gast, fordhi dhe he frefradh tha dreorian, the heora synna behreowsiadh, and syldh him forgyfenysse hiht, and heora unrotan m['o]d gelidhegadh. He forgyfdh synna, and he is se weg to forgyfenysse ealra synna. He syldh his gife dham dhe he wile. Sumum men he forgifdh wisdom and spraece, sumum g['o]d ingehyd, sumum micelne geleafan, sumum mihte to gehaelenne untruman, sumum witegunge, sumum toscead godra gasta and yfelra; sumum he forgifdh mislice gereord, sumum gereccednysse mislicra spraeca. Ealle dhas dhing dedh se Halga Gast, todaelende aeghwilcum be dham dhe him gewyrdh; fordham dhe he is Aelmihtig Wyrhta, and swa hradhe swa he thaes mannes mod onliht, he hit awent fram yfele to gode. He onlihte Dauides heortan, dhadha he on iugodhe hearpan lufode, and worhte hine to psalm-wyrhtan. Amos hatte sum hrydher-hyrde, thone awende se Halga Gast to maerum {324} witegan. Petrus waes fiscere, thone awende se ylca Godes Gast to apostole. Paulus ehte cristenra manna, thone he geceas to lareowe eallum dheodum. Matheus waes tollere, thone he awende to godspellere. Tha apostoli ne dorston bodian thone sodhan geleafan, for ['o]gan Iudeisces folces; ac sidhdhan h['i] waeron onaelede thurh dhone Halgan Gast, h['i] forsawon ealle lichamlice pinunga, and orsorhlice Godes maerdha bodedon.

Thyses daeges wurdhmynt is to maersigenne, fordhan dhe se Aelmihtiga God, thaet is se Halga Gast, gemedemode hine sylfne thaet he wolde manna bearn on dhisre tide geneosian. On Cristes acennednysse weardh se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu to menniscum men gedon, and on dhisum daege wurdon geleaffulle men godas, swa swa Crist cwaedh, "Ic cwaedh, Ge sind godas, and ge ealle sind bearn thaes Hehstan." Tha gecorenan sind Godes bearn, and eac godas, na gecyndelice, ac dhurh gife thaes Halgan Gastes. An God is gecyndelice on dhrim hadum, Faeder, and his Sunu, thaet is his Wisdom, and se Halga Gast, sedhe is heora begra Lufu and Willa. Heora gecynd is untodaeledlic, aefre wunigende on anre Godcundnysse. Se ylca cwaedh theah-hwaedhere be his gecorenum, "Ge sint godas." Thurh Cristes menniscnysse wurdon menn alysede fram deofles dheowte, and dhurh to-cyme thaes Halgan Gastes, mennisce men wurdon gedone to godum. Crist underfeng menniscnysse on his to-cyme, and men underfengon God thurh neosunge thaes Halgan Gastes. Se man dhe naefdh Godes Gast on him nis h['e] Godes. Aelces mannes weorc cydhadh hwilc gast hine wissadh. Godes Gast wissadh symble to halignysse and g['o]dnysse; deofles gast wissadh to leahtrum and to m['a]ndaedum.

Se Halga Gast becom tuwa ofer dha apostolas. Crist ableow dhone Halgan Gast upon dha apostolas ['ae]r his upstige, thus cwedhende, "Onfodh Haligne Gast." Eft, on dhisum daege, asende se Aelmihtiga Faeder and se Sunu heora begra Gast to dham geleaffullan heape, on dhysre worulde wunigende. Se Haelend ableow his Gast on his gingran, for dhaere getacnunge {326} thaet h['i] and ealle cristene men sceolon lufigan heora nehstan swa swa h['i] sylfe. He sende eft, swa swa h['e] ['ae]r behet, dhone ylcan Gast of heofonum, to dhi thaet we sceolon lufian God ofer ealle odhre dhing. An is se Halga Gast, theah dhe he tuwa become ofer dha apostolas. Swa is eac ['a]n lufu and twa bebodu, Thaet we sceolon lufian God and menn. Ac we sceolon leornian on mannum hu we magon becuman to Godes lufe, swa swa Iohannes se apostol cwaedh, "Se dhe ne lufadh his brodhor, dhone dhe he gesihdh, hu maeg h['e] lufian God, thone the he ne gesihdh lichamlice?"

We wurdhiadh thaes Halgan Gastes to-cyme mid lofsangum seofon dagas, fordhan dhe he onbryrt ure m['o]d mid seofonfealdre gife, thaet is, mid wisdome and andgyte, mid gedheahte and strencdhe, mid ingehyde and arfaestnysse, and he us gefyldh mid Godes ege. Se dhe thurh gode geearnunga becymdh to dhissum seofonfealdum gifum thaes Halgan Gastes, he haefdh thonne ealle gedhincdhe. Ac se dhe wile to dhisre gedhincdhe becuman, he sceal gelyfan on dha Halgan Dhrynnysse, and on Sodhe Annysse, thaet se Faeder, and his Sunu, and heora begra Gast syndon dhry on hadum, and ['a]n God untodaeledlic, on anre Godcundnysse wunigende. Thysne geleafan getacnodon dha dhreo dhusend the aerest gebugon to geleafan, aefter dhaes Halgan Gastes to-cyme. Swa swa dha dhreo thusend waeron ['a]n werod, swa is seo Halige Dhrynnys ['a]n God. And thaet werod waes swa ['a]nmod swilce him eallum waere ['a]n heorte and ['a]n sawul; fordhan dhe thaere Halgan Thrynnysse is ['a]n godcundnyss, and ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]n willa, and ['a]n weorc unascyrigendlice.

Tha geleaffullan brohton heora feoh, and ledon hit aet dhaera apostola foton. Mid tham is geswutelod thaet cristene men ne sceolon heora hiht besettan on woroldlice gestreon, ac on Gode anum. Se g['i]tsere dhe beset his hiht on his goldhord, he bidh swa swa se apostol cwaedh, "tham gel['i]c the deofolgyld begaedh."

Hi heoldon thaet gold unwurdhlice, fordhan dhe seo gitsung naefde naenne stede on heora heortan: fordhi h['i] dydon heora {328} dhing him gemaene, thaet h['i] on sodhre sibbe butan gytsunge beon mihton. H['i] setton heora handa ofer geleaffulle men, and him com to se Halga Gast dhurh heora biscepunge. Biscopas sind thaes ylcan h['a]des on Godes geladhunge, and healdadh tha gesetnysse on heora biscepunge, swa thaet h['i] settadh heora handa ofer gefullude menn, and biddadh thaet se Aelmihtiga Wealdend him sende dha seofonfealdan gife his Gastes, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen.

FOR THE HOLY DAY OF PENTECOST.

From the holy day of Easter are counted fifty days to this day, and this day is called Pentecost, that is, the fiftieth day of Easter-tide. This day was in the old law appointed and hallowed. God commanded Moses in Egypt, that he and all the people of Israel should offer, for every household, a lamb of one year to God, and mark with the blood the sign of the cross on their door-posts and lintels, as on that night God's angel went and slew in every house of the Egyptian folk the firstborn child and the dearest. And the people of {313} Israel went on the same night from the nation, and God led them over the Red sea with dry feet. Pharaoh then hastened after them with a great army. When he came into the middle of the sea, the people of God were gone up, and God then sank Pharaoh and all his host. God then commanded Moses and the people that they should keep that tide with great reverence in the circuit of every year. The tide was then appointed to the people for Easter-tide, because God had saved them from their foes, and destroyed their persecutors. Then fifty days after this God appointed a law for the people, and the glory of God was seen on a hill which is called Sinai. There came a great light, and an awful sound, and blowing trumpets. Then God called Moses to him, and he was with God forty days, and wrote down the old law by God's direction. Then was the day called PENTECOST in the Old Testament.

The offered lamb betokened the slaying of Christ, who innocent was offered to his Father for our redemption. Now is his passion and his resurrection our Easter-tide, because he redeemed us from the thraldom of the devil, and our persecutors are sunk by the holy baptism, as Pharaoh was with his people in the Red sea. These fifty days from the day of Easter are all hallowed to one celebration, and this present day is our Pentecost, that is, the fiftieth day from Easter-day. On the old Pentecost God appointed a law to the people of Israel, and on this day the Holy Ghost came in semblance of fire to God's company; for as the lamb betokened the passion of Christ, so also the old law betokened the preaching of the gospel under the grace of God. There are three periods in this world: one is that which was without law; the second is that which was under the law; the third is now after the advent of Christ. This period is called 'under God's grace.' We are not without law, nor may we hold bodily the law of Moses, but God's grace directs us to his will, if we be mindful of Christ's commandments and of the precepts of the apostles.

{315} It is related in this epistolary lesson, how the Holy Ghost on this day came to the faithful company of Christ's followers. Luke the Evangelist wrote in the book 'The Acts of the Apostles,' that "the holy company was living unanimously in prayers on an upper floor, after Christ's ascension, awaiting his behest; when, on this day, which is called Pentecost, there came suddenly a great sound from heaven, and filled all the upper flooring with fire, and there appeared above each of them as it were fiery tongues, and they were then all filled with the Holy Ghost, and begun to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost taught them. Then there were gathered within the city of Jerusalem pious men of every nation dwelling under heaven; and the apostles spake to the gathering of people, and every of them recognized his own tongue."

"Then was the multitude greatly amazed, and with wonder said, Lo, are not these which here speak Galileans? And each of us hath heard how they speak in our tongues, in which we were born! We have heard them declare the glories of God in our tongues. Lo, what should this be? Then said the Jews in mockery, These men are drunken with new wine. But Peter answered, It is the third hour; how might we at this time be drunken? But the saying of the prophet Joel is now fulfilled. God spake through the prophet's mouth, that he would send his spirit over human flesh, and the children of men shall prophesy, and I will give my foretokens from heaven above, and my signs on earth beneath. For know ye that Christ arose from death, and in our sight ascended to heaven, and sitteth on his Father's right, as David had prophesied concerning him, thus saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on my right until I lay thy foes under thy footstool. When the people heard this they were stimulated, and said to the apostles, Alas! what have we to do? Then Peter answered, Repent of your sins, and receive baptism in the name of Christ, and your sins shall be blotted out, and ye {317} shall receive the Holy Ghost. They then received his doctrine, and there submitted to baptism on that day three thousand men. And they were all in unity with the apostles, and sold their possessions, and delivered the money to the apostles, and they distributed to each according to his need."

"Again, at another preaching, five thousand men believed in Christ, and all the believing multitude was as unanimous as if they all had one heart and one soul; not one of them had separate possessions, but their things were common to them all, nor was there any poor person among them. Those who had land-property sold it, and brought the worth to the feet of the apostles: they then distributed it to each according to his need."

"Then God wrought many signs among the people by the hands of the apostles, so that they placed the sick along the street where Peter passed, and as his shadow touched them, they were healed of all sicknesses. Then ran a great multitude from the neighbouring towns, and brought their sick and those possessed with devils, and they were all healed at the hands of the apostles. They set their hands on believing men, and they received the Holy Ghost."