Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/480

364 king; and I entreated Him, saying, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And He straightway received my prayer, and said unto me, Verily I say unto thee, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. And He gave me this sign of the cross, saying, Go to Paradise, bearing this; and if the angel guardian of Paradise suffer thee not to enter, show him the sign of the cross, and say to him, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who now is crucified, hath sent me. When I had done this I said all these things to the angel guardian of Paradise, who, when he heard these things from me, straightway opened the gate and took me in, and placed me on the right side of Paradise, saying, Behold, wait a little, and Adam, the father of all the human race, shall come in with all his sons that are holy and just, after the triumph and glory of the ascension of the crucified Lord Christ.

When they heard all these words of the robber, all the holy patriarchs and prophets with one voice said, Blessed art thou, the Lord Almighty, the Father of eternal good, and Father of mercies, who hast given such grace to thy sinful ones, and hast restored them to the grace of Paradise, and to thy fat pastures, for this is most certain spiritual life. Amen, Amen.