Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/230

 had met, Andrew felt compelled to speak thus:

15. "I was sent, dear brethren, by the Lord as an apostle into these regions, of which the Lord deemed me worthy, not to teach but to exhort all men inwardly related to the words, that they live in transitory sufferings, if they rejoice in the noxious notions of their imagination. To give them up I always asked you, and I have admonished you to hasten toward the permanent and to flee everything changeable. For, as you see, none of you is firm, but all things are easily changeable, even to the human character. And this is the case on account of the uneducated soul which had gone astray to the nature of man and retains pledges from its vagary. I therefore regard those blessed who have become hearers of the words and through them as in a mirror behold the mysteries of their own nature, on whose account all things are created.

16. "I charge you, therefore, beloved children, to firmly build upon the foundation which is laid for you, which is immovable and is unassailable for all evil ones. In this foundation take root. Become firm in the recollection of that which you have experienced, of that which took place, when I walked with you all! You saw works performed by me which you must believe, such signs at which the dumb nature even would cry out. I communicated words to you which I should like to have you receive, as the words themselves wish it. Therefore, dearly beloved, be firm in everything which you saw, which you heard, of which you had part! And the