Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/278



39. Whilst the apostle was still standing in the highway and spoke to the multitude, a colt of an ass came up to him and, opening its mouth, said, "Twin brother of the Messiah, apostle of the Most high and initiated into the hidden word of the Messiah, who receivest his secret utterances, coworker of the Son of God, who, though once free, hast been a servant, and being sold hast brought many to freedom, kinsman of the great race which condemns the enemy and redeemed its property (from him), who to many in the land of the Indians didst become a cause of life—because thou earnest to erring men, and through thy appearance and thy divine, words they now turn to the God of truth, who hast sent thee—mount, sit on me and rest, till thou comest to the city." And the apostle began and said, "O Jesus Christ, Son of the perfect mercy, O rest and calmness, and thou of whom even the unreasonable animals speak; O hidden rest, and thou who art manifest by the working as our Saviour and nourisher, who keepest us and makest us rest on strange bodies, Saviour of our souls, sweet and inexhaustible source, firm, pure fountain which is never troubled, helper and succor of thy servants in the struggle, who keepest and drivest away from us the enemy, who battiest for us in many battles, and makest