Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/307

 down and died. For they had neither breath, nor did they speak. And the demon began and said with a loud voice, "Hast thou come hither again, mocker of our nature and kindred? Hast thou come again to deface our tracks. And as I think, you will not suffer us at all to remain upon earth. But this you cannot do at this time." The apostle, however, supposed that this demon was the same which was driven out from that woman.

76. And the demon said, "I beseech thee, suffer me to go and to dwell where thou wishest, and command me for that purpose, then I shall not fear him who has power over me. For as thou hast come to preach, so have I come to destroy. As he who sent thee punishes thee for not fulfilling his will, so, unless I do the will of him who has sent me, I am sent before the time and appointed season into my nature (exist no more as an individual). And as the Messiah helps thee in thy work, so helps me my father in that which I do. And as he prepares for thee the vessels, worthy that he dwell in them, so selects he (my father) vessels, by which I accomplish his deeds. And as he nourishes and provides his subjects, thus he (my father) prepares for me and those in which I dwell punishments and torments. And as he gives thee eternal life as reward for thy work, so he (my father) offers me as recompense for my works everlasting destruction. And as thou enjoyest thy prayer and good works and thy spiritual hymns, thus I enjoy murders and adulteries and the wine-offerings offered