Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/313

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that hath ears to hear, let him hear;[1] And, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."[2]

83. And looking at her (Mygdonia's) carriers, he said to them, this beatitude, which was given to them, is now also given to you who are heavy laden. Ye are those which carry burdens, grievous to be borne,[3] and are driven onward by her (the woman's) behest. And whereas you are men they lay burdens upon you, as upon the unrational beasts, because your lords think that you are not men like themselves. < And they know not that all men are alike before God, > whether they be bond or free. < And God's judgment is just which comes upon all souls on earth, and none escapes it, > whether bond or free, poor or rich. For neither shall the riches help the rich, nor will poverty save the poor from judgment. For we received not a commandment which we cannot fulfill, nor did he put upon us heavy burdens grievous to be borne. He did neither put upon us such a building, as men build it, nor stones to be hewn and houses to be established, as your artists make up by their intelligence, but we received the commandment from the Lord, that what is displeasing to us when done unto us by another, we should not do to another.

84. "First of all abstain from adultery, for it is the cause of every evil, < and of murder, on

  1. Matt XI, 15.
  2. Matt. XI, 28.
  3. Comp. Matt. XXIII, 4.