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THE CLEMENTINE HOMILIES
   Homilies XIII-XX

[Translated by Dr. James Donaldson.]


HOMILY XIII.

CHAP. I.--JOURNEY TO LAODICEA.

   Now at break of day Peter entered, and said:(1) " Clement, and his
mother Mattidia, and my wife, must take their seats immediately on the
waggon." And so they did straightway. And as we were hastening along the
road to Balanaeae, my mother asked me how my father was; and I said: "My
father went in search of you, and of my twin brothers Faustinus and
Faustinianus, and is now nowhere to be found. But I fancy he must have died
long ago, either perishing by shipwreck, or losing his way,(2) or wasted
away by grief." When she heard this, she burst into tears, and groaned
through grief; but the joy which she felt at finding me, mitigated in some
degree the painfulness of her recollections. And so we all went down
together to Balanaeae. And on the following day we went to Paltus, and from
that to Gabala; and on the next day we reached Laodicea. And, lo! before
the gates of the city Nicetas and Aquila met us, and embracing us, brought
us to our lodging. Now Peter, seeing that the city was beautiful and great,
said: "It is worth our while to stay here for some days; for, generally
speaking, a populous place is most capable of yielding us those whom we
seek."(3) Nicetas and Aquila asked me who that strange woman was; and I
said: "My mother, whom God, through my lord Peter, has granted me to
recognise."

CHAP. II.--PETER RELATES TO NICETAS AND AQUILA THE HISTORY OF CLEMENT AND
HIS FAMILY.

   On my saying this, Peter gave them a summary account(4) of all the
incidents,--how, when they had gone on before, I Clement had explained to
him my descent, the journey undertaken by my mother with her twin children
on the false pretext of the dream; and furthermore, the journey undertaken
by my father in search of her; and then how Peter himself, after hearing
this, went into the island, met with the woman, saw her begging, and asked
the reason of her so doing; and then ascertained who she was, and her mode
of life, and the feigned dream, and the names of her children--that is, the
name borne by me, who was left with my father, and the names of the twin
children who travelled along with her, and who, she supposed, had perished
in the deep.

CHAP. III.--RECOGNITION OF NICETAS AND AQUILA.

   Now when this summary narrative had been given by Peter, Nicetas and
Aquila in amazement said: "Is this indeed true, O Ruler and Lord of the
universe, or is it a dream?" And Peter said: "Unless we are asleep, it
certainly is true." On this they waited for a little in deep meditation,
and then said: "We are Faustinus and Faustinianus. From the commencement of
your conversation we looked at each other, and conjectured much with regard
to ourselves, whether what was said had reference to us or not; for we
reflected that many coincidences take place in life. Wherefore we remained
silent while our hearts beat fast. But when you came to the end of your
narrative, we saw clearly s that your statements referred to us, and then
we avowed who we were." And on saying this, bathed in tears, they rushed in
to see their mother; and although they found her asleep, they were yet
anxious to embrace her. But Peter forbade them, saying: "Let me bring you
and present you to your mother, lest she should, in consequence of her
great and sudden joy, lose her reason, as she is slumbering, and her spirit
is held fast by sleep."

CHAP. IV.--THE MOTHER MUST NOT TAKE FOOD WITH HER SON. THE REASON STATED.

   As soon as my mother had enough of sleep, she awoke, and Peter at once
began first to talk to her of true piety, saying: "I wish you to know, O
woman, the course of life involved in our religion.(6)  We worship one God,
who made the world which you see; and we keep His law, which has for its
chief injunctions to worship Him alone, and to hallow His name, and to
honour our parents, and to be chaste, and to live piously. In addition to
this, we do not live with all indiscriminately; nor do we take our food
from the same table as Gentiles, inasmuch as we cannot eat along with them,
because they live impurely. But when we have persuaded them to have true
thoughts, and to follow a right course of action, and have baptized them
with a thrice blessed invocation, then we dwell with them. For not even if
it were our father, or mother, or wife, or child, or brother, or any other
one having a claim by nature on our affection, can we venture to take our
meals with him; for our religion compels us to make a distinction. Do not,
therefore, regard it as an insult if your son does not take his food along
with you, until you come to have the same opinions and adopt the same
course of conduct as he follows."

CHAP. V.--MATTIDIA WISHES TO BE BAPTIZED.

   When she heard this, she said: "What, then, prevents me from being
baptized this day? for before I saw you I turned away from the so-called
gods, induced by the thought that, though I sacrificed much to them almost
every day, they did not aid me in my necessities. And with regard to
adultery, what need I say? for not even, hen I was rich was I betrayed into
this sin by luxury, and the poverty which succeeded has been unable to
force me into it, since I cling to my chastity as constituting the greatest
beauty,(1)  on account of which I fell into so great distress. But I do not
at all imagine that you, my lord Peter, are ignorant that the greatest
temptation(2) arises when everything looks bright. And therefore, if I was
chaste in my prosperity, I do not in my despondency give myself up to
pleasures. Yea, indeed, you are not to suppose that my soul has now been
freed from distress, although it has  received some measure of consolation
by the recognition of Clement. For the gloom which I feel in consequence of
the loss of my two children rushes in upon me, and throws its shadow to
some extent over my joy; for I am grieved, not so much because they
perished in  the sea, but because they were destroyed, both soul and body,
without possessing true(3) piety towards God. Moreover, my husband, their
father, as I have learned from Clement, went away in search of me and his
sons, and for so many years has not been heard of; and, without doubt, he
must have died. For the miserable man, loving me as he did in chastity, was
fond of his children; and therefore the old man, deprived of all of us who
were dear to him above everything else, died utterly broken-hearted."

CHAP. VI.--THE SONS REVEAL THEMSELVES TO THE MOTHER.

   The sons, on hearing their mother thus speak, could no longer, in
obedience to the exhortation of Peter, restrain themselves, but rising up,
they clasped her in their arms, showering down upon her tears and kisses.
But she said: "What is the meaning of this?" And Peter answered:
"Courageously summon up your spirits, O woman, that you may enjoy your
children; for these are Faustinus and Faustinianus, your sons, who, you
said, had perished in the deep. For how they are alive, after they had in
your opinion died on that most disastrous night, and how one of them now
bears the name of Nicetas, and the other that of Aquila, they will
themselves be able to tell you; for we, as well as you, have yet to learn
this." When Peter thus spoke, my mother fainted away through her excessive
joy, and was like to die. But when we had revived her she sat up, and
coming to herself, she said: "Be so good, my darling children, as tell us
what happened to you after that disastrous night.

CHAP. VII.--NICETAS TELLS WHAT BEFELL HIM.

   And Nicetas, who in future is to be called Faustinus, began to speak.
"On that very night when, as you know, the ship went to pieces, we were
taken up by some men, who did not fear to follow the profession of robbers
on the deep. They placed us in a boat, and brought us along the coast,
sometimes rowing and sometimes sending for provisions, and at length took
us to Caesarea Stratonis,(4) and there tormented us by hunger, fear, and
blows, that we might not recklessly disclose anything which they did not
wish us to tell; and, moreover, changing our names, they succeeded in
selling us. Now the woman who bought us was a proselyte of the Jews, an
altogether worthy person, of the name of Justa. She adopted us as her own
children, and zealously brought us up in all the learning of the Greeks.
But we, becoming discreet with our years, were strongly attached to her
religion, and we paid good heed to our culture, in order that, disputing
with the other nations, we might be able to convince them of their error.
We also made an accurate study of the doctrines of the philosophers,
especially the most atheistic,--I mean those of Epicurus and Pyrrho,--in
order that we might be the better able to refute them.(5)

CHAP. VIII.--NICETAS LIKE TO BE DECEIVED BY SIMON MAGUS.

   "We were brought up along with one Simon, a magician; and in
consequence of our friendly intercourse with him, we were in danger of
being led astray. Now there is a report in regard to some man, that, when
he appears, the mass of those who have been pious are to live free from
death and pain in his kingdom. This matter, however, mother, will be
explained more fully at him proper time. But when we were going to be led
astray by Simon, a friend of our lord Peter, by name Zacchaetus, came to us
and warned us not to be led astray by the magician; and when Peter came, he
brought us to him that he might give us full information, and convince us
in regard to those matters that related to piety. Wherefore we beseech you,
mother, to partake of those blessings which have been vouchsafed to us,
that we may unite around the same table!(1) This, then, is the reason,
mother, why you thought we were dead. On that disastrous night we had been
taken up in the sea by pirates, but you supposed that we had perished."

CHAP. IX.--THE MOTHER BEGS BAPTISM FOR HERSELF AND HER HOSTESS.

   When Faustinus had said this, our mother fell down at Peter's feet,
begging and entreating him to send for her and her hostess, and baptize;
them immediately, in order that, says she, not a single clay may pass after
the recovery of my children, without my taking food with them.  When we
united with our mother in making the  same request, Peter said: "What can
you imagine? Am I alone heartless, so as not to wish  that you should take
your meals with your mother, baptizing her this very day? But yet it is
incumbent on her to fast one day before she be baptized. And it is only one
day, because, in her simplicity, she said something in her own behalf,
which I looked on as a sufficient indication of her faith; otherwise, her
purification must have lasted many days."

CHAP. X.--MATTIDIA VALUES BAPTISM ARIGHT.

And I said: "'Tell us what it was that she said which made her faith
manifest." And Peter, said: "Her request that her hostess and benefactress
should be baptized along with her. For she would not have besought this to
be granted to her whom she loves, had she not herself first felt that
baptism was a great gift. And for this reason I condemn many that, after
being baptized, and asserting that they have faith, they yet do nothing
worthy of faith; nor do they urge  those whom they love--I mean their
wives, or  sons, or friends--to be baptized.(2) For if they had believed
that God grants eternal life with good works on the acceptance of
baptism,(3) they without delay would urge those whom they loved to be
baptized. But some one of you will say, 'They do love them, and care for
them.' That l is nonsense. For do they not, most assuredly, when they see
them sick, or led away along the road that ends in death, or enduring any
other trial, lament over them and pity them? So, if they believed that
eternal fire awaits those who worship not God, they would not cease
admonishing them, or being in deep distress for them as unbelievers, if
they saw them disobedient, being fully assured that punishment awaits them.
But now I shall send for the hostess, and question her as to whether she
deliberately accepts the law which is proclaimed through us;(4) and so,
according to her state of mind, shall we do what ought to be done.

CHAP. XI.--MATTIDIA HAS UNINTENTIONALLY FASTED ONE DAY.

   "But since your mother has real confidence in the efficacy of
baptism,(5) let her fast at least one day before her baptism." But she
swore: "During the two past days, while 1 related to the woman(6) all the
events connected with the recognition, I could not, in consequence of my
excessive joy, partake of food: only yesterday I took a little water."
Peter's wife bore testimony to her statement with an oath, saying: "In
truth she did not taste anything." And Aquila. who must rather be called
Faustinianus(7) in future, said: "There is nothing, therefore, to prevent
her being baptized." And Peter, smiling, replied: "But that is not a
baptismal fast which has not taken place on account of the baptism itself."
And Faustinus answered: "Perhaps God, not wishing to separate our mother a
single day after our recognition from our table, has arranged beforehand
the fast. For as she was chaste in the times of her ignorance, doing what
the true religion inculcated,(8) so even now perhaps God has arranged that
she should fast one day before for the sake of the true baptism, that, from
the first day of her recognising us, she might take her meals along with
us."

CHAP. XII.--THE DIFFICULTY SOLVED.

   And Peter said: "Let not wickedness have dominion over us, finding a
pretext in Providence and your affection for your mother; but rather abide
this day in your fast, and I shall join you in it, and tomorrow she will be
baptized. And, besides, this hour of the day is not suitable for baptism."
Then we all agreed that it should be so.

CHAP. XIII.--PETER ON CHASTITY.

   That same evening we all enjoyed the benefit of Peter's instruction.
Taking occasion by what had happened to our mother, he showed us how the
results of chastity are good, while those of adultery are disastrous, and
naturally bring destruction on the whole race. if not speedily, at all
events slowly.' "And to such an extent," he says. "do deeds of chastity
please God, that in this life He bestows some small favour on account of
it, even on those who are in error; for salvation in the other world is
granted only to those who have been baptized on account of their trust(2)
in Him, and who act chastely and righteously. This ye yourselves have seen
in the case of your mother, that the results of chastity are in the end
good. For perhaps she would have been cut off if she had committed
adultery; but God took pity on her for having behaved chastely, rescued her
from the death that threatened her, and restored to her her lost children.

CHAP. XIV.--PETER'S SPEECH CONTINUED.

   "But some one will say,' How many have perished on account of chastity!
' Yes; but it was because they did not perceive the danger. For the woman
who perceives that she is in love with any one, or is beloved by any one,
should immediately shun all association with him as she would shun a
blazing fire or a mad dog. And this is exactly what your mother did, for
she really loved chastity as a blessing: wherefore she was preserved, and,
along with you, obtained the full knowledge of the everlasting kingdom. The
woman who wishes to be chaste, ought to know that she is envied by
wickedness, and that because of love many lie in wait for her. If, then,
she remain holy through a stedfast persistence in chastity, she will gain
the victory over all temptations, and be saved; whereas, even if she were
to do all that is right, and yet should once commit the sin of adultery,
she must be punished, as said the prophet.

CHAP. XV.--PETER'S SPEECH CONTINUED.

   "The chaste wife doing the will of God, is at good reminiscence of His
first creation; for God,  being one, created one woman for one man. She is
also still more chaste if she does not forget her own creation, and has
future punishment before her eyes, and is not ignorant of the loss of
eternal blessings. The chaste woman takes pleasure in those who wish to be
saved, and is a pious example to the pious, for  she is the model  of a
good life. She who wishes to be chaste, cuts off all occasions for slander;
but if she be slandered as by an enemy, though affording him no pretext,
she is blessed and avenged by God. The chaste woman longs for God, loves
God, pleases God, glorifies God; and to men she affords no occasion for
slander.The chaste woman perfumes the Church with her good reputation, and
glorifies it by her piety. She is, more over, the praise of her teachers,
and a helper to them in their chastity.

CHAP. XVI.--PETER'S SPEECH CONTINUED

   The chaste woman is adored with the Son of God as with a bridegroom.
She is clothed with holy light. Her beauty lies well-regulated soul; and
she is fragrant with ointment, even with a good reputation. She is arrayed
in beautiful vesture, even in modesty. She wears about her precious pearls,
even chaste words. And she is radiant, for(4) her mind has been brilliantly
lighted up. Onto a beautiful mirror does she look, for she looks into God.
Beautiful cosmetics(5) does she use, namely, the fear of God, with which
she admonishes her soul. Beautiful is the woman not because she has chains
of gold on her,(6) but because she has been set free from transient lusts.
The chaste woman is greatly desired by the great King;(7) she has been
wooed, watched, and loved by Him. The chaste woman does not furnish
occasions for being desired, except by her own husband. The chaste woman is
grieved when she is desired by another. The chaste woman loves her husband
from the heart, embraces, soothes, and pleases him, acts the slave to him,
and is obedient to him in all things, except when she would be disobedient
to God. For she who obeys God is without the aid of watchmen chaste in soul
and pure in body.

CHAP. XVII.--PETER'S SPEECH CONTINUED

   "Foolish, therefore,  is every husband who separates his wife from the
fear of God; for she who does not fear God is not afraid of her husband. If
she fear not God, who sees what is invisible, how will she be chaste in her
unseen choice?(8) And how will she be chaste, who does not come to the
assembly to hear chaste-making words? And how could she obtain admonition?
And how will she be chaste without watchmen, if she be not informed in
regard to the coming judgement of God, and if she be not fully assured that
eternal punishment is the penalty for the slight pleasure? Wherefore, on
the other hand, compel her even against her will always to come to hear the
chaste-making word, yea, coax her to do so

CHAP. XVIII.--PETER'S SPEECH CONTINUED.

   "Much better is it if you will take her by the hand and come, in order
that you yourself may become chaste; for you will desire to become chaste,
that you may experience the full fruition of a holy marriage, and you will
not scruple, if you desire it, to become a father,@ to love your own
children, and to be loved by your own children. He who wishes to have a
chaste wife is also himself chaste, gives her what is due to a wife, takes
his meals with her, keeps company with her, goes with her to the word that
makes chaste, does not grieve her, does not rashly quarrel with her, does
not make himself hateful to her, furnishes her with all the good things he
can, and when he has them not, he makes up the deficiency by caresses. The
chaste wife does not expect to be caressed, recognises her husband as her
lord, bears his poverty when he is poor, is hungry with him when he is
hungry, travels with him when he travels, consoles him when he is grieved,
and if she have a large(2) dowry, is subject to him as if she had nothing
at all. But if the husband have a poor wife, let him reckon her chastity a
great dowry. The chaste wife is temperate in her eating and drinking, in
order that the weariness of the body, thus pampered, may not drag the soul
down to unlawful desires. Moreover, she never assuredly remains alone with
young men, and she suspects(3) the old; she turns away from disorderly
laughter, gives herself up to God alone; she is not led astray; she
delights in listening to holy words, but turns away from those which are
not spoken to produce chastity.

CHAP. XIX.--PETER'S SPEECH ENDED.

   "God is my witness: one adultery is as bad as many murders; and what is
terrible in it is this, that the fearfulness and impiety of its murders are
not seen. For, when blood is shed, the dead body remains lying, and all are
struck by the terrible nature of the occurrence. But the murders of the
soul caused by adultery, though they are more frightful, yet, since they
are not seen by men, do not make the daring a whir less eager in their
impulse. Know, O man, whose breath it is that thou hast to keep thee in
life, and thou shalt not wish that it be polluted. By adultery alone is the
breath of God polluted. And therefore it drags him who has polluted it into
the fire; for i: hastens to deliver up its insurer to everlasting
punishment,"

CHAP. XX.--PETER ADDRESSES MATTIDIA.

   While Peter was saying this, he saw the good and chaste Mattidia
weeping for joy; but thinking that she was grieved at having suffered so
much in past times, he said: 4. "Take courage, O woman; for while many have
suffered many evils on account of adultery, you have suffered on account of
chastity, and therefore you did not die. But if you had died, your soul
would have been saved. You left your native city of Rome on account of
chastity, but through it you found the truth, the diadem of the eternal
kingdom. You underwent danger in the deep, but you did not die; and even if
you had died, the deep itself would have proved to you, dying on account of
chastity, a baptism for the salvation of your soul. You were deprived of
your children for a little; but these, the true offspring of your husband,
have been found in better circumstances. When starving, you begged for
food, hut you did not defile your body by fornication. You exposed your
body to torture, but you saved your soul; you fled from the adulterer, that
you might not defile the couch of your husband: but, on account of your
chastity, God, who knows your flight, will fill up the place of your
husband. Grieved and left desolate, yon were for a short time deprived of
husband and children, but all these you must have been deprived of, some
time or other, by death, the preordained lot of man. But better is it that
you were willingly deprived of thorn on account of chastity, than that you
should have perished unwillingly after a time, simply on account of sins.

CHAP. XXI.--THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

   "Much better is it, then, that your first circumstances should be
distressing. For when this is the case, they do not so deeply grieve you,
because you hope that they will pass away, and they yield joy though the
expectation of better circumstances. But, above all, I wish you to know how
much chastity is pleasing to God. The chaste woman is God's choice, God's
good pleasure, God's glory, God's child. So great a blessing is
chastity,(5) that if there had not been a law that not even a righteous
person should enter into the kingdom of God unbaptized, perhaps even the
erring Gentiles might have been saved solely on account of chastity.
Wherefore I am exceedingly sorry for those erring ones who are chaste
because they shrink from baptism--thus choosing to be chaste without good
hope. Wherefore they are not saved; for the decree of God is clearly set
down, that an unbaptized person cannot enter into His kingdom." When he
said this, and much more, we I turned to sleep.


HOMILY XIV.

CHAP. I.--MATTIDIA IS BAPTIZED IN THE SEA.

   Much earlier than usual Peter awoke, and came to us, and awaking as,
said: "Let Faustinus and Faustinianus, along with Clement and the
household, accompany me, that we may go to some sheltered spot by the sea,
and there be able to baptize her without attracting observation."
Accordingly, when we had come to the sea-shore, he baptized her betweeen
some rocks, which supplied a place at once free from wind and dust.(1) But
we brothers, along with our brother and some others, retired because of the
women and bathed, and coming again to the women, we took them along with
us, and thus we went to a secret place and prayed. Then Peter, on account
of the multitude, sent the women on before, ordering them to go to their
lodging by another way, and he permitted us alone of the men to accompany
our mother and the rest of the women.(2) We went then to our lodging, and
while waiting for Peter's arrival, we conversed with each other. Peter came
several hours after, and breaking the bread for the Eucharist,(3) and
putting salt upon it, he gave it first to our mother, and, after her, to us
her sons. And thus we took food along with her and blessed God.

CHAP.II.--THE REASON OF PETER'S LATENESS.

   Then,(4) at length, Peter seeing that the multitude had entered, sat
down, and bidding us sit down beside him, he related first of all why be
had sent us on before him after the baptism, and why he himself had been
late in returning.(5) He said that the following was the reason: "At the
time that you came up,"(6) he says, "an old man, a workman, entered along
with you, concealing himself out of curiosity. He had watched us before, as
he himself afterwards confessed, in order to see what we were doing when we
entered into the sheltered place, and then he came out secretly and
followed us. And coming up to me at a convenient place, and addressing me,
he said, 'For a long time I have been following you and wishing to talk
with you, but I was afraid that you might be angry with me, as if I were
instigated by curiosity; but now I shall tell you, if you please, what I
think is the truth.' And I replied, 'Tell us what you think is good, and we
shall approve your conduct, even should what you say not be really good,
since with a good purpose you have been anxious to state what you deem to
be good.'

CHAP. III.--THE OLD MAN DOES NOT BELIEVE IN GOD OR PROVIDENCE.

   "The old man began to speak as follows: 'When I saw you after you had
bathed in the sea retire into the secret place, I went up and secretly
watched what might be your object in entering into a secret place, and when
I saw you pray, I retired;(7) but taking pity on you, I waited that I might
speak with you when you came out, and prevail on you not to be led astray.
For there is neither God nor providence; but all things are subject to
Genesis.(8) Of this I am fully assured in consequence of what I have myself
endured, having for a long time made a careful study of the science.(9) Do
not therefore be deceived, my child. For whether you pray or not, you must
endure what is assigned to you by Genesis. For if prayers could have  done
anything or any good, I myself should now be in better circumstances. And
now, unless my needy garments mislead you, you will not refuse to believe
what I say. I was once in affluent circumstances; I sacrificed much to the
gods, I gave liberally to the needy; and yet, though I prayed and acted
piously, I was not able to escape my destiny.' And I said: 'What are the
calamities you have endured?' And he answered: 'I need not tell you now;
perhaps at the end you shall learn who I am, and who are my parents, and
into what straitened circumstances I have fallen. But at present I wish you
to become fully assured that everything is subject to Genesis.'

CHAP. IV.--PETER'S ARGUMENTS AGAINST GENESIS.

   "And I said: 'If all things are subject to Genesis, and you are fully
convinced that this is the case, your thoughts and advice are contrary to
your own opinion.' For if it is impossible even to think in opposition to
Genesis, why do you toil in vain, advising me to do what cannot be done?
Yea, moreover, even if Genesis subsists, do not make haste to prevail on me
not to worship Him who is also Lord of the stars, by whose wish that a
thing should not take place, that thing becomes an impossibility. For
always that which is subject must obey that which rules. As far, however,
as the worship of the common gods is concerned, that is superfluous, if
Genesis has sway. For neither does anything happen contrary to what seems
good to fate, nor are they themselves able to do anything, since they are
subject to their own universal Genesis. If Genesis exists, there is this
objection to it, that that which is not first has the rule; or, in other
words, the uncreated cannot be subject, for the uncreated, as being
uncreated, has nothing that is older than itself.'(2)

CHAP. V.--PRACTICAL REFUTATION OF GENESIS.

   "While we were thus talking, a great multitude gathered round us. And
then I looked to the multitude, and said: 'I and my tribe have had handed
clown to us from our ancestors the worship of God, and we have a
commandment to give no heed to Genesis, I mean to the science  of
astrology;(3) and therefore I gave no attention to it. For this reason I
have no skill in astrology, but I shall state that in which I have skill.
Since I am unable to refute Genesis by an appeal to the science Which
relates to Genesis, I wish to prove in another way that the affairs of this
world are managed by a providence, and that each one will receive reward or
punishment according to his actions. Whether he shall do so now or
hereafter, is a matter of no consequence to me; all I affirm is, that each
one without doubt will reap the fruit of his deeds. The proof that there is
no Genesis is this. If any one of you present has been deprived of eyes, or
has his hand maimed, or his foot lame, or some other part of the body
wrong, and if it is utterly incurable, and entirely beyond the range of the
medical profession,--a case, indeed, which not even the astrologers profess
to cure, for no such cure has taken place within the lapse of a vast
period,--yet I praying to God will cure it,(4) although(5) it could never
have been set right by Genesis.(6) Since this is so, do not they sin who
blaspheme the God that fashioned all things?' And the old man answered: 'Is
it then blasphemy to say that all things are subject to Genesis?' And I
replied: 'Most certainly it is. For if all the sins of men, and all their
acts of impiety and licentiousness, owe their origin to the stars, and if
the stars have been appointed by God to do this work, so as to be the
efficient causes of all evils, then the sins of all are traced up to Him
who placed Genesis(7) in the stars.'

CHAP. VI.--THE OLD MAN OPPOSES HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO THE ARGUMENT OF
PETER.

   "And the old man answered:(8) 'You have spoken truly,(9) and yet,
notwithstanding all your incomparable demonstration, I am prevented from
yielding assent by my own personal knowledge. For I was an astrologer, and
dwelt first at Rome; and then forming a friendship with one who was of the
family of Caesar, I ascertained accurately the genesis of himself and his
wife. And tracing their history, I find all the deeds actually accomplished
in exact accordance with their genesis, and therefore I cannot yield to
your argument. For the arrangement(10) of her genesis was that which makes
women commit adultery, fall in love with their own slaves, and perish
abroad in the water. And this actually took place; for she fell in love
with her own slave, and not being able to bear the reproach, she fled with
him, hurried to a foreign land, shared his bed, and perished in the sea.'

CHAP. VII.--THE OLD MAN TELLS HIS STORY.

   "And I answered: 'How then do you know that she who fled and took up
her residence in a foreign land married the slave, and marrying him died?'
And the old man said: 'I am quite sure that this is true, not indeed that
she married him, for I did not know even that she fell in love with him;
but after her departure, a brother of her husband's told me the whole story
of her passion, and how he acted as an honourable man, and did not, as
being his brother, wish to pollute his couch, and how she the wretched
woman (for she is not blameable, inasmuch as  she was compelled to do and
suffer all this in consequence of Genesis) longed for him, and yet stood in
awe of him and his reproaches, and how she devised a dream, whether true or
false I cannot tell; for he stated that she said," Some one in a vision
stood by me, and ordered me to leave the city of the Romans immediately
with my children." But her husband being anxious that she should be saved
with his sons, sent them immediately to Athens for their education,
accompanied by their mother and slaves, while he kept the third and
youngest son with himself, for he who gave the warning in the dream
permitted this son to remain with his father. And when a long time had
elapsed, during which(1) he received no letters from her, he himself sent
frequently to Athens, and at length took me, as the truest of all his
friends, and went in search of her. And much did I exert myself along with
him in the course of our  travels with all eagerness; for I remembered
that, in the old times of his prosperity, he had given me a share of all he
bad and loved reel above all his friends. At length we set sail from  Rome
itself, and so we arrived in these parts of Syria, and we landed at
Seleucia, and not many  days after we had landed he died of a broken
heart. But I came here, and have procured my livelihood from that day till
this by the work of

CHAP. VIII.--THE OLD MAN GIVES INFORMATION IN REGARD TO FAUSTUS THE FATHER
OF CLEMENT.

   "When the old man bad thus spoken, I knew from what he said that the
old man who he stated had died, was no other than your father. I did not
wish, however, to communicate your t circumstances to him until I should
confer with you.But I ascertained where his lodging was, and I pointed out
mine to him; and to make  sure that my conjecture was right, I put this one
question to him: 'What was the name of the old man?' And he said,
'Faustus.' 'And what were the names of his twin sons?' And he answered,
'Faustinus and Faustinianus.' 'What was the name of the third son?' He
said, Clement.' 'What was their mother's name?' He said, 'Mattidia.'
Accordingly, from compassion, I shed tears along with him, and, dismissing
the multitudes, I came to you, in order that I might take counsel with you
after we had partaken of food(2) together. But I did not wish to disclose
the matter to you before we had partaken of food, lest perchance you should
be overcome by sorrow, and continue sad on the day of baptism, when even
angels rejoice." At these statements of Peter we all fell a weeping along
with our mother. But he beholding us in tears, said: "Now let each one of
you, through fear of God, bear bravely what has been said: for certainly it
was not to-day that your father died, but long ago, as you conjecturing
said."

CHAP. IX.--FAUSTUS HIMSELF APPEARS.

   When Peter said this, our mother could no longer endure it, but cried
out, "Alas! my husband! loving us, you died by your own decision,(3) while
we are still alive, see the light, and have just partaken of food." This
one scream had not yet ceased, when, lo! the old man came in, and at the
same time wishing to inquire into the cause of the cry, he looked on the
woman and said," What does this mean? Whom do I see?" And going up to her,
and looking at her, and being looked at more carefully, he embraced her.
But they were like to die through the sudden joy, and wishing to speak to
each other, they could not get the power in consequence of their
unsatisfied joy, for they were seized with speechlessness. But not long
after, our mother said to him: "I now have you, Faustus, in every way the
dearest being to me. How then are you alive, when we heard a short time ago
that you were dead? But these are our sons, Faustinus, Faustinianus, and
Clement." And when she said this. we all three fell on him, and kissed him,
and in rather an  distinct way we recalled his form to our memory.(4)

CHAP. X.--FAUSTUS EXPLAINS HIS NARRATIVE TO PETER.

   Peter seeing this, said: "Are you Faustus, the husband of this woman,
and the father of her children?" And he said: "I am." And Peter said: "How,
then, did you relate to me your own history as if it were another's;
telling me of your toils, and sorrow, and burial?" And our father answered:
"Being of the family of Caesar, and not wishing to be discovered, I devised
the narrative in another's name, in order that it might not be perceived
who I was. For I knew that, if I were recognised, the governors in the
place would learn this, and recall me to gratify Caesar, and would bestow
upon me that former prosperity to which I had formerly bidden adieu with
all the resolution I could summon. For I could not give myself up to a
luxurious life when I had pronounced the strongest condemnation on myself,
because I believed that I had been the cause of death to those who were
loved by me."(1)

CHAP. XI.--DISCUSSION ON GENESIS.

   And Peter said: "You did this according to your resolution. But in
regard to Genesis, were you merely playing a part when you affirmed it, or
were you in earnest in asserting that it existed?" Our father said: "I will
not speak falsely to you. I was in earnest when I maintained that Genesis
existed. For I am not uninitiated in the science; on the contrary, I
associated with one who is the best of the astrologers, an Egyptian of the
name of Annubion, who became my friend in the commencement of my travels,
and disclosed to me the death of my wife and children."(2) And Peter said:
"Are you not now convinced by facts, that the doctrine of Genesis has no
firm foundation?" And my father answered: "I must lay before you all the
ideas that occur to my mind, that listening to them I may understand your
refutation of them.(3) I know, indeed, that astrologers both make many
mistakes, and frequently speak the truth. I suspect, therefore, that they
speak the truth so far as they are accurately acquainted with the science,
and that their mistakes are the [result of ignorance; so that I conjecture
that the science has a firm foundation, but that the astrologers themselves
speak what is false solely on account of ignorance, because they cannot
know all things with absolute(4) accuracy." And Peter answered:
"Consider(5) whether their speaking of the truth is not accidental, and
whether they do not make their declarations without knowing the matters
accurately. For it must by all means happen that, when many prophecies are
uttered, some of them should come true." And the old man said: "How, then,
is it possible to be fully convinced of this, whether the science of
Genesis has a sure foundation or not?"

CHAP. XII.--CLEMENT UNDERTAKES THE DISCUSSION.

   When both were silent, I said: "Since I know accurately the science,
but our lord mad our father are not in this condition, I should like if
Annubion himself were here, to have a discussion with him in the presence
of my father. For thus would the matter be able to become public, when one
practically acquainted with the subject has held the discussion with one
equally informed."(6) And our father answered: "Where, then, is it possible
to fall in with Annubion?" And Peter said: "In Antioch, for I learn that
Simon Magus is there, whose inseparable companion Annubion is. When, then,
we go there, if we come upon them, the discussion can take place." And so,
when we had discussed many subjects, and rejoiced at the recognition and
given thanks to God, evening came down upon us, and we turned to sleep.


HOMILY XV.

CHAP. I.- PETER WISHES TO CONVERT FAUSTUS.

   AT break of day our father, with our mother and his three sons, entered
the place where Peter was, and accosting him, sat down. Then we also did
the same at his request; and Peter looking at our father, said:(1) "I am
anxious that you should become of the same mind as your wife and children,
in order that here you may live along with them, and in the other world,(2)
after the separation of the soul from the body, you will continue to be
with them free from sorrow. For does it not grieve you exceedingly that you
should not associate with each other?" And my father said: "Most
assuredly." And Peter said:  "If, then, separation from each other here
gives you pain, and if without doubt the penalty awaits you that after
death you should not be with each other, how much greater will your grief
be that you, a wise man, should be separated from your own family on
account of your opinions? They too, must(1) feel the more distressed from
the consciousness that eternal punishment awaits you because you entertain
different opinions from theirs, and deny the established truth."(2)

CHAP. II.--REASON FOR LISTENING TO PETER'S ARGUMENTS

   Our father said: "But it is not the case, my very dear friend, that
souls arc punished in Hades, for the soul is dissolved into air as soon as
it leaves the body." And Peter said: "Until we convince you in regard to
this point, answer me, does it not appear to you that you are not grieved
as having no faith in a future punishment, but they who have full faith in
it must be vexed in regard to you?" And our father said: "You speak sense."
And Peter said: "Why, then, will you not free them from the greatest grief
they can have in regard to you by agreeing to their religion, not, I mean,
through dread, but through kindly feeling, listening and judging about what
is said by me, whether it be so or not? and if the truth is as we state it,
then here you will enjoy life with those who are dearest to you, and in the
other world you will have rest with them; but if, in examining the
arguments, you show that what is stated by us is a fictitious story,(3) you
will thus be doing good service, for you will have your friends on your
side, and you will put an end to their leaning upon false hopes, and you
will free them from false fears."

CHAP. III.--OBSTACLES TO FAITH.

   And our father said: "There is evidently much reason in what you say."
And Peter said: "What is it, then, that prevents you from coming to our
faith? Tell me, that we may begin our discussion with it. For many are the
hindrances. The faithful are hindered by occupation with merchandise, or
public business, or the cultivation of the soil, or cares, and such like;
the unbelievers, of whom you also are one, are hindered by ideas such as
that the gods, which do not exist, really exist, or that all things are
subject to Genesis, or chance,(4) or that souls are mortal, or that our
doctrines are false because there is no providence.

CHAP.IV.--PROVIDENCE SEEN IN THE EVENTS OF THE LIFE OF FAUSTUS AND HIS
FAMILY.

   "But I maintain, from what has happened to you,(5) that all things arc
managed by the providence of God, and that your separation from your family
for so many years was providential;(6) for since, if they had been with
you, they perhaps would not have listened to the doctrines of the true
religion, it was arranged that your children should travel with their
mother, should be shipwrecked, should be supposed to have perished, and
should be sold;(7) moreover, that they should be educated in the learning
of the Greeks, especially in the atheistic doctrines, in order that, as
being acquainted with them, they might be the better able to refute them;
and in addition to this, that they should become attached to the true
religion, and be enabled to be united with me, so as to help me in my
preaching; furthermore, that their brother Clement should meet in the same
place, and that thus his mother should be recognised, and through her
cure(8) should be fully convinced of the right worship of God;(9) that
after no long interval the twins should recognise and be recognised, and
the other day should fall in with you, and that you should receive back
your own. I do not think, then, that such a speedy filling in of
circumstances, coining as it were from all quarters, so as to accomplish
one design, could have happened without the direction of Providence."

CHAP. V.--DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUE RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY.

   And our father began to say: " Do not suppose, my dearest Peter, that I
am not thinking of the doctrines preached by you. I was thinking of them.
But during the past night, when Clement urged me earnestly to give in my
adhesion to the truth preached by you, I at last answered, 'Why should I?
for what new commandment can any one give more than what the ancients urged
us to obey?' And he, with a gentle smile, said,' There is a great
difference, father, between the doctrines of the true religion and those of
philosophy;(10) for the true religion receives its proof from prophecy,
while philosophy, furnishing us with beautiful sentences, seems to present
its proofs from conjecture.' On saying this, he took an instance, and set
before us the doctrine of philanthropy,(1) which you had explained to
him,(2) which rather appeared to me to be very unjust, and I shall tell you
how. He alleged that it was right to present to him who strikes you on the
one cheek the other(3) also, and to give to him who takes away your cloak
your tunic also, and to go two miles with him who compels you to go one,
and such like."(4)

CHAP. VI.--THE LOVE OF MAN.

   And Peter answered: "You have deemed unjust what is most just. If you
are inclined, will you listen to me?" And my father said: "With all my
heart." And Peter said: "What is your opinion? Suppose that there were two
kings, enemies to each other, and having their countries cut off from each
other; and suppose that some one of the subjects of one of them were to be
caught in the country of the other, and to incur the penalty of death on
this account: now if he were let off from the punishment by receiving a
blow instead of death, is it not plain that he who let him off is a lover
of man?" And our father said: "Most certainly." And Peter said: "Now
suppose that this same person were to steal from some one something
belonging to him or to another; and if when caught he were to pay double,
instead of suffering the punishment that was due. to him, namely, paying
four times the amount, and being also put to death, as having been caught
in the territories of the enemy; is it not  your opinion that he who
accepts double, and lets him off from the penalty of death, is a lover  of
man?" And our father said: "He certainly  seems so." And Peter said: "Why
then? Is it not the duty of him who is in the kingdom of another, and that,
too, a hostile and wicked mortarch, to be pleasing to all(5) for the sake
of life, and when force is applied to him, to yield still more, to accost
those who do not accost him, to reconcile enemies, not to quarrel with
those who are angry, to give his own property freely to all who ask, and
such like?" And our father said: "He should with reason endure all things i
rather, if he prefers life to them."

CHAP. VII.--THE EXPLANATION OF A PARABLE; THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE LIFE.

   And Peter(6) said: "Are not those, then, who you said received
injustice, themselves transgressors, inasmuch as they are in the kingdom of
the other, and is it not by overreaching that they have obtained all they
possess? while those who are thought to act unjustly are conferring a
favour on each subject of the hostile kingdom, so far as they permit him to
have property. For these possessions belong to those who have chosen the
present(7) And they are so far kind as to permit he others to live. This,
then, is the parable; now listen to the actual truth. The prophet of the
truth who appeared on earth taught us that the Maker and God of all gave
two kingdoms to two,(8) good and evil; granting to the evil the sovereignty
over the present world along with law, so that he, it, should have the
right to punish those who act unjustly; but to the good tie gave the
eternal(9) to come. But He made each man free with the power to give
himself up to whatsoever he prefers, either to the present evil or the
future good. Those men who choose the present have power to be rich, to
revel in luxury, to indulge in pleasures, and to do whatever they can. For
they will possess none of the future goods. But those who have determined
to accept the blessings of the future reign have no right to regard as
their own the things that are here, since they belong to a foreign king,
with the exception only of water and bread, and those things procured with
sweat to maintain life (for it is not lawful for them to commit
suicide),(10) and also one garment, for they are not permitted to go naked
on account of the all-seeing(11) Heaven.

CHAP. VIII.--THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.

   "If, then, you wish to have an accurate account of the matter, listen.
Those of whom you said a little before that they receive injustice, rather
act unjustly themselves; for they who have chosen the future blessings,
live along with the bad in the present world, having many enjoyments the
same as the bad,--such as life itself, light, bread, water, clothing, and
others of a like nature. But they who are thought by you to act unjustly,
shall not live with the good  men in(1) the coming age." And our father
replied to this: "Now when you have convinced me that those who act
unjustly suffer injustice themselves, while those who suffer injustice have
by far the advantage, the whole affair seems to  me still more the most
unjust of transactions;  for those who seem to act unjustly grant many
things to those who have chosen the future blessings, but those who seem to
receive injustice do themselves commit injustice, because they do not give
in the other world, to those who have given them blessings here, the same
advantages which these gave to them." And Peter said: "This is not unjust
at all, because each one has the power to choose the present or the future
goods, whether they be small or great. He who chooses by his own individual
judgment and wish, receives no injustice,--I mean, not even should his
choice rest on what is small, since the great lay within his choice, as in
fact did also the small." And our father said: "You are right; for it has
been said by one of the wise men of the Greeks, 'The blame rests with those
who chose--God is blameless.'(2)

CHAP. IX.--POSSESSIONS ARE TRANSGRESSIONS.

   "Will you be so good as to explain this matter also? I remember Clement
saying to me, that we suffer injuries and afflictions for the forgiveness
of our sins." Peter said: "This is quite correct. For we, who have chosen
the future things, in so far as we possess more goods than these, whether
they be clothing, or food or drink, or any other thing, possess sins,
because we ought not to have anything, as I explained to you a little ago.
To all of us possessions are sins.(3) The deprivation of these, in whatever
way it may take place, is the removal of sins." And our father said: "That
seems reasonable, as you explained that these were the two boundary lines
of the two kings, and(4) that it was in the power of each to choose
whatever he wished of what was under their authority. But why are the
afflictions sent, or(5) do we suffer them justly?" And Peter said: "Most
justly; for since the boundary line of the saved is, as I said, that no one
should possess anything, but since many have many possessions, or in other
words sins, for this reason the exceeding love of God sends afflictions on
those who do not act in purity of heart, that on account of their having
some measure of the love of God, they might, by temporary inflictions, be
saved from eternal punishments."

CHAP. X.--POVERTY NOT NECESSARILY RIGHTEOUS.

   And our father said: "How then is this? Do we not see many impious men
poor? Then do these belong to the saved on this account?" And Peter said:
"Not at all; for that poverty is not acceptable which longs for what it
ought not. So that some are rich as far as their choice goes, though poor
in actual wealth, and they are punished because they desire to have more.
But one is not unquestionably righteous because he happens to be poor. For
he can be a beggar as far as actual wealth is concerned, but he may desire
and even do what above everything he ought not to do. Thus he may worship
idols, or be a blasphemer or fornicator, or he may live indiscriminately,
or perjure himself, or lie, or live the life of an unbeliever. But our
teacher pronounced the faithful poor blessed;(6) and he did so, not because
they had given anything, for they had nothing, but because they were not to
be condemned, as having done no sin, simply because they gave no alms,
because they had nothing to give." And our father said: "In good truth all
seems to go right as far as the subject of discussion is concerned;
wherefore I have resolved to listen to the whole of your argument in
regular order."

CHAP. XI.--EXPOSITION OF THE TRUE RELIGION PROMISED.

   And Peter said: "Since, then, you are eager henceforth to learn what
relates to our religion, I ought to explain it in order, beginning with God
Himself, and showing that we ought to call Him alone God, and that we
neither ought to speak of the others as gods nor deem them such, and that
he who acts contrary to this will be punished eternally, as having shown
the greatest impiety to Him who is the Lord of all." And saying this, he
laid his hands on those who were vexed by afflictions, and were diseased,
and possessed by demons; and, praying, he healed them, and dismissed the
multitudes. And then entering in this way, he partook of his usual food,
and went to sleep.


HOMILY XVI.

CHAP. I.--SIMON WISHES TO DISCUSS WITH PETER THE UNITY OF GOD.

   AT break of day Peter went out, and reaching the place where he was
wont to discourse, he saw a great multitude assembled. At the very tithe
when he was going to discourse, one of his deacons entered, and said:
"Simon has come from Antioch,(1) starting as soon as it was evening, having
learned that you promised to speak on the unity(2) of God; and he is ready,
along with Athnedorus the Epicurean, to come to hear your speech, in order
that he may publicly oppose all the arguments ever adduced by you for the
unity of God." Just as the deacon said this, lo! Simon himself entered,
accompanied by Athenodorus and some other friends. And before Peter spoke
at all, he took the first word, and said:--

CHAP. II.--THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

   "I heard that you promised yesterday to Faustus to prove this day
giving out your arguments in regular order, and beginning with Him who is
Lord of the universe, that we ought to say that He alone is God. and that
we ought neither to say nor to think that there are other gods, because he
that acts contrary to this will be punished eternally. But, above all, I am
truly amazed at your madness in hoping to convert a wise man, and one far
advanced in years, to your state of mind. But you will not succeed in your
designs; and all the more that I am present, and can thoroughly refute your
false arguments. For perhaps, if I had not been present, the wise old man
might have been led astray, because he has no critical acquaintance(3) with
the books publicly  believed in amongst the Jews.(4) At present I shall
omit much, in order that I may the more speedily  refute that which yon
have promised to prove.  Wherefore begin to speak what you promised to  say
before us, who know the Scriptures. But if,  fearing our refutation, you
are unwilling to fulfil your promise In our presence, this of itself will
be sufficient proof that you are wrong, because you did venture to speak in
the presence of those who know the Scriptures. And now, why should I wait
till you tell me, when I have a most satisfactory witness of your promise
in the old man who is present?" And, saying this, he looked to my father,
and said: "Tell me, most excellent of all men, is not this the man who
promised to prove to you to-day that God is one, and that we ought not to
say or think that there is any other god, and that he who acts contrary to
this will be punished eternally, as committing the most heinous sin? Do
you, then, refuse to reply to me?"

CHAP. III.--THE MODE OF THE DISCUSSION.

   And our father said: "Well might you have demanded testimony from me,
Simon, if Peter had first denied that he had made the promise. But now I
shall feel no shame in saying what I am bound to say. I think that you wish
to enter on the discussion inflamed with anger. Now this is a state of mind
in which it is improper for you to speak and for us to listen to you; for
we are no longer being helped on to the truth. but we are watching the
progress of a contest. And now, having learned from Hellenic culture how
those who seek the truth ought to act, I shall remind you. Let each of you
give an exposition of his own opinion,(5) and let the right of speech pass
from the one to the other.(6) For if Peter alone should wish to expound his
thought, but you should be silent as to yours, it is possible that some
argument adduced by you might crush both your and his opinion; and both of
you, though defeated by this argument, would not appear defeated, but only
the one who expounded his opinion; while he who did not expound his, though
equally defeated, would not appear defeated, but would even be thought to
have conquered." And Simon answered: "I will do as you say; but I am afraid
lest you do not turn out a truth-loving judge, as you have been already
prejudiced by his arguments."

CHAP. IV.--THE PREJUDICES OF FAUSTUS RATHER ON THE SIDE OF SIMON THAN ON
THAT OF PETER.

   Our father answered: "Do not compel me to agree with you without any
exercise of my judgment in order that I may seem to be a truth-loving
judge; but if you wish me to tell  you the truth, my prepossessions are
rather the side of your opinions." And Simon said "How is this the case,
when you do not know what my opinions are?" And our father said: "It is
easy to know this, and I will tell you how. You promised that you would
convict Peter of error in maintaining the unity of God; but if one
undertakes to convict of error him who maintains the unity of God. it is
perfectly plain that he, as being in the right,(1) does not hold the same
opinion. For if he holds the same  opinion as the man who is thoroughly in
error, then he himself is in error; but if he gives his proofs holding
opposite opinions, then he is in the right. Not well(2) then do you assert
that he who maintains the unity of God is wrong, unless you believe that
there are many gods. Now I maintain that there are many gods. Holding,
therefore, the same opinion as you before the discussion, I am prepossessed
rather in your favour. For this reason you ought to have no anxiety in
regard to me, but Peter ought, for I still hold opinions contrary to his.
And so after your discussion I hope that, as a truth-loving judge, who has
stripped himself of his prepossessions, I shall agree to that doctrine
which gains the victor." When my father said this, a murmur of applause
burst insensibly from the multitudes because my father had thus spoken.

CHAP. V.--PETER COMMENCES THE DISCUSSION.

   Peter then said: "I am ready to do as the umpire of our discussion has
said; and straight-way without any delay I shall set forth my opinion in
regard to God. I then assert that there is one God who made the heavens and
the earth, and all things that are in them. And it is not right to say or
to think that there is any other." And Simon said: "But I maintain that the
Scriptures believed in amongst the Jews say that there are many gods, and
that God is not angry at this, because He has Himself spoken of many gods
in His Scriptures.

CHAP. VI.--SIMON APPEALS TO THE OLD TESTAMENT TO PROVE THAT THERE ARE MANY
GODS.

   "For instance, in the very first words of the law, He evidently speaks
of them as being like even unto Himself. For thus it is written, that, when
the first man received a commandment from God to eat of every tree that was
in the garden,(3) but not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, the serpent having persuaded them by means of the woman, through the
promise that they would become gods, made them look up;(4) and then, when
they had thus looked up, God said,(5) 'Behold, Adam is become as one of
us.' When, then, the serpent said,(6) Ye shall be as gods,' he plainly
speaks in the belief that gods exist; all the more as God also added His
testimony, saying, 'Behold, Adam is become as one of us.' The serpent,
then, who said that there are many gods, did not speak falsely. Again, the
scripture,(7) 'Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the rulers of thy
people,' points out many gods whom it does not wish even-to be cursed. But
it is also somewhere else written,(8)` Did another god dare to enter and
take him a nation from the midst of another nation, as did I the Lord God?'
When He says, 'Did another God dare?' He speaks on the supposition that
other gods exist. And elsewhere:(9) 'Let the gods that have not made the
heavens and the earth perish;' as if those who had made them were not to
perish. And in another place, when it says,(10) 'Take heed to thyself lest
thou go and serve other gods whom thy fathers knew not,' it speaks as if
other gods existed whom they were not to follow. And again:(11) 'The names
of other gods shall not ascend upon thy lips.' Here it mentions many gods
whose names it does not wish to be uttered. And again it is written,(12)
'Thy God is the Lord, He is God of gods.' And again:(13) 'Who is like unto
Thee, O Lord, among the Gods?' And again:(14) 'God is Lord of gods.' And
again:(15) 'God stood in the assembly of gods: He judgeth among the gods.'
Wherefore I wonder how, when there are so many passages in writing which
testify that there are many gods, you have asserted that we ought neither
to say nor to think that there are many.(16) Finally, if you have anything
to say against what has been spoken so distinctly, say it in the presence
of all."

CHAP. VII.--PETER APPEALS TO THE OLD TESTAMENT TO PROVE THE UNITY OF GOD.

   And Peter said: "I shall reply briefly to what you have said. The law,
which frequently speaks of gods, itself says to the Jewish multitude,(17)
'Behold, the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, with all that therein
is;' implying that, even if there are gods, they are under Him, that is,
under the God of the Jews. And again:(1) 'The Lord thy God, He is God in
heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, and there is none other except
Him.' And somewhere else the Scripture says to the Jewish multitude,(2)
'The Lord your God is God of gods;' so that, even if there are gods, they
are under the God of the Jews. And somewhere else the Scripture says in
regard to Him?(2) God, the great and true, who regardeth not persons, nor
taketh reward, He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow.'
The Scripture, in calling the God of the Jews great and true, and executing
judgment, marked out the others as small, and not true. But also somewhere
else the Scripture says,(3) 'As I live, saith the Lord, there is no other
God but me. I am the first, I am after this; except me there is no God.'
And again:(4) 'Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou
serve.' And again:(5) 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord.' And
many passages besides seal with an oath that God is one, and except Him
there is no God. Whence I wonder how, when so many passages testify that
there is one God, you say that there are many."

CHAP. VIII.--SIMON AND PETER CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.

   And Simon said: 'My original stipulation with you was that I should
prove from the Scriptures that you were wrong in maintaining that we ought
not to speak of many gods. Accordingly I adduced many written passages to
show that the divine Scriptures themselves speak of many gods." And Peter
said: "Those very Scriptures which speak of many gods, also exhorted us,
saying, 'The names of other gods shall not ascend upon thy lips.'(6) Thus,
Simon, I did not speak contrary to what was written." And Simon said: "Do
you, Peter, listen to what I have to say. You seem to me to sin in speaking
against them,(7) when the Scripture says,(8) 'Thou shalt not revile  the
gods, nor curse the rulers of thy people.'" And Peter said: "I am not
sinning, Simon, in  pointing out their destruction according to the
Scriptures; for thus it is written:(9) 'Let the gods  who did not make the
heavens and the earth perish.' And He said thus, not as though SOME had
made the heavens and were not to perish, as you interpreted the passage.
For it is plainly declared that He who made them is one in the very first
part of Scripture:(10) 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. And it did not say,' the gods.' And somewhere else it says,(11) 'And
the firmament showeth His handiwork.' And in another place it is
written,(12) 'The heavens themselves shall perish, but Thou shalt remain
for ever.'"

CHAP. IX.--SIMON TRIES TO SHOW THAT THE SCRIPTURES CONTRADICT THEMSELVES.

   And Simon said: "I adduced clear passages from the Scriptures to prove
that there are many gods; and you, in reply, brought forward as many or
more from the same Scriptures, showing that God is one, and He the God of
the Jews. And when I said that we ought not to revile gods, you proceeded
to show that He who created is one, because those who did not create will
perish. And in reply to my assertion that we ought to maintain that there
are gods, because the Scriptures also say so, you showed that we ought not
to utter their names, because the same Scripture tells us not to utter the
names of other gods. Since, then, these very Scriptures say at one time
that there are many gods, and at another that there is only one; and
sometimes that they ought not to be reviled, and at other times that they
ought; what conclusion ought we to come to in consequence of this, but that
the Scriptures themselves lead us astray?"

CHAP.X.--PETER'S EXPLANATION OF THE APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS OF SCRIPTURE.

   And Peter said: "They do not lead astray, but convict and bring to
light the evil disposition against God which lurks like a serpent in each
one. For the Scriptures lie before each one like many divers types. Each
one, then, has his own disposition like wax, and examining the Scriptures
and finding everything in them, he moulds his idea of God according to his
wish, laying upon them, as I said, his own disposition, which is like
wax.(13) Since, then, each one finds in the Scriptures whatever opinion he
wishes to have in regard to God, for this reason he, Simon, moulds from
them the forms(14) of many gods, while we moulded the form of Him who truly
exists, coming to the knowledge of the true type from our own shape.(15)
For assuredly the soul within us is clothed with His image for immortality.
If I abandon the parent of this soul, it also will abandon me to just
judgment, making known the injustice by the very act of daring;(1) and as
coming from one who is just, it will justly abandon me; and so, as far as
the soul is concerned, I shall, after punishment, be destroyed, having
abandoned the help that comes from it. But if there is another god, first
let him put on another form, another shape, in order that by the new shape
of the body I may recognise the new god. But if he should change the shape,
does he thereby change the substance of the soul? But if he should change
it also, then I am no longer myself, having become another both in shape
and in substance. Let him, therefore, create others, if there is another.
But there is not. For if there had been, he would have created. But since
he has not created, then let him, as nonexistent, leave him who is really
existent.(2) For he is nobody,(3) except only in the opinion of Simon. I do
not accept of any other god but Him alone who created me."

CHAP. XI.--GEN. I. 26 APPEALED TO BY SIMON.

   And Simon said: "Since I see that you frequently speak of the God who
created you, learn from me how you are impious even to him. For there are
evidently two who created, as the Scripture says:(4) 'And God said, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness.' Now 'let us make,' implies two
or more; certainly not one only."

CHAP. XII.--PETER'S EXPLANATION OF THE PASSAGE.

   And Peter answered: "One is He who said to His Wisdom, 'Let us make a
man.' But His Wisdom(5) was that with which He Himself always rejoiced(6)
as with His own spirit. It is united as soul to God, but it is extended by
Him, as hand, fashioning the universe. On this account, also, one man was
made, and from him went forth also the female. And being a unity
generically, it is yet a duality, for by expansion and contraction the
unity is thought to be a duality. So that I act rightly in offering up all
the honour to one God as to parents." And Simon said: "What then? Even if
the Scriptures say that there are other gods, will you not accept the
opinion?"

CHAP. XIII.--THE CONTRADICTIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES INTENDED TO TRY THOSE WHO
READ THEM.

   And Peter answered:(7) "If the Scriptures or prophets speak of gods,
they do so to try those who hear. For thus it is written:(8) 'If there
arise among you a prophet, giving signs and wonders, and that sign and
wonder shall then come to pass, and he say to thee, Let us go after and
worship other gods which thy fathers have not known, ye(9) shall not
hearken to the words of that prophet; let thy hands be among the first to
stone him. For he hath tried to turn thee from the Lord thy God. But if
thou say in thy heart, How did he do that sign or wonder? thou shalt surely
know that he who tried thee, tried thee to see if thou dost fear the Lord
thy God.' The words 'he who tried thee, tried thee,' have reference to the
earliest times;(10) but it appears to be otherwise after the removal to
Babylon. For God, who knows all things, would not, as can be proved by many
arguments, try in order that He Himself might know, for He fore-knows all
things. But, if you like, let us discuss this point, and I shall show that
God foreknows.  But it has been proved that the opinion is false that He
does not know, and that this was written to try us. Thus we, Simon, can be
led astray(11) neither by the Scriptures nor by any one else; i nor are we
deceived into the admission of many gods, nor do we agree to any statement
that is  made against God.

CHAP. XIV.--OTHER BEINGS CALLED GODS.

   "For we ourselves also know that angels are called gods by the
Scriptures,--as, for instance, He who spake at the bush, and wrestled with
Jacob,--and the name is likewise applied to Him who is born Emmanuel, and
who is called the mighty God.(12) Yea, even Moses became a god to Pharaoh,
though in reality he was a man. The same is the case also with the idols of
the Gentiles. But we have but one God, one who made creation and arranged
the universe, whose Son is the Christ. Obeying Christ,(13) we learn to know
what is false from the Scriptures. Moreover, being furnished by our
ancestors with the truths of the Scriptures, we know that there is only one
who has made the heavens and the earth, the God of the Jews, and of all who
choose to worship Him. Our fathers, with pious thought, setting down a
fixed belief in Him as the true God, handed down this belief to us, that we
may know that if any thing is said against God, it is a falsehood. I shall
add this remark over and above what I need say: If the case be not as I
have said, then may I, and all who love the truth, incur danger in regard
to the praise of the God who made us."

CHAP. X.V.--CHRIST NOT GOD, BUT THE SON OF GOD.

   When Simon heard this, he said: "Since you say that we ought not to
believe even the prophet that gives signs and wonders if he say that there
is another god, and that you know that he even incurs the penalty of death,
therefore your, teacher also was with reason cut off for having given signs
and wonders." And Peter answered: "Our Lord neither asserted that there
were gods except the Creator of all, nor did He proclaim Himself to be God,
but He with reason pronounced blessed him who called Him the Son of that
God who has arranged the universe." And Simon answered: "Does it not seem
to you, then, that he who comes from God is God?"(1) And Peter said: "Tell
us how this is possible; for we cannot affirm this, because we did not hear
it from Him.

CHAP. XVI.--THE UNBEGOTTEN AND THE BEGOTTEN NECESSARILY DIFFERENT FROM EACH
OTHER.

   "In addition to this, it is the peculiarity of the Father not to have
been begotten, but of the Son to have been begotten; but what is begotten
cannot be compared with that which is unbegotten or self-begotten." And
Simon said: "Is it not the same on account of its origin?"(2) And Peter
said: "He who is not the same in all respects as some one, cannot have all
the same appellations applied to him as that person." And Simon said: "This
is to assert, not to prove." And Peter said: "Why, do you not see that
if(3) the one happens to be self-begotten or unbegotten, they cannot be
called the same; nor can it be asserted of him who has been begotten that
he is of the same substance as he is who has begotten him?(4) Learn this
also: The booties of men have immortal souls, which have been clothed with
the breath of God; and having come forth from Cool, they are of the same
substance, but they are not gods. But if they are gods, then in this way
the souls of all men, both those who have died, and those who are alive,
and those who shall come into being, are gods. But if in a spirit of
controversy you maintain that these also are gods, what greal matter is it,
then, for Christ to be called God? for He has only what all have.

CHAP. XVII.--THE NATURE OF GOD.

   "We call Him God whose peculiar attributes cannot belong to the nature
of any other; for, as He is called the Unbounded because He is boundless on
every side, it must of necessity be the case that it is no other one's
peculiar attribute to be called unbounded, as another cannot in like manner
be boundless. But if any one says that it is possible, he is wrong; for two
things boundless on every side cannot co-exist, for the one is bounded by
the other. Thus it is in the nature(5) of things that the unbegotten is
one. But if he possesses a figure, even in this case the figure is one and
incomparable.(6) Wherefore He is called the Most High, because, being
higher than all, He has the universe subject to Him."

CHAP. XVIII.--THE NAME OF GOD.

   And Simon said: Is this word 'God' His ineffable name, which all use,
because you maintain so strongly in regard to a name that it cannot be
given to another?" And Peter said: 'I know that this is not His ineffable
name, but one which is given by agreement among men; but if you give it to
another, you will also assign to this other that which is not used; and
that, too, deliberately.(7) The name which is used is the forerunner of
that which is not used. In this way insolence is attributed even to that
which has not yet been spoken, just as honour paid to that which is known
is handed on to that which has not yet been known."

CHAP. XIX.--THE SHAPE OF GOD IN MAN.

   And Simon said: "I should like to know, Peter, if you really believe
that the shape of man has been moulded after the shape of God."(8) And
Peter said: "I am really quite certain, Simon, that this is the case." And
Simon said: "How can death dissolve the body, impressed as it has thus been
with the greatest seal?" And Peter said: "It is the shape of the just God.
When, then, the body begins to act unjustly, the form which is in it takes
to flight, and thus the body is dissolved, by the shape disappearing, in
order that an unjust body may not have the shape of the just God. The
dissolution, however, does not take place in regard to the seal, but in
regard to the sealed body. But that which is sealed is not dissolved
without Him who sealed it. And thus it is not permitted to die without
judgment." And Simon said: What necessity was there to give the shape of
such a being to man, who was raised from the earth?" And Peter said: "This
was done because of the love of God, who made man. For while, as far as
substance is concerned, all things are superior to the flesh of man,--I
mean the ether, the sun, the moon, the stars, the air, the water, the fire-
-in a word, all the other things which have been made for the service of
man,--yet, though superior in substance, they willingly endure to serve the
inferior in substance, because of the shape of the superior. For as they
who honour the clay image of a king have paid honour to the king. himself,
whose shape the clay happens to have, so the whole creation with joy serves
man, who is made from earth, looking to the honour thus paid to God.

CHAP. XX.--THE CHARACTER OF GOD.

   "Behold, then, the character of that God to whom you, Simon, wish to
persuade us to be ungrateful, and the earth continues to bear you, perhaps
wishing to see who will venture to entertain similar opinions to yours. For
you were the first to dart what no other dared: you were the first to utter
what we first heard. We first and alone have seen the boundless long-
suffering of God in bearing with such great impiety as yours, and that God
no other than the Creator of the world, against whom you have dared to act
impiously. And yet openings of the earth took not place, and fire was not
sent down from heaven and went not forth to burn up men, and  rain was not
poured out,(1) and a multitude of beasts was not sent from the thickets,
and upon us ourselves the destructive wrath of God did not begin to show
itself, on account of one who sinned the sin, as it were, of spiritual
adultery, which is worse than the carnal. For it is not  God the Creator of
heaven and earth that in former times punished sins, since now, when He is
blasphemed in the highest degree, He would inflict the severest
punishment.(2) But, on the contrary, He is long-suffering, calls to
repentance, having the arrows which end in the destruction of the impious
laid up in His treasures, which He will discharge like living animals when
He shall sit down to give judgment to those that are His.(3) Wherefore let
us fear the just God, whose shape the body of man bears for honour."

CHAP. XXI.--SIMON PROMISES TO APPEAL TO THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. PETER
DISMISSES THE MULTITUDES.

   When Peter said this, Simon answered: "Since I see you skilfully
hinting that what is written in the books(4) against the framer(5) of the
world does not happen to be true, to-morrow I shall show, from the
discourses of your teacher, that he asserted that the framer of the world
was not the highest God." And when Simon said this, he went out. But Peter
said to the assembled multitudes: "If Simon can do no other injury to us in
regard to God, he at least prevents you from listening to the words that
can purify the soul." On Peter saying this, much whispering arose amongst
the crowds, saying, "What necessity is there for permitting him to come in
here, and utter his blasphemies against God?" And Peter heard, and said,
"Would that the doctrines against God which are intended to try men(6) went
no further than Simon! For there will be, as the Lord said, false apostles,
false prophets,(7) heresies, desires for supremacy, who, as I conjecture,
finding their beginning in Simon, who blasphemes God, will work together in
the assertion of the same opinions against God as those of Simon." And
saying this with tears, he summoned the multitudes to him by his hand; and
when they came, he laid his hands upon them and prayed, and then dismissed
them, telling them to come at an earlier hour next day. Saying this, and
groaning, he entered and went to sleep, without taking food.


HOMILY XVII.

CHAP. I.--SIMON COMES TO PETER.

   The next day, therefore, as Peter was to hold a discussion with Simon,
he rose earlier than usual and prayed. On ceasing to pray, Zacchaeus I came
in, and said: "Simon is seated without, discoursing with about thirty of
his own special followers." And Peter said: "Let him talk  until the
multitude assemble, and then let us begin the discussion in the following
way. We shall hear all that has been said by him, and having fitted our
reply to this, we shall go out and discourse." And assuredly so it
happened. Zacchaeus, therefore, went out, and not long after entered again,
and communicated to Peter the discourse delivered by Simon against him.(1)

CHAP. II.--SIMON'S SPEECH AGAINST PETER.

   Now he said: "He accuses you, Peter, of being the servant of
wickedness, of having great power in magic, and as charming the souls of
men in a way worse than idolatry.(2) To prove that you are a magician, he
seemed to me to adduce the following evidence, saying: 'I am conscious of
this, that when I come to hold a discussion with him, I do not remember a
single word of what I have been meditating on by myself. For while he is
discoursing, and my mind is engaged in recollecting what it is that I
thought of saying on coming to a conference with him, I do not hear
anything whatsoever of what he is saying. Now, since I do not experience
this in the presence of any other than in his alone, is it not plain that I
am under the influence of his magic? And as to his doctrines being worse
than those of idolatry, I can make that quite clear to any one who has
understanding. For there is no other benefit than this, that the soul
should be freed from images(3) of every kind. For when the soul brings an
image before its eye, it is bound by fear, and it pines away through
anxiety lest it should suffer some calamity; and being altered, it falls
under the influence of a demon; and being trader his influence, it seems to
the mass to be wise.

CHAP. III.--SIMON'S ACCUSATION OF PETER.

   "'Peter does this to you while promising to make you wise. For, under
the pretext of proclaiming one God, he seems to free you from many lifeless
images, which do not at all injure those who worship them, because they are
seen by the eyes themselves to be made of stone, or brass, or gold, or of
some other lifeless material. Wherefore the soul, because it knows that
what is seen is nothing, cannot be spell-bound by fear in an equal degree
by means of what is visible. But looking to a terrible God through the
influence of deceptive teaching, it has all its natural foundations
overturned. And I say this, not because I exhort you to worship images, but
because Peter, seeming to free your souls from terrible images,(4) drives
mad the mind of each one of you by a more terrible image, introducing God
in a shape, and that, too, a God extremely just,--an image which is
accompanied by what is terrible and awful to the contemplative soul, by
that which can entirely destroy the energy of a sound mind. For the mind,
when in the midst of such a storm, is like the depth stirred by a violent
wind, perturbed and darkened. Wherefore, if he comes to benefit you, let
him not, while seeming to dissolve your fears which gently proceed from
lifeless shapes, introduce in their stead the terrible shape of God. But
has God a shape? If He has, He possesses a figure. And if He has a figure,
how is He not limited? And if limited, He is in space. But if He is in
space, He is less than the space which encloses Him. And if less than
anything, how is He greater than all, or superior to all, or the highest of
all? This, then, is the state of the case.

CHAP. IV.--IT IS ASSERTED THAT CHRIST'S TEACHING IS DIFFERENT FROM PETER'S.

   "'And that he does not really believe even the doctrines proclaimed by
his teacher is evident, for he proclaims doctrines opposite to his.(5) For
he said to some one, as I learn,(6) "Call me not God for the good is
one"Now in speaking of the good one, he no longer speaks of that just
one,(7) whom the Scriptures proclaim, who kills and makes alive,--kills
those who sin, and makes alive those who live according to His will. But
that he did not really call Him who is the framer of the world good, is
plain to any one who can reflect. For the framer of the world was known to
Adam whom He had made, and to Enoch who pleased Him, and to Noah who was
seen to be just by Him; likewise to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; also to
Moses, and the people, and the whole world. But Jesus, the teacher of Peter
himself, came and said,(1) "No one knew the Father except the Son, as no
one knoweth(2) even the Son except the Father, and those to whom the Son
may wish to reveal Him." If, then, it was the Son himself who was present,
it was from the time of his appearance that he began to reveal to those to
whom he wished, Him who was unknown to all. And thus the Father was unknown
to all who lived before him, and could not thus be He who was known to all.

CHAP. V.--JESUS INCONSISTENT IN HIS TEACHING.

   "'In saying this, Jesus is consistent not even with himself. For
sometimes by other utterances, taken from the Scriptures, he presents God
as being terrible and just, saying,(3) "Fear not him who killeth the body,
but can do nothing to the soul; but fear Him who is able to cast both body
and soul into the Gehenna of fire. Yea, I say unto you, fear Him." But that
he asserted that He is really to be feared as being a just God, to whom he
says those who receive injustice cry, is shown in a parable of which he
gives the interpretation, saying:(4) "If, then, the unjust judge did so,
because he was continually entreated, how much more will the Father avenge
those who cry to Him day and night? Or do you think that, because He bears
long with them, He will not do it? Yea, I say to you, He will do it,  and
that speedily." Now he who speaks of God as an avenging and rewarding God,
presents Him as naturally just, and not as good. Moreover he gives thanks
to the Lord of heaven and earth.(5) But if He is Lord of heaven and earth,
He is acknowledged to be the framer of the world, and if framer, then He is
just. When, therefore, he sometimes calls Him good and sometimes just, he
is not consistent with himself in this point.(6) But his wise disciple
maintained yesterday a third point, that real sight(7) is more satisfactory
than vision, not knowing that real sight can be human, but that vision
confessedly proceeds from divinity.(1)

CHAP. VI.--PETER GOES OUT TO ANSWER SIMON.

   "These and such like were the statements, Peter, which Simon addressed
to the multitudes while he stood outside; and he seems to me to  be
disturbing the minds of the greater number.  Wherefore go forth
immediately, and by the power of truth break down his false statements."
When Zacchaeus said this, Peter prayed after his usual manner and went out,
and standing in the place where he spoke the day before, and saluting the
multitudes according to the custom enjoined by his religion, he began to
speak as  follows: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the  true prophet (as I
shall prove conclusively at: the proper time), made concise declarations in
I regard to those matters that relate to the truth,  for these two reasons:
first, because He was in the habit of addressing the pious, who had
knowledge enough to enable them to believe the opinions uttered by Him by
way of declaration; for His statements were not strange to their usual mode
of thought; and in the second place, because, having a limited time
assigned Him for preaching, He did not employ the method of  demonstration
in order that He might not spend all His limited time in arguments, for in
this way it might happen that He would be fully occupied in giving the
solutions of a few problems which might be understood by mental exertion,
while He would not have given us to any great extent(8) those statements
which relate to the truth. Accordingly He stated any opinions He wished, as
to a people who were able to understand Him, to whom we also belong, who,
whenever we did  not understand anything of what had been said by Him,--a
thing which rarely happened,--inquired of Him privately, that nothing said
by Him might be unintelligible to us,

CHAP. VII.--MAN IN THE SHAPE OF GOD.

   "Knowing therefore that we knew all that was spoken by Him, and that we
could supply the proofs, He sent us to the ignorant Gentiles to baptize
them for remission of sins, and commanded us to teach them first.(9) Of His
commandments this is the first and great one, to fear the Lord God, and to
serve Him only. But He  meant us to fear that God whose angels they are who
are the angels of the least of the faithful amongst us, and who stand in
heaven continually beholding the face of the Father(10) For He has  shape,
and He has every limb primarily and solely for beauty's sake, and not for
use.(11) For He has not eyes that He may see with them; for He sees on
every side, since He is incomparably more brilliant in His body than the
visual spirit which is in us, and He is more splendid than everything, so
that in comparison with Him the light of the sun may be reckoned as
darkness. Nor has He cars that He may hear; for He hears. perceives, moves,
energizes, acts on every side. But He has the most beautiful shape on
account of man, that the pure in heart, may be able to see Him, that they
may rejoice because they suffered. For He moulded man in His own shape as
in the grandest seal, in order that he may be the ruler and lord of all,
and that all may be subject to him. Wherefore, judging that He is the
universe, and that man is His image (for He is Himself invisible, but His
image man is visible), the man who wishes to worship Him honours His
visible image, which is man. Whatsoever therefore any one does to man, be
it good or bad, is regarded as being done to Him. Wherefore the judgment
which proceeds from Him shall go before, giving to every one according to
his merits. For He avenges His own shape.

CHAP. VIII.--GOD'S FIGURE: SIMON'S OBJECTION THEREFROM REFUTED.

   "But someone will say, If He has shape, then He has figure also, and is
in space; but if He is in space, and is, as being less, enclosed by it, how
is He great above everything? How can He be everywhere if He has figure?
The first remark I have to make to him who urges these objections is this:
The Scriptures persuade us to have such sentiments and to believe such
statements in regard to Him; and we know that their declarations are true,
for witness is borne to them by our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose orders we
are bound to afford proofs to you that such is the case. But first I shall
speak of space. The space of God is the non-existent, but God is that which
exists. But that which is non-existent cannot be compared with that which
is existent. For how can space be existent? unless it be a second space,
such as heaven, earth, water, air, and if there is any other body that
fills up the vacuity, which is called vacuity on this account. that it is
nothing. For 'nothing' is its more appropriate name. For what is that which
is called vacuity but as it were a vessel which contains nothing, except
the vessel itself? But being vacuity, it is not itself space; but space is
that in which vacuity itself is, if indeed it is the vessel. For it must be
the case that that which exists is in that which does not exist. But by
this which is non-existent I mean that which is called by some, space,
which is nothing. But being nothing, how can it be compared with that which
is, except by expressing the contrary, and saying that it is that which
does not exist, and that that which does not exist is called space? But
even if it were something, there are many examples which I have at hand,
but I shall content myself with one only, to show that that which encloses
is not unquestionably superior to that which is enclosed. The sun is a
circular figure, and is entirely enclosed by air, yet it lightens up the
air, it warms it, it divides it; and if the sun be away from it, it is
enveloped in darkness; and from whatsoever part of it the sun is removed,
it becomes cold as if it were dead; but again it is illuminated by its
rising, and when it has been warmed up by it, it is adorned with still
greater beauty. And it does this by giving a share of itself, though it has
its substance limited. What, then, is there to prevent God, as being the
Framer and Lord of this and everything else, from possessing figure and
shape and beauty, and having the communication of these qualities
proceeding from Himself extended infinitely?

CHAP. IX.--GOD THE CENTRE OR HEART OF THE UNIVERSE.

   "One, then, is the God who truly exists, who presides in a superior
shape, being the heart of that which is above and that which is below
twice,(2) which sends forth from Him as from a centre the life-giving and
incorporeal power; the whole universe with the stars and regions(3) of the
heaven, the air, the fire, and if anything else exists, is proved to be a
substance infinite in height, boundless in depth, immeasurable in breadth,
extending the life-giving and wise nature from Him over three infinites.(4)
It must be, therefore, that this infinite which proceeds from Him on every
slate exists,(5) having as its heart Him who is above all, and who thus
possesses figure; for wherever He be, He is as it were in the centre of the
infinite, being the limit of the universe. And the extensions taking their
rise with Him, possess the nature of six infinites; of whom the one taking
its rise with Him penetrates(6) into the height above, another into the
depth below, another to the right hand, another to the left, another in
front, and another behind; to whom He Himself, looking as to a number that
is equal on every side,(7) completes the world in six temporal
intervals,(8) Himself being the rest,(9) and having the infinite age to
come as His image, being the beginning and the end. For in Him the six
infinites end, and from Him they receive their extension to infinity.

CHAP.X.--THE NATURE AND SHAPE OF GOD.

   "This is the mystery of the hebdomad. For He Himself is the rest of the
whole who grants Himself as a rest to those who imitate His greatness
within their little measure. For He is alone, sometimes comprehensible,
sometimes incomprehensible, sometimes limitable,(1) sometimes illimitable,
having extensions which proceed from Him into infinity. For thus He is
comprehensible and incomprehensible, near and far, being here and there, as
being the only existent one, and as giving a share of that mind which is
infinite on every hand, in consequence of which souls breathe and possess
life;(2) and if they be separated from the body and be found with a longing
for Him, they are borne along into His bosom, as in the winter time the
mists of the mountains, attracted by the rays of the sun, are borne along
immortals to it. What affection ought therefore to arise within us if we
gaze with our mind on His beautiful shape! But otherwise it is absurd to
speak of beauty. For beauty cannot exist apart from shape; nor can one be
attracted to the love of God, nor even deem that he can see Him, if God has
no form.

CHAP. XI.--THE FEAR OF GOD.

   "But some who are strangers to the truth, and who give their energies
to the service of evil, on pretext of glorifying God, say that He has no
figure, in order that, being shapeless and formless, He may be visible to
no one, so as not to be longed for. For the mind, not seeing the form of
God, is empty of Him. But how can any one pray if he has no one to whom he
may flee for refuge, on whom he may lean? For if he meets with no
resistance, he falls out into vacuity. Yea, says he, we ought not to fear
God, but to love Him. I agree; but the consciousness of having done well in
each good act will accomplish this. Now well-doing proceeds from fearing.
But fear, says he, strikes death into the soul. Nay, but I affirm that it
does not strike death, but awakens the soul, and converts it. And perhaps
the injunction not to fear God might be right, if we men did not fear many
other things; such, for instance, as plots against us by those who are like
us, and wild beasts, serpents, diseases, sufferings, demons, and a thousand
other ills. Let him, then, who asks us  not to fear God, rescue us from
these, that we may not fear them; but if he cannot, why should he grudge
that we should be delivered from a thousand fears by one fear, the fear of
the  Just One, and that it should be possible by a slight(4) faith in Him
to remove a thousand afflictions from ourselves and others, and receive
instead an exchange of blessings, and that, doing no ill in consequence of
fear of the God who sees everything, we should continue in peace even in
the present life.

CHAP. XII.--THE FEAR AND LOVE OF GOD.

   "Thus, then, grateful service to Him who is truly Lord, renders us free
from service to all other masters.(5) If, then, it is possible for any one
to be free from sin without fearing God, let him not fear; for under the
influence of love to Him one cannot do what is displeasing to Him. For, on
the one hand, it is written that we are to fear Him, and we have been
commanded to love Him, in order that each of us may use that prescription
which is suitable to his constitution. Fear Him, therefore, because He is
just; but whether you fear Him or love Him, sin not. And may it be the case
that any one who fears Him shall be able to gain the victory over unlawful
desires, shall not lust after what belongs to others, shall practise
kindness, shall be sober, and act justly! For I see some who are imperfect
in their fear of Him sinning very much. Let us therefore fear God, not only
because He is just; for it is through pity for those who have received
injustice that He inflicts punishment on those who have done the injustice.
As water therefore quenches fire, so does fear extinguish the desire for
evil practices. He who teaches fearlessness does not himself fear; but he
who does not fear, does not believe that there will be a judgment,
strengthens his lusts, acts as a magician, and accuses others of the deeds
which be himself does."

CHAP. XIII.--THE EVIDENCE OF THE SENSES CONTRASTED WITH THAT FROM
SUPERNATURAL VISION.

   Simon, on hearing this, interrupted him, and said: "I know against whom
you are making these remarks; but in order that I may not spend any time in
discussing subjects which I do not wish to discuss, repeating the same
statements to refute you, reply to that which is concisely stated by us.
You professed that you had well understood the doctrines and deeds(6) of
your teacher because you saw them before you with your own eyes,(7) and
heard them with your own ears, and that it is not possible for any other to
have anything similar by vision or apparition. But I shall show that this
is false. He who hears any one with his own ears, is not altogether fully
assured of the truth of what is said; for his mind has to consider whether
he is wrong or  not, inasmuch as he is a man as far as appearance goes. But
apparition not merely presents an object to view, but inspires him who sees
it with confidence, for it comes from God. Now reply first to this."(1)

CHAP. XIV.--THE EVIDENCE OF THE SENSES MORE TRUSTWORTHY THAN THAT OF
SUPERNATURAL VISION.

   And Peter said: "You proposed to speak to one point, you replied to
another.(2) For your proposition was, that one is better able to know more
fully, and to attain confidence,(3) when he hears in consequence of an
apparition, than when he hears with his own ears; but when you set about
the matter, you were for persuading us that he who hears through an
apparition is surer than he who hears with his own ears. Finally, you
alleged that, on this account, you knew more satisfactorily the doctrines
of Jesus than I do, because you heard His words through an apparition. But
I shall reply to the proposition you made at the beginning. The prophet,
because he is a prophet, having first given certain information with regard
to what is objectively(4) said by him, is believed with confidence; and
being known beforehand to be a true prophet, and being examined and
questioned as the disciple wishes, he replies: But he who trusts to
apparition or vision and dream is insecure. For he does not know to whom he
is trusting. For it is possible either that he may be an evil demon or a
deceptive spirit, pretending in his speeches to be what he is not. But if
any one should wish to inquire of him who he is who has appeared, he can
say to himself whatever he likes. And thus, gleaming forth like a wicked
one, and remaining as long as he likes, he is at length extinguished, not
remaining with the questioner so long as he wished him to do for the
purpose of consulting him. For any one that sees by means of dreams cannot
inquire about whatever he may wish. For reflection is not in the special
power of one who is asleep. Hence we, desiring to have information in
regard to something in our waking hours, inquire about something else in
our dreams; or without inquiring, we hear about matters that do not concern
us, and awaking from sleep we are dispirited because we have neither heard
nor inquired about those matters which we were eager to know."

CHAP. XV.--THE EVIDENCE FROM DREAMS DISCUSSED.

   And Simon said: "If you maintain that apparitions do not always reveal
the truth, yet for all that, visions and dreams, being God-sent, do not
speak falsely in regard to those matters which they wish to tell." And
Peter said: "You were right in saying that, being God-sent, they do not
speak falsely. But it is uncertain if he who sees has seen a God-sent
dream." And Simon said: "If he who has had the vision is just, he has seen
a true vision." And Peter said: "You were right. But who is just, if he
stands in need of a vision that he may learn what he ought to learn, and do
what he ought to do?" And Simon said: "Grant me this, that the just man
alone can see a true vision, and I shall then reply to that other point.
For I have come to the conclusion that an impious man does not see a true
dream." And Peter said: "This is false; and I can prove it both apart from
Scripture and by Scripture; but I do not undertake to persuade you. For the
man who is inclined to fall in love with a bad woman, does not change  his
mind so as to care for a lawful union with  another woman in every respect
good; but sometimes they love the worse woman through prepossessions,
though they are conscious that there is another who is more excellent. And
you are ignorant, in consequence of some such  state of mind." And Simon
said: "Dismiss  this subject, and discuss the matter on which you promised
to speak. For it seems to me impossible that impious men should receive
dreams from God in any way whatever.

CHAP. XVI.--NONE BUT EVIL DEMONS APPEAR TO THE IMPIOUS.

   And Peter said: "I remember that I promised to prove this point, and to
give my proofs in regard to it from Scripture and apart from Scripture.
sand now listen to what I say. We know that there are many (if you will
pardon me the statement; and if you don't, I can appeal to those who are
present as judges) who worship idols, commit adultery, and sin in every
way, and yet they see true visions and dreams, and some of them have also
apparitions of demons. For I maintain that the eyes of mortals cannot see
the incorporeal form of the Father or Son, because it is illumined by
exceeding great light. Wherefore it is not because God envies, but because
He pities, that He cannot be seen by man who has been turned into flesh.
For he who sees God cannot live. For the excess of light dissolves the
flesh of him who sees; unless by the secret power of God the flesh be
changed into the nature of light, so that it can see light, or the
substance of light be changed into flesh, so that it can be seen by flesh.
For the power to see the Father, without undergoing any change, belongs to
the Son alone. But the just shall also in like manner behold God;(1) for in
the resurrection of the dead, when they have been changed, as far as their
bodies are concerned, into light, and become like the angels, they shall be
able to see Him. Finally, then, if any angel be sent that be may he seen by
a man, he is changed into flesh, that he may be able to be seen by flesh.
For no one can see the incorporeal power not only of the Son, but not even
of an angel. But if one sees an apparition, he should know that this is the
apparition of an evil demon.

CHAP. XVII.--THE IMPIOUS SEE TRUE DREAMS AND VISIONS.

   "But it is manifest that the impious see true visions and dreams, and I
can prove it from Scripture. Finally, then, it is written in the law, how
Abimelech, who was impious, wished to defile the wife of just Abraham by
intercourse, and how he heard the commandment from God in his sleep, as the
Scripture saith, not to touch her,(2) because she was dwelling with her
husband. Pharaoh, also an impious man, saw a dream in regard to the fulness
and thinness of the ears of corn,(3) to whom Joseph said, when he gave the
interpretation, that the dream had come from God.(4) Nebuchadnezzar, who
worshipped images, anti ordered those who worshipped God to be cast into
fire, saw a dream(5) extending over the whole age of the world.(6) And let
no one say, 'No one who is impious sees a vision when awake.' That is
false. Nebuchadnezzar himself, having ordered three men to be cast into
fire, saw a fourth when he looked into the furnace, and said, 'I see the
fourth as the Son of God.'(7) And nevertheless, though they saw
apparitions, visions, and dreams, they were impious. Thus, we cannot infer
with absolute certainty that the man who has seen visions, and dreams, and
apparitions, is undoubtedly pious. For in the case of the pious man, the
truth gushes up natural and pure(8) in his mind, not worked tip through
dreams, but granted to the good through intelligence.

CHAP. XVIII.--THE NATURE OF REVELATION.

   "Thus to me also was the Son revealed by the Father. Wherefore I know
what is the meaning of revelation, having learned it in my own case. For at
the very time when the Lord said, 'Who do they say that I am?'(9) and when
I heard one saying one thing of Him, and another another, it came into my
heart to say (and I know not, therefore, how I said it), 'Thou art the Son
of the living God.'(10) But He, pronouncing me blessed, pointed out to me
that it was the Father who had revealed it to me; and from this time I
learned that revelation is knowledge gained without instruction, and
without apparition and dreams. And this is indeed the case. For in the
soul(11) which has been placed in us by(12) God, there is all the truth;
but it is covered anti revealed by the hand of God, who works so far as
each one through his knowledge deserves.(13) But the declaration of
anything by means of apparitions and dreams from without is a proof, not
that it comes from revelation, but from wrath. Finally, then, it is written
in the law, that God, being angry, said to Aaron and Miriam,(14) 'If a
prophet arise from amongst you, I shall make myself known to him through
visions and dreams, but not so as to my servant Moses; because I shall
speak to him in an outward appearance, and not through dreams, just as one
will speak to his own friend.' You see how the statements of wrath are made
through visions and dreams, but the statements to a friend are made face to
face, in outward appearance, and not through riddles and visions and
dreams, as to an enemy.

CHAP. XIX.--OPPOSITION TO PETER UNREASONABLE.

   "If, then, our Jesus appeared to you in a vision, made Himself known to
you, and spoke to you, it was as one who is enraged with an adversary; and
this is the reason why it was through visions and dreams, or through
revelations that were from without, that He spoke to you. But can any one
be rendered fit for instruction through apparitions? And if you will say,
'It is possible,' then I ask, 'Why did our teacher abide and discourse a
whole year to those who were awake?' And how are we to believe your word,
when you tell us that He appeared to you? And how did He appear to you,
when you entertain opinions contrary to His teaching? But if you were seen
and taught by Him, and became His apostle for a single hour, proclaim His
utterances, interpret His sayings, love His apostles, contend not with me
who companied with Him. For in direct opposition to me, who am a firm rock,
the foundation of the Church,(1) you now stand. If you were not opposed to
me, you would not accuse me, and revile the truth proclaimed by me, in
order that I may not be believed when I state what I myself have heard with
my own ears from the Lord, as if I were evidently a person that was
condemned and in bad repute.(2) But if you say that I am condemned, you
bring an accusation against God, who revealed the Christ to me, and you
inveigh against Him who pronounced me blessed on account of the revelation.
But if, indeed, you really wish to work in the cause of truth, learn first
of all from us what we have learned from Him, and, becoming a disciple of
the truth, become a fellow-worker with us."

CHAP. XX.--ANOTHER SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION PROPOSED.

   When Simon heard this, he said: "Far be it from me to become his or
your disciple. For I am not ignorant of what I ought to know; but the
inquiries which I made as a learner were made that I may see if you can
prove that actual sight is more distinct than apparition.(5) But you spoke
according to your own pleasure; you did not prove. And now, to-morrow I
shah come to your opinions in regard to God, whom you affirmed to be the
framer of the world; and in my discussion with you, I shall show that he is
not the highest, nor good, and that your teacher made the same statements
as I now do; and I shall prove that you have not understood him." On saying
this he went away, not wishing to listen to what might be said to the
propositions which he had laid down.


HOMILY XVIII.

CHAP. I.--SIMON MAINTAINS THAT THE FRAMER OF THE WORLD IS NOT THE HIGHEST
GOD.

   AT break of day, when Peter went forth to discourse, Simon anticipated
him, and said: "When I went away yesterday, I promised to  you to return
to-day, and in a discussion show that he who flamed the world is not the
highest God, but that the highest God is another who alone is good, and who
has remained unknown up to this time. At once, then, state to me whether
you maintain that the framer of the world is the same as the lawgiver or
not? If, then, he is the lawgiver, he is just; but if he is just, he is not
good. But if he is not good, then it was another that Jesus proclaimed,
when he said,(1) 'Do not call me good; for one is good, the Father who is
in the heavens.' Now a lawgiver cannot be both just and good, for these
qualities do not harmonize."(2) And Peter said: "First tell us what are the
actions which in your opinion constitute a person good, and what are those
which constitute him just, in order that thus we may address our words to
the same mark." And Simon said: "Do you state first what in your opinion is
goodness, and what justice."

CHAP. II.--DEFINITION OF GOODNESS AND JUSTICE.

   And Peter said: "That I may not waste my time in contentious
discussions, while I make the fair demand that you should give answers to
my propositions, I shall myself answer those questions which I put, as is
your wish. I then affirm that the man who bestows(3) goods is good, just as
I see the Framer of the world doing when  He gives the sun to the good, and
the rain to the just and unjust." And Simon said: "It is most unjust that
he should give the same things to the just and the unjust." And Peter said:
"Do you, then, in your turn state to us what course of conduct would
constitute Him good." And Simon said: "It is you that must state this." And
Peter said: "I will. He who gives the same things to the good and just, and
also to the evil and unjust, is not even just according to you; but you
would with reason call Him just if He gave goods to the good and evils to
the evil. What course of conduct, then, would He adopt, if He does not
adopt the plan of giving things temporal to the evil, if perchance they
should be converted, and things eternal to the good, if at least they
remain good? And thus by giving to all, but by gratifying the more
excellent,(1) His justice is good; and all the more long-suffering in this,
that to sinners who repent He freely grants forgiveness of their sins, and
to those who have acted well He assigns even eternal life. But judging at
last, and giving to each one what he deserves, He is just. If, then, this
is right, confess it; but if it appears to you not to be right, refute it."

CHAP. III.--GOD BOTH GOOD AND JUST.

   And Simon said: "I said once for all, 'Every lawgiver, looking to
justice, is just.'" And Peter said: "If it is the part of him who is good
not to lay down a law, but of him who is just to lay down a law, in this
way the Framer of the world is both good and just. He is good, inasmuch as
it is plain that He did not lay down a law in writing from the times of
Adam to Moses; but inasmuch as He had a written law from Moses to the
present times,(2) He is just also." And Simon said: "Prove to me from the
utterances of your teacher that it is within the power of the same man to
be good and just; for to me it seems impossible that the lawgiver who is
good should also be just." And Peter said: "I shall explain to you how
goodness itself is just. Our teacher Himself first said to the Pharisee who
asked Him,(3) 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Do not call me
good; for one is good, even the Father who is in the heavens;' and
straightway He introduced these words, 'But if thou shalt wish to enter
into life, keep the commandments.' And when he said, 'What commandments?'
He pointed him to those of the law. Now He would not, if He were indicating
some other good being, have referred him to the commandments of the Just
One. That indeed justice and goodness are different I allow, but you do not
know that it is within the power of the same being to be good and just. For
He is good, in that He is now long-suffering with the penitent, and
welcomes them; but just, when acting as judge He will give to every one
according to his deserts."

CHAP. IV.--THE UNREVEALED GOD.

   And Simon said: "How, then, if the framer of the world, who also
fashioned Adam, was known, and known too by those who were just according
to the law, and moreover by the just and unjust, and the whole world, does
your teacher, coming after all these, say,(4) 'No one has known the Father
but the Son, even as no one knoweth the Son but the Father, and those to
whom the Son may wish to reveal Him?' But he would not have made this
statement, had he not proclaimed a Father who was still unrevealed, whom
the law speaks of as the highest, and who has not given any utterance
either good or bad (as Jeremiah testifies in the Lamentations(5)); who
also, limiting the nations to seventy languages, according to the number of
the sons of Israel who entered Egypt, and according to the boundaries of
these nations, gave to his own Son, who is also called Lord, and who
brought into order the heaven and the earth, the Hebrews as his portion,
and defined him to be God of gods, that is, of the gods who received the
other nations as their portions. Laws, therefore, proceeded from all the
so-called gods to their own divisions, which consist of the other nations.
In like manner also from the Son of the Lord of all came forth the law
which is established among the Hebrews. And this state of matters was
determined on, that if any one should seek refuge in the law of any one, he
should belong to the division of him whose law he undertook to obey. No one
knew the highest Father, who was unrevealed, just as they did not know that
his Son was his Son. Accordingly at this moment you yourself, in assigning
the special attributes of the unrevealed Most High to the Son, do not know
that he is the Son, being the Father of Jesus, who with you is called the
Christ.

CHAP. V.--PETER DOUBTS SIMON'S HONESTY.

   When Simon had made these statements, Peter said to him: "Can you call
to witness that these are your beliefs that being Himself,--I do not mean
Him whom you speak of now as being unrevealed, but Him in whom you believe,
though you do not confess Him? For you are talking nonsense when you define
one thing in stead of another. Wherefore, if you call Him to witness that
you believe what you say, I shall answer you. But if you continue
discussing with me what you do not believe, you compel me to strike the
empty air." And Simon said: "It is from some of your own disciples that I
have heard that this is the truth."(6) And Peter said:. "Do not bear false
witness?" And Simon said: "Do not rebuke me, most insolent man." And Peter
said: "So long as you do not tell who it was who said so, I affirm that you
are a liar." And Simon said: "Suppose that I myself have got up these
doctrines, or that I heard them from some other, give me your answer to
them. For if they cannot be overturned, then I have learned that this is
the truth." And Peter said: "If it is a human invention, I will not reply
to it; but if you are held fast by the supposition that it is the truth,
acknowledge to me that this is the case, and I can then myself say
something in regard to the matter." And Simon said: "Once for all, then,
these doctrines seem to me to be true. Give me your reply, if you have
aught to say against them."

CHAP. VI.--THE NATURE OF REVELATION.

   And Peter said: "If this is the case, you are acting most impiously.
For if it belongs to the Son, who arranged heaven and earth, to reveal His
unrevealed Father to whomsoever He wishes, you are, as I said, acting most
impiously in revealing Him to those to whom He has not revealed Him." And
Simon said: "But he himself wishes me to reveal him." And Peter said: "You
do not understand what I mean, Simon. But listen and understand. When it is
said that the Son will reveal Him to whom He wishes, it is meant that such
an one is to learn of Him not by instruction, but by revelation only. For
it is revelation when that which lies secretly veiled in all the hearts of
men is revealed unveiled by His God's own will without any utterance. And
thus knowledge comes to one, not because he has been instructed, but
because he has understood. And yet the person who understands it cannot
demonstrate it to another, since he did not himself receive it by
instruction; nor can he reveal it, since he is not himself the Son, unless
he maintains that he is himself the Son. But you are not the standing Son.
For if you were the Son, assuredly you would know those who are worthy of
such a revelation. But you do not know them. For if you knew them, you
would do as they do who know."

CHAP. VII.--SIMON CONFESSES HIS IGNORANCE.

   And Simon said: "I confess I have not understood what you mean by the
expression, 'You would do as they do who know.'" And Peter said: "If you
have not understood it, then you cannot know the mind of every one; and if
you are ignorant of this, then you do not know those who are worthy of the
revelation. You are not the Son, for(1) the Son knows. Wherefore He reveals
Him to whomsoever He wishes, because they are worthy." And Simon said: "Be
not deceived. I know those who are worthy, and I am not the Son. And yet I
have not understood what meaning you attach to the words, 'He reveals Him
to whomsoever He wishes.' But I said that I did not understand it, not
because I did not know it, but because I knew that those  who were present
did not understand it, in order that you may state it more distinctly, so
that they may perceive what are the reasons why we are carrying on this
discussion." And Peter said: "I cannot state the matter more clearly:
explain what meaning you have attached to the words." And Simon said:
"There is no necessity why I should state your opinions." And Peter said:
"You evidently, Simon, do not understand it, and yet you do not wish to
confess, that you may not be detected in your ignorance, and thus be proved
not to be the standing Son. For you hint this, though you do not wish to
state it plainly; and, indeed, I who am not a prophet, but a disciple of
the true Prophet, know well from the hints you have given what your wishes
are. For you, though you do not understand even what is distinctly said,
wish to call yourself son in opposition to us." And Simon said: "I will
remove every pretext from you. I confess I do not understand what can be
the meaning of the statement, 'The Son reveals Him to whomsoever He
wishes.' State therefore what is its meaning more distinctly."

CHAP. VIII.--THE WORK OF REVELATION BELONGS TO THE SON ALONE.

   And Peter said: "Since, at least in appearance, you have confessed that
you do not understand it, reply to the question I put to you, and you will
learn the meaning of the statement. Tell me, do you maintain that the Son,
whoever he be, is just, or that he is not just?" And Simon said: "I
maintain that he is most just." And Peter said: "Seeing He is just, why
does He not make the revelation to all, but only to those to whom He
wishes?" And Simon said: "Because, being just, he wishes to make the
revelation only to the worthy." And Peter said: "Must He not therefore know
the mind of each one, in order that He may make the revelation to the
worthy?" And Simon said: "Of course he must." And Peter said: "With reason,
therefore, has the work of giving the revelation been confined to Him
alone, for He alone knows the mind of every one; and it has not been given
to you, who are not able to understand even that which is stared by us."

CHAP. IX.--HOW SIMON BEARS HIS EXPOSURE.

   When Peter said this, the multitudes applauded.(2) But Simon, being
thus exposed,(3) blushed through shame, and rubbing his forehead, said:
"Well, then, do they declare that I, a magician, yea, even I who syllogize,
am conquered by Peter? It is not so. But if one should syllogize, though
carried away and conquered, he still retains the truth that is in him. For
the weakness in the defender is not identical with the truth in the
conquered man.(1) But I assure you that I have judged all those who are
bystanders worthy to know the unrevealed Father. Wherefore, because I
publicly reveal him to them, you yourself, through envy, are angry with me
who wish to confer a benefit on them."

CHAP. X.--PETER'S REPLY TO SIMON.

   And Peter said: "Since you have thus spoken to please the multitudes
who are present, I shall speak to them, not to please them, but to tell
them the truth. Tell me how you know all those who are present to be
worthy, when not even one of them agreed with your exposition of the
subject; for the giving of applause to me in opposition to you is not the
act of those who agree with you, but of those who agree with me, to whom
they gave the applause for having spoken the truth. But since God, who is
just, judges the mind of each one--a doctrine which you affirm to be true--
He would not have wished this to be given through the left hand to those on
the right hand, exactly as the man who receives anything from a robber is
himself guilty. So that, on this account, He did not wish them to receive
what is brought by you; but they are to receive the revelation through the
Son, who has been set apart for this work. For to whom is it reasonable
that the Father should give a revelation, but to His only Son, because He
knows Him to be worthy of such a revelation? And so this is a matter which
one cannot teach or be taught, but it must be revealed by the ineffable
hand to him who is worthy to know it."

CHAP. XI.--SIMON PROFESSES TO UTTER HIS REAL SENTIMENTS

   And Simon said: It contributes much to victory, if the man who wars
uses his own weapons; for what one loves he can in real earnest  defend,
and that which is defended with genuine earnestness has no ordinary power
in it. Wherefore in future I shall lay before you my real opinions. I
maintain that there is some unrevealed power, unknown to all, even to the
Creator himself, as Jesus himself has also declared, though he did not know
what he said, For when one talks a great deal he sometimes hits the truth,
not knowing what he is saying. I am referring to the statement which he
uttered, 'No one knows the Father.'" And Peter said: "Do not any longer
profess that you know His doctrines. And Simon said: "I do not profess to
believe his doctrines; but I am discussing points in which he was by
accident right." And Peter said: "Not to give you any pretext for escape, I
shall carry on the discussion with you in the way you wish. At the same
time, I call all to witness that you do not yet believe the statement which
you just now made. For I know your opinions. And in order that you may not
imagine that I am not speaking the truth, I shall expound yore opinions,
that you may know that you are discussing with one who is well acquainted
with them.

CHAP. XII.--SIMON'S OPINIONS EXPOUNDED BY PETER.

   "We, Simon, do not assert that from the great power, which is also
called the dominant(2) power, two angels were sent forth, the one to create
the world, the other to give the law; nor that each one when he came
proclaimed himself, on account of what he had done, as the sole creator;
nor that there is one who stands, will stand, and is opposed.(3) Learn how
you disbelieve even in  respect to this subject. If you say that there is
an unrevealed power, that power is full of ignorance. For it did not
foreknow the ingratitude of the angels who were sent by it." And Simon
became exceedingly angry with Peter for saying this, and interrupted his
discourse, saying: "What nonsense is this you speak, you daring and most
impudent of men, revealing plainly before the multitudes the secret
doctrines, so that they can be easily learned?" And Peter said: "Why do you
grudge that the present audience should receive benefit?" And Simon said:
"Do you then allow that such knowledge is a benefit?" And Peter said: "I
allow it: for the knowledge of a false doctrine is beneficial, inasmuch as
you do not fall into it because of ignorance." And Simon said: "You are
evidently not able to reply to the propositions I laid before you. I
maintain that even your teacher affirms that there is some Father
unrevealed.

CHAP. XIII.--PETER'S EXPLANATION OF THE PASSAGE.

   And Peter said: "I shall reply to that which you wish me to speak of,--
namely, the passage, 'No one knows the Father but the Son, nor does any one
know the Son but the Father, and they to whom the Son may wish to reveal
Him.' First, then, I am astonished that, while this statement admits of
countless interpretations, you should have chosen the very dangerous
position of maintaining that the statement is made in reference to the
ignorance of the Creator (Demiurge), and all who are under him. For, first,
the statement can apply to all the Jews who think that David is the father
of Christ, and that Christ himself is his son, and do not know that He is
the Son of God. Wherefore it is appropriately said, 'No one knows the
Father,' since, instead of God, they affirmed David to be His father; and
the additional remark, that no one knows even the Son, is quite correct,
since they did not know that He was the Son. The statement also, 'to
whomsoever the Son may wish to reveal Him,' is also correct; for He being
the Son from the beginning, was alone appointed to give the revelation to
those to whom He wishes to give it. And thus the first man (protoplast)
Adam must have heard of Him; and Enoch, who pleased God, must have known
Him; and Noah, the righteous one, must have become acquainted with Him; and
Abraam His friend must have understood Him; and Isaac must have perceived
Him; and Jacob, who wrestled with Him, must have believed in Him; and the
revelation must have been given to all among the people who were worthy.

CHAP. XIV.--SIMON REFUTED.

   "But if, as you say, it will be possible to know Him, because He is now
revealed to all through Jesus,(1) are you not stating what is most unjust,
when you say that these men did not know Him, who were the seven pillars of
the world, and who were able to please the most just God, and that so many
now from all nations who were impious know Him in every respect? Were not
those who were superior to every one not deemed worthy to know Him?(2) And
how can that be good which is not just? unless you wish to give the name of
'good,' not to him who does good to those who act justly, but to him who
loves the unjust, even though they do not believe, and reveals to them the
secrets which he would not reveal to the just. But such conduct is
befitting neither in one who is good nor just, but in one who has come to
hate the pious. Are not you, Simon, the standing one, who have the boldness
to make these statements which never have been so made before?"

CHAP. XV.--MATTHEW XI. 25 DISCUSSED.

   And Simon, being vexed at this, said: "Blame your own teacher, who
said, 'I thank Thee, Lord of heaven and earth, that what was concealed from
the wise, Thou hast revealed to suckling babes.'"(3) And Peter said: "This
is not the way in which the statement was made; but I shall speak of it as
if it had been made in the way that has seemed good to you. Our Lord, even
if He had made this statement, 'What was concealed from the wise, the
Father revealed to babes,' could not even thus be thought to point out
another God and Father in addition to  Him who created the world. For it is
possible  that the concealed things of which He spoke may be those of the
Creator (Demiurge) him self; because Isaiah(4) says, 'I will open my mouth
in parables, and I will belch forth things concealed from the foundation of
the world.(1) Do you allow, then, that the prophet was not ignorant of the
things concealed, which Jesus says were concealed from the wise, but
revealed to babes? And how was the Creator (Demiurge) ignorant of them, if
his prophet Isaiah was not ignorant of them? But our Jesus did not in
reality say 'what was concealed,' but He said what seems a harsher
statement; for He said, 'Thou hast concealed these things from the wise,
and(5) hast revealed them to sticking babes.' Now the word 'Thou hast
concealed' implies that they had once been known to them; for the key of
the kingdom of heaven, that is, the knowledge of the secrets, lay with
them.

CHAP. XVI.--THESE THINGS HIDDEN JUSTLY FROM THE WISE.

   "And do not say He acted impiously towards the wise in hiding these
things from them. Far be such a supposition from us. For He did not act
impiously; but since they hid the knowledge of the kingdom,(6) and neither
themselves entered nor allowed those who wished to enter, on this account,
and justly, inasmuch as they hid the ways from those who wished, were in
like manner the secrets hidden from them, in order that they themselves
might experience what they had done to others, and with what measure they
had measured, an equal measure might be meted out to them.(7) For to him
who is worthy to know, is due that which he does not know; but from him who
is not worthy, even should he seem to have any thing it is taken away,(8)
even if he be wise in other matters; and it is given to the worthy, even
should they be babes as far as the  times of their discipleship are
concerned.

CHAP.XVII.--THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM NOT CONCEALED FROM THE ISRAELITES.

   "But if one shall say nothing was concealed from the sons of Israel,
because it is written,(1) 'Nothing escaped thy notice, O Israel for do not
say, O Jacob, The way is hid from me),' lie ought to understand that the
things that belong to the kingdom had been hid from them, but that the way
that leads to the kingdom, that is, the mode of life, had not been hid from
them. Wherefore it is that He says, 'For say not that the way has been hid
from me.' But by the way is meant the mode of life; for Moses says,(2)
'Behold, I have set before thy face the way of life and the way of death.'
And the Teacher spoke in harmony with this:(3) 'Enter ye through the strait
and narrow way, through which ye shall enter into life.' And somewhere
else, when one asked Him,(4) 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' He
pointed out to him the commandments of the law.

CHAP. XVIII.--ISAIAH I. 3 EXPLAINED.

   "From the circumstance that Isaiah said, in the person of God,(7) 'But
Israel hath not known me, and the people hath not understood me,' it is not
to be inferred that Isaiah indicated another God besides Him who is
known;(6) but he meant that the known God was in another sense unknown,
because the people sinned, being ignorant of the just character of the
known God, and imagined that they would not be punished by the good God.
Wherefore, after he said, 'But Israel hath not known me, and the people
hath not understood me,' he adds, 'Alas! a sinful nation, a people laden
with sins.' For, not being afraid, in consequence of their ignorance of His
justice, as I said, they became laden with sins, supposing that He was
merely good, and would not therefore punish them for their sins.

CHAP. XIX.--MlSCONCEPTION OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

   "And some sinned thus, on account of imagining that there would be no
judgment(7) because of His goodness. But others took an opposite course
For, supposing the expressions  of the Scriptures which are against God,
and are  unjust and false. to be true` they did not know His real divinity
and power. Therefore, in the belief that He was ignorant and rejoiced in
murder, and let off the wicked in consequence of the gifts of sacrifices;
yea, moreover, that He deceived and spake falsely, and did every thing that
is unjust, they themselves did things like to what their God did, and thus
sinning, asserted that they were acting piously. Wherefore it was
impossible for them to change to the better, and when warned they took no
heed. For they were not afraid, since they became like their God through
such actions.

CHAP. XX.--SOME PARTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WRITTEN TO TRY US.

   "But one might with good reason maintain that it was with reference to
those who thought Him to be such that the statement was made, 'No one
knoweth the Father but the Son, as no one knoweth even the Son, but the
Father.' And reasonably. For if they had known, they would not have sinned,
by trusting to the books written against God, really for the purpose of
trying. But somewhere also He says, wishing to exhibit the cause of their
error more distinctly to them, 'On this account ye do err, not knowing the
true things of the Scriptures, on which account ye are ignorant also of the
power of God.'(8) Wherefore every man who wishes to be saved must become,
as the Teacher said, a judge of the books written to try us. For thus He
spake: 'Become experienced bankers.' Now the need of bankers arises from
the circumstance that the spurious is mixed up with the genuine."

CHAP. XXI.--SIMON'S ASTONISHMENT AT PETER'S TREATMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES.

   When Peter said this, Simon pretended to be utterly astonished at what
was said in regard to the Scriptures; and as if in great agitation, he
said: "Far be it from me, and those who love me, to listen to your
discourses. And, indeed, as long as I did not know that you held these
opinions in regard to the Scriptures, I endured you, and discussed with
you; but now I retire. Indeed, I ought at the first to have withdrawn,
because I heard you say, 'I, for my part, believe no one who says anything
against Him who created the world, neither angels, nor prophets, nor
Scriptures, nor priests, nor teachers, nor any one else, even though one
should work signs and miracles, even though he should lighten brilliantly
in the air, or should make a revelation through visions or through dreams.'
Who, then, can succeed in changing your mind, whether well or ill, so as
that you should hold opinions different from what you have determined on,
seeing that you abide so persistently and immoveably in your own decision?"

CHAP. XXII.--PETER WORSHIPS ONE GOD.

   When Simon said this, and was going to depart, Peter said: "Listen to
this one other remark, and then go where you like." Whereupon Simon turned
back and remained, and Peter said: "I know how you were then astonished
when you heard me say, 'Whosoever says anything whatever against God who
created the world, I do not believe him.' But listen now to something
additional, and greater than this. If God who created the world has in
reality such a character as the Scriptures assign Him, and if somehow or
other He is incomparably wicked, more wicked(1) than either the Scriptures
were able to represent Him, or any other can even conceive Him to be,
nevertheless(2) I shall not give up worshipping Him alone, and doing His
will. For I wish you to know and to be convinced, that he who has not
affection for his own Creator, can never have it towards another. And if he
has it towards another, he has it contrary to nature, and he is ignorant
that he has this passion for the unjust from the evil one. Nor will he be
able to retain even it stedfastly. And, indeed, if there is another above
the Creator (Demiurge), he will welcome me, since he is good, all the more
that I love my own Father; and he will not welcome you, as he knows that
you have abandoned your own natural Creator: for I do not call Him Father,
influenced by a greater hope, and not caring for what is reasonable. Thus,
even if you  find one who is superior to Him, he knows that you will one
day abandon him; and the more so that he has not been your father, since
you have abandoned Him who was really your Father.

CHAP. XXIII.--SIMON RETIRES.

   "But you will say, 'He knows that there is no other above him, and on
this account he cannot be abandoned.' Thanks, then, to there being no
other; but He knows that the state of your mind is one inclined to
ingratitude. But if, knowing you to be ungrateful, He welcomes you, and
knowing me to be grateful, He does not receive me, He is inconsiderate,
according to your own assertion, and does not act reasonably. And thus,
Simon, you are not aware that you are the servant of wickedness." And Simon
answered: "Whence, then, has evil arisen? tell us." And Peter said: "Since
to-day you were the first to go out, and you declared that you would not in
future listen to me as being a blasphemer, come to-morrow, if indeed you
wish to learn, and I shall explain the matter to you, and I will permit you
to ask me any questions you like, without any dispute." And Simon said: "I
shall do as shall seem good to me." And saying this, he went away. Now,
none of those who entered along with him went out along with him; but,
falling at Peter's feet, they begged that they might be pardoned for having
been carried away with Simon, and on repenting, to be welcomed. But Peter,
admitting those persons who repented, and the rest of the multitudes, laid
his hands upon them, praying, and healing those who were sick amongst them;
and thus dismissing them, he urged them to return early about dawn. And
saying this, and going in with his intimate friends, he made the usual
preparations for immediate repose, for it was now evening.


HOMILY XIX.

CHAP. I.--SIMON UNDERTAKES TO PROVE THAT THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD IS NOT
BLAMELESS.

   THE next day Peter came forth earlier than usual; and seeing Simon with
many others waiting for him, he saluted the multitude, and began to
discourse. But no sooner did he begin than Simon interrupted him, and said:
"Pass by these long introductions of yours, and answer directly the
questions I put to you. Since I perceive that you(1) (as I know from what I
heard at the

beginning, that you have no other purpose, than by every contrivance to
show that the Creator himself is alone the blameless God),--since, as I
said, I perceive that you have such a decided desire to maintain this, that
you venture to declare to be false some portions of the Scriptures that
clearly speak against him, for this reason I have determined to-day to
prove that it is impossible that he, being the Creator of all, should be
blameless. But thus proof I can now begin, if you reply to the questions
which I put to you.

CHAP. II.--THE EXISTENCE OF THE DEVIL AFFIRMED.

   "Do you maintain that there is any prince of evil or not?(1) For if you
say that there is not, I can prove to you from many statements, and those
too of your teacher, that there is; but if you honestly allow that the evil
one exists, then I shall speak in accordance with this belief." And Peter
said: "It is impossible for me to deny the assertion of my Teacher.
Wherefore I allow that the evil one exists, because my Teacher, who spoke
the truth in all things, has frequent]y asserted that he exists. For
instance, then, he acknowledges that he conversed with Him, and tempted Him
for forty days.(2) And I know that He has said somewhere else. 'If Satan
casts out Satan, he is divided against' himself: how then is his kingdom to
stand?'(3) And He pointed out that He saw the evil one like lightning
falling down from heaven.(4) And elsewhere He said, 'He who sowed the bad
seed is the devil.'(5) And again, 'Give no pretext to the evil one.'
Moreover, in giving advice, He said, 'Let your yea be and  be yea, and your
nay nay; for what is more than these is of the evil one.'(7) Also, in the
prayer which He delivered to us, we have it said, 'Deliver its from the
evil one.'(8) And in another place, He promised that He would say to those
who are impious, 'Go ye into outer darkness, which the Father prepared for
the devil and his angels.'(9) And not to prolong this statement further, I
know that my Teacher often said that there is an evil one. Wherefore I also
agree in thinking that he exists. If, then, in future you have anything to
say in accordance with this belief, say it, as you promised."

CHAP. III.--PETER REFUSES TO DISCUSS CERTAIN QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO THE
DEVIL.

   And Simon said: "Since, then, you have honestly confessed, on the
testimony of the Scriptures that the evil one exists, state to us how he
has come into existence, if indeed he has come into existence, and by whom,
and why."(10) And Peter said: "Pardon me, Simon, if I do not dare to affirm
what has not been written. But if you say that it has been written, prove
it. But if, since it has not been written, you cannot prove it, why, should
we run risk in stating our opinions in regard to what has not been written?
For if we discourse too daringly in regard to God, it is either because we
do not believe that we shall be judged, or that we shall be judged only in
respect to that which we do, but not also in regard to what we believe and
speak."(11) But Simon, understanding that Peter referred to his own
madness, said: "Permit me to run the risk; but do not you make what you
assert to be blasphemy a pretext for retiring. For I perceive that you wish
to withdraw, in order that you may escape refutation before the masses,
sometimes as if you were afraid to listen to blasphemies, and at other
times by maintaining that, as nothing has been written as to how, and by
whom, and why the evil one came into existence, we ought not to dare to
assert more than the Scripture. Wherefore also as a pious man you affirm
this only, that he exists. But by these contrivances you deceive yourself,
not knowing that, if it is blasphemy to inquire accurately regarding the
evil one, the blame rests with me, the accuser, and not with you, the
defender of God. And if the subject inquired into is not in Scripture,(12)
and on this account you do not wish to inquire into it, there are some
satisfactory methods  which can prove to you what is Sought not less
effectively than the Scriptures. For instance, must it not be the case that
the evil one, who you assert exists, is either originated or
unoriginated?"(13)

CHAP. IV.--SUPPOSITIONS IN REGARD TO THE DEVIL'S ORIGIN.

   And Peter said: "It must be so." And Simon: "Therefore, if he is
originated, he has been made by that very God who made all things, being
either born as an animal, or sent forth substantially, and resulting from
an external mixture of elements. For either(14) the matter, being living or
lifeless, from which he was made was outside of Him,(15) or he came into
being through God Himself, or through his own self, or he resulted from
things non-existent, or he is a mere relative thing, or he always existed.
Having thus, as I think, clearly, pointed out all the possible ways by
which we may find him, in going along some one of these we must find him.
We must therefore go along each one of these in search of his origin; and
when we find him who is his author, we must perceive that he is to blame.
Or how does the matter seem to you?"

CHAP. V.--GOD NOT DESERVING OF BLAME IN PERMITTING THE EXISTENCE OF THE
DEVIL.

   And Peter said: "It is my opinion that, even if it be evident that he
was made by God, the Creator who made him should not be blamed; for it
might perchance be found that the service he performs(1) was an absolute
necessity. But if, on the other hand, it should be proved that he was not
created, inasmuch as he existed for ever, not even is the Creator to be
blamed in this respect, since He is better than all others, even if He has
not been able to put an end to a being who had no beginning, because his
nature did not admit of it; or if, being able, He does not make away with
him, deeming it unjust to put an end to that which did not receive a
beginning, and pardoning that which was by nature wicked, because he could
not have become anything else, even if he were to wish to do so.(2) But if,
wishing to do good, He is not able, even in this case He is good in that He
has the will, though He has not the power; and while He has not the power,
He is yet the most powerful of all, in that the power is not left to
another. But if there is some other that is able, and yet does not
accomplish it, it must be allowed that, in so far as, being able, he does
not accomplish it, he is wicked in not putting an end to him, as if he took
pleasure in the deeds done by him. But if not even he is able, then he is
better who, though unable, is yet not unwilling to benefit us according to
his ability."

CHAP. VI.--PETER ACCUSES SIMON OF BEING WORSE THAN THE DEVIL.

   And Simon said: "When you have discussed all the subjects which I have
laid before you, I shall show you the cause of evil. Then I shall also
reply to what you have now said, and prove that that God whom you affirm to
be blameless is blameable." And Peter said: "Since I perceive from what you
say at the commencement that you are striving after nothing else than to
subject God, as being the author of evil, to blame, I have resolved to go
along with you all the ways you like, and to prove that God is entirely
free from blame." And Simon said: "You say this as loving God, whom you
suppose you know; but you are not right." And Peter said: "But you, as
being wicked, and hating God whom you have not known, utter blasphemous
words." And Simon said: "Remember that you have likened me to the author of
evil." And Peter said: "I confess it, I was wrong in comparing you to the
evil one; for I was compelled to do so, because I have not found one who is
your equal, or worse than you. For this reason I likened you to the evil
one; for you happen to be much more wicked than the author of evil. For no
one can prove that the evil one spoke against God; but all of us who are
present see you speaking daringly against Him." And Simon said: "He who
seeks the truth ought not to gratify any one in any respect contrary to
what is really true. For why does he make the inquiry at all? Why, I ask?
for I am not also able; laying aside the accurate investigation of things,
to spend all my time in the praise of that God whom I do not know."(3)

CHAP. VII.--PETER SUSPECTS SIMON OF NOT BELIEVING EVEN IN A GOD.

   And Peter said: "You are not so blessed as to praise Him, nor indeed
can you do such a good deed as this; for then you would be full of Him. For
thus said our Teacher, who always spoke the truth: 'Out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaketh.'(4) Whence you, abounding in evil purposes,
through ignorance speak against the only good God. And not yet suffering
what you deserve to suffer for the words which you have dared to utter,(5)
you either imagine that there will be no judgment, or perchance you think
that there is not even a God. Whence, not comprehending such long-suffering
as His, you are moving on to still greater madness." And Simon said: "Do
not imagine that you will frighten me into not investigating the truth of
your examples. For I am so eager for the truth, that for its sake I will
not shrink from undergoing danger. If, then, you have anything to say in
regard to the propositions made by me at the commencement, say it now."

CHAP. VIII.--PETER UNDERTAKES TO DISCUSS THE DEVIL'S ORIGIN.

   And Peter said: "Since you compel us, after we have made accurate
investigations into the contrivances of God, to venture to state them, and
that, too, to men who are not able to comprehend thoroughly the
contrivances of their fellow-men, for the sake at least of those who are
present, I, instead of remaining silent--a course which would be most
pious--shall discuss the subjects of which you wish me to speak. I agree
with you in believing that there is a prince of evil, of whose origin the
Scripture has ventured to say nothing either true or false. But let us
follow out the inquiry in many ways, as to how he has come into existence,
if it is the fact that he has come into existence; and of the opinions
which present themselves, let us select  that which is most reverential,
since in the case of probable opinions, that one is assumed with confidence
which is based on the principle that we ought to attribute to God that
which is more reverential; and all the more so, if, when all other
suppositions are removed, there still remains one which is adequate and
involves less  danger.(1) But I promise you, before I proceed with the
investigation, that every method in the investigation can show that God
alone is blameless.

CHAP. IX.--THEORIES IN REGARD TO THE ORIGIN OF THE DEVIL.

   "But, as you said, if the evil one is created either he has been
begotten as an animal, or he has been sent forth substantially by Him,(2)
or he  has been compounded externally, or his will has arisen through
composition; or it happened that  he came into existence from things non-
existent, without composition and the will of God; or he has been made by
God from that which in no manner and nowhere exists; or the matter, being
lifeless or living, from which he has arisen was outside of God; or he
fashioned himself, or he was made by God, or he is a relative thing,  or he
ever existed: for we cannot say that he does not exist, since we have
agreed in thinking that he does exist." And Simon said: "Well have you
distinguished all the methods of accounting for his existence in a summary
manner.  Now it is my part to examine these various ideas, and to show that
the Creator is blameable. But it is your business to prove, as you
promised, that he is free from all blame. But I wonder if you will be able.
For, first, if the devil has been begotten from God as an animal, the vice
which is his is accordingly the same as that of him who sends him forth."
And Peter said: "Not at all. For we see many men who are good the fathers
of wicked children, and others who are wicked the fathers of good children,
and others again who are wicked producing both good and wicked(3) children,
and others who are good having both wicked and good children. For instance,
the first man who was created produced the unrighteous Cain and the
righteous Abel." To this Simon said: "You are acting foolishly, in using
human examples when discoursing about God." And Peter said: "Speak you,
then, to us about God without using human examples, and yet so that what
you say can be understood; but you are not able to do so.

CHAP. X.--THE ABSOLUTE GOD ENTIRELY INCOMPREHENSIBLE BY MAN.

   "For instance, then, what did you say in the beginning? If the wicked
one has been begotten of God, being of the same substance as He, then God
is wicked. But when I showed you, from the example which you yourself
adduced, that wicked beings come from good, and good from wicked, you did
not admit the argument, for you said that the example was a human one.
Wherefore I now do not admit that the term 'being begotten'(4) can be used
with reference to God; for it is characteristic of man, and not of God, to
beget. Not only so; but God cannot be good or evil, just or unjust. Nor
indeed can He have intelligence, or life, or any of the     other
attributes which can exist in man; for all these are peculiar to man. And
if we must not, in our investigations in regard to God, give Him the good
attributes which belong to man, it is not possible for us to have any
thought or make any statement in regard to God; but all we can do is to
investigate One point alone,--namely, what is His will which He has Himself
allowed us to apprehend, in order that, being judged, we might be without
excuse in regard to those laws which we have not observed, though we knew
them."

CHAP. XI.--THE APPLICATION OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF MAN TO GOD.

   And Simon, bearing this, said: "You will not force me through shame to
remain silent in regard to His substance, and to inquire into His will
alone. For it is possible both to think and to speak of His substance. I
mean from the good attributes that belong to man. For instance, life and
death are attributes of man; but death is not an attribute of God, but
life, and eternal life. Furthermore, men may be both evil and good; but God
can be only incomparably good. And, not to prolong the subject too much,
the better attributes of man are eternal attributes of God." And Peter
said: "Tell me, Simon, is it an attribute of man to beget evil and good,
and to do evil and good?" And Simon said: "It is." And Peter said: "Since
you made this assertion, we must assign the better attributes of man to
God; and so, while men beget evil and good, God can beget good only and
while men do evil and good God rejoices only in doing good. Thus, with
regard to God, we must either not predicate any of the attributes of man
and be silent, or it is reasonable that we should assign the best of the
good attributes to Him. And thus He alone is the cause of all good things."

CHAP. XII--GOD PRODUCED THE WICKED ONE, BUT NOT EVIL.

   And Simon said: "If, then, God is the cause only of what is good, what
else can we think than that some other principle begot the evil one;(1) or
is evil unbegotten?" And Peter said: "No other power begot the wicked one,
nor is evil unbegotten, as I shall show in the conclusion; for now my
object is to prove, as I promised in the commencement, that God is
blameless in every(2) respect. We have granted, then, that God possesses in
an incomparable way the better attributes that belong to men. Wherefore
also it is possible for Him to have been the producer of the four
substances,--heat, I mean, and cold, moist and dry. These, as being at
first simple and unmixed, were naturally indifferent in their desire;(3)
but being produced by God, and mixed externally, they would naturally
become a living being, possessing the free choice to destroy those who are
evil. And thus, since all things have been begotten from Him, the wicked
one is from no other source. Nor has he derived his evil from the God who
has created all things (with whom it is impossible that evil should exist),
because the substances were produced by Him in a state of indifference, and
carefully separated from each other; and when they were externally blended
through his art, there arose through volition the desire for the
destruction of the evil ones. But the good cannot be destroyed by the evil
that arose, even though it should wish to do so: for it exercises its power
only(4) against those who sin. Ignorant, then, of the character of each,(5)
he makes his attempt against him, and convicting him, he punishes him." And
Simon said: "God being able to mingle the elements, and to make His
mixtures so as to produce any dispositions that He may wish, why did He not
make the composition of each such as that it would prefer what is good?"

CHAP. XIII.--GOD THE MAKER OF THE DEVIL.

   And Peter said: "Now indeed our object is to show how and by whom the
evil one came into being, since he did come into being; but we shall show
if he came into being blamelessly, when we have finished the subject now in
hand. Then I shall show how and on account of what he came into being, and
I shall fully convince you that his Creator is blameless.(6) We said, then,
that the four substances were produced by God. And thus, through the
volition of Him who mingled them, arose, as He wished, the choice of evils.
For if it had arisen contrary to His determination, or from some other
substance or cause, then God would not have had firmness of will: for
perchance, even though He should not wish it, leaders of evil might
continually arise, who would war against His wishes. But it is impossible
that this should be the case. For no living being, and especially one
capable of giving guidance, can arise from accident: for everything that is
produced must be produced by some one."

CHAP. XIV.--IS MATTER ETERNAL?

   And Simon said: "But what if matter, being coeval with Him, and
possessing equal power, produces as His foe leaders who hinder His wishes?"
And Peter said: "if matter is eternal, then it is the foe of no one: for
that which exists for ever is impassible, and what is impassible is
blessed; but what is blessed cannot be receptive of hatred, since, on
account of its eternal creation,(7) it does not fear that it will be
deprived of anything. But how does not matter rather love the Creator,
when(8) it evidently sends forth its fruits to nourish all who are made by
Him? And how does it not fear Him as superior, as trembling through
earthquakes it confesses, and as, though its billows ran high, yet, when
the Teacher was sailing on it and commanded a calm, it immediately obeyed
and became still?(9) What! did not the demons go out through fear and
respect for Him, and others of them desired to enter into swine; but they
first entreated Him before going, plainly because they had no power to
enter even into swine without His permission?"(10)

CHAP. XV.--SIN THE CAUSE OF EVIL.

   And Simon said: "But what if, being lifeless, it possesses a nature
capable of producing what is evil and what is good?" And Peter said:
"According to this statement, it is neither good nor evil, because it does
not act by free choice, being lifeless and insensible. Wherefore it is
possible to perceive distinctly in this matter, how, being lifeless, it
produces as if it were living;(1) and being insensible, it yet plainly
fashions artistic shapes both in animals and plants." And Simon said:
"What! if God Himself gave it life, is not He, then, the cause of the evils
which it produces?" And Peter said: "If God gave it life according to His
own will, then it is His Spirit that produces it, and no longer is it
anything hostile to God, or of equal power with Him; or it is impossible
that everything made by Him is made according as He wishes. But you will
say, He Himself is the cause of evil, since He Himself produces the evils
through it. What sort, then, are the evils of which you speak? Poisonous
serpents and deadly plants, or demons, or any other of those things that
can disturb men?--which things would not have been injurious had not man
sinned, for which reason(2) death came in. For if man were sinless, the
poison of serpents would have no effect, nor the activities of injurious
plants, nor would there be the disturbances of demons, nor would man
naturally have any other suffering; but losing his immortality on account
of his sin, he has become, as I said, capable of every suffering. But if
you say, Why, then, was the nature of man made at the beginning capable of
death? I tell you, because of free-will; for if we were not capable of
death, we could not, as being immortal, be punished on account of our
voluntary sin.(3) And thus, on account of our freedom from suffering,
righteousness would be still more weakened if we were wicked by choice; for
those who should have evil purposes could not be punished, on account of
their being incapable of suffering.(4)

CHAP. XVI.--WHY THE WICKED ONE IS ENTRUSTED WITH POWER.

   And Simon said to this: "I have one thing more to say in regard to the
wicked one. Assuredly, since God made him out of nothing, he is in this
respect wicked,(5) especially since he was able to make him good, by giving
him at his creation a nature in no way capable of selecting wickedness."
And Peter said: "The statement that He created him out of nothing, with a
power of choice, is like the statement we have made above, that, buying
made such a constitution as can rejoice in evils, He Himself appears to be
the cause of what took place. But since there is one explanation of both
statements, we shall show afterwards why, it was that He made him rejoice
in the destruction of the wicked." And Simon said: "If he made the angels
also voluntary agents, and the wicked one departed from a state of
righteousness, why has he been honoured with a post of command? Is it not!
plain that he who thus honoured him takes pleasure in the wicked, in that
he has thus honoured him?"(6) And Peter said: "If God set him by law, when
he rebelled, to rule over those who were like him, ordering him to inflict
punishment on those who sin, He is not unjust. But if it he the case that
He has honoured him even after his revolt, He who honoured him saw
beforehand his usefulness; for the honour is temporary, and it is right
that the wicked should be ruled by the wicked one, and that sinners should
be punished by him."

CHAP. XVII.--THE DEVIL HAS NOT EQUAL POWER WITH GOD.

   And Simon said: "If, then, he exists for ever, is not the fact of the
sole government of God thus destroyed, since there is another power,
namely, that concerned with matter, which rules along with Him?" And Peter
said: "If they are different in their substances, they are different also
in their powers, and the superior rules the inferior. But if they are of
the same substance, then they are equal in power, and they are in like
manner good or bad. But it is plain that they are not equal in power; for
the Creator put matter into that shape of a world into which He willed to
put it. Is it then at all possible to maintain that it always existed,
being a substance; and is not matter, as it were, the storehouse of God?
For it is not possible to maintain that there was a time(7) when God
possessed nothing, but He always was the only ruler of it. Wherefore also
He is an eternal sole ruler;(8) and on this account it would justly be said
to belong to Him who exists, and rules, and is eternal."(9) And Simon said:
"What then? Did the wicked one make himself? And was God good in such a
way, that, knowing be would be the cause of evil, he yet did not destroy
him at his origination, when he could have been destroyed, as not yet being
perfectly made? For if he came into being suddenly and complete, then on
that account(10) he is at war with the Creator, as having come suddenly
into being, possessed of equal power with him."

CHAP. XVIII.--IS THE DEVIL A RELATION?

   And Peter said: "What you state is impossible; for if he came into
existence by degrees, He could have cut him off as a foe by His own free
choice. And knowing beforehand that he was coming into existence, He would
not have allowed him as a good, had He not known that by reason of him what
was useful was being brought into existence.(1) And he could not have come
into existence suddenly, complete, of his own power. For he who did not
exist could not fashion himself; and he neither could become complete out
of nothing, nor could any one justly say that he bad substance,(2) so as
always to be equal in power if lie were begotten." And Simon said: "Is he
then a mere relation, and in this way wicked?(3)--being injurious, as water
is injurious to fire, but good for the seasonably thirsty land; as iron is
good for the cultivation of the land, but bad for murders; and lust is not
evil in respect of marriage, but bad in respect of adultery; as murder is
an evil, but good for the murderer so far as his purpose is concerned; and
cheating is an evil, but pleasant to the man who cheats; and other things
of a like character are good and bad in like manner. In this way, neither
is evil, nor good; for the one produces the other. For does not that which
seems to be done injuriously rejoice the doer, but punish the sufferer? And
though it seems unjust that a man should, out of self-love, gratify himself
by every means in his power, to whom, on the other hand, does it not seem
unjust that a man should suffer severe punishments at the hand of a just
judge for having loved himself?"

CHAP. XIX.--SOME ACTIONS REALLY WICKED.

   And Peter said: "A man ought to punish himself through self-
restraint,(4) when his lust wishes to hurry on to the injury of another,
knowing that(5) the wicked one can destroy the wicked, for he has received
power over them from the beginning. And not yet is this an evil to those
who have done evil; but that their souls should remain punished after the
destruction, you are right in thinking to be really harsh, though the man
who has been fore-ordained for evil should say that it is right.(6)
Wherefore, as I said, we ought to avoid doing injury(7) to another for the
sake of a shortlived pleasure, that we may not involve ourselves in eternal
punishment for the sake of a little pleasure." And Simon said "Is it the
case, then, that there is nothing either bad or good by nature, but the
difference arises through law and custom? For is it not(8) the habit of the
Persians to marry their own mothers, sisters and daughters, while marriage
with other women is prohibited(9) as most barbarous? Wherefore, if it is
not settled what things are evil, it is not possible for all to look
forward to the judgment of God." And Peter said: "This cannot hold; for it
is plain to all that cohabitation with mothers is abominable, even though
the Persians, who are a mere fraction of the whole, should under the
effects of a bad custom fail to see the iniquity of their abominable
conduct. Thus also the Britons publicly cohabit in the sight of all, and
are not ashamed; and some men eat the flesh of others, and feel no disgust;
and others eat the flesh of dogs; and others practice other unmentionable
deeds. Thus, then we ought not to form our judgments with a perception
which through habit has been perverted from its natural action. For to be
murdered is an evil, even if all were to deny it; for no one wishes to
suffer it himself, and in the case of theft(10) no one rejoices at his own
punishment. If, then, no one(11) were at all ever to confess that these are
sins, it is right even then to look forward of necessity to a judgment in
regard to sins." When Peter said this, Simon answered: "Does this, then,
seem to you to be the truth in regard to the wicked one? Tell me."

CHAP. XX.--PAIN AND DEATH THE RESULT OF SIN.

   And Peter said: "We remember that our Lord and Teacher, commanding us,
said, 'Keep the mysteries for me and the sons of my house.' Wherefore also
He explained to His disciples privately the mysteries of the kingdom of
heaven.(12) But to you who do battle with us, and examine into nothing else
but our statements, whether they be true or false, it would be impious to
state the hie den truths. But that none of the bystanders may imagine that
I am contriving excuses,(13) because I am unable to reply to the assertions
made by you, I shall answer you by first putting the question, If there had
been a state of painlessness, what is the meaning of the statement. 'The
evil one was?'" And Simon said: "The words have no meaning." And Peter: "Is
then evil the same as pain and death?" And Simon: "It seems so." And Peter
said: "Evil, then, does not exist always, yea, it cannot even exist at all
substantially; for pain and death belong to the class of accidents, neither
of which can co-exist with abiding strength. For what is pain but the
interruption of harmony? And what is death but the separation of soul from
body? There is therefore no pain when there is harmony. For death does not
even at all belong to those things which substantially exist: for death is
nothing, as I said, but the separation of soul from body; and when this
takes place, the body, which is by nature incapable of sensation, is
dissolved; but the soul, being capable of sensation, remains in life and
exists substantially. Hence, when there is harmony there is no pain, no
death, no, not even deadly plants nor poisonous reptiles, nor anything of
such a nature that its end is death. And hence, where immortality reigns,
all things will appear to have been made with reason. And this will be the
case when, on account of righteousness, man becomes immortal through the
prevalence of the peaceful reign of Christ, when his composition will be so
well arranged as not to give rise(1) to sharp impulses; and his knowledge,
moreover, will be unerring, so as that he shall not mistake(1) evil for
good; and he will suffer no pain, so that he will not be mortal."(2)

CHAP. XXI.--THE USES OF LUST, ANGER, GRIEF.

   And Simon said:(3) "You were right in saying this; but in the present
world does not man seem to you to be capable of every kind of affection,--
as, for instance, of lust; anger, grief, and the like?" And Peter said:
"Yes, these belong to the things that are accidental, not to those that
always exist, and it will be found that they now occur with advantage to
the soul. For lust has, by the will of Him who created all things well,
been made to arise within the living being, that, led by it to intercourse,
he may increase humanity, from a selection of which a multitude of superior
beings arise who are fit for eternal life. But if it were not for lust, no
one would trouble himself with intercourse with his wife; but now, for the
sake of pleasure, and, as it were, gratifying himself, man carries out His
will. Now, if a man uses lust for lawful marriage, he does not act
impiously; but if he rushes to adultery, he acts impiously, and he is
punished because he makes a bad use of a good ordinance. And in the same
way, anger has been made by God to be lighted up naturally within us, in
order that we may be induced by it to ward off injuries. Yet if any one
indulges it without restraint, he acts unjustly; but if he uses it within.
due bounds, he does what is right. Moreover, we are capable of grief, that
we may be moved with sympathy at the death of relatives, of a wife, or
children, or brothers, or parents, or friends, or some others, since, if we
were not capable of sympathy, we should be inhuman. In like manner, all the
other affections will be found to be adapted for us, if at least the reason
for their existence(4) be considered."

CHAP. XXII.--SINS OF IGNORANCE.

   And Simon: "Why is it, then, that some die prematurely, and periodical
diseases arise; and that there are, moreover, attacks of demons, and of
madness, and all other kinds of afflictions which can greatly punish?" And
Peter said: "Because men, following their own pleasure in all things,
cohabit without observing the proper times; and thus the deposition of
seed, taking place unseasonably, naturally produces a multitude of evils.
For they ought to reflect, that as a season has been fixed suitable for
planting and sowing,(5) so days have been appointed as appropriate for
cohabitation, which are carefully to be observed. Accordingly some one well
instructed in the doctrines taught by Moses, finding fault with the people
for their sins, called them sons of the new moons and the sabbaths.(6) Yet
in the beginning of the world then lived long, and had no diseases. But
when through carelessness they neglected the observation of the proper
times, then the sons in succession cohabiting through ignorance at times
when(7) they ought not, place their children under innumerable afflictions.
Whence our Teacher, when we inquired of Him(8) in regard to the man who was
blind from his birth, and recovered his sight, if this man sinned, or his
parents, that he should be born blind, answered, 'Neither did he sin at
all, nor his parents, but that the power of God might be made manifest
through him in healing the sins of ignorance.'(9) And, in truth, such
afflictions arise because of ignorance; as, for instance, by not knowing
when one ought to cohabit with his wife, as if she be pure from her
discharge. Now the afflictions which you mentioned before are the result of
ignorance, and not, assuredly, of any wickedness that has been perpetrated.
Moreover, give me the man who sins not, and I will show you the man who
suffers not; and you will find that he not only does not suffer himself,
but that he is able(10) to heal others. For instance, Moses, on account of
his piety, continued free from suffering all his life, and by his prayers
he healed the Egyptians when they suffered on account of their sins."

CHAP. XXIII.--THE INEQUALITIES OF LOT IN HUMAN LIFE.

   And Simon said: "Let me grant that this is the case: does not the
inequality of lot amongst men seem to you most unjust? For one is in
penury, another is rich; one is sick, another is in good health: and there
are innumerable differences of a like character in human life."(1) And
Peter said: "Do you not perceive, Simon, that you are again shooting your
observations beyond the mark? For while we were discussing evil, you have
made a digression, and introduced the question of the anomalies that appear
in this world. But I shall speak even to this point. The world is an
instrument artistically contrived, that for the male who is to exist
eternally, the female may bear eternal righteous sons. Now they could not
have been rendered perfectly pious here, had there been no needy ones for
them to help. In like manner there are the sick, that they may have objects
for their care. And the other afflictions admit of a like explanation." And
Simon said: "Are not those in humble circumstances unfortunate? for they
are subjected to distress, that others may be made righteous." And Peter
said: "If their humiliation were eternal, their misfortune would be very
great. But the humiliations and exaltations of men take place according to
lot; and he who is not pleased with his lot can appeal,(2) and by trying
his case according to law, he can exchange his mode of life for another."
And Simon said: "What do you mean by this lot and this appeal?" And Peter
said: "You are now demanding the exposition of another topic; but if you
permit me, we can show you how, being born again, and changing your origin,
and living according to law, you will obtain eternal salvation."

CHAP. XXIV.--SIMON REBUKED BY FAUSTUS.

   And Simon hearing this, said: "Do not imagine that, when I, while
questioning you, agreed with you in each topic, I went to the next, as
being fully assured of the truth of the previous; but I appeared to yield
to your ignorance, that you might go on to the next topic, in order that,
becoming acquainted with the whole range of your ignorance, I might condemn
you, not through mere conjecture, but from full knowledge.(3) Allow me now
to retire for three days, and I shall come back and show that you know
nothing." When Simon said this, and was on the point of going out, my
father said: "Listen to me, Simon, for a moment, and then go wherever you
like. I remember that in the beginning, before the discussion, you accused
me of being prejudiced, though as yet you had no experience of me. But now,
having heard you discuss in turn, and judging that Peter has the advantage,
and now assigning to him the merit of speaking the truth, do I appear to
you to judge correctly, and with knowledge;(4) or is it not so? For if you
should say that I have judged correctly, but do not agree, then you are
plainly prejudiced, inasmuch as you do not wish to agree, after confessing
your defeat. But if I was not correct in maintaining that Peter has the
advantage in the discussion, do you convince us how we have not judged
correctly, or you will cease s to discuss with him before all, since you
will always be defeated and agree, and in consequence your own soul will
suffer pain, condemned as you will be, and in disgrace, through your own
conscience, even if you do not feel shame before all the listeners as the
greatest torture; for we have seen you conquered, in fact, and we have
heard your own lips confess it. Finally, therefore, I am of opinion that
you will not return to the discussion, as you promised; but that you may
seem not to have been defeated,(6) you have promised, when going away, that
you will return."

CHAP. XXV.--SIMON RETIRES. SOPHONIAS ASKS PETER TO STATE HIS REAL OPINIONS
IN REGARD TO EVIL.

   And Simon hearing this, gnashed his teeth for rage, and went away in
silence. But Peter (for a considerable portion of the day still remained)
laid his hands on the large multitude to heal them; and having dismissed
them, went into the house with his more intimate friends, and sat down. And
one of his attendants, of the name of Sophonias, said: "Blessed is God, O
Peter, who selected you and instructed(7) you for the comfort of the good.
For, in truth, you discussed with Simon with dignity and great patience.
But we beg of you to discourse to us of evil; for we expect that you will
state to us your own genuine belief in regard to it,--not, however at the
present moment, but to-morrow, if it seems good to you: for we spare you,
because of the fatigue you feel on account of your discussion." And Peter
said: "I wish you to know, that he who does anything with pleasure. finds
rest in the very toils themselves; but he who does not do what he wishes,
is rendered exceedingly weary by the very rest he takes. Wherefore you
confer on me a great rest when you make me discourse on topics which please
me." Content, then, with his disposition, and sparing him on account of his
fatigue, we requested him to put the discussion off till the night, when it
was his custom to discourse to his genuine friends. And partaking of salt,
we turned to sleep.


HOMILY XX.

CHAP. I.--PETER IS WILLING TO GRATIFY SOPHONIAS.

   IN the night-time Peter rose up and wakened us, and then sat down in
his usual way, and said "Ask me questions about anything you like."(1) And
Sophonias was the first to begin to speak to him: "Will you explain to us
who are eager to learn what is the real truth in regard to evil?" And Peter
said: "I have already explained it in the course of my discussion with
Simon; but because I stated the truth in regard to it in combination with
other topics, it was not altogether clearly put; for many topics that seem
to be of equal weight with the truth afford some kind of knowledge of the
truth to the masses. So that, if now I state what I formerly stated to
Simon along with many topics, do not imagine that you are not(2) honoured
with honour equal to his." And Sophonias said: "You are right; for if you
now separate it for us from many of the topics that were then discussed,
you will make the truth more evident."

CHAP. II.--THE TWO AGES.

   And Peter said: "Listen, therefore, to the truth of the harmony in
regard to the evil one. God appointed two kingdoms, and established two
ages, determining that the present world should be given to the evil one,
because it is small, and passes quickly away; but He promised to preserve
for the good one the age to come, as it will be great and eternal. Man,
therefore, He created with free-will, and possessing the capability of
inclining to whatever actions he wishes. And his body consists of three
parts, deriving its origin from the female; for it has lust, anger, and
grief, and what is consequent on these. But the spirit not being
uniform,(3) but consisting of three parts, derives its origin from the
male; and it is capable of reasoning, knowledge, and fear, and what is
consequent on these. And each of these triads has one root, so that man is
a compound of two mixtures, the female and the male. Wherefore also two
ways have been laid before him--those of obedience and disobedience to law;
and two kingdoms, have been established,--the one called(4) the kingdom of
heaven, and the other the kingdom of those who are now kings upon earth.
Also two kings have been appointed, of whom the one is selected to rule by
law over the present and transitory world, and his composition is such that
he rejoices in the destruction of the wicked. But the other and good(5)
one, who is the King of the age to come, loves the whole nature of man; but
not being able to have boldness in the present world, he counsels what is
advantageous, like one who tries to conceal who he really is.(6)

CHAP. III.--THE WORK OF THE GOOD ONE AND OF THE EVIL ONE.

   "But of these two, the one(7) acts violently towards the other by the
command of God. Moreover, each man has power to obey whichever of them he
pleases for the doing of good or evil. But if any one chooses to do what is
good, he becomes the possession of the fixture good king; but if any one
should do evil, he becomes the servant of the present evil one, who, having
received power over him by just judgment on account of his sins, and
wishing to use it(8) before the coming age, rejoices in punishing him in
the present life, and thus by gratifying, as it were, his own private
passion, he accomplishes the will of God. But the other, being made to
rejoice in power over the righteous, when he finds a righteous man, is
exceedingly glad, and saves him with eternal life; and he also, as if
gratifying himself, traces the gratification which he feels on account of
these to God. Now it is within the power of every unrighteous than to
repent and be saved; and every righteous man may nave to undergo punishment
for sins committed at the end of his career. Moreover, these two leaders
are the swift hands of God, eager to anticipate Him so as to accomplish His
will. But that this is so, has been said even by the law in the person of
God: 'I will kill, and, I will make alive; I will strike, and I will
heal.(1) For, in truth, He kills and makes alive. He kills through the left
hand, that is, through the evil one, who has been so composed as to rejoice
in afflicting the impious. And he saves and benefits through the right
band, that is, through the good one, who has been made to rejoice in the
good deeds and salvation of the righteous. Now these have not their
substances outside of God: for there is no other primal source. Nor,
indeed, have they been sent forth as animals from God, for they were of the
same mind with Him; nor are they accidental,(2) arising spontaneously in
opposition to His will, since thus the greatest exercise of His power would
have been destroyed. But from God have been sent forth the four first
elements--heat and cold, moist and dry. In consequence of this, He is the
father of every substance, but not of the disposition(3) which may arise
from the combination of the elements; for when these were combined from
without, disposition was begotten in them as a child. The wicked one, then,
having served God blamelessly to the end of the present world, can become
good by a change in his composition,(4) since he assuredly is not of one
uniform substance whose sole bent is towards sin. For not even more does he
do evil, although he is evil, since he has received power to afflict
lawfully."

CHAP. IV.--MEN SIN THROUGH IGNORANCE.

   When Peter said this, Micah, who was himself one of his followers,
asked: "What, then, is the reason why men sin?" And Peter said: "It is
because they are ignorant that they will without doubt be punished for
their evil deeds when judgment takes place.(5) For this reason they, having
lust, as I elsewhere said, for the continuance of life, gratify it in any
accidental way, it may be by the vitiation of boys,(6) or by some other
flattering sin. For in consequence of their ignorance, as I said before,
they are urged on through fearlessness to satisfy their lust in an unlawful
manner. Wherefore God is not evil, who has rightly placed lust within man,
that there may be a continuance of life, but they are most impious who have
used the good of lust badly. The same considerations apply to anger also,
that if one uses it righteously, as is within his power, he is pious; but
going beyond measure, and taking judgment to himself,(7) he is impious."

CHAP. V.--SOPHONIAS MAINTAINS THAT GOD CANNOT PRODUCE WHAT IS UNLIKE
HIMSELF.

   And Sophonias said again: "Your great patience, my lord Peter, gives us
boldness to ask you many questions for the sake of accuracy. Wherefore we
make our inquiries with confidence in every direction. I remember, then,
that Simon said yesterday, in his discussion with you, that the evil one,
if he was born of God, possesses in consequence the same substance as He
does who sent him forth, and he ought to have been good, and not wicked.
But you answered that this was not always the case, since many wicked sons
are born of good parents, as from Adam two unlike(8) sons were begotten,
one of whom was bad and the other good. And when Simon found fault with you
for having used human examples, you answered that in this way we ought not
to admit that God begets at all; for this also is a human example. And I,
Sophonias, admit that God begets; but I do not allow that He begets what is
bad, even though the good among men beget bad children. And do not
imagine(8) that I am without reason attributing to God some of the
qualities that distinguish men, and refusing to attribute others, when I
grant that He begets, but do not allow that He begets what is unlike
Himself. For men, as you might expect, beget sons who are unlike them in
their dispositions for the following reason. Being composed of four parts,
they change their bodies variously, according to the various changes of the
year; and thus, the appropriate change either of increase or decrease
taking place in the human booty, each season destroys the harmonious
combination. Now, when the combinations do not always remain exactly in the
same position, the seeds, having sometimes one combination, sometimes
another, are sent off; and these are followed, according to the combination
belonging to the season, by dispositions either good or bad. But in the
case of God we cannot suppose any such thing; for, being unchangeable and
always existing, whenever He wishes to send forth, there is an absolute
necessity that what is sent forth should be in all respects in the same
position as that which has begotten, I mean in regard to substance and
disposition. But if any one should wish to maintain that He is changeable,
I do not know how it is possible for him to maintain that He is immortal."

CHAP. VI. -- GOD'S POWER OF CHANGING HIMSELF.

   When Peter heard this, he thought for a little, and said: "I do not
think that any one can converse about evil without doing the will of the
evil one. Therefore knowing this, I do not know what I shall do, whether I
shall be silent or speak. For if I be silent, I should incur the laughter
of the multitude, because, professing to proclaim the truth, I am ignorant
of the explanation of vice But if I should state my opinion, I am afraid
lest it be not at all pleasing to God that we should seek after evil, for
only seeking after good is pleasing to Him. However, in my reply to the
statements of Sophonias, I shall make my ideas more plain. I then agree
with him in thinking that we ought not to attribute to God all the
qualities of men. For instance, men not having bodies that are convertible
are not converted; but they have a nature that admits of alteration by the
lapse of time through the seasons of the year. But this is not the case
with God; for through His inborn (1) Spirit He becomes, by a power which
cannot be described, whatever body He likes. And one can the more easily
believe this, as the air, which has received such a nature from Him, is
converted into dew by the incorporeal mind permeating it, and being
thickened becomes water, and water being compacted becomes stone and earth,
and stones through collision light up fire. According to such (2) a change
and conversion, air becomes first water, and ends in being fire through
conversions, and the moist is converted into its natural opposite. Why? Did
not God convert the rod of Moses into an animal, making it a serpent, (3)
which He reconverted into a rod? And by means of this very converted rod he
converted the water of the Nile (4) into blood, which again he reconverted
into water. Yea, even man, who is dust, He changed by the inbreathing of
His breath (5) into flesh, and changed him back again into dust. (6) And
was not Moses, (7) who himself was flesh, converted into the grandest
light, so that the sons of Israel could not look him in the face? Much
more, then, is God completely able to convert Himself into whatsoever He
wishes.

CHAP. VII. -- THE OBJECTION ANSWERED, THAT ONE CANNOT CHANGE HIMSELF.

   "But perhaps some one of you thinks that one may become something under
the influence of one, and another under the influence of another, but no
one can change himself into whatever he wishes, and that it is the
characteristic of one who grows old, and who must die according to his
nature, (8) to change, but we ought not to entertain such thoughts of
immortal beings. For were not angels, who are free from old age, and of a
fiery substance, (9) changed into flesh, -- those, for instance, who
received (the hospitality of Abraham, (10) whose feet men washed, as if
they were the feet of men of like  substance? (11) Yea, moreover, with
Jacob, (12) who was a man, there wrestled an angel, converted  into flesh
that he might be able to come to close quarters with him. And, in like
manner, after he had wrestled by his own will, he was converted into his
own natural form; and now,  when he was changed into fire, he did not burn
up the broad sinew of Jacob, but he inflamed it, and made him lame. Now,
that which cannot become anything else, whatever it may wish, is mortal,
inasmuch as it is subject to its own nature; but he who can become whatever
he wishes, whenever he wishes, is immortal, returning to a new condition,
inasmuch as he has control over his own nature. Wherefore much more does
the power of God change the substance of the body into whatever He wishes
and whenever He wishes; and by the change that takes place (13) He sends
forth what, on the one hand, is of similar substance, but, on the other, is
not of equal power. Whatever, then, he who sends forth turns into a
different substance, that he can again turn back into his own; (14) but he
who is sent forth, arising in consequence of the change which proceeds from
him, and being his child, cannot become anything else without the will of
him who sent him forth, unless he wills it."

CHAP. VIII. -- THE ORIGIN OF THE GOOD ONE DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF TIlE EVIL
ONE.

   When Peter said this, Micah, (15) who was himself also one of the
companions that attended on him, said: "I also should like to learn from
you if the good one has been produced in the same way that the evil one
came into being. But if they came into being in a similar manner, then they
are brothers in my opinion." And Peter said: "They have not come into being
in a similar way: for no doubt you remember what I said in the beginning,
that the substance of the body of the wicked one, being fourfold in origin,
was carefully selected and sent forth by God; but when it was combined
externally, according to the will of Him who sent it forth, there arose, in
consequence of the combination, the disposition which rejoices in evils:
(1) so that you may see that the substance, fourfold in origin, which was
sent forth by Him, and which also always exists, is the child of God; but
that the accidentally arising disposition which rejoices in evils has
supervened when the substance (2) was combined externally by him. And thus
disposition has not been begotten by God, nor by any one else, nor indeed
has it been sent forth by Him, nor has it come forth spontaneously, (3) nor
did it always exist, like the substance before the combination; but it has
come on as an accident by external combination, according to the will of
God. And we have often said that it must be so. But the good one having
been begotten from the most beautiful change of God, and not having arisen
accidentally through an external combination, is really His Son. Yet, since
these doctrines are unwritten, and are confirmed to us only by conjecture,
let us by no means deem it as absolutely certain that this is the true
state of the case. For if we act otherwise, our mind will cease from
investigating the truth, in the belief that it has already fully
comprehended it. Remember these things, therefore; for I must not state
such things to all, but only to those who are found after trial most
trustworthy. Nor ought we rashly to maintain such assertions towards each
other, nor ought ye to dare to speak as if you were accurately acquainted
with the discovery of secret truths, but you ought simply to reflect over
them in silence; for in stating, perchance, that a matter is so, (4) he who
says it will err, and he will suffer punishment for having dared to speak
even to himself what has been honoured with silence."

CHAP. IX.--WHY THE WICKED ONE IS APPOINTED OVER THE WICKED BY THE RIGHTEOUS
GOD.

   When Peter said this, Lazarus, who also was one of his followers, said:
"Explain to us the harmony, how it can be reasonable that the wicked one
should be appointed by the righteous God to be the punisher of the impious,
and yet should himself afterwards be sent into  lower darkness along with
his angels and with sin-  nets: for I remember that the Teacher Himself
said this." (5) And Peter said: "I indeed allow that the evil one does no
evil, inasmuch as he is  accomplishing the law given to him. And although
he has an evil disposition, yet through  fear of God he does nothing
unjustly; but, accusing the teachers of truth so as to entrap the unwary,
he is himself named the accuser (the devil). But the statement of our
unerring Teacher, that he and his angels, along with the deluded sinners,
shall go into lower darkness, admits of the following explanation. The evil
one, having obtained the lot (6) of rejoicing in darkness according to his
composition, delights to go down to the darkness of Tartarus along with
angels who are his fellow-slaves; for darkness is dear to fire. But the
souls of men, being drops of pure light, are absorbed by the substance
fire, which is of a different class; and not possessing a nature capable of
dying, they are punished according to their deserts. But if he who is the
leader of men (7) into vice is not sent into darkness, as not rejoicing in
it, then his  composition, which rejoices in evils, cannot be changed by
another combination into the disposition for good. And thus he will be
adjudged to be with the good, (8) all the more because, having obtained a
composition which rejoices in evils, through fear of God he has done
nothing contrary to the decrees of the law of God. And did not the
Scripture by a mysterious hint (9) point out by the statement (10) that the
rod of the high priest Aaron became a serpent, and was again converted into
a rod, that a change in the composition of the wicked one would afterwards
take place?"

CHAP. X.--WHY SOME BELIEVE, AND OTHERS DO NOT.

   And after Lazarus, Joseph, who also was one of his followers, said:
"You have spoken all things rightly. Teach me also this, as I am eager to
know it, why, when you give the same discourses to all, some believe and
others disbelieve?" And Peter said: "It is because my discourses are not
charms, so that every one that hears them must without hesitation believe
them. The fact that some believe, and others do not, points out to the
intelligent the freedom of the will."And when he said this, we all blessed
him.

CHAP. XI. --ARRIVAL OF APPION AND ANNUBION.

   And as we were going to take our meals, (11) some one ran in and said:
"Appion Pleistonices has just come with Annubion from Antioch, and he is
lodging with Simon." And my father hearing this, and rejoicing, said to
Peter: "If you permit me, I shall go to salute Appion and Annubion, who
have been my friends from childhood. For perchance I shall persaude
Annubion to discuss genesis with Clement." And Peter said: "I permit you,
and I praise you for fulfilling the duties of a friend. But now consider
how in the providence of God there come together from all quarters
considerations which contribute to your full assurance, rendering the
harmony complete. But I say this because the arrival of Annubion happens
advantageously for you." And my father: "In truth, I see that this is the
case." And saying this, he went to Simon.

CHAP. XII. -- FAUSTUS APPEARS TO HIS FRIENDS WITH THE FACE OF SIMON.

   Now all of us who were with Peter asked each other questions the whole
of the night, and continued awake, because of the pleasure and joy we
derived from what was said. But when at length the dawn began to break,
Peter, looking at me and my brothers, said: "I am puzzled to think what
your father has been about." And just as he was saying this, our father
came in and caught Peter talking to us of him; and seeing him displeased,
he accosted him, and rendered an apology for having slept outside. But we
were amazed when we looked at him: for we saw the form of Simon, but heard
the voice of our father Faustus. And when we were fleeing from him, and
abhorring him, our father was astonished at receiving such harsh and
hostile treatment from us. But Peter alone saw his natural shape, and said
to us: "Why do you in horror turn away from your own father?" But we and
our mother said: "It is Simon that we see before us, with the voice of our
father." And Peter said: "You recognise only his voice, which is unaffected
by magic; but as my eyes also are unaffected by magic, I can see his form
as it really is, that he is not Simon, but your father Faustus." Then,
looking to my father, he said: "It is not your own true form that is seen
by them, but that of Simon, our deadliest foe, and a most impious man.''
(1)

CHAP. XIII.. -- THE FLIGHT OF SIMON.

   While Peter was thus talking, there entered one of those who had gone
before to Antioch, and who, coming back from Antioch, said to Peter: "I
wish you to know, my lord, that Simon, by doing many miracles publicly in
Antioch, and calling you a magician and a juggler and a murderer, (2) has
worked them up to such hatred against you, that every man is eager to taste
your very flesh if you should sojourn there. (3) Wherefore we who went
before, along with our brethren who were in pretence attached by you to
Simon, seeing the city raging wildly against you, met secretly and
considered what we ought to do. And assuredly, while we were in great
perplexity, Cornelius the centurion arrived, who had been sent by the
emperor to the governor of the province. He was the person whom our Lord
cured when he was possessed of a demon in Caesarea. This man we sent for
secretly; and informing him of the cause of our despondency, we begged his
help. He promised most readily that he would alarm Simon, and make him take
to flight, if we should assist him in his effort. And when we all promised
that we should readily do everything, he said,' I shall spread abroad the
news (4) through many friends that I have secretly come to apprehend him;
and I shall pretend that I am in search of him, because the emperor, having
put to death many magicians, and having received information in regard to
him, has sent me to search him out, that he may punish him as he punished
the magicians before him; while those of your party who are with him must
report to him, as if they had heard it from a secret source, that I have
been sent to apprehend him. And perchance when he hears it from them, he
will be alarmed and take to flight.' When, therefore, we had intended to do
something else, nevertheless the affair turned out in the following way.
For when he heard the news from many strangers who gratified him greatly by
secretly informing him, and also from our brethren who pretended to be
attached to him, and took it as the opinion of his own followers, he
resolved on retiring. And hastening away from Antioch, he has come here
with Athenodorus, as we have heard. Wherefore we advise you not yet to
enter that city, until we ascertain whether they can forget in his absence
the accusations which he brought against you."

CHAP. XIV. -- THE CHANGE IN THE FORM OF FAUSTUS CAUSED BY SIMON.

   When the person who had gone before gave this report, Peter looked to
my father, and said: "You hear, Faustus; the change in your form has been
caused by Simon the magician, as is now evident. For, thinking that a
servant (5) of the emperor was seeking him to punish him, he became afraid
and fled, putting you into his own shape, that if you were put to death,
your children might have sorrow." When my father heard this, he wept and
lamented, and said: "You have conjectured rightly, Peter. For Annubion, who
is my dear friend, (1) hinted his design to me; but I did not believe him,
miserable man that I am, (2) since I deserved to suffer."

CHAP. XV.--THE REPENTANCE OF FAUSTUS.

   When my father said this, after no long time Annubion came (3) to us to
announce to us the flight of Simon, and how that very night he had hurried
to Judaea. And he found our father wailing, and with lamentations saying:
"Alas, alas! unhappy man! I did not believe when I was told that he was a
magician. Miserable man that I am! I have been recognised for one day by my
wife and children, and have speedily gone back to my previous sad condition
when I was still ignorant." And my mother lamenting, plucked her hair; and
we groaned in distress on account of the transformation of our father, and
could not comprehend what in the world it could be. But Annubion stood
speechless, seeing and hearing these things; while Peter said to us, his
children, in the presence of all: "Believe me, this is Faustus your father.
Wherefore I urge you to attend to him as being your father. For God will
vouchsafe some occasion for his putting off the shape of Simon, and
exhibiting again distinctly that of your father." And saying this, and
looking to my father, he said: "I permitted you to salute Appion and
Annubion, since you asserted that they were your friends from childhood,
but I did not permit you to associate with the magician Simon."

CHAP. XVI.--WHY SIMON GAVE TO FAUSTUS HIS OWN SHAPE.

   And my father said: "I have sinned; I confess it." And Annubion said:
"I also along with him beg you to forgive the noble and good old man who
has been deceived: for the unfortunate man has been the sport of that
notorious fellow. But I shall tell you how it took place. (4) The good old
man came to salute us. But at that very hour we who were there happened to
be listening to Simon, who wished to run away that night, for he had heard
that some people had come to Laodicea in search of him by the command of
the emperor. But as Faustus was entering, he turned (5) his own rage on
him, and thus addressed us: 'Make him, when he comes, share your meals; and
I will prepare an ointment, so that, when he has supped, he may take some
of it, and anoint his face with it, and then he will appear to all to have
my shape. But I will anoint you with the juice (6) of some plant, and then
you will not be deceived by his new (7) shape; but to all others Faustus
will seem to be Simon.'

CHAP. XVII. -- ANNUBION'S SERVICES TO FAUSTUS.

   "And while he stated this beforehand, I said, 'What, then, is the
advantage you now expect to get from such a contrivance?' And Simon said,
'First, those who seek me, when they apprehend him, will give up the search
after me. But if he be executed by the hand of the emperor, very great
sorrow will fall upon his children, who left me, and fleeing to Peter, now
aid him in his work.' And now, Peter, I confess the truth to you: I was
prevented by fear of Simon from informing Faustus of this. But Simon did
not give us an opportunity for private conversation, lest some one of us
might reveal s to him the wicked design of Simon. Simon then rose up in the
middle of the night and fled to Judaea, convoyed by Appion and Athenodorus.
Then I pretended that I was sick, in order that, remaining after they had
gone, I might make Faustus go back immediately to his own people, if by any
chance he might be able, by being concealed with you, to escape
observation, lest, being caught as Simon by those who were in search of
Simon, he might be put to death through the wrath of the emperor. At the
dead of night, therefore, I sent him away to you; and in my anxiety for him
I came by night to see him, with the intention of returning before those
who convoyed Simon should return." And looking to us, he said: "I,
Annubion, see the true shape of your father; for I was anointed, as I
related to you before, by Simon himself, that the true shape of Faustus
might be seen by my eyes. Astonished, therefore, I exceedingly wonder at
the magic power of Simon, in that standing (9) you do not recognise your
own father." And while our father and our mother and we ourselves wept on
account of the calamity common to all of us, Annubion also through sympathy
wept with us.

CHAP. XVIII.--PETER PROMISES TO RESTORE TO FAUSTUS HIS OWN SHAPE.

   Then Peter promised to us to restore the shape of our father, and he
said to him: "Faustus, you heard how matters stand with us. When,
therefore, the deceptive shape which invests you has been useful to us, and
you have assisted us in doing what I shall tell you to do, then I shall
restore to you your true form, when you have first performed my commands."
And when my father said, "I shall do everything that is in my power most
willingly; only restore to my own people my own form;" Peter answered, "You
yourself heard with your own ears how those who went before me came back
from Antioch, and said that Simon had been there, and had strongly excited
the multitudes against me by calling me a magician and a murderer, a
deceiver and a juggler, to such an extent that all the people there were
eager to taste my flesh. You will do, then, as I tell you. You will leave
Clement with me, and you will go before us into Antioch with your wife, and
your sons Faustinus and Faustinianus. And some others will accompany you
whom I deem capable of helping forward my design.

CHAP. XIX. -- PETER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO FAUSTUS.

   "When you are with these in Antioch, while you look like Simon,
proclaim publicly your repentance, saying, 'I Simon proclaim this to you: I
confess (1) that all my statements in regard to Peter are utterly false;
(2) for he is not a deceiver, nor a murderer, nor a juggler; nor are any of
the evil things true which I, urged on by wrath, said previously in regard
to him. I myself therefore beg of you, I who have been the cause of your
hatred to him, cease from hating him; for he is the true apostle of the
true Prophet that was sent by God for the salvation of the world. Wherefore
also I counsel you to believe what he preaches; (3) for if you do not, your
whole city will be utterly destroyed. Now I wish you to know for what
reason I have made this confession to you. This night angels of God
scourged me, the impious one, terribly, as being an enemy to the herald of
the truth. I beseech you, therefore, do not listen to me, even if I myself
should come at another time and attempt to say anything against Peter. For
I confess to you I am a magician, I am a deceiver, I am a juggler. Yet
perhaps it is possible for me by repentance to wipe out the sins which were
formerly committed by me.' "

CHAP. XX. -- FAUSTUS, HIS WIFE, AND SONS, PREPARE TO GO TO ANTIOCH.

   When Peter suggested this, my father said: "I know what you want;
wherefore take no trouble. For assuredly I shall take good care, when I
reach that place, to make such statements in regard to you as I ought to
make." And Peter again suggested: "When, then, you perceive the city
changing from its hatred of me, and longing to see me, send information to
me of this, and I shall come to you immediately. And when I arrive there,
that same day I shall remove the strange shape which now invests you, and I
shall make your own unmistakeably visible to your own people and to all
others." Saying this, he made his sons, my brothers, and our mother
Mattidia to go along with him; and he also commanded some of his more
intimate acquaintances to accompany him. But my mother was (4) unwilling to
go with him, and said: "I seem to be an adulteress if I associate with the
shape of Simon; but if I shall be compelled to go along with him, (5) it is
impossible for me to recline on the same couch with him! But I do not know
if I shall be persuaded to go along with him." And while she was very
unwilling to go, Annubion urged her, saying: "Believe me and Peter, and the
very voice itself, that this is Faustus your husband, whom I love not less
than you. And I myself will go (6) along with him." When Annubion said
this, our mother promised to go with him.

CHAP. XXI. -- APPION AND ATHENODORUS RETURN IN QUEST OF FAUSTUS.

   But Peter said: "God arranges our affairs in a most satisfactory
manner; (7) for we have with us Annubion the astrologer. (8) For when we
arrive at Antioch, he will in future discourse regarding genesis, giving us
his genuine opinions as a friend." Now when, after midnight, our father
hurried with those whom Peter had ordered to go along with him and with
Annubion to Antioch, which was near, early next day, before Peter went
forth to discourse, Appion and Athenodorus, who had convoyed Simon,
returned to Laodicea in search of our father. But Peter, ascertaining the
fact, urged them to enter. And when they came in and sat down, and said,
"Where is Faustus?" Peter answered: "We know not; for since the evening,
when he went to you, he has not been seen by his kinsmen. But yesterday
morning Simon came in search of  him; and when we made no reply to him,
something seemed to come over him, (9) for he called himself Faustus; but
not being believed, he wept and lamented, and threatened to kill himself,
and then rushed out in the direction of the sea."

CHAP. XXII. -- APPION AND ATHENODORUS RETURN TO SIMON.

   When Appion and those who were with him heard this, they howled and
lamented, saying: "Why did you not receive him?" And when at the same time
Athenodorus wished to say to me, "It was Faustus, your father;" Appion
anticipated him, and said, "We learned from some one that Simon, finding
him, urged him to go along with him, (1) Faustus himself entreating him,
since he did not wish to see his sons after they had become Jews. And
hearing this, we came, for his own sake, in search of him. But since he is
not here, it is plain that he spake the truth who gave us the information
which we, hearing it from him, have given to you." And I Clement,
perceiving the design of Peter, that he wished to beget a suspicion in them
that he intended to look out among them for the old man, that they might be
afraid and take to flight, assisted in his design, and said to Appion:
"Listen to me, my dearest Appion. We were eager to give to him, as being
our father, what we our-  selves deemed to be good. But if he himself did
not wish to receive it, but, on the contrary, fled from us in horror, I
shall make a somewhat harsh remark, 'Nor do we care for him.' "  And when I
said this, they went away, as if irritated by my savageness; and, as we
learn next day, they went to Judaea in the track of Simon.

CHAP. XXIII. -- PETER GOES TO ANTIOCH.

   Now, when ten days had passed away, there came one of our people (2)
from our father to announce to us how our father stood forward publicly in
the shape of Simon, accusing him; (3) and how by praising Peter he had made
the whole city of Antioch long for him: and in consequence of this, all
said that they were eager to see him, and that there were some who were
angry with him as being Simon, on account of their surpassing affection for
Peter, and wished to lay hands on Faustus, believing he was Simon.
Wherefore he, fearing that he might be put to death, had sept to request
Peter to come immediately if he wished to meet him alive, and to appear at
the proper time to the city, when it was at the height of its longing for
him. (4) Peter, hearing this, called the multitude together to deliberate,
and appointed one of his attendants bishop; and having remained three days
in Laodicea baptizing and healing, he hastened to the neighboring city of
Antioch. Amen.


Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (ANF 8, Roberts and Donaldson). The digital version is by The
Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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