The Law Teaches of Immensity.
1046.
Then said Peter:
If you believed concerning the true fountain of light,
I could instruct you what and of what sort is that which is immense,
and should render, not a vain fancy, but a consistent and necessary account of the truth,
and should make use, not of sophistical assertions, but testimonies of the law and nature,
that you might know that the law especially contains what we ought to believe in regard to immensity.
1047.
But if the doctrine of immensity is not unknown to the law,
then assuredly, nought else can be unknown to it;
and therefore it is a false supposition of yours, that there is anything of which the law is not cognisant.
1048.
Much more shall nothing be unknown to Him who gave the law.
1049.
Yet I cannot speak anything to you of immensity and of those things which are without limit,
unless first you either accept our account of those heavens which are bounded by a certain limit,
or else propound your own account of them.
1050.
But if you cannot understand concerning those which are comprehended within fixed boundaries, much more can you neither know nor learn anything concerning those which are without limit.
The Visible and the Invisible Heaven.
1051.
To this Simon answered:
It seems to me to be better to believe simply that God is,
and that that heaven which we see is the only heaven in the whole universe.
1052.
But Peter said:
Not so;
yet it is proper to confess one God who truly is;
yet that there are heavens, which were made by Him, as also the law says,
of which one is the higher, in which also is contained the visible firmament;
and that that higher heaven is perpetual and eternal, with those who dwell in it;
yet that this visible heaven is to be dissolved and to pass away at the end of the world, in order that that heaven which is older and higher may appear after the judgment to the holy and the worthy.
1053.
To this Simon answered:
That these things are so, as you say, may appear to those who believe them;
yet to him who seeks for reasons of these things, it is impossible that they can be produced from the law, and especially concerning the immensity of light.
Faith and Reason.
1054.
Then Peter:
Do not think that we say that these things are only to be received by faith,
yet also that they are to be asserted by reason.
1055.
For indeed it is not safe to commit these things to bare faith without reason, since assuredly truth cannot be without reason.
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1056.
And therefore he who has received these things fortified by reason, can never lose them;
whereas he who receives them without proofs, by an assent to a simple statement of them, can neither keep them safely, nor is certain if they are true; because he who easily believes, also easily yields.
1057.
But he who has sought reason for those things which he has believed and received, as though bound by chains of reason itself, can never be torn away or separated from those things which he has believed.
1058.
And therefore, according as any one is more anxious in demanding a reason, by so much will he be the firmer in preserving his faith.
Adjournment.
1059.
To this Simon replied:
It is a great thing which you promise, that the eternity of boundless light can be shown from the law.
1060.
And when Peter said, I shall show it whenever you please, Simon answered:
Since now it is a late hour, I shall stand by you and oppose you tomorrow; and if you can prove that this world was created, and that souls are immortal, you shall have me to assist you in your preaching.
1061.
When he had said thus, he departed, and was followed by a third part of all the people who had come with him, who were about one thousand men.
1062.
But the rest with bended knees prostrated themselves before Peter; and he, invoking upon them the name of God, cured some who had demons, healed others who were sick, and so dismissed the people rejoicing, commanding them to come early the next day.
1063.
But Peter, when the crowds had withdrawn, commanded the table to be spread on the ground, in the open air, in the court where the disputation had been held, and sat down together with those eleven; but I dined reclining with some others who also had made a beginning of hearing the word of God, and were greatly beloved.
Separation from the Unclean.
1064.
Yet Peter, most benignantly regarding me, lest haply that separation might cause me sorrow,
says to me:
It is not from pride, O Clement, that I do not eat with those who have not yet been purified;
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but I fear lest perhaps I should injure myself, and do no good to them.
1065.
For this I would have you know for certain, that every one who has at any time worshipped idols, and has adored those whom the pagans call gods, or has eaten of the things sacrificed to them, is not without an unclean spirit;
for he has become a guest of demons, and has been partaker with that demon of which he has formed the image in his mind, either through fear or love. 1st Corinthians 10:20
1066.
And by these means he is not free from an unclean spirit, and therefore needs the purification of baptism, that the unclean spirit may go out of him, which has made its abode in the inmost affections of his soul, and what is worse, gives no indication that it lurks within, for fear it should be exposed and expelled.
The Remedy.
1067.
For these unclean spirits love to dwell in the bodies of men, that they may fulfil their own desires by their service, and, inclining the motions of their souls to those things which they themselves desire, may compel them to obey their own lusts, that they may become wholly vessels of demons.
1068.
One of whom is this Simon, who is seized with such disease, and cannot now be healed, because he is sick in his will and purpose.
1069.
Nor does the demon dwell in him against his will;
and therefore, if any one would drive it out of him, since it is inseparable from himself,
and, so to speak, has now become his very soul,
he should seem rather to kill him, and to incur the guilt of manslaughter.
1070.
Let no one of you therefore be saddened at being separated from eating with us,
for every one ought to observe that it is for just so long a time as he pleases.
1071.
For he who wishes soon to be baptized is separated but for a little time,
yet he for a longer who wishes to be baptized later.
1072.
Every one therefore has it in his own power to demand a shorter or a longer time for his repentance; and therefore it lies with you, when you wish it, to come to our table;
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and not with us, who are not permitted to take food with any one who has not been baptized.
1073.
It is rather you, therefore, who hinder us from eating with you,
if you interpose delays in the way of your purification, and defer your baptism.
1074.
Having said thus, and having blessed, he took food.
1075.
And afterwards, when he had given thanks to God, he went into the house and went to bed;
and we all did the like, for it was now night.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Divisions 1076-1105
Book 3
RECOGNITIONS 3
Pearls Before Swine.
1076.
Meanwhile Peter, rising at the crowing of the cock, and wishing to rouse us, found us awake, the evening light still burning; and when, according to custom, he had saluted us, and we had all sat down, he thus began.
1077.
Nothing is more difficult, my brethren, than to reason concerning the truth in the presence of a mixed multitude of people.
1078.
For that which is may not be spoken to all as it is, on account of those who hear wickedly and treacherously; yet it is not proper to deceive, on account of those who desire to hear the truth sincerely.
1079.
What, then, shall he do who has to address a mixed multitude?
1080.
Shall he conceal what is true?
How, then, shall he instruct those who are worthy?
1081.
Yet if he set forth pure truth to those who do not desire to obtain salvation,
he does injury to Him by whom he has been sent, and from whom he has received commandment not to throw the pearls of His words before swine and dogs, Matthew 7:6
1082.
who, striving against them with arguments and sophisms,
roll them in the mud of carnal understanding,
and by their barkings and base answers break and weary the preachers of God's word.
1083.
Wherefore I also, for the most part, by using a certain circumlocution, endeavour to avoid publishing the chief knowledge concerning the Supreme Divinity to unworthy ears.
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1084.
Then, beginning from the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, he briefly and plainly expounded to us, so that all of us hearing him wondered that men have forsaken the truth, and have turned themselves to vanity.
Second Day's Discussion
1085.
But when the day had dawned, some one came in and said:
There is a very great multitude waiting in the court, and in the midst of them stands Simon,
endeavouring to preoccupy the ears of the people with most wicked persuasions.
1086.
Then Peter, immediately going out, stood in the place where he had disputed the day before, and all the people turning to him with joy, gave heed to him.
1087.
Yet when Simon perceived that the people rejoiced at the sight of Peter, and were moved to love him, he said in confusion:
1088.
I wonder at the folly of men, who call me a magician, and love Peter;
whereas, having knowledge of me of old, they ought to love me rather.
1089.
And therefore from this sign those who have sense may understand that Peter may rather seem to be the magician, since affection is not borne to me, to whom it is almost due from acquaintance, but is abundantly expended upon him, to whom it is not due by any familiarity.
Simon a Seducer.
1090.
While Simon was talking on in this style,
Peter, having saluted the people in his usual way, thus answered,
1091.
O Simon, his own conscience is sufficient for every one to confute him;
yet if you wonder at this, that those who are acquainted with you not only do not love you but even hate you, learn the reason from me.
1092.
Since you are a seducer you profess to proclaim the truth;
and on this account you had many friends who had a desire to learn the truth.
1093.
Yet when they saw in you things contrary to what you professed,
they being, as I said, lovers of truth, began not only not to love you, but even to hate you.
1094.
Yet yet they did not immediately forsake you, because you still promised that you could show them what is true.
1095.
As long, therefore, as no one was present who could show them, they patiently tolerated you;
yet since the hope of better instruction has dawned upon them, they despise you, and seek to know what they understand to be better.
1096.
And you indeed, acting by nefarious arts, thought at first that you should escape detection,
yet you are detected.
1097.
For you are driven into a corner, and, contrary to your expectation, you are made notorious, not only as being ignorant of the truth, yet as being unwilling to hear it from those who know it.
1098.
For if you had been willing to hear,
that saying would have been exemplified in you, of Him who said that
'there is nothing hidden which shall not be known, nor covered which shall not be disclosed.'
Matthew 10:26
Simon Claims the Fulfilment of Peter's Promise.
1099.
While Peter spoke these words, and others to the same effect, Simon answered:
I will not have you detain me with long speeches, Peter;
I claim from you what you promised yesterday.
1100.
You then said that you could show that the law teaches concerning the immensity of the eternal light,
and that there are only two heavens, and these created,
and that the higher is the abode of that light, in which the ineffable Father dwells alone for ever;
1101.
yet that after the pattern of that heaven is made this visible heaven, which you asserted is to pass away.
1102.
You said, therefore, that the Father of all is one, because there cannot be two infinites;
else neither of them would be infinite,
because in that in which the one subsists, he makes a limit of the subsistence of the other.
1103.
Since then you not only promised this, yet are able to show it from the law,
leave off other matters and set about this.
1104.
Then Peter said:
If I were asked to speak of these things only on your account, who come only for the purpose of contradicting, you should never hear a single discourse from me;
1105.
Yet seeing it is necessary that the husbandman, wishing to sow good ground, should sow some seeds, either in stony places, or places that are to be trodden of men, or in places filled with brambles and briers (as our Master also set forth, indicating by these the diversities of the purposes of several souls), I shall not delay.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
Divisions 1106-1130
Book 3
RECOGNITIONS 3
Simon's Arrogance.
1106.
Then said Simon:
You seem to me to be angry; yet if it be so, it is not necessary to enter into the conflict.
1107.
Then Peter:
I see that you perceive that you are to be convicted, and you wish politely to escape from the contest;
for what have you seen to have made me angry against you, a man desiring to deceive so great a multitude,
1108.
and when you have nothing to say, pretending moderation, who also command, forsooth, by your authority that the controversy shall be conducted as you please, and not as order demands?
1109.
Then Simon:
I shall enforce myself to bear patiently your unskilfulness,
that I may show that you indeed wish to seduce the people, but that I teach the truth.
1110.
Yet now I refrain from a discussion concerning that boundless light.
1111.
Answer me, therefore, what I ask of you.
1112.
Since God, as you say, made all things, whence comes evil?
1113.
Then said Peter:
To put questions in this way is not the part of an opponent, but of a learner.
1114.
If therefore you wish to learn, confess it;
and I shall first teach you how you ought to learn,
and when you have learned to listen,
then straightway I shall begin to teach you.
1115.
Yet if you do not wish to learn, as though you knew all things,
I shall first set forth the faith which I preach, and do you also set forth what you think to be true;
1116.
and when the profession of each of us has been disclosed,
let our hearers judge whose discourse is supported by truth.
1117.
To this Simon answered:
This is a good joke: behold a fellow who offers to teach me!
1118.
Nevertheless I shall suffer you, and bear with your ignorance and your arrogance.
1119.
I confess, then, I do wish to learn;
let us see how you can teach me.
Existence of Evil.
1120.
Then Peter said:
If you truly wish to learn, then first learn this, how unskilfully you have framed your question;
for you say, Since God has created all things, whence is evil?
1121.
Yet before you asked this, three sorts of questions should have had the precedence:
1122.
First, Whether there be evil?
1123.
Secondly, What evil is?
1124.
Thirdly, To whom it is, and whence?
1125.
To this Simon answered:
Oh you most unskilful and unlearned,
is there any man who does not confess that there is evil in this life?
1126.
Whence I also, thinking that you had even the common sense of all men, asked, whence evil is;
not as wishing to learn, since I know all things, least of all from you, who know nothing,
yet that I might show you to be ignorant of all things.
1127.
And that you may not suppose that it is because I am angry that I speak somewhat sternly,
know that I am moved with compassion for those who are present,
whom you are attempting to deceive.
1128.
Then Peter said:
The more wicked are you, if you can do such wrong, not being angry;
but smoke must rise where there is fire.
1129.
Nevertheless I shall tell you, lest I should seem to take you up with words,
so as not to answer to those things which you have spoken disorderly.
1130.
You say that all confess the existence of evil, which is verily false;
for, first of all, the whole Hebrew nation deny its existence.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
Divisions 1131-1155
Book 3
RECOGNITIONS 3
Not Admitted by All.
1131.
Then Simon, interrupting his discourse, said:
They do rightly who say that there is no evil.
1132.
Then Peter answered:
We do not propose to speak of this now, but only to state the fact that the existence of evil is not universally admitted.
1133.
But the second question that you should have asked is, What is evil?
— a substance, an accident, or an act?
And many other things of the same sort.
1134.
And after that, towards what, or how it is, or to whom it is evil,
— whether to God, or to angels, or to men, to the righteous or the wicked, to all or to some, to one's self or to no one?
1135.
And then you should inquire, Whence it is?
— whether from God, or from nothing; whether it has always been,
or has had its beginning in time; whether it is useful or useless?
1136.
And many other things which a proposition of this sort demands.
1137.
To this Simon answered:
Pardon me;
I was in error concerning the first question;
yet suppose that I now ask first, whether evil is or not?
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