Uselessness of Pretended Miracles.
1451.
For tell me, I pray you, what is the use of showing statues walking, dogs of brass or stone barking, mountains dancing, of flying through the air, and such like things, which you say that Simon did?
1452.
But those signs which are of the good One, are directed to the advantage of men, as are those which were done by our Lord, who gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, raised up the feeble and the lame, drove away sicknesses and demons, raised the dead, and did other like things, as you see also that I do.
1453.
Those signs, therefore, which make for the benefit of men, and confer some good upon them,
the wicked one cannot do, excepting only at the end of the world.
1454.
For then it shall be permitted him to mix up with his signs some good ones,
as the expelling of demons or the healing of diseases;
1455.
by this means going beyond his bounds,
and being divided against himself, and fighting against himself, he shall be destroyed.
1456.
And therefore the Lord has foretold, that in the last times there shall be such temptation,
that, if it be possible, the very elect shall be deceived;
1457.
that is to say, that by the marks of signs being confused,
even those must be disturbed who seem to be expert in discovering spirits and distinguishing miracles.
Ten Pairs.
1458.
The ten pairs of which we have spoken have therefore been assigned to this world from the beginning of time.
1459.
Cain and Abel were one pair.
1460.
The second was the giants and Noah;
1461.
the third, Pharaoh and Abraham;
1462.
the fourth, the Philistines and Isaac;
1463.
the fifth, Esau and Jacob;
1464.
the sixth, the magicians and Moses the lawgiver;
1465.
the seventh, the tempter and the Son of man;
1466.
the eighth, Simon and I, Peter;
1467.
the ninth, all nations, and he who shall be sent to sow the word among the nations;
1468.
the tenth, Antichrist and Christ.
1469.
Concerning these pairs we shall give you fuller information at another time.
1470.
When Peter spoke thus, Aquila said:
Truly there is need of constant teaching, that one may learn what is true about everything.
The Christian Life.
1471.
But Peter said:
Who is he that is earnest toward instruction, and that studiously inquires into every particular,
except him who loves his own soul to salvation,
and renounces all the affairs of this world, that he may have leisure to attend to the word of God only?
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1472.
Such is he whom alone the true Prophet deems wise,
even he who sells all that he has and buys the one true pearl, Matthew 13:46
who understands what is the difference between temporal things and eternal,
small and great, men and God.
1473.
For he understands what is the eternal hope in presence of the true and good God.
1474.
Yet who is he that loves God, save him who knows His wisdom?
1475.
And how can any one obtain knowledge of God's wisdom,
unless he be constant in hearing His word?
1476.
And whence it is preached, that a man grow with love for Him, and venerates Him with worthy honour, pouring out hymns and prayers to Him, and most pleasantly resting in these,
accounts it his greatest damage if at any time he speak or do anything else even for a moment of time;
1477.
because, in reality, the soul which is filled with the love of God can neither look upon anything except what pertains to God, nor, by reason of love of Him,
can be satisfied with meditating upon those things which it knows to be pleasing to Him.
1478.
Yet those who have not conceived affection for Him,
nor bear His love lighted up in their mind, are as it were placed in darkness and cannot see light;
1479.
and therefore, even before they begin to learn anything of God,
they immediately faint as though worn out by labour; and filled with weariness,
they are straightway hurried by their own peculiar habits to those words with which they are pleased.
1480.
For it is wearisome and annoying to such persons to hear anything about God;
and that for the reason I have stated, because their mind has received no sweetness of divine love.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER FIFTY ONE
Divisions 1481-1505
Book 3
RECOGNITIONS 3
A deserter from Simon's camp.
1481.
While Peter was thus speaking, the day dawned;
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and, behold, one of the disciples of Simon came, crying out:
1482.
I beseech you, O Peter, receive me, a wretch, that has been deceived by Simon the Magician,
to whom I gave heed as to a heavenly God, by reason of those miracles which I saw him perform.
1483.
But when I heard your discourses, I began to think him a man, and indeed a wicked man;
nevertheless, when he went out from this I alone followed him,
for I had not yet clearly perceived his impieties.
1484.
Yet when he saw me following him, he called me blessed, and led me to his house; and about the middle of the night he said to me,
'I shall make you better than all men, if you will remain with me even till the end.'
1485.
When I had promised him this, he demanded of me an oath of perseverance;
and having got this, he placed upon my shoulders some of his polluted and accursed secret things,
that I might carry them, and ordered me to follow him.
1486.
Yet when we came to the sea, he went aboard a boat which happened to be there,
and took from my neck what he had ordered me to carry.
1487.
And as he came out a little after, bringing nothing with him, he must have thrown it into the sea.
1488.
Then he asked me to go with him, saying that he was going to Rome, and that there he would please the people so much, that he should be reckoned a god, and publicly gifted with divine honours.
1489.
'Then,' said he, 'if you wish to return hither,
I shall send you back, loaded with all riches, and upheld by various services.'
1490.
When I heard this, and saw nothing in him in accordance with this profession, but perceived that he was a magician and a deceiver, I answered:
'Pardon me, I pray you;
for I have a pain in my feet, and therefore I am not able to leave Cæsarea.
1491.
Besides, I have a wife and little children, whom I cannot leave by any means.'
1492.
When he heard this, he charged me with sloth, and set out towards Dora, saying,
'You will be sorry, when you hear what glory I shall get in the city of Rome.'
1493.
And after this he set out for Rome, as he said;
but I hastily returned hither, entreating you to receive me to penitence,
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because I have been deceived by him.
Declaration of Simon's Wickedness.
1494.
When he who had returned from Simon had thus spoken, Peter ordered him to sit down in the court.
1495.
And he himself going forth, and seeing immense crowds, far more than on the previous days, stood in his usual place; and pointing out him who had come, began to discourse as follows:
1496.
This man whom I point out to you, brethren, has just come to me, telling me of the wicked practices of Simon, and how he has thrown the implements of his wickedness into the sea, not induced to do so by repentance, but being afraid lest, being detected, he should be subjected to the public laws.
1497.
And he asked this man, as he tells me, to remain with him, promising him immense gifts;
and when he could not persuade him to do so, he left him, reproaching him for sluggishness, and set out for Rome.
1498.
When Peter had intimated this to the crowd, the man himself who had returned from Simon stood up, and began to state to the people everything relating to Simon's crimes.
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