In the Recognitions, attributed to Clement of Rome, and a portion of which, at least, was written about the same time with the Acts, there is a fuller account of this wonderful man. As in the Acts of the Apostles, so in the Recognitions, he appears as the great antagonist of Peter.

The reader may be introduced to Peter at Cæsarea, where he is preparing for a discussion with Simon Magus.

"When the day dawned, which had been fixed for the discussion with Simon, Peter, rising at the first cock-crowing, aroused us also; for we were sleeping in the same apartment, thirteen of us all; of whom, next to Peter, Zaccheus was first, then Sophonius, etc. After these, I (Clement) and Nicodemus, then Niceta and Aquila, who had formerly been disciples of Simon, and were converted to Christ, under the teachings of Zaccheus. Of the women, there was no one present." -[Recognitions, book 2, chapter 1.

Peter then tells them that he has formed the habit of waking in the middle of the night, and lying awake till morning, recalling and arranging in his memory the words of the Lord.

The conversation turning on the coming discussion, Peter wishes to know what kind of a person Simon is. Niceta thinks he will prove to be a formidable antagonist. Aquila gives a full history of Simon, from which it appears, that his father was Antonius, and his mother Rachel. By nation he was a Samaritan, of the Gettones. His profession was that of a magician, yet exceedingly well trained in Greek literature; desirous of glory, and boasting above all the human race.

"So that he wishes to be an exalted person, who is above God the Creator, and to be thought to be the Christ, and to be called 'the Standing one.' He uses this name, as implying that he can never be dis

solved; asserting that his flesh is so compacted by the power of his divinity, that it can endure to eternity."-[Ibid. chs. 3 to 7.

Simon had been a disciple of Dositheus, and became one of the thirty. Aquila proceeds with his story:

"But not long after, he fell in love with that woman whom they call Luna, and he confided all things to us as his friends; how he was a magician, and how he loved Luna, and how, being desirous of glory, he was unwilling to obtain her ingloriously;" but was waiting patiently, when he could have her honorably.

"Yet so if we also would conspire with him, in the accomplishment of his desires.

"Meantime, at the outset, as soon as he was reckoned among the thirty disciples of Dositheus, he began to depreciate Dositheus himself, saying that he did not teach purely or perfectly, and that this was the result, not of ill intention but of ignorance. Dositheus, when he saw that Simon was depreciating him, fearing lest his reputation among men might become obscured, (for he himself was supposed to be the Standing one), moved with rage, when they met as usual at the school, seized a rod and began to beat Simon; but suddenly the rod seemed to pass through his body, as if it had been smoke. On which Dositheus, being astonished said to him, "Tell me if thou art the Standing one; that I may adore thee.' And when Simon assured him that he was, Dositheus, perceiving he himself was not the Standing one, fell down and worshiped him, and gave up his own place as chief to Simon, ordering all the rank of thirty men to obey him; himself taking the inferior place which Simon formerly occupied. Not long after this he died.

"After the death of Dositheus, Simon took Luna to himself, and with her he still goes about, as you see, deceiving multitudes, and asserting that he himself is a certain power, which is above God, the Creator, while Luna, who is with him, has been brought down from the higher heavens. That she is Wisdom, the mother of all things; 'for whom,' says he, 'the Greeks and barbarians, contending, were able, in some measure, to see an image of her; but of herself, as the dweller with the first and only God, they were wholly ignorant."

He then proceeds to relate a miracle which he (Aquila) once saw; Luna being in the tower, and looking out of all the windows of the tower at the same time.

Peter evidently believes what Aquila had related, for he says, "It has been permitted to the wicked one, to use those arts by which the affections of every one toward the true father may be proved." [Bk. 2, chs. 9-18.

THE DISCUSSION.

CHAPTER 19.-Zaccheus enters, saying it is time the disputation commenced, for a great crowd, collected in the court of the house, was awaiting him. Then Peter, having prayed with the brethren, went forth to the court of the house, and when he saw the multitude all looking intently on him, in profound silence, and Simon, "standing like a standard bearer in the midst of them," he commenced:

First he invoked a peaceable discussion. But Simon at once retorted, that Christ said, he came, not to send peace but a sword. Peter replies in the words of Jesus, "Blessed are the peace-makers." Simon continues to comment upon the inconsistency of Christ, if he came not to bring peace, enjoining upon others to keep it.-[Chs. 19 to 27.

Simon announces his position. "I say," said he, "that there are many gods, and that there is one, incomprehensible and unknown to all; that he is the God of all these gods. He then argues for polytheism; saying to Peter, that he will prove it from his own scriptures. He cites Genesis, 3. 5: "On the day ye eat of the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, ye shall be as gods." Also, Gen. 3. 22: "Behold, Adam is become as one of us." Also Gen. 1. 26: "Let us make man after our own image and likeness;" and Gen. 3. 22: “Let us drive him out." Also, Gen. 11. 7: "Come, let us go down, and confound their language;" and Exodus, 22. 28: "Thou shalt not curse the gods," etc. "One of these," says Simon, "was chosen by lot, that he might be the god of the Jews."

But," says he, "it is not of him that I speak; but of that God who is also his God, whom even the Jews themselves do not know. For he is not their God, but the God of those who know him."

Peter has a long disquisition on God, to which Simon replies, that he would refute him from the words of his master, who said no one knew the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son should reveal

him. Yet the god of the Jews was known to Adam, to Enoch, to Noah, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to Moses.-[Chs. 38 to 47. "Remember," Simon urges, "that you said that God has a son; which is doing him wrong; for how can he have a son, unless he is subject to passions, like men or animals? My opinion is, that there is a certain power of the Universe, an ineffable light, whose greatness is to be held to be incomprehensible; of which power, even the maker of the world is ignorant, and Moses the lawgiver, and Jesus, your master."-[Ch. 49.

The reasoning of Simon: That there is one God, who is better than all, from whom all that is, took its beginning; that he must be perfect. That the god who created the world, shows many signs of imperfection. There must, therefore, be a God over him. He argues the imperfection of the god who made the world and man, thus: The many evils in the world which are not corrected, show that its creator is powerless, if he cannot correct what is done amiss; or else, if he does not wish to remove the evils, then he is himself evil; but if he neither can nor will, then he is neither powerful nor good.[Chs. 53, 54.

The disputation was closed for the day.

The audience, of whom there were about 3,000, divided, about onethird going away with Simon, and the rest staying with Peter.

Book 3. The debate is re-commenced next day, and is continued two days longer.-[Chs. 1 to 69. Ante-Nic. Ch. Lib. vol. 3, pp. 240 to 265.

The second day there is some acrimony in the discussion, and some difference as to the questions to be debated.

They discuss the nature of evil, free will, the power of God, etc.

CH. 23.--Simon says, "What I wish to know is this: If what God wishes to be, is; and what he does not wish to be, is not ?" The purport of the answer of Peter is, that some actions depend upon the will of man.

The discussion closed for the day; Simon calling upon Peter each day to show him whether the soul was immortal.

Third day. Simon pressing for evidence of the immortality of the soul, Peter argues in favor of it, because of the necessity of having a day of judgment; since men do not get their deserts in this world.

Simon claims that Peter cannot assert that the soul is immortal, and that he knows if it be proved to be mortal, his religion will fall.

"But Peter, when he heard him speaking thus, grinding his teeth, and rubbing his forehead with his hand, and sighing with a profound grief, said: 'Armed with the cunning of the old serpent, you stand forth to deceive souls.'"-[Ch. 42.

CH. 44.-Peter having offered to prove to Simon, in one sentence, that the soul is immortal, asks him, which is the best evidence, hearing or seeing? Simon answers seeing. Peter then tells him to go to his (Simon's) own house, and entering the inner bed-chamber, he would see an image, containing the figure of a murdered boy, clothed in purple.

Simon hearing this, was smitten in his conscience, changed color, and became bloodless. He then proposed to become a convert; thinking Peter possessed the power of divination. Peter disabused him and admitted that he had only stated what he had been informed of, and spake "what he knew, and not what he foreknew."

Thereupon Simon, seeing himself betrayed, went from one extreme to another, and becoming fairly furious with anger, burst forth as follows:

"I stood by and spoke with you in my goodness, and bore patiently with you. But now, I shall show you the power of my divinity, so that you shall quickly fall down and worship me. I am the first power, who am always, and without beginning. But having entered into the womb of Rachel, I was born of her as a man, that I might be visible to men. I have flown through the air; I have mixed with fire, and been made one body with it; I have made statues to move; I have animated lifeless things; I have made stones bread; I have flown from mountain to mountain; I have moved from place to place, upheld by angels' hands, and have lighted on the earth. Not only have I done these things, but even now I am able to do them; that by facts I may prove to all, that I am the Son of God, enduring to eternity, and that I can make those who believe on me, endure in like manner forever. But your words are all vain; nor can you perform any real works. (Such as I have mentioned.) He also who sent you is a magician, who yet could not deliver himself from the suffering of the cross."