Part 70 (2/2)
”After the ascension of _our_ Savior into heaven, the DEVIL brought forth certain men which called themselves G.o.ds, who not only suffered no vexation of you (Romans), but attained unto honor amongst you, by name one _Simon_, a Samaritan, born in the village of Gitton, who (under Claudius Caesar) by the art of _devils_, through whom he dealt, wrought devilish enchantments, was esteemed and counted in your regal city of Rome for a _G.o.d_, and honored by you as a _G.o.d_, with a picture between two bridges upon the river Tibris, having this Roman inscription: '_Simoni deo Sancto_' (To Simon the Holy G.o.d). And in manner all the Samaritans, and certain also of other nations, do wors.h.i.+p him, acknowledging him for their chief G.o.d.”[265:4]
According to accounts given by several other Christian Fathers, he could make his appearance wherever he pleased to be at any moment; could poise himself on the air; make inanimate things move without visible a.s.sistance; produce trees from the earth suddenly; cause a stick to reap without hands; change himself into the likeness of any other person, or even into the forms of animals; fling himself from high precipices unhurt, walk through the streets accompanied by spirits of the dead; and many other such like performances.[266:1]
Simon went to Rome, where he gave himself out to be an ”Incarnate Spirit of G.o.d.”[266:2] He became a favorite with the Emperor Claudius, and afterwards with Nero. His Christian opponents, as we have seen in the cases cited above, did not deny the miracles attributed to him, but said they were done through the agency of evil spirits, which was a common opinion among the Fathers. They claimed that every _magician_ had an attendant evil spirit, who came when summoned, obeyed his commands, and taught him ceremonies and forms of words, by which he was able to do supernatural things. In this way they were accustomed to account for all the miracles performed by Gentiles and heretics.[266:3]
_Menander_--who was called the ”Wonder-Worker”--was another great performer of miracles. Eusebius, speaking of him, says that he was skilled in magical art, and performed _devilish_ operations; and that ”as yet there be divers which can testify the same of him.”[266:4]
Dr. Conyers Middleton, speaking on this subject, says:
”It was universally received and believed through all ages of the primitive church, that there was a number of magicians, necromancers, or conjurors, both among the _Gentiles_, and the _heretical Christians_, who had each their peculiar _demon_ or evil spirit, for their a.s.sociates, perpetually attending on their persons and obsequious to their commands, by whose help they could perform miracles, foretell future events, call up the souls of the dead, exhibit them to open view, and infuse into people whatever dreams or visions they saw fit, all which is constantly affirmed by the primitive writers and apologists, and commonly applied by them to prove the immortality of the soul.”[266:5]
After quoting from Justin Martyr, who says that these _magicians_ could convince any one ”that the souls of men exist still after death,” he continues by saying:
”Lactantius, speaking of certain philosophers who held that the soul perished with the body, says: 'they durst not have declared such an opinion, in the presence of _any magician_, for if they had done it, he would have confuted them upon the spot, by sensible experiments; _by calling up souls from the dead, and rendering them visible to human eyes, and making them speak and foretell future events_.”[267:1]
The Christian Father Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, who was contemporary with Irenaeus (A. D. 177-202), went so far as to declare that it was evil spirits who inspired the old poets and prophets of Greece and Rome. He says:
”The truth of this is manifestly shown; because those who are possessed by devils, even at this day, are sometimes exorcised by us in the name of G.o.d; and the seducing spirits confess themselves to be the same demons who before inspired the Gentile poets.”[267:2]
Even in the second century after Christianity, foreign conjurors were professing to exhibit miracles among the Greeks. Lucian gives an account of one of these ”foreign barbarians”--as he calls them[267:3]--and says:
”I believed and was overcome in spite of my resistance, for what was I to do when I saw him carried through the air in daylight, and walking on the water,[267:4] and pa.s.sing leisurely and slowly through the fire?”[267:5]
He further tells us that this ”foreign barbarian” was able to raise the dead to life.[267:6]
Athenagoras, a Christian Father who flourished during the latter part of the second century, says on this subject:
”We (Christians) do not deny that in several places, cities, and countries, there are some extraordinary works performed in the name of _idols_,” _i. e._, heathen G.o.ds.[267:7]
Miracles were not uncommon things among the Jews before and during the time of Christ Jesus. Casting out devils was an every-day occurrence,[267:8] and miracles frequently happened to confirm the sayings of Rabbis. One cried out, when his opinion was disputed, ”May this tree prove that I am right!” and forthwith the tree was torn up by the roots, and hurled a hundred ells off. But his opponents declared that a tree could prove nothing. ”May this stream, then, witness for me!” cried Eliezar, and at once it flowed the opposite way.[268:1]
Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that _King Solomon_ was expert in casting out devils who had taken possession of the body of mortals.
This gift was also possessed by many Jews throughout different ages. He (Josephus) relates that he saw one of his own countrymen (Eleazar) casting out devils, in the presence of a vast mult.i.tude.[268:2]
Dr. Conyers Middleton says:
”It is remarkable that all the Christian Fathers, who lay so great a stress on the particular gift of _casting out devils_, allow the same power both to the Jews and the Gentiles, _as well before as after our Saviour's coming_.”[268:3]
_Vespasian_, who was born about ten years after the time a.s.signed for the birth of Christ Jesus, performed wonderful miracles, for the good of mankind. Tacitus, the Roman historian, informs us that he cured a _blind man_ in Alexandria, by means of his spittle, and a _lame man_ by the mere touch of his foot.
The words of Tacitus are as follows:
”Vespasian pa.s.sed some months at Alexandria, having resolved to defer his voyage to Italy till the return of summer, when the winds, blowing in a regular direction, afford a safe and pleasant navigation. During his residence in that city, a number of incidents, out of the ordinary course of nature, seemed to mark him as the peculiar favorite of the G.o.ds. A man of mean condition, born at Alexandria, had lost his sight by a defluxion on his eyes. He presented himself before Vespasian, and, falling prostrate on the ground, implored the emperor to administer a cure for his blindness. He came, he said, by the admonition of Serapis, the G.o.d whom the superst.i.tion of the Egyptians holds in the highest veneration. The request was, that the emperor, with his spittle, would condescend to moisten the poor man's face and the b.a.l.l.s of his eyes.[268:4]
Another, who had lost the use of his hand, inspired by the same G.o.d, begged that he would tread on the part affected.
. . . In the presence of a prodigious mult.i.tude, all erect with expectation, he advanced with an air of serenity, and hazarded the experiment. The paralytic hand recovered its functions, and the blind man saw the light of the sun.[268:5]
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