date

15 Jan y 1816 Not Paul Ch.
15 Jan y 1816

Not Paul

Ch. 4. Paul’s Motives

§. 4. Simon Magus

That by officiating in the character of an Apostle in such sort as to admitt men /proselytes/ into the fellowship of the religion of Jesus profit, pecuniary profit was at that very time to be had seems certain: that that profit was considerable seems highly probable.

When by the prosecution of which Paul under the original name of Saul, Paul was so active an instrument, the flock of Jesus had been scattered (Acts viii 4. 8.) Philip one of the Apostles ‘went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.’ But baptizing /being baptized/ was one thing: receiving the Holy Ghost was another thing. By Philip ‘they were baptized both men and women. But it was not until Peter and John came, sent to them by the rest of the Apostles who notwithstanding the dispersal[?] but just spoken of were still at Jerusalem that they who were baptized received the Holy Ghost.

Here then in the new fraternity, as in the modern fraternity of the Free Masons were degrees more than one. Between these two gradations what was the difference does not appear /is not stated/ any more than /nor yet/ by what causes and considerations this sort of technicality /technical distinction/ so little of a piece with the precepts of Jesus was /had been/ produced.

As to Simon, that he was baptized is stated in express terms. That he moreover received the Holy Ghost is if not directly expressed rendered by implication altogether probable. For by those who had been baptized it is stated in general terms that they /by them/ i.e. by all of them the Holy Ghost was received: therefore in the instance of Simon Magus no exception being mentioned, by him was the Holy Ghost received along with the rest.
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  • Title: [15 Jan y 1816 Not Paul Ch.]
    Description: 15 Jan y 1816

    Not Paul

    Ch. 4. Paul’s Motives

    Simon Magus

    But the mere receipt of the Holy Ghost the object of desire of the commercial speculation was not accomplished.

    Note Of his desire a further and[?] as it appears the ultimate object was - the power of conferring the Holy Ghost: in a word the very power which Philip though an Apostle did not possess, but which by deputation from the rest of the Apostles who were at Jerusalem Simon Magus saw the two Apostles Peter and John exercising.

    To obtain this power it was that this man by trade a sorcerer, and whom Philip found engaged in the exercise /exercising/ /carrying on/ of that his trade and exercising it /carrying it on/ in a most brilliant[?] stile, offered money. Why offer money for it?- For this plain reason, that by the exercise of it he saw that profit was made, and therefore was to be made. To use the language of modern times profit by surplice fees.
  • Title: [1817 Oct. Not Paul Heading]
    Description: 1817 Oct.

    Not Paul

    Heading for

    §. 12 Sorcerer Simon’s

    Offer refused.

    §. 12 Sorcerer Simon - his offer to buy power to confer the Holy Ghost - refused.

    §. 12. Ch VIII Simon the Sorcerer baptized - his offer to purchase the power of conferring the Holy Ghost refused 9 to 24: - Peter’s Speech to him (Speech 8) 20 to 23

    In the account here given of /what is said of/ this Simon, commonly distinguished by the name of Simon Magus, and famous in Church history as being the man, by whom the sin called from him Simony was first attempted to be committed, some /considerable/ instruction is afforded /presented/, and in respect of the correctness of the narrative little ground for doubt /disbelief/.

    The profession of wonder-worker rendered by one word sorcerer was it seems in that age and nation, as one naturally expect /might well be expected/ to find a common one: a little while and we shall find another of the same calling Barjesus, brought by our author upon the stage to be blinded put to shame and confounded.

    In the instance of this bad Samaritan, whatso /notwithstanding the celebrity here reported/ in how flourishing a state so ever it may have been at some antecedent period, it looks as if at this time it was on the decline. Upon the testimony of our author That the Sorcerer was baptized, though it were /be/ upon no better authority than that of our author, we may without much danger of error venture to believe. That he likewise believe seems also possible /not impossible yes/, but not eminently /preponderantly/ probable: to be baptized was to be admitted into the fellowship: and for the whole of his dealings with the Apostle an object not of the religious but of the commercial character is too plainly declared to admitt of doubt /to be questionable/.
  • Title: [1817 Oct r 15 Not Paul Ch.]
    Description: 1817 Oct r 15

    Not Paul

    Ch. Period before Conversion

    § Simon Magus

    II. 4. All filled with the H. G. II. 38. […?] to be baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the H. G.

    1. At the feast of Pentecost on the occasion on which the /of the/ cloven tongues are spoken of, the whole number of believers being stated at 120 they are all of them stated as being filled with the Holy Ghost: and this without any operation performed by any human hand for the production of the effect.

    II. 4

    2. In the same chapter when an assembly is represented as having met an assembly composed of persons not as yet disciples but so numerous that three thousand formed but a part of it then it is that Peter says to them ‘Repent and … be baptized every one of you … and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Was this a promise? /What was meant by this/ the performance of it is not stated. Was it a simple prediction? the fulfilment of it is not stated. In the English it is a promise: in the Greek it may be either: for to the English tongue belongs this great and almost peculiar advantage, that when an event is spoken of as future it may and commonly is and always may be made known without ambiguity whether the speaker does or does not it be or be /is or is/ not the intention of the speaker that he should be regarded as being /having been/ instrumental[?] in the production of it. Promise or prediction it seems not much to the credit of the historian, that after having thus reported the delivery of it, it should not have appeared to him worth while to state the accomplishment of it. On that same day about three thousand is stated as the number of those who were then baptized, and who by receiving this gift thus gave themselves so compleat a title /unquestionable a title/ to the other: yet that they ever received it is not stated. To be sure Neither is the contrary stated: and so thus the matter rests.