date

15 Jan y 1816 Not Paul Ch.
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.
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  • Title: [15 Jan y 1816 Not Paul Ch.]
    Description: 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.
  • Title: [1817 Oct r 15 Not Paul Ch Period]
    Description: 1817 Oct r 15

    Not Paul

    Ch Period before Conversion

    Simon Magus

    Be all this as it may, that /an observation/ /a circumstance/ which belongs more particularly to the present purpose is - that here, full in the eyes of Paul, was a source of profit pecuniary profit already open - profit for the hope of which a wonder-worker who had been and for aught appears still was carrying on his business with brilliant success was /had been/ content to give it up: and this without any field of action to operate in more extensive than that which was afforded by the Jewish language: whereas Paul saw open to his labours a field comprizing what in his eyes covered the whole extent of the civilized world that which was afforded by the then universally diffused language - the Greek: that field which we have seen /shall see/ him actually cultivating and with such brilliant /unprecedented/ success.

    To those in whose eyes the Apostles themselves are but /no better than/ impostors, another interpretation will of course present itself: viz: that between the one Simon and the other there was an understanding, and that it was for the purpose of heightening /exalting/ in the eyes of the multitude the value of the gift - the gift not merely /only/ of conferring the Holy Ghost /object/ but that of possessing it that the rejection and the indignation displayed on the occasion was manifested.

    But it is manifest how odious /invidious/ a supposition to any such effect would be, nor does any necessity appear to call for it.
  • Title: [16 Jan y 1816 Not Paul Ch.]
    Description: 16 Jan y 1816

    Not Paul

    Ch. 4 Paul’s Motives

    §. 4. Simon Magus

    That, according to the account given of the matter in the Acts, the occupation /situation/ which he saw thus carried on by these commissioners of /from/ the Apostles, and by which his concupiscence was excited, was in this sorcerer’s view of the matter a source of no inconsiderable profit, seems out of dispute. ‘From the least to the greatest’ ‘the people of Samaria all gave heed to’ him - saying - ‘This man is the great power of God.’ And to him they had regard why? - ‘because it was /that of/ of long time that he had bewitched them with sorceries.’ This being the case, with a view to what end was it that he could be desirous of receiving participation of this power? Was it mere respect and reputation /illustration/? No. To the principal persons from whom had his proposals been accepted he would have received his commission - to them would all the glory have passed on, this glory of which while he continued practising in his character of sorcerer, he himself was the sole recipient. Money therefore and nothing else was the object of his speculation money and nothing else: that money /profit/ /harvest/ in the reaping of which he saw these Commissioners of the Board of Apostles so sucessfully engaged.

    Acts viii. 10.