Bible Stories and Religious ClassicsWells, Philip P. (Philip Patterson)
Religion
Bible Stories and Religious Classics
Wells, Philip P. (Philip Patterson)
Bible stories, English -- Juvenile literature; Christian literature for children
Claudius the emperor, Peter came to Rome, and sat there twenty-five
years, and ordained two bishops as his helpers, Linus and Cletus, one
within the walls, and that other without. He entended much to preaching
of the Word of God, by which he converted much people to the faith of
Christ, and healed many sick men, and in his preaching always he praised
and preferred chastity. He converted four concubines, of Agrippa the
provost, so that they would no more come to him, wherefore the provost
sought occasion against Peter.
After this, our Lord appeared to St. Peter, saying to him: Simon Magus
and Nero purpose against thee, dread thee not, for I am with thee, and
shall give to thee the solace of my servant Paul, which to-morn shall
come in to Rome. Then Peter, knowing that he should not long abide here,
assembled all his brethren, and took Clement by the hand and ordained
him a bishop, and made him to sit in his own seat. After this, as our
Lord had said tofore, Paul came to Rome, and with Peter began to preach
the faith of Christ.
Simon Magus was so much beloved of Nero that he weened that he had been
the keeper of his life, of his health, and of all the city. On a day, as
Leo the pope saith, as he stood tofore Nero, suddenly his visage
changed, now old and now young, which, when Nero saw, he supposed that
he had been the son of God. Then said Simon Magus to Nero: Because that
thou shalt know me to be the very son of God, command my head to be
smitten off and I shall arise again the third day. Then Nero commanded
to his brother to smite off his head, and when he supposed to have
beheaded Simon, he beheaded a ram. Simon, by his art magic went away
unhurt, and gathered together the members of the ram, and hid him three
days. The blood of the ram abode and congealed. The third day he came
and showed him to Nero, saying: Command my blood to be washed away, for
lo I am he that was beheaded, and as I promised I have risen again the
third day. Whom Nero seeing, was abashed and trowed verily that he had
been the son of God. All this saith Leo. Sometime also, when he was with
Nero secretly within his conclave, the devil in his likeness spake
without to the people. Then the Romans had him in such worship that they
made to him an image, and wrote above, this title: To Simon the holy
God. Peter and Paul entered to Nero and discovered all the enchantments
and malefices of Simon Magus, and Peter added thereto, seeing that like
as in Christ be two substances that is of God and man, so are in this
magician two substances, that is of man and of the devil. Then said
Simon Magus, as St. Marcelle and Leo witness, lest I should suffer any
longer this enemy, I shall command my angels that they shall avenge me
on him. To whom Peter said: I dread nothing thine angels, but they
dread me. Nero said: Dreadest thou not Simon, that by certain things
affirmeth his godhead? To whom Peter said: If dignity or godhead be in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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