Chapter XXXVI.—Altercation.

Then said Simon:  “Do not repeat again and again your talk of peace, but expound briefly what it is that you think or believe.”  Peter answered:  “Why are you afraid of hearing frequently of peace? for do you not know that peace is the perfection of law?  For wars and disputes spring from sins; and where there is no sin, there is peace of soul; but where there is peace, truth is found in disputations, righteousness in works.”  Then Simon:  “You seem to me not to be able to profess what you think.”  Then Peter:  “I shall speak, but according to my own judgment, not under constraint of your tricks.  For I desire that what is salutary and profitable be brought to the knowledge of all and therefore I shall not delay to state it as briefly as possible.  There is one God; and He is the creator of the world, a righteous judge, rendering to every one at some time or other according to his deeds.⁶²⁹⁶²⁹    [The discussion in the Homilies is represented as virtually beginning with this statement of the Apostle; comp. Homily III. 37.  The arguments here, however, are given with greater detail.—R.]  But now for the assertion of these things I know that countless thousands of words can be called forth.”