CHAPTER XXVI

MENANDER THE IMPOSTOR

MENANDER, who succeeded Simon Magus, exhibited himself in his conduct an instrument of diabolical wickedness, not inferior to the former. He, also, was a Samaritan, and having made no less progress in his impostures than his master, revelled in still more arrogant pretensions to miracles; saying that he was in truth the Saviour, once sent from the invisible worlds for the salvation of men; teaching also, that no one could overcome those angels who were the makers of the world, in any other way, than by being first initiated into the magic discipline imparted by him, and by the baptism conferred by him for this purpose. Of which, those who were deemed worthy would obtain perpetual immortality in this life; and being no more subject to death, but continuing here the same, would be exempt from old age, and be in fact immortal. This account may be easily confirmed from Irenæus; but Justin, in the same place where he mentions Simon, also adds the narrative respecting him as follows: “But we know that Menander, who was a Samaritan of the village Caparattæa, becoming a disciple of Simon, and likewise stimulated by the demons, came to Antioch, and deceived many by his magic arts. He persuaded those that followed him, that they should never die. And there are now some of his followers that make a profession of the same thing. It was indeed a diabolical artifice, by means of such impostors assuming the title of Christians, to evince so much zeal in defaming the great mystery of piety by magic arts; and to rend asunder by these means the doctrines of the church respecting the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the dead. Those, however, who called these their saviours, fell away from solid hope.”