Chapter LIV.—How Simon Learned from the Law What the Law Does Not Teach.

“Thus then, since he who made man and the world is, according to what the law relates, imperfect, we are given to understand, without doubt, that there is another who is perfect.  For it is of necessity that there be one most excellent of all, on whose account also every creature keeps its rank.  Whence also I, knowing that it is every way necessary that there be some one more benignant and more powerful than that imperfect God who gave the law, understanding what is perfect from comparison of the imperfect, understood even from the Scripture that God who is not mentioned there.  And in this way I was able, O Peter, to learn from the law what the law did not know.  But even if the law had not given indications from which it might be gathered that the God who made the world is imperfect, it was still possible for me to infer from those evils which are done in this world, and are not corrected, either that its creator is powerless, if he cannot correct what is done amiss; or else, if he does not wish to remove the evils, that he is himself evil; but if he neither can nor will, that he is neither powerful nor good.  And from this it cannot but be concluded that there is another God more excellent and more powerful than all.  If you have aught to say to this, say on.”