Magia Adamica

Thus our Saviour wished the Jews to believe him first for his own sake, and, when that failed, for his works’ sake. But some theologians believe only for Aristotle’s sake: if logic makes a tenet probable, it becomes creed; otherwise it is the Koran. Nevertheless Aristotle himself, who first peddled this merchandise and might take precedence over Ignatius for sophistry in his own conclave, has left us this concession: [New translation of the Greek:] “Opinion and reasoning, for example, admit falsehood.” [Vaughan’s own English rendering:] “Reason is subject to error as well as opinion.” Philoponus, explaining these words of his—[Original marginal note:] “That is, we say that not only science, but also its principle, is something through which we understand the terms”; [New translation of the Latin:] “We say that there is something, not only knowledge but also a principle of knowledge, by which we recognise the terms”—makes this excellent Christian observation: [New translation of the Greek:] “Taking intellect as the principle of knowledge—not our own, but the divine intellect above us—and the terms as intelligible and divine forms.” [Vaughan’s own English rendering:] “Taking the mind as the principle or first cause of knowledge, not our own mind but God’s, which is above us; and taking the terms as intellectual and divine forms.” Thus, according to Aristotle—if you trust the commentator—the divine mind is the first cause of knowledge. For if this mind unfolds itself and sheds its light upon us, we