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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition

Thomas Vaughan

Magia Adamica

The Antiquity of Magic · With the Complete Coelum Terrae

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Magia AdamicaThe Fall and the First Instruction · Modern English

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The Fall and the First Instruction · Modern English

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Original English

It is most certain that the Hope and Expectation of Man in Matters of Sacrifices, consist in the Thing signified, and not in the Signe it self. For the Material Corruptible shadow is not the Object of Faith but the Spiritual, aeternall Prototype, which answers to it, and makes the dead figure Effectual. The Sacrifices of the Old Testament, and the Elements of the New, can be no way acceptable with God, but inasmuch as they have a Relation to Christ Jesus, who is the great, perfect Sacrifice offered up once for all. It is plain then that Sacrifices were first instituted upon supernatural grounds, for in Nature there is no reason to be found, why God should be pleased with the Death of his Creatures. Nay the very Contrary is written in that Book, for Death both Natural and Violent proceeds not from the pleasure, but from the displeasure of the Creator. I know the learned Alkind builds the efficacie of Sacrifices on a Sympathie of parts with the great world; for there is in every Animal a portion

Modern English

In matters of sacrifice, man’s hope and expectation certainly rest in the thing signified, rather than in the sign itself. The material, corruptible shadow is no object of faith: that object is the spiritual, eternal prototype that answers to it and makes the dead figure effective. The Old Testament’s sacrifices and the New Testament’s elements can be acceptable to God only in relation to Christ Jesus, the great and perfect sacrifice offered once for all. Plainly, then, sacrifices were first instituted on supernatural grounds. No reason can be found in Nature why God should be pleased by the death of his creatures. Indeed, the contrary is written in that book: death, whether natural or violent, proceeds from the Creator’s displeasure, rather than his pleasure. I know the learned al-Kindi bases the efficacy of sacrifices on the sympathy between parts and the great world. For in every animal there is a portion

About This Reading Edition

Thomas Vaughan’s complete 1650 Magia Adamica publication, with all historical preliminaries and the complete appended Coelum Terrae, original and modern English, fresh translations of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, full poems, eight historical marginal notes, the complete recovered printed corrections, 312 annotations and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes), Magia Adamica: or The Antiquitie of Magic, with Coelum Terrae. London: T. W. for H. Blunden, 1650. Governing transcription: EEBO-TCP A64768.0001.001. The Getty Research Institute copy supplies surviving first-edition page images; the 1656 issue supplies explicitly disclosed missing or defective material. The complete shared 1650 errata are recovered from the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica copy of The Man-Mouse.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical text is public domain; the EEBO-TCP Phase I transcription is released under CC0. The supplied 2026 reading, translations and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization.