PROLOGUE

...desire This sentence continues from the previous page, contrasting worldly logic with divine wisdom., the proud and the wise of the world they reject, while the little ones and the humble in heart they embrace and nourish. They utterly mock syllogisms and human deductions, since there is no prior principle of divinity, and nothing precedes it by which it could be proven otherwise.

The Areopagite Hence, according to the witness of the Areopagite original: "Areopagita"; refers to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, a highly influential mystical theologian., it is only lawful to ascend to divine things as far as the ray of divine speech has suggested itself; for it offers itself to be perceived only by those whose minds have been purged. Therefore, if outsiders referring to non-Christian philosophers. studied with all care to remove the distractions that cloud the soul so that they might perceive even the smallest spark of divine things, how much more should those to whom divine utterances and the highest mysteries sacramenta: in this context, "sacramenta" refers to hidden divine mysteries or sacred secrets rather than just the liturgical sacraments. of things have been entrusted seek the purification of the soul with all zeal?

The Brahmans For the Brahmans original: "Brachmanae"; ancient Indian philosophers often cited by Renaissance writers as examples of ascetic wisdom. admitted no one to their wisdom unless they abstained from wine and meat, and above all from vices, so that they might emulate God Himself—whom they desired to understand—through a divine way of life. Pharaotes Philostratus Likewise among the lower Indians, Pharaotes taught this, if we believe Philostratus Philostratus authored the "Life of Apollonius of Tyana," which discusses Indian philosophy..

Lysides Lysides the Pythagorean, also writing to Hipparchus, teaches that it is not at all pious to share the mysteries of true philosophy (which indeed savors of the divine) with those who have not even dreamed of the purification of the soul. Hierocles For neither can a bleary and unclean eye (as Hierocles A 5th-century Neoplatonist. drew from the storehouses of the ancients who followed these paths) gaze upon things that are too bright. Nor can someone newly devoted to sacred things, if not well initiated, immediately perceive those divine illuminations; for one just awakened from sleep cannot immediately contemplate bright objects.

The soul must therefore be accustomed to beautiful studies and gradually purified until the Divine light begins to shine through, and our intellect stands out within us (as Plotinus Plotinus The 3rd-century founder of Neoplatonism. says), which may join the soul to the Father and to the true light, and place it unmixed within the understandings of the Creator. Proclus Let light also (says Proclus A late Neoplatonist who emphasized the hierarchy of being.) be joined to light—not of the sort they claim belongs to the sciences, but something more beautiful and more unified.

Here, Abraham, the leaders of the chosen family, and the teachers of true wisdom were gathered with God; having been made "gods," A reference to the concept of "theosis" or "deification," where the soul becomes like God through grace and contemplation. they were powerfully elevated to receive 그 light. This light, which is most remote from mortals, the dark-minded Jews considered a scandal and the impious Gentiles considered foolishness; but to eyes that have been illuminated, it appeared as a most beautiful radiance and the true storehouse of all treasures and of the most perfect wisdom.

Hence, with great constancy and even at the risk of their lives, they attempted to defend it with their whole soul. Paul To these treasures also (as Paul teaches) one arrives not through philosophy—that is, this empty fallacy handed down by men—but it is perceived by that light through which, ascending from glory to glory, we are finally transformed into the same image of Him who is the splendor of the Father and His true image.

But since the number of the enlightened who can receive that glowing light is very small, I think that those who desire to be initiated in this way should be led through those paths by which they can more easily be prepared to perceive that supreme light. These paths, without doubt, lead through these visible things to the invisible things of God, based on their harmonic kinship...