Starres haue three proper names Some are called retrograde some progressiue others stationarie The sect of physicians is threefold Empirick found out by Philinus Coos Prince of that sect methodicall brought into a Compendium by Themison Laodiceus the Syrian rationall made persect by Hippocrates There bee three affections besides nature The cause preceding the disease the disease by which the action is first corrupted Symptomies which follow the disease Diseases happen commonly in three parts of the body In the Similarie parts in the instrumentall in both of them The first is called a morbous dispositure where the first qualities or elements deflect something from their naturall symmetrie The second is an euill constitution which some tearme an officiall disease The third is a dissolution of vnity and continuity Euerie purging medicament according to Hippocrates Rule must conteyne these three qualities It must worke quickly safely pleasingly There are three theologicall vertues three Charites three kindes of Councells generall prouinciall Episcopall according to Canus diuision There bee three regions of the ayre That which is lowest and neerest to the earth beeing hot and cold that which is composed of raine snowe haile which is cold and moist the last participating of those higher bodies called The highest region which is hot There are three exhalations or impressions of the ayre mentioned by Myzaldus That part of astrologie wee call Dioptick comprehendeth three things The intercapedines of Sunne Moone and Starres The Astrolabe inuented by Ptolomie if wee beleeue Synesius for some will haue it not so antient appertaineth to this science Ciuill gouernment consisteth of three Regnum Optimates Respub Her excesse conteyneth three likewise Tyrannie Oligarchie Democracie Plato diuides it into three as the soule of man By reason he intimateth philosophers by anger souldiers by couetousnes artificers The art Optick is diuided into three One searcheth out the cause of visible things which through a certaine kinde of distance are thought vntrue as when lines alternall doe concurre among themselues and those quadrate angles are intercepted The second called Catoptick is occupied about inflexions altogether The third called Scenographie discerneth by what meanes abnumerous and deformious things may be feined in Images which are seene for their distance and altitudes sake Some part of it vseth lines and angles concerning the sight proiections of beames shadowes figurations of light glasses planes globous collumnarie turbinall hollow conuex and so forth treated of by Vitruvius and others Our stile wee write with especially in an history ought to bee fuse contimuous peryodicall There is a threefold habitacle of the soule heauenly spirituall earthly prefigured vnto vs if wee beleeue those antient Magi by their threefold vestiment made of linnen woollen leather which Adam made him after hee was thrust out of Paradise Zoroastres dreamed of a threefold Fast in these words Adhuc tres diessacrificabitis et non vltra By which some goe about to interprete the comming of our Sauiour to the last Iudgement Eudoxus an antient Astronomer attributeth to the Sunne three sphears to the Moone as many The first carrieth the South-pole from the East into the West by a diurnall motion The second driueth the South from the West into the East vnder the Zodiack according to his longitude from one signe into another and it is called the motion of longitude The third carrieth the South from the West into the East vnder the Zodiack according to his latitude as the South declineth from the Ecclyptick and this is called the motion of latitude Philo vseth three words by which are declared many symboles Image Abscision Eradiation But these beeing well vnderstood are no other then a symbole with that Chaldean proprietie with Salomon image with Moses delibation with Cicero where hee faith Animos nostros haustos et delibatos ex diuinitate And in his Tusculane questions hee speaketh more clearely Humanos animos decerpi ex mente diuind Making indeed which is admirable in an heathen Philosopher the diuine minde which is God the Originall of our soule These heauenly bodies are three in Number Shining as the Sunne not shining as other Starres and Planets hauing but a borrowed light Diaphanous or transparant as all the celestiall Sphears There be three things which make the intention of heat The greatnes of light densitie and propinquitie The mouing of the Starres differs three manner of wayes From their motion swifter or flower for that some haue more need of waight then others haue from the site of that region wherein they are moued The circles of the Sunne haue three different appellations streight locall oblique the Greekes call them Zodiackes the Latines Signifers Bernard holds that grace consisteth in three things Hatred of things past contempt of things present desire of things to come God made the world by willing vnderstanding by his immutable counsell in which there wanteth nothing towards the workmanship thereof beauty and perfection Though there bee three Persons in the Trinity equall in eternity maiesty and power yet the Sonne is rather the Image of his Father than the holie Ghost according to the opinion of some Diuines There are three distinctions of intelligences The first conteyneth the Cherubin in the goodnes of the Almighty the Seraphin in his veritie and essence Thrones in his Wisdome and equity The second hath Dominations commanding that which others are to doe principalities caring for publique matters as heads of the people and such as resist the power of others who oppose themselues against the Law of God The inferior sort contayne vertues gouerning of the heauens now and then conspiring together to worke miracles as Arch-angels obseruers of diuine worship or Angels that are keepers of others Which order beeing six in the whole some call doctrinall tutelar procuratorie ministeriall auxiliarie receptiue or assistiue There bee three Hierarchies of Angels appointed vnto the seruice of God and safety of men Zanchius a learned Diuine alloweth different offices but no diuersitie of Hierarchies in those Angels The perfect worke of Angels consisteth in three things To contemplate to administer to bee as Ambassadors Messengers Prophets There is a threefold mobility in Angels Of nature intelligence will Of nature because euery thing creaeed turneth into nothing if it bee not guided by the hand of Gods omnipotencie Of vnderstanding reaching vnto the knowledge of things and such as they shall vtter Of will because they will not doe this and that at one instant There is a threefold Hierarchie Supercelestiall in the order of nature celestiall in the order Angelicall terrestriall in men Angels haue a threefold knowledge of things in the Word in themselues in the vision of the Almighty Their state is threefold Of innocency of grace of glory Euery motion is threefold circular streight crooked The knowledge of Astrologie in a Physician There are three things neuer asunder Heresie tyrannie and policie There are three singular points in a wise man 1 He neuer telleth a lie in lest or
the whole yeer At an hundred a Goose 〈…〉 I 〈◊〉 from his owne proper source but the day he maketh not perfect without the motion of the first Mouer Ventis compleateth her course in 348 daies Mercury hauing some co-fellowship with the Sunne is different from him but 30 degrees he finisheth his course in 338 daies The Moon goeth through the Zodiack euery Moneth Saturn staieth in euery Signe 30 Moneths whereby it followeth that hee perfecteth his course in thirty yeers Iupiter abideth in each Signe for a whole yeer and so he compleateth his iourney in twelue yeer Mars continues in euery Signe forty daies Nice Cho. thesa orth fide l. 2. c. 9. These are the numerall conjectures of Archimedes and Ptolomey Again if we would knowe the Apocastaticall Reuolutions that is in how many yeers they signifie the worlds continuance vsed by those Grecians it is not possible that it should be done without much skil of numbring no more can we conjecture the greatnes of the Sunne or Moon without the skill of cyphering Some write that the Sunne is ten times greater than the earth if we beleeue Ptolomey it is eightscore times bigger So that to knowe the eleuation of the heauens the site of the Planets the course of the Sunne and Moon their substance their mouings fallings and declinings those which wee call Axes Poles Hemi-sphears Circles Septentrionals Solstices Equinoctials Brumales Australes Signifers Meridians Finitors Colures the twelue Signes with their thirty and fiue Gestamines what is the nature of those Epicycles their breadth and length what is syncentricall what excentricall what schematisms the Sunne and Moon haue what is the fashion of the earth what inclination of the world what variety of shadowes what difference of houres moneths and daies how many Clymates and Zones which are called Antocci and Periocci vnder what Region Antipodes are beeing all properties belonging to sphearicall Astrologie is to haue recourse to the quantity proportion and disproportion of Numbers So that nothing appertains to those higher Orbs nothing to those inferiour Planets nothing vpon the surface of the earth nothing within her hidden bowels and treasures treated of by our Alchymists but proceedeth from the Art of numbring I will dwell no longer vpon these Speculatiues but with a touch or two as touching other knowledges will take an end Neither can we â—â—â—de out the diuision distinction of of each chapter or sentence in the Bible without numbring Some hold that the Arithmencall partition of those Chapters is not very antient For 500 yeers ago or thereabout among the Hebrews and Greeks there was no place of diuine Scripture numerously cited besides the Psalms which had their numbers euen from the Apostles time as may be gathered out of the Acts of the Apostles Xâ—â— Senâ— Bâ—llio 〈◊〉 3. Without the experience of numbring we cannot learn those Hebrew Sabbath-daies mentioned in sacred Scripture those Paynime Festiuall-daies the vse of holy daies those Ægyptian daies esteemed among those antient Magicians as planetarian or heauenly dispositures such as among the Romans were called Ante diem quartum Nonas Sextilis numbred for blank daies as the 17 day of Iune among the Hebrewes the ninth of Iuly and the day wherein Moses brake the Tables Manasses crected idols into Sancta Sanctorum the wals of Hierusalem were broken that time wherein both destructions of the Temple were permitted the vse of the Iulian yeer the Spanish Era the Gregorian Calendar with many other singular obseruations meerly belonging to this Art From hence if wee go to the Art called Magia which as Picus writeth certifieth vs more of Christ's Diuinity than any other Art we cannot proceed heerin without the curious inquisition of Numbers for what is all this Art but the Art of numbring seeing it consisteth of naturall formall and rationall computation both in naturall and diuine things And these Numbers they stick not to call The Numbers of Numbers wherein Ioachim the Abbat was found most skilful Neither can their Characters vpon whom they stand so much hauing a certain community with those celestiall Radiations to vse their owne tearm consist without numbring Of which Picus writeth Plus posse characteres figuras in opere Magico quà m possit quaecunque materialis qualitas Last of all how shall a man knowe that Antiqnum accedat ab aue aeuum is next to eternity eternity is next to God who raigneth and ruleth beyond all eternity being called The Antient of daies by Daniel hauing all times and seasons vnder his power How can a man bee acquainted with the degrees of those 12 Signes mentioned before in what points and minutes they consist what interuallum there is betwixt the shadow and the Sunne how many houres and daies there bee in the whole yeer for how maâ—â— yeers continuance the world shall last except he knowe what it is to number Out of all which premises we may gather that the vse of numbring is so large so copious so vniuersall that by the help of it alone without the supply of other Arts a man may finde out the nature of propagation from Zaratas Pythagoras school-master Besides all there and many others a man cannot know the proportion and symmetry of Salomon's temple described by so many old and new Writers no not the increment and decrement of the Riuer Nilus without the Art of Numbring wherof read more in Po. Virg. l. 1. c. 18 what is addition substraction multiplication vsed among our Arithmeticians what is a Monade a Diade a Cube a Square a Triangle a Circle a Figure frequent among Geometricians what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among Musicians what Phythagoras meant by One and Two taking number for the minde of man and how hee attributeth to Numbers all kinde of vertues how that Themistius Boetius and Auerroys extoll them so that they affirm No man is able rightly to play the Philosopher without them how that to finde out the Secrets of Numbers lineally superficially and corporally is To knowe the formall compositure of the soule the sympathy of the whole world and how a way may be made to all kinde of natural and supernatural Prophecy how a man may diue into the nature of Oracles haue familiarity with Angels and lastly how a man may safely and compendiously attain to the knowledge study and practice of any science whatsoeuer So that to conclude this Chapter In things corporeall there is nothing more diuine than the minde of man in things separate nothing more excellent than Numbers CHAP. II. The definition of Numbers Diuision Antiquity what is that which is not comprehended vnder them NVmber called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Themistius desinition is not onely that thing which is composed of Vnities but the thing it self which is numbred Para. in 4. lib. physicor so that many times the things numbred are taken for the Numbers themselues It is diuided into two kindes formall and specificall Some
quatuor vnumquâ—dque regit ac durat ducentos annos vt cumtrigonum igneum incipit supernae planetae suam coniunctionem semper habent in ignto signo donec trigonum hoc durabit Sâ—c de reliqais Paracelsus The breadth is diuided by the line of the Germane sea from the sea Herculean led vnto the gulfe called Isicus and afterwards to the East of the Promontorie back wards which line separateth the North part from the South But the line from the gulfe of Arabia led through the Aegean sea the puddle of Pontus and Meotides parteth the East and the West So that there are foure quadrants according to the trigonous Number the first called Celtick the second the South part of Asia the third the North part of Asia the fourth the West part of Aethiopia according to the opinion of Ptolomie a most diligent Interpreter of the heauens and their motions Now although among the Antients there was but a threefold diuision of the earth contayning foure quadrants yet in desciphring her different qualities site temperature signes wee see how needfull the vse of Numbring is By later inuention another part of the world is found out which will make this Number more compleat then euer it was There are 4 properties of speaking belonging to 4 seuerall kingdomes expressed thus in Latine Galls cantant Itali caprizant Germani vlulant Angli iubilant There bee foure animall faculties in mans body according to Plato's dimension Attractiue retentiue alteratiue expulsiue Vertues of those heauenly motions and force of the Starres are knowne foure manner of waies By the coldnes or moysture of the earth by the temperature of the heauens by the coniunction of the elements by the secret power of hearbes plants stones and metals wherein the facultie of those Paracelsians chiefly consisteth There is a quadripartite partition of creatures in Plato For God looking back to the Idea of his minde hath produced foure kind of liuing things Those which he calleth lesser Gods or heauenly mindes ayerie creatures aquatill and terrestriall Death is terrible to 4 sorts of men 1 To infidels that look for no resurrection 2 To the welthy and rich man 3 To them that neuer tasted of the Crosse 4 To them that are strong and youthfull Aristotle in his booke Degeneratione animalium if he be soundly vnderstood doth not altogether disagree in this point There be foure principall parts in mans body Animall vegetall sensitiue rationall There be foure instruments of motion spirits first sinnewes next muscles or the instrumentall parts of the back the whole body last There be foure Crises which Physicians ought not to be ignorant of Simple deficient euill imperfect and euill both A Physician ought to be skilled in foure things whereby hee may know those Crises the better The foure seasons of each disease the beginning increment declination vigor Whereto if he adde the inspection of the vrine I dare assure him an excellent Physician For of those diseases which happen in the liuer and betwixt the veines there is no certaine signe to be had but from the vrine Which is no other then an excrement of bloud in the hollow veine brought through the reynes and vrinarie passages into the bladder Foure things must be considered in the vrine There be 4 seasons or discrimined times touching the frame of the infant in the mothers bellie handled by Leuinus Lemnius Lib. de miranatu 4. cap. 23. consistencie heat quantitie contents The good vrine will bee knowne by these foure properties If it be mediocrous of substance answerable to the portion which it receiueth of a subrufe and subflauous colour hauing his sediment white light equall In a captaine there are foure things required knowledge experience authoritie fortune In warre foure things must be had money weapons store of prouision and artillery There be foure parts of diuine Philosophy The first entreateth of God according to the worke of his vocation or predestination the second of God There bee 4 things which driue away a friend without recouerie Eccles 22. To blaspheme him to disdain him to open his secrets to wound him traiterously as far as his power shineth in the effect of his creation the third of God as far as his wisdome surmounteth in the worke of our Redemption the fourth of God as far as his goodnes or clemencie shineth in the worke of our glorification There were foure Riuers compassing Paradise shewing the fertility of that place Ganges Tygris Euphrates Nilus There be foure lawes bearing the names of foure Gods Saturnian Iouian Fatall Adrastian Eudoxus mentioned before giueth to euery planet besides the Sunne and Moone foure spheares The first causeth diurnall motion the second the motion of longitude vnder the Zodiack the third Ecclyptica linea est qua media Zâ—diacâ— latitudinem diuidit ita vt gradus sint virinque sex Zodiacus gradus 12. latus conâ—inet Sub Ecclyptica linea ebliqua moue ur Luna Epâ—â—ycius quid sit vide Peâ—rum Aliâ—ce sem de sphara the motion of latitude as it declines from the Ecclyptick or toward the South and North the fourth which letteth that the planet goeth not but according to her meanes of latitude in the Zodiack and that shee may not reach to the poles of the Zodiack For as the Zodiack goeth by the poles of the third sphere so the third sphere deferring the planet according to the motion of latitude passeth through the poles of the Zodiack Lest therefore according to the probable opinion of Astrologers the third sphear may bring the planet beyond the Zodiack there is giuen a fourth which driueth her towards the Ecclyptick whose poles Aristotle if we beleeue Eudoxus assigneth not There are foure kindes of rights naturall ciuill nationall militarie Euery element hath foure properties The fire is hot lucid penetrating subtile in the greatest degree The ayre humid Time may be ill spent in learning 4 manner of wayes 1 If a man preferre Appendices before the substance of things 2 If a man confound arts without order 3 If a man reade all things and will be euery where 4 If a man reade or practise that which is not agreeable to his profession transparant subtile light in the lesser The water is cold white thick ponderous in the same The earth is drie black thick and waighty in the greatest God hath foure excellent attributes he is infinite incomprehensible incircumscriptible eternall Gods name is expressed vnto vs in foure Hebrew letters Mem Zade Pe Sade which some Rabbines appropriate to Dauids Kingdome And it is written so because this Number is euen and perfect and God is said to haue no imperfection in him Besides the Persians doe write the name of God with foure letters signifying the perfection of his diuinity The Wisards of Persia called Magi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabes Alla the Assyrians Adad the Ægyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from running
truth diligence That which the Paracelsians call Antimonie hath twelue excellent preseruatiues The first is called Panchreston helping many euill affections Pantagogon fit to purge all kinde of humors Theodoretum There be thirteene mathematicall instruments cited by Posse Biblio Selec To. 2. cap. 9. for his diuine help 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his efficacie in preseruing of health Soterion an wholsome medicament Lysippyreton extinguishing all kinde of hot agues Theodoton a remedy giuen vs from God Theopempton sent from God Panareton endued with all kinde of vertue Polychreston good for many things Isochryson which is to be equalled with gold Lysiponon mitigating all kinde of paine and griefe There be 18 kindes of pthongs in musick treated of by Prolomy â—uchde and others There bee fourteene externe chanels or passages in mans head according to some Anatomists Vnder the seuenteene those seuenteene humors mentioned by Cardan may be represented Zoroastres dwelt in the wildernesse twenty yeeres Moses in his booke of Genesis instructed from God himselfe entreateth of twenty two high and profound poynts such as were neuer handled by any Phylosopher Iew or Gentile Polidor Virgil maketh mention of twenty seuerall nations which worshipped twenty strange gods The beginning of the world God principles of humane things that we call Chaos Deep darknes waters Arid hearbes plants Sunne Moone Starres beastes man the soule intelligent Angels Deluge Gyants Towre of Babel diuision of Tongues and so forth All these things and much more he hath written in such a stile and character that those antient Hebrewes Greekes and Latines L b. 1. cap. 1. haue wond ed at his writing So that some haue not sticked to call him Gods Secretary taking pen in hand to write by his appoyntment There are twenty two Hebrew Letters according to the Number of those Latine Elements There be twenty foure propheticall books called Canonicall according to the Greeke Alphabet Twenty foure Elders are mentioned in the Apocalypse There were twenty foure famous Physicians of Arabia whose names are these alphabetically set downe in this wise Aboal Achme sonne to Abraham Agazo Asal Albumazar Albuer Ammuram Anicenna Auerrois Auenzoar Ebezenzar Elabin Hunim Hamech Elengezar Haly Abbas Saint Hierom affirmes that the Hebrewes made them a Cytharen consisting of 24 strings to the forme of Δ. Epist ad Darda de instru music Haly sonne of Abbas Isaac Abenamaram Mesne Rabi Razis Sabor sonne of Zuzer King of Medoram Serapio Xirase King of Med. It seemeth by this that Physick was in great request in those times seeing Kings were not onely Patrones but chiefe professors of that Æsculapian Science which now by vnskilfull Empiricks and methodians is taken in hand to the great reproach of that worthy and learned study Out of the Text of Scripture and Denuis Areopagite as also from some School-men it will easily be proued that hell hath twenty foure seuerall and distinct punishments Heat of fire a gnashing of teeth darknes smoke weeping sadnesse aspect of diuels crying ariditie thirst sulphureous smell the worm of conscience bands prison fear grief shame enuy rancor want of diuine vision the taking away all hope of redeÌ„ption Andra. Lau. Anato lib. 5. cap. 8. proteruous phantasie mad concupiscence irascible furie The twenty fift Number is famous for this in that there bee so many interne holes or creuises in the head of a man according to the probable computation of some Anatomists The twenty seuenth is a solid Nùber consisting of three times nine spoken of before vnder which progression Huga de S. Victore concludeth the quaterne faculties of the soule The thirtith Number is not without some secret vertue being a triplication of the denarie neither doth it want his signification There are 30 Ornaments required in a faire Virgin expressed elegantly in verse by Cornigerus which were found in Helena of Troy Silua nuptial.pagina 182. because in the space of thirty dayes the Sunne runneth his course through the twelue parts of the Zodiack touched before in this Chapter His extendure is famous for those thirty antient Ciuill Lawyers whose bookes are mentioned in the Pandects of Iustinian the Emperor Their seuerall names are also recorded by that excellent Scholar and Latinist Angelus Politian There bee thirty two teeth in a mans head by consent of all Anatomists on both cheekes equally diuided But it is strange that most men should haue so many and others so few Some write that Enripheus Cyrenens and Phirrus that was King of Epirontes Epis lib 5. Epis 11. had but one tooth in their vppermost jawe and that Direphna daughter to Mithridate wanted both rowes of teeth An Lau. Anato lib. 5. cap. 12. In Hercules and others a threefold chest was found But this was beyond the ordinary course of nature The Zodiack hath thirty fiue burdens called in Latine Gestamina But there is no Number more famous in the Scripture then the fortith Number God made the raine to fall forty dayes together on the earth Christ made the raigne of our saluation to abide forty houres together vpon the earth after his Passion M. Vigerius de cha christia according to the Symbole of that learned Cardinall Moses tooke the Law vpon mount Sina for forty dayes Christ in forty houres went away Conqueror ouer heauen earth and hell Helias fed with one morsell of bread came in forty dayes to the Mount of Oreb Christ fed with the Martyrdome of his Crosse after forty houres expired came from darknes to life againe Christ againe did fast forty dayes in the desart and ouercame Satan Now for the further explaining of this some hold that the soule of Christ remained separated from his body forty houres taking them from three dayes For he suffered about the vernall Equinoct that is at that time when the dayes and nights are of one length and about the middle of the day he let goe his spirit So that hee died six houres before the Sunne went downe because in the time of the Equinoctiall if the day haue twelue houres the middle of the day hath six before Sunne-set He was buried about the completorie houre that is about the going downe of the Sunne He staied in his Sepulcher an whole night going before the Sabbath day and the whole day of the Sabbath which contayne in them twenty foure houres In the morning going before the Dominicall day which was the third day of his death he rose againe The morning goeth for two houres before the Sunne riseth So that wee must beleeue his body remained in the graue on that third day for the space of tenne houres Now six houres of the day of his death and twenty foure of the whole Sabbath day make full thirty Adde tenne houres more of the night following the third day and they make vp iust fotty Therefore the soule of Christ was separated from his body for the space of forty houres that is six before his buriall and after that
the Chapter going before Now Isaas was born of this seed which some write with six elements agreeable to the promise couched in six words Otherwise it may signifie those six places he dwelt in Canaan Ægypt Gerar Beersheba Sodome and the Caue wherein he was buried for the graue in many places of the Bible is called An house or dwelling by a metaphor much vsed among the Hebrews Besides these there are proper Names belonging to God which either diuided into Numbers by parting of their clements or without Numbers haue secret and mysticall significations Which beeing seuen in number Septenarius nusmerus est omnium aliorum perfectisimus As touching the signification of these words see more in Lemnius exhor ad vitam optim insh cap. 59. according to the septenarie perfection it is admirable to tell what they signifie in the Hebrew Tongue The first is Eloth signifying GOD. The second Eloi as much as to say My God The third El which if it be pronounced with a thin aspiration it signifieth God if with a sharp one that is strong or valiant The fourth is Adonai signifying Lord. The fift Sabbath that is Lord of the Sabbath some others interpret it Lord of vertues The sixt Saddai that is apt or potent The seuenth Am which is a name ineffable according to that spoken to Moses I am that I am or My Name is from one generation to another The Greeks call this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wanting vowels or syllables The Samaritanes called him Iube The erth fiddib 2. cap. 29. not knowing the force and etymologie of that word as you may reade in Nicetas from whom I haue borrowed this interpretation Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek is not without his numerall application For whether you will haue him called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Hee that is signifying his essence or Bonus because it is the proper appellation of God saith Denuis or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by his course or ambite hee containeth all things both in heauen and earth or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God is called A consuming fire in Scripture because he consumeth the tents of the wicked from burning making all a quadruple Etymon it cannot be but that vnspeakable mysteries are contained vnder these appellations Now the words Good just holy being but his attributes represent his nature well but not his essence which to speak truely is ineffable To call him Lord King and so forth signifieth his habite to things opposite because his power stretcheth from foure denominations Hee is Lord vnto those who are subject to his dominion King to others who are vnder his gouernment Creator of all things created Pastor ouer those whom he feedeth Wee will come now to the Apocalypse to see what secret Numbers wee can finde there There is no place of the old and new Testament that affordeth such plenty The first Number is α and ω representing the duall number Chap. 1. ver 3. which I haue vnfolded in our fourth chapter Seuen Churches of Afia are not without a mystery Verse 11. which some will haue to be an Antitype of our Protestant Churches Helvetia Swizerland Geneva France Flandirs Scotland England how truely according to historical narration let others indifferently consider For my part I dare not contradict them seeing the spirits of former Prophets according as hath been fore-prophecied must be subject to those later And in prophecying we finde it true as well as in other learning which One saith Semper deprehendit posterior atas quod non vidit prior Seuen Candlesticks signifie seuen Churches 13 By those seuen Starres 16 are vnderstood 7 famous Doctors of the Primitiue Church C. 3. v. 1. Seuen Spirits represent those seuen distinctions of gifts abounding in those seuen Churches mentioned before By tenne daies C. 2. v. 10. are mystically vnderstood ten yeers and those ten yeers make a type of the ten-yeers persecution vnder Traian the Emperor C. 3. v. 12 By the word Hierusalem is meant a twofold Hierufalem One in this life when the Church of God shall come to his perfection and purity anon after the fall of Antichrist the other an heauenly Hierusalem where the soules shall rest symbolizing two Sabbaths mentioned in our fourth Chapter C. 4. v. 3 By the Iasper stone Sardine and Rain-bowe are represented the three Persons of the Trinity The Iasper signifieth the Father Sardine the Sonne Rain-bowe the holy Ghost Foure beasts signifie foure ages of men wherein the Gospell shall be preached 8 others apply them to foure principall teachers in God's Church C. 7. v. 1. By foure Augels are meant these 4 Contention ambition heresie warre 〈◊〉 which are foure messengers sent from God to punish the earth And all these proceed from foure corners of the earth that is Contention from the East ambition from the West heresie from the South war from the North. What could be more contentious than the Eastern or Greeke Church What more ambitious than the Roman who hath enricht herselfe with the spoils of other Churches As touching the South parts it could not be but much heresie preutiled there seeing Pelagius the Monk came from thence Concerning the North it hath euer been a Pronetb Ab Aquilome awnemalum By those Numbers of Tribes C. 7. v. 4. is meant not onely the calling of the Iewes but of the Gentiles C. 8. v. 10. By the great Starre which fell from heauen is meant Arrâ—us who with his bitter heresie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath corrupted the Fountains that is the pure and incorrupted water of God's Word By the second Star is vnderstood the Pope or Mahomer which you will Those two Witnesseâ— signifie the two Testaments In that it is said C. 11 v. 3 V. 18 The Gentiles were angry wee may finde the Papall malice truely represented furiously enraging against two worthy instruments of God's Church Iohn Husse and Ieroms of Prague for maintaining the doctrine of Christ C. 12. v. 7 By Michael and his Angels is meant Constantane the Emperor and his Christian Army by the Dragon Maxentius Maxemiâ—ius Litinius and others sighting against him The beast that riseth out of the sea is the Bishop of Rome his seuen heads and ten horns signifie those 7 hilâ— about Rome his power and principality being defended with ten mighty Kings of the earth As touching the word Lateinos reade our third demonstration prouing that the Bishop of Rome is Antichrist C. 14. v. 19 By those 1600 furlongs some vnderstand the whole Region of England burning with persecution in Queen Maries time for 1600 furlongs make 200 English miles C. 17. v. 9 Seuen Kings signifie so many kindes of Romish Gouerners successiuely succeeding one another Vnder those ten horns ten Kings are figured which shall fight against the Beast answerable to the other teâ—ne which took his part By Babylon is signified