Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers confirming God onely to be the Creator of all things 234 Sect. 4. Opinions of Plato Aristotle and some Hebrewes concerning the worlds eternity the consonancie of opinions betwixt some ancient Philosophers and Moses about the worlds creation 236 Sect. 5. Ancient Philosophers attributed the framing and continuance of all sublunary Creatures as we Christians doe unto God with a recapitulation of severall consonancies betwixt us and them 238 Sect. 6. Severall other opinions wherein the ancient Heathnicks agreed with us Christians confirmed by the testimonies of their Poets 240 Sect. 7. Of good and bad spirits and wherein the opinions of the Heathnicks agree with ours concerning good spirits 242 Sect. 8. How neere the Ancients agree with us concerning bad spirits and in what orders they were divided of old 243 OF SLEEPE AND DREAMES Sect. 1. THat nothing can subsist without sleepe or rest exemplified in the death of Perseus King of Macedon The primary and secondary causes of sleepe that a sound coâ—science is a great motive to sound sleepe proved in the example of Thirois and his two Sonnes 245 Sect. 2. Examples of Kings and great Commanders that upon the thoughtfulnesse of some great exploit or encounter have beene extraordinarily surprized with unusuall sleepe and the reasons thereof agitated 248 Sect. 3. Alexander the great his sound sleeping when he should have encountred Darius in battell here excused Cato's sleeping before his death whereupon is inferred a discourse against selfe-murther 249 Sect. 4. Of Dreames both Naturall Accidentall Divine and Diabolicall Apollodorus dreame Abrahams Iosephs Pharaohs Nebuchadnezzars c. 251 Sect. 5. The Emperour Severus his dreame of Pertinax which he caused to be molded in Brasse An admirable dreame of the Emperour Henry the fifth Cicero's of Octavianus That beasts dreame but hard labouring men seldome and the reason thereof c. 254 A Table of the fifth Booke Wherein the READER must conceive that the Page begins anew and doth not follow the former computation OF THE NVMBERS THREE and SEVEN Sect. 1. Treating briefly of Numbers in generall 1 Sect. 2. Conteining variety of memorable things comprehended within the Number of Three as of Heaven and Hell and of Poeticall fictions and some observations amongst the Romans 2 Sect. 3. Conteining some Theologicall and Morall precepts and observations redacted under the number of three 5 Sect. 4. Of Politicke Government Of living Creatures and of duties belonging to men of severall professions as Physicians Iudges and Lawyers c. with some Physicall observations all Tripartite 7 Sect. 5. Memorable observations comprehended within the Number of Seven as of the age of the World and mans generation 9 Sect. 6. How the seven Planets are sayd to rule severally over the seven ages in the life of man 11 Sect. 7. The opinions of some Fathers of the Church and some Philosophers concerning the number of Seven what attributes they gave with some of Hypocrates observations thereon 13 Sect. 8. Of the Seven Wonders of the world 14 Sect. 9. A continuation of observations on the number of seven taken out of holy Scripture 15 Sect. 10. Of the seven great Potentates of the world of criticall dayes and climacterick yeeres with other observations 16 Sect. 11. Of the Worlds Continuance and Ending 19 A TREATISE OF Prodigies and Miracles Sect. 1. The definition of Miracles with their distinction In what time they were requisite in what not c. 21 Sect. 2. Of Prodigies and in what veneration they were amongst the ancient Romans 23 Sect. 3. A continuation of prodigies which happened in the time of the second Punick Warre with many others that were seene under the times of severall Consuls of Rome 26 Sect. 4. Of Prodigies that happened during the civill warres betwixt Marius and Sylla of some in Iulius Caesars time as at his passing the River of Rubicone the Pharsalian warres and at his death c. 28 Sect. 5. Of Prodigies before the death of Galba before the destruction of Ierusalem and at the end of the Valeriâ—n persecution 29 Sect. 6. A continuation of other Prodigies with a conclusion of this Treatise 31 SALAMANDRA OR The Philosophers Stone Sect. 1. THe History of the life and death of Antonio Bragadino 33 Sect. 2. The reason that moved the Author to handle this matter the different blessings betwixt the Indians and Christians the definition of the Philosophicall Stone the generall way and matter whereof it is made 35 Sect. 3. The Authors proposition the reason of its denomination opinion of most approved Authors touching it and of the possibility and factibility of it 37 Sect. 4. That the making of the Philosophers Stone is lesse expensive and laborious than many things we both use and weare why the makers of it enrich not themselves and others 39 Sect. 5. A generall relation of the matters and materials requisite to this Worke and in what time it may bee perfected 41 Sect. 6. Of the five degrees whereby the Worke is perfectioned and first how to bring it to Solution 43 Sect. 7. How from Solution to make Coagulation 44 Sect. 8. How from Coagulation to produce Fermentation 45 Sect. 9. The way to bring the Worke to Fixation 46 Sect. 10. From all the former how to perfectionate Multiplication 47 Sect. 11. A short recitall of some other wayes of perfecting it used by some Filii artis and why it is called Salamandra 47 OF THE WORLD Sect. 1. OF the various distractions of Philosophers in their opinions concerning their Gods and upon how ill grounds they were setled 94 Sect. 2. Of the severall sorts of Gods amongst the Heathen that they imagined them to bee authors of evils that they were but mortall men And some opinions of Philosophers concerning the nature beeing and power of their Gods 51 Sect. 3. Pythagoras opinion concerning the transmigration of soules rejected of the coupling of the soule and body together with severall opinions of the ancient learned men concerning the substance of the soule 54 Sect. 4. The former Heathnick opinions confuted by our Christian Beliefe that they differed concerning the time of the soules continuance and place of its abode how they thought soules after the separation from the body to bee rewarded for good or ill c. 56 Sect. 5. Philosophicall tenents of plurality of Words confuted of Gods Creation of male and femall of all living Creatures 58 Sect. 6. Severall opinions of severall Philosophers concerning the Worlds Eternity their naturall reasons for approving of it and what the Egyptians thought concerning the antiquity of the World 60 Sect. 8. The most approved opinion of all Philosophers concerning the Worlds beginning and matter the infallible truth of it and a checke of Augustines against over-curious inquisitors after those and the like mysteries 64 Sect. 9. How Philosophers differ from Christians in the wayes whereby God is knowne the parts whereof the world is composed the division of the celestiall Spheares wherein severall varieties may be
say they doe either perpendiculagor or obliquely sphericall or angularly crowde together this globe and all the diversities in it whereof indeede I may say with the Satyrists Spectatum ad missir sum teneatis amiei This is that which Virgil savoreth when he bringeth in old Silenus his Canto to this purpose in these words Nemque canebat uti magnum per inane coacta Semina terrarumque animaque marisque fuissent Et liquidi simulignis ut his exordia primis Omnia ipse etiam mundi concreverit orbis All which opinions in this may be refuted that they derogate too much from the power of God whether they would have had the world eternall or of any preexisting water insomuch as they thought not him who is able to draw light out of darkenesse sufficient to have framed by his very World all this Fabricke of nothing or yet if this Chaos had beene drowned in oblivion and sunck in darknesse not to have raised and reframed a new one by the same Word and his power SECT 8. The most approved opinion of all Philosophers concerning the Worlds beginning and matter the infallble truth of it and a checke of Augustines against over curious inquisitors after those and the like misteries THe more tolerable opinion was of those who held all things to be composed in time of the foure elements admitting the Creatures of the Etheriall Region to bee of a like kinde and species with these of the Sublunary and yet they thought not that any thing of them could be but by some preëxisting matter Whereas we hold sacred anchor of veritie that the mightie infinite eternall and all-powerfull God created this World of nothing in and with time about five thousand sixe hundereth and odde yeares agoe and that hee shall destroy it in time knowne onely to himselfe And if they aske what God was doing before this short number yeeres We answere with S. Augustine replying to such curious questioners that he was framing Hell for them Seeing then it was created and with time it cannot therefore be eternall these two being repugnant and incompatible ad idem as we say which indeed to mortall men inlightned but with nature only is hard to beleeve As for Trismegistus in his Poemander and Plato in his Timeo what they have spoken more divinely than others herein no question but they have fished it out of Moyses his Pentateuch who flourished before them as Diodorus and Iosephus both witnesse SECT 9. How Philosophers differ from Christians in the wayes whereby God is knowne the Parts whereof the world is composed the division of the Coelestiall Spheares wherein severall varieties may be observed THere are three wayes of knowing God first affirmatively by which whatever good is in man they with us acknowledged to be in God in a supereminent manner and in abstracto as we say in the schooles Secondly by denying what ever evill is in man can any wayes be in God which is called the way of negation But in the third way which is called the way of causation by which we acknowledge God to be the causer of all things only There they did mistake in so farre as they imputed the cause of many things to a continued series and a perennall succeeding of one thing to another for although Saint Augustine Lib. 2. de civitate dei cap. 17. and 4. holds that nature hath charecterised that much in every one to know the finger of God in their Fabricke For that which to us Christians are as undoubted truths to them were dubitable grounds grounded upon their physicall maxime That ex nihilo nihil fiet But leaving these opinions of Philosophers as almost al Cosmographers do I divide the world into two parts Caelestiall and Elementary for the Almighty hath so disposed and linked them together That the Elementary or lower world cannot subsist without the Celestiall Her vertue power motion and influences for effectuating whereof the heavens are framed like a concaved Globe or a hollow Bowle whose center or middle body is this earth environed about with these heavens distant equally at all parts from it The Celestiall Region which properly is all the bounds betwixt the Sphere of the Moone and the highest heavens comprehendeth in it eight Starrie Orbes of which eight seaven Plannets have their spheares betwixt the starrie firmament and the ayre but so set that every ones orbe is lesser than the other untill they reach the Moones which is the least last and lowest spheare of all The eight orbe which is the starrie firmament comprehendeth all the rest of the fixed starres and under it the planetary spheares before mentioned But yet so that it againe is environed by one greater more ample and capacious called the ninth spheare And this ninth is girt about againe by that most supreme of al called the tenth or primum mobile above which againe is the Emperian or Christaline heaven which is the domicile and habitation of the blessed Spirits The tenth spheare or primum mobile is that in order by whose perennall revolution the starrie firmament and all the rest are rowled and wheeled about in the space of 24 houres from East to West upon the two Poles of th world called the South and North or Polearticke or Antarticke Hic vertex nobis semper sublimis at illum Sub pedibus styx atra videt manesque profundi And yet that revolution is not so swift but that the Plannets have every one their owne course and motions and that from the West to the East upon other Poles by the Astronomers called Zodiack Poles Nor is each Plannets course aalike swift and rapid for the Moones course through the Zodiack is ended in one moneth The Sunnes in a yeare and so forth of the rest So that Saturne finished his but in 30 yeares Iupiter his in 12. And Mars in lesse and fewer to wit in 2. Venus and Mercury whose place is next below the Sunne in the like space with the Sunne but by reason of their changing by retrogradation and progression they are sometimes before the Sunne in the morning and sometime behinde at evening and at othertimes so neere him that they cannot bee seene finally the Moone as remotest from the first Mover or tenth heaven is swiftest in her owne peculiar motion through the Zodiack which shee endeth as I was saying in 27. dayes and some odde houres Neither thinke It strange although the change fall not untill the 29. and a litle more the reason being that during the time of 27. dayes wherein the Moone goeth thorough the Zodiack the Sunne in the meane time by his peculiar motion hath gone 27 degrees forward in that same Zodiack which space the Moone must yet measure before shee can be in Conjunction with the Sunne which in effect is the change So they two are to be distinguished the Periodick motion of the Moone her Lunation from change to change All these motions of
fortunae poeniteat quà m pudeat victoriae and the magnanimous Romans were offended w th their Embassadour Lucius Marcius in the managing of his wars with Perseus King of Macedon because he went about by subtilties and circumventions to purchase his victories on such considerations as these they sent back to Pyrrhus K. of Epirots his Physitian who had undertaken to poyson him likewise Camillus at the siege of Veij made the children whip their Master with rods who had rendered them by his treachery into the Consuls hands The bravest both Commanders and Souldiers who were taken prisoners by the Samnites and had obtained liberty to come backe to Rome to take leave of their friends were by them sent back againe or rather returned of their owne accord although some to a certaine death so farre were they from holding that faith should not be kept either to enemies in generall or particular much lesse to stretch a thing to the contrary whereof they had a reservation in their minde for by such jugling evasions those Roman prisoners taken by Pyrrhus and permitted to come home and visit friends might have alleaged that they were not obliged to return as they did because they might have said that howsoever they had sworne with their mouthes yet in their hearts they thought not so likewise Attilius Regulus the Consull taken by the Carthaginians and set at liberty to visit the City upon promise of returne might have said but the innocency of that age knew no other way but the right and square and rather choosed to undergoe death than to make a breach of the integrity of their faith made unto an enemy Sect. 3. The integrity of the ancients commended in making peace and their other pactions A story of P. Corn. Scipio to that purpose Graeca fides what and wherefore used Of the dishonest dealing of Pope Alexander and his nephew Caesar Borgia c. I will not passe under silence the manner observed by the Ancients in breaking truces peace pactions or leagues amongst them that posterity may understand how averse they were from having their thoughts dissonant from their words and to this purpose I remember that at the peace concluded on betwixt the Romans and the Carthaginians in the dictatorship of Pub. Corn. Scipio a Roman Herauld standing up betwixt both parties assembled for finishing of the same after they had spoken their mindes hinc jnde the Herauld I say standing with a stone in his hand in these termes concluded the matter If justly and without any fraud or guile I make the oath of observancie and doe finish this paction then may the Gods be propitious and grant that all things may fall happily out unto us if I either doe or thinke otherwise than I have spoken then so all the rest be safe let me fall and perish alone by mine owne Lawes in my owne family with my private Lares and domestick Gods in my owne Temples and Sepulchers as this stone fals from my hand which words finished he throweth the stone from him or rather lets it fall to the ground and so endeth The Carthaginian Herauld swore by all their Countrey Gods and their private ones to observe all that is covenanted Livius noteth these same tearmes to have beene used in the first peace concluded on betwixt these same people in the consulship of Iunius Brutus and Marcus Valerius or shortly after if Sabellicus mistake not which two first Consuls Rome had diverse yeeres before Zerxes expedition against the Greekes alwayes Polybius hath these same words both exemplary and memorable like as Sabellicus in his 6. lib. Aenead 4. punctually fetteth them downe albeit both Livie and Dionysius remarke but the generals the speciall thing which I observe is the word Cogito if I thinke otherwise which confounds all our mentallists and makes them Mentirists let the Greekes with their deceaving tricks and coosenages keepe that dishonourable honour Graeca fides which is alwayes taken for a subdolous and fraudulent faith but God defend that ever such aspersions and imputations be laid to a true Britanne and let Popish Rome now of late declined and degenerated from the old honest Rome pride her selfe and her sectaries in their mentall-reservations let one Pope Alexander and his nephew Caesar Borgia vaunt themselves the one that he did never think the thing which he spake the other that like our mentallists hee never spake the thing which hee thought and let a Leo the tenth of that name promise truth and faith to a Paul Baillon who had expelled his nephew out of Perugia that he under trust of his Holinesse's word should come unto Rome safely with his associates to live at Court as before and yet neverthelesse did put him and them to death as likewise a Cardinall Alfonso of Sienna who for suspition of poysoning the Pope with a Buccado or Nosegay retired himselfe from Court perceiving his Holinesse countenance to bee cast downe upon him and would not be moved to returne againe but under his holinesse faith and true promise made not onely to himselfe but to the Embassadour of Spaine in his Masters name for his more security also yet neverthelesse having once caught him in his net did put him to a violent death His successor Clement the seventh did almost this same to the Florentines to whom as he had solemnly conditioned to give them their liberties and Immunities as likewise to the Spanish Ambassador in his Masters name for them for theirfurther security yet being once possest of their City contrary to promise he subjected it to his Nephew who having strengthned it with strong and mighty Cittadells and forts did appropriate it to himselfe and his family Let these Popes I say thinke and promise one thing and doe another farre be it from any Britan to doe so as equity and truth is or ought to be in your hearts so let truth be in your mindes also Sect. 4. The difference betwixt the auncient and the moderne Romans in uprightnesse of dealing instanced by a story of Pompey the Great and Augustus Caesar. AND now it shall content me to parallell one example amongst thousands which I could produce of the honestie and integrity of old Rome with our new Christianized Rome and then let the indifferent reader judge of the one and of the other The great Pompey when he with his Navall Armie so much renowned in their stories had scowred all the Mediterranean Sea then infested with Pirats having I say given his promise of safety to one or two of the most special amongst them did not violate nor molest them but that was little for Augustus Caesar did as much to Crocotas but herein shewed he his honest minde that when he had two of his most speciall enemies within his chiefe Galleon although for the time but coldly enough reconciled unto him and was spoken unto by the Pilot who acquainted him that now it was the time to ridde himselfe of
with many other Curiosities more frivolous then necessary THe curiosity of the Millenarij called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is worth your notice who give forth that after the generall resurrection the godly shall enjoy a thousand yeares pleasures in soule and body on this earth before the wicked be resuscitated which they on earth did want whilest the wicked flourished and that according to Irenaeus his opinion lib. adversus haereticos But they have even as much likelyhood and warrant for this out of holy Scripture as others have for that other tenent that after the resurrection of man there shall bee likewise a renovation of beasts hearbes plants c. But to proceed in their subjects what curiosity hath driven our Inquisitors to aske if death shall bereave our most learned of all sence and insight in Sciences that in Heaven they shall be in no better degree of happinesse then the rude ignorant wheras in the first to the Corinthians and the fifteenth Chapter it is said alia est gloria lunae alia solis better it were to know how to come there then inquisitively to search what higher places there are there but no question if the arguments drawen from contraries doe hold then sure in hell there bee diversitie of paynes so in Heaven also there bee disparity of joyes for in the house of the Lord are many mansions Yea but saith my curiosist what language shall we speake in Heaven an idle question what other language should we have but Hallelujuhs hymnes and praises to Him who sitteth upon the Throne This with many other scruples and errors in inverting perverting augmenting derogating transverting throwing wresting GODS Word Will Truth and Decree I passe and apply my selfe to the Physiologist enquiring if there was a world before this began if there shall be another after this If there bee more then this which presently we inhabite if there be more celestiall spheares then one what time of the yeare this world began and when it shall have an end All which in my Title of the world I handle excepting onely the multiplicity of heavenly orbes which I doe admit refusing alwayes their Eccentrick and Epilicks as also I dissallow the Eccentricks of the earth as being all curiosities of small moment and remit the Reader to the sound and true knowledge of the course nature and influence of the planets which our curious Physitians or Pseudo-Astrologers imaginatively do handle Section 6. That the Planets and other Celestiall bodies have not that power over the natures of men and Women that Astrologers ascribe unto them That the Starres are innumerable Of the number and greatnesse of some in Via lactea Where the center of the earth is its Circumference Of Etna Hecla Saint Patricks hole and the like NEither can I bee induced to believe the inforcing power they ascribe to these planets over men and womens natures at the houre of their birth they may well I confesse incline and helpe our propensnes force them they cannot for with Homer latinized Tales sunt hominum mores qualis pater ipse Iupiter aurifer as lustravit lampade terras Or rather w th Hippocrates the Lord of their Art I think against these sublime curiosities that the heavens worke not upon the sublunary bodies of children but by the mediation of the Air which being alwayes in motion and seldome alike at all times cannot alwayes produce such and such like infallible dispositions proper to any one alone more then to others in and of that same time and place the contrary whereof we see Mille hominum species rerum discolor usus Velle suum cuique est nec voto vivitur uno But what ever fall out it must not be so much attributed to the domination of any Starre at the Nativity of him or her that way disposed more then to others who sucke in that same Air but rather to the diversity of mens inclinations of whom they are propagated or to their studies educations and affections c. Thus the extremity of Philosophy is accounted folly as the best rules in Physicke are not but in case of extreme necessity to use Physicke at all But yet what extremity of folly is it in our Astronomers to give up the reckoning yea even of the immoveable Stars when GOD their Maker blessed forever holdeth them in respect of men as innumerable as when He assured Iacob the Patriarch of the numerousnesse of his posterity He compareth their innumerablenesse to the Stars of the heaven when howsoever these of via lactea alone are so miscounted that there are miriads besides millions of misreckonings given up by the Arabs themselves Reneus Herpinus in his Apology for Bodin against Augerius Ferrerius his booke de diebus decretonorijs intendeth to give their supputation if not infallibly learnedly and Astrologically yet too too curiously in that place fol. 22. he divideth them in forty eight figures and placeth twelve in the Zodiack fifteene Meridionalls beyond the Ecliptick twenty one Septentrionalls and so forth besides so many obscure ones of which some of the biggest he instanceth to be 107 times bigger then the earth some againe of the first and sixth bignesse eighteene times bigger observing the diameter of the largest foure times bigger then that of the earth Whereas the diameter of the lesser sort is in comparison to that of the earth as fifteene to eight in respect of twenty one all which hee prooveth against Ferrerius to observe a constant equall and not different course of which Starres neverthelesse their number course bignesse force c. not onely Ptolomeus the Primat and Patron of that Science although Plotinus Proclus and Prophyre have not adhered to his demonstrations in his worke at least in his Preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaketh rather as of things sooner remarked by the Ancients then rightly understood by him or them either But likewise his Commentator Theon Alexandrinus on the like subjects giveth forth that in these and the like matters he desireth not his words to be taken for undoubted authorities What have our Topographers wonne by inquiring what can be in the centre of this Terrestiall Globe which he giveth up to be neere seven thousand myles in diametrall thicknesse whether hell be there or not and whether or not Aetna in Italy hecla in Island Saint Patriks hole in Ireland or that formidably burning Mountayne by the American Mexico wherein at times as elsewhere also if our Historians mistake not there are plaints and mourning voices to bee heard through by the vents and Chimneyes of hell as they give out Or what advantage have our Vranographers or our familiar describers of the heavens made not to bee behind with our Geographers who have given up the compasse of the earth how soone a man may encompasse it as in the first Treatise of the secrets of nature may be seene what have they advantaged I say by giving
whole senses were clogged But I will adde no more of dreames then that which Cato long agoe hath warned us of Somnia ne cures nam mens humana quod optat Et sperat vigilans in somnis vidit id ipsum That this is love beside dayly experience we have warrants out of our most famous Poets In somnis eadem plerosque videmus obire Causidicos causas agere componere lites Induperatores pugnare praelia obire The reason hereof being that the object of our senses doe not only move them while they are present at a businesse but also leaveth some certaine Idea imprinted in the minde which rancountring with our drowsie phantasies amidst our sleepes produceth these confuted dreames above spoken of FINIS OF VARIETIES The fifth Booke Conteining five Treatises 1 Of the Numbers Three and Seven 2 Of Miracles and Prodigies 3 Of the Philosophers Stone 4 Of the World 5 An Introduction to the Metaphysicks By DAVID PIERSON of LOVGHLANDS in SCOTLAND Gentleman Et quae non prosunt singula multa juvent LONDON printed for T. A. 1635. TO THE RIGHT Honourable my noble good Lord THOMAS Lord BINNING c. My ever honoured good Lord NO so base attribute but might justly be vented against mee had I so farre supprest Your Lo most generous goodnes and many singular favours conferred on my demerits as not in this dutifull dedication sacrificed to the altar of your larger merits present this small offering of my greater good will and affection I will not implore your propitious acceptance for your noted and courteous affability to all and gracious acceptance of meanest gifts animates me to this presumption What your knowne vertues my Lord are would require a more accurate and tighter Pen than mine to delineate yet were not the world so given that even truthes themselves are taken for palpable flatteries I could tell with what universall applause and commendation your younger vertues and generosities in your travels made even strangers to honour and admire you I could tell what great hopes our Countrey hath already received that you will not onely to the Lands and Possessions of your worthily noble Father succeed as Heyre but to his singular Knowledges and Vertues also which have already so fairely budded and now ripen so hopefully that none can doubt the successe I could tell too of your Prudence Courage Charity and your other ample endowments but I am so full of admiration of your every goodnesse that what the Tragedian said of Cares I may of my affections Leves loquuntur ingentes stupent Accept then my deare Lord for expression of all this little Booke which how voluminous and accurate soever it could be were due to your high deservings from me That Your Lo in it is mixed with so noble Partners I hope for pardon not reproofe which likewise intreate for all my other trespasses and boldnesse with your Honour alwayes humbly desiring the continuance of your Noble Love and Favours to one who would no longer wish to live if it were not both to live and die Your Lo most faithfull and entirely-affectioned Servant D. PIERSON OF THE NVMBERS THREE and SEVEN SECT 1. Treating briefly of Numbers in generall GOD at the Creation is said to have made all things in number weight and measure as indeede they were in a most exact order symmetrie and proportion Antiquity have remarked many things by severall Numbers as Pierus in his Hierogliphicks at length relateth Pythagoras is said to have esteemed much of the number of five as composed of the first even and odde numbers two and three Numero Deus impare gaudet Severall men have severally treated of severall numbers but I have here made choyce of three and seven as finding maniest and most memorable things in all Sciences comprehended within them which thus pack't up together cannot but bee infinitely delightfull and most helpefull to the memory of every Reader SECT 2. Conteining variety of memorable things comprehended within the Number of three as of Heaven and Hell and of Poeticall fictions and some observations amongst the Romans THree of all Numbers should be held in greatest veneration The Persons of the God-head are three Father Sonne and Holy Ghost which is that most blessed Trinity There are said to bee three Heavens Aëriall which is betwixt this and the starry Firmament Etheriall that great Primum Mobile encompassing the first and Empireall or Cristalline Heaven the habitation of the blessed Spirits whither as is supposed Saint Paul was ravished There are also three Regions of the Ayre As three heavens so there are said to bee three Hels The Grave the place of torment and the anxiety of a vexed minde Saturne had three Sonnes Pluto Neptune Iupiter Iupiter had his three-fold Thunder Neptune his three-forked Trident and Pluto his three-headed Cerberus Diana according to the place where shee was hath three severall names in the Heavens Luna or Lucina on Earth Diana in Hell Hecate There were also three Graces Aglaia Thalia Euphrosine and the Muses are numbred by thrice three Three Iudges are fained by Poets to be in Hell Minos Aeacus and Radamanthus Three Furies Daughters of Acheron Alecto Tyfiphone Megera Three Hesperides Aeagle Arethusa Hesperethusa Three Syrens Parthenope for wit Ligia for vertue and Leucosia for beauty Aspectu verbis animi candore trahuntur Parthenopes Ligiae Eeucosiaeque viri Three Sisters of the Destinies called Partcae Clotho draweth out the thread of our lives Lachesis spinneth or twisteth it and Atropos cutteth it at our deaths Clotho Colum bajulat Lachesis net Atropos occat Gerion was said to have had a three-fold body Three shaped Chymaera Sphinx was fained to have three severall Visages and three fatidick or prophecying Sybeles many the like amongst Poets Martia Roma triplex Equitatu Plebe Senatu Amongst the Romans were three kindes of Flamens or Priests their Deales Martiales and Quirinales They had also three kindes of Prophets Aruspices who divined by sacrifices on Altars Augures by the chirping of Birds and Auspices who foretold the events of things by beholding the entrals of birds They divided every of the twelve moneths in three Ides Nones and Calends The Romans also for recovery of the Greeke Lawes sent three men Spurius Posthumius Servius Sulpitius and Aulus Manlius And amongst them three were noted for obteining greatest spoyles from their Enemies Romulus Coriolanus and M. Marcellus Romes three-fold government was first by Kings then Consuls lastly Emperours SECT 3. Conteining some Theologicall and Morall precepts and observations redacted under the number of three THere are three Theologicall vertues Faith Hope and Charity and three principall Morall vertues Temperance Iustice and Fortitude Three things incident to man To fall in sinne which is humane to rise out of it againe which is Angelicall and to lye in sinne which is Diabolicall Three things in all our actions are to be observed that our appetite bee ruled