Church that I knowe CHAP. XVII Arithmeticall Discourse I Minde not in this Chapter to play the Arithmetician by putting Numbers for ciphers ciphers for Numbers as though I were an Accountant or bredde vp in a merchants or Scriueners shoppe No I meane to frame a scale or ladder according to Theologicall Arithmeticke such an one as neuer was deuised by any man before This is no otherwise then a secret manner of discoursing as touching the subiects of euery thing according to the harmony of Numbers figures concents Wee know that Numbers worke much on the soule figures vpon bodies concent vpon creatures I will frame our scale first afterwards wee will proceede in order to speake of all their subiects Our scale conteyneth six degrees beginning from the higher most to the lowest The first is the Architypall world in which is 〈◊〉 that is the diuine essence beeing God himselfe Second is the intellectuall world in which are intelligences Third is the celestiall in which are those simple bodies wanting all kinde of permixtion Fourth is the lesser world where are placed those rationall bodies Fift is elementarie in this are placed those pure naturall and artificiall creatures Sixt is the infernall world wherein those euill and malignant spirits beare rule In the architypall world from whence comes the Law of prouidence discourse is made as touhing God by simple Numbers which properly signifie diuine things as denaries celestiall centenaries terrestriall millenaries of the world to come exemplified in this wise First the diuine essence is one the fountaine of all vertue and power Secondly it conteynes in it selfe eternall productions according to the will and vnderstanding Thirdly existing in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Fourthly the existing Law of prouidence and of eternall happinesse in his holy and most blessed name 〈◊〉 Fiftly the existing Redeemer by the price of his fiue wounds of his bitter passion and in the name and vertue of CHRIST called Pentagrammaton Sixtly by creating and perfecting the world on the sixt day redeeming it againe the sixt day Seuenthly resting from his work called the Sabbath Eightly full of iustice and that iustice the fulnes of iustice Ninthly for that in the ninth houre he let goe his Spirit Tenthly in that the tenth day after his ascension he sent his Paraclete that is the holy Ghost Eleuenthly by sending his heauenly grace that is his comfortable Spirit in his most holy and blessed name In the intellectuall world from whence comes the Law of destiny discourse is made from intelligences in this wise First the foule of the world is one supreme intelligence the first creature the fountaine of life Secondly it is fellow vnto Angells which hath constituted that there should bee two intelligible substances Thirdly there are three hierarchies of Angells three degrees of the blessed foure triplicities or hierarchies intelligible foure presidents ouer the corners of heauen foure gouernours of the elements 4 beasts of sanctity 4 triplicities of Tribes foure triplicities Apostles 5 intelligible substances six orders of Angels which are not sent to gouern beneath 7 Angels which stand before the Throne of God eight rewards of beatitudes nine companies of Angels 9 Angells gouerning by triplicities 10 orders of the blessed bearing rule from the seprenary Number In the celestiall world from whence the Law of nature is cōsidered there is one Prince of Stars and fountain of light two great lights 3 quaternions of signs 3 quaternions of houses 3. Lords of triplicities 4 triplicities of signes so many qualities of celestiall elements fiue erraticall Starres called Domini terminorum six Planets passing from the Eccliptick thorow the latitude of the Zodiack 7 elements are adioyned to these with the Sun eight visible heauens 9 mouing Sphears ten Spheares of the world twelue signes of the Zodiack in foure triplicities of signes In the lesser world from whence the Law of wisdome consisteth there is to be considered first one liuing thing and last dying two principall seats of the soule three parts corresponding the threefold world foure elements of man so many powers of the soule and iudiciall faculties foure morall vertues foure elements of mans body foure spirits humors complexions fiue senses six degrees of man seuen members integrall distributed vnto Planers seuen holes or cauernacles of the head eight degrees of beatitude nine senses outward and inward ten arteries or pores of the inward man In the elementarie World where the Lawe of generation and corruption abideth there is to bee found one subject and instrument of all vertues naturall and supernaturall two elements producing a liuing soule three degrees of elements foure elements as many qualities seasons corners of the earth perfect kindes of mixt things so many kindes of creatures answerable to those elements fiue kindes of corruptibles or Species Mixtorum in Plants metals stones six subsanticous qualities of elements seuen birds of Planets so many fishes of Planets metals of Planets beasts and stones eight particular qualities nine stones representing nine companies of Angels tenne beasts of sanctity lifted vp to heauen twelue plants so many stones twelue moneths so many birds twelue sacred beasts and trees mentioned by those who haue treated any thing touching Orphicall Theologie In the infernall world where the Law of wrath and punishment endureth from euerlasting there is to bee seene one Prince of rebellious angels two captaines of diuels two things which Christ denounced against the damned three infernall Furies three infernall Iudges so many degrees of the damned foure Princes of diuels bearing rule in the elements called by Saint Paul Ayerie spirits foure riuers infernall answerable to those in Paradise so many Princes of diuels appointed ouer the foure corners of the world fiue corporall torments six diuels Authors of all calamities seuen infernall mansions if we beleeue Rabbi Ioseph in his booke called Hortus Nucis eight rewards of the damned nine orders of euill spirits tenne orders of damned to whom if you put the soules of the damned and three degrees of the damned they make just twelue degrees of diuels and damned He that can attaine to the Secrets of this scale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facile cognoseet to vse the words of that notable Peripatetick that is in one word he shall be able to comprehend both the sympathy and antipathy of all this whole Vniuerse set before his eies to contemplate he shall consider order which precedeth substance which bringeth proprietie which telleth vs what is absolute simple subiect what is the imperfection of substances of influences of parts with many other singularities beyond all formall naturall and artificiall Arithmetick Which scale in one entire summe hath shewed as much as in this whole discourse in grosse hath beene remonstrated so that it is no other than a compendious subtraction of the others confused and copious multiplication CHAP. XVIII Geometricall discourse WEE may discourse as wel by those Geometrical Figures seeing such māner of Figures consist of Nūbers Wherof their
for they all hold that there is a twofold place appointed vnto man for his twofold condition and reward corporall and spirituall The one is called An illuminating speculation that is vivificating the School-men call it An intuitiue knowledge of God which accompanieth the soule separated from the body by the light of glory which to them that earnestly seek after heauenly things is onely beatificous The other containeth an illuminating kinde of vision but no contemplation which is made by Species connaturall and is not accounted blessed The one is heauenly the other terrestriall The Rabbines hold especially Raban Gernudensis on Exodus that a man shall neuer be made capable of the first intuition before the soule is separated from the body If at any time say they GOD bee said to be seen of man that is with any corporeall sense it is done by an Angell and not otherwise It seemeth that these Rabbines maintaining this doctrine of a twofold place knew nothing of a third which is their Popish Purgatory They must therefore go to Plato and his Followers for their supposed Purgatory or else it will not bee found in rerum naturâ The sixt is concerning the communication of the world for man being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that great sensible world communicate both together in Metratton which is no other than the agent intellect of the first Mouer one with the heauenly nature as being inferiour and with the Angelicall nature as being superiour Now the supreme world with that third incomparable and super-supreme communicate together in the soule of Messihas as beeing an essence between them both consociable with the Angelicall and diuine world Neither doth the soule of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ but that the one is the Well of liuing waters the other the riuer of life Hence comes it that there is a corporeall world which first is composed of the heauens and heauenly bodies secondly of the elements and things elementary thirdly of the nature of man and of singular men which is man the lesser world which beeing animated is illustrated with his owne proper minde which is called Metratton Now the supreme world consisteth of separated intelligences full of Species and forms including soluted mindes and Angels of those Symbolists it is called Idea ideata omnium vitarum vnto which is referred all kinde of indiuiduall vitality specificous or generificous The third is of the Deity which is made of that which they call Seraphin In Deuteronomy he is called Thrice holy Of this world Rab Hamai in his Book of speculation writeth thus Hic itaque tertius mundus in aternum vltra extenditur nec concavus nec convexus nec carinatus nec superficiem habens The seuenth is as touching the Sabbath which is the mysterie of the liuing God and symbole of the higher world where all kinde of labour ceaseth whose breach is forbidden vs by a twofold prohibition in the Law First in Deuteronomie Obserua diem Sabbati C. 5. v. 12. C. 20. v. 8. the next in Exodus Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day the one as touching the inferiour world the other belonging to the superiour the one affirmatiuely the other negatiuely according to that distinction mentioned in our fourth Chapter going before The eightth is to bee vnderstood of those fifty gates of intelligences committed all to Moses saue one and of those admirable paths of wisdome wherein all the diuine Law is comprehended and all kinde of science whether it be literal anagogicall verball arithmeticall geometricall harmonicall Of these more shall be said when we come to the fiftith Number The ninth is wholly occupied about Symboles of Angels For as one of their Rabbines writeth Look what tongues our mindâ—s haue in spirit and verity the same tongues haue Angels And as those diuine Spirits speak with the tongues of Angels so doo the spirits of men hearken to the ears of the minde This Rabbinicall doctrine must be wisely read and with cautelous circumspection For by this wee must not allow of familiar Spirits called Geny or Lares by those Platonicks See more as touching this point out of S. Ierom vnfolding these words in the Gospell Dico vobis quod Angeli eorum in coelis semper vident faciem patris mei ministring vs such things as wee are to speak for wee knowe that God speaks within vs and he is the mouer and searcher of the heart and if we haue any diuine spirit within our bodies or mouing our mindes to any good action farre otherwise than the god of Socrates moued him mentioned by Apuleius wee must think it to bee God himself dwelling within vs opening the closet of our mindes or else that it is his diuine Spirit euermore speaking vnto vs in our prayers and supplications beeing ready alwaies in all our temptations and necessities to assist vs. What force the tongues of Angels haue what power belongeth to those blessed and heauenly Spirits what vertue is in our owne mindes or spirits segregated as it were from our bodies by any kinde of Enthusiasme transe or vision to vs is vnknowne more than God's Word hath reuealed vnto vs. And therfore it is good for vs Not to giue too much credit to such manner of Rabbinicall and hyperbolicall speculations seeing by the Word a man cannot warrant them There bee ten reuengers belonging to the minde of euery man which are indeed as so many Furies Ignorance sadnes inconstancy desire injustice luxurie enuy fraud anger malice which is somewhat neer to that wicked denarie co-ordination mentioned by those Hebrews The intellectuall world containeth ten properties or qualities It is diffusiue immutable incomprehensible most free noble perfect indiuisible constant vniuersall without contrariety Those ten Sphears figurated by Zacharie the Prophet C. 4. v. 2 3. by a golden Candlestick distinguished by seuen Lamps with a Boawl vpon the top of it with two Oliue trees ouer it are no other than those that we doo hold For the heauen called Empyrâ—um whatsoeuer light ariseth or is infused into bodies it is deriued as it were from that first Fountain We deny that it hath any true body This beareth rule ouer the other nine as a Captain ouer his souldiers as form doth the matter wherefore expressing the type of a Monade it maketh the tenth Number perfect This I haue borrowed from that admirable Theologist and School man Paulus Scalichius Conclu de mundo coelesti often cited in this discourse Now as touching the residue of those heauens or Sphears to speak after the manner of those Pythagoreans we may call the Moon if we will A celestiall kinde of earth an earthly kinde of heauen Mercury a versipellous Star transformable Lucan cals him The Arbiter of the water Venus the air vivificous by her temperate heat the Sunne the fire confirmed by reason But after an inuerse or preposterous order we may call Mars The sire because he is a
parts thereof Now as the Frame of the world soon shewes vnto vs that there is a GOD the first and indiuisible Vnity from whence all other harmony proceedeth so this God although he be not to be measured with any quantity as hauing all number within himself yet the next way to knowe him perfectly is To begin with numbring For Except wee worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity without confounding the Persons and diuiding the substance as holy Father Athanasius saith in his Creed we shall neuer be saued And it is worth obseruation there is no number little or great begetting begotten or mixt of both which hath not some spark of the Deity in it wherein God may not be said familiarly to be known of vs yea euen to dwell with vs as farther in this discourse shall bee made manifest For example Our common Creed read in the Church being a Summe or an Abbridgement containing all the mysteries of Christian Belief cannot bee made knowne vnto vs without the ternary Number seeing it consisteth of three parts The first is To beleeue in one GOD Father omnipotent Creator of heauen and earth The second is To beleeue in Iesus Christ God and Man The third is To beleeue in the holy Ghost The first is a Symbole of our creation the next of our redemption the last of our sanctification Again all the Commandements of God consist of two from whence the whole Decalogue is deriued whereof three Precepts being of the first Table concern our knowledge and loue of God the other seuen the loue of our neighbour Now it is manifest that the mysteries of our Christian Religion cannot bee knowne without Numbers no more can many parts of Scripture for the Book called the Apocalypse stiled by the holy Ghost it self hath so many dark and problematicall Numbers so many mysticall and symbolicall impenetrables that without the Art of numbring it were foolishnes for a man to say that he were able to vnderstand them As God therefore hath not reuealed himself vnto vs but by numbring so man as touching both parts his soule and body called a little world cannot be knowne sufficiently without the help of Numbers Some therefore write that the soule is no other than an harmony framed out of Numbers by a maruellous concordance in which opinion was Pythagoras and Plato To finde out then her essence temperature condition quality is to be skilled in the Art of numbring As touching our body it is composed all of Numbers musicall concent and harmony for Anatomists hold Andra Iaw reu Prasa ante lâ—â— de anatomia that his symmetry reacheth in length 300 minutes in breadth 50 in height 30 according to whose proportion hauing some kinde of diuinity included in it the Ark of Noe some write was builded Yea others stick not to affirm that this Ark was builded of the wood called Cedar which lasteth longer than any other Now Qui se ipsum norit omnia nouerit cum in se rerum omnium habeat sunulachra for a man not to knowe himself which is the greatest ignorance that can bee I mean not to knowe the stature temperature and disposition of his soule and body is to be vnskilled in the Art of numbring Now I suppose that some of those Antients especially Marcus Varro though otherwise a learned man haue a little too much abased man in affirming that he came from the earth onely for that is common to all creatures indifferently But the true Originall of man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he is of all other creatures the most sociable And it is to be beleeued that man is to borrow his denomination rather from concord and coâ—sellowship seeing that in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for like and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a similitude which is not to be placed in the earth nor in the body Homo â—bâ—â—e minor mundus appellatur quia vs seribit Nazianzenus Deâ—is in â—pso extrimâ—et sub bâ—â—â— quedam comsendio quâ—â—qâ—â—d disâ—use antâ—a secerat but in the minde wherein man excelleth all other creatures whatsoeuer Man then consisting of a soule and body is a louely and liuely harmony wherein God himself and the visible heauen is represented There are many other speculatiue knowledges which without Numbers can no more bee discerned by vs than the Art of Geometry can be knowne without demonstration the Art of Logick without syllogizing For to measure the distance of those higher Planets and how far they are sited from the Centre of the earth cannot be done without numbring Some of the Antients write that the earth is from the Moon 15625 miles from the Moon to Mercurie 7612 and a half from Mercurie to Venus so many from Venus to Sol 24433 from the Sun to Mars A man cannot diuide the age of man without numbring 15625 from Mars to Iupiter 6812 from Iupiter to Saturn so many from Saturn to the Firmament 24427. Out of which may be gathered from Arithmeticall Computation that the earth vnto the visible heauen containeth 108959 miles vnder which as Ptolomey affirms there bee eight Orbs or Sphears For a childe of ten yeers old is counted a Hinde but by reason of the tripled motion of the eightth Sphear they make iust ten in the whole by a kinde of multiplication Archimedes therefore That great Geometrician who in a certain Table made of brasse made the whole visible heauen to bee looked vpon A Youth at twenty a Calf contrary to the opinion of some who enuied his doctrine could not haue done this A young man at 30 an Oxe if he had been but superficially sighted in the Art of numbring To knowe the circuit of the earth and how farre it extendeth cannot be done without Numbers A man at forty a Lion Aristotle affirmeth that the Mathematicians of his time did attribute vnto the earth in compasse 40 Myriades of furlongs which make in the whole fifty thousand miles Our modern Astrologers will haue the earth to consist of 20000 and 40 miles Growing to fifty a Fox Howsoeuer whether they speak truely or roue at randome At threescore a Wolf it is certain from collection of Numbers and by consent of Astronomers that the earth in respect of the heauen is but a point Which is prooued after this manner All Astrologers hold confidently At threescore ten a Dog that euery Starre of the eightth Sphear is bigger than the whole earth But there bee many Starres which are not seen of vs and those which wee see are like vnto puncts At fourescore a Cat Therefore if the earth were placed in the starry Firmament and should shine as the Stars doo it would not be seen of vs. At fourescore ten an Asse Besides the continuall course of those Planets without calculation cannot bee made manifest vnto vs. The Sunne first stayethin euery Signe 30 daies and 10 hours he maketh his course through
grant there were vnitie in the Angels which some call imperfect yet it cannot bee compared to that vnity which is in God Therefore God neuer spake of the Angels there when he spake of the Vnity Dici non potest quanto interstitio creator a creatura sit dissitus N. Cho. because it is repugnant that the self same thing should bee one in nature with God and his Angels there is so great disproportion betwixt the Creator and the creature Primasius an antient Father maketh a twofold distinction of penitence The one before Baptism Lib. de gratia at libero arburio which may bee tearmed a depriuation of Baptisme the other after Baptisme by which our sins are washt away There is a twofold Church the militant and triumphant in the one the faithfull dwell together with the wicked in the other the faithfull alone Man when he dieth hath a twofold receptacle his body passeth into the earth from whence it came his soule to heauen from whence originally it descended There is a twofould Book of life of vocation and election wee may haue our names blotted out of the first but not out of the last Euery dissolution of an argument consisteth in two by distinguishing by improouing By distinguishing when fallacies of words are detected through some ambiguity and construction the one by co-operation or conjunction the other by equiuocation many times through confusion of Synonimies diuersity of distinctions or lastly when the Principles bee quite differing from their Principiata as we call them Again by improouing two waies Either from the Principles themselues by shewing the absurdity of false Principles or from reason taken from authority or by conuincing the lesser authority with the greater which is frequent among Logicians Euery Figure is either angular or circular Those two appellations vsed by those Pythagoreans Vnum and Bonum may fitly bee called the two Names of God Hee is called One because he is the beginning of all things as also the vnity of each Number Good because hee is the end rest and absolute felicity of all things The water produceth two kindes of liuing things birds and fishes Euery point in the Line is twofold straight or circular according to Ptolomey There be two manifest operations in the Whole as touching celestiall bodies Motion and Illumination There be two motions one that is a mans owne proper the other borrowed There are two Starres beneficious vnto vs Iupiter and Venus The Art military consisteth of two things Men and munition Logick consisteth of two Inuention and judgement Two things are required in a souldier Strength and discipline Angels haue a twofold vision Matutine and Vespertine Christ's incarnation was necessary for two respects For the vnion betwixt the creature and the Creator for that it was needfull that God should become man for the full satisfaction of mans offense which by man alone could not be satisfied As there bee two Starres or Planets beneficious to vs so there are two maleficious Sol and Mercury There be two kindes of exhalations aride and humectall according to Plato's diuision of humours crasse and viscosius Wherein our Alchymists doo somewhat agree though some think the contrary for their Sulphur serueth in stead of that which is aride and dry their quick-siluer standeth for humid and viscosius euen as by red wine they signifie bloud Gold is of a twofold nature spirituall being astrall formall volatle corporall being materiall or fixe To the making of that which we call Aurum potabile two things are required The first is that the gold be volatle not able to be reduced to his first substance the second that the spirit of wine be added to this that both may be made volatle He that will be skilfull in this Art let him reade Paracelsus Book called Thesaurus Alchymistarum page 398. Of this drink he writeth thus in another place Tanta vis inest auro potabili vt non satis possit praedicari Maior enim vis confortandi non reperitur Ita vt per hoc remedium omnes morbi curentur inprimis y qui sunt in summo gradu cuiusmodi est contractura Besides Libauius in his Alchymistry hath written well touching this Subject Ficinus calleth the one Paradise celestiall the other supercelestiall Epist lib. 6. There is a twofold Paradise appointed for the twofold condition of man spirituall and temporall maintained by those Rabbines The one where that illuminant vision is that is viuificous which the School-men call the intuitiue knowledge of God which hapneth to the soule separated from the body the other wherein contemplation being not made is called illuminant which is made by connaturall Species and this is not beatificous The one commonly is called celestiall the other terrestiall There are also two tortures appointed for the punishment of the soule from their opinion the one placed in the highermost the other in the lowermost world Hell is taken two manner of wayes for the punishment and so the diuells carry hell continually about them for the place of punishment where the soules of the wicked are tormented According to Phylo there be two words two reasons two mindes one aboue vs as the exemplar of our reason the other our owne reason it selfe Naturall science is occupied about two either it handleth those things which commonly are in the things themselues or those things which seeme to bee but are not Some will haue the heauens composed of two elements that is from light and the water others from light and water permixed together The art called canonick consisting of harmonic vseth two kinds of instruments Monachorde Tetrachorde consisting of twenty strings called Nerui treated of by Ptolomie But this is found in Organes onely percussorie tensile inflatile That part of Astrologie called Meteoroscope handleth two things difference of sublimities distance of Starres There are two kindes of veynes which are as conduits by which our meat is conueyed into the body The one sort make way to the heart the other are deriued from thence They which goe to the heart are as ministers that they may conuey from the liuer to the heart imperfect bloud which the heart receiueth and turneth into that which is absolute and perfect The other which come from the heart prouide that the juice concocted by them may bee distributed through all the parts of the body CHAP. V. THREE THe Number of three is the first composite Number called a multitude of some by our Arithmeticians the ternarie his vertue and power is diffusiue among all creatures And it is a plentious Number because it is the fountaine and well-spring of all things productiue the beginning of all procession the continuance of all immutable substance as in our third Chapter before was touched By his multiplication with the vnity and dualtie he bringeth forth Tetraclys one of Pythagoras Principles beeing no other then the Idea of all things created conteyning one two and that which is infinite Whereto adde foure
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
nine consisting of an vnequall Number produce a threefold dimension which is a solid body His extendure is as large as some of the other There are nine Muses signified vnder this word Mucmosune conteyning nine elements in the whole Whereupon Scaliger calleth this a most perfect Number Poet. lib. 1. cap. 1. from the concent of Musicians But how can this Number saith he be applied to musicall tones seeing there are eight kinds of Diupazons Though Scaliger followed heerin the opinion of Ptolomir by numbring but eight Diapazons yet Aristexemus counteth 13 which is a greater Number not nine Againe the Antients erred in this in that they called this The Number of the heauens For there were but eight in those daies when they liued how then could the ninth agree with them This of Scaliger by way of obiection might casily be answered For by Scaligers confession there were but three Muses at the first afterwards the fourth was added Then they grewe from foure to seuen from seuen to nine And why might it not be so with the Number of the heauens seeing Calius Rodignie auerreth that they were nine at the first and afterwards by later inuention they grew to the Number of tenne euen as that instrument called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was added to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Monatessaron to make the harmony more full and compleat And it may be that Coelum Empireum was not numbred for one of them among the Antients There be nine kindes of constitutions out of Galen One temperate or mediocrous in which all the qualities serue according to equilibrious proportion eight are intemperate in which one or two excell the rest from whence foure simples that is hot and cold foure compounds that is hot and dry hot and moyst cold and dry cold and moyst are deriued In prescribing of sick persons a diet nine things must be considered Goodnes measure quality custome Metattron is taken two wares for Moses Angel for the secret of the minde According to these nine orders of Angels Ficinus hath framed nine orders or degrees of the Trinity Epis lib. 2. delight order time the houre and day There are nine Spheares in the sensible world moued from the heauen we call Empireum which is vnmoueable vnto which Metattron serueth So there be nine companies of Angels moued by God who is Primum mobile seruing him day and night Some Angells are called Difformes and they are personally distinct in their essence of which Lucifer was the greatest falling the first day in which he was created according to the opinion of some Diuines Some are made perfect and blessed after their conuersion endued with a co-operatin ggrace wanting their owne proper body to speake with that notable Schoolman There are 9 principall archhereticks from whence all other proceed Basilides who dreamed that God was a mind created called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hold that the nature of God came from the substà ce of soules Anthromorphites that God was the image of a corruptible man Collobarsus that there were two gods one true the other cald Deus creator of the world Simon Magus that God was not the Maker of the world Apelles that there was one good God the other bad begotten from the other Archoutick that the God of the Law and Prophets was not Father vnto Christ Sabellians that God the Father was borne of the Virgin Marie that he was crucified and buried Mentagisinontes that the Sonne was in the Father no otherwise then one vessell in another There be nine subiects of all liuing things God Angell Heauen Man Imaginatiue Sensitiue Vegetatiue Elementatiue and Instrumentatiue All these haue a threefold scale of vnderstanding whereby secrets of secrets are discerned Of degrees whereby their aptitude Of nature by which secrets with their secrets of secrets from an eslentiall kinde of collation are examined and accommodated Man hath nine co-adjutorie helps from those nine orders of Angels mentioned before From the Angells he is corroborated to be a messenger of the diuine will From Archangels to beare rule ouer beasts the fishes of the sea and birds of the ayre From Principalities he obteineth all manner of strength From Vertues the force or efficacie of strength These things may be said to be true according to a kinde of resemblance or imitation or as he saith Atonisiue but not really or potentially P. Scah conclusio From Powers hee getteth helpe against his enemies From Dominions help to the attainment of his wished end From Thrones remembrance of heauenly blisse From Cherubins light of the minde From Seraphins perfect order of loue and feruent charity As touching all these auxiliarie helps our Schoolman from whom I borrowed this Number concludeth thus In vanum laborant qui naturali cursu et proprus viribus ad tam alt a contendunt If wee might glue credence to this learned mans distinction I doe not see but we might better giue diuine worship to Gods Angels than vnto any Saint in heauen For it is without question that great power is giuen them from God Math. c. 4. v. 6. for the preseruation of mankinde otherwise the diuell could neuer haue cited Scripture 0198 0 to haue tempted Christ in the wildernesse C. 19. v. 10. how that the Angels had care ouer him that he should not dash his foot against astone C. 19.7 ◠But in the Apocalypse from the Angell of God wee haue an expresse commandement that neither Angells nor Arch-angels nor Thrones nor Principalities ought to be worshipped but God onely seeing all those Tribes all those Hierarchies of Angels all those Elders praysing God and singing Halleluiah fell downe before the Throne of the Lamb and worshipped him If therefore Angells co helpers and coadiutors to man are not to be praied vnto much lesse any saint of Heauen who though they enioy a place not much inferior to those Angels and are made fellow heires with Christ in one and the selfe-same Kingdome yet this must bee imputed to Christ not to their owne righteousnesse beeing sometimes men on earth as we are subject to the like infirmities as we be and so shall remaine vntill Christ with his glorious mantle of righteousnes shall couer our vnrighteousnes Therefore such manner of Numbers giuing so much to Angels whereby the least jot of Gods glory dominion orpower may seeme to bee empeached ought warily and discreetly to be read I know our School-man had these and such like from Denuis Areopagite who writeth so of these Angelicall Orders as though he were dwelling among them but by his leaue hee writeth many things at randome some others hee dreameth yea the best he writeth touching those hierarchies are but bare conjectures and those so childish friuolous paradoxicall as leuer thought it meere tediousnes and cutiosity to reade them This I thought good to annex by way of a Caueat lest any man through ouer much curiosity or simplicity might bee beguiled There bee ninethings which in the
thirty foure But in this computation which cannot be done without exact Numbring we must obserue one singular Note How that the Euangelists attributing the space of Christs death to the Ablatiue sense will not haue whole dayes meant heereby but part of whole dayes By this wee may learne how needfull the vse of Numbers is to the right vnderstanding of diuers passages in Scripture whether they be doctrinall or historicall Now in Chronologie or iust supputation of yeeres that is to knowe how long those antient Kings mentioned in Scripture did raigne there is nothing so needfull as the Art of Numbring And if you marke it well in all their seuerall Raignes or Regiments no Number occurreth so often as the fortith Number as though God had appointed vnder this Number the whole race or period of their kingly succession to haue beene concluded and determinated As for example Moses gouerned forty yeeres Othoniel 40 Barac and Debora 40 Gedeon 40 the Philistins interregnum consisted of 40. Saul Dauid raigned as many which I haue collected from the computation of Canus I.o. Theo. lib. 11 cap. 5. who hath joyned Theology and Chronologie together the best of any Popish Writer that I knowe The Rabbines in their Thalmud speak much touching those forty two diuine letters such as had them in venerable estimation Lemnius holdeth that men children are perfectly formed in their mothers belly in the space of 30 dayes but women in 42 or 45 Lib. de Mira. natura 4 cap. 23. but what they signifie and to what vse they serue I could neuer yet learne from them It is holden by those learned searchers of naturall Phylosophy confirmed by many famous Physicians that the whole Fabrick of mans body in the space of forty fiue dayes is perfectly and absolutely framed in Embrio or the mothers belly Epimenides slept for the space of fifty yeeres This Number must needs bee vertuous and famous for that it representeth those fifty gates of intelligences mentioned before For according to those Rabbines notable for their Symbolicall doctrine there was nothing before the creation but God and his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his onely wisdome gotten from all eternity So that the gate of the first creation being shut from Moses notwithstanding he sought out the Law by the other nine and forty Iâ—sue did inquire it by one lesse Salomon by two who as Rabbi Akib expoundeth labored aboue measure to reduce the same but could not Hence saith Rabbi Iacob Cohu our antient Fathers walked through many waies that in the and they might put their feet in these admirable steppes of wisdome deliuered them by Zadkiel to Abraham our Father I dare not wade too far among those Iewish Doctors lest I should wander out of my way For they are mysteries and I beleeue if Sphinges interpreter were here he would scarce vnfold them Now besides the enquirie of these fifty gates and thirty two paths The yeere of mans age 63 hath euer been accounted perilous because that wher euerie 7 9 yeere meet together they make seuen nines or nine seuens being 63 in the whole and therefore it is called of the Philosophers Climactericus In which yeer and in 70 ther haue died the most famous men of the world Christ when he was here on earth had his 72 Disciples they were very curious in searching out the Number of Gods name called Tetragrammaton which if it bee well expounded say they will arise to fifty two according to the Number of Angells And this Number they slick not to call The colledge of letters The fiue and fiftith Number hath his excellencie in this in that according to Callippus and other antient Astronomers their calculation all the Planets with their Spheres either retrograde or Stationarie containe iust the quantity of this Number The last Number that I meane to speake of is the seuenty two famous for so many yeeres together from the translation of the Bible out of the Hebrew into the Greeke Language by those seuenty two interpreters by commandement of Ptolomy the Ægyptian Emperour beeing a worke that could not haue beene done with the helpe of man if the holy Ghost whose interpreters no doubt they were had not seconded them beyond their owne expectation Of these and their diuers celles appointed them with certaine questions propounded before the Emperour you may reade in Aristoas a Greeke Author though I am not ignorant how that Vines vpon what warrant I know not hath laboured to empeach his credit by counting him for a counterfeit as elsewhere I haue noted CHAP. XIIII Happy vnhappy Numbers ITearm them happy or fortunate which either in their syllables or elements exclusiue or their sense inclusiue bring some notable or joyfull tidings either present or future or otherwise beeing as vttered by God's owne mouth or by his Prophets haue been esteemed holy venerable of hie account vntill this day In Genesis we finde it written Ipse conteret caput Serpentis referred to the seed of the woman and not to the woman herself as some Popish Interpreters will haue it This was sure an happy promise made representing the quaternary Number being vttered in so many words For Christ which was the seed of the woman hath plaid the Conquerer foure manner of waies By freeing vs from originall sinne wherein Adam and Eue both were first polluted by breaking the snares of Satan who had tempted them by triumphing ouer the power of hell by trampling death and his sting vnder his feet This quadruple blessing beeing a pledge of his promise made to our first parents could not chuse but bee acceptable to them and their posterity The Angell Gabriel for the confirmation of this promise in his salutation vnto the Virgin Marie spake two words more powerfull more ponderous more remarkable in their few elements than of euery man can be well vnderstood What are those Aue Maria containing the binarie Number euery letter almost including within it some secret mysterie Which no man doth better expound than that antient Father Irenaeus in this similitude As Eue was seduced by an Angelicall Speech hee meaneth Lib. 5. cap. vlt. the temptation of that Serpent whereby she might flee from GOD hauing preuaricated his Word so this Eue by the Angels salutation was euangelized whereby she might bear Christ being obedient to the Word And as the one was tempted to forsake GOD so the other was perswaded to obey GOD that one Virgin might be the others Aduocate And as mankinde was subiect to death by the means of a Virgin so it was restored again by a Virgin the virginall inobedience of the one beeing equally poized with the virginall obedience of the other Now Irenaeus hath not onely alluded to the Angels salutation by calling her Blessed but vnto the bare elements aswell typically to be vnderstood wherein this message was deliuered for Aue by inuersion of the letters is Eua. As then the first Euâ— by preuaricating God's