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
THE SECRETS Of NVMBERS According to Theologicall Arithmeticall Geometricall and Harmonicall Computation Drawne for the better part out of those Ancients as well Neoteriques Pleasing to read profitable to vnderstand opening themselues to the capacities of both Learned and Vnlearned Being no other than a key to lead a man to any doctrinall knowledge whatsoeuer By WILLIAM INGPEN Gent. Wisd 11.17 The Lord hath ordred all things in measure number and waight Cognitio â—oâ—um altissimarum est prima sapientia LONDON Printed by HVMFREY LOVVNS for IOHN PARKER Anno Domini 1624. Author pro suo libro in laudem NVMERORVM PRincipium rerum numerus perfectio sinis Is sapiens doctè qui numerare potest Coelum scrutatur terram metitur auerni Inquirit lasebras ambit oceanum I modo parue liber numerorum nubila pande Innumeros olim quae latuere viros Nec clausa accedunt quin omnibus obuia prostant Quae nunquam scriptis docta fuere prius Saepius ergo legas mysteria magna docentur Seu Sacra exoptes Ethnica siue magis In Zoilum Haec qui non calles ne turpibus excipe sannis Est stolidi ignotos carpere velle libros Si ve◠ò dubitas quasi non sum vera loquutus Adsis soluentur scrupea tota tibi FRANCISCVS NEALE EQVES AVRATVS * ⎠* Fama tui illustris praecellens nominis istud Rebus in aduersis robur constantia virtus Appellant steriles nostras Francisce camconas Nostra patrocinio protegas monumenta tuique Conserues nomen millena in saecula vatis Inuidus allatret nae quisquam murmure Momus Sibilet aut anguis sinuoso corpore serpens Carmina sic incults foras audaciùs ibunt Vnum sic mea musa tuum implorabit asylum Solis vt aspicimus lucem surgentis Eôs Naturam ingenium candorem abs indole noui Es patri similis tribus his sunt caetera matris Accedunt aliae coniunctae nomine dotes Laudant quas multi sed pauci imitantur vt omnes Egregios equites inter ceu stella coruscas HONOR coniux eius Hiccine Relligionis amor non dignus honore est Ore Deum celebrans confessio viua fidésque Nomine cum vestro cuÌ„que omine non quadrat aptè Opergas seruire Deo heröina pudica Relligio has tibi donet opes scandas vt olympum Nullus vel Phydias melius vel pingat Apelles Est speculo nullo facies formosior vlla Aurea quam tua tepietas quà m candor adornant Lux solis calida est non est nisi lucida-luna Est Venus in speculo magè fulgida quà m Venus ipsa TO THE RIGHT WORTHY AND WORSHIPFVLL Knight Sr FRANCIS NEALE one of his M aties Iustices of peace in the County of South * ⎠* TO whom may I better dedicate this Booke of Numbers then to your selfe who haue bin trained vp in the Art of numbring euen from your infancie I speake it to your deserued prayse and commendation Many go beyond you in the theorick but few or none in the practick I could wish that some men could not Arithmetize and Merchandize so well as they doe Who whiles they number their wealth their wit their learning their offices their dignities their cattel their lands their rents their monies the better part of their life vanisheth away This is a fruitlesse and carelesse kinde of numbring It is said that the Athenians notable speculatiues but bad practiques had money to number onely What doe men nou-a-nou-a-daies but continually hoord vp Gods blessings to number them And yet when they haue made their totall account they can neuer attaine to the Art of true Numbring To weane therefore the world in what I may from so sordidous and preposterous a kinde of Arithmetick I haue compiled this worke treating of The Secrets of Numbers contrary to the practice of our common Arithmeticians as the two Zones are distant the one from the other Wishing them that among so many Theologicall Arithmeticall Geometricall and Harmonicall numbers heere set downe they would thinke on one more excellent which is To number their daies Which to doe in one word is no otherwise then to take something from the pleasures of the world which they haue greedily pursued by way of subtraction and to adde so much to godly endeuours neglected by them by way of multiplication For the time is short wee spend in vertue but long which wee consume in vice There is no Arithmetick comparable to this Wherefore Pythagoras reducing all things into Number making his triplicity of perfection in the end concluded thus Si recta ratione vixeris male acta dolendo et bene acta gaudendo deosque oraueris vt opus tuum perficiant tum exuto corpore profectus in aetherem eris immortalis Deus I doe perswade my selfe that after you haue read this booke at vacant hours you will bee a better Pythagorean than euer you were Or at least by turning ouer Gods Booke as many times you doe you will not forget this one lesson Recordare nouissima tua et in aeternum non peccabis Pythagoras in all his life-time for all his numbring learned not this lesson but Salomon wiser then he did For that some things heere may be aboue your capacity and require more then a Delian swimmer for the searching of their bottome I would not haue you blame me altogether For as in other tractates I haue laboured to instruct the vnlearned onely so in this I haue done my best endeuour to satisfie both the learned and vnlearned with equall contentment Wee must consider we liue in a world of learning and it is in reading of bookes as it is in banquetting Not onely grosse and simple viands but the most dainty and delicate are called for though they be something sharp distasting to the stomach I doe not doubt but vpon conference had with you I shall be able to breake the shell that the kernell of many abstruse and symbolicall mysteries neuer brought to light before shall bee farre more pleasing vnto you which according to our small skill I shall alwaies willingly endeuour to performe To him who is that infinite Number Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity according to Athanasius Symbole I commend you and yours Your louing and most affectionate kinsman W. I. TO THE CHRISTIAN and well-disposed Reader COurteous Reader I haue not collected selected these Numbers to infatuate or captiuate thy iudgement neither is it my meaning to drawe thee into a Labyrinth by any strange or new-fangled opinion beeing not ignorant how that an itching pruriginous kinde of scribbling diuing into the innermost secrets of forbidden Theology hath marred the whole Christian world I wonder that learned men doe not blush for shame to blaze abroad to the common view such monstrous and impious paradoxes Some haue crept-out of late masking themselues vnder the colourable title of Religion and that with publique authority But to speake truly such manner of mis-begotten labours raking new and
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
will haue it deriued from distribution Among Mathematicks and Poets it is not taken for the same â—hing Arithmeticall is diuided into Par and Impar By one is â—â—â—ified the masculine by the other the feminine gender Thâ— onâ—â—s imperfect diuiduous and infecundious the other perfect fruitfull and indiuiduous Geometricall Number consists of puncts which is a note impartile it treateth of lines straight curued circumferent flexible Rhombus est quatuor linearuÌ„ aequalium non orthogonalium sed tangentium concursus Cylindruâ— GeometricuÌ„ corpus est quod pro â—ius summitate habet duos circulos parallellos Conus geometrica figura est in ipsa basi habens latitudmem in supersicie acumen cum circularicontento Enharmonium quod Enharmonica Diatonicum est quod diatonica dâ—uisione vtitur Chromaticum quod chromatia See of these in Briennius an antient writer cited by Posse Selec Biblio To. 2. cap. 1. Augustine calls the first audicial the second progressory the third occursory the fourth recordable the last sounding Lib. de music 6. c. 9.10.11 jacent perpendicular altern distermine straight angles square narrow summities circles semicircles and those limits called swaddled as also Figures Trilaters Quadrilaters Multilaters From whence come Equilaters Equicrures Gradates Rectangles Acutiangles Obtusiangles and such as are longer as Rhombi Rhombides and Mensulae In such as are solid it comprehendeth Pyramides Prismata Conos Cylinders Cubes Sphears such as are called Octendras Dodecaedras Icosaedras consisting all of diuerse quantities as hath learnedly been handled by Politian Intellectuall Musick is compounded of three Diapazon Diapente Diatessaron resembling the three parts of the minde that is vnderstanding sense and habite The first comprehendeth seuen things the minde imagination memory cogitation opinion reason science The second aimeth at foure sight hearing smelling touching The third consisteth of three increase height decrement That which is called Enharmonious is correspondent to naturall and morall Philosophy Diatonicall to Theology and Ciuill Law Chromaticall to the Mathematick and Economick That which is productiue resembleth the changes of mens liues and the conuersions of manners Of all symphonicall harmony justice hath euer bin taken for the principall so that there is a threefold number or concord Arithmeticall Geometricall Harmonicall Proclus an antient Philosopher constituteth fiue kindes of Numbers in the voice in proportion in the soule in reason and in diuine things so that by putting Theologicall Number to the other three mentioned before is to make a perfect harmony Vnder which I include all those Numbers cited in Scripture touching God or the three Persons in Trinity all those which are mentioned by those antient Doctors of the Church School-men and others who haue treated of holy mysteries whereof this Book shall affoord great plenty As touching the antiquity of Numbers some make a question whether they bee more antient than that which wee call Superficies and the line Macrobius resolueth it in this manner It must needs be saith hee Lib. 1. in Somu Scip. c. 5. that Number is more antient than the other for that from the line we come to the other as to the first from whence all those Geometrical lines or rules are borrowed The first finder-out of Numbers among the Heathens is Pythagoras the Samian some others attribute it to another Pythagoras who was an excellent Grauer or Caruer Linius will haue them to be the inuention of Minerua Polidor Virg l. 1. c. 19. others ascribe it to Mercurie Howsoeuer we need not contend much about their antiquity seeing there is no Monument old or new which can make them so antient as the Book of Genesis or That of Numbers where both in the creation of the world and in the numbring of God's people commanded by God by Moses and Aaron a remarkable President is giuen vs to knowe how greatly the vse of them was respected in those daies So that as God began and finished the Frame of the world with Numbers so he will destroy the same by numbring of his people vnto judgement Considering then all things are made capable of Numbers the heauens earth sea the soule and body of man yea the Angels themselues if wee beleeue those Cabalists what is that which is not comprehended vnder Numbers It is God himself who is that Vnity infinite eternall simple absolute in whom as there is no change so nothing can bee added or taken away from him Who again as he is One from euerlasting so is he vnchangeable in his purpose vnmoueable in his actions past finding-out in his waies making his Throne that he sitteth vpon like himself that the proportion of the one and other might bee equall according to the opinion of that learned School-man To say then that God is not to bee comprehended vnder any Number beeing an Essence numberlesse cannot be offensiue seeing that Maximus Lib. 2. c. 17 an antient Father teacheth vs His God-head is indiuisible because he is without quantity hee is without quantity because hee is not endued with any quality he is void of quaiity because hee is simple he is simple because he is interminate interminate because hee is infinite infinite because he is immoueable immoueable because he wanteth beginning and he could not haue a beginning because hee was from euerlasting Now it resteth that according to order wee should speak of their worth and dignity number force vertue efficacy energie and how large their extendure is as I finde them heer and there related by the testimony of famous Writers Which for auoiding of confusednes fastidiousnes I haue according to their seuerall properties collected them all in a Summe not omitting one Number from the least to the greatest from the Vnary to the Number of fifty and vpwards Neither haue wee barely set down their Numbers properties and effects but haue vnlocked many of their mysteries now and then by diuiding them now and then by adding light vnto them and now and then by bringing in authority and reason for the farther explication explanation and illustration of them All which being performed according to the module of our skill learning and judgement we thought it good in the later end of this discourse to proceed to other speculations borrowing their light from hence or which properly are annexed heerunto by necessary consequence CHAP. III. ONE IF Pythagoras were not the Inuenter of Numbers as some make him yet hee was a great Amplifier and Illuminer of them beyond the common practice of all other Philosophers whatsoeuer so that if hee were to bee blamed in any thing it was because hee did attribute too much vertue to them This is hee Lib. de cura mor. Graco 2. c. 6. who according to the testimony of Theodoret Ambrose and others took his pedigree from the Hebrewes Iearned much from Moses and abstained not from the Iewish Circumcision Which a man can hardly beleeue if he should bee the Author of that transformation of soules into the bodies of other men as it hath been
A staffe hath fiue properties It is comely in the hand of a man it keepeth old men from falling it directeth a mans steps it is a terror to dogs being blinde it leadeth the blinde There bee fiue kindes of slaues The staffe of bread mentioned in Scripture the staffe of old age Alexes staffe Crosiers staffe a staffe of reed wherewith Christ was mocked by the Iewes To the curing of an Ague fiue things are required first to moue the bellie secondly to cut a veine thirdly to prepare the matter fourthly to purge last of all to comfort the members especially the heart There are fiue gyants mentioned in Scripture Nephan Rephaijm Anakim Og Goliah Fiue others are mentioned in Homer and Virgil Mars Tityus Antaus Turnus Atlas The disease wee call the Epilepsie hath fiue proper Epithetons It is called by Plynie Sontick by Celius Rodignie Lunatick by Apuleius diuine by Hippocrates holie by Aristotle Herculean or inuincible Some will haue it so called because Hercules was melancholick but Galen and others hold this opinion that it borrowed his name from Hercules because it is immoueable and irresistable as hard to be ouermastered as to pluck Hercules club out of his fist There are fiue things rise among those Paracelsians which they call as Elements Elementa matrices agri ventriculi minerae treated of by Quercetanus an excellent Hermetick and Spagyrick There are fiue kind of Amulets or preseruatiues good against the Epilepsie The seed of Piony or the roote hanged about the neck Corall the greene lasper-stone the hoofe of a certaine beast like to a fallow Deere the Heraclean stone Among the Antients there were fiue kindes of wine that did work maruellous effects The Heraclean which caused men to be mad Thasian which caused sleepe Arcadian which made women fruitfull Regio deligenda est vbi arbores â—ascuntur multa ricta non autem ex latere vno cad nies copiesae magnae vberes fructibus vbi nascuntur homines pulchrs bonae indolâ—â—i humani Al. lib. 1. cap. 5. Trazenian which caused them to bee barren Lycian which stopped the bellie There bee fiue things needfull to bee considered of him who meaneth to build an house Site Element ayre water wood From the site if the ayre bee wholsom from the element if the region bee not too hot nor cold from the ayre if it bee not seated among Fennes or marishes from the water if it stand far from the sea looking towards the North from the wood if it hath store of Oake or other tymber apt for building CHAP. VIII SIX THe Number of six is euery way full perfect diuine and that from the opinion of the Ægyptians who from the nerues of the fingers proceeding from the heart complicated together especially the finger next the least whereupon rings haue been vsually fixed doe hold that this Number is represented Macro Satur. lib. 7. cap. 13. Howsoeuer it cannot chuse but be a Number of multiplications power and veneration seeing of all the Numbers which are lesse then tenne it consisteth of his owne parts For it includeth a medietie a third and sixt part and he is the third medietie the third part of two the sixt part of one all which joyntly or seuerally make but sixe in the whole Hee hath other tokens of venerable estimation because it is a Theologicall Number bearing the type of the worlds creation Now the sixt dayes-worke according to some Theologists is no otherwise then a representation of the Trisagium called the Trinity which some interprete out of these words in the Psalme Dies dici eructat verbum et nox nocti indicat scientiam And againe according to the Septuagint translation In capite libri scriptum est de me Whosoeuer hath expounded that concerning the sixt dayes-worke hath not taught amisse if we dare beleeue Nicetas Choniates For the head and beginning of that Booke that is of the whole Scripture diuinely inspired vnto vs to speake with Saint Paul is the sixt daies-work figured to vs by this Number by which the whole Fabrick of the world was created From whose greatnes and superexcellencie the Creator is worthily to bee praised and adored But some Diuines will auerre that God made not the world in six distinct dayes as some imagine but in one day distinctly representing six seuerall things I answere that this Text of Scripture whereon these men seem so much to build must not be vnderstood so as that wee must take the dayes according as they note the distinction of times for God as I haue often proued in this discourse had no need of time dayes nor yeeres to finish his begunne work but according to the works of perfection which is signified and compleated by the Number of six orderly distributed into so many seuerall and limited parts For whether he made it in six dayes according to hourly or daily computation or framed it all in one day diuiding his work into six parts it is all one for the venerable esteeme and antiquity of the sixt Number It is enough for vs to know that in the creation of the world compleated in six parts or six whole dayes Heâ— ordered all things in measure weight and number Wisd c. 11. v. 17 according to that diuine Oracle of Salomon He that is desirous to knowâ— one as touching this diuine Number and for what cause God made the world in 6 dayes and rested the seauenth let him reade Pious his Heptaplus where hee may feed his vnderstanding with vnspeakeable mysteries neuer vnderstood before Or if he meane to reason soundly or theologically as touching such hie and excellent poynts let him peruse Zanchins de optrâ—us Dei or Caluins exposition vpon Genesis Wee mean to go to the extendure of this Number The ages of the world are diuided into 6. Antichrist preuailed not much against the Church of God in those first six hundred yeeres after the passion of Christ So that a reuerend Pastor of Gods Church hath written The Protestants haue six hundred yeeres of light on their side the Rapists B. It wells Reply against H. a thousand yeeres of darknes Some hold that as the world was created in 6 dayes so it shall continue 6 thousand yeeres The art wee call mechanick is diuided into two but her parts consist in 6. The one is rationall including Numbers measures the positure of starres reasons of nature dimensions of longitude and altitude figures The other is chirurgick consisting of 6 Manganarie Mechane poatick Organopoetick Thaamaturgick centrobarick Scheropeick and that of Archimedes praised by Claudium in his verses God sheweth vnto man the knowledge of future things 6 manner of wayes By dreames birds wonders intestines of beastes spirits Sibilles That part of Astronomie called Calculatorie conâ—eyneth 6 kindes Exposition of elements composition ablation multiplication partition the inuention of the quadrate Later Euery narration consisteth of 6 elements The person cause place time matter the thing it self All kinde of works done
vocals among the Grecians Some will haue the golden age to consist of seuen there bee seuen doors of Nilus seuen kinde of metals all the life of man from his child hood to his decrepite age is diuided into seauen The first is vnder Mercuriâ— the second vnder Venus the third vnder Mars the fourth vnder Iupiter the fist vnder Saturne ouer the other two Sol and Luxa haue equall predomination as they haue ouer all the rest This Number is often mentioned in Scripture God denounceth seuen punishments in Leuiticus against his people c. 26. v. 18. Dauid likeneth the Word of God to siluer tried in a furnace which is fined seuen fold Psal 12.8 c. 9. v. 1. Salomon saith in his Prouerbs that wisdome hath built her house and set seuen pillars vnder to support it The Prophet Esay in diuerse places maketh mention of seuen gifts or gracious workings of the holie Ghost Mary Magdalen was possessed with seuen diuela And in the Apocalypse we finde this Number more frequent then in any other place of Scripture Seuen Churches of Asia seuen Candlesticks seuen Stars seuen Angels seuen Seales seuen Trumpets seuen Plagues seuen Vialles of which more shall be said in the latter part of this discourse But we will proceede to others It is said that the hearb called Heptaphyllum borrowing his name from the seuenth Number by a secret in stinct in nature resisteth any kinde of poyson whatsoeuer There bee seuen Planets hauing diuersities and contrarieties of operations To euery one of these Planets there bee proper and peculiar countries assigned To Saturne is appointed Bâ—nare Saxony Stiria Romandiola Rauenna Constance Ingolstade Spaine part of Italie Iewes and the Mores To Iupiter Babylon Persia Collen called Agrippine Vngarie and part of France To Mars the North part of Italy Germany England Saurematia Getulia Longobardia Gothland Padua Ferrara Cracouia To Venus Arabia Austria the higher Campania Vienna Augusta Vindelicorum delicorum Polonia the greater Sena the Heluâ—tians and Thuregians To Mercurie Greece Ægypt Iâ—landers Paris Vratislaue Viâ—una in Pannonia The other two luminaries because they are those generall significators and dominators of the whole Vniuerse as erst was said beare rule in each Planetatian prouince and therefore from the opinion of those Antients there is no certaine place assigned them Besides these seuen Planets there be seuen clymates assigned to them and their signes treated of by our Astrologians But some will say that from the Equatarie circle vnto that place where the day is longest there be 24 howres 48 parallells therefore there must be 24 clymates correspondent I answere with the solution of Mizaldus that the position and distribution of those Antients yea of Ptolomy the chiefest among them is very imperfect and therefore wee ought to beleeue our moderne Writers before the other especially in the site of the earth motion of Starres descriptions of countries according to Ptolomy himselfe alleadged by that excellent scholar Ioachim Vadian in his commentaries vpon Pomponius Mola And not onely in Astrologie but in the Art of Physick this rule must take place Ex cita Ioseph Querceta So that I finde the saying of Hippocrates most true Medicinam videlicet noneam esse assâ—ontam perfectîonem eui nihil addipossit sâ—d in qua semper velaliquid modo reprehendi mode corrigi modo addisci quâ—at As to euery one of those Planets meÌ„tiond before peculiar couÌ„tries are assigned according to their seuerall qualities so by euery one of these Planets seuerall vertues are signified By Saturn high contemplation judgement a firme and resolute purpose By Iupiter prudence temperance piety iustice By Mars truth fortitude heat and force of doing By Sol counsell charity which is the Queene of all vertues By Venus hope order and motion of desire By Mercurie faith and dilucidous ratiocination By Luna pacificous consonancie and moderate temperancie So likewise diuers and seuerall vices are signified by them Saturne signifieth melancholie sadnes tediousnes Iupiter couetousnes and tyranny Mars anger arrogancie reuenge Sol pride ambition Venus concupiscence lust lasciuiousnes Mercurie fraud cozenage lies Luna inclineth vs to things directly opposite vnto vs. There bee seuen naturall things elements commixtion humors parts faculties actions spirits handled at large by Hippocrates and Galen There bee seuen parts of the soule wherein reason anger desire take vp their lodging Acuminie wit diligence counsell reason wisdome experience All the whole body of the ciuill Law is conteyned in these seuen Articles following The first handleth those things the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second iudgements the third things themselues the fourth Hypothekes the fift what are the nature of Testaments and such things as are testamentarie in the sixt are diuers titles as touching the possession of goods the last comprehendeth interdictions exceptions actions procrastinations of time stipulations municipall titles significations of words rules of the Law with many other things which for breuities sake I must let passe The Canon Law deriued from the other and maintained by the Pope at this day may be diuided into as many There be seuen similitudes of Angels They are immortall inuisible indissoluble simple discreted in persons incommutable incommunicable to any other nature They are also impassible rationall happy foretellers of things to come gouerners of the world they take vpon them ayerious bodies when they are commanded they abide in those heauenly mansions The ayre hath seuen properties It is a vitall spirit it penetrateth euery liuing thing it giueth life and consistencie to all creatures it bindeth moueth filleth and refresheth all things whatsoeuer There may be seuen naturall reasons giuen as touching earthquakes The ayre fire water winde some subterraneous vapour some concauitie in the earth some down-fall There be seuen parts of harmonicall musick Sounds spaces Systemes kinds mutations modulations concent That which we call intellectuall musick conteyneth seuen also Minde imagination memory cogitation opinion reason knowledge answerable to the other The art called Geodesia Geodesia prunuâ— Geometricae exercitationis et actionis est campus from whence commeth the Geodeticall staffe is comprized in these seuen Streight plaine solid pedature porrect constrate the foot called quadrate Pythagoras going about to make proportions of musick as touching those celestiall orbes found out an instrument called Heptachorde This Heptachorde consisted of seuen strings The first is Hypates greater then any of the rest assigned to Saturne for the slownesse of his motion and grauitie of his sound The second is Parhypates assigned to Iupiter The third is Lychanus taking his name from the finger by which it is strocken assigned to Mars The fourth is Mese because it is middlemost attributed to Sol who obtaineth the middle place among those Planets The fift is Paramese as next to the middle giuen to Mercurie The sixt is Paranete neere to the last assigned to Venus The seuenth is called Nete the last in order attributed to Luna Some men perchance will make a doubt
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