CHAP. I.

PLATO, inspired as farre as any Philoso­pher that wrote of heauenly things, a­mong those admirable precepts learned out of the school of Pythagoras, hath left vs this Oracle; Prima sapientiae pars est, Vnder O [...]ph [...] ­call, I compre­hend all that Orpheus hath written in his Hymns tou­ching the Tri­nity, and vni­on of the god­head; Vnder Symbolicall, that part of su­pernaturall Theology which is han­dled by those Rabbines in their th [...]dmud, or expositions. bone numerare: The chiefest part of Philoso­phie, is, To number well. Vnder this word Number, I include not onely Arithmeticall and Geometricall Quantity, the superficiall Tones and Sones of Musick, those corporall Dimensions frequent among those Mathematicks; but whatsoeuer is combined within the compasle of naturall and supernaturall Theologie, called by some, Orphicall and Symbolicall, taking his beginning from that which Aristotle calls Primum Mobile; and neuer leaueth speculating, vntill it hath diued into the lowermost Centre of the earth. For, my meaning is, in this ensuing discourse, to shew, how that there is no knowledge, either rationall, morall, physicall, or meta­physicall, which hath not some cognation or participation with Numbers; according to that antient Poet,

As touching their excellency, though the testimonies of Heathens are copious in this point, yet in sacred Writ wee shall finde plenty enough. For, whereas it is said, that God had di [...]posed ali things according to number, waight and measure, what is signified vnto vs, but that when he created the world out of the lump before it had, he made it an harmonious body, con­taining number, order, beauty, and proportion, in all the 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 Ʋnity, 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, [Page 3]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 l [...]. 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 Ʋarro (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 co [...]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 [...]b [...]e minor mundus appellatur, quia (vs seribit Na­zianzenus) De­ [...]is in [...]pso extri­m [...]et, sub b [...] quedam com­sendio, qu [...]q [...]d dis [...]use ant [...]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 [Page 4]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 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. Ʋentis compleateth her course in [Page 5]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 [Page 6]end.Neither can we [...]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. X [...]. Sen [...]. B [...]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, quàm possit quaecun (que) 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 ma [...] 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 [Page 7]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 [...]hing. Arithmeticall is diui­ded into Par and Impar. By one is [...]ified the masculine; by the other, the feminine gender. Th [...] on [...] [...]s imperfect, di­uiduous, [Page 8]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 linearū aequalium, non orthogonalium, sed tangentium concursus. Cylindru [...] Geo­metricū corpus est, quod pro [...]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 d [...]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 [Page 9] 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 [Page 10]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 vntruely and impiously laid vnto his charge: For, if a Dog (to make a comparison) that hath long [Page 11]fed vpon the body of a dead Horse, may be said to be changed into a Horse, from his long habite of feeding; then may Py­thagoras justly be condemned for his fond and fancie-full opi­nion. For, he taught this transanimation touching the body, and not the soule; or at least, touching the affection of the soule, not concerning the going of it out of one body into a­nother. Now, What is this, saith, Capuio, than an equall care, a like [...]notion or sympathy, a semblable study of some one man dead, long after to be found the self same in another man liuing? For, were it that Pythagoras Books were remaining among vs, as they are all lost, we should soon finde this imputation, laid vpon him, to be exploded for a meer fable. And yet his Saying was not manifest, but a meer riddle; whereby hee went about to shew to that rude world, that the first Matter was not onely capable of all kinde of formes, but that it was auarous and communi­cable, and that it was not contented with any form. Hee then that was conuersant in Moses school, that had learned what the first Vnity was, and had attributed so much to Numbers, how could he bee sotted with such a strange and senselesse o­pinion? For, to think that the soules of men can passe out of one body into another, according as Pythagoras did into Eu­phorbus, [...] est habendum, Ex Orthodoxi cuiusdam not is in M. Choniatē. to speak with that excellent Theologist: nay, more than that, it is to prejudice the Maje­sty of the Creator, and to conspire against the verity of all kinde of sanctified Theology. Yet admit that Pythagoras had imagined such a Chymene, and was the prime Author of that fancy, I do not see, but his opinion might be as wel defended, as the [...] of those Paracelsians, treated of by Euercetanus & others.Tetras grauis. affec. c. 10. But (to come to our matter) Pythagoras Symbole was this; The beginning of all beginnings was Infinitum, Ʋnum, & Duo. Vnder which three, he signified God, Idea, and that which the Philosopher calls The first Matter. All which three meeting together, and producing that which we call Tetraclys (which, according to Pythagoras account, is the Fountain and Spring of all production, the beginning of all emanation, and the permanent of all immutable substance), it is impossible, but that much diuinity should bee inclosed vnder this Symbole. Now, although this Number, One, bee not numerable, by [Page 12]reason of his indiuisiblenesse, yet it produceth and createth innumerous forms of things of it self, and within it self. Hee therefore that knowes not what is infinite, what is One, what is two, according to Pythagoras diuine rule of numbring, knowes little or nothing touching the Trinity: for, One sig­nifies the Essence; two, the different respect of Persons; infi­nitum, the propriety of beginnings, that is, the Eternity it self. Whether then wee respect this Number barely, as the begin­ning of all Numbers, or figuratiuely, the vnion betwixt the Father and the Son, God and Man, Christ and his Church, the soule and body of man, the wife and the husband, it must needs be a sacred Number. So then, as One cannot bee diui­ded, because it is a single Number (some account it for no Number, but the beginning of Numbers): no more can the humanity bee diuided from the God head, the Church from her Spouse, the soule from the body, the wife from her hus­band. For, this is a Maxime both in Philosophy and Diuini­ty; Sola Ʋnit as omnino simplex, à se perfecta, non egreditur se: sed indiuidua simplicitate & solitaria sibi cohaeret. Wherefore, setting all other vertues aside that this Number hath, it is easily to bee gathered, that there is none that sheweth vnto vs more cleerly the Deity, the co-vnion of Christ with his Man-hood, the na­ture and essence of that indiuisible Vnity, than this doth. Which hypostaticall vnion (to speak with Damascen) exceedeth all other vnions whatsoeuer. Lib. de orth. sid. 3 cap. 8. Deus est vnus, qui, tesle Ma­crobio, vices temporum nes­ciens, in vno semper quod adest consistit a­uo, & rerum omnium princi­pium nominatur

Let vs see now how far this Number extendeth. There is one God, one Sauiour, one Faith, one Baptism, one world, one Phoenix in the world, one Sunne, one Moon, one Ark of Noe, one Church, one Deluge, one Zodiack, one King in his Kingdome, one Shepheard of his Flock, one Leader among the Cranes, one Soueraign among Bees, one chief Ruler in the City, one soule in the body, one head. Hee that taketh away Vnity, spoileth the God-head, razeth the humanity of Christ, robbeth the Church of her paramour, taketh away the harmo­ny of the soule and body, depriueth man of his Comforter, confoundeth the foure Elements, renteth asunder the Frame of the whole world, disioineth his sympathy, and (that I may conclude all in a word) marreth all order, concent and con­cord [Page 13]whatsoeuer. Therefore Boetius, who hath written di­uinely of Numbers, hath left vs this for an Oracle: Euery thing remaineth so long as it is one; but, diuided into two,Lib. de conso Philoso.it remaineth one no longer. And it was not without some secret mystery, that Zenophanes, Parmenides, and Melissus said, All was one, and without one was nothing. He then that knoweth not one, know­eth nothing. Wee will conclude with the Poet,

CHAP. IIII. TWO.

AFter Monas, this is the first Number, called Par in composi­tus, hauing some resemblance to the first matter which is incomposite. It is the weakest Number of all, because of it selfe, without the helpe of others, it worketh nothing. The reason is, euery thing existent is coupled with the terne Num­ber, and is made perfect with the quaterne. As for example: bodies are measured by their longitude, latitude, and profun­ditie; spirits, by the memorie, vnderstanding, will. So they are perfited by the fourth Number. As memorie, alluding to vnderstanding and will, is capable of the duall Number; vnder­standing and the will, of the ternarie: the will vnto both ma­keth the quaterne Number consummate. So that the duall Number, as a noune adiectiue, standeth naked without help of others. Therfore it is ioyned with the fift Number, to vnder­prop it selfe the better: from which coniunction the septinarie is framed. Macrobius referreth the one to the starres, called Erratica, the other to the Zones: the one, by reason of his scis­sion; the other, from vertue of his Number. Hee sticketh not to call this the first Number, taking Monade for a point, for no Number at all. For, saith hee, as a point is no bodie, but from it selfe maketh bodies: so is Monas no Number, but the beginning of Numbers. The first Number therefore, accor­ding [Page 14]to Macrobius Arithmetick, consisteth of two, which is like a line of a punct, produced vnder the doubleterme of a punct. Beeing therefore of small force and efficacie, his ex­tendure cannot be so large as others be.

First, wee will beginne with the two Tables of Moses, of whom Austen writeth in this manner: What disputations, what letters drawne from Philosophers,Fpistol 3. ad volusia.what Lawes of Cities are to be compared to those two precepts of charitie, wherein Christ said, that all the Lawe and Prophets did consist? Heer are morall, logicall, and politicall counsels to be learned. Pythagoras rule, taught his schol­lers, consisteth of two; to learne how to speak, and to knowe how to hold ones peace. The soule is composed of a twofold essence: The one, according to Pythagoras, called indiuiduous, which Plato calleth intelligible, the other diuiduous, which he calleth sensitiue. There bee two parts in man; animall and ra­tionall; the one sited in the heart, the other in the head, ac­cording to Plato's diuision. There bee two senses in mans body, interne and externe. The one appertaineth to the soule, and hath reason for his guide: the other goeth through all the parts of the body, ruling the things without the body, where­of the sight and hearing is principall.

There be two principall affections (called [...]) plea­sure and griefe; contrary to the doting of the Stoickes, who will haue them proceede from opinion, not from nature. There be two vnderstandings in vs; the one agent, the other patient. By that part which is counted immortall, is signified the agent; by the other, the passible intellect. There are two principall notices of things giuen vs from God, whence all philosophy (as from a fountain) hath his beginning. The one called Ana in the Hebrew Tongue; whereby, from the instinct of nature, wee discerne good from euill; which the Doctors of the Church call [...]. The other, whereby wee know truth from falsitie, called Conscientia. The Art of Physick is di­uided into two parts; Theorique and practick. Astrologie consisteth of two; naturall, and coniecturall. Arithmetick is composed of two Numbers, Par and Impar, spoken of before. Musick is either naturall or artificiall. Artificiall is composed of two Arithmick and metrick. There is a twofold life, actiue [Page 15]and contemplatiue. By the one is figured Lea; by the other, Rachel. There be two astrologicall motions touching those wandring Starres; the one from the West to the East, the other from the East to the West of the first Glo be,Libel. contra astrologor. iudicia. which is the first and swiftest of all, according to Trapezontius. Historie contai­neth two kindes of narrations; Those that be fabulous, others that are serious. Others diuide it into that which is mani­fest, that which is hidden. Fabularie consisteth of two sorts; either to shew a man pleasure, as encomicall arguments; or by way of exhortation to deterre men from vice to vertue. The one feigneth an argument, as in Esopes Fables; or expresseth truth vnder obscenous speeches, or by certaine poeticall fig­ments, or perchance couereth it vnder some vaile or morali­zation, as antient philosophers did. That which is serious, either it is geographicall, temporall, chronicall, naturall, annu­all, politicall, and so forth. There be two Sabbaths, contrary to the opinion of some Rabbins; who expounding these words in Ezechiel, Sabbata meadedi eis, vnder the plurall Number,Cap. 20. [...]. 12. will haue euery kinde of rest mentioned in the law, taken for a Sabbath. The one is a Sabbath of rest; the other, a Sabbath of Sabbaths; when cuery soule, dislodged from his Tabernacle of sinne, shall possesse his true and proper countrie giuen him as an inheritance, which is the last and most glorious Iubilie. By the first may bee signified the graue, or the time that the soule of man is separated from the body. There are two princi­pal Cōmandements giuen vs from God, wherin the whole De­calogue consisteth, mentioned in our other Chapter; To loue God, and our neighbour as our selfe. There are two Sacra­ments; Baptisme, and the Supper of our Lord. Popish Arith­metick hath found out others, contrary to Christs institution. There are two Secrets among those Cabalists: One that is a simple Secret; the other, a Secret, Cui non est simile, called the Secret of Secrets. The one is compounded of Art, know­ledge, wisdome, affection, power, habit of the minde, and so forth; The other from extasie, voyce, inspiration, vision, and whatsoeuer is giuen vs from aboue. All the elements in the eight bodies of heauen (according to Iamblicus) after an heauenly manner, are found two times retrograde from their [Page 16]procession, according to the opinion of Picus, they are twice enumerated. Theologie is contemplatiue and practiue. Saint Bartholomew, alleadged by a Thalmudist, diuides it into little & great. As the Hebrewes hold, there be two worlds: so Phylo will haue two Temples belonging to God. One is this world, wherein his holy Word is our chiefest Bishop, the first begot­ten. The other is our rationall soule, whose Priest is the true man of God. What can bee more plaine, diuine, miraculous, saith one, then for the highest Bishop of the Temple which is the world, to become the diuine Word, the first begotten; The world to be the Tem­ple of God; The first-begotten, which is his Word begotten from all eternitie, to be the hie-Priest of this Temple, which is our soule? There is a twofold halite of the earth; one moist, resembling the wa­ter; the other drie, compared to the fire. That which wee call Fatuus ignis, is diuided into two, precedent or subsequent. The one is called Castor; the other, Pollux. Man resembleth God in two respects: In that hee is made according to Gods owne Image, in that hee hath a rationall soule. So that it is truly said by one, Non reperitur aliquid in homine, in quo non fulge­geat aliquid diuinitatis: nec quicquam est in Deo, quod ipsum etiam non representetur in homine. There are two natures in Christ, cō ­trarie to the heresie of those Monothelites. There be two let­ters mentioned in the Apocalypse, wherein Christ hath shew­ed vnto vs all his diuinitie, α and ω. And he hath done it for these reasons following. For, as α is the beginning of Greeke elements, ω the end and terme: so is he the beginning, be­cause no man went afore him; and the end without end, be­cause no end shall follow him. He is the beginning also of all things, from whom all things proceed, and for whom all things were made: he is the end vnto which all things tend, and in whom all things shall haue their abiding. There are two Adams; the one earthly,cap. 3. v. 12. the other celestiall, according to that saying in Genesis, Ecce Adam sicut vnus ex nobis. Hee sayd not, one like vnto you (speaking vnto the Angels, accor­ding to some Rabbines exposition), but like vnto vs, making the second Person in Trinity. For in the Angels there is a Number or alteritie, which you will. In vs (which is meant by Christ, the second Adam) there is infinite vnity, eternall, [Page 17]simple, absolute. And yet 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; [Page 18]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 [Page 19]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; and they will make, by a col­lectiue kinde of procession, iust seauen: from seauen, by doubling of the ternarie Number, they will make tenne: And because there is nothing without the compasse of tenne, Py­thagoras most wisely hath said, that Number is the beginning of all things whatsoeuer. This is a Theologicall Number, be­cause vnder this the Persons of the Trinitie are liuely repre­sented.Ex citatio. Nice. Cho. the­saur. ortho. fidei. lib. 2. cap. 30. For, as Gregorie Nazianzen teacheth vs, The vnitie beareth principality from it selfe: the dualtie ariseth greater from the vbertie of matter and forme, whereby bodies are existent. The Trinity is definite from his owne perfection. By one, is signified the co-vnion of the God-head; by the other, the two natures in Christ; by the last, the triplicity of Persons. The first ternarie Number, according to Gregorie, exceederh the binarie, lest the Diuinity should be included in too narrow a roome, or should diffuse it selfe, Ʋsque ad infinitum. Now, there is another reason why the Diuinitie should extend it selfe vnto the third Number; because, among all other Numbers, the ternarie expresseth the type of a balance most chiefly. But euery man knoweth, that a balance is the very symbole of equality. So that it [Page 21]commeth to passe, that the triple Number, beyond all others, occupieth the middle place betwixt both extremes, that it is both euen and vnchangeable: so that a man cannot perceiue any composition to arise out of this Number. But some will ask, Could not God represent himselfe vnto vs without Num­bers, being without compasse of all Number, infinite incir­cumscriptible, incomprehensible? I answer, Though God be one, yea, the vnitie it selfe, yet he hath diuerse names; not which shew vnto vs his diuerse essences, or deities, but his proprieties onely, issuing from him. Therefore it is holden a Maxime in Diuinity: Nil obstet quo minus nomina numeralia in diuinis admittantur, Paul. Sea. Ency­cloped. etiamsi (vt aiunt) Lypersona dicat substanti­am proprietate personali, quae varia appellatione nominatur, notione non personali. But heerein we must take heede, that wee doe not Pythagorize too much, by tying the incircumscriptible Diuinity to Numbers and Cyphers, more than his owne word will warrant vs. For, his vnitie is beyond all vnitie: his Deige­nous fecunditie (to speake with Dionisius Areopagite) is not to be measured with any name or title. So that there is no Vnitie or Trinity, no Number or fecunditie, nor any thing else lyable to our capacity, which can vnfold this mystery of mysteries. And the reason is, as the said Dionisius writeth,Lib. de diui. no­mi. cap. 2. Because it lieth hid in that hie and mysticall Diuinity, which in his owne substance surmoun­teth the substance of all others by many furlongs. So that it is true which is left vs by that ancient writer: Vnum non cognoscit Deum, nisi Deus. And againe: Nos non apprehendimus de ipso, et de pro­prietatibus eius, nisi vniuorsalia; et haec paucissima. As this Num­ber, by this fecundious multiplication, goeth beyond any o­ther: so doth his extendure stretch farre and wide. There are three Persons in the Trinitie. Christ saith, He is the way, truth, and life. There are three that beare testimony in heauen; The Father, the Word, and the Spirit. This triplicitie is expressed in Deuteronomie, in these words: Magnus, potens, terribilis: some expositors haue Reuerendus. By which is shewed, how great he was before the creation, in the creation, after the creation. There are three kindes of Principiata, or Entia, which you will. Some are workes or magnitudes,Lib. de soelo. according to Aristotles mea­ning. Others dwell, and obserue bodies and magnitudes. Tho [Page 22]last are dominions and beginnings of habitants and keepers; which, for their noble actions, are stiled Olympian dwellings. For, as hee saith, Nobilioribus nobiliora et altiora attribuuntur. Orpheus maketh three beginnings; Iupiter, Iuno, and the Law. By Iupiter, hee vnderstandeth the beginning of all things be­cause he is the chiefest God; By Iuno, Iupiters bedfellowe, the mother of all things: For in one of his hymnes he writeth, Absque te nihil diuinò vitae natura agnouit, and so forth; By the Law, natures confirmatiue, or distribution. These Symboles haue some identitie with that of Plato, who putteth these three beginnings;Proclus will haue Plato mean by God, the most Excel­lent of all effi­cient causes; by Matter, the subordinate subiect of all things; by Idea, the fairest exemplar. In. 47, propos. l. 1. in Euclid [...]m. God, Idea, Matter: which, Pythagoras hath sym­bolized vnder these three mentioned before; Infinitum, vnum ac duo. So that Tecraclys (called of some, Pythagoras fourth Number) issuing out of these, is the cause of all perfection. Detestable therefore is the doctrine of Manicheus, making two beginnings; contrary to the doctrine of Moses, Pythagoras, and Plato.

Paracelsus, Prince among those Chymicks, maketh three beginnings of oylevitriolous, by the separation of those be­ginnings, that is, Mercurie, or the spirit, from his oyle, sul­phur, and salt (which in their tryade, make an vnitie): it is admirable to thinke, what effects, in the curing of all manner of calculous diseases, it produceth. There be three kindes of worlds;There are three things belonging to God; Honor, to the creator; Loue, to the Redee­mer; Feare, to the Iudge. There are three things due to our neighbour; Obedience, to our superior; Concord, to our equall; well-doing, to our inferior. Sensible, intelligible, architypall. The one is the receptacle of all quantitie; the other, of vertue; the last, of principality, drawne from the former diuision. These three haue diuerse respects: The one is circumscriptiue; the o­ther, definitiue; the last, repletiue, because there is the first, sempeterne, and sufficient good, whereby things cor­ruptible, are made incorruptible; temporall, eternall; dissolu­ble, permanent and euerlasting. By one, is signified God; by the second, this that is visible; by the third, the lesser world. There is a threefold necessitie; Absolute, which is from God; physicall, which gouerneth destiny; euentuall or consequen­tall. But I like the opinion of those Academicks and Peripa­teticks better, because it is not so doubtfull, and it commeth neerer to our Christian Religion. They make destiny to bee the sole efficient cause of working in nature. Euerie creature [Page 23]which is in the world, consisteth of three; Simple, as the Ele­ments and heauen; incorporeall, as the spirits; composed,There are three things belonging to our selues; Cleannesse of heart, silence of our tongue, chastisement or gouernment of our bodie. as man. All kinde of Planetarean traiections are of three kindes; swift, sudden, momentane. There bee three great heauens; Chrystalline, Empireous, and the Firmamentall. Fire hath three properties; To consume, to incinerate, and to draw to his owne likenes such things as are neer vnto it. Againe, it is penetra­tiue, communicatiue, diuisiue. Aire hath threefold qualities. It is subtile, mobile, perspicuous. Quick-siluer is of a tripled disposition. Some will haue it cold; others, hot; some o­thers, temperate, that is, hot and cold. The 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 [Page 24]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 Ʋitruvius 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 [Page 25]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 [Page 26]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 in earnest.2 He neuer spea­keth ill.3 He neuer spea­keth but vpon good cause, is necessarie for three respects; To know the [...], to prohibite vnapt times of purging, phle­botomizing, and giuing of physick. There are three things needefull to bee knowne in foretelling; The initiall houre, the state of the heauens, or their position vnto a certain houre, the certaine effects of the heauens and Starres.

The earth hath three appellations; animall, vegetall, minerall. It hath three vertues or properties. It is the matter whereby wee were first created; the mother of all things; the truest physick, as touching our restauration and conseruation. Hee that knoweth himselfe, knoweth all things in himselfe; God, vnto whose likenes hee was made; the world, whose image hee beareth; all the creatures, with whom hee symboli­zeth. Mans dignity consisteth in three things; In that God made him a reasonable creature, innocent in his life, potent in his dominion. Man hath a threefold eie; Of the flesh, whereby hee seeth the world; of reason, whereby hee seeth [Page 27]his minde; of contemplation, whereby hee seeth God.In one that shall worthily occupie the Pulpit, are re­quired these three things: Meet to teach; wherein are required, Grauitie, Learning, Eloquence: As in the Diuinity there is one essence, and three persons: So in Christ there is one Person, and three essences; his Deitie, his soule, and flesh. Christs natiuitie is threefold; diuine, hu­mane, of his owne accord: the first, from his Father; the se­cond, by his Mother; the last, by his will. There appeared his benignitie and humanity at his natiuity, from a threefold receptacle: From the bosome of his Father, wherein hee lay hid; from the shadow of the Law, wherein he was figured; from the belly of his mother, wherein hee was formed. His vnion is threefold; his deitie with the soule, his deitie with the flesh, his soule with the flesh.Meet to re­proue; wherein are required, Courage, Iudgement. His first vnion remained still the third was separated vpon the Crosse. Christ lay in his graue 3 dayes: Some will haue his soule to remaine three dayes in hell. Philosophie is diuided into 3 partes; physicall, logicall, morall. The action of the soule is threefold: By vegetating, to bee exi­sting; by vnderstanding, to be good; by reasoning,Meet to con­uince; wherein are required, Arts, Memorie, Knowledge. to be excel­lent good. Her vegetable parts are 3; generatiue, for the con­seruation of their Species; augmentatiue, for the conseruation of her indiuiduous; nutritiue, for the perfection of her subiect. There is a threefold liberty of free will: One is of naure; the other, of grace; the third, of glory. He that wil be a teller of true dreames, must bee endued with these three qualities:We are bound to flie here­ticks for three causes: Because they are excōmuni­cated, and cut off from the body of the Church; Because, com­municating with them, we are made par­takers of their idolatrie; Because wee tempt God, to make vs like vnto them. He must haue a pure phantasticall spirit, apt to prophecie: hee must vse frequent meditation, and moderate diet. There be 3 kindes of learners; one, that vnderstandeth things of himself the other, that harkens to things propounded; the last, that neither vn­derstandeth himself, nor will listen to others instructing. And this is the worst of all, saith Hesiodus. Man vseth to dreame three manner of waies, by impulsion from aboue. First, hee can foretell, that hee hath some cognation with some celestiall bodie; secondly, that the aire is full of immortall creatures; in which, certaine sparkles of noted truth are apparant; third­ly, that Angels or some supernall powers speake familiarly with him. And it is euen a note of true foretelling, when the soule is neere departed out of the body. There are three conditions of vertue; the remouing of temptation, multipli­cation of good workes, delight in doing well. There bee [Page 28]three kindes of triumphs;Humility hath these three ex­cellent pro­perties. 1 Shee thinketh no booke so bad, but hath some good lesson in it.2 Shee despiseth none of whom shee may learn.3 Shee scorneth none of whom shee hath learned. True, when as for a mans merits a crowne or garland is giuen him by mutuall consent of the citizens; most ample, when hee is aduanced to dignity for his vertue; most shamefull, when he riseth higher through the losse or disgrace of other men. All kinde of Cometographie consisteth in three, treated of by Mizaldus with much lear­ning and elegancie.

All kinde of Architecture is tried three manner of waies; by the touch-stone, by the hammer, by the fire. Euery mo­dulation is threefold; Assumption, coniunction, vse. The art perspectiue putteth vs in minde of a tripled nature; intel­lectuall, animall, corporeall. Memorie consisteth chiefly in three; partition, common places, images. Euery perorati­on consisteth of three; Enumeration, indignation, miserati­on. That which wee call the leprosie, is threefold; pale, white, red, from Saint Hieromes distinction. Diuels are endu­ed with a triple sagacitie; Subtiltie of nature, by their vesper­tine knowledge,True genealo­gie consisteth in these three things; 1 In the autho­rity of a faith­full and auten­tique Writer;2 In the neere and aptest pronunciation of each regiō;3 In the site and opportunity of the place. vnderstanding naturall things present; Expe­rience of time, vnderstanding naturall things future; Reuela­tion of superior spirits, knowing things that bee voluntary. Among the damned, three things beare rule: Proteruious phantasie, mad concupiscence, iracundious furie. There be three forces in creatures; animall, naturall, vitall. The soule of man consisteth in three; The minde, reason, idoll, which some call phantasie, or imagination. There are three facul­ties of the soule, by which we resemble the Image of the Deity; The intellect of minde (called [...]), taken for the reasonable facultie; The meanes whereby it discerneth all things, which is compounded of common sense, imagination, and memory; The rationall part, which enquireth the causes and effects of things, which can neither deceiue not bee deceiued, as long it attendeth her office. That part of Philosophie we call Meta­physicall, consisteth in three things. First, it comprehendeth God; next, those mindes se-ioyned from the body; last, the multiplications, beginnings of all kinde of doctrine, by the steppes of nature, called Axiomata.

There are three things which are euery where, and no where, according to Porphirie; God, vnderstanding, the soule. [Page 29]There is a threefold ladder of nature, wherein three regions of triplicity, and in euery of them one state of abstraction is considered. The first is the obiect transparant, and the exteri­or phantasie. The second is the interior sense, phantasie, and brutish iudgement; The third, humane iudgement, reason, and vnderstanding: of all which, the minde is Lady and Mis­tresse. There bee three principall meanes or wayes, whereby wisdome, or the knowledge of all things hath beene deriued vnto vs. The first, anon after the creation of the world, by tradition, dispersed through a great many of nations; which, if it had not beene violated, would haue beene found more profitable vnto mankinde. The second, by those Philosophers, who searched curiously after the nature and causes of things. The third hath lightned all kinde of nations and countries with his claritie, dispersing the mist of naturall reason and Philosophie, by his sunne-shining beames; which is worthy the name of wisdome, because it commeth from the fountaine of wisdome, conteyned in the old and new Testament. Those diuine personalities are three in Number, and haue diuerse operations: The power of the Father producing all things, giuing to euery man his vnity; The wisdome of the Sonne disposing all things, vniting and copulating them toge­ther; The loue of the holy Ghost conuerting all things to GOD, tying the whole worke to his Maker, by the band of charitie.

There are three faculties of the body. One is Animall, which, from the braine, passeth vnto the nerues, as through certaine pipes, transmitting sense and motion vnto all the parts of the body, and nourishing the vnderstanding. The other is vitall; which, from the heart vnto the arteries, as by certaine chanells, giueth life vnto the whole body. The last is naturall; which, from the liuer to the veines, administreth sustenance to all the parts of the body. The preparation of solarie tincture, spoken of much by those Paracelsians, consi­steth in three things; In expurging, renouating, restoring the member affected. Their philosophicall Mercurie is compo­sed three manner of waies; By sublimation, precipitation, di­stillation. There were three kindes of musick much esteemed [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [...] [Page 30]among the Antients: Lydian, Dorian, Phrygian. There are three things impossible to bee done; To take from Iupiter his thunderbolt, from Hercules his club, from Homer his verse. There is good cheere commonly at these three meales; A hun­ters breakfast; A lawyers dinner; A friers drinking. Cheese hath three good properties: He that eateth enough of it, shall neuer looke old; for, hee shall die whilst hee is young: Hee shall not bee robbed in the night; for hee shall neuer lin bar­king and coughing all night long: Hee shall not bee bitten with a dog; for, he shall alwaies goe with a staffe in his hand. Among the ciuill Lawyers there is a threefold brotherhood: Ʋterinus, by one Mother; Germanus, both by Father and Mo­ther; Patruelis, by the Fathers side.

CHAP. VI. FOVRE.

SOme Numbers beare that soueraignty, that they neither be­get, nor are begotten: others beget, and are begotten, be­ing the fourth Number; which Pythagoras calls The fountain of nature; Macrobius, The jugall or conjunctatiue Number: whose reasons are as follow. For, foure is made of two; doub­led, it makes eight: and so, by duplications, it will arise in the end to that which is infinite. It is properly belonging to the terne Number, to haue a middle place betwixt two summi­ties, or extremes, whereby he is yoked; mentioned in the former Chapter. But the quaterne Number possesseth two medieties, which is no other then a type of the worlds indis­soluble creation, consisting of foure elements. For whereas there is in euery element two distinct qualities, God hath so distributed to euery one of two, one of these, that hee hath made a federall knot or coniugation betwixt them. First, the earth in drie and cold; the water is cold and moyst: yet these two first elements, although they haue contrary qualities in them, ioyned to the other two, they make: a conuenient and temperant harmony, according to their seuerall humors, [Page 31]set downe in these verses mentioned by Themistius.

Which hath caused Heraclitus to hold, that All things are made by a certaine kind of disagreement. Indeed of themselues they disagree; but co-united to others by a secret commixtion or conglutination in nature, they make no small concor­dance. And this is according to Plate's rule, whom Macro­bius doubteth not to call, Arcanum veritatis; auerring, that those things are firmely vnited together, when as an interjec­ted kinde of mediocritie maketh the cōplement the stronger: but when as the medietie is doubled (as in this Number you may finde) those extimous things are not onely tenaciously, but indissolubely tied and linked together. These are the chiefest of Macrobius reasons, to proue the efficacie of this Number. But our Pythagoreans, they proue the excellency of it, by a kinde of paritie and imparitie this way: One and three, say they, makes foure: foure and fiue makes nine: seuen and nine makes sixteene: sixteene and nine makes twenty fiue; So that all such kinde of Numbers that are so collected, are found to bee quadrangular. The Geometricians call these Gnomones; Arithmeticians, vnequall Numbers; for that, ioy­ned to others in order, they will alwaies retaine the forme of the quadrant Number. This Number seemeth therefore to bee a Number of perfection; because, when a man is worthy of some excellent title, they say, He is quadratus homo, that is, a man euery way perfect and compleat. And it hath great affi­nity with the ternarie: So that out of the foure elements, and their 3 Interstitia (to vse Macrobius word) there is a finall and absolute commixtion of all kinde of bodies: That, as by the ternary Number, there is a copulation made of euery thing; so by the quaterne they are made perfect. This is that Pythagoras calleth [...](specified before); comming so neere to the perfection of the soule, that the Antients were wont by it to make them a religious kinde of oath in this wise: ‘Iuro tibi per eum, qui dat animae nostrae quaternarium nume­rum.’

The first therefore of his extendure, shall bee the foure elements, the foure qualities of the soule, the foure humors of the body, the foure seasons of the yeere; which this Number doth liuely represent. Wee will proceed with others. There be foure Cardinall vertues, foure Euangelists, foure Patriarks, foure Oecumenicall Synodes, foure chiefe Doctors of the Church, foure Windes. Euery site of a countrey is distingui­shed foure manner of waies. By parallels, angles, positure of the Eccliptick, and of the Sunne. All these haue different quali­ties of humors and inclinations,He that will know these configurati­ons, must ac­knowledge, there be eight Windes as wel as foure, ac­cording to P. Virgils di­stinction. Lib. 1. cap. 27. according to their signes, an­swerable to foure, which do shew the singularitie of this Num­ber. In the Signifer there are foure triquetrall configurations. The first is from the North, conteyning Africk, subiect to Borrolybicus, and is gouerned of Iupiter and Mars. The second is Austrisolane in the rising called Brumall, subiect to Notape­liotes, gouerned of Venus & Saturn. The third is mixed of Aquilo and subsolane in the rising solstitiall, subiect to Borrapeliotis; he is chiefly gouerned by Saturne, and hath Iupiter for an hel­ping companion. The last mixed of Auster and Africk in the going downe brumall: hee is gouerned by Iupiter, and hath Ve­nus for an helper. So that the earth is diuided into foure qua­drants, according to the triangled Number.Trigonum est spirituum astro­rum transmuta­tio quadruplex, iuxta numerum elementorum quatuor: vnum­qu [...]dque regit ac durat ducen­tos annos, vt cumtrigonum igneum incipit, supernae planetae suam coniunctionem semper habent in ignto signo, donec trigonum hoc durabit. S [...]c de reliqais, Paracelsus. The breadth is di­uided by the line of the Germane sea, from the sea Herculean, led vnto the gulfe called Isicus, and afterwards to the East of the Promontorie back wards; which line separateth the North part from the South. But the line from the gulfe of Arabia led through the Aegean sea, the puddle of Pontus and Meoti­des, parteth the East and the West. So that there are foure quadrants according to the trigonous Number: the first called Celtick; the second, the South part of Asia; the third, the North part of Asia; the fourth, the West part of Aethiopia, according to the opinion of Ptolomie, a most diligent Interpreter of the heauens and their motions. Now although among the Anti­ents there was but a threefold diuision of the earth, contay­ning foure quadrants, yet in desciphring her different quali­ties, site, temperature, signes, wee see how needfull the vse of Numbring is. By later inuention another part of the world is found out, which will make this Number more compleat [Page 33]then euer it was.There are 4 properties of speaking be­longing to 4 seuerall king­domes, expres­sed thus in Latine. Galls cantant. Itali caprizant. Germani vlu­lant. Angli iubilant. There bee foure animall faculties in mans body, according to Plato's dimension: Attractiue, retentiue, alteratiue, expulsiue. Vertues of those heauenly motions, and force of the Starres are knowne foure manner of waies. By the coldnes or moysture of the earth, by the temperature of the heauens, by the coniunction of the elements, by the secret power of hearbes, plants, stones and metals, wherein the fa­cultie of those Paracelsians chiefly consisteth. There is a qua­dripartite partition of creatures in Plato. For God looking back to the Idea of his minde, hath produced foure kind of li­uing things; Those which he calleth lesser Gods, or heauen­ly mindes, ayerie creatures aquatill and terrestriall:Death is terri­ble to 4 sorts of men; 1 To infidels that look for no resurrecti­on;2 To the welthy and rich man;3 To them that neuer tasted of the Crosse;4 To them that are strong and youthfull. Aristotle in his booke Degeneratione animalium (if he be soundly vnder­stood) doth not altogether disagree in this point. There be foure principall parts in mans body; Animall, vegetall, sensi­tiue, rationall. There be foure instruments of motion; spirits first, sinnewes next, muscles or the instrumentall parts of the back, the whole body last. There be foure Crises, which Phy­sicians ought not to be ignorant of; Simple, deficient, euill, imperfect and euill both. A Physician ought to be skilled in foure things, whereby hee may know those Crises the better; The foure seasons of each disease, the beginning, increment, declination, & vigor. Whereto if he adde the inspection of the vrine, I dare assure him an excellent Physician. For of those diseases which happen in the liuer and betwixt the veines, there is no certaine signe to be had, but from the vrine. Which is no other then an excrement of bloud in the hollow veine, brought through the reynes and vrinarie passages into the bladder. Foure things must be considered in the vrine;There be 4 seasons or dis­crimined times touching the frame of the infant in the mothers bel­lie, handled by Leuinus Lemni­us. Lib. de mira­natu. 4. cap. 23. consi­stencie, heat, quantitie, contents. The good vrine will bee knowne by these foure properties: If it be mediocrous of substance, answerable to the portion which it receiueth, of a subrufe and subflauous colour, hauing his sediment white, light, equall. In a captaine there are foure things required; knowledge, experience, authoritie, fortune. In warre foure things must be had; money, weapons, store of prouision, and artillery. There be foure parts of diuine Philosophy. The first entreateth of God, according to the worke of his vocation or predestinati­on; [Page 34]the second of God,There bee 4 things which driue away a friend without recouerie, Eccles. 22. To blaspheme him, to disdain him, to open his secrets, to wound him traiterously. as far as his power shineth in the effect of his creation; the third of God, as far as his wisdome sur­mounteth in the worke of our Redemption; the fourth of God, as far as his goodnes or clemencie shineth in the worke of our glorification. There were foure Riuers compassing Paradise, shewing the fertility of that place; Ganges, Tygris, Euphrates, Nilus. There be foure lawes bearing the names of foure Gods: Saturnian, Iouian, Fatall, Adrastian. Eudoxus, mentioned before, giueth to euery planet, besides the Sunne and Moone, foure spheares. The first causeth diurnall motion; the second, the motion of longitude vnder the Zodiack; the third,Ecclyptica linea est qua media Z [...]diac [...] latitu­dinem diuidit, ita vt gradus sint virinque sex. Zodiacus gra­dus 12. latus con [...]inet. Sub Ecclyptica linea ebliqua moue. ur Luna. Ep [...]ycius quid sit, vide Pe [...]rum Ali [...]ce. sem de sphara. the motion of latitude, as it declines from the Ecclyptick, or toward the South and North; the fourth, which letteth, that the planet goeth not but according to her meanes of latitude in the Zodiack, and that shee may not reach to the poles of the Zodiack. For, as the Zodiack goeth by the poles of the third sphere: so the third sphere, deferring the planet according to the motion of latitude, passeth through the poles of the Zo­diack. Lest therefore, according to the probable opinion of Astrologers, the third sphear may bring the planet beyond the Zodiack, there is giuen a fourth, which driueth her towards the Ecclyptick, whose poles Aristotle (if we beleeue Eudoxus) assigneth not.

There are foure kindes of rights; naturall, ciuill, natio­nall, militarie. Euery element hath foure properties: The fire is hot, lucid, penetrating, subtile in the greatest degree. The ayre humid,Time may be ill spent in learning, 4 manner of wayes. 1 If a man pre­ferre Appendi­ces before the substance of things;2 If a man con­found arts without order;3 If a man reade all things, and will be euery where;4 If a man reade or practise that, which is not agreeable to his profession. transparant, subtile, light in the lesser. The water is cold, white, thick, ponderous in the same. The earth is drie, black, thick, and waighty in the greatest. God hath foure excellent attributes: he is infinite, incomprehensible, in­circumscriptible, eternall. Gods name is expressed vnto vs in foure Hebrew letters; Mem, Zade, Pe, Sade: which some Rabbines appropriate to Dauids Kingdome. And it is written so, because this Number is euen and perfect, and God is said to haue no imperfection in him. Besides, the Persians doe write the name of God with foure letters, signifying the perfection of his diuinity. The Wisards of Persia (called Magi) [...]; the Arabes, Alla; the Assyrians, Adad; the Ægypti­ans, [Page 35] [...]; the Greekes, [...], that is, from run­ning; meaning, that euery where (while need requireth) he runneth, or is present to giue vs assistance: Or, as others expound it, from burning; that hee will burne the dwelling of the wicked, when hee is said to bee a consuming fire vnto them, according to Gregorie the Great. Wee giue to Angels foure attributes; Subtilty of essence, perspicacitie of vnder­standing, facultie of free will, personall discretion. In Angels there be foure dignities; Dignity of creation, grace of confir­mation, loue of creation, vision of the Diuinity. There be foure kinde of metals which participate with the foure elements;There were 4 things in vse among the old Romanes, which made them famous. 1 They did vsu­ally fight with the enemie in their own ter­ritories; as, in Africa, not at home.2 They endeuo­red to keepe their souldiers in subiection.3 Their money and troupes of horse men were alwaies ready;4 Their forces by sea were greatly respec­ted. Earthly lead and siluer, waterie quick-siluer, ayerie copper and brasse, fierie gold and iron. In the soule, vnderstanding re­sembleth fire; reason, the ayre; imagination, the water; sense, the earth. Our sight also is fierie; hearing, aierie; smell and taste, is referred vnto the water; our touching is ear­thie, alwaies dealing with those crassious bodies. Now, our actions and operations depend of those foure elements: A slow motion and solid prefigureth the earth; the water signi­fieth feare, sluggishnes, and one that is negligent; the ayre, alacritie, friendly manners; the fire, an acute, vehement, or angrie passion. Whatsoeuer man can thinke vpon foure manner of waies, God is. He createth euery thing: he consi­derateth of them, created: he loueth them, because hee created them: hee maintaineth and sustayneth them.

The soule of man is a foure fold Number; substantiall, vniforme, conuersiue to her selfe, rationall. Euery noble soule hath a fourefold operation; One, diuine; the other, intellectuall, rationall, and animall. It hath a diuine operati­tion, by the image of diuine proprietie; intellectuall, by for­mality of her participation with intelligences; rationall, by the perfection of her proper essentialitie; Animall or naturall, by her communion with the body. The nutritiue part of the soule hath foure coadjutors; Attractiue, which taketh in necessaries vnto nutriment; Digestiue, which separateth the good from the bad; Retentiue,There are 4 kingly vertues required in [...]; Wit, Experience, Prudence, Loue of their common wealth. which keepeth the meat so long in one place vntill it be altered or concocted; Expul­siue, which expelleth that which is superfluous in the nutri­ment. [Page 36]The soule, by vnderstanding, knoweth all things foure manner of waies; God, which is aboue her; her selfe, within her selfe; the Angels, neere her selfe; and whatsoeuer is conteyned in the whole Vniuerse beneath her selfe. Powers cognitiue are considered by foure differences of vertue intel­lectiue.There are foure kinds of diuine furie; loue, poefie, prophesie, mystery. All which you may find in Ficuius. Episilib. 11. The first is of nature, diuided into agent and patient. The second is of the obiect, diuiding the vnderstanding into speculatiue and practiue; The third, of dignity, diuiding rea­son in that part which is superiour and inferior. The fourth is of comparison to the act, diuiding the vnderstanding into habit and action.

That which the Philosopher calls force mouing, is qua­druple; imperatiue, conciliatiue, affectiue, or conciliatiue and affectiue. The first is Synderesis; some will haue it to be Libe­rum Arbitrium. The second is reason. The third is will, naturall,There be 4 notable quali­ties required in a Captaine; That he bee vali [...]nt, wise, nimble, elo­quent. and deliberatiue. The fourth is vnderstanding prac­tick. There bee foure sorts of true dreames. The first is be­tweene sleeping and waking; The second, that which one seeth of another; The third, whose interpretation in the night time is vnfolded vnto the dreamer; The fourth, that is rehearsed to him that dreameth. He that meaneth to gaine any certainty forth of Oracles, must obserue these foure pre­cepts: He must vse abstinence,There are 4 properties of a good wife; To bee well borne, to bee well formed, to be well mo­ralized, to bee well dowred. which defendeth him against the encountrings of diuels, and conioyneth him to God. He must obserue temperancie, which strengthens health. Hee must abandon superfluous things. He must be respectiue of the meat he eateth. For, as One saith, vsus siccorum ciborum, et corpus crassum iciunijs extenuatum, et facile permeabilem spiri­tum humanum, purum et potentem reddit. They therefore that drench their bodies with much drinke, their soules with a ple­thorie of noxious cogitations,There are 4 things desired of all men, but neuer or sel­dome obtei­ned; A sober maid, assured of looke and minde; can neuer dreame true dreames, nor see heauenly visions, nor haue any thing to doe with the interpretation of experienced Oracles. For it will euer be a Maxime, Sicca anima sapientissima.

All kinde of variation in musick consists of foure kindes; systeme, loue, concent, and modulation. There be foure things which haue an admirable power in nature; The stone called Heraclius, those plants called Cychoreus, Scorpiarius, Helio­tropium. [Page 37]I here be foure other things as admirable;A sad young man not giuen to lust & wast; A husband true, not [...]e­lous and vn­kind; A constant wife, not wil­full wise, but chaste. The load­stone, the bloud of a goat, the bunch that is vpon the fore­head of a fold, the stones of a Castor. Comets presage the death of Princes and great Personages for foure causes, which are all particularly handled by Myzaldus. In euery coe [...]licall signification or prediction as touching comets, foure things must be obserued, according to Ptolomie; Place, time, manner, quality. Bacchilides saith, that foure things are required in a banquet; Moderate preparation of Bread and Wine; plea­sing conference; true beneuolence of the guests; good Wine, wherein old men take great delight.Comet. L [...]b. 2. cap. 4. There were foure pro­perties in Caesar, which made him renowned through all the world; Labour, in the dispatch of his businesse; fortitude,The strength of France con­sisteth in these foure things; First, that the States obserue well their King; That they abound in riches; That they grow cunning and exercised in the warre; That the Ci­ties, Townes, and Castles, standing neere the Frontiers, beo well peo­pled, and made strong; Claud us Sisel­lius De mo­nar. Galliae. L. 2. in the hazarding of himselfe; industrie, in doing; celeritie, in executing. To keepe an house, foure things are needfull; To feede well, to feede enough, to cloath, to till the ground; according to M. Cato. Those Alchymists or Paracelsians in refining of gold, vse foure organes or instruments; Solution, or putrefaction, whereby gold is brought to his first matter; Sublimation, by whose helpe the spirit, soule, tincture, strength, and vertue, lying hid in the gold, are drawne forth and segregated; Caloination, or physicall digestion, by which the spirit and soule with the body, is made an vnion: so that out of the three parts, there is an vnity made of the whole; Fixation, by which those three partes distinguished, are so firmely vnited together, that there can be no diuulsion of any of those partes the one from the other. In all those refinings or quintessences, they preferre the vse of fire so highly, that one sticketh not to write in this wise, as touching the disso­lution of the world: Sic mundus et elementa eiut, ignis inter­ventu transitura funt, at que etiam renouanda, et à pristiná formâ in chrystallinam longè perfectiorem, [...]uriorem, et nobiliorem, ac in aeter­num durabilem commutanda sunt. Gold, among all other Elixiries (to vse Paracel us word) hath foure especiall qualities. It preserueth the bodie: it freeth it from all manner of diseases:Quer. Tetras: grauis. affec. cap. 32. it keepeth it from corruption: it correcteth whatsoeuer is found morbidous or putrefactious. But this is meant, not of foliated, but of philosophicall gold, spoyled of his crassious [Page 38]matter,The absence of some men from their natiue coun­trie, may proue dangerous for these foure causes follow­ing; 1 If they stay longer then was appointed them;2 If they returne sooner then needeth;3 If they stay to auoid suites & contention;4 If of purpose, without hope of gaine, they are long ab­sent. and reduced, by a various kinde of workmanship, vn­to a certaine kinde of spiritualtie; as those Paracelsians are wont to speake. Dioptometrie, which is no other then the Art of measuring, whatsoeuer commeth within the com­passe of measure, handleth foure things; celestiall, ter­restriall, propinquous, distant thorough a quadrant A­stronomicall.

There be foure principall meanes whereby a man may surely knowe whether he hath attained to any knowledge whatsoeuer. The first is, if he seeke out the difficulties con­sisting in the art he goeth about to learne: For, as Aristotle Lib. 3. Meta­phy. teacheth vs, Contrariorum demonstrationes dubitationes sunt de contrarijs. The second is, that he doubt whether he hath at­tained to the truth or no. For, as hee writeth,Posse. Biblio. selec. To. 2. cap. 10. Qui quarunt; nisi primò dubitent, sunt corum similes, qui ignorant quonam ire opertet, et adhuc neque vtrum innenerine, quod quaritur, an non, cog­noscere possunt. The third is, if he know what is to be followed, what to be auoyded, as touching the opinions of other men. The last is, if hee be able to refute the opinions of others, by collation of other mens judgements, more sounder then o­thers were. For, as Aristotle saith,Lib. 7. Ethecor. Opposita inxta se posita, magis elucescunt. Hipparchus, an antient Astronomer, is said to bee the first who did finde out, that the lunarie course was made betwixt foure Callipicous periods. This man is called by Plynie, as one that was partaker of the counsels of nature; of Ptolomey, [...], that is, a louer of truth. And hee is cited often by Possenine, Clanius, and others, for the mainte­nance of their Romish Gregorian Calendar: wherefore hee must be read with iudgement. Death vseth foure instruments to the punishing of the earth; warres, and battels, penurie, pes­tilence,These periods are called Cal­lipaous, from one callippus, that was an Astronomer. troupes of wilde-beasts, figured in thec. 6. v. 8. Apocalypse, by that pale horse. There were foure kindes of punishment, an­tiently inflicted vpon parasites: They were throwne head­long into a deepe riuer, tied about the neck with a Cowle, a Cock, a Snake, and an Ape.

CHAP. VII. FIVE.

THis Number is called Signifer, making a moîty of tenne,There are fiue joyfull myste­ries mention'd in the Gospel; The incarnati­on of our Saui­our, The visitation of Elizabeth, The birth of Christ in Bethleem, The presenta­tion of our Redeemer, The finding him in the Temple. and is placed in the middle, as in the midst of an host en­trenched on euery side. And it is no other than the vnarie Number twice coupled with foure, or twice foure hemmed a­bout with two Vnaries. It must needs containe some more than vulgar excellency, because it comprehendeth all things seen, felt, or vnderstood, whether they be things intelligible, things corporeall, or such as haue no body. For, as Macro­bius saith, either God is the chief, or the minde is begotten of him, in whom is comprized the Species of all things; or hee is the soule of the world, which is the receptacle of all soules; or heauenly things appertain vnto vs; or nature sauoureth of the earth: and so the fift Number, including all things, is fully compleat. Let vs see what extendure it hath.

There were fiue wise Virgins, and fiue foolish, mentioned in the Gospell. Pythagoras commanded his scholars to bee si­lent fiue yeers. Nero, for fiue-yeers-space,There are fiue dolefull my­steries; The praier Christ made in the garden, The scour­ging of our blessed Sauior, The crowning him with thornes, The carrying his own cross, The crucify­ing his blessed body. was the best of o­ther Emperors: after fiue yeers expiration, he becam the worst of all others. There bee fiue Senses. There bee fiue capitall Work-men as touching knowledge, cited by Ammonius a Christian Philosopher; The minde, discourse, opinion, ima­gination, sense: which are called the first and most potent Principles of Orphicall Philosophie. There are fiue parts of physick. One entreateth as touching the nature of man, and his constitution, called [...]. The second conserueth health, and foreseeth lest the body should fall into any mala­dy, called [...]. The third in quireth causes, and their diuers symptomes, called [...]. The fourth containeth know­ledge of things past, the consideration of things present, the fore telling of things to come, called [...]. The last, wherein the order of curing is shewed, called [...].There are fiue glorious my­steries; There were fiue famous in the Art of physick, before Hippocra­tes time; Apollo, Æsculapius, Chiron, Podalirius and Machaon, [Page 40]sonnes of Æsculapius. The resurrec­tion of our Lord, The ascension of our Sauior, The descen­ding of the holy Ghost, The assumpti­on of our lady, The crowning of our Lady. A Physician ought to behaue himself wisely in fiue things; In his charge, towards his Patient, to­wards himself, towards the standers-by, towards his fellow-physicians, according to the counsell of Cardan. There bee fiue things belonging to the Art military; Choice of young men, exercise, fortifying of castles and trenches, munition, in­struction of the Camp: whereto if you put fiue more, it can­not chuse but bee compleat; Oppugnation, propugnation, stratagems, fortification, ambushes. Euery corporeall nature hath his seat fiue manner of waies; In the vnderstanding, in the minde,There are fiue kindes of wa­ters mention'd in holy Scrip­tures; The waters of Ra­lim, most swift; the waters of Iordan, trou­bled; the wa­ters of Beth­leem, standing; the waters of Marah, bitter; the waters of Siloe, sowre. Rom. 5. in the creature, in heauen, belowe the Moon. He that will vnderstand the meaning of Mercury's soporiferous Rod, must be capable of fiue things taught among those Pla­tonicks; How that the soule liueth a contemplatiue life, accor­ding to Saturn; politick and practick, according to Iupiter; angry and ambitious, according to Mars; concupiscible and voluptuous, according to Venus; vegetable and stupidous, ac­cording to Mercury. Hee must also be acquainted with these fiue, frequent in Plato's Works; Eus, idean, alterum, status, mo­tus, interpreted at large by Ficinus.

Our election standeth firm vnto vs for fiue special reasons following: The first is the euerlasting and immutable decree of God before the world was created, made as touching the li­beration and reconciliation of all mankinde. The second is the opening of this decree, by his promise made vnto Adam, Abraham, Rom. 11 and the rest of the Patriarchs, as touching the bene­diction to come. The third is the consideration of the will of God, teuealed vnto vs by his promise. The fourth is the com­mandement of God from heauen, that wee should beleeue in his Sonne,Iohn 6 Rom. 8 1 Cor. 5 1 Thes. 2 Ficinus holds, there be fiue kind of lights; In God, in An­gels, in reason, in the spirit, in the body. out of these words: This is my well-beloued Sonne; and so forth. The last is the holy Ghost, confirming and ma­king vs sure, that we are the chosen sonnes of God. The ho­ly Trinity includeth in his essence fiue things; Vnity, simpli­city, immensity, eternity, in commutability; but, holding that God is Immensus, I mean not, that there is in him any quanti­ty of dimension, but of vertue: for, it is a Theologicall Rule, which will ouerthrowe their Popish reall presence; Non est v­bique Deus mole. corporis, sed prasentiâ Maiestatis. And accor­ding [Page 41]to this immensity, God is infinite, incomprehensible,There are fiue things which we ought not [...]o put confi­dence in; 1 Beauty, which is fraile;2 Health, which is vncertain;3 Life, which is short;4 Honor, which is transitory;5 Pleasure, which is mixed with sorrow. incircumscriptible, eternall, vnchangeable, to make vp the fift Number. There be fiue notions of God; Paternity, Filia­tion, procession, innascibility, common spiration. Whatso­euer man can think-vpon fiue manner of waies, God is. Hee is the most perfect, most worthy, most noble, most excellent, most mighty. Hee that will dispose the conception of his minde to others by way of teaching, must doo it fiue manner of waies. First, hee must prosecute that matter or subject hee takes in hand. Secondly, hee must cleerly and perspicuously propound it to his hearers. Thirdly, hee must garnish it with some ornaments of discourse, fitting time and place. Fourth­ly, he must confute that which is objected in his way. Fiftly, he must reduce all things into order by an apt kinde of parti­tion, repetition, epitomizing, dooing all thing to that end, that he may finde his hearers attentiue, obtaining their bene­uolence, now and then from the persons, now and then from the things themselues. A Theologist,There are fiue things which often deceiue [...] 1 Wisdome which is small;2 Vertue which is weak;3 Will which is distorted;4 Affection which is tur­bulent;5 Reason which is vnbridled. Rom. 12. ver. 1. Mathematicas disciplotas multi Sancti nesciunt quidem: & qui sciunt cas, sancti non sunt. Aug. dealing with an aduer­sary, must be able to distinguish fiue manner of waies; By Al­legoties, Anagogies, Translations, Tropologies, History.

There be fiue things inseparable: Heauen and earth; earth, and that which we call Inane; hell and darknes; the Spirit of God, and waters; light, and our bodies. The earth, void of it self, concludeth domesticall darknes: then it is joyned next vnto light; by light, vnto the heauen; by heauen, to the spiri­tuall substance: now, put thereto God, which is the end and beginning of all things, one, omnipotent, without begin­ning, without quantity, form and number; and who will not admire this fift Number? All arts, all kinde of knowledge whatsoeuer, according to the opinion of the Antients, is in­cluded in those fiue Books of Moses. All antiquity holdeth, that, from the vertues of fiue things, admirable emploiments haue been effected; By prayer, fasting, alms-deeds, repentance, a chaste minde. And this is meant by Saint Paul; where hee saith, Exhibiting our bodies as a sweet-swelling sacrifice to GOD, holy, pleasing, rationall, obsequious, and so forth. Perfection of vertue consisteth in fiue; Sufficiency, order, religion, prelati­on, security. The Mathematicks is a dangerous study for fiue [Page 42]respects. It is no true science: it leadeth not to felicity: it de­stroies the fundaments of naturall Philosophy: it is full of ob­scurity:There are fiue thing ne [...]e [...] ­sary [...]o a [...] ­ [...]ne. [...] he must not [...] igno­ [...]am of [...] Pi [...]ples. [...]ondly, he [...] must diuide [...] the [...] interpret [...] [...]on, [...]y, he [...] the [...]monies of Scripture, without per­uerting them, Lastly the must reconcile those places that seem con­tradictory. Hypertus de stu­dio, Theologico. it is full of scurity: it hindreth Theology. Wherefore one writeth, Nihil magis nocivum Theologo, quàm frequens & assidua in Mathema­ticis Euclidis exercitatio. All kinde of sounds in musick haue fiue differences; Sharpnes, grauity, space, Systeme, region of the voice: whereto adde Indole or sense, called in Greek [...] and there will be nothing wanting. Pronunciation consisteth of fiue; voice, countenance, gesture, comelinesse, and habit of the mouth. The diuell an noieth mankinde fiue manner of waies; Outwardly, by hurting the body, as in Iob; inwardly, as those that are possessed, or lie in a trance, by impression of idols or imaginations, suggesting euill; by tempting the bo­dy to sinne through exteriour senses; lastly, by deceiuing, through objection of false forms. For, hee perswadeth good, through obetext of euill: hee suggesteth euill, vnder shewe of good. he disswadeth good, praier, deeds of charity, for to a­uoid the crime of vain glory. Hee disswadeth the lesse euill, to bring a man by despair vnto the greater. Lucifor fell from his first dignity, for these fiue causes following. First, beeing placed in the highermost hierarchie, he was not content with his owne proper state. Secondly, the consideration of his first happinesse blinded him. Thirdly, because hee ouercame the first man by tempting, it was needfull he should be ouercome by the second. Fourthly, he loued himself, and his owne pri­uate good, more than Him that created him. Last of all, hee thought scorn, that any should be equall with him.

There bee fiue kindes of garments, according to Ʋives; Profitable,There bee fiue excellent qua­lities in an horse, which hee borroweth from fiue sun­dry beasts. 1 Quicknes or nimblenes from the Hare▪2 Ready sight and a faire hanging tayle, from the Fox.3 That he eat his meat well, from the Wolfe.4 That he hold his hayre, and haue strong hoofes and posterns, from the Asse.5 That he loue to be bridled by his master, from a woman vnder the comn and of her husband. Epid l. 6. Actius l. 1. de notis affec. c. 4. precious, light, neat, vain. There are fiue hard works to bee done; To play the Commander in the Field, to pray, to preach in the Pulpit, to teach in a school to bring forth a childe. 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; [Page 43]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 Ʋirgil; 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 [...]ascuntur mul­ta, ricta, non autem ex latere vno cad nies. copiesae, magnae vberes fructi­bus, vbi nascun­tur homines pulchrs bonae in­dol [...]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: [Page 45]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, He [...] 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 know [...] 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 opt­r [...]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, con [...]eyneth 6 kindes; Exposition of elements composition, ablation, [Page 46]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 in this life, are 6 in number. The first are those whose begin­nings are called voluntary habituous, consisting in naturall things done from the commandement of God; as, To plant, sowe, eat, drink, to take physick, and so forth. The second are called absolute voluntarie; as, All kinde of operations, vertu­ous, vicious, scientificous, done with deliberation. The third are voluntary, standing in need of extrinsecall instruments; as, To build, dwell, clothe, and such like. The fourth, which to their owne will require the will of some other; as, To con­tract matrimony, to joyne friendship, to request a thing, to speak to Princes, to sit in judgement. The fift are such as their ends are fortuitous or casuall; as, Playing, hunting, follow­ing of a prisoner, buying, selling, putting out mony to vsury. The last are impulsiue; as, a seruant to doo his masters busi­nesse; a scholar to bee constrained to school; a hangman, to execute his office. There be 6 draughts in beer or wine; some, allowed; others, disallowed. The first is drunk for health; the second, for pleasure; the third, to get sleep; the fourth is drunkennesse; the fift is clamour and noise: the last is mad­nes or fury, according to the Poet;

Euery disease killeth a man for 6 respects; By altering the course of nature, by augmenting it self, by corrupting the principall parts, by extinguishing the heat, by destroying the bodies food or nutriment. Therefore it is said by Physicians, that a man neuer dieth,Cardan. lib. de arte curandi parua. but when the moisture of the heart is consumed. For, as one of those Spagyricks writeth, Death is no other than the separation, divulsion and consumption of the spirit, and radicall balsam of the life of man; Querce. tetras. grauis. affec. c. 10 by which onely the soule is lin­ked to the body.

There be six humidous things in our body, especially with­in the veines and arteries; Bloud, phlegm, choler yellow and black, whey, aire. Originall of diseases, according to the opi­nion of the Paracelsians, comes six maner of waies; From ex­crementitious [Page 47]exhalations in the body, from that we call Ca­cochymie, from a vicious temperament, from old age, from the time or coldnes of the region, from an obstructions kind of feeding. The herb called Sene, helpeth maruellously to the curing of 6 pestilent diseases; The pthisick, the paine in the head, scabs, pustles, itch, the falling Euill. There are 6 famous Writers, who haue imployed their wits in the know­ledge of Herbals; M. Cate, Dioscorides, Columella, Plinie, Mos­na, Palladius: to whom if you adde a later Writer, that is, Ar­nold [...]s de nona Villa, you need not to seek after any other Her­balist. All kinde of purging fruit-trees ought to haue 6 kinde of properties belonging to them, according to the counsell of Mizaldus an excellent Hortensian. They must bear sweet and generous fruits: they must not growe too tall, but some­what neer to the ground: they must not exceed three yeers of growth: they must bee planted in a sweet and wholesome aire, in a fat and luxurious ground; last of all, in a place defen­siue, that is, free from the injury of men and cattell.Some call this Vinum Alkei [...] gicum. That wine which Mizaldus calles Haliacab [...]us, hath 6 notable ver­tues: It helpeth the pain of the reines: it is good against the pissing of bloud, the retention of vrine, the stone-collick, the extraction of the stone out of the bladder, the strangurie. Yea, the same Author doth so extoll the vertues thereof, that it is almost incredible which he writeth.Lib. de vini [...] medicatis. The method for the cu­ring of the falling Euill, consisteth of 6 rules, handled at large by Quercetanus in a peculiar discourse as touching this mala­dy. A traueller must eschew these 6 things following; Poy­son, pride, papistry, women, wine, and wilfulnesse, beginning with a letter.

CHAP. IX. SEVEN.

THis Number is the most excellent of all others: and there are many reasons, many notable opinions among lear­ned men to proue his excellency. First, it neither begettes, nor [Page 48]is begotten,Lib. de mundi [...] ­pifici [...]. according to the saying of Philo. Some Num­bers indeed, within the compasse of tenne, beget, but are not begotten, and that is the vnarie. Others are begotten, but begot not [...] as, the octonarie. Some beget, and are begotten; as, the quaternarie. Onely the septenarie, hauing a preroga­tiue aboue them all, neither begetteth, nor is begotten. This is his first diulnity or perfection. Secondly, this is an harmo­nicall Number, and (as I may tearm it) the well and fountaine of that faire and louely Digramma, because it includeth with­in it self all manner of harmony, Diatessaron, Diaponte, Diapa­son; all kinde of proportions, Arithmeticall, Geometricall, Musicall. Thirdly, it is a Theologicall Number, consisting of perfection,There are se­uen remedics or prepara­tiues against the sin of sen­suality. 1 To fly th [...]oc­casions of si [...].2. To banish them.3 To pray most feru [...]ntly to God-for help.4 To giue afflic­tion to thy bo­dy, as fasting, watching, discipline.5 To thinke of death.6 To make con­fession.7 To thinke, God doth see thee. called by some, [...], because in the seuenth day, God ceasing from his work, all things were made perfect. It is the Number of rest therefore called by some. It is the num­ber of s [...]nctification, because Moses commanded the same most venerably to be obserued of the Israelites. It is the num­ber of reuenge, the number of repentance, the number of bea­titude expressed by the Poet, O ter (que) quater (que) beati! Lastly, it is the number of the Psalms of penitence. Fourthly, because of his compositure. For, it is compounded of one, and 6; two and fiue, or three and foure. Now euery one of these beeing excellent of themselues (as hath been remonstrated) how can this Number be but far more excellent, consisting of them all, and participating as it were of all their excellent vertues? I let passe many mo reasons cited by Macrobius, Phylo, and others, to proue his excellencie, contenting my selfe with a few of the better sort. Bythag [...]as calleth this Number, Ʋinculum huma­na vitae; Cicero, rerum omnium modum, as that it should link and tie all things together by an indissoluble knot or confe­deracie. If I would runne ouer all that hath beene written touching his excelleneie, by antient writers, I should scarce comprehend them in one volume. Being therefore the most great, most excellent, most diuine, most perfect of all others, his extendure must needs bee answerable to the rest. There be seauen Wonders of the world, seauen Wife men of Greece, seauen cities contended for the bones of Homer. There be sea­uen S [...]p [...]on [...], the greater and lesser made in the heauens: the [Page 49]heauen is engyrted with seuen circles: there bee seuen erraticall Starres. That which we call Ersa maior, is compassed with seauen Starres: the assembly of Pleiades are composed of seuen Starres: seuen of them are seene: there bee seauen chan­ges of voices, seuen physicall and naturall mouings: seuen 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 Mercuri [...], 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 B [...]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 Ʋenus, Arabia, Austria, the higher, Campania, Vienna, Augusta, Vin­delicorum, [Page 50]delicorum, Polonia the greater, Sena, the Helu [...]tians and Thure­gians. To Mercurie, Greece, Ægypt, I [...]landers, Paris, Ʋrati­slaue, Vi [...]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 ass [...]ontam perfectîonem, eui nihil addipossit: s [...]d in qua semper velaliquid modo reprehendi, mode corrigi, modo addisci qu [...]at. As to euery one of those Planets mē ­tiond before, peculiar coūtries 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; Ʋenus, concupiscence, lust, lasciuiousnes; Mercurie, fraud, cozenage, lies. Luna inclineth vs to things directly op­posite [Page 51]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 prunu [...] 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 [Page 52]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, whether such an instrument may bee made by art or no, or whether those higher orbs, so far placed from com­mon view and vnderstanding, might from such an instrument be liuely represented vnto vs. But they need not make a scru­ple as touching this thing, seeing Archimedes, mentioned in our-first Chapter, did performe a far more illustrious piece of work-manship. And there was in the time of Angelus Poli­tian, a Florentine, named Laurentius. who made a mechanicall Sphere of that admirable and stupendious work-manship,Ipis. lib. 4. Epis. 8. qua­drate, after the fashion of a Pyramede, consisting of three cubits in length, his circle being made of gold, brasle; distinguished by so many colours, that Politian (who with his eies did be­hold the curious work-manship thereof) hath nothing doub­ted to preferre it before the brazen globe of Archimedes, See more of illustrious works done by Claudius Gal­lus in Poss [...] vme, Biblio. Selec. To. 2. cap. 1. as in the description you may reade. Now, if these men, that seeme to cast doubts of euery thing they knowe not, should bee ac­quainted but with the halfe of those singularities which the Geometricians and Mathematicians of our time, beyond the practice of those Antients, haue contriued; I suppose, they would wonder more. For, to shew by art what a clock it is in euery seuerall region or countrie, according to each seuerall houre of the day; what houre of our day is made at all times of the yeere; to measure at an inch the height of the moun­taine Caucasus; to make an artificiall sayle, by whose help the wind blowing, a gouernour or a Pilot may direct his ship ei­ther on the right side, or on the left; to make a gallie cut the [Page 53]seas without winde or oares, by a quadrant astronomicall; to measure the heauen, earth, sea, yea, hell it selfe: I thinke it can­not be done without much wondring. And yet there are se­uerall bookes written at this day, though not all as yet publi­shed, for the performance of these hie, remote, and impenetra­ble mysteries, cited by Possevine and others. [...]blio selec. to. 1. lib. 9. cap. 13. It is true therefore which one saith, Scientia nullum inimicum habet nisi ignorantem. But to our Numbers againe. There were seuen sects of the Iews cited by Niceta; Sadduces, Scribes, Pharises, Hemerobap­tists, Nazarites, Essens, Herodians, There be seuen orbs of the Planets: wherein Plato hath erred, by making the Moone to be sited aboue the Sun, contrary to the opinion of Ptolomy, and Regiomontanus; who place the Sunne in the middest of those Planets. Now, if Venus and Mercurie were beneath the Sunne, as Plato imagineth, it would follow, that the Sun would lose his light, from the density of those bodies. The like would be found in the interposition of the Moon betwixt the Sun & our sight, which sauoureth of much absurdity. Though therfore Plato were a great Philosopher, yet he was but a mean Astrologer. As nature, to the findingout of those secret trea­sures hid in the earth, hath 7 proper operations, as, distillatiōs, euaporations, sublimations, exhaltations, circulations, rec­tifications, cohobations (portentuous names, me thinks): so our Spagyricks or Chymicks haue as many mo for the right ordering and preparing of their bituminous, fuliginous, olea­ginous, sulphureous, sufflaminous, ebullious, carbonarious furnaces, to make our Epithetons answerable. Wherefore it is said by one of them,Io. Querceta. te­t [...]as. grauis a [...] ­fect cap. 24. Non minus baecars suis reuerberatorys surnis indiget, acmonte Æthna, et perpetuas stammas expirantibus natu­ra. Ioseph Castiliensis, one of the best Rabbines, in his booke, called The Garden of Nuttes, giueth these seuen titles to hell: Gehenna, the gates of hell, the shadow of death, the well of de­struction, the scumme of darknes, perdition, pit. Wherefore he concludeth thus, Haec captiuitas est, vt peccata noxiorum ma­neant, vt iustos aqua comitentur praemia, et iniquos debita sequan­tur vitiorum tormenta. That incomparable Secretarie of na­ture, Plynie, writeth of a tree that did beare at one time seuen kinde of different fruites. One bough carried apples; an [Page 54]other, nuttes; others, barbaries, grapes, figges, peares, pome­granates: but he was too good to liue long. Baptista Porta, a Neopolitan, in his booke touching naturall Magie, describeth a tree far beyond the other,He that means to draw the picture of a Lubber, must obserue these 7 properties be­longing to him: In height he must be the proportion of two Pigmies; In breadth, the thicknes of 2 bacon-hogs; Of presumpti­on, a giant; Of power, a gnat. He must be A­pishly witted, Knauishly ma­nered, Crabbedly fa­uoured. and he sticketh not to call him the delicacies of the garden. But I dare not credit him, they are so prodigious things that hee writeth. In antient times they did vse an harp consisting of seuen tones, called Hep­tatonon, of which Terpander a Greeke Poet writeth in these verses:

There is a seuenfold Chariot of charitie, handled elegantly and succinctly▪ by that learned Platonick, Marcilius Ficinus. Epis. lib. 2. There are seuen famous hills about the City of Rome: Capitolinus or Tarpeius, so named from the Capitole of Iupiter. Palatinus, from Pallantes, Euanders sonne killed by Turnus, and buried there. Quirinalis, from Quirinus Romulus, whose Temple standeth there. Auentinus, from Auentine King of Albania. Caelius, from a Tuscan Captaine bearing that name. Viminalis, from a wood of vines growing there. Exquilinus, from the vessels or fragments of Tributes dispersed in that place.

CHAP. X. EIGHT.

ALL Numbers, being doubled, must needs be of great ef­ficacy; it being so almost in euery other thing. Therefore this is cald a solid Number, being created from duplication of foure; euen as foure is made of two. Macrobius likeneth it to Stereon, made after the form of a Die; which is called a square figure. Foure being doubled, and made eight, it makes two quadra-simile [...]; which, with their altitude imposed vpon them, make a form of a Cube, which is no other than a solid body. So that the Geometricians doo hold, that twice two make foure; and twice foure, making eight, make a double [Page 55]solid body; as well as three times three, which is nine, or three times nine, making 27 in the whole, do make the other cube a solid body. Wherefore this Number and the seuenth (be­cause they are resembled to perfect and compleated men full of yeers, worthy to gouern a Common-wealth) haue been thought worthy, by those Antients, to make the soule of the world perfect and correspondent. His extendure is not the greatest, nor the least.

There bee eight Sphears allowed by Plato and Aristotle. Macrobius subscribeth vnto them; and he seemeth to mee to gather the excellency of this Number from those eight. Our later Wits haue found out two others, mentioned before. The last of these, according to the probable opinion of Astro­logers, is moued from the East into the West by a diurnall mo­tion. The ninth, added to those eight, is volued with the tenth; and by his owne motion contrariwise endeauoureth towards the ecclyptick line and poles of the Zodiack, which spaceth for an hundred yeers together in one degree: and for this cause hee is called stern and hard to bee perceiued. The eightth is volued from the South to the North by his owne motion; first, for his vnequall; next, for his slowe; lastly, for his swift pase. Other reasons amongst Astronomers I omit. Then be eight punishments appointed offenders, mentioned by Cicero; Losse, bands, stripes, talion, ignominy, banishment, death, bondage. Which haue some resemblance to that di­stinction of hell, vsed by our School-men: for they hold, that it is taken two manner of waies. For the punishment: and so diuels carry hell about them still: or for the place of punish­ment; and so it is taken either for the punishment of sense or losse, where is darknes without and within, that is, absence of grace (for, this hath alwaies mourning, as the Text saith); or for punishment of sense and losse both together, including darknes without and within; or for punishment of losse, and not sense, concluding darknes without, but not the same darknes which priueth vs of grace. All these distinctions of punishment, mentioned before, are prooued out of Scripture. The first, out of Esay; where hee compareth the iniquity of men to a potters pot, which is broken without pity.Cap. 30. ver. 14 The se­cond, [Page 56]out of that place in the Gospell; where it is said, Binde him hand and foot, Cap. 19. ver. 29 Cap. 18.7. and let him be cast into vtter darknes, &c. The third, out of the Prouerbs. The fourth, out of the Apocalypse. The fift, out of Esay 13. The sixt, out of Mathew 22. The se­uenth, out of Gregory; where, speaking of hell, hee saith, Ibi mors semper vivit, meaning the second death, as it is in the A­pocalypse.C. 1. v. 1. The eightth, out of the Lamentations of Ieremie. Although that God, in the Trinity of persons, be of an vnious essence; yet, according to some Diuines, there be many lesser gods (if it be lawfull to vse this word) as beams issuing from him. For, those whom the Philosophers call gods of nations, the Hebrew Rabbines numerations, we Christians call Attri­butes; which amount to eight in the whole. That which Or­pheus means by Pallas, the same we attribute to GOD for his wisdome. That which the Philosophers by Mercury, the same we signifie by his vnderstanding. By Saturn, we mean propa­gation: and S. Paul doth not altogether abhorre this word, seeing he alleageth Poets for his confirmation. By Neptune, productiue force. By luno, a secret nature in things. By Venus, loue which cometh from God. By Sol and Apollo, we vnder­stand in God a life that continually shineth. By Pan, we com­prehend in God a reason as touching the fabrick of the whole world, and how that his vniuersal power stretcheth and diffu­seth it self euery where. So that it is thought, that many of those Heathen Theologists, though they ascribed many names to their gods, yet they worshipped but one true God: or, at leastwise, wee may think them to be but Apes, following the steps of diuinity as neer as nature would permit them; sym­bolizing with the Christians in many things, if they bee well vnderstood For, calling them gods of nations, or lesser gods, with the Philosophers, wee mean not that they haue equall power with God, or that they were to be worshipped, as our Papists (bending at this day too much to Paganism) will haue their he-gods and she-gods. No; we mean vertues, or certain kinde of operations, as so many celestiall radiations or Sun­beams proceeding from that infinite and vniuersall splendor of wisdome. And this did many of those wiser and sounder Philosophers think, howsoeuer they couered their doctrine [Page 57]with a veile of much darknes and obscurity, lest they should be vnderstood of the vulgar people. Wee therefore hold (lest any man should mistake vs) that all diuinity commeth from God: therefore none but He onely ought to bee worshipped with any diuine kinde of worship. And this, I hope, will stand good both against Pagan and Papist.

Man hath eight properties different from other creatures. He hath a long, broad, and vpright body. Hee followeth that which is honest: whereas brute beasts affect that which nature liketh. He temperateth his passions to the rule of reason. Hee is eleuated about the things of the world, by vnderstanding alone. Hee hath friendship with all men, according to euery degree of friendship. He is a ciuill and conjugall creature. By his nature, gentle and full of humanity. Last of all, hee hath a perfect instinct both of mirth and sorrow inspired him. So that it is true which the Abderite saith, Magnam miraculum ho­mo; and again by that admirable modern Philosopher, Vnicui (que), homini impressus, est character ciuinus: cuius vigore possit attingere res sublim [...]s & profundas, idco (que), capax est omnis disciplina. Accor­ding to the opinion of some Anatomists, there be eight bones in the scull of a mans head. There bee 8 Diapazons or voices in musick, according to Ptolomey; Hypodorian, Hypophrygi­an, Hypolidian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Hy­permixolydian. There bee eight nominations belonging to God; Art, reason, substance, nature, life, sense, intelligence, certitude, discussed by Ficinus and others, who haue interpre­ted Plato's Works. There are eight things good cheap in Court; Terrible lies, false newes, vnhonest women, fained friendship, continuall enmity, doubled malice, vain words, and false hopes. There bee eight small blemishes, for which some men haue hardly been taxed. The Athenians reprehen­ded Simonides, for speaking lowd; The Thebans, Paniculus for spetting much; The Lacedemon, Li [...]urgus, for stooping; The Romans, their Scipto, for sleeping, snorting; The Vticens, their Cato, for eating with both jawes; The enemies of Pom­pey, for scratching his head with one finger; The Carthagini­ans, Hannibal, for going loose with his garments; Sillans, Ca­sar, for going malè cinctus.

CHAP. XI. NINE.

IF by duplication or copulation of Numbers, their powers and vertues must needs be the stronger, as in the last Chap­ter was proued; then of necessity it must fall out so when they are trebeled, conteyning a certain solidity and stability in them. So that if a threefold cord can hardly bee broken, because of his vnited and auxiliarie vigor; then much more these three cords, ioyned with six more, are vnresistible, ac­cording to that of the Philosopher, Vis vnita fortior. That this Number, from the opinion of Geometricians, carrieth no small diuinity, hath beene shewed already out of Macrobius, for that his maruellous triplicity maketh a cube or a solid bo­dy. Now, euery solid body consisteth of a threesold dimensi­on, that is, longitude, latitude, and profundity, which is the perfection or Idea of solidity. So that a solid Number is as well composed of the vnequall, as of the equall quality, especially if they bee doubled or trebbled. As for ex­ample: The Geometricians doe hold, that foure-times two, which is eyght in the whole, beeing an equall Number, make a solid body. Euen so three-times three (whose be­ginning is Monas) and three-times 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, [Page 59]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 substàce 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 [Page 60]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, [Page 61]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 soule cannot disagree; A Number mouing it selfe, that which wee call [...], harmony, spirit, light, Atomes, fire, aire, earth. As of Angels: so there bee nine orders of diuells. The first are called false gods: for, they will be worshipped as Gods; looking for sa­crifices and adorations: whose Prince is Be [...]zebub. The second are those spirits of lies, spoken of by Saint Paul, who are ad­dicted to Oracles, and by their inchantments, delusions, pre­dictions, and diuinations, deceiue the people; whose Prince is Artertera. In our bookes against Antichrist and his mem­bers, I haue counted the Pope for one of this number, and I haue cited Bernard for mine authority [...] who calleth Anti­christ, The Meridian Diuell. The third are those vessels of iniquitie or wrath, the inuentors of all manner of wickednes and euill arts: Belial is their Prince. The fourth are the re­uengers of wickednesse; whose Prince is Asmodeus. The [Page 62]fist are those Prestigiators, who fain miracles, and seduce men vnder colour of false superstition: Satan is their Prince. If I were not to be thought vncharitable, I should place our Iesu­ites in this rank. The sixt are those aerie Spirits, who send forth thunder, lightning, and tempests, corrupting the ele­ments, causing pestilences, and other direfull maladies: their Prince is Meririm. The seuenth are Furies, sowers of discord, warres, vprores, depopulations: their Prince is Abadon or A­pollion, mentioned in the Apocalypse. The eightth are slande­rers and detracters, messengers and explorators of strange newes; whose Prince is Astaroth. The last are tempters, wher­of one is appointed to euery man; whose Prince is Mammon. To conclude of all these, there is neuer-a-one good; and, as One noteth, Nullum est malum quod penetrare non audeant, nul­lum bonum quod faciant.

There are nine holes or cauernacles in mans body, where­by the naturall parts perform their duty, according to their temperature; handled at large by our Anatomists. Iohannes Franciseus Picus, nephew to Iohn Picus Earl of Mirandula, hath written nine worthy Books against false Astrologie, Chiro­mancie, Geomancie, Sooth-saying, Magick, Diuination; whose contents you may reade in Posseuine, Bib [...]soselec. To. 2. Cap. 3.

CHAP. XII. TEN.

WEE are comne at length to the Number of all perfe­ction; within whose compass or centre all other num­bers consist, and without whom nothing seems to carry the type of perfection. Pythagoras calleth it the receptacle and production of all things, for that, by a collectiue kinde of pro­gression, either it makes other Numbers the more perfect, in­cluded within it; or, joyned with others, it maketh his owne perfection the greater. It is a Number (without question) of admirable power and vertue, especially in that we call formall [Page 63]Arithmetick, being chiefest among those sphearicall numbers. From the vnitie, dualty, ternary, and that which is called Te­trac'ys, ariseth his compontion. For that, being originally di­uided from his omnipotent power, proceeding to the Art e­nergicall, concludeth ten. Now, the quinarre being his moi­tie, standing in the place of Signifer, conteyneth on his right side the next highermost Number, which is six; and on the left, the next lowermost Number, which is foure: either, as­cending or descending, conjoyned together, just ten is made in the whole. And being backwards reduced into one (wher­in lieth his excellency) ten is made again: which, numbred vnto twenty, make an vnity; and so passing to an hundred, a thousand, and vpwards. Therefore the Greeks note ten with the letter Iota; the Hebrews, by a punct: which signes, not­withstanding, both to Barbarous and Latines, represent a sim­ple kinde of vnity; whereof Pythagoras Symbole was framed, often mentioned in this discourse. His extendure stretcheth large.

Plato conch­eth all his mo­ral Philosophy in ten Books, touching the framing of a Common­wealth. There be ten Commandements giuen vs from God; three as touching the first Table, seuen concerning the second: 0314 0 wherein is redargued the insolencie of Papists; who, by put­ting out of one, for their better confirmation of images, and wrong-displacing of another, haue gone about to marre this golden chain of vnity, which God himself hath linked toge­ther with a knot of inuiolable and indissoluble confederacie. Whom therefore GOD hath put together, let no man put asunder. There be ten Orbs or Sphcars; three greater, seuen lesser. All these mooue sauing Empireum, which is the Seat of GOD himself. Vnder Chrystalline, wee vnderstand that part of the first matter, which (according to Aristotle) is diuided into 2 Orbs, the highest being called Primum Mobile. This is swift with his motion, beeing of an influxiue vertue as touching things inferiour. The firmament hath many of the others pro­perties. It is called the diuisiue or partition of waters, glori­ously arraied and picturated with stars. There bee ten begin­nings or elements belonging to symbolicall Philosophie, cald of some, The steps of a ladder; by which a man may compre­hend the knowledge of all things, whether they consist in true [Page 64]vnderstanding, sense, science, faith, from the greatest vnto the least. These contain diuerse kindes of workmanship, accor­ding to the diuision of those learned Rabbines. The first is the minde of man; than the which, nothing can be found more diuine:By those ten Sephiroths, are meant those 10 scales of perfection. for, as God in the greater world; so the minde of man among those ten Sephiroths beareth the principality. Those antient Iewish Rabbines speak much of these scales, calling them by the name of generations or numerations. The second is man himself, begotten from the miracles of nature, tō speak with Hermes: others call him The vniuersall restauration of mankinde after his first Fall, a little God, the image of the Deity, an intelliger of diuine mysteries, an Angell on earth, a Citizen of heauen, with many other excellent appellations. The third is a reception of our first father Adam and his po­sterity to the Colledge of Prophets, continued by a kinde of succession or tradition, successiuely one after the other. For, Eue, being taught by Adam of a Sauiour to-come, after shee had conceiued her first sonne, cried out, I haue found out that man [...], so called in the Hebrew Language: which letters she had learned before of the Angell, called Metratton. This was Cain (as some Rabbines interpret) who kild his brother Abel with a trunk of a tree (some write, a woodden key): for, at that time there was no vse of iron. Now some, either from this wood wherewith Abel was kild, or from the Ark of Noe rather, doo typically vnderstand the suffering of Christ vpon the Crosse made of wood, for the saluation of mankinde: for, Iob saith, that Noe did put his trust in the wood. And that as Adam, by eating of the fruit of the Tree of life, did take life from himself and his posterity: so by the wood whereon the second Adam was crucified, it should be restored again. The fourth consisteth altogether about the parts of symbolical Phi­losophie, which the Rabbines call Anagogicall: of which you may read enough in Cap [...]i [...], Picus, and Galatinus. The first is as touching those two places; Paradise and Hell: 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 [Page 65]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 [Page 66]world, Rab Hamai, in his Book of speculation, writeth thus: Hic ita (que) 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 mind [...]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 [Page 67]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 Empyr [...]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 kindler of discord; Iupiter, the air, cousin to Venus by his nature; Saturn, the wa­ter, that is, an old Planet of a damnable frigidity. The rest, as, the eightth Sphear not wandring, we may call The earth, the order of computation requiring it so; but that Copernicus will not allow it, seeing hee maintaineth, that the earth moo­ueth: which error was first broached among some of those [Page 68]antient Philosophers.Verse 14. The Prophet Zachary, mentioned before (if we dare credit the exposition of some Interpreters) did rightly call that the earth, which is included with two earths; aboue which there is nothing to be seen with our eies. Now, some will haue the waters vnder the heauen, to be those seuen. Starres which are vnder the Firmament. These are congrega­ted, all, into one place, because, as he saith, Omnis Planetavum. virtus in vno Solc collecta est; meaning by this, that they bor­row all their power and light from the Sunne. This congre­gation of waters is not absurdly called, The Sea or Ocean. We hold the waters aboue the Firmament, to bee that Chry­stalline Orb; and in him, those Animals, which otherwise are those Signes of the Zodiack. To that celestiall Frame, God hath giuen a liuing substance, rationall, capable of vnderstan­ding: so that it is true which Aristotle saith; Nihil reluctari coeleste corpus suo motori: True, if wee hold, that Coelum Empy­reum is not moued, but from GOD it self, who mooueth all things by his omnipotent power, but is moued no waies him self. And this is (as I think) more agreeable to our Christian Religion, than the opinion of many Philosophers; who are compared to those clocks or dials in Rome, for their mutuall and continuall contradictions.

The true vie of Astrologie consisteth in theseten following: First, it sheweth vs the causes of the admirable dislimilitude, not onely as concerning Regions, but touching the wittes of men, and their manners, vnder diuerse Climates. Secondly, it remonstrateth what is the cause, that so great diuersity ari­seth. Thirdly, what destinies or euents at certain times are like to fall vpon Countries; being called, Indiciall Astrologie. Fourthly, it foretelleth the varisble state of the air and other elements at euery moment. Fistly, it telleth vs the happy or vnhappy increase of fruits, be it corn, wine, oile, or whatsoe­uer else the earth bringeth forth: which was experimented by Thales; who, fore-knowing a dearth to come, kept-in his fruits, and sold them at an high rate. Sixtly, warres, famine, vnusuall drought, inundations, death of cattell, changes of Kingdomes, destruction of Princes; and so forth. Seuenth­ly, what times are fit to sowe, plant, or to doo any other thing [Page 69]appertaining to the Art of Husbandry. Eightthly, it giueth much light to those who professe Physick, take vpon them to be Pilots, discouerers of Countries and Kingdomes, or will gaine them any knowledge in the Art Apodemicall. Ninth­ly, from this science are made Prognostications and Epheme­rides, needfull for all sorts of men. Last of all, it sheweth vs the temperature of all kinde of indiuiduous, all kinde of hourely, dayly, weekely, monthly, yeerly dispositures, altera­tions, and inclinations.

Auicenna teacheth vs, how that there are tenne things which will shew vnto vs fitting time or occasion to take phy­sick; Trembling of the heart, oppression in a mans sleepe (some call it Incubus) giddinesse of the head, a turbidous countenance, weaknes of motion, vehement ruddinesse in the face, teares of the eyes, sadnes and feare, solitarinesse, a kinde of lassitude, and loathing of meats. And he concludeth thus: Omnis res quae de suo mutatur vsu, maxime autem agritudo pr̄aesens, medelae indigens iudicat. Our Treatise, wherein I haue prooued the Bishop of Rome Antichrist, consisteth of tenne inuincible reasons or demonstrations. Politick fellowes, or Phylosophers, are commonly bewitched with these tenne pe­stilent euils: They are not content with the present state. Their god is the Common-wealth: their Scripture is Parlia­ment: their life is sensuality: their end is damnation: they are fit for all times; not vnmeet for all places: they are con­tent with all religions: they go vp and downe to heare newes: they thinke their wisdome onely wisdome, as the Grecians and Romanes did.

CHAP. XIII. Of confused and promiscuous Numbers.

WEE haue gone along in order, from the Vnarie, to the Denarie Number, beeing the forme or perfection of all the rest. Wee meane to speake now of others following. I call those confused or promiscuous, which are cited by au­thors [Page 70]without any order or partition, many times not gi­uing them a right signification, according to their worth and dignity, perchance huddling them together all in a heape, without note and distinction, slightly or perfunctorily pas­sing them ouer. In this Chapter therefore, according to our module, wee will intreat of all their kindes, significations, vertues, extendures, not omitting any one noted by others, to haue the least representation of vertue, mystery, diuinity included in him. First wee, will beginne with the twelfth Number.

There is nothing so remarkable in this, as the twelue signes. For according to this Number, the Antients haue diuided the Zodiack, following here in the Moone for their guide and mi­stresse. Euery signe they haue diuided into 30 parts. For the Sunne (as they affirme) in thirty dayes space runneth his course through the twelue parts of the Zodiack. Marry, whe­ther he runneth his course alike, there groweth the question. Some Astrologers affirme, that he runneth ouer the South signes,There bee twelue excel­lent and pre­cious stones, treated of by Lemuius, which haue many and rare vertues in them Lib. de mira. natu ac Exhor. ad vitā. op. institu, cap. 58. swifter then those of the North. In our books therefore as touching Antichrist and his members, we haue symbolized something touching these twelue signes, by making the Num­ber of Antichrist and his Ministers, according to Theolo­gicall, Astronomicall, Anatomicall proportion, to agree with them. Wherein nothing is omitted as touching the linea­ments and fabrick of that vast and monstrous body, from grounds of Anatomy, nothing belonging to their signes, from rules of Astronomy. So that if I haue fitted them with curious points out of Theology, Astrology, Anatomy, Physick, and Metaphysicall Phylosophy, beyond their expectation; I hope they will ascribe it to the few houres and dayes I haue spent in the Art of Numbring.The Kings of France (if wee beleeue Clau­dius Sisellius) haue vsually twelue chosen Counsellors of State about them. This Number is not without his exten­dure, answerable to his dignity.

There bee twelue Apostles, twelue Patriarchs. About the time of those antient Hebrewe Prophets, there were twelue learned Phylosophers, that were famous for the Art of Chro­nography, cited by that excellent Schollar Pererius; Thales Py­thagoras, Heraclitus, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Zenum. Car­dan, [Page 71]a man of subtile iudgement, much reading and vnderstan­ding, combineth the duty of a Physician in these twelue qua­lities;Lib. de arte cu­ran. parua. Touch, sight, smell, memory, wit, learning, experience, wisdome, iudgement, contempt of wordly things, singular loue of the truth, diligence. That which the Paracelsians call Antimonie, hath twelue excellent preseruatiues. The first is cal­led Panchreston, helping many euill affections; Pantagogon, fit to purge all kinde of humors; Theodoretum, There be thir­teene mathe­maticall in­struments ci­ted by Posse. Biblio. Selec. To. 2. cap. 9. for his diuine help; [...], for his efficacie in preseruing of health; Sote­rion, an wholsome medicament; Lysippyreton, extinguishing all kinde of hot agues; Theodoton, a remedy giuen vs from God; Theopempton, sent from God; Panareton, endued with all kinde of vertue; Polychreston, good for many things; Isochryson, which is to be equalled with gold; Lysiponon, mitigating all kinde of paine and griefe.There be 18 kindes of pthongs in musick, treated of by Prolomy, [...]uchde, and others.

There bee fourteene externe chanels or passages in mans head, according to some Anatomists. Vnder the seuenteene, those seuenteene humors mentioned by Cardan, may be repre­sented. Zoroastres dwelt in the wildernesse twenty yeeres. Mo­ses, in his booke of Genesis, instructed from God himselfe, en­treateth of twenty two high and profound poynts, such as were neuer handled by any Phylosopher, Iew, or Gentile;Polidor. Virgil maketh menti­on of twenty seuerall nati­ons which worshipped twenty strange gods. The beginning of the world, God, principles of humane things, that we call Chaos, Deep, darknes, waters, Arid, hearbes, plants, Sunne, Moone, Starres, beastes, man, the soule intel­ligent, Angels, Deluge, Gyants, Towre of Babel. diuision of Tongues, and so forth. All these things, and much more, he hath written in such a stile and character, that those antient Hebrewes, Greekes, and Latines,L b. 1. cap. 1. haue wond ed at his wri­ting. So that some haue not sticked to call him Gods Secreta­ry, taking pen in hand, to write by his appoyntment.There are twenty two Hebrew Let­ters, according to the Num­ber of those Latine Ele­ments. There be twenty foure propheticall books, called Canonicall, accor­ding to the Greeke Alphabet. Twenty foure Elders are men­tioned in the Apocalypse. There were twenty foure famous Physicians of Arabia, whose names are these, alphabetically set downe in this wise: Aboal, Achme, sonne to Abraham, A­gazo, Asal, Albumazar, Albuer, Ammuram, Anicenna, Auerrois, Auenzoar, Ebezenzar, Elabin, Hunim, Hamech, Elengezar, Ha­ly [Page 72]Abbas, Saint Hierom affirmes, that the Hebrewes made them a Cytharen con­sisting of 24 strings to the forme of Δ. Epist. ad Darda. de. instru. music. Haly sonne of Abbas, Isaac Abenamaram, Mesne, Ra­bi, Razis, Sabor, sonne of Zuzer King of Medoram, Serapio, Xi­rase King of Med. It seemeth by this, that Physick was in great request in those times, seeing Kings were not onely Pa­trones, but chiefe professors of that Æsculapian Science; which now by vnskilfull Empiricks and methodians is taken in hand, to the great reproach of that worthy and learned stu­dy. Out of the Text of Scripture, and Denuis Areopagite, as also from some School-men, it will easily be proued, that hell hath twenty foure seuerall and distinct punishments; Heat of fire, a gnashing of teeth, darknes, smoke, weeping, sadnesse, aspect of diuels, crying, ariditie, thirst, sulphureous smell, the worm of conscience, bands, prison, fear, grief, shame, enuy, ran­cor, want of diuine vision, the taking away all hope of redēp­tion,Andra. Lau. Anato, lib. 5. cap. 8. proteruous phantasie, mad concupiscence, irascible furie. The twenty fift Number is famous for this, in that there bee so many interne holes or creuises in the head of a man, ac­cording to the probable computation of some Anatomists. The twenty seuenth is a solid Nùber, consisting of three times nine, spoken of before; vnder which progression, Huga de S. Ʋictore concludeth the quaterne faculties of the soule. The thirtith Number is not without some secret vertue, being a triplication of the denarie; neither doth it want his significa­tion,There are 30 Ornaments required in a faire Virgin, expressed ele­gantly in verse by Cornigerus, which were found in Helena of Troy. Silua.nuptial.pagina. 182. because, in the space of thirty dayes, the Sunne runneth his course through the twelue parts of the Zodiack, touched before in this Chapter.

His extendure is famous for those thirty antient Ciuill Lawyers, whose bookes are mentioned in the Pandects of Ius­tinian the Emperor. Their seuerall names are also recorded by that excellent Scholar and Latinist, Angelus Politian. There bee thirty two teeth in a mans head, by consent of all Anato­mists, on both cheekes equally diuided. But it is strange, that most men should haue so many, and others so few. Some write, that Enripheus, Cyrenens, and Phirrus that was King of Epirontes, Epis.lib. 5. Epis. 11. had but one tooth in their vppermost jawe; and that Direphna daughter to Mithridate, wanted both rowes of teeth.An Lau. Anato. lib. 5. cap. 12. In Hercules, and others a threefold chest was found. But this was beyond the ordinary course of nature. The Zo­diack [Page 73]hath thirty fiue burdens, called in Latine Gestamina. But there is no Number more famous in the Scripture then the fortith Number. God made the raine to fall forty dayes toge­ther on the earth. Christ made the raigne of our saluation to abide forty houres together vpon the earth after his Passion,M. Vigerius de cha christia. according to the Symbole of that learned Cardinall. Moses tooke the Law vpon mount Sina, for forty dayes. Christ, in forty houres, went away Conqueror ouer heauen, earth, and hell. Helias, fed with one morsell of bread, came in forty dayes to the Mount of Oreb. Christ, fed with the Martyr­dome of his Crosse, after forty houres expired, came from darknes to life againe. Christ againe did fast forty dayes in the desart, and ouercame Satan. Now, for the further explai­ning of this; some hold, that the soule of Christ remained se­parated from his body forty houres, taking them from three dayes: For, he suffered about the vernall Equinoct, that is, at that time when the dayes and nights are of one length; and about the middle of the day he let goe his spirit. So that hee died six houres before the Sunne went downe: because, in the time of the Equinoctiall, if the day haue twelue houres, the middle of the day hath six before Sunne-set. He was buried a­bout the completorie houre, that is, about the going downe of the Sunne. He staied in his Sepulcher an whole night going before the Sabbath day, and the whole day of the Sabbath, which contayne in them twenty foure houres. In the mor­ning going before the Dominicall day, which was the third day of his death, he rose againe. The morning goeth for two houres before the Sunne riseth. So that wee must beleeue, his body remained in the graue on that third day, for the space of tenne houres. Now, six houres of the day of his death, and twenty foure of the whole Sabbath day, make full thirty. Adde tenne houres more of the night following the third day, and they make vp iust fotty. Therefore the soule of Christ was se­parated from his body for the space of forty houres, that is, six before his buriall, and after that, 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, [Page 74]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, I [...]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. [Page 75]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 Ʋines (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 [Page 76]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 Eu [...], by preuaricating God's Comman­dement, did flee from the face of God: so the second, by bea­ring Christ in her womb, and being made obedient vnto the Word (for, Irenaeus must not otherwise be vnderstood), hath been a principall means or instrument to reconcile vs again to [Page 77]God, which was Christ the second Adam. For, whereas hee saith, that the second Eue was made an Aduocate for the first, it is meant, that her obedience to the Word, was acceptable before God, bearing him in her womb, that should be the Re­deemer of his people; that as by the disobedience of the one, sin entred into the world: so, by the obedience of the other, an vniuersall restauration should be looked for again. So that if any thing were admirable and praise-worthy in that virgin, to make her an Aduocate for the other (to vse Irenaeus word), it was surely her obedience to the Word spoken by the angell, conjoyned with a liuely faith, that she should bear a Sauiour; and no otherwise. I could insist vpon many others of this kinde; as, The blessing bestowed vpon Abraham, In semine tuo benedicentur omnes nationes; the song of the three children prai­sing the Lord in the fiery furnace; the Song of Simeon; the Farwell of Stephen, couched in these seuen words,Som will haue the 7 words that Stephen spake at his departure, to signifie those 7 heauenly gra­ces that shined in him. In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum; and those spoken by the Prophet, Ecce. ex tribu Iesse; meant by that victorious Li­on of Iuda: all which contain no vulgar representation or sig­nification of Numbers included in them. But, leauing them, we will come to those words of Christ vpon the Crosse; ex­pressing the most happy, most courageous and triumphant conflict that euer was endured since the world began. Neither doe I think, that those words were vttered by any kinde of la­mentation, as some imagine; but rather from inuincible cou­rage and magnanimity, if a famous and learned Cardinall of Rome, in his exposition, deceiue mee not. That which I am to insist vpon, as especially seruing my purpose, are those two Hebrew words, Eli Eli; containing the duall Number in form as they lie, but in their proper signification representing the two Persons in Trinity; making this parcell of Scripture (to the vnfolding of which, many learned men haue imployed their wits) to be farre otherwise vnderstood, than the bare e­lements seem to import. Now, because this Cardinals expo­sition (as seemeth to me) wresteth not the sense of Scripture, but fitteth my purpose; and, of all others that euer I read, set­teth out most liuely the victory of Christ vpon the Crosse, I thought it good, word for word, to set down as followeth.

After he had repeated the words of Christ expressed by the Euangelist, thus he commenteth: If our Lord Iesus Christ was not forsaken; if he fell not from the strength of his minde; if not from hope; if he knew assuredly, that his soule should not be left of his Di­uinity, but should be ioyned with his body again; if he left his momen­tary life willingly, it is not fit that Christ should vtter those words in any lamentable sort, My God, my God, and so forth. And therefore I think beer lies a mystery;Marcus Vigeri­us.which I had rather bear and learn, than expresse or teach: yet I will say something, not far from our Sauiours meaning, as I think. Our Lord Iesus Christ was the Sonne of God, and trui God, the second Person in Trinity, God with the Father, God with the holy Ghost; all three as one God, and by that vnion altoge­ther impartible, indiuisible, and wholly inseparable the one from the other: and yet the Son suffred on the Crosse; not the Father, nor the holie Ghost. When the work of our redemption was taken wholly in the Person of the Son, all three together, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, worked. All three appeared in his natinity. The Sonne was born alone. His peregrination, his doctrine, his miracles, his Passion, his death following, all three worked and effected: the Son alone suf­fred. This mystery, this ineffable Sacrament, this inaccessible Secret hid in darknes, the Lord Iesus would haue open by these words; that if we may not ascend to the same wholly, yet in part wee may learn with sobriety and trembling. My God, my Father, my God, my holy Spirit, who hitherto haue laboured in all things with me, but I only haue suffred all things; wherefore haue you forsaken me, and are now separted from [...]ee in bearing this Crosse? So that these words of Christ shewed forth the magnitude of his minde, and no fear at all.

Hitherto that Cardinall, out of his book cald Decachordum Christianum, The Scape­goat, mentio­ned in the old Testament, hath cuer been accounted a figure of the Passion of Christ. written vpon the life and Passion of Christ. To whose words may be added, for the further explaining of this secret Symbole; As a man, that, in the midst of his enemies, being forsaken of his friends, fighteth the more valiantly, vn­der hope of victory: so Christ, in this agony hiding his Diui­nity, or laying it aside for a time, forsaken of his two friends that so long had worked with him (God the Father, and God the holy Ghost), all alone, and in his owne proper person, did manfully and victoriously vndergoe the terrors of death. So that whether we consider the word Eli, from his tripled ele­ment [Page 79]representing the whole Trinity, or the word doubled, expressing but two persons, the Father and holy Ghost, it can­not choose but stirre vs to an exceeding admiration and con­templation, as often as we reade them; but far more, if from our dull senses and feeble vnderstanding, wee were able to com­prehend them. I must confesse, that the Cardinalls doctrine seemeth directly opposite to the common torrent of some English Diuines: but my protestation is not to ouer sway the opinions of others better learned then my selfe, to build my faith (which is the anchor of a Christian man) vpon the fancie-full opinion of any priuate man. Onely this I must say by way of iust defense, that hee was learned, religious, exceeding deuout, from whom I borrowed it. Who although hee sauour Popishly affected, by reason of the cor­ruption of those times he liued in, yet he is nothing so super­stitiously giuen as many of his fellowes were.

Their doctrine then, who maintaine that Christ vpon the Crosse did suffer paines of the damned and reprobate, seemeth very harsh to me. And I would haue them take heed,Al the Fathers doe speake but of Christs bo­dily sufferings, If therefore one drop of his bloud was enough for the redemption of mankinde, much more so many streames of bloud issu­ing from all the partes of his body, as if it had beene a precious oint­ment. that whereas Christ at his natiuity, his circumcision, in all his works and miracles he did in his life time, was both God and Man; vpon the Crosse, and in his Passion, by a strange kinde of diuinity, neuer dreamed of in the Primitiue Church, he should shew himselfe lesse then a God, lesse then a man. From Scrip­tures, if wee goe to stories of the Church, plenty of happie Numbers will be found. The most antient and of greatest moment, is that which was spoken from heauen to Constan­tine the Emperour, when hee fought against the Tyrant Maxentius in these words, In hoc Signo vinces. Which foure elements haue no small vertue and admiration included in them, portending more intrinsically, then extrin­sically they seeme. For as there was visibly seene a forme of the Crosse in the element: so the figure of this Crosse is agree­able to the foure words vttered, which doth make the excel­lencie and wonder of it far greater then outwardly it ap­peareth.

This figure therefore of the Crosse (that I may vnfold so great a mystery) of all others is the straightest, conteining [Page 80]foure straight Angles, according to those foure elements re­sounding from heauen. And it is the first description of that we call Superficies, hauing both longitude and latitude, which some auerre to be corroborated with those heauenly powers, because their strength resulteth by the rectitude of Angles and beames. Whereby it commeth to passe, that the Starres are then most potent, when, in a celestiall forme, they obtaine foure corners,They that shew them­selues enemies to this antient and venerable signe, being no other then a badge or cog­nisance of our Christian pro­fession, will become ene­mies to Christ who suffered vpon this Crosse. and by proiection of their beames one from an­other, doe make a Crosse. Which also hath great correspon­dencie with the quinarie, septenarie, and nouenarie Number. Therefore among the Arabes (men that were curious in the search of high mysteries) the signe of the Crosse was had in no small admiration, as beeing a most firme receptacle of all manner of heauenly intelligences. Other Numbers I count vnhappy, which by their exposition doe signifie or portend some fatall calamity to men. As, in Scripture we haue Mans, Tekel, Phares, spoken to Balthazar: which, expressed in three Hebrew elements containing the ternary Number, did (no doubt) signifie vnto him a threefold calamity or downfall; The ruine of his Kingdome, the sacking of Babilon, the letting-in the riuer Euphrates for the passage of Cyrus and his hoast, as a iust punishment denounced against him for his threefold sinne and wickednes; Pride, Idolatry, drunkennesse. Of this kinde there will be found many in Scripture; as, Christs word denounced against Hicrusalem, those which he spake to the rich man; Paul to Demas; Peter to Simon Magus; the holy Ghost in the Apocalypse, to the Church of Laodicea: which all contayne some inward secrecy of Numbers, parted from their elements, or which, without exact calculation both of words and letters, may not be well vnderstood. So that such kind of Numbers, as these be, may be called tacite or implicite, because they bee not properly taken for Numbers, except the words or elements are diuided from each other, wherein they are secretly or inclusiuely touched. The last Number I meane to insist vpon, is out of the Apocalypse, included in the word Lateinos; A word of such hidden and impenetrable mystery, that since Saint Iohn's time that did vtter it, it is a thousand and six hundred yeeres, and yet among some it is hardly vn­derstood. [Page 81]Yes, this word of all others hath frighted the B. of Rome more & his ministers, then the D. of Bourbon did, when he and his souldiers seazedvpon the city of Rome, made his Holiness to intrench himself in his castle of S. Angelo, & could not be redeemed nor his Cardinals without a great summe of mony. To vnfold this secret Number I need not, seeing I haue performed this task already in our Books against Antichrist. Sure I am, it consists of 8 elements, cuery letter containing a Number, more or lesse; and it is the Number of the Beast; and his Number is the Number of a man, as well in Hebrew, as in Greek: and I doo not doubt, but this Number, rightly numbred according to Theologicall Computation, will con­found him and all his numbers, although they be almost num­berlesse. For breuities sake, I let passe those Climactericall or Enneaticall yeers, consisting of 63 and 70, making either se­uen-times nine, or mine-times seuen, which haue been fatall to sundry learned and honourable Personages; as also the oc­tonarie moneth, being found noxious and prodigious to the birth of children, by reason of the malignant disposition of Saturn; judicially handled by that learned Anatomist,Lib. 2. quast. 38. An­draear Laurentius. Neither haue I leasure, curiously to insist vpon the opinion of that learned Clerk, Hugo de S. Ʋictore, L. 2. didas. c.3 as touching the term of mans life, consisting of 80 yeers, han­dled with much subtilty and dexterity.

CHAP. XV. Mysticall and Symbolicall Numbers.

I Call them so, that either from or vnder their riaked ele­ments, their proper names and significations, represent some vnknown power or energie, or, for some other respects, contain some Secret in them. There be many of this kinde; and therefore I will runne-ouer but some of the chiefest and choicest among them. By the sixt-daies-work, our Rabbines vnderstand six extremities of building, proceeding from Bre­sit, as Cedars doo from Libanus. They hold, that Messiah [Page 82]Eno [...] maketh his conjunction with the denarie spirit and Le­uite; that to the firmament, and waters vnder the firmament, and the visible heauen, are attributed 17, 18 and 19 gates to euery one according to their degree; which, put together, doo amount to foure more than those which were mentioned in our thirteenth Chapter. They hold again, that out of the spirit, is produced the word and voice; yet these three are but one. Those which they call Imperfections of influences, in their collection communicant arise from 10 to 5110. That which they call Absolute in the subject, proceedeth from the vnity to the nouenarie, Order processiue surmounteth from ten to ninety. Substance in things proper remaineth entire; but their imperfections, from an vniuersall collection, go from 20 to 7670. Imperfections of parts in distributing of vertues, proceed rightly from 25 to 2838. Whether these bee mysti­call, symbolical, or Cabalisticall Numbers, it skilleth not great­ly: sure I am, they passe mine intelligence. Capiat, qui capere potest. I haue borrowed them of purpose from those Synago­gicall Doctors, to exercise the wits of those who are better Arithmeticians than my self. I mean to go to others more familiar.

When God made the world, he said It was good. This word Bonum in cludeth fiue elements, hauing a secret signification: for, this creation was good fiue maner of waies; As touching the Creator, that was God; creature, that was man; forme, that was the beginning of all things, one of Orpheus Princi­ples; matter, that was prima Idea, as Plato holds; workman­ship, which is no other than his eternall Wisdome: Or this way; Good, to contemplate, praise, glorifie, extoll, worship his Power and Majesty shining therein. It was said to Abra­ham as touching the promise, In semine [...]o, and so forth, men­tioned in the Chapter going before. Now, Isaas was born of this seed; which some write with six elements, agreeable to the promise couched in six words. Otherwise it may signifie those six places he dwelt in; Canaan, Ægypt, Gerar, Beersheba, Sodome, and the Caue wherein he was buried: for, the graue, in many places of the Bible, is called An house or dwelling, by a metaphor much vsed among the Hebrews,

Besides these, there are proper Names belonging to God: which, either diuided into Numbers, by parting of their cle­ments, or without Numbers, haue secret and mysticall signi­fications. Which beeing seuen in number,Septenarius nus­merus est omni­um aliorum perfectisimus. As touching the significati­on of these words, see more in Lem­nius exhor ad vitam optim. insh. cap. 59. according to the septenarie perfection, it is admirable to tell what they signifie in the Hebrew Tongue. The first is Eloth, signifying GOD. The second, Eloi; as much as to say, My God. The third, El: which if it be pronounced with a thin aspiration, it signifieth God; if with a sharp, one that is strong or valiant. The fourth is Adonai, signifying Lord. The fift, Sabbath, that is, Lord of the Sabbath: some others interpret it, Lord of vertues. The sixt, Saddai, that is, apt or potent. The seuenth, Am, which is a name ineffable; according to that spoken to Moses, I am that I am: or, My Name is from one generation to another. The Greeks call this [...], that is, wanting vowels or sylla­bles. The Samaritanes called him Iube; The erth fiddib, 2. cap. 29. not knowing the force and etymologie of that word, as you may reade in Nice­tas, from whom I haue borrowed this interpretation. Now, the word [...], in Greek is not without his numerall applicati­on. For, whether you will haue him called [...], that is, Hee that is, signifying his essence; or Bonus, because it is the pro­per appellation of God, saith Denuis; or [...], because by his course or ambite hee containeth all things both in heauen and earth; or [...], that is,God is called A consuming fire in Scrip­ture, because he consumeth the tents of the wicked. from burning (making all a quadruple Etymon), it cannot be, but that vnspeakable myste­ries are contained vnder these appellations. Now, the words, Good, just, holy, being but his attributes, represent his nature well, but not his essence, which (to speak truely) is ineffable. To call him Lord, King, and so forth, signifieth his habite to things opposite, because his power stretcheth from foure de­nominations. Hee is Lord vnto those who are subject to his dominion; King to others who are vnder his gouernment; Creator of all things created; Pastor ouer those whom he fee­deth. Wee will come now to the Apocalypse, to see what se­cret Numbers wee can finde there. There is no place of the old and new Testament, that affordeth such plenty.

The first Number is α and ω, representing the duall number,Chap. 1. ver. 3. which I haue vnfolded in our fourth chapter. Seuen Churches [Page 84]of Afia are not without a mystery:Verse 11. which some will haue to be an Antitype of our Protestant Churches; Helvetia, Swizer­land, Geneva, France, Flandirs, Scotland; England: how truely according to historical narration, let others indifferently con­sider. For my part, I dare not contradict them, seeing the spi­rits of former Prophets (according as hath been fore-prophe­cied) must be subject to those later. And in prophecying we finde it true, as well as in other learning, which One saith, Semper deprehendit posterior atas, quod non vidit prior. Seuen Candlesticks signifie seuen Churches.13 By those seuen Starres,16 are vnderstood 7 famous Doctors of the Primitiue Church.C. 3. v. 1. Seuen Spirits represent those seuen distinctions of gifts, aboun­ding in those seuen Churches mentioned before. By tenne daies,C. 2. v. 10. are mystically vnderstood ten yeers: and those ten yeers make a type of the ten-yeers persecution vnder Traian the Em­peror.C. 3. v. 12 By the word Hierusalem, is meant a twofold Hierufa­lem; One in this life, when the Church of God shall come to his perfection and purity, anon after the fall of Antichrist; the other an heauenly Hierusalem, where the soules shall rest, symbolizing two Sabbaths, mentioned in our fourth Chap­ter.C. 4. v. 3 By the Iasper stone, Sardine, and Rain-bowe, are repre­sented the three Persons of the Trinity. The Iasper signifieth the Father; Sardine, the Sonne; Rain-bowe, the holy Ghost. Foure beasts signifie foure ages of men wherein the Gospell shall be preached:8 others apply them to foure principall tea­chers in God's Church.C. 7. v. 1. By foure Augels, are meant these 4; Contention, ambition, heresie, warre [...] which are foure mes­sengers sent from God to punish the earth. And all these pro­ceed from foure corners of the earth, that is; Contention, from the East; ambition, from the West; heresie, from the South; war, from the North. What could be more conten­tious than the Eastern or Greeke Church? What more ambi­tious than the Roman, who hath enricht herselfe with the spoils of other Churches? As touching the South parts, it could not be, but much heresie preutiled there, seeing Pelagius the Monk came from thence. Concerning the North, it hath euer been a Pronetb; Ab Aquilome awnemalum.

By those Numbers of Tribes,C. 7. v. 4. is meant not onely the calling [Page 85]of the Iewes, but of the Gentiles.C. 8. v. 10. By the great Starre which fell from heauen, is meant Arr [...]us; who, with his bitter heresie of [...], hath corrupted the Fountains, that is, the pure and incorrupted water of God's Word. By the second Star, is vnderstood the Pope or Mahomer; which you will. Those two Witnesse [...] signifie the two Testaments. In that it is said,C. 11 v. 3 V. 18 The Gentiles were angry, wee may finde the Papall malice truely represented, furiously enraging against two worthy instru­ments of God's Church, Iohn Husse, and Ieroms of Prague, for maintaining the doctrine of Christ.C. 12. v. 7 By Michael and his An­gels, is meant Constantane the Emperor, and his Christian Ar­my; by the Dragon, Maxentius, Maxemi [...]ius, Litinius, and o­thers, sighting against him. The beast that riseth out of the sea, is the Bishop of Rome: his seuen heads and ten horns sig­nifie those 7 hil [...] about Rome; his power and principality be­ing defended with ten mighty Kings of the earth. As touching the word Lateinos, reade our third demonstration; prouing, that the Bishop of Rome is Antichrist.C. 14. v. 19 By those 1600 fur­longs, some vnderstand the whole Region of England bur­ning with persecution in Queen Maries time: for, 1600 fur­longs make 200 English miles.C. 17. v. 9 Seuen Kings signifie so many kindes of Romish Gouerners, successiuely succeeding one an­other. Vnder those ten horns, ten Kings are figured, which shall fight against the Beast; answerable to the other te [...]ne, which took his part. By Babylon, is signified a twofold Baby­lon, Constantinople and Rome: as heertofore there was one in Chaldea, another in Ægypt. As there is a twofold Church, a twofold Babylon:C. 20. v. 5. & 6 so there is a twofold resurrection vnder­stood in the Apocalypse; The one, to the embracing of the Gospell; the other, to be partaker of those joyes prepared for the Elect.

See how in a little room I haue analyzed or epitomized all or the most part of those mysticall Numbers cited in the A­pocalypse. Who then, without the Art of Numbring, or the Spirit of God assisting him, is able to vnfold the one half of such hidden, impenetrable, symbolicall, and vnspeakable my­steries? They therefore that boast themselues to be Secretaries of the holy Ghost, and think they are able by common intel­ligence [Page 86]to comprehend all the secrets of this booke, erre great­ly, and cause others to erre as well. For, as it hath pleased God to open them to many, by illustrating this age far beyond all others in all kinde of knowledge whatsoeuer: so he hath (no doubt) reserued some of them to himselfe. So that no man in all his life time, no, not in a thousand yeeres, if hee could liue so long; no not the most learned and judicious Diuine that euer tooke pen in hand, by any long studie, prac­tice, or contemplation, is able to comprehend them all. This to bee true, I dare maintaine from the testimony of Irenaus; who, taxing certaine. Hereticks for the curious searching of forbidden mysteries,Lib. 2. cap. 4. concludeth in these words: Si ergo et in rebus creaturae quaedam ac carum cognitio adiacent Deo, quaedam au­tem et in nostram venerant scientiam: quid mali est, si et corum quae in Scripturis requiruntur, quaedam quidom absoluamus secundum gratiam Dei, quaedam autem commendemus Deo; vt semper quidem Deus doceat, homo autem semper discat?

CHAP. XVI. Theologicall discourse touching diuine Numbers.

BEcause I haue spoken before something of Theologicall Numbers, I thought it good in this Chapter to discourse as touching the Art of diuine Numbering; that vnto young Students, or nouell Diuines, desirous to bee skilled in such an hie mystery, I may prescribe a certaine Idea or platforme for them to imitate. Which I cannot better doe, than out of the words of Saint Iohn, to frame them a kinde of ladder or scale, whereon to set their feete, or by whose direction they may safely walke without error. Iohn, desirous to vnfold vn­to vs as much of the Diuinity of Christ and his humanity, as might be fitting for vs, beginneth thus by Numbering: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. For one of the second order, is God himselfe: and whereas within his di­uine essence, production of two remaineth (for, Number consisteth of himselfe, according to Beetius an excellent Pe­ripatetick; [Page 87]and according to One, the binarie Number alone naturally is procreated), it must needs follow, that those two Saint Iohn speaketh of, the beginning and the Word (the one of order, the other of Number) must of necessity bee God, be­cause within God there can nothing be but God. These three therefore, the beginning, the Word, and God, beeing the ori­ginall or fountaine of all thinge, whether they be celestiall, su­percelestiall, terrestriall, corporeall, incorporeall, Angells, men, brute beasts, plants, and so forth: these, I say, compre­hend but one essence, seeing that God is one, and his vnity is indiuisible, as the Vnarie Number is. For, this essence of God is nothing at all diuided, although two productions or ema­nations are numbred out of one: as in corporeall things ma­ny times it hapneth, that vnity, moued into duality (if it bee lawfull for me to make such a comparison) proceedeth to the ternary, the substance of things remaining (for, in the terne Number no composition can bee perceiued), as of a branch, or bough; but more fitly, the body of a man, his arme, or fin­ger. Out of one therefore, produced vnto two in diuine things, ariseth the Trinity: vnto which if essence bee giuen, formally distinguished from them, it will become a formall quaternity, which is infinite; one and the Number of two, be­ing the substance, perfection, and end of all Number; which, by a collectiue kinde of progression, make tenne in the whole, according to Arithmeticall and Geometricall computation, mainteyned often in this discourse.

Besides the Number of tenne, there is nothing; for, it fet­cheth his beginning from one, and goeth backward to one, ending where it beganne, and beginning where it on deth. So that worthily and most diuinely, according to Iohn's sacred Arithmetick, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; and all three were one Word, onely diuine, infinite, incomprehensible, extrinsecally associa­ting it self to man: from whose light infused, all inferior ver­tues are directed, deriued, & gouern'd; that is (according to the exposition of the Hebrewes) so long as the vnderstanding, intelli­gent, and intellect (expressing the ternary Number) be one and the selfe-same. For, as the Prophet saith, inspired (no doubt) with a [Page 88]diuine Vision of the Trinity, In lumius tua videbimus lumeu; that is,Deus ipse est lu­men immensum, in scipso consis­tens, ac per se in omnibus, et ex­traomnia per immensum. Lib. 5. from the influence of the minde which floweth from thee, we vnderstad & are rectified, according to Phyle's explication. Now, if a man should goe further by nūbring or should at least find out the ternary Number, wherby the Trinity is exprest in these words; Qui est supra omnias, peromnia, et in omnib [...], it cannot be but that Ine [...]aur (a notable expounder of the Apo­calypse) will giue vs much light to the vnderstanding of this mystery. The Father, saith hee, is ouer all things, and hee is the [...]ad of Christ: through all things the Word is, and he is the Head [...] the Church: the Spirit is in all things, and he is the Water of life, [...]ich the Lord bestoweth vpon them that beleeue in him, and know [...] [...]at hee is the Father of all things; ouer all in all. From hence [...]wee should goe, as by a ladder, to those three Theologicall [...]ertues, or to those words in the Gospell, There are three that care witnes in heauen, and so forth, to finde out their vertues [...]y numbring, or to any other Theologicall Number mentioned in Scripture, especially the tenne Commande­ments, in cluding both the ternary and septenary Number, by distinguishing the first and second Table; how much thinke you might be added to the study of Diuinity, by such a kinde of Arithmetick, practised but of a few, and that jejunely, God wot, without a [...]t, without wit, without learning? But, lea­uing this for a taste, vntill I may be better able to furnish a grea­ter banquet, I will proceed to the next; referring the Rea­der to Hugo de S. Ʋictore, who hath laboured much in this kinde; and in his book called The School-master, hath shew­ed more light to the opening of sacred Numbers, then any Fa­ther of the 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 [Page 90]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 cō ­sidered, 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 [Page 91]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, [Page 92]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 first Number is correspondent to the vnarie and denarie; called Circulus because that vnity (the center & circumference, of all things) and the tenth Number coaceruated in vnity, re­turn backwards; from whom the end & cōplement of al Num­bers haue their beginning. The Paracelsians do so wonderfuly admire and praise the vnarie Number, that they stick not to define a Spagyrick after this manner: Spagyricus is est, quicun­que nouit optimè discernore verum à falso, à bono malum, et impurum à puro segregare, et abycere binarium, vnitate sernata. It is much in request among our Geometricians, though they vse not the name so much, but the thing it selfe. A circle therefore (beeing to them in stead of the vnarie) is called a line infinite; in which there is no Terminus à quo, nor ad quem, (to speak Logica­ly), whose beginning and end consist of euery poynt. Where­fore the circular motion is counted infinite; not as touching time, but the place. So that this figure, of all others, is the most absolute, and perfect. Likewise the Pentagogon, by the vertue of his equinarie and lineature which hee hath both within and without; within hauing fiue Angles obtuse, with­out, [Page 93]fiue sharp, circundated with fiue Hexagonous Triangles, conteyneth a wonderfull mysterie.Exagonius est triangulus, qui omnes habet acutos angulos. Which may bee said tou­ching other figures; as the Triangle, Quadrangle, Hexago­non, Heptagonon, Octagonon: of which many, by reason of their multiplicious intersections, haue diuers and diffe­rent reasons of discoursing, according to the variable s [...]ua­tion and proportion of their lines and Numbers.Hexahedron est, quod ex sex superfieiebus quadratis aque lateribus et aque triangulis integratur. Octohedron est, quod ex octo Isopleuris inte­gratur, et habet angules planos 24. et 6. solidos. Duodecahedron est, quod ex su­perficiebus pēta­gogis duodecim integratur, ha­bens angules planos 60. soli­dos 20. Icohedron est, quod ex 20. Isopleuris com­ponitur, et con­tmet angulos planos 60. at­que 12. solidos. Put heereto that which we call Algebraicall demonstration, whereof dis­course may be made; which is no other than restauration of Number, if wee beleeue Euclide. I haue spoken as touching the figure of the Crosse in our fourteenth Chapter. But this must not be vnderstood of such kinde of figures onely which haue secret significations in them, but of all others vsed in Geometry; as, the Spheres, Tetrahedron, Hexahedron, Octohedron, Hedron, Dodecahedron, and the like; whose interpretations I haue caused to be set downe in our margent.

So Pythagoras, and after him Timeus Locrus, and Plato, gaue vs to vnderstand, that the first Cube of earth consisted of eight solid angles, twenty foure planes, six bases quadrated in the forme of a balance. But they attributed to the fire a Pyramide, conteyning foure bases Triangle, and so many angles solid, and twelue planes. To the ayre they appointed an Octohedron consisting of eight bases Triangle, six angles solid, twenty foure planes. To the water they assigned an Icohedron of twen­ty bases, twenty angles solid. To the heauen they gaue Do­decahedron, composed of twelue bases Pentagonous, twenty an­gles solid, planes sixty. He that is not superficially insighted in these Geometricall Figures, can neuer attaine to the Art of true Numbring. To the gayning of whose knowledge, Euclides Demonstrations, or Pappus Mathematicall collections (espe­cially if they were perfect) will be of much worth. But if they may not be gotten, Posseuines 15. book of his selected biblio­theke, entreating of Mathematicall discipline, will serue in steade of the other, because there he hath abbridged the whole worke of Euclide, or else hath drawne it from others, who took it in hand before him, into a Compendium, by deducing all those Mathematicall Numbers into certaine Theorems, which are illustrated with a short scholie.

CHAP. XIX. Harmanicall Discourse.

MVsicall harmony bringeth not a little faculty of discour­sing, seeing her power and vertues are so great, that shee is called The Imitatrix of the starres, of the soule and body of man.Harmony consists of 7; Sones, inter­uals, kindes, constitutions, tones, mutati­on, melodie; handled at large by Eu­clide. And when she followeth celestiall bodies so exquisitely, it is incredible to think, how shee prouoketh those heauenly influxes, how she tempereth the affections of her hearers, their intentions, gestures, motions; changeth their actions and manners, allureth them to her proprieties, either to mirth or sadnes, boldnes or tranquillity; and so forth. We finde by ex­perience, that she draweth Beasts, Serpents, Birds, Dolphins, vnto the hearing of her modulation. It recreateth the minde of man with Pipe, Fiddle, Timbrell, Harp, Lute, Citharene, Organ, and with diuerse other instruments. It erecteth the minde of man. It cureth diseases, especially that our Physici­ans call Tarantula; which maketh a man to runne mad, neuer leauing off kipping and dancing, till it be cured by some me­lodious harmony. It moueth Captains to warre. It easeth and moderateth high enterprises and great labours taken in hand. It recalleth furious and frantick persons from sudden and des­perate attempts. It comforteth trauellers. It moueth pastime. It mitigateth anger, letificateth those that bee sad, pacificateth such as are at discord. It temperateth choler, and (to conclude all in a word) it expelleth all vagrant, wandring, and imagi­nary cogitations whatsoeuer. By this means discourse is made; as,Tensiones dicun­tur ab instru­ment is ad eas comparatis, a tendendo. Pthongi vero, eo guod voce etiam eduntur. by sounds and concents (Euclide calleth them Pthongos) by harmonicall compositions, tones, mouings, sones, aswell instrumentall as naturall, proceeding from the imperious con­ception of the minde, affection of the heart and phantasie; as also, consonous and propin quous fundaments of kindes, sym­boles, similitudes by analogie, concord of naturall and artifi­ciall voices, do take sweetly their beginning from hence. The vse and necessity of all which is so great, that one discourseth of them in this manner: Si nihil moveretur, sed omnia quiese [...] ­rent, [Page 95]summum esset silentium: si autem fieret silentium, nihil move­retur, nihil audiretur. Quare, ut aliquid audiatur, necesse est priùs motum pulsum (que) fieri: As if he should inferre, that without mo­tion and musicall harmony (whereby all things consist) ney­ther the higher heauens, nor the lowermost Planets, no,Non est hanno­nice compositus, ait Augustinus, qui harmonia non delectatur. not the soule and body of man (framed from harmonicall sym­metry) could performe their duty. Therefore the necessity of musick is so great, so potent, so admirable in each thing, that it is impossible the world should consist without it. What? consist without it? No, not for a day, not for an houre, not for a minute; no, which is lesse, not for a moment.

Musica, apud Ciceronem, in tribus consistit; Numeris, vori­bus, modis. L. 1. de Oratore. Now it is to bee noted, that all concent is either of sounds or voices. Sound is a spirit. Voice is a sound and spirit ani­mated. Speech is a spirit vttred with a voice or sound signify­ing something; whose spirit, by a certain sound or voice, go­eth out of the mouth. Calcidius, a great Platonick, holdeth, that it is sent from the innermost part or penetrall of the heart or minde.Others make another 3 fold di [...]ision, thus: Vnum genus musica est quod instrument is a­gitur: alterum, quod fingit car­mina: [...]erlium, quod instrumē ­torum opus car­men (que) di [...]udi [...]at. And whereas all kinde of musick consis [...]eth of these three, Sound, voice, mouth; discourse is made fitly through the subjects of them all. So that by this means, that is, by the proportion of concent and the voice, wee may proceed thus: Among the Planets, Iupiter, Sol, Ʋenus, Mercurie, are owners of concent; others, more of voice than concent, as Saturne, especially of such as are sad, rawking, graue, slowe, and of those sounds verging towards the centre. Mars preoccupieth such as are sharp, acute, threarning, swift, angry; The Moon, those that bee mediocrous; Iupiter, graue, constant, studious, pure, graciously sweet and energious; Venus, lasciuious, luxu­rious, effeminate, voluptuous, and such as be in their circum­ference dissolute, dilatous, queint and delicious. Mercurie hath remissious concents, multiplicious, and with a certaine strenuity, 10 viall and iucund. From those particular harmo­nies, Iupiter obtaineth a Diapazon, and he carrieth grace with a Diapente. Sol hath a Diapazon; and, by reason of his 15 tones, a Disdiapazon. Ʋenus holdeth grace with Diapente; Mercurie, with Diatessaron. These kindes of concents, from the distance of Planets one from the other, will bee quickly found our. For, the space betwixt the earth and the Moon, [Page 96]contains a hundred,Interuallum est quod continetur duobus sonis, a­cumine & gra­uitate differen­tibus. Tonus est quidā vocis locus, Sy­stematis capax, latitudin carēs. Sonus est con­cinnus vocis ca­sus ad vnam extensionem. Interuallum di­apazonest du plum. Interuallum di­apazon est mul­tiplex. Diapazon est minus sex tonis. Diatessaron est minus duobus tonis & hemito­ [...]io. Diapente minus est tribus tonis & bemitonio. Euclid. l. 6. pro­pos. 25. It a Deus dispo­suit spharas, ea­ [...]umque mo [...]us temperaut, vt (que madmodū Pythagoricis Platonicisque placet) in afli­mabilem har­moniam melodi­am que conficiāt. Ficinus epist. l. 6. twenty and six thousand Italian stades, making an interuall of sound. From the Moon to Mercurie, half that space maketh a semitone. As much from Mercurie, to Venus, maketh another. From thence to Sol, a tripled tone and half maketh Diapente. From the Moon to Sol, a duple with a Dimidium maketh Diatessaron. From Sol to Mars ther is as great distance, as from the earth to the Moon, making a tone. From thence to Iupiter, half of that maketh a semitone. As much from him to Saturn, maketh another: from whom to the starry clement, there is a space of a semitone interjacent. So that from Sol to the starry element, is found a Diasteme, a Diatessaron of two tones and a half; from the earth, a perfect Diapazon of six tones integrall. From hence, by proportion of those planeticall moouings one to another, and with the eightth heauen, the sweetest Musick of all others resulteth.

Out of which may be gathered, that what from the Fabrick of this whole Vniuerse; what from the symmetry, proporti­on, harmony of all his parts linked together; what from the mutuall concent of heauens, Planets, elements, there is no­thing that beautifieth the workmanship of the Creator more, nothing that so liuely setteth out the creature, as musick. It is said by Plutarch, who borrowed it from Plato, that GOD, in framing of the world, had plaid the part of an excellent Geometrici­an, and that he caused this Geometricall Paradox to bee most truely verefied; that is, Two figures granted, a third remaineth, equall to one, like to the other. Now, it is without all question, that God, by making so many contrary elements agree together, by ad­ding so many tones and sones to those visible and inuisible heauens, hath plaid the part of a notable Musician, as well as a Geometrician. But let vs go forward. The proportion of those moouings of Saturn to Iupiter, is duple sesquialter; of Iupiter to Mars, sescuple; of Mars to Sol, Venus and Mercurie (which make their journey alike) duple proportion; of them to the Moon, duodecuple; of Saturn to the stelliferous ele­ment, millecuple and ducentuple. So again, between the fire and air there is a twofold harmony begotten, Diapazon and Diapente; betwixt the air and water, the like; betwixt the wa­ter and earth, Diapazon, with a double Diapente and Diatessa­ron. [Page 97]Betwixt the fire and water, ayre and earth, harmony cea­seth. For there is a contrariety of qualities among those, yet they agree through the intermiddle element. I haue drawne this harmonicall multiplication out of others, to shew what power musick hath in all kinde of bodies, whether they bee celes [...]iall or terrestriall; againe, to remonstrate, that the Art of Numbring, which way soeuer a man will goe, extendeth it selfe to the certaine knowledge, practice, and contemplation of all Sciences whatsoeuer, confirming that which was spoken in our first Chapter. Wherefore by reading of this discourse, I doe wish, as Augustine sometimes did,Lib. de music a. 6. cap. 16. that the Reader may gather that harmony and sweet delight, that from contemplati­on, hee may gather prudence; from sanctification, temperance; from impassibility, fortitude; from ordination, iustice; which are foure cardinall vertues. This moued that godly Father to the com­piling of that worthy discourse as touching Musick: Where, towards the later part, he concludeth thus touching the soule of man: Tunc autem firma erit at que perfecta, vt numeris corpo­ralibus, non anertatur à contemplatione sapienti [...], &c.

CHAP. XX. A method touching Numerall▪ Figurall, and Harmonicall discourse.

SEeing we haue proceeded thus far for the enabling of those who haue not bin initiated nor matriculated in the School of Numbring, I wil adde one Chapter more, for the perfect cō ­pleting and terminating of this whole discourse: Which vn­known, or (at least) slightly passed ouer, I do not see how all the former, though substantially cemented & tied together, can re­main vncontrollable, vnanswerable, vnuiolable. In euery dis­course therefore (especially of this nature) Geometricall & A­rithmeticall, proportion is chiefly to be respected. But the dis­course of proportion is found most easie in the subiects of Numbers. For, the Numbers of all subiects are so disposed, that they may not exceede the Duodenarie. Seeing therefore, [Page 98]the Number is certaine, and as it were limited, a man shall soone finde out the proportions of discourse, if he know once the highest Hoxagonon from the communication of correla­tiues. For, from thence he shall bee able to deriue simple con­tractions, and such as be proportionall; doubting in nothing, if hee follow this methode prescribed him. Hee shall see then, what fellowship and commer [...]e hell hath with heauen, sense with vnderstanding. As touching discourse of proportion, it receiueth communication of the Hexagonon in the subiects of figures, as farre as those figures arise out of Numbers, and containe within them a numerall kinde of discourse. For, e­uery figure hath his proper fundaments from consideration of it selfe; as a circle, considered by himselfe, hath a plaine vertue, contented with one Supersicies, and hath lines alike brought from his center to his circumference. Likewise a Sphere ta­keth his consideration from Geometricians and Astronomers. Such a frame as this is beeing made, euery part admitteth his processe of Art; and, as many differences haue beene assigned to any of these subiects, so many discrepances of tearmes as touching this workmanship may bee limited. And therefore a man may reason of the goodnesse and vertue of a circle, ac­cording to the circular differences handled at large by our moderne Geometricians and Mathematicians. By this meanes it is easie for euery man to make him a sca [...]e both of ascending and descending, according to the variety of his w [...]t; as also af­ter the manner of Georgins Leontinus, or such [...]s wee call Lulli­stes: hee may bee able to reason soundly and substantially of any thing brought into question, handling or prosecuting any Theme, Probleme, or Paradox, according to Art or iudge­ment: As, one way [...]ouching the vertue of angles; another way, of the vertue of bases, by making his processe vnto a cube, or to the declaration of a figure, by method of discourse set be­fore his eyes. As then these things haue beene spoken of sen­sible figures: so proportionably they ought to be vnderstood of such as bee intelligible; as in Tropickes, Colures, Artick, Antartick, and the like. By this methode he shall come to some more then superficiall knowledge in those mathematicall dis­ciplines. Whereto I should haue giuen [...]arre greater light in [Page 99]this discourse, if I had not lost the workes of Carolus B [...]illus, a great Symbolist and Theologist, and one that was the best and most absolute Mathematician of his time; Especially his Conclusions, his bookes of the Trinity, and that admirable and portentuous worke of his, De Nihilo, enuying, or rather emulating Leontinus mentioned before. In like manner an har­monical discourse may be instituted by consideration of those wee call [...], belonging to those subiects; especially if the difference be considered betwixt sensuall and sensuall, as diasteme of tones; betwixt intellectuall and sensuall, as concent of Planets, with the vertue of inclining from their, concourse, as well vniuersall as particular; as, constancie, pu­rity, gladnesse, iucundity, by Diapazon, Disaiapazon, Diapente, Diatessaron; as also betweene the intellectuall and intellectuall; as vnity, equality, verity, and so forth. All these grounds I haue borrowed from those Antients, being little or nothing behol­ding to our Neotoriques, though I know, in al kind of Geome­tricall, Arithmeticall, & Mathematicall Sciences, they are more to be valued then the other. But touching mine own know­ledge (which is small, God wot, especially in these elementarie speculatiue, and numerall mysteries) I knowe no man of our times, that hath giuen mee any light as touching this discourse or hath so much as superficially handled this subiect, beside Paulus Scali hiu [...], a great Baron and Noble-man of Hungary; for his admirable and promiscuous learning knowledge in the tongues, deepe and profound Theologie, a miracle of his time. To whom (ingenuously I must confesse) I haue beene more indebted for that poore knowledge I haue gotten, then to any other antient or moderne whatsoeuer. Many haue to any other antient or moderne whatsoeuer. Many haue written touching this subiect; as, Barotius of Platonicall Num­bers, Petrus Bongus, de mystica numerorumratione, Iacobus Maz [...] ­enius, and Petrus Gregorius, as touching Arithmetick, both na­turall and artificiall: but none of these haue come vnto my hands. I could, notwithstanding, haue larged this treatise with Nubers alphabetical, the varation of figures, discourse, of rules, of tables, peregrine discourse, common discourse, discourse of formes, discourse touching the key of knowledge, with exam­ples thereto adioyned, vniuersall discourse: but my intent [Page 100]hath beene chiefly to keepe my selfe within mine owne pro­per module, and not to transcend the height of my horizon, laying downe out of my poore store-house (consisting of notes gathered for many yeers agone) and collecting out of others as much as might giue any light to this present subiect, or which might further young Students (Diuines especially) to take vpon them such a like enterprize, or at least to adde some­thing from their learned labours, towards the full compleating & enriching of this painfull and laborious piece of workman­ship. For wee are all in debted to posterity: and when we haue done all that we can doe Deo, Ecclesia, Patriae, by spending our talents for God, Church, and Countrey, yet we shall not be a­ble to repay so much as in duty, loue and affection we owe vn­to them. So, concluding our whole discourse with twenty Chapters, here I make our Period; that beginning with Num­ber, I may end with Number.