Book II, chapters 7–9: The scales of four, five and six

CHAP. VII. Of the Number of Four, and the Scale thereof.

THe Pythagorians call the Number of four Tetractis, and prefer it before all the vertues of Numbers, because it is the foundation, and root of all other numbers; whence also all foundations, as well in artificiall things, as naturall, and divine, are four square, as we shall shew afterwards: and it signifies solidity, which also is demonstrated by a four square figure. For the number four is the first four square plain, which consists of two proportions, whereof the first is of one to two, the latter of two to four, and it proceeds by a double procession and proportion, viz. of one to one, and of two to two, beginning at a unity, and ending at a quaternity: which proportions differ in this, that according to Arithmatick, they are unequall to one the other: but according to Geometry are equall. Therefore a four square is ascribed to God the Father, and also contains the mysterie of the whole Trinity: for by its single proportion, viz. by the first of one to one, the unity of the paternall substance is signified, from which proceeds one Son, equall to him; by the next procession, also simple, viz. of two to two, is signified by the second procession the Holy Ghost from both, that the Son be equall to the Father by the first procession; and the Holy Ghost be equall to both by the second procession. Hence that superexcellent, and great name of the divine Trinity in God is written with four letters, viz. Iod, He, and Vau; He, where it is the aspiration He, signifies the proceeding of the spirit from both: for He being duplicated, terminates both syllables, and the whole name, but is pronounced Jove as some will, whence that Jovis of the heathen, which the Ancients did picture with four ears, whence the number four is the fountain, and head of the whole divinity. And the Pythagorians call it the perpetuall fountain of nature: for there are four degrees in the Scale of nature, viz. to be, to live, to be sensible, to understand. There are four motions in nature, viz. ascendent, descendent, going forward, circular. There are four Corners in the heaven, viz. rising, falling, the midle of the heaven, and the bottome of it. There are four Elements under Heaven, viz. Fire, Aire, Water, and Earth; according to these there are four triplicities in Heaven: There are four first qualities under the Heaven, viz. Cold, Heat, Driness, and Moystness, from these are the four Humours, Blood, Flegm, Choller, Melancholy. Also the year is divided into four parts, which are the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter; also the wind is divided into Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern. There are also four rivers of Paradise, and so many infernall. Also the number four makes up all knowledge: first it fills up every simple progress of numbers with four termes, viz. with one, two, three, and four constituting the number ten. It fills up every difference of numbers, the first even, and conteining the first odd in it. It hath in Musick Diatessaron, the grace of the fourth voice. Also it conteins the instrument of four strings, and a Pythagorean Diagram, whereby are foundout first of all musicall tunes, and all harmony of Musick. For Double, Treble, fourtimes double, one and halfe, one and a third part, a concord of all, a double concord of all, of five, of four, and all consonancy is limited within the bounds of the number four. It doth also contein the whole of Matheticks in four terms, viz. point, line, superficies, and profundity. It comprehends all nature in four terms, viz. substance, quality, quantity, and motion. Also all naturall Phylosophy, in which are the seminary vertues of nature, the naturall springing, the growing form, and the compositum. Also Metaphysick is comprehended in four bounds, viz. being, essence, vertue, and action. Morall Phylosophy is comprehended with four vertues, viz. prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance. It hath also the power of justice: hence a fourfold law, of providence from God: fatall, from the soul of the world: of nature from Heaven: of prudence, from man. There are also four judiciary powers in all things being, viz. the intellect, discipline, opinion, and sense. It hath also great power in all mysteries. Hence the Pythagorians did ratifie the number four with an oath, as if it were the cheifest ground whereon their faith was grounded, and their belief might be confirmed. Hence it was called the Pythagorians oath, which is expressed in these verses.

I with pure minde by th' number four do swear
That's holy, and the fountain of nature
Eternall, parent of the mind—

Also there are four rivers of Paradise; four Gospels received from four Evangelists throughout the whole Church. The Hebrews received the cheifest name of God written with four letters. Also the Egyptians, Arabians, Persians, Magicians, Mahumitans, Grecians, Tuscans, Latines, write the name of God with only four letters, viz. thus, Thet, Alla, Sire, Orsi, Abdi, [non-Latin script], Esar, Deus. Hence the Lacedemonians were wont to paint Jupiter with four wings. Hence also in Orpheus his divinity, it is said that Neptunes Chariots are drawn with four horses. There are also four kinds of divine furies, proceeding from severall deities, viz. from the Muses, Dionysius, Apollo, and Venus. Also the Prophet Ezekiel saw four beasts by the river Chobar, and four Cherubims in four wheels. Also in Daniel, four great beasts did ascend from the Sea, and four winds did fight. And in the Revelations four beasts were full of eyes, before, and behind: standing […]ound about the Throne of God, and four Angels, to whom was given power to hurt the Earth, and the Sea, did stand upon the four corners of the Earth, holding the four winds, that they should not blow upon the Earth, nor upon the Sea, nor upon any Tree.

The Scale of the Number four, answering the four Elements.

The Scale.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Number Five, and the Scale thereof.

THe number five is of no small force, for it consists of the first even, and the first odd, as of a Female, and Male For an odd number is the Male, and the even the Female Whence Arithmeticians call that the Father, and this the Mother. Therefore the number five is of no small perfection, […] vertue, which proceeds from the mixtion of these numbers, It is also the just midle of the universal number, viz. ten. For yon divide the number ten, there will be nine and one, or eight and two, or seven and three, or six and four, and every collection makes the number ten, and the exact midle alwaies is the number five, and its equadistant; and therefore it is called by the Pythagoreans the number of Wedlock, as also of justic[…] because it divides the number ten in an even Scale. There b[…] five senses in man, sight, hearing, smelling, tasting: five powers in the soul, Vegetative, Sensitive, Concupiscible, Inscible, Rationall: five fingers on the hand: five wandering Planets in the heavens, according to which there are five-fo[…] terms in every sign. In Elements there are five kinds […] mixt bodies, viz. Stones, Metals, Plants, Plant-Animals, Animals, and so many kinds of Animals, as men, four-foote beasts, creeping, swimming, flying. And there are five kind[…] by which all things are made of God, viz. Essence, the same another, sense, motion. The Swallow brings forth but fi[…] young, which she seeds with equity, beginning with the eldest and so the rest, according to their age. Also this number ha[…] great power in expiations: For in holy things it drives away Divels. In naturall things, it expels poysons. It is also called the number of fortunateness, and favour, and it is the seale of the Holy Ghost, and a bond that binds all things, and the number of the cross, yea eminent with the principall wounds of Christ whereof he vouchsafed to keep the scars in his glorifyed body. The heathen Philosophers did dedicate it as sacred to Mercury esteeming the vertue of it to be so much more excellent then the number four, by how much a living thing is more excellent then a thing without life. For in this number the Father Noah found favour with God, and was preserved in the floud of waters. In the vertue of this number Abraham, being an hundred years old, begat a Son of Sarah, being ninety years old, and a barren Woman, and past child bearing, and grew up to be a great people. Hence in time of grace the name of divine omnipotency is called upon with five letters. For in time of nature the name of God was called upon with three letters. [non-Latin script] Sadai: in time of the Law, the ineffable name of God was expressed with four letters [non-Latin script] insteed of which the Hebrews express [Hebrew] Adonai: in time of grace the ineffable name of God was with five letters [non-Latin script] Ihesu, which is called upon with no less mysterie then that of three Letters [non-Latin script].

CHAP. IX. Of the Number six, and the Scale thereof.

SIx is a number of perfection, because it is the most perfect in nature, in the whole course of numbers, from one to ten, and it alone is so perfect, that in the collection of its parts it results the same, neither wanting, nor abounding. for if the parts thereof, viz. the midle, the third, and sixt part, which are three, two, one, be gathered together, they perfectly fill up the whole body of six, which perfection all the other numbers want: Hence by the Pythagorians it is said to be altogether applyed to generation, and Marriage, and is […]lled the Scale of the world. For the world is made of the number six, neither doth it abound, or is defective. Hence […]at is, because the world was finished by God the sixt day. For […]e sixt day God saw all the things which he had made, and […]ey were very good. Therefore the heaven, and the earth, […]d all the Host thereof were finished. It is also called the number of man because the sixt day man was created: and it is also the number of our redemption, for the sixt day Christ suffered […]r our redemption: whence there is a great affinity betwixt the number six and the Cross, labour, and servitude: […]nce it is commanded in the Law, that in six days the […]ork is to be done, six days Manna is to be gathered, six years […]e ground was to be sown, and that the Hebrew servant should […]ve his Master six years; six days the glory of the Lord appeared upon Mount Sina, covering it with a cloud: the Cherubins […]d six wings, 6. circles in the Firmament, Artick, Antartick, two […]opicks, Equinoctiall, & Eclipticall, six wandring Planets, Sa[…]rn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, running through […] latitude of the Zodiack, on both sides the Eclyptick. There […] six substantificall qualities in the Elements, viz. Sharpness, […]inness, Motion, and the contrary to these Dulness, Thickness, […]st. There are six differences of position, Upwards, Downwards, Before, Behind, on the right side, one the left side. There […] six naturall offices, without which nothing can be, viz. Mag[…]de, Colour, Figure, Intervall, Standing, Motion. Also a solid […]ure of any four square thing hath six superficies. There are Tones of all harmony, viz. 5. Tones, & 2. half tones which […]e one tone, which is the sixt.

The Scale of the Number six.