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Treating briefly of Numbers in generall.
GOD at the Creation is said to have made all things in number, weight, and mea∣sure, as indeede they were in a most exact order, sym∣metrie and proportion.
Antiquity have remarked many things by severall Numbers, as Pierus in his Hierogliphicks at length
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relateth,* 1.1 Pythagoras is said to have esteemed much of the number of five, as composed of the first even and odde, numbers two and three:
Numero Deus impare gaudet.
Severall men have severally treated of severall numbers, but I have here made choyce of three and seven,* 1.2 as finding maniest and most memorable things in all Sciences comprehended within them; which thus pack't up together, cannot but bee infi∣nitely delightfull, and most helpefull to the memo∣ry of every Reader.
Conteining variety of memorable things comprehen∣ded within the Number of three, as of Heaven, and Hell, and of Poeticall fictions, and some observati∣ons amongst the Romans.
THree of all Numbers should be held in grea∣test veneration.
The Persons of the God-head are three, Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, which is that most blessed Trinity.
There are said to bee three Heavens;* 1.3 Aëriall, which is betwixt this and the starry Firmament: Etheriall, that great Primum Mobile encompas∣sing the first: and Empireall, or Cristalline Hea∣ven,
the habitation of the blessed Spirits, whither (as is supposed) Saint Paul was ravished. There are also three Regions of the Ayre.
As three heavens,* 1.4 so there are said to bee three Hels; The Grave, the place of torment, and the anxiety of a vexed minde.
Saturne had three Sonnes, Pluto, Neptune, Iupi∣ter. Iupiter had his three-fold Thunder, Neptune his three-forked Trident, and Pluto his three-hea∣ded Cerberus.
Diana,* 1.5 according to the place where shee was, hath three severall names; in the Heavens, Luna or Lucina; on Earth Diana; in Hell Hecate.
There were also three Graces, Aglaia, Thalia, Euphrosine: and the Muses are numbred by thrice three.
Three Iudges are fained by Poets to be in Hell; Minos, Aeacus, and Radamanthus.
Three Furies Daughters of Acheron; Alecto, Tyfiphone, Megera.
Three Hesperides; Aeagle, Arethusa, Hespere∣thusa.
Three Syrens; Parthenope for wit; Ligia for vertue; and Leucosia for beauty:
Aspectu verbis,* 1.6 animi candore trahuntur Parthenopes, Ligiae, Eeucosiaeque, viri.
Three Sisters of the Destinies called Partcae; Clotho draweth out the thread of our lives; Lachesis, spinneth or twisteth it; and Atropos cutteth it at our deaths:
Clotho Colum bajulat, Lachesis net, Atropos occat.
Gerion was said to have had a three-fold body: Three shaped Chymaera; Sphinx was fained to have three severall Visages; and three fatidick or pro∣phecying Sybeles, & many the like amongst Poets:
Martia Roma triplex, Equitatu, Plebe, Senatu.
Amongst the Romans were three kindes of Fla∣mens or Priests, their Deales, Martiales, and Quiri∣nales.
They had also three kindes of Prophets; Aru∣spices, who divined by sacrifices on Altars; Augu∣res by the chirping of Birds; and Auspices, who foretold the events of things by beholding the en∣trals of birds.
They divided every of the twelve moneths in three; Ides, Nones, and Calends.
The Romans also, for recovery of the Greeke Lawes, sent three men, Spurius Posthumius, Ser∣vius Sulpitius, and Aulus Manlius: And amongst them three were noted for obteining greatest spoyles from their Enemies, Romulus, Coriolanus, and M. Marcellus.
Romes three-fold government was first by Kings, then Consuls, lastly Emperours.
Conteining some Theologicall and Morall precepts and observations, redacted under the number of three.
THere are three Theologicall vertues;* 1.7 Faith, Hope, and Charity; and three principall Morall vertues; Temperance, Iustice, and Fortitude.
Three things incident to man;* 1.8 To fall in sinne, which is humane; to rise out of it againe, which is Angelicall; and to lye in sinne, which is Diaboli∣call.
Three things in all our actions are to be observed;* 1.9 that our appetite bee ruled by reason; that neither lesser nor greater care bee taken about any thing then the cause requireth; and that things, belonging to liberality and honour, be moderated.
There are three principall duties belonging to e∣very Christian in this life;* 1.10 to live in piety and de∣votion towards God; Charity towards our Neigh∣bours, and Sobriety towards our selves.
There are also three subalterne, and lesse princi∣pall; to use respect to our superiours, clemencie to our inferiour; and gravity to our equalls.
Wee offend God three wayes,* 1.11 with mouth, heart, and hands, (by hand heere I understand all our sen∣ses;) for which to him wee ought to make amends
three other wayes, by Confession, Contrition, and Satisfaction.
Three degrees of Christs humiliation; his Incar∣nation,* 1.12 life, and death: three of his exaltation; his Resurrection, ascention, and sitting at the right hand of the Father.
There are three things incident to unregenerate Nature; Ambition, Avarice, and Luxury.
There are three wayes to know God:* 1.13 Negative∣ly, whereby what evill is in man, is denied to be in God: then by way of excellencie, whereby, what good is in man we acknowledge to be in God most eminently above man, and in the abstract of it: Last∣ly by way of causality, whereby we acknowledge God to bee the efficient cause of all things.
Gods word was written by Prophets, Evange∣lists, and Apostles.
David for numbring his people had choyce of three things,* 1.14 Plague, Sword, and Famine.
Salomon had choyce of three blessings;* 1.15 Wisdome, Wealth, and length of dayes.
Three great enemies continually assaile man:* 1.16 the Devill without him, the World about him, and the Flesh within him: Against which hee should be ar∣med with these three weapons; Fasting, Praying, and Almes giving.
Love three fold; Divine, Worldly, and Diabo∣licall.* 1.17 Moreover we are tyed to a three-fold Love; Of God, our neighbour, and our selves.
A three-fold feare also possesseth us;* 1.18 a Naturall feare, for our lives and goods; a Civill, for our ho∣nour
and fame; and a Conscientious for our soules.
So wee are said to see with three kinde of eyes; of our bodies, reason, and faith.
The Popes Mitre is engirt with three Crownes.
Of Politick Government: Of living Creatures; and of duties belonging to men of severall professions, as Physicians, Iudges, and Lawyers, &c. with some Physicall observations, all Tripartite.
THere are three kindes of Government; Mo∣narchy,* 1.19 of Kings; Aristocracie, of Nobility; and Democracie of Commons; as our State consisteth of Clergie, Nobility, and Commons.
Phylosophers,* 1.20 Physicians, and Divines doe se∣verally prescribe dyet for living to all men; the first a moderate, the second a sparing, the third a most strict continencie.
There were principally three kinde of Creatures ordained for the use of man,* 1.21 living in three severall Elements, Fowle in the Ayre, Beasts on the Earth, and Fish in the Sea.
Three kinde of living things, Intellectuall, Sensi∣tive, and Vegetable; as Men, Beasts, and Plants.
There are three Principles of Physick; Matter, Forme, Privation.
There are also three things requisite in a Physi∣cian;* 1.22
to restore health lost, to strengthen it being weake, and to preserve it when it is recovered.
Even so the Lawyers parts are three-fold; to re∣cover meanes lost,* 1.23 to preserve them when they are purchased, and to purchase such onely as wee have right to; which three the Canonists performe, in purchasing of Benefites, recovering those which are lost, and in conserving those which are once ob∣tained.
A Iudge should have these three qualities;* 1.24 not to be delaying, mercenary, nor ignorant.
Lawes of men are three-fold;* 1.25 of Nature, of Na∣tions, and of Cities; and the Lawes of God are, Morall, Ceremoniall, and Iudiciall.
Three things chiefly are to bee observed in Iudgement, Examination, Consultation, and Sen∣tence.
Three things too are requisite in a good Chirur∣gian;* 1.26 an Eagles eye, a Lyons heart, and a Ladies hand.
Three thing•• required in an Oratour;* 1.27 to speake fitly, ornately, and copiously; or as some will have it, demonst ratively, deliberatively, and judicially: and in every of these, the Circumstances are to bee observed, Time, Place, and Persons.
There are three objects of the whole Civill Law,* 1.28 Things, Persons, Actions.
Amongst Latine Poets,* 1.29 three kindes of Verses are chiefly used, Heroick, Elegiack, and Lyrick; un∣der Lyrick are comprehended Saphick, Iambick, and the rest.
Three species of sicknesse wherewith we ate af∣fected;* 1.30 which are of quality, humour, and sub∣stance; which againe resolve in three kinde of fea∣vers, Simple, Corrupt, and Pestilentious: Simple feavers too are three-fold, Quotidian, Tertian, Quartan: Corrupt or Hectick Feavers three-fold; the first being in the consumption of our ordinary humour; the second in our Balmie or oyly sub∣stance, both curable; the third which consumeth our noble parts called Marasmus, past cure.
Of all measurable bodies there are three dimen∣sions; length, breadth, and deepnesse.
Three things especially the Persians taught their children;* 1.31 to ride, shoote, and speake truth.
The day is divided into Morning, Noone, and Evening.
Every Moone hath her increase, full, and wane, and Post triduum mulier fastidit & hospes & imber.
Memorable observations comprehended within the Number of Seven, as of the age of the World, and mans generation.
THe Number of Seven by many learned men hath beene held the most mysticall, and by some entituled the most sacred of Numbers, as on it many most remarkeable matters have hap∣pened:
God created the world in six dayes, and rested the seventh; and therefore amongst the Iewes every seventh moneth, and seventh yeare were appointed to ••est: and in how great reve∣rence was their great Iubilee, which every seventh yeare being multiplied by seven, fell out every 49 yeare?
The age of the world is divided into seven; the first from Adam to Noahs flood; the second from that to Abrahams time; the third from Abraham to the freeing of the people of Israel from their Captivity in Egypt; the fourth, from their comming out of Egypt to the building of Salomons Temple; the fifth, from that to the Babylonish Captivity, at what time Ieremie writ his Lamentations; the sixth, was the time betwixt that and the comming of our blessed Saviour: the seventh from our Saviours time to the end of the world. And some have given forth, that the world shall take end the six thou∣sand yeare of its age, and rest the seventh.
The first seven dayes after conception, the seede of man in the wombe becommeth Embrion, the se∣venth weeke there-after it becommeth faetus and quickneth; and the seventh moneth after that it is partus, and is brought into the world.
How the seven Planets are said to rule severally over the seven ages in the life of man.
AStrologians, who will have the life and con∣stitution of man to depend on the force of the starres and celestiall bodies,* 1.32 (no wayes depriving God of his Soveraigne and absolute power) have divided the age of man into seven parts, ascribing to every part one of the seven Pla∣nets which ruleth over it. The first they call In∣fancie, [ 1] over which they place the Moone, which is of nature weake and moyst, changeable by encrea∣ses and wanes, and this they make to last but foure yeares.
The second from foure to fourteene, called child∣hood, [ 2] over which they set Mercury, because hee of himselfe is indifferently good or bad, according to the good or bad Planets with whom he is joyned; so in this age a boy bewrayeth his inclination, and is so flexible, that according to his education and company he is mingled with, hee becommeth either good or bad, and that impression he then ta∣keth, can hardly be rooted out of him.
The third containeth the next eight yeares, and [ 3] continueth to the twenty two; over which they place Venus, Et primae lanuginis aetas in Ve∣nerem
est praeceps; and it was called Youthead.
[ 4] The fourth, called Adolocencie, lasteth twenty yeares, and continueth till the 42 yeare, and is go∣verned by Sol, the Sunne, which Astrologians call the spring, the light, the eye of the world, and King over the other Planets: In his age man attaineth to his full strength and vigour, becommeth hardy, judicious, understanding, &c.
[ 5] The fifth lasteth from 42 to 56, and is called manhood or virile age, ruled by Mars, a bad star, dangerous, fierce, and hot; for in that men begin to wax angry, impatient, and avaricious, but more temperate in their dyet, and more constant in their actions.
[ 6] The sixth taketh up 12 yeares, so lasts to 78, and is called old age, governed by Iupiter, a noble Pla∣net, making men religious, just, chaste, temperate, and pious: In this age men abandon on paines and tra∣vell, and practise devotion and good workes.
[ 7] The last is from 78 to 98, which yeares few come to, and is called decrepit old age, ruled by Saturne, the highest and most maligne Planet, cold, dry, and mellancholick; cumbersome, insupportable, weake, and growing againe childe-like.
The opinions of some Fathers of the Church and some Philosophers concerning the number of Seven, what attributes they gave, with some of Hypocra∣tes observations thereon.
BY Saint Ambrose in his 12. chap. de Moha & Arca; S. Origen in his 2 Homily on Genesis, and his third on Exodus; and Eusebius de Prae∣paratione Evangelica; this number is sometime cal∣led a cleane number, a holy number, a virgin num∣ber, a mysticall, a number of perfection, with many the like Epithets attributed unto it both by Civill and Ecclesiasticall Writers; yet Chrysostome in his 24 Homily on Genesis, speaking of the number of Beasts that entered the Arke, inveyeth against, and taxeth all observers of numbers: Hypocrates in his worke de partu Septimestri, enlarging himselfe on the properties of this number, saith, that the life of man consisteth of septinaries; that in seven dayes a childe hath all his compleate members; and that if any man abstaine totally from meate and drinke seven dayes, hee cannot live; that a childe borne the seventh moneth may live, but not one borne the eight; because (saith hee) that then Saturne, by course over-ruseth the birth; that in seven yeare children have all their teeth; that the Guts of man are seven times his length; that the celesticall bodies
of the Moone, and of the eight and ninth Orbe doe move by Septinaries; the Moone maketh her course in foure seven dayes; the eight Spheare finisheth its revolution in seven thousand yeares; the ninth, in seven times seven thousand, which make out forty nine thousand, and many the like.
Of the seven Wonders of the world.
THere have beene seven wonders famed through the world, so called, either for the vastnesse of the fabrick, or curiosity of workmanship: 1. The Pyramides of Egypt. 2. The Towre of Pharos, built by Ptolemy King of Egypt. 3. The Walls of Babylon, built by Semiramis. 4. The Temple of Diana in Ephesus,* 1.33 which was beautified with 127 Pillars of Parian Marble. 5. The Tombe or Sepulchre of Mausolus King of Caria, built by his Q. Artemesia. 6. The Colossus at Rhodes, the Image of a huge Gyant cast in Brasse, which be-stridde the River which runneth to Rhodes, under which a ship might passe: By some the Pallace of Cyrus which was reported to bee cimmented with gold, obtained the seventh place, though some, as Martiall in his first Epigram, pre∣ferreth Vespasians Amphitheater at Rome before it, or any of the former: but the matter is not worthy a controversie. So I leave them and proceede.
A continuation of observations on the number of se∣ven, taken out of holy Scripture.
THe Israelites compassed the Walls of Ierice seven times; and at the seventh blast of the Rammes hornes, which they carried about them, they fell downe to the ground, and the Walls were throwne downe.
The greater part of ancient Sacrifices were by sevens, as seven Rammes, seven Bullocks, &c.
Sybilla enjoyned Aeneas to sacrifice in sevens,
Nunc grege de intacto septem mactare juvenc••s Prestiterit, totidem lectas de more bidentes.
The principall Feasts and Solemnities of Gods people continued seven dayes.
Seven dayes the people eate unleavened bread at the Passeover.
God had seven thousand reserved unto himslfe, which bowed not their knee to Baal.
Iob had seven Sonnes; and Zachary maketh men∣tion of seven eyes, wherwith God seeth all things.
The Prophet Elisha commanded Naaman the Leper to wash himselfe seven times in the River of Iordane.
The number of Beasts which entered the Arke of Noah were seven: The Arke rested on the
Mountaine of Ararat on the seventh moneth: and in the 19. of Proverbs, Wisedome hath built her house on seven Pillars; the seven Candlesticks, the seven Churches of Asia; the Booke closed with seven seales; the seven Angels, with their seven Trumpets; the seven viols of Gods wrath; the se∣ven degrees of the Temple; seven loaves served the whole Companie which were with our Lord: Pharaoh dreamed of seven fat, and seven leane kine: and God in the 26 of Leviticus, threatneth a seven∣fold curse to bee multiplied on all that thinke the evils that be fall them to come by chance; all which with many more mentioned in Scripture, cannot be without their owne mysteries; No marvell then that Pythagoras and others have reputed this num∣ber a religious one; since Scriptures are full of oc∣currences of this number; and the world consisteth of the harmony of seven Vnities, Naturall, Conju∣gall, Regular, Personall, Essentiall, Ecclesiasticall, and Politicall.
Of the seven great Potentates of the world; of criti∣call dayes, and climacterick yeares, with other ob∣servations.
IN the Heavens are seven Planets, and in the Earth seven great and powerfull Potentates doe rule:
the great Cham of Tartary; the Emperour of Chi∣na, by them called the second Sonne of God; the Sophy of Persia; the great Turke; the Emperour of Germany; Prester Iohn; the powerfull Monarch of Aethiopia; and the Emperour of Russia.
The seventh and forteenth day in all diseases are accounted most dangerous, and are called Criticall.
Macrobius, Aulus Gellius and others observe, that every seventh yeare in the life of man there fol∣loweth some alteration either in estate, voyce, co∣lour, hayre, complexion, or conditions: And Seneca, Septimus quis{que} annus aetati notam imprimit, where∣fore the 7. 14. 21. 28. 35. 42. 49. 56. and 63. the great Climactericke yeare are counted dangerous for all. Firmian adviseth all to take great heede to themselves in these yeares: Octavianus Caesar ha∣ving passed this date, writ to his Nephew Caius, to congratulate with him, that he had yet seven yeares more to live.
There are seven Liberall Sciences, Grammar, Dialect, Rhetorick, Musick, Arithmetick, Geome∣trie, and Astronomie:
Gram. loquitur, Dia. vera docet, Rhet. verba co∣lorat, Mus. canit, Ar. numerat, Geo. ponderat, As. co∣lit astra.
Seven Roman Kings, Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Martins, Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius, Tarquinius Superbus.
Rome was built upon seven Hills; Palatinus, Ca∣pitolinus, Quiritalis, Caelius, Escalinus, Aventinus, and Viminalis.
There were seven wise men of Greece; Solon, Thales, Chilo, Pittacus, Cleobulus, Bias, and Peri∣ander.
There were seven kinde of Crownes amongst the Romans.
Of the Worlds Continuance and Ending.
THat subtle and excellent Philosopher Leo Hebreus, expatiating in the meditation of this Number of seven, admiring and speaking of the worlds rest, saith; That after six thousand yeares are expired, in the seventh thousand this elementary world shall rest, which God thereafter will renew seven times, betwixt every seven thou∣sand giving one thousand yeares rest; after all which, saith hee, this elementary world, the Earth and all beneath the Moone, the Celestiall world also shall take an end: which Proclus also the Aca∣demick secondeth, when hee saith, that the life of this world is septenary, its parts, proportion, and circles are septenary; and with them many other Philosophers have dived too deepe into these my∣steries; yet I cannot passe by Charon, who in his History bringeth in Elias the Iew (not the Thesbite) affirming, that the world shall last but six thousand yeares: viz. two thousand before the Flood; 2000 from it to the comming of the Messias; and from that two thousand more to the Consummation of all things; which in all amounteth to 6000. Wher∣to S. Augustine in his first Booke on Genesis, ad Manichaos, some way enclineth; yet Hesychius
ingeniously confesseth his ignorance of it, since neither to the Sonne of man (as he was man) nor to the Angels that knowledge was revealed: Origen adheareth to Leo Hehraeus opinion of 7000. yeares continuance in his Homily, Quòd Mundus cum tem∣pore caeperit, in this third Booke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and goeth further, saying, that after this world is ended, ano∣ther shall begin; and that before this world, there was another which hee would strive to approve with Authorities out of holy Scripture, which doeth savour a little too much of presumption; for in all the Scripture there is no expresse mention to bee found either of the one or other: But wee are commanded, not to pry too farre in these and the like mysteries which concerne not our salvation, and which God hath kept onely to himselfe.
Mitte arcana Dei, coelumque inquirere quid sit:
Yet indeede this Father in his Homily de fine vel consummatione, ingeniously confesseth, that he only handled those matters by way of reasoning, than any wayes to conclude an infallibility of them; for in the end he acknowledgeth, that hee wrote them in great feare and suspensive trembling.
Antiquity superstitious in the obser∣vance of numbers.
The use of number.
Three Hea∣vens.
Three Hells.
Heathnick superstitions.
Poeticall fi∣ctions.
Theologicall and Morall Vertues.
Of Sinne.
How our ap∣petites are bridled.
Christian du∣ties.
How wee of∣fend God, an how to ap∣pease him.
Christs hu∣miliation and exalation.
How to know God.
David.
Salomon.
Mans Ene∣mies.
Love.
Of Feare.
Degrees of government.
About dye••••
What Crea∣tures God ordained for mans use.
Physicians.
Lawyers.
Iudges.
Division of Lawes.
Chirurgian.
Oratour▪
Civilian.
Poets.
Physicall observations
Customes a∣mongst the Persians.
The seven ages of mans life attributed to the seven Planets.
Seven Won∣ders.