Chapter vi. Of the Number of three, and the Scale thereof.

The number of three is an incompounded number, a holy number, a number of perfection, a most powerfull number. For

there are three persons in God, there are three Theologicall vertues in Religion. Hence it is that this number conduceth to the

Ceremonies of God, and Religion, that by the solemnity of which, prayers, and sacrifices are thrice repeated. Whence Virgil

sings,

Odd numbers to the God delightfull are.

And the Pythagorians use it in their sanctifications, and purifications, whence in Virgil,

The same did cleanse, and wash with Water pure

Thrice his companions -----

And it is most fit in bindings, or ligations, hence that of Virgil,

----- I walk around

First with these threads, which three, and severall are,

'Bout th' Altar thrice I shall thy image bear.

And a little after;

Knots, Amaryllis, tye, of colours three,

Then say, these bonds I knit, for Venus be.

And we read of Medea.

She spake three words, which caus'd sweet sleep at will,

The troubled Sea, the raging Waves stand still.

And in Pliny it was the cusome in every medicine to spit with three deprecations, and hence to be cured. The number of thee

is perfected with three Augmentations, long, broad, and deep, beyond which there is no progression of dimension, whence the

first number is called square. Hence it is said that to a body that hath three measures, and to a square number, nothing can be

added. Wherefore Aristotle in the beginning of his speeches concerning Heaven, cals it as it were a Law, according to which

all things are disposed. For Corporeall, and spirituall things consist of three things, viz. beginning, middle, and end. By three

(as Tresmegistus [Trismegistus] saith) the world is perfected: Hemarmene {so the L}, necessity, and order (i.e.) concurrence

of causes, which many call fate, and the execution of them to the fruit, or increase, and a due distribution of the increase. The

whole measure of time is concluded in three, viz. Past, present, to come; All magnitude is contained in three; line, superficies,

and body, every body consists of three Intervals, length, bredth [breadth], thickness. Harmony contains three consents in

time, Diapason, Hemiolion, Diatessaron. There are three kinds of souls, Vegetative, sensitive, and intellectuall. And as saith

the Prophet, God orders the world by number, weight, and measure, and the number of three is deputed to the Ideall forms

thereof, as the number two is to the procreating matter, and unity to God the maker of it. Magicians do constitute three

Princes of the world, Oromasis, Mitris, Araminis [i.e. Ohrmazd (Av. Ahura Mazda), Mithra, and Ahriman (Av. Anghra

Mainyu). In Zoroastrian theology, these are the names for God, the highest angel, and the Devil respectively.] (i.e.) God, the

Mind, and the Spirit. By the three square or solid, the three numbers of nine of things produced are distributed, viz. of the

supercelestiall into nine orders of Intelligencies: of Celestiall into nine Orbs: of inferiours into nine kinds of generable, and

corruptible things. Lastly in this ternall Orb, viz. twenty seven, all Musical proportions are included, as Plato, and Proclus, do

at large discourse. And the number of three hath in a harmony of five, the grace of the first voyce. Also in Intelligencies there

are three Hierarchies of Angelicall spirits. There are three powers of Intellectuall creatures, memory, mind, and will. There

are three orders of the blessed, viz. of Martyrs, Confessors, and Innocents. There are three quaternions of Celestiall Signs, viz.

Of fixt [fixed], moveable, and common, as also of houses, viz. centers, succeeding, and falling. There are also three faces, and

heads in every Sign, and three Lords of each triplicity. There are three fortunes amongst the Planets. Three graces amongst

the Goddesses. Three Ladies of destiny amongst the infernall crew. Three Judges. Three furies. Three-headed Cerberus. We

read also of a thrice double Hecate. Three moneths [L: ora = mouths] of the virgin Diana. Three persons in the

supersubstantiall Divinity. Three times, of Nature, Law, and Grace. Three Theologicall vertues, Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Jonas was three days in the Whales belly; and so many was Christ in the grave.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 620