Part II.

Mediator betwixt God and man, one moft high Creator, who is over all, by all, and in us all. For there is one Father, God, from whence all, and we in him ; one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom all, and we by him *, one God Holy Ghoft, into whom all, and we into him.
THE SCALE OF UNITY.
In the
Exemplary World,
Jod.
>
One Divine EfTence, the fountain of all virtues and power, whofe name is exprerted with one moft fimple letter.
In the
Intelle&ual World,
The
Soul of the World.
One Supreme Intelligence, the firft creature, the fountain of life.
In the
Celeftial World,
The Sun.
One King of Stars, fountain of life.
In the
Elemental World,
The
Philofophers’ Stone.
One fubjeft, and inftrument of all virtues, natural and fupernatural.
In the
Lefler World,
The Heart.
One firft living and laft dying.
In the
Infernal World,
Lucifer.
One Prince of Rebellion, of Angels, and Darknefs.
CHAP XVII.
OF THE NUMBER TWO, AND SCALE.
THE firft number is two, becaufe it is the firft multitude ; it can be mea- fured by no number befides unity alone, the common meafure of all numbers ; it is not compounded of numbers, but of one unity only ; neither is it called a number uncompounded, but more properly not compounded. The number three, is called the firft number uncompounded. But the number two is the firft branch of unity, and the firft procreation ; and it is called the number of fcience, and memory, and of light, and the number of man, who is called
another
105
Chap. XVII. TALISMANIC MAGIC,
another, and the leffer world : it is alfo called the number of charity, and of mutual love ; of marriage, and fociety : as it is faid by the Lord — “ Two fhall be one flelh.” — And Solomon faith, “ It is better that two be together than one, for they have a benefit by their mutual fociety : if one fhall fall, he fhall be fupported by the other. Woe to him that is alone ; becaufe, when he falls, he hath not another to help him. And if two fleep together, they fhall warm one another: how fhall one be hot alone ? — And if any prevail againft him, two refill him.” And it is called the number of wedlock, and fex ; for there are two fexes — mafculine and feminine. And two doves bring forth two eggs ; out of the firfi of which is hatched the male, out of the fecond the female. It is alfo called the middle, that is capable, that is good and bad, partaking ; and the beginning of divifion, of multitude, and diftinfition •, and fignifies mat- ter. This is alfo, fometimes, the number of difcord, of confufion, of mis- fortune, and uncleannefs ; whence St. Hierom, againft Jo vianus, faith— “ that therefore it was not fpoken in the fecond day of the creation of the world.” — “ And God faid, that it was good ;” — becaufe the number of two is evil. Hence alfo it was, that God commanded that all unclean animals flrould go into the ark by couples ; becaufe, as I faid, the number of two is a number of uncleannefs. Pythagorus, as Eufebius reports, faid, that unity was God, and a good intellect ; but that duality was a devil, and an evil intellect, in which is a material multitude-: wherefore the Pythagorians fay, that two is not a number, but a certain confufion of unities. And Plutarch writes, that the Pythagorians called unity, Apollo ; and two, ftrife and boldnefs ; and three, juftice, which is the higheft perfection, and is not without many myfteries. Plence there were two tables of the law in Sinai— two cherubims looking to the propitiatory in Mofes— -two olives dropping oil, in Zachariah — two natures in Chrift, divine and human : hence Mofes faw two appearances of God, viz. his face, and back parts ; — alfo two Teftamcnts— two commands of love — two firft dignities — two firft people — two kinds of fpirits, good and bad — two in- tellectual creatures, an angel and foul— two great lights— two folftifia — two equinoftials — two poles— two elements, producing a living foul, viz. earth and water.