Three Books of Occult Philosophy · 82 of 186

Book II, Ch. 8: 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, or vertue, which proceeds from the mixtion of these numbers: It is also the just midle [middle] of the universal number, viz. ten. For if you 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 [middle] alwaies is the number five, and its equidistant; and therefore it is called by the Pythagoreans the number of Wedlock, as also of justice, because it divides the number ten in an even Scale. There be five senses in man, sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling: five powers in the soul, Vegetative, Sensitive, Concupiscible, Irascible, Rationall: five fingers on the hand: five wandering Planets in the heavens, according to which there are five-fold terms in every sign. In Elements there are five kinds of mixt [mixed] bodies, viz. Stones, Metals, Plants, Plant-Animals, Animals, and so many kinds of Animals, as men, four-footed beasts, creeping, swimming, flying. And there are five kinds by which all things are rnade of God, viz. Essence, the same, another, sense, motion. The Swallow brings forth but five young, which she feeds with equity, beginning with the eldest, and so the rest, according to their age. Also this number hath great power in expiations: For in holy things it drives away Divels [devils]. In naturall things, it expels poysons [poisons]. 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 [flood] 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 éãù Sadai: in time of the Law, the ineffable name of God was expressed with four letters äåäé insteed of three letters. which the Hebrews express éðãà Adonai: in time of grace the ineffable name of God was with five letters äåùäé Ihesu, which is called upon with no less mysterie then that of three letters åùé.

The Scale of the Number of five. Five senses. The names of God with five ïåéìà Eloim [Elion]. In the Letters. The names of íéäìà Elohim. examplary Jhesu. world. Christ with five Letters.

äåùäé Spirits of the Spirits of the Spirits of the third Five first Hierarchy In the second Hierarchy Hierarchy, Souls of Celestiall Heroes or blessed Intelligible called Gods, Intellectual called called Angels bodies. souls. substances. or the Sons of world.

Intelligencies. which are God.

sent. Five wandring In the Celestiall Stars, Lords of Saturn. Jupiter. Mars. Venus. Mercury.

world. the Tearms. Five kinds of In the corruptible Water. Aire. Fire. Earth. A mixed body. Elementary things. world. Five kinds of Animall. Plant. Metall. Stone. Plant-animal. mixt bodies.

In the lesser Tast [taste]. Hearing. Seeing. Touching. Smelling.

world. Five Deadly Terrible Unquenchable In the infernall Corporeall Horrible howling. A piercing stink.

Bitterness. darkness. Heat. world. torments.