CHAP. XXIV.
OF THE NUMBER NINE, AND THE SCALE.
THERE are nine orders of blessed angels, viz. Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Powers, Virtues, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels, which Ezekiel figures out by nine stones, which are the sapphire, emerald, carbuncle, beryl, onyx, chrysolite, jasper, topaz, and sardis. This number hath also a great and occult mystery of the cross; for the ninth hour our Lord Jesus Christ breathed out his spirit. The astrologers also take notice of the number nine in the ages of men, no otherwise than they do of seven, which they call climacterical years, which are eminent for some remarkable change. Yet sometimes it signifies imperfectness and incompleteness, because it does not attain to the perfection of the number ten, but is less by one, without which it is deficient, as Austin interprets it of the ten lepers. Neither is the longitude of nine cubits of Og, King of Basan, who is a type of the devil without a mystery.
THE SCALE OF THE NUMBER NINE.
|
Jehovah Sabboath,
יהוה צבאוט |
Jehovah Zidkenu,
יהוה צדקנו |
Elohim Giber,
אלוהים גיפור |
In the original world. |
|
Nine quires of angels, Nine angels ruling the heavens, |
Seraphim, Merattron, |
Cherubim; Ophaniel, |
Thrones, Zaphkiel, |
Dominations, Zadkiel, |
Powers Camael |
Virtues, Raphael, |
Principalities, Haniel, |
Archangels, Michael, |
Angels; Gabriel |
In the intelligible world. |
|
Nine moveable spheres, |
The primum mobile, |
The starry heaven, |
The sphere of Saturn, |
The sphere of Jupiter, |
The sphere of Mars, |
The sphere of the Sun, |
The sphere of Venus, |
The sphere of Mercury, |
The sphere of the Moon; |
In the celestial world. |
|
Nine stones representing the nine quires of angels, |
Saphire |
Emerald, |
Carbuncle, |
Beryl, |
Onyx, |
Chrysolite, |
Jasper, |
Topaz, |
Sardis; |
In the elementary world. |
|
Nine senses, inward and outward together, |
Memory, |
Cogitative, |
Imaginative, |
Common sense, |
Hearing, |
Seeing, |
Smelling, |
Tasting |
Touching; |
In the lesser world. |
|
Nine orders of devils, |
False Spirits, |
Spirits of lying, |
Vessels of iniquity, |
Avengers of wickedness, |
Jugglers, |
Airy Powers |
Furies sowing mischief, |
Sifters or triers, |
Tempters, or ensnarers; |
In the infernal world. |
