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7. Now this ratio of the single to the double arises, no doubt,
from the ternary number, since one added to two makes three; but the
whole which these make reaches to the senary, for one and two and three
make six. And this number is on that account called perfect, because
it is completed in its own parts: for it has these three, sixth,
third, and half; nor is there any other part found in it, which we
can call an aliquot part. The sixth part of it, then, is one; the
third part, two; the half, three. But one and two and three
complete the same six. And Holy Scripture commends to us the
perfection of this number, especially in this, that God finished His
works in six days, and on the sixth day man was made in the image of
God. And the Son of God came and was made the Son of man, that
He might re-create us after the image of God, in the sixth age of
the human race. For that is now the present age, whether a thousand
years apiece are assigned to each age, or whether we trace out
memorable and remarkable epochs or turning-points of time in the divine
Scriptures, so that the first age is to be found from Adam until
Noah, and the second thence onwards to Abraham, and then next,
after the division of Matthew the evangelist, from Abraham to
David, from David to the carrying away to Babylon, and from thence
to the travail of the Virgin, which three ages joined to those other
two make five. Accordingly, the nativity of the Lord began the
sixth, which is now going onwards until the hidden end of time. We
recognize also in this senary number a kind of figure of time, in that
threefold mode of division, by which we compute one portion of time
before the Law; a second, under the Law; a third, under grace.
In which last time we have received the sacrament of renewal, that we
may be renewed also in the end of time, in every part, by the
resurrection of the flesh, and so may be made whole from our entire
infirmity, not only of soul, but also of body. And thence that woman
is understood to be a type of the church, who was made whole and
upright by the Lord, after she had been bowed by infirmity through the
binding of Satan. For those words of the Psalm lament such hidden
enemies:
"They bowed down my soul." And this woman had her infirmity
eighteen years, which is thrice six. And the months of eighteen years
are found in number to be the cube of six, viz. six times six times
six. Nearly, too, in the same place in the Gospel is that fig
tree, which was convicted also by the third year of its miserable
barrenness. But intercession was made for it, that it might be let
alone that year, that year, that if it bore fruit, well; if
otherwise, it should be cut clown. For both three years belong to the
same threefold division, and the months of three years make the square
of six, which is six times six.
8. A single year also, if the whole twelve months are taken into
account, which are made up of thirty days each (for the month that has
been kept from of old is that which the revolution of the moon
determines), abounds in the number six. For that which six is, in
the first order of numbers, which consists of units up to ten, that
sixty is in the second order, which consists of tens up to a hundred.
Sixty days, then, are a sixth part of the year. Further, if that
which stands as the sixth of the second order is multiplied by the sixth
of the first order, then we make six times sixty, i.e. three hundred
and sixty days, which are the whole twelve months. But since, as the
revolution of the moon determines the month for men, so the year is
marked by the revolution of the sun; and five days and a quarter of a
day remain, that the sun may fulfill its course and end the year; for
four quarters make one day, which must be intercalated in every fourth
year, which they call bissextile, that the order of time may not be
disturbed: if we consider, also, these five days and a quarter
themselves, the number six prevails in them. First, because, as it
is usual to compute the whole from a part, we must not call it five
days, but rather six, taking the quarter days for one day. Next,
because five days themselves are the sixth part of a month; while the
quarter of a day contains six hours. For the entire day, i.e.
including its night, is twenty-four hours, of which the fourth part,
which is a quarter of a day, is found to he six hours. So much in the
course of the year does the sixth number prevail.
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