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These works are recorded to have been completed in six days (the same
day being six times repeated), because six is a perfect number, not
because God required a protracted time, as if He could not at once
create all things, which then should mark the course of time by the
movements proper to them, but because the perfection of the works was
signified by the number six. For the number six is the first which is
made up of its own parts, i.e., of its sixth, third, and half,
which are respectively one, two, and three, and which make a total of
six. In this way of looking at a number, those are said to be its
parts which exactly divide it, as a half, a third, a fourth, or a
fraction with any denominator,e.g., four is a part of nine, but not
therefore an aliquot part; but one is, for it is the ninth part; and
three is, for it is the third. Yet these two parts, the ninth and
the third, or one and three, are far from making its whole sum of
nine. So again, in the number ten, four is a part, yet does not
divide it; but one is an aliquot part, for it is a tenth; so it has a
fifth, which is two; and a half, which is five. But these three
parts, a tenth, a fifth, and a half, or one, two, and five, added
together, do not make ten, but eight. Of the number twelve, again,
the parts added together exceed the whole; for it has a twelfth, that
is, one; a sixth, or two; a fourth, which is three; a third,
which is four; and a half,which is six. But one, two, three,
four, and six make up, not twelve, but more, viz., sixteen. So
much I have thought fit to state for the sake of illustrating the
perfection of the number six, which is, as I said, the first which
is exactly made up of its own parts added together; and in this number
of days God finished His work. And, therefore, we must not despise
the science of numbers, which, in many passages of holy Scripture,
is found to be of eminent service to the careful interpreter. Neither
has it been without reason numbered among God's praises, "Thou hast
ordered all things in number, and measure, and weight."
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