Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II — David Hume — John Shaqi
Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II
David Hume · en
47. “Know ye that the twenty-four letters among you are emanations
in the likeness of the Three Powers encompassing the universe[225]
and (the) number of the elements on [Sidenote: p. 316.] high. For
suppose that the nine mute letters[226] are those of the Father and of
Aletheia, because they are mute, that is, ineffable and unutterable;
and the semi-mute which are eight,[227] those of Logos and Zoe,
because they exist as it were half-way between the mute and those
which sound,[228] and they receive the emanation from those above
them and the ascension of those below; and the vowels--and they are
seven[229]--are those of Anthropos and Ecclesia, since it is the sound
going forth from Anthropos which has given form to the universals. For
the echo of the sound has clothed them with shape.[230] There are then
Logos and Zoe having the 8 and Anthropos and Ecclesia the 7 and the
Father and Aletheia the 9. But since the reckoning was deficient,[231]
He who was seated in the Father came down, having been sent forth from
that wherefrom he had been separated for the rectification of the
things which had been done, so that the unity of the Pleromas which is
in the Good One might bear as fruit one power which is in all from all.
And thus the 7 recovered the power of the 8, [Sidenote: p. 317.] and
the three places became alike in numbers, being three ogdoads. Which
three added together show forth the number of 24.” In fact the three
elements (which he says exist in the syzygy of the three powers, which
are 6, the flowing-forth of which are the 24 elements) having been
quadrupled by the Word of the Ineffable Tetrad make the same number
for themselves which he says is (that) of the Unnameable One. But they
were clothed by the 6 powers in the likeness of the Invisible One, of
the images of which elements the double letters are the likeness, which
added to the 24 elements by analogy make potentially the number 30.[232]