spring Besides that those who held the world was created in Autumn are prevalent in credit were more able then their Antagonists to decide the controversie in hand authentick Scriptures countenance their assertion It s probable the trees in the garden of Eden were created conformable to the season of the year We are certified that they bare fruit before the fall of our first parents This argument I acknowledge attending to the diversity of conditions of some climates and some other reasons onely perswadeth but doth not demonstrate that the world was created in Autumn The beginning of the yeare was changed at the Exodus Exod. 11.2 Had Nisan been the first moneth of the Hebrews year before their Egyptian bondage they of their own accord without any command would after their deliverance have reassumed it for the first of moneths and the first moneth of their yeare Moreover God injoyned them the observance of Nisan as a memoriall of their deliverance from Egypt Lastly the tenth of Tisri was to Israelites the day of atonement for the yeare past and the beginning of the yeare of Jubilee Levit. 25.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prim◠die Tisri initium anni anni◠dimissionibus Jubileis Thus the Talmud in Massecheth Rosch Haschanah Josephus in the place prais'd telleth us that Moses for humane affairs retained the ancient order of the yeare after the Exodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thysius Exercitat Miscellan 4. after his second thoughts bids adieu to his opinion that the world was created in the Spring if the world was created in Autumn which is most probable we must needs grant that besides complete years an half year interceded between the beginning of the world and Abrahams peregrination The next joynt of time is lesse knotty yet not wholly exempted from perplexity Tht Law was not given till 430. years after the promise made to Abraham Gal. 3.17 The Law which was 430. years after cannot disanull the covenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ The 430. years mentioned Exod. 12.40 are the same with these onely 50. dayes interceded between the departure of the Israelites from Egypt and the Law given on Sinai a number not considerable Whereas we read in our English translation for that text of Exodus quoted the dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelled in Egypt was 430. years we ought thus as doth Master Ainsworth to translate the originall The dwelling of the sonnes of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was 430. years Moschabh in this Scripture signifies peregrination or abode in strange countreys viz. Canaan and Egypt The dwelling of the children of Israel is that peregrine dwelling which concerned the children of Israel Their fathers as farre as Abraham are are to be taken in We may together with the sonnes of Israel as well comprehend their fathers as their sisters Onkelus in his Chaldee paraphrase exactly expresseth the Hebrew but is as unhappily translated into Latine as the Hebrew into English The article which ought to be referred to the children of Israel is unduly referred to their peregrination and so their peregrination wholly related to Egypt The 72. interpreters in which the dwelling of the sonnes of Israel which they and their fathers dwelt in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan are 430. years apprehended the true sense These 430. years added to 2083. preceding according to M. Broughtons accompt complete 2513. The 400. years in which Abrahams seed should be evil entreated Gen. 15.13 Acts 7.6 are to be reckoned from the time in which Ismael the sonne of Egyptirn Hagar began to afflict Isaac Isaac when six years old might understand Ismael mocking him We must not conceive that all intermission of afflictions and Lucida intervalla are to be excluded from these 400. years The whole distance between the beginning and the end is to be attended From the children of Israel coming out of Egypt to the building of the temple were 480 years 1. Kings 6.1 These added to Broughtons 2513. preceding make up 2993. I should omit lesser numbers mentioned in sacred Scripture of which the 480. years in the first of the sixt of the first of Kings are compounded did not the twentieth verse of the thirteenth of the Acts suggest a scruple to be removed In the Scripture the time of Judges viz. between Joshuah and Samuel is 450. years Moses led the Israelites 40. years in the wildernesse Joshua governed the Israelites 17. years after Moses his death 40. years are given to Saul Acts 13.21 The time which Samuel judged Israel is comprehended with the reigne of Saul in that number David reign'd 40. years 1. Chron. 29.27 And Solomon 4. years before the temple began to be builded The summe is 141. The time for judges Abimelech's three years are included between Joshuah and Samuel is 450. years These numbers added make 591. And so exceed that mentioned 1. Kings 6.1 by 111. years * Beroaldus is of the same opinion with Mr. Broughton Luther and Beza for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who desire more variety may see the ancient Latine translation the Arabick translated into Latine by Junius which omitteth 40. years given to Saul in the verse following that it may make more room for the 450. The Arabick Testament set out by Erpenius expresseth Sauls 40. years See a reading also of the 20. verse of the 13. of the Acts of which we speak transcribed by Beza out of a Greek copy printed at Paris conform'd to the ancient Latine M. Broughton with admirable subtilty and acutenesse conceives that in the twentieth of the thirteenth of the Acts where the time for judges is said to be 450. years the numbers of years for defenders of Israel and those for offenders are added together The years for offenders are expressed in six texts of the book of Judges for Chusan 8. Judges 3.8 Eglon 18. Judges 3.14 Sisera 20. Judges 4.3 Midian 7. Judg. 6.1 Ammon 18. Judg. 10.8 Philistines 40. Judg. 13.1 the totall summe is 111. We find in Judges twelve places for the defenders of Israel So many particular numbers of years for them amount to 299 which Elies 40. years make up 339. These added to 111. make up the number afore-mentioned in the Acts. The times of Israels afflictions mentioned in the book of Judges are contained as the learned Authour already prais'd conceivs in times given to defenders Their Judges came sometimes by the worse Yet in the 13. of the Acts after what manner some segments of a line to the whole are added to the whole time between Joshuah and Samuel Master Broughtons wit perhaps in this conceit is to be preferred before his judgement Some places in Judges seem clearly to intimate that the times of sufferings were not comprehended in the years attributed to those who judged Israel Part of the third chapter much patronizeth this opinion In the 11. verse Othniel died when the land had enjoyed rest
fourty years under his government Then the children of Israel again committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab aginst Israel because they had committed wickednesse before the Lord. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek and went and smote Israel and they possessed the city of palm-trees So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen yearâ— vers 12 13 14. But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord the Lord stirred them up a saviour Ehud in the verse following The children of Israel cried unto the Lord when they had been vexed 18. years Ehud saved them not till after they cried unto the Lord. The 80. years mentioned in the 30. verse cannot contain all the time from Othniels death to the end of Ehuds affairs 'T is said that the land had rest 80. years They wanted rest which seemes to be clear from what hath been quoted 18. years immediately succeeding the death of Othneil Rest here cannot be conceived to be any other thing then freedome from vexation by enemies As great a difficulty is suggested by the 8. of the 10. of Judges 18. years of affliction there mentioned cannot well be conceiv'd if we consider the context to have preceded the death of Jair who judged Israel 22. years nor can possibly be reckoned to have fallen out in the time of Jephta the succeeding Judge who ruled but six years and delivered Israel from these afflictions S. Pauls words taken in that sense which is most plain and simple may well consist with what we find in 1. Kings 6.1 The holy Ghost pleased to register the time of the building of the Temple takes for an Epoche the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt a type of deliverances in which Christ to be figured by the Temple should be the Ante signanus from spirituall Egypts the power of Satan in Heathens and in Antichrist That Epocha also was very accommodate in that the Temple was to Gods people a pledge of temporall deliverances If in the lands of their enemies they should pray toward it God would heare in heaven and answer upon earth would upon their repentance restore them to their countrey Times of afflictions which they had suffered are conveniently omitted in the accompt as which would have eclipsed and obscured the lustre the pomp and glory of present happinesse Tears are wiped from their eyes and the times of their adversity not remembred Times in which the building of the second Temple was hindred as Empereur believes upon the ninth of Daniel are neither part of the 7. nor yet of the 70. weeks mentioned by the Angel Gabriel * See also Rasâ— upon Ezech. 4.5 Josephus much countenanceth my conjecture in his Jewish Antiquities lib. 8. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon began the building of the Temple in the fourth yeare of his reigne in the second moneth which the Macedonians term Artemisius the Hebrews Jair 492. years after the Israelites exodus from Egypt He makes no mention of years for offenders in the book of Judges doubled viz. comprehended in the years for defenders moreover superadded He admitteth into his accompt the yeare immediately preceding the 40. of Moses leading the Israelites into the wildernesse in the end of which the Israelites came out of Egypt also the fourth of Solomons kingdome in the beginning of which the temple began to be builded No one will condemn his judgement who hath seen Emperour upon Dan. 1.1 He there approveth this way of computing upon another occasion Plùs minùs may venially be understood though not expressed for years current and parts of years completely past I am lesse willing to believe that Josephus erred as adding two years above those due for the space between the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the building of the Temple in that he substracteth two years due for time between Adams creation and the said period 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He alloweth onely 3102. years for time between the first man born of God by creation and the Temple begun to be builded Between the Creation and the Temple if we take in besides the years for those who judged Israel 111. years for intervals in which the Israelites were oppressed by their enemies and the yeare in which the Temple began to be builded interceded 3104. years He alloweth for the time between Terahs death the building of the Temple 1020. years between the floud and the temple 1440. For the first one yeare for the other if he mean from the beginning of the rain which caused the deluge six years short It necessarily followeth that he must have reckoned 4. years too much between the creation and the floud I may not here omit how Josephus in his second book against Apion is inconsistent with what I have quoted out of his 8. book of antiquities concerning distance of the building of the Temple from the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon builded the Temple 612. years after the Jews came out of Egypt Sulpitius Histor sacr lib. 1. starteth another difficulty about the times of Judges He objecteth an interregnum between Samson and Heli. Ambigit that I may propound his scruple as represented by Sigonius quot anni intercesserint inter Samsonis exitum Heli Pontificatum ac judicatum quòd id scriptura non prodiderit ac post Samsonem â—er Israel sine regibus fuisse adjecerit Sigonius subscribeth this answer Cum Heli 40. annos judicasse dicitur primo Samnelis cap. 4. intelligendum est illos annos complecti interregnum ante Heli pontificatum ejus Atque ità Eusebius caeteri observarunt That interregnum as Sigonius judgeth was comprehended within the 40. years attributed to Samuel Lastly The authour of Seder Olam Rabba cap. 12. substracteth one yeare from 23. and 22. attributed to Tolah and Jair Judges 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was given to each of them viz. reckoned the last of Tola's 23 and the first of Jair's 22. He substracteth a yeare likewise from those given to Jephthah and Ibzan conceiving the last yeare of Jephthah was the first of Ibzan The Temple began to be builded according to Master Broughtons accompt in the 2993. yeare of the world Solomon reigned 40. years 1. Kings 11.42 The kingdome was divided immediately after his death 1. Kings 12. verses 1 2 16 17 19 20. so we have 37. years from the foundation of the Temple to the division of the Kingdome The Temple was founded in the beginning of the fourth yeare of Solomons reigne To these 37. years adde 390. Ezech. 4.5 * Beroaldus is of the same judgement as computing 408. years for that article of time between the foundation of the Temple and 70. years of the Babylonian captivity which he reckoneth from the first yeare of Nebuchad-nezzar Lansberg also consenteth Chronol sac l. 2. c. 6 and Capell Historiae sacrae
a passage into the promised land The sunne stood still that they might conquer the Amalekites went backward that he might signifie time added to Hezekiah's life The fire spared the three children Such creatures as have sense and the faculty of feeling pains if their appetites be not satisfied have at Gods command used heroicall abstinency The Lyons whose denne was made a prison to Daniel made good what God promiseth Psal 34.10 The Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord lack nothing which is good The Ravens fed Elijah by the brok Cherith 1. Kings 17.4 When as Jonah commanded to Nineveh endeavoureth to flie to Tarshish that is the contrary way a Whale brings him back again lands him on the right shore Men have frequently neglected their God When our Saviour came to seek his own his own received him not The Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head Matth. 8.20 That the Messias when he cometh shall not have whereon to sit where to rest his body is affirm'd by the Gemarists Our Saviour may seem to have alluded to such a tradition in the expression quoted Yet there remain other circumstances which more aggravate Christs love to mankind and in that they were foreseen likewise the freenesse of his coming As he came of his own accord was not sent for disrob'd himself of majesty look'd upon such as were his enemies yea rebells against him with a friendly aspect was not welcom'd not courteously entertained at his coming so neither was he accepted after such time as he had declared his gracious intentions He came among such as were contumaciously rebellious so fastened to their lusts glued to this present evil world that they would not accept of a Saviour upon most gracious terms offered When light came into the world they preferred darknesse The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil John 7.7 If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you Joh. 15.18 The Gergesens loved their swine better then a Saviour The Jews preferred Barabbas before Christ an enemy to publick safety before one that came to save mankind As he was vilified throughout his life so at last by a violent death thrust out of the world * It hath been confessd by ancient Jews likewise by Talmudists that the Messias was to be expected about the end of 4000 years from the Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditio domus Eliae sex mille annos durat mundus Bis milla annis inanitas vastitas Bis item mille annis Lex Denique bis mille annis dies Messiae Gemar Sanhedr cap. 11. But for our sinnes say Talmudists ibid. which are many his coming is deferred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed ob peccata nostra quae multiplicata sunt abierunt ex eis viz. annis qui abierunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jachiades upon those words Dan. 12.4 But thou O Daniel shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end would have us believe that God seal'd up the time of the coming of the Messias revealed it to Daniel as if with Aristotles Acroamaticks it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He concludeth with truth his animadversions upon that comma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verùm enim vero Deus non dignabitur clarissima visione cùm Deus reduce Zoâ—nem tunc intelligemus res ipsu◠〈◊〉 sunt They shall acknowledge him whom they have pierced for the Messias Seasonably adde Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. the last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nè supputet terminos viz. temporum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixerunt sapientes expirent animam qui supputant terminos R. Jehoshuah the sonne of Levi in the Gemara of Sanhedrin and chapter afore-prais'd conceives that God had resolved that mens delinquencies should not retard his gracious intentions but yet that the coming of the Messias might be accelerated by their deserts He thus glosseth upon that of the Prophet Esay chap 60.22 I the Lord will hasten it in its time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si mereantur accelerabo si non mereantur tempore suo Papists entertain this conceit as orthodox They hold that those who liv'd before and those who in the time of our Saviour by obedience foreseen and the captivity of the Patriarchs in Hades ex congruo merited the incarnation of God the Sonne Neither such as believed in the age in which our Saviour was born nor those in times preceding could by their merits procure or hasten his coming There 's oppositum in apposito an implicite contradiction if we say that sick persons by their perfect health merit a visit from a Physician But neither can the perfect observance of the Law merit any thing from God As no creature could impose upon God the Sonne a Morall so neither a Physicall necessity of coming into the world Astrologers most blasphemously attribute Christs birth to the starres Albumazar affirms Quoties Saturnus denas sui orbis conversiones perfecerit hoc est Expletis annis trecentis semper quasdam magnas res admodum insignes evenire Post Alexandrum enim saith he annis trecentis apparuit Arelasor filius Bel qui Persas contrivit proximé post transactis aliis trecentis annis apparuit Jesus Magister Dux Christianorum Here 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficiently betrai'd He could not as appears divine at what time Arelasor foyl'd the Persians or when our Saviour was born He addes 280. years to his true distance from Alexander Magna Saturni Jovis conjunctio say some Astrologers nascentem orbem initiavit alia praeparavit diluvium alia Abraham vel Moseâ— genuit alia Jesu adventum praenuntiavit alia Mahumeti antecessit Cardan upon Ptolemey's Tetrabible imputeth Christs birth faith with other graces wrought in mens hearts Christian religion begun continued sometimes advanced and propagated other times depressed and contracted to the starres Dum fiunt magnae conjunctiones in primo Trigono quae durant annis 199. singulis 20. fiunt annis nascuntur in orbe inferiori imperia monarchiae tranquillitas pax ex Solis Jovis dominio Item sapientes insignes sterilitates magnae ob triangulum igneum Sic incipit Romanorum monarchia sub Julio Caesare in Δ primo Jesu Dei lex Apostolorum prophetia praedicatio vitiorum purgatio idololatriae destructio justitiae pietatÃsque exaltatio monarchia sacerdotalis in terra per 200. annos donec in primo Δ factae sunt praevaluit monarchia lex sancta pro qua innumeri mortui sunt significante Marte domino Arietis Thus Haly and Cardan as digested by * Astrolog lib. 2. c. 3. art 1. Campenella Petrus de Aliaco is in points mentioned as blasphemous as these cited in his concordia Histor Astrologiae That axiome of Pindar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that I must be
added concerning the day of Christs birth Beroaldus Scaliger others confesse that their skill is here non-plus'd upon the moneth at most conjectur'd inscribe their nè plùs ultrà acknowledge that it 's onely in Gods power to define the day of Christs nativity Tacente Scripturâ taceamus nos Christum Servatorem in tempore natum adoremus et si in quo temporis puncto natus sit ignoramus Scultetus Delit. Evangel cap. 14. See chronology distracted about this point ibid. The yeare of the world likewise in which Christ was born is uncertain Certè de vero natali Christi anno tot fere sunt sententiae quot chronologi As humane writers are almost every where uncertain so also much divided about pieces of time of which they endeavour to give us an accompt one from others and sometimes the same from himself That the yeare of Christs birth may be clear'd from Scriptures first its requisite that it be fix'd in Daniels seavens That this may be attain'd it 's necessary to know how farre his baptisme was on this side the beginning of those sevens At his baptisme he began to be about thirty years old Luke 3.23 There 's no where else throughout the New Testament any expression of his age which can without the mediation of this be reduc'd to any determined yeare in Daniels weeks Christs passion by some thought to precede the end of Daniels sevens exactly three years and an half cannot be discovered to be any set time distant from his birth without the intercession of humane authours or the place quoted in S. Luke First the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath occasioned in some a suspition that he was but then in his 29. yeare This scruple 's easily removed He began to be that is he was as he began to say the same that he said Matth. 11.7 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is conveniently omitted by the Syriack Interpreter The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more perplexeth intimateth that he was not just thirty years old but somewhat more or lesse Epiphanius lib. 2. tom 2. haeres 51. affirmeth that Christ at his baptisme wanted 60. dayes to complete the distance from his birth into thirty years It 's further requisite in order to the end mentioned to know whether or no Daniels sevens succeeded immediately the 70. years captivity how wide the chasma if any Furthermore that numbers of parts of time preceding in which the age of the world is thought to be contained be clear and remote from all perplexities I shall demonstrate but with as much briefnesse as may be convenient that there is so large variety of opinions concerning events before and after Christ born to be applyed to certain years in Daniels weeks 7. 62. 1. and the half week touching the space of time contained in them their Epocha and whether or no they were continuous moreover such difficulty about other segments of time preceding that conditions shewed to be necessary for the infallible reducing of the yeare of our Saviours birth to a determined yeare from the Creation must needs all be wanting The two first articles of time to wit one from Adams Creation to the Floud the second from the Floud to the promise made to Abraham Gen. 12.3 according to Beroaldus and Broughton and some other Chronologers contain 2083. years The vulgar Hebrew Gen. 5.3 From Adams creation till he begat Seth years 130. Gen. 5.6 Seths life till he begat Enos 105 Gen. 5.9 Enos his life till he begat Cainan 90. Gen. 5.12 Cainan's life till he begat Mahalaleel 70. Gen. 5.15 Mahalaleels life till he begat Jared 65. Gen. 5.18 Jared's life till he begat Enoch 162. Pentateuch Samarit − 100 Gen. 5.21 Enoch's life till he begat Methuselah 65. Gen. 5.25 Methuselahs life till he begat Lamech 187. Pentateuch Samarit − 120 Gen. 5.28 Lamechs life till he begat Noah 182. Pentateuch Samarit − 129 Gen. 5.32 The age of Noah when he begat his first son 500. Gen. 11.10 The age of Shem when he begat Arphaxad 100. Gen. 11.12 The life of Arphaxad till he begat Salah 35. Pentateuch Samarit +100 Gen. 11.14 The life of Salah till he begat Eber 30. Pentateuch Samarit +100 Gen. 11.16 The life of Eber till he begat Peleg 34. Pentateuch Samarit +100 Gen. 11.18 The life of Peleg till he begat Reu 30. Pentateuch Samarit +100 Gen. 11.20 The life of Reu till he begat Serug 32. Pentateuch Samarit +100 Gen. 11.22 The life of Serug till he begat Nahor 30. Pentateuch Samarit +100 Gen. 11.24 The life of Nahor till he begat Terah 29. Pentateuch Samarit +40 Gen. 11.26 The life of Terah till he begat his eldest son 70. Pentateuch Samarit − 60 Gen. 11.32 Terahs life after he begat his first son 135. Pentateuch Samarit − 60 For the dayes of Terah were 205. years The land of Canaan was promised to Abraham after his fathers death as we may clearly gather from Gen. 12. and Acts 7. and immediately after his death as seems to be intimated by these Scriptures God at the same time promised that the Messias should issue from the loins of Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed The distance between them and Noahs eldest sonne according to Broughtons accompt 002. Noah was 500. years old when he begat his first sonne 600. years old when the floud of waters came upon the earth Gen. 7.6 †Said Batricid affirmeth that when the floud came upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Noah was 600. years old and that his sonne Sem was an 100. years old This Authour is wont with more then ordinary facility to be false and fabulous Ramban observeth in Parascham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Sem is said to be the brother of Japhet the elder Gen. 10.21 Sem saith he is preferred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of his dignity So the sonnes of Abraham Isaac and Ishmael 1. Chron. 1.28 Sem was an 100. years old two years after the floud Gen. 11.15 The totall summe is 2083. Many difficulties may be objected which much perplex this computation 1. It may be questioned whether or no the lives of the Patriarchs are to be reckoned punctually from the times at which they are said to have been begotten The affirmative part is most probable otherwise sacred Chronologie in which I cannot suspect that there is any hiatus should be discontinuous I doubt not but authentick Scriptures exhibite to us a continued order of times from Adams creation to the end of Daniels weeks that expressions used by those who were Spiritus sancti amanuenses were intelligible to all of ordinary judgements who were contemporary to those also at least who lived in ages not much remote 2. It may be enquired what to beget signifieth in the 5. and 11. chapters of Genesis Adam probably that I may give an instance begat Seth according to the sense of the Scriptures when