A DISSERTATION 
 
 IN WHICH IS DETERMINED 
 
 Cfcronotogp of tfte 
 
 CKEATION TO THE CHEISTIAN EEA, 
 
 BY PROFESSOR WALLACE. 
 
 1 Mundum tradidit disputation! eorum." 
 
 ECCLES. iii. 11. Lat.Vulg. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 SMITH, ELDER AND CO. 65, CORNHILK 
 
 1844.
 
 London : 
 
 Printed by STEWART and MCRRAY, 
 Old Bailey.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE following Dissertation treats of a subject 
 which has divided the opinions of the learned 
 world from the third century till the present time; 
 namely, the discrepancies which exist between 
 the present Hebrew text and the Septuagint ver- 
 sion of the Old Testament, respecting the gene- 
 rations of the Ante and Postdiluvian Patriarchs. 
 It treats also of the similar discrepancies, which 
 exist between the Hebrew and the Samaritan 
 texts, and of the testimonies of Josephus and 
 other ancient historians and chronographers, in 
 favour of the accuracy of the Septuagint on this 
 point. These discrepancies, with others of minor 
 extent, which are here also duly considered, oc- 
 casion a difference between the Hebrew and the 
 Septuagint as to the chronology of the period 
 from creation to the Birth of Christ, amounting 
 in all to nearly 1500 years, the difference be- 
 tween the modern and ancient computation of the 
 true, age of the world.
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 This question, which has never been satisfac- 
 torily settled, notwithstanding the efforts of the 
 ancient chronographers Theophilus, Africanus, 
 Eusebius and Syncellus, and the labours of the 
 modern chronologers, Petavius, Usher, Jackson, 
 Hales, Russell and Clinton, has acquired fresh 
 importance from the late discoveries of Astro- 
 nomers and Geologists, and the recent investiga- 
 tions of learned writers on the prophecies and the 
 millennium. The startling announcements made 
 by Geologists regarding the antiquity of the earth, 
 which, according to their discoveries, amounts to 
 millions of millions of years ; and the curious 
 statements of Astronomers respecting the ages of 
 time required for the transmission of the light of 
 the stars, the continual development of new 
 nebulae in the heavens, and the gradual formation 
 of new suns and systems in the universe ; are 
 sufficient causes, why a new inquiry into the 
 chronology of the Bible has become both popular 
 and necessary, and why the question concerning 
 the discrepancies between the Hebrew text and 
 the ancient Greek version has been revived. 
 
 The interest attached in these latter days, by 
 pious and learned men, to the study of the pro- 
 phecies of Daniel, and of the Apocalyptic visions 
 of John, tends greatly to increase the popularity 
 of chronological inquiries respecting the Mundane
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Times. The late researches of writers on this 
 subject into the mystic numbers of days or years 
 appointed by the Great Creator for the fulfilment 
 of these prophecies and visions, naturally leads to 
 the investigation of the true age of the world ; and 
 this again, if properly conducted, conduces to the 
 settlement of the dates of all the great events both 
 in sacred and profane history. The Christian 
 Church, having once established these epochs on 
 a firm chronological basis, can then look calmly 
 forward, as from an elevated vantage ground, to 
 the rapid accomplishment of all the prophecies 
 both of the Old and New Testament ; and par- 
 ticularly to the downfall of the Papacy, the 
 destruction of the Mohammedan Imposture, the 
 overthrow of Infidelity, the return of the Jews to 
 the Holy Land, the battle of Armageddon, the 
 supervention of the Millennium, and the Second 
 Advent of the Messiah in the clouds of Heaven. 
 
 It is no mean and uninteresting inquiry, there- 
 fore, to attempt to ascertain from the Sacred 
 Scriptures, the true date of the present year from 
 the creation of the world ; and to determine which 
 of the modern computations is the most correct, 
 or whether any of them be in exact accordance 
 with the unerring testimony of the word of God. 
 For, according to the chronology of the modern 
 Jews, we now live in the year of the world 5604 ;
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 according to that of the Church of England, 
 founded on the authority of Archbishop Usher's 
 interpretation of the Hebrew text, in A.M. 5848 ; 
 according to that of the Church of Rome, founded 
 on the authority of Eusebius, and the later chro- 
 nographers, in A.M. 7044 ; but, according to that 
 of the most learned of all Christian churches, and 
 particularly the recent writers, Jackson, Hales, 
 Russell and Cuninghame, founded on the authority 
 of the Septuagint, corrected according to the best 
 and most ancient codices of that version, and 
 tested by Astronomical and Jubilean Cycles of 
 time, in A.M. 7322. 
 
 In the First Part of this Dissertation, a critical 
 analysis is given of the construction of the dif- 
 ferent Ages of the world previous to the Mes- 
 sianic age, as determined by the supreme autho- 
 rity of the Sacred Scriptures, which the author 
 places above and beyond that of the statements and 
 the testimonies of all human writers. The learned 
 chronological works of Mr. Cuninghame have been 
 particularly brought under his review, and have, 
 in fact, formed the basis of his investigations ; 
 namely, A Synopsis of Chronology, London, 1837 ; 
 The Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried, 
 London, 183s ; The Fulness of the Times, second 
 edition, London, 1839 ; A Chart of Sacred Chro- 
 nology, London, 1842, &c. The following im-
 
 PREFACE. Vll 
 
 portant chronological treatises have also been 
 specially brought under his notice ; namely, 
 Scripture Chronology, being Appendix V. to Vol. i. 
 of Mr. Clinton's very learned work, the Fasti 
 Hellenici, Oxford, 1834; and Chronographia LXX. 
 Interpretum Defensio, being Treatise V. in Vol. iii. 
 of the Cours Complets D'Ecriture Sainte et De 
 Theologie, a laborious, learned and valuable work 
 in 50 volumes, published by M. L'Abbe Migne, 
 Paris, 1841. Frequent references are likewise 
 made to the well-known chronological works of 
 Usher, Jackson, Hales, and Russell. 
 
 In the Second Part, a critical inquiry has been 
 instituted into the evidence, Scriptural, Historical 
 and Physical, for the universal diffusion among 
 mankind of the Great Primeval prophecy concern- 
 ing the Renovation of the world, and its bearing 
 on the question of the true period of the Advent 
 of our Saviour, and the Extent of the Mundane 
 ages. This inquiry leads to a short discussion on 
 the origin of Idolatry, the Source of the Heathen 
 names of the Deity, and the notions entertained 
 by the ancient mythologists and poets concerning 
 the Seven ages of the world. This discussion 
 brings to light some evidences of a curious and 
 striking nature in favour of the true Chronology. 
 The work concludes with an investigation of the 
 errors of the most eminent of the ancient Chrono-
 
 Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 graphers, and an elucidation of their clear and 
 united testimony to the authenticity of the com- 
 putation of the Septuagint. 
 
 To complete the object of this Dissertation, the 
 author intended to review the Astronomical and 
 Geological evidence for the antiquity of the globe ; 
 but the Scriptural and Historical evidence for the 
 true age of the world, appeared to him of such 
 paramount importance, and of so overwhelming a 
 nature, that he was compelled to devote his best 
 attention to its development and elucidation. If 
 he has been successful in this attempt, it will be 
 to him a source of no small gratification, and no 
 small reward for his labour ; it will also be a 
 powerful inducement to prosecute his intended 
 investigations, having, in this work, only very 
 slightly touched on the Geological question, and 
 not at all on the Astronomical, except in what 
 relates to the cyclical character of the Mundane 
 Times, which may be considered as only the 
 germ of this magnificent subject. Impressed 
 with the idea that the True Age of the World 
 is written in the Heavens by the finger of 
 God, and that the revolutions of the Solar 
 System, if rightly investigated, must lead to its 
 discovery ; the author made some astronomical 
 calculations of which at present, he can only 
 communicate the results. Assuming that at the
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 Creation of the world, there was a Grand Helio- 
 centric conjunction of all the Planets, arid that at 
 some subsequent period of its history, the same 
 phenomenon would at least be partially visible 
 from its surface, he endeavoured to determine the 
 period or cycle which must elapse before a second 
 conjunction would happen. He found by these 
 calculations, that this cycle was nearly 2401 years, 
 a period which according to the language of Scrip- 
 ture i$ a Jubilee of Jubilees; and, that reckoning 
 from the era of Creation determined in this work, 
 the Second conjunction took place about B. c. 
 3078, which is within a few years (24) of the date 
 generally assigned to the Hindoo epoch of the 
 Calyougham. He found also, that the Third con- 
 junction took place about B. c. 677, when the 
 remnant of the Ten Tribes was carried away into 
 a long captivity, and the kingdom departed from 
 Israel ; and, that the Fourth conjunction took 
 place in A.D. 1725, when on the 17th of March, 
 at Pekin in China, the planets Mercury, Venus, 
 Mars and Jupiter, were all seen in the field of 
 the same telescope at the same instant, by the 
 Jesuit Missionaries Gaubil, Jacques and Kegler. 
 In confirmation of the same epoch of Creation, he 
 also found that the longitude of Sirius, the largest 
 and brightest of all the Stars in the Heavens, and 
 by some supposed to be the central point of at-
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 traction to our Sun, was 0' 0'' on the 2 1st of 
 March B. c. 5478, according to the most recent 
 determination of the precession of the equinoxes ; 
 but the discussion of these curious results and 
 other topics to which he has already alluded, 
 must form the subject of a future volume. 
 
 London, Sept. 2nd, 1844.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PART 1. 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 1. State of the World at the Birth of Christ Tradition concerning 
 his Advent Its epoch determined from Prophecy . . page 1 
 
 2. Short history of the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament 
 Discrepancies between the Hebrew and the Septuagint Their effect on 
 Sacred Chronology ....... 4 
 
 SECTION I. AGES AND EPOCHS OF THE WORLD. 
 
 CHAPTER I. EXTENT OF THE FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 1. Discrepancies of the Hebrew, Septuagint, and Samaritan Texts 
 Solution of the difficulty by the chronographers of the middle ages 
 Consistency of the Septuagint and the New Testament Numerical 
 errors of the Hebrew text . . . . . .9 
 
 2. Origin and effect of various readings The immaculate purity and 
 miraculous preservation of the Hebrew text, a figment Consistency of 
 the word of God . . . . . . .12 
 
 3. Tables of the Discrepancies of the three texts with regard to the Ante- 
 diluvian Patriarchs : Table I., In their Antepaidogonianages Table II., 
 In their Postpaidogonian ages Table III., In their whole lives* Inter- 
 nal evidence afforded by the Tables in favour of the computation of the 
 Septuagint The Discrepancies of the Hebrew and Samaritan the work 
 of design Proof of this fact from the Scriptures . . .14 
 
 4. Reasons assigned for the alterations in the Hebrew and Samaritan 
 Accuracy of the Septuagint demonstiated An objection to its chro- 
 nology removed Utility of the publication of fac simile editions of the 
 codices Late origin of the printed Hebrew text Its original agree- 
 ment with the Septuagint proved . . . . .20
 
 Xll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. EXTENT OF THE SECOND AGE OF TUB WORLD. 
 
 1. Discrepancies of the three texts Unfounded hypothesis of Usher 
 Agreement of Josephus with the Septuagint Authority of this 
 Version in the Church Its chronology confirmed by the most authentic 
 Chinese annals Reasons why the Jews altered the Hebrew text . 28 
 
 2. Tables of the Discrepancies of the three texts with regard to the 
 Postdiluvian Patriarchs : Table IV. In their Antepaidogonian ages 
 Table V. In their Postpaidogonian ages Table VI. In their whole 
 lives . . . . . . .31 
 
 3. Authenticity of the Second Cainan Dilemma of the Venerable 
 Bede Mistake of Mr. Clinton and Mr. Home Usher's Dissertation 
 Inconsistency of authorized translations of the Bible Rashness of 
 Beza The Second Cainan in the most ancient Codices Mistake of 
 Bede, Hales, and other chronographers . . . .34 
 
 4. Internal evidence afforded by the Tables in favour of the computa- 
 tion of the Septuagint Omissions in the Hebrew and Septuagint 
 retained in the Samaritan Accordance of the Septuagint with 
 nature and providence Mr. Cuninghame's argument from analogy 
 The alterations of Origen in the text of the Septuagint . .41 
 
 5. Mistake of Usher, adopted by Hales and Clinton, as to the Ante- 
 paidogonian age of Terah Mr. Cuninghame's arguments unanswerable 
 His proof of the chronology of the Seventy from the discovery of its 
 Cyclical character Testimony of Eusebius to the true date of Abra- 
 ham's birth Table VII. Extent of the first two ages of the world . 45 
 
 CHAPTER III. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW AND 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 
 
 1. Argument against the shorter computation, founded on the propor- 
 tion between the Antepaidogonian Ages and whole Lives of the 
 Patriarchs Reasons for the enlargement of this ratio, and the diminu- 
 tion of the length of human life . . . . .50 
 
 2. Argument founded on the regular succession of human generations 
 Anomalies and Paradoxes of the Hebrew text Remark of Eusebius 
 .Objections of learned men unanswered . . . .52 
 
 3. Argument founded on the inconsistency of the co-existence of 
 idolatry and the worship of the true God, in the same family, and within 
 a short period from the flood Remarks on the building of Babel Mr. 
 Clinton refuted Mr. Cuniughame's argument from Scripture The 
 judgments of God forgotten . . . . .55 
 
 4. Argument founded on the inconsistency of the accounts of Sacred 
 and Profane History Remark of Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Isaac 
 Newton's objection refuted Epoch of the Foundation of the kingdom of 
 Egypt ...... .^ . . 57 
 
 5. Arguments founded on the deficiency of the numbers of mankind 
 Epoch of the occupation of Babylon by the Medes Calculation of the 
 numbers of mankind ou the Eulerian ratio Mr. Clinton refuted . 59
 
 CONTENTS. Xlll 
 
 6. Argument founded on the alteration of the Hebrew text by the 
 Jews Testimony of the early Fathers on this point Mr. Clinton's ad- 
 mission as to the prophecies His refutation as to the chronology 
 Motives of the Jews for shortening the genealogies . . 60 
 
 7. Motives ascribed to the Seventy Interpreters for enlarging the 
 chronology Pretensions of the Chaldeans and Egyptians to a remote 
 antiquity Insufficiency of the scheme adopted by the Interpreters 
 Self- refutation of Mr. Clinton's hypothesis. . . .62 
 
 CHAPTER IV. EXTENT OF THE THIRD AGE OP THE WORLD. 
 
 Table VIII. Patriarchal Eras and Intervals from Usher Table IX. 
 Extent of the first three ages of the World Date of the Exodus of 
 Israel from Egypt . . . . . . .64 
 
 CHAPTER V. EXTENT OF THE FOURTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Palpable Forgery of this period in 1 Kings vi. 1. Table X. Cri- 
 tarchal Eras and Intervals, from Usher and Cuninghame Object of 
 Usher in determining this period Testimony of Paul and the Book of 
 Judges as to its true extent Testimony of Origen Table XI. Extent of 
 the first four ages of the world Verification of the true extent of the 
 fourth age by Chronographers Agreement on this point between Mr. 
 Clinton and Mr. Cuninghame. . . . . .67 
 
 CHAPTER VI. EXTENT OF THE FIFTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Table XII. Monarchal Eras and Intervals, from Usher and Cuning- 
 hame Correction of the mistakes of chronologers as to the true extent 
 of this period, by Mr. Cuninghame Table XIII. Extent of the first 
 five ages of the World Confirmation of the true extent of the fifth age 
 from sacred history and prophecy . . . . .73 
 
 CHAPTER VII. EXTENT OF THE SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 1. Table XIV. Hierarchal Eras and Intervals, from Usher and 
 Cuninghame Determination of the Intervals from Scripture Period of 
 the Seventy years Captivity Period of the Seventy prophetic weeks of 
 Daniel Table XV. Date of the Crucifixion determined Truth of the 
 Ancient Tradition respecting the First Advent of the Messiah demon- 
 strated . . . . . . . .79 
 
 2. Determination of the Epoch of the Birth of Christ Labours of 
 Mr. Cuninghame on this point Coincidence of the extent of the period 
 of Patriarchal Pilgrimage withthatof Hierarchal Bondage Table XVI. 
 Extent of the Six Ages of the World Difference between the true and 
 vulgar dates of the Nativity Mr. Cuninghame's dates of the Nativity 
 and Public Ministry of Christ deduced from the chronology of the 
 Septuagint . . . . . . . .84
 
 XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 SECTION II. CONFIRMATION OF THE GREAT EPOCHS OF 
 THE WORLD. 
 
 CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL CONFIRMATION OF THE TRUE 
 SYSTEM OF CHRONOLOGY. 
 
 Testimonies of the ancient chronograpbers and historians before and 
 after Christ, in favour of the chronology of the Septuagint Demetrius. 
 Eupolemus, Josephus, Justin Martyr, and all the early fathers of the 
 first three centuries Theophilus, Hippolytus, Africanus, Origen, 
 Cyprian, Lactantius, Epiphanius, Ambrose, Ephrem Syrus, Augustine, 
 Chrysostom, Sulpicius Severus, Annianus, Syncellus, Eutycbius, the 
 author of the Paschal Chronicle, and the Council called " Synodus in 
 Trullo" Probable cause of minute variations among the aucient chro- 
 nographers ... .... page 90 
 
 CHAPTER II. REDUCTION OF THE MUNDANE ERA OF RE- 
 DEMPTION. 
 
 Errors of Eusebius, Jerome, and the western churches Consistency 
 of the eastern and southern churches to the latest period Chronology 
 of the Russians and Armenians, that of the Septuagint Testimony of 
 Abulpharajius Chronological innovations of the Venerable Bede His 
 denouncement as a heretic on this account Chronology of the Roman 
 Church different from that of the Latin Vulgate The chronology of the 
 Masoretes an abridgement of the true The chronology of the Roman 
 Martyrology preserved by Pontifical authority to the present day 
 Extract from Strauchius An important testimony in favour of the true 
 chronology . . . . . . .95 
 
 CHAPTER III. CHRISTIAN AND JEWISH SYSTEMS OF CHRO- 
 NOLOGY ERRONEOUS. 
 
 Chronology of the English Bible erroneous Usher influenced by the 
 Masoretes Tradition of the House of Elias Its complete refutation 
 both from Scripture and fact Utility and application of Mr. Cuning- 
 batne's " Chart of Chronology'' Reasons assigned by the Jewish 
 Rabbis why their expected Messiah is not yet come Their curse upon 
 all who calculate the Times . . . . .99 
 
 CHAPTER IV. CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE MUNDANE 
 
 TIMES. 
 
 1. The revolutions of the heavenly bodies appointed for cycles 
 Origin of the cycles of the year and the month The subject of Enoch's
 
 CONTENTS. XV 
 
 prophecy Mr. Cuninghame's discovery of the cycle from the Creation 
 to the Era of Redemption Scriptural cycles of frequent occurrence 
 The numbers of Jubilee and of Pentecost of pilgrimage and persecu- 
 tion of omnipotence, glory and wisdom; and of mystery, vengeance 
 and forgiveness The prophetic numbers of Daniel Discovery of their 
 connection with the higher cycles of astronomy, by M. de Chesaux and 
 Mr. Cuninghame ...... page 102 
 
 2. Lengths of the tropical year and the synodical period of the moon, 
 according to Sir John Herschel Application of the method of con- 
 tinued fractions to the determination of their approximating ratios 
 Various lunisolar cycles The Octaeteris of the Greeks The cycle of 
 nineteen discovered by Melon, but probably known to the Hebrews 
 The period of Calippus Proof that the numbers of Daniel are luni- 
 solar cycles Remarks of Mr. Birks in his " Elements of Prophecy" 
 Observations of Mr. Cuniughame in his " Scientific Chronology" 
 Proof that the prophetic month and the jubilean period are lunisolar 
 cycles . . . . . . . .106 
 
 CHAPTER V. DISCOVERY OP NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 
 
 1. Mr. Cuninghame's discovery of the mystical signification of the 
 seventy years' captivity Its connection with the era of the French Revo- 
 lution Confirmed by the sentiments of the modern Jews Prediction 
 of Rabbi Joseph Crool Prediction in the Hebrew Tract " Explanation 
 of the Times/' published in 1794 The latter prediction not fulfilled 
 Hope concerning Israel ...... Ill 
 
 2. Mr. Cuninghame's discovery of seven streams of time, of seventy 
 jubilees each, in the true system of chronology This test wholly inap- 
 plicable to any other system His discovery of five streams of time of 
 different Jubilean periods Utility of his " Fulness of the Times'' 
 where these discoveries are developed Notice of his more recent 
 works . . . . . . . .113 
 
 3. Various cycles which enter into the true system of chronology- 
 Mr. Cuniughame's discovery of the trinal fraction Its explanation and 
 application by an Algebraic formula Original form in which it was 
 discovered Its superiority to the formula of the figurate numbers 
 Remarkable instance of its application to Scriptural and other numbers, 
 and to lunar and solar cyclical numbers Mr. Cuninghame's definition 
 of the trinal fraction the most correct The series deduced from its 
 formula possesses curious properties . . . .115 
 
 4. Application of the theory of the trinal fraction to the discovery of 
 the meaning of the Number of the Beast in the Revelation of John 
 Proof that the number 666 is the number of a Man Its indication of
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 spiritual and tecular dominion of tyranny and persecution Recent 
 efforts to raise the Beast again to power A warning to Protes- 
 tants . . . > . . . .119 
 
 CHAPTER VI. DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SEPTUAGINT CHRO- 
 
 NOLOGY. 
 
 1. Mr. Cuninghame's application of the lunisolar cycles and septen- 
 nary periods to the settlement of chronological questions The Septua- 
 gint proved to be the exact truth by a complex harmony of scientific 
 time His " Synopsis of Chronology" recommended _ . 122 
 
 2. Evidence in favour of the Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies 
 compared and tested by Mr. Cuningbame His detection of the scheme 
 of fraud invented by the Jewish Rabbis for shortening the chronology 
 of the Scriptures His exposition of this scheme in three distinct act*, 
 and the result of the whole ..... 123 
 
 3. Recommendation of Mr. Cuninghame's " Septuagint and Hebrew 
 Chronologies Tried" His description and table of the great periods of 
 1838 His table of both Chronologies His appeal to the disciples of 
 Usher His view of their chronological difficulties and paradoxes His 
 call to them to produce their evidence in favour of their system . 126 
 
 4. Recommendation of Mr. Cuninghame's Inter works Summary of 
 the remarkable and original subjects of which they treat His remarks 
 on the Theories of modern Geologists recommended Their large 
 demands upon time not warranted by the simplicity of the Mosaic nar- 
 rative The authority and authenticity of the Inspired Record endan- 
 gered by their speculations Another mode of solving geological 
 difficulties recommended A boon of 1500 years additional granted to 
 Geologists Recommendation of Mr. Morison's " Religious History of 
 Man' 1 Mr. Cuninghame's discoveries concentrated in his " Chart of 
 Chronology*' and " Essay," and in the Appendixes to the fourth 
 edition of his " Dissertation on the Apocalypse" . . 128
 
 CONTENTS. XVli 
 
 PART II. 
 
 CHAPTER I. TIIE TESTIMONY OF JESUS THE SPIRIT OF 
 PROPHECY. 
 
 Primeval prophecy concerning the Messiah Errors in the translation 
 of it, iu different versions Correct in the Septuagint Tradition of this 
 prophecy in the Ante and Post Diluvian ages Its clearer development in 
 the Patriarchal Age Dr. Lamb's explanation of the word Shiloh Pro- 
 phecy of Balaam in the Critarchal Age Predictions of Moses and Han- 
 nah The glorious revelations of the Monarchal Age The testimony of 
 the Psalms to the Messiah Explanation of the last words of David 
 from Kennicott Application of the term Sun to Jehovah Testimony of 
 the Prophecies to the Messiah Isaiah, the Evangelical Prophet The 
 predictions at the close of the Monarchal and the commencement of the 
 Hierarchal Age Testimony among the Heathen. .... ,' . 135 
 
 CHAPTER II. TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH 
 TO THE SUBJECT OF PROPHECY. 
 
 1. Object of the Disposition of the Cherubim at Eden Its disap- 
 pearance from the earth The remembrance of its glory transmitted to 
 the Postdiluvians Its occasional re-appearance to Abraham, to Moses, 
 to Israel, to Elijah, and to Isaiah Identity of the visions of Isaiah, Eze- 
 kiel, and John Similarity of the visions of Daniel, John, the Three 
 Disciples, and Paul Object of these glorious representations in heaven 
 and on earth Known among the Heathen, and grafted on their religious 
 worship Origin of Zabaism, and its spread over the world . 146 
 
 2. The Sun worshipped by the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans, 
 under the names of Baal, or Beelsamen By the Egyptians, under the 
 names of Orus and Osiris Connection between the Sun and Sirius 
 The Sun and his Satellite worshipped by the Israelites, under the names 
 of Molech and Remphan, Baal, and Ashtaroth, during the Critarchal 
 age The Zabian idolatry set up at Jerusalem in the Monarchal age 
 The partial Reformation of Josiah The ancient Persians, Sun and Fire 
 worshippers Origin of Mithras The gods of Phenicia, Elioun, and 
 Adonis or Tammuz . . . . . . 152 
 
 3. The gods of the Hindoos, Vishnu, Buddha, Brahma, and Seeva, 
 form no Trinity The theft of their names and attributes from the 
 Hebrew evinced by their meaning Buddha an avatar of Vishnu Ori- 
 gin of Fohi, the god of the Chinese Druidical, Peruvian, Mexican, and 
 Parsee worship Origin of Surya, Suras, and Asuras Russell's citation 
 of Macrobius on the worship of the Solar god The concentration of 
 Paganism . . . v . . . *' . 158 
 
 a
 
 XV111 CONTENTS. 
 
 4. Origin of the Greek and Latin names of the Supreme God Inge- 
 nious derivation by Dr. Hales Confutation of that given by Francoeur 
 in his " Uranographie' 1 Origin of the New Testament titles of Christ 
 Citation of Theophilus on this subject Irrefragable prcfof of the 
 Divinity of our Lord Original temple of the Sun Connection of 
 Religious worship and Astronomical observation Antiquity of the 
 Hindoos and Chinese ...... 163 
 
 CHAPTER III. TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL AGES OP THE 
 
 WORLD. 
 
 1. Tradition concerning the Seventh Age Prophecy of the Universal 
 Saviour Traditions of the Jews Opinion of Irenseus and the Chris- 
 tian Church in his time Dr. Russell's opinion confuted Testimony 
 of the Heathen to the Tradition of the Seven Ages Digression on the 
 Corruptions of the Septuagint and the Hebrew text Arguments 
 against the numerical accuracy of the latter Remarkable prophecy 
 contained in the names of the Ante-diluvian Patriarchs Opinions of 
 Augustine and Abulfarajius Notion of Dr. Isaac Barrow Important 
 admission of Eusebius Opinion of Ephrem Syrus . . 168 
 
 2. Description of the Ages of the World from Hesiod Error of Newton 
 The Golden Age corresponds to the Antediluvian The Silver to the 
 Postdiluvian The Brazen, Heroic and Iron ages, to the Patriarchal, 
 Critarchal and Monarchal These ages relate chiefly to Greece Refe- 
 rences to Scripture history in all The Sixth or Cumzean age corresponds 
 to the Hierarchal Wisdom of the Heathens Their expectation of a 
 Divine Instructor Socrates, Plato, Eupolis, Virgil, and others, antici- 
 pate his glorious Advent The close of the Sixth age indicates the arrival 
 of the Seventh, or the return of the Golden age. . . .193 
 
 CHAPTER IV. ERRORS OF THE ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPH EKS. 
 
 1. Authority of the Scripture texts superior to that of the ancient 
 chronographers The testimony of the latter chiefly in favour of the Sep- 
 tuagint The testimonies of Josephus, Theophilus, Africanus, Eusebius, 
 and the author of the Paschal Chronicle selected for examination 
 Table I. Containing their statements relating to the First age of the 
 world Errors of Josephus Corruption of his text Mr. Cuning- 
 hame's detection of his blunders in regard to the first age His dis- 
 covery of the truth from the titulary statements of the first and second 
 books of Josephus His explanation of the Jewish fraud to which this 
 author appears to have been accessory Error of Theophilus, and 
 accuracy of Africanus in this age Similar error of Eusebius and Syn- 
 cellus, and accuracy of Epiphanius and the author of the Paschal 
 Chronicle ..... . 229
 
 CONTENTS. XIX 
 
 2. Table II., Containing the statements of the ancient chronographers 
 relating to the Second age of the world Absurd errors of the text of 
 Josephus The discrepancy between his detailed numbers and his sum 
 total, the work of an enemy to the truth Proof that the true sum was 
 in his text originally Errors of Theophilus and Africanus in this age 
 due to Jewish influence Notion entertained by the ancient chronogra- 
 phers regarding the bisection of the Mundane period at the death of 
 Peleg The genealogy of Shem, like that of Melchisedec, in the chro- 
 nology Reference to Mr. Clinton Error of Eusebius, rectified in the 
 Hieronymian version of his Chronicon Accuracy of the Paschal 
 Chronicle, with the exception of the biennial period Valuable Testi- 
 mony of Eusebius and Africanus, preserved by Syncellus in his Chrono- 
 graphia, on the extent of ilw first two ages . . . 240 
 
 3. Table III., Containing the statements of the ancient chronograph- 
 ers relating to the Third age of the world The testimony of Josephus 
 to the true chronology very explicit Misinterpretation of prophecy the 
 cause of wavering in Josephus and blunder in Theophilus The testi- 
 mony of Africanus correct Eusebius, Demetrius, and the author of the 
 Paschal Chronicle correct Explanation of the period of Four Hundred 
 years ........ 248 
 
 4. Table IV., Containing the statements of the ancient chronographera 
 relating to the Fourth age of the world The testimony of Josephus 
 to the extent of this age highly satisfactory Proof that it was 612 
 years Strange errors of Theophilus Method of rectifying them 
 Compensating errors of Africanus His date of the foundation of 
 Solomon's Temple correct Errors of Eusebius His Prceparatio cor- 
 rect in amount, his Chronicon wrong He confutes himself and adopts 
 the Hebrew chronology Comparison between him and Usher Errors 
 of the Paschal Chronicle The author coincides with Josephus 
 Hesitancy of Mr. Clinton Table V., The first four ages of the world, 
 and date of Solomon's Temple according to the different chrono- 
 graphers ........ 254 
 
 5. Table VI. Containing the statements of the chronographers re- 
 lating to the Fifth age of the world The errors of Josephus peculiar 
 His elongation of the reign of Solomon Disagreement of his titulary 
 periods with the summation of the reigns in Books Eighth, Ninth and 
 Tenth Proof that the former is nearly correct Table VII. Monarchal 
 Periods of Josephus Comparison with the True Chronology Evidence 
 that these periods have been manufactured The true chronology of this 
 age detected in his works Table VIII. True Flavian Periods, showing 
 the true Extent as originally held by Josephus Proof that he knew the 
 true epoch of the Captivity The errors of Theophilus in this age few 
 He is also mistaken as to the epoch of the Captivity Africanus dimi- 
 nishes the true extent of this age He is misrepresented by Syncellus
 
 XX CONTENTS. 
 
 The Statements of Eusebius taken from the Hieronymian and Armenian 
 Versions of his Canon Those of the author of the Paschal Chronicle 
 from that work itself Their errors pointed out The difference between 
 their Extent of this age and the true Extent onlj 3 years . . 274 
 
 6. Table IX. Ethnocratic Eras and Intervals according to Ptolemy's 
 Canon and the ancient Chronographers Accuracy of the Canon Joae- 
 phus erroneous but consistent in the Sixth age His remarkable coinci- 
 dence with the true Chronology in the Mundane period Theopbilus 
 follows the Roman Chronology in this age Africanus the prophetic 
 Both erroneous Errors of Eusebius, and accuracy of his Extent of this 
 age Errors of the Paschal Chronicle considerable and unaccountable 
 Table X. Summation of the Six ages of the world according to the Sep- 
 tuagint and the ancient chronographers Table XI. Summation of the 
 Periods of the Christian Chronographers, adopted by themselves 
 Chronological Table of the Principal Epochs and Events from the Crea- 
 tion to the Advent of Christ . .287
 
 A 
 
 DISSERTATION 
 
 ON 
 
 THE TRUE AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 1. State of the World at the Birth of Christ Tradition concerning his 
 Advent Its epoch determined from Prophecy. 
 
 THE Christian era was ushered into notice, by 
 a state of peace among all nations, unprecedented 
 in the history of the world. The temple of Janus 
 at Rome was shut, after the lapse of seven centu- 
 ries of incessant warfare. At this period, a very 
 general belief prevailed among men, that the long- 
 expected Saviour of the world was about to 
 appear. Many incontestable proofs of this fact 
 are to be found in ancient history. Soter or 
 Saviour, had indeed become a common appellation 
 among kings, both in Syria and Egypt ; and the 
 foreshortened shadows of coming events indi- 
 cated the near approach of the " Desire of all na- 
 tions." Poets anticipated his happy reign ; his- 
 torians longed for the promised age of miracles ; 
 
 B
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and philosophers panted for the Advent of a 
 heaven-born Instructor of mankind. The epoch 
 assigned, by universal tradition, for the epiphany 
 of this wonderful personage, was the Sixth Age 
 of the world ; or, according to the ancient Hebrew 
 chronology, the middle of the Sixth Millennium 
 or Chiliad of years from the creation of the world. 
 
 Respecting the true origin of the assigned 
 epoch, a considerable difference of opinion exists. 
 It is, however, generally referred to the ancient 
 tradition among the Jews, that the world was 
 destined to last for a period of seven millenaries 
 of years, the first six corresponding to the six days 
 of creation, and the seventh to the Sabbath or day 
 of rest ; and that previous to the last millennium, 
 the Messiah should appear in great power and 
 glory. Traces of this tradition may be found in 
 the vaticinations of the Sybilline oracles, and in 
 the writings of the Greek theogonists and cosmo- 
 gonists. The prevalence of the same tradition in 
 the time of our Saviour and his Apostles, had 
 evidently led the disciples to associate, as con- 
 temporaneous events, the first Advent of Christ, 
 and the restoration of all things. See Matthew 
 xxxiv. 2, and 2 Thessalonians ii. 1 . 
 
 Although there be no foundation in Scripture 
 for the Jewish tradition itself, yet the fact of its 
 existence at an early period of the Christian era, 
 added to the universal belief among ancient 
 writers, that the Messiah did appear at the as-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 signed epoch, affords a strong presumptive proof 
 that it was the true one. Theophilus, bishop of 
 Antioch, who flourished in the second century, 
 ingeniously unites the historical fact and the 
 Jewish tradition, when he intimates that as the 
 Jirst Adam came into existence on the sixth day 
 of creation, so the second Adam came into the 
 world on the sixth day of the Chiliads, each day 
 being reckoned as " a thousand years" It is 
 evident, however, that this early father had de- 
 rived his knowledge of the true epoch from its 
 original and only source ; for, he says, " the 
 whole time, even all the years" from the Creation 
 to the Crucifixion, " are shown" in the Scriptures, 
 " to those who are willing to obey the truth."* Ac- 
 cordingly, we assert that it was possible to ascer- 
 tain at a very early period, almost five centuries 
 before Christ, the true length of the whole 
 interval in question, by a careful examination of 
 the Sacred Records ; the exact period from the 
 rebuilding of Jerusalem to the Crucifixion, being 
 assigned in the prophecies of Daniel ; while, the 
 period from Creation to the Return of the Jews 
 from Babylon, can be determined from the other 
 books of the Old Testament. Before we proceed 
 to demonstrate the truth of this assertion, we must 
 shortly glance at the history of these Books. 
 
 * *O 7TUS J^JOl/OS KO.I TO. TJ $f.lKVVTO.l, TOVTOIS fioV\OflVOils TTfl- 
 
 Qeerdat rrj a\r)6eiq.. Theoph. ad Autol. Lib. III. p. 273, Oxon. 
 1684. 
 
 B 2
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 2. Short history of the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament Discre- 
 pancies between the Hebrew and Septuagint Their effect on Sacred 
 Chronology. 
 
 It is universally admitted that the Penta- 
 teuch was translated into Greek about three cen- 
 turies before Christ, for the use of the dispersed 
 tribes of Israel, and particularly of the Jews, 
 who had settled in Alexandria, and other parts of 
 the Grecian Empire. Although the history of 
 this translation given by Aristeas, Josephus, and 
 others, savours too much of the marvellous for 
 modern belief, yet all antiquity agrees that it was 
 executed in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, 
 and, according to some, at his request, by seventy- 
 two interpreters selected from the most learned 
 and eminent men among the Jews by the High 
 Priest and Sanhedrim at Jerusalem. It is more- 
 over asserted, that the other books of the Old 
 Testament were translated about a century later 
 than the Pentateuch ; and this assertion is in 
 some measure proved by a considerable diversity 
 of style and sentiment. It is quite certain, how- 
 ever, that the Greek version of the whole of the 
 Hebrew Scriptures, now called the Septuagint, 
 was in public use at least a century before the 
 Christian era ; and that the Evangelists and 
 Apostles made citations from this version in the 
 New Testament, in preference to the original text. 
 
 Such being the origin and authority of this
 
 INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 ancient and venerable version, its value cannot 
 be too much appreciated ; for, without it, the 
 Christians would have been entirely at the mercy 
 of the Jews, as to the authenticity, the integrity, 
 and the meaning of the Holy Scriptures ; first, of 
 the Old Testament, on account of their ignorance 
 of the Hebrew, and the danger of the glosses and 
 traditions of their opponents ; and second, of the 
 New Testament, on account of its being the com- 
 plete elucidation and fulfilment of the Old. Be- 
 sides, although the Jews were for ages the 
 appointed custodiers of the Hebrew text, and are 
 generally considered to have been faithful to their 
 trust ; yet we must not conceal the fact that it 
 now differs considerably from the Septuagint in 
 many important places, particularly in the pro- 
 phecies relating to the Messiah ; and, that its 
 chronology of the whole period from the creation 
 to the first advent, is completely at variance with 
 that of the Greek version. 
 
 The chronological discrepancies between the 
 Hebrew and the Septuagint, which amount in all 
 to nearly fifteen centuries of difference in regard 
 to the true age of the world, have occasioned 
 disputes among the learned ever since the third 
 century. The Christian Church, however, has 
 always followed the longer computation of the 
 Seventy, from the earliest period of its history till 
 the era of the Reformation ; while the Jewish 
 Church has retained the shorter chronology of the
 
 6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Hebrew text from the second century till the 
 present day. Archbishop Usher, the great 
 modern authority in chronology, endeavoured to 
 fix and determine the true epoch of the birth of 
 Christ from that text alone. Dr. Hales, a later 
 and more accurate authority, made a similar 
 attempt, founding his computation on the Septua- 
 gint. As this subject has been lately revived by 
 writers of considerable eminence on both sides, 
 we shall endeavour to place the whole Scriptural 
 evidence before our readers, in the following cri- 
 tical analysis of the question.
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 AGES AND EPOCHS OF THE WORLD. 
 
 THE whole period from the Creation to the 
 birth of Christ, whatever may be considered as its 
 real extent, is generally divided by chronologers 
 into six subordinate periods, called Ages. The 
 first, which is reckoned from the Creation to the 
 Deluge, is called the Antediluvian age ; the second^ 
 from the Deluge to the Call of Abraham, the Post- 
 diluvian age ; the third, from the Call of Abraham 
 to the Exode of the Israelites from Egypt, the 
 Patriarchal age ; the fourth, from the Exode of 
 the Israelites to the foundation of Solomon's 
 Temple, the Critarchal (or, judge-ruling) age ; 
 the fifth, from the foundation to the destruction 
 of Solomon's Temple, the Monarchal age ; the 
 sixth, from the destruction of Solomon's Temple 
 to the birth of Christ, the Hierarchal age. We 
 have, for the sake of distinctness and brevity, 
 given to the last four ages, names derived from 
 the four different states of the Hebrew Polity, 
 namely, the governments of the Patriarchs, the 
 Judges, the Kings, and the High Priests; the 
 government of the latter terminating in Judea 
 becoming a Roman province.
 
 8 AGES AND EPOCHS OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Besides the great epochs which limit the six 
 ages of the world, there are many intermediate 
 eras of very considerable importance in the settle- 
 ment of disputes both in chronology and history, 
 sacred as well as profane. Thus : in the first 
 age, we have, the fall of Adam, the births and 
 deaths of the Patriarchs, and the translation of 
 Enoch ; in the second, the confusion of tongues, 
 the foundation of Babel and Nineveh, and the 
 eras of the Calyougham of the Hindoos, and the 
 Chinese emperor Yao ; in the third, the destruc- 
 tion of Sodom, the migration of the Hebrew 
 Patriarchs into Egypt, and the foundation of the 
 Greek kingdoms of Sicyon and Argos ; in the 
 fourth, the servitudes of the Israelites in Canaan, 
 the foundation of Athens and Jerusalem, and the 
 destruction of Troy ; in the Jifth, the eras of the 
 Olympiads and Nabonassar, the foundation of 
 Rome, and the captivities of Israel and Judah ; 
 in the sixth, the return of the Jews from cap- 
 tivity, the destruction of Babylon, the death of 
 Alexander the Great, and the eras of the Seleu- 
 cidse and the Caesars.
 
 <J 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 EXTENT OF THE FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 1. Discrepancies of the Hebrew, Septuagint and Samaritan Texts Solution 
 of the difficulty by the chronographers of the middle ages Consistency 
 of the Septuagint and the New Testament Numerical errors of the 
 Hebrew text. 
 
 THE extent of the Jirst, or Antediluvian age, 
 is ascertained from the text of Genesis, v. 3-32, 
 and vii. 6, by summing up the ages at which the 
 Patriarchs begat their eldest sons, including the 
 date of the flood from that of Noah. This amount 
 is, according to the Hebrew text, 1656 years ; 
 according to the Septuagint version, 2262 years ; 
 and according to the Samaritan Pentateuch, 1307 
 years. This astonishing discrepancy, which is 
 found in all the codices of the three texts, is a 
 Gordian knot, which has puzzled the Christian 
 Church for more than fifteen centuries ! The 
 difference of the three computations is the more 
 remarkable, inasmuch as all the three texts are 
 considered to have been very carefully preserved ! 
 The Samaritan Pentateuch rivals the Hebrew text 
 in point of antiquity, and is reckoned by some to 
 be the nearest to the true Mosaic text ; while, the
 
 10 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 Septuagint version is rendered almost sacred, by 
 the authority of the Apostles and the early Fathers 
 of the Church. Which then, is the true computa- 
 tion ? So difficult of solution was this question 
 deemed in the middle ages, that chronographers, 
 in order to reconcile the difference between the 
 Hebrew and the Septuagint, even argued the pos- 
 sibility of both texts being equally correct ! The 
 Hebrew computation, however, has been followed 
 in modern times chiefly on the authority of the 
 Latin vulgate, which is said to have been trans- 
 lated by St. Jerome. The Samaritan computation 
 has had comparatively few supporters ; while that 
 of the Septuagint, which was universally followed 
 by the ancient chronographers and historians, both 
 sacred and profane, has never been wholly aban- 
 doned by the Church even to the present day. 
 
 With regard to the evidence of the two principal 
 witnesses, it is manifest that the citations from the 
 Old Testament, which are to be found in the 
 New, are, in general, not only in more perfect 
 accordance with the Septuagint version than 
 with the Hebrew text (at least, as we now have 
 it) ; but they are more consistent with the 
 general tenor of the Sacred Writings. There 
 is, on this account, therefore, an & priori pre- 
 sumption in favour of the accuracy of the nu- 
 merical statements of the Septuagint. This pre- 
 sumption is strongly confirmed by a reference 
 to several passages not at all connected with
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 11 
 
 chronology, of which the following are striking 
 instances. Thus, the day on which God ended, 
 that is, finished, or completed the work of crea- 
 tion, is said to be the 7th in the Hebrew, and the 
 Cth in the Septuagint ; but the latter statement is 
 plainly the correct one, being confirmed by the 
 context; see Genesis ii. 2, and i. 31. Again, the 
 number of persons present at the Eisodus of 
 Israel into Egypt, is said to be 70 in the Hebrew, 
 and 75 in the Septuagint ; but the latter number 
 is unquestionably the true one, because it is con- 
 firmed by the New Testament ; see Genesis 
 xlvi. 27, and Acts vii. 14. In general, it may be 
 observed, that the numerical statements of the 
 Hebrew text, in many places differ materially 
 from those of the Septuagint, and even from those 
 of other places of that text, where we are certain, 
 from the nature of the context, that they ought to 
 be precisely the same. The following instances, 
 taken at random, (and their number might be 
 greatly increased,) will confirm this assertion, by 
 a comparison of the different passages, even in 
 our own version : Exodus xii. 37, and xxxviii. 
 
 26, with Numbers i. 46, and ii. 32; Numbers 
 xxxv. 4, with Numbers xxxv. 5 ; 1 Samuel xviii. 
 
 27, with 2 Samuel iii. 14 ; 2 Samuel xv. 7, with 
 1 Kings ii. 11 ; 2 Samuel xxiv. 13, with 1 Chron- 
 icles xxi. 12 ; and 1 Kings ix. 28, with 2 Chroni- 
 cles viii. 18.
 
 12 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 2. Origin and effect of various readings The immaculate purity aud mira- 
 culous preservation of the Hebrew text, a figment Consistency of the 
 word of God. 
 
 From the occurrence of such discrepancies as 
 these, both in the original texts and the ancient 
 versions, it is evident, that the authenticity of 
 each numerical statement must be carefully exa- 
 mined per se, and tested by the multiplied means 
 for the discovery of the truth which we possess 
 in modern times. For, although the providence of 
 God has watched over the Sacred Scriptures in a 
 very remarkable manner, yet still they are found 
 liable to the same causes of textual error as all 
 other writings; so true is the Apostle's humbling 
 remark, that, " we have this" heavenly "treasure 
 in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power 
 may be of God and not of us." Accordingly, from 
 the necessity and frequency of copying the MSS. 
 (Deuteronomy xvii. 18) during so many ages 
 previous to the invention of printing, and from 
 the inaccuracy and inadvertency of uninspired 
 scribes, have arisen what are called " Various 
 Readings" in the Scriptures, both of the Old and 
 New Testament ; and, although these, and other 
 discrepancies above-mentioned, do not in the 
 slightest degree affect the grand question of 
 salvation, yet they have a serious influence on 
 important questions in sacred history and chro- 
 nology, and in the interpretation of prophecy.
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 13 
 
 Indeed, the extraordinary and multiplied col- 
 lations of Hebrew MSS. and editions of the Old 
 Testament, accomplished by the indefatigable 
 labours of Kennicott and De Rossi, have brought 
 to light such a host of variations in the original 
 text, as completely to put to flight the anti- 
 quated notion of the " immaculate purity " and 
 "miraculous preservation" of the Hebrew Verity, 
 which was so long and so strenuously maintained 
 by critics and divines, and which held fast its 
 position in their hermeneutical Canon, even so 
 late as the 18th century. Moreover, it is mani- 
 fest a priori, that it is quite impossible for two 
 different numbers, or sets of numbers, both re- 
 lating to the same facts, and in precisely the same 
 manner, to be perfectly accurate and authentic ! 
 We shall feel no hesitation, therefore, in preferring 
 the Septuagint version to the Hebrew text, or the 
 Hebrew text to the Septuagint version, according 
 as the evidence for the truth, appears to us, to pre- 
 ponderate in favour of the one document or the 
 other. It is even possible that the true number 
 connected with some important event, though ori- 
 ginally in both documents, cannot now be found 
 in either. We shall, in such a case, feel perfectly 
 justified in adopting that number which can be 
 demonstrated to be the true one, whether it be 
 discovered in an ancient version or commentary, 
 history, or chronicon. The word of God, like all 
 truth, must be perfectly consistent with itself;
 
 14 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 and if through the lapse of ages, any part of that 
 word has been corrupted or lost, it becomes a 
 Christian duty, as well as a philosophic employ- 
 ment, to make all possible search for its recovery, 
 not only that our own faith may be strengthened 
 and confirmed, but that the mind of every sincere 
 enquirer may be satisfied. 
 
 3. Tables of the Discrepancies of the three texts with regard to the Ante- 
 diluvian Patriarchs : Table I., In their Autepaidogonian ages Table II., 
 In their Postpaidogonian ages Table III., In their whole lives Inter- 
 nal evidence afforded by the Tables in favour of the computation of the 
 Septuagint The Discrepancies of the Hebrew and Samaritan the work 
 of design Proof of this fact from the Scriptures. 
 
 We now proceed to state our arguments in 
 favour of the computation of the Septuagint, 
 which we consider as that of the original and 
 genuine chronology of the Sacred Scriptures. As 
 we shall have frequent occasion to refer to the 
 ages at which the Patriarchs began to beget their 
 children, and to the residues or remaining por- 
 tions of their lives, we shall adopt a phraseology 
 sanctioned by the example of Usher,* and call the 
 former their Antepaidogonian ages, and the latter, 
 their Postpaidogonian ages. The following Table, 
 relating to tbejirst age, exhibits the discrepancies 
 of the three texts, with regard to the Antepaido- 
 
 * See his " Syntagma de Septuaginta," p. 13, Lond. 1655, 
 and his " Chronologia Sacra," p. 46, Oxon. 1660. In our 
 subsequent citations, these editions are followed ; the latter is 
 denominated " Opus Posthumum hucusque d
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 15 
 
 gonian ages of the Antediluvian Patriarchs, and the 
 Anni Mundi, or years of the world, in which they 
 were born : 
 
 TABLE I. 
 
 ANTEDILUVIAN 
 PATRIARCHS. 
 
 HEBREW. 
 
 A. P ages. Born A. M. 
 
 SEPTUAGINT. 
 
 A. P. ages. Born A.M. 
 
 SAMARITAN. 
 
 A. P. ages. Born A.M. 
 
 From Creation 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Adam .... 
 
 130 
 
 1 
 
 230 
 
 1 
 
 130 
 
 1 
 
 Seth 
 
 105 
 
 130 
 
 205 
 
 230 
 
 105 
 
 130 
 
 Enos .... 
 
 90 
 
 235 
 
 190 
 
 435 
 
 90 
 
 235 
 
 Cainan .... 
 
 70 
 
 325 
 
 170 
 
 625 
 
 70 
 
 325 
 
 Mahalaleel . . . 
 
 65 
 
 395 
 
 165 
 
 795 
 
 65 
 
 395 
 
 Jared .... 
 
 *162 
 
 460 
 
 162 
 
 960 
 
 62 
 
 460 
 
 Enoch .... 
 
 65 
 
 622 
 
 165 
 
 1122 
 
 65 
 
 522 
 
 Methuselah . . . 
 
 *187 
 
 687 
 
 187 
 
 1287 
 
 67 
 
 587 
 
 Lamech .... 
 
 *182 
 
 874 
 
 188 
 
 1474 
 
 *53 
 
 654 
 
 Noah .... 
 
 500 
 
 1056 
 
 500 
 
 1662 
 
 500 
 
 707 
 
 To the Flood . . 
 
 100 
 
 
 100 
 
 
 100 
 
 
 FIRST AGE . 1656 years. 2262 years. 1307 years. 
 
 The numbers marked with a star in this and 
 subsequent Tables, are those in which the dis- 
 crepancies are the most striking, and produce the 
 most anomalous or absurd results in Chronology. 
 
 The following auxiliary Table exhibits the dis- 
 crepancies of the three texts with regard to the 
 Postpaidogonian ages of the same Patriarchs, and 
 the A.M., or years of the world in which they 
 died :
 
 1C 
 
 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 TABLE II. 
 
 ANTEDILUVIAN 
 PATRIARCHS. 
 
 Adam . . . . 
 
 Seth 
 
 Enos .... 
 Cainan .... 
 Mahalaleel . . . 
 Jared .... 
 Enoch translated . 
 Methuselah . . 
 Lamech . . 
 Noah 
 
 HEBREW. 
 
 SEPTUAOINT. 
 
 SAMARITAN. 
 
 P.P. ages. Died A.M. 
 
 P.P. ages. Died A.M. 
 
 P.P. ages. Died A. M. 
 
 800 
 
 931 
 
 700 
 
 931 
 
 800 
 
 931 
 
 807 
 
 1042 
 
 707 
 
 1142 
 
 807 
 
 1042 
 
 815 
 
 1140 
 
 715 
 
 1340 
 
 815 
 
 1140 
 
 840 
 
 1235 
 
 740 
 
 1535 
 
 840 
 
 1235 
 
 830 
 
 1290 
 
 730 
 
 1690 
 
 830 
 
 1290 
 
 800 
 
 1422 
 
 800 
 
 1922 
 
 *785 
 
 *1307 
 
 300 
 
 987 
 
 200 
 
 1487 
 
 300 
 
 887 
 
 782 
 
 1656 
 
 782 
 
 2256 
 
 653 
 
 *1307 
 
 595 
 
 1651 
 
 565 
 
 2227 
 
 600 
 
 1307 
 
 350 
 
 2006 
 
 350 
 
 2612 
 
 350 
 
 1657 
 
 Lastly, the following Table exhibits the dis- 
 crepancies of the three texts with regard to the 
 Whole Lives of these Patriarchs, and the number 
 of their generations from Adam : 
 
 TABLE III. 
 
 ANTEDILUVIAN 
 PATRIARCHS. 
 
 HEBREW. 
 
 W. lives. No. 
 
 SEPTUAGINT. 
 
 W. live*. No. 
 
 SAMARITAN. 
 
 W. lives. No. 
 
 Adam .... 
 
 930 
 
 1 
 
 930 
 
 1 
 
 930 
 
 1 
 
 Seth 
 
 912 
 
 2 
 
 912 
 
 2 
 
 912 
 
 2 
 
 Enos 
 
 905 
 
 3 
 
 905 
 
 3 
 
 905 
 
 3 
 
 Cainan .... 
 
 910 
 
 4 
 
 910 
 
 4 
 
 910 
 
 4 
 
 Mahalaleel . . . 
 
 895 
 
 5 
 
 895 
 
 5 
 
 895 
 
 5 
 
 Jared .... 
 
 962 
 
 6 
 
 962 
 
 6 
 
 *847 
 
 6 
 
 Enoch .... 
 
 365 
 
 7 
 
 365 
 
 7 
 
 365 
 
 7 
 
 Methuselah . . 
 
 969 
 
 8 
 
 969 
 
 8 
 
 720 
 
 8 
 
 Lamech .... 
 
 777 
 
 9 
 
 753 
 
 9 
 
 *653 
 
 9 
 
 Noah 
 
 950 
 
 10 
 
 950 
 
 10 
 
 950 
 
 10
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 17 
 
 Let us now examine the internal evidence 
 afforded by these tables in favour of our argu- 
 ment. On looking at Table III., we perceive that 
 the whole lives of these Patriarchs, with the ex- 
 ception of that of Lamech, are all exactly the 
 same, both in the Hebrew and the Septuagirit ; 
 but that in the Samaritan, three of them are very 
 considerably different, namely, those of Jared, 
 Methuselah, and Lamech. It is plain, therefore, 
 that we must prefer the testimony of the two 
 former witnesses to that of the latter. Moreover, 
 it is evident that the lives of the three Patriarchs 
 in question have been shortened in the Samaritan, 
 in order that their deaths should be represented 
 as all occurring in the year of the flood, see Table 
 II. ; for, had their lives been preserved as entire 
 in this text, as in the other two, they would, 
 contrary to the express words of Scripture, have 
 survived the flood by 115, 249, and 100 years 
 respectively ! The evidence of the Samaritan 
 text being thus clearly excluded, we have only to 
 settle the claims of the other two witnesses on the 
 question of the life of Lamech. As in this case 
 all the witnesses differ in their statements, we 
 are deprived of the evidence of double testimony, 
 and we must resort to another test of the truth. 
 In the mean time it is proper to observe that the 
 date of the flood from creation will not, in the 
 slightest degree, be affected by the discrepancy 
 of the three texts on this point. 
 
 c
 
 18 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 The most striking discrepancies, however, are 
 to be found in the first two Tables. On looking 
 at Table I., we perceive that six of the Hebrew 
 Antepaidogonian ages, namely, the first five, and 
 the seventh, have been diminished by the exact 
 number of 100 years ; for, omitting that of 
 Noah, which is the same in all, the remaining 
 three agree with those of the Septuagint, with the 
 exception of six years only, in that of Lamech. 
 Again : On looking at Table II., we perceive 
 that the sir Hebrew Postpaidogonian ages, corres- 
 ponding to the six former ages, have been in- 
 creased by the exact number of 100 years; for, 
 the remaining three, corresponding to the three 
 former ages, agree with those of the Septuagint, 
 with the exception of 30 years in that of Lamech. 
 It is manifest, therefore, on the slightest con- 
 sideration of the question, that the centenary 
 increase of the six Hebrew Postpaidogonian ages 
 was made to balance the centenary decrease of the 
 six Hebrew Antepaidogonian ages, in order to 
 preserve the integrity of the whole lives of the 
 Patriarchs. These discrepancies, especially the 
 regular centenary difference which occurs six times, 
 have led to the uniform opinion among almost all 
 chronologers, from the period of their first dis- 
 covery, in the second century, till the present 
 day, that they were the work of design or artifice, 
 and not the offspring of chance or mistake! 
 
 The regularity of the Antepaidogonian ages of
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 19 
 
 the Septuagint, argues very strongly in favour of 
 their accuracy ; while, the irregularity of those 
 of the Hebrew text militates powerfully against 
 the supposition of their being correct. For, in 
 accordance with the language of Scripture, and 
 the experience of all ages, " generation comes, 
 and generation goes, and the earth continues 
 stationary for the age," (Ecclesiastes i. 4) ;* little 
 change is therefore likely to have taken place in 
 the Ante and Post Paidogonian ages and whole lives 
 of those almost millenarian patriarchs, except by 
 the special interposition of God, and for some 
 specific purpose, which he would have con- 
 descended to reveal unto man. Hence, we find 
 that when the Patriarch Enoch, " the seventh 
 from Adam," was appointed, as the first Prophet 
 on record, to announce to the old world the 
 mingled news of redemption and judgment, he 
 was afterwards translated to heaven without 
 dying, before three of his ancestors (according to 
 the Septuagint), and about six centuries before 
 the usual term of human life in that age of won- 
 ders ; so soon and so strikingly did the Lord 
 sanction the message of his faithful servant, and 
 admit him at once to his eternal and glorious 
 reward. 
 
 * This translation, which is from the Septuagint, may be 
 considered as too free by some ; but we conceive that it ex- 
 presses the true meaning of the passage, which is not conveyed 
 in our common version ; for the earth abideth not for ever ! 
 
 c 2
 
 20 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 4. Reasons assigned for the alterations in the Hebrew and Samaritan Ac- 
 curacy of the Septuagint demonstrated An objection to its chronology 
 removed Utility of the publication otfac simile editions of the codices 
 Late origin of the printed Hebrew text Its original agreement with 
 the Septuagint proved. 
 
 Moreover, the remarkable circumstance that 
 three of the Hebrew Antepaidogonian ages, namely, 
 those of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech, exceed 
 other three, namely those of Cainan, Maha- 
 laleel, and Enoch, by a difference of about 100 
 years, although the former partriarchs stood so 
 nearly related to the latter, argues that some 
 good reason must have existed in the minds of 
 those who dared to make the alterations, for not 
 abstracting the usual centenary difference from the 
 former. Accordingly, we find that if this altera- 
 tion had been effected on the Hebrew Antepaidogo- 
 nian ages of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech, in 
 order to make them uniform with the rest in this 
 respect, the flood would, according to that text, 
 have taken place in A.M. 1356, their Postpaido- 
 gonian ages would have been 900, 882, and 695 
 years, and they would, contrary to Scripture, 
 have survived the flood by 66, 200, and 95 years 
 respectively! This anticipated result affords the 
 strongest presumptive evidence that the Hebrew 
 Antepaidogonian ages must all have been originally 
 the same as those of the Septuagint ; and that to 
 serve some particular purpose, a century was 
 abstracted from six of them, but not from the
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 21 
 
 remaining three ; because if this had been done, 
 either the integrity of the whole lives corresponding 
 to them would have been destroyed, or the three 
 patriarchs in question would have been falsely 
 represented, as having long survived the deluge. 
 The Hebrew text (as it now exists), represents 
 Methuselah as dying in the very year of the 
 flood, although only forty days of it had elapsed 
 when Noah entered the Ark ! Thus, according 
 to that text, the only man of that age who 
 " walked with God," and was "righteous before 
 him in that generation," would have, in addition 
 to the distressing cares and the unutterable sym- 
 pathies attending the arrival of God's awful 
 judgment, the personal and relative sorrow of 
 heart arising from the death and burial of his pious 
 and aged grandfather ; but we know that God 
 " doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children 
 of men ;" and we have much reason, therefore, to 
 question the accuracy of this coincidence ; for, to 
 suppose with some, that Methuselah was swept 
 away by the deluge, would be to contradict the 
 Scripture, which affirms that Noah was " just and 
 perfect in his generations." 
 
 This difficulty is entirely removed by the accu- 
 rate copies of the Septuagint, which places the 
 death of Methuselah six years before the flood. 
 Again, by the Hebrew text Lamech is repre- 
 sented as having died five years before that ca- 
 tastrophe, and consequently before Methuselah,
 
 22 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 being the only instance in the generations of the 
 righteous from Adam to Noah, in which the son 
 paid the debt of nature before the father. But 
 this anomaly evidently arises from the alteration 
 which was made in the Hebrew Antepaidogonian 
 age of Lamech, by the abstraction of six years, 
 the difference between it and that of the Septua- 
 gint ; for, if the original number had been retained 
 as in the case of Methuselah, Lamech would then 
 have been represented as surviving the deluge by 
 one year ! According to the present text of the 
 Septuagint, Lamech is indeed represented as having 
 died twenty-nine years before his father; but if 
 his Hebrew Postpaidogonian age be considered as 
 the correct one, his death would then have taken 
 p\acQJive years before the flood, and one year after 
 that of his father ; thus, the natural anomaly 
 would be removed, and the difference between 
 the years of his whole life, in the Hebrew and the 
 Septuagint, reduced from thirty years to six, the 
 amount of alteration in his Hebrew Antepaidogo- 
 nian age. The whole question is ably and fully 
 discussed in Mr. Cuninghame's " Fulness of 
 the Times," pp. 138, 139, and his " Septuagint 
 and Hebrew Chronologies tried," pp. 36 45, on 
 the supposition that Lamech's Postpaidogonian age 
 and whole life, as given in the Septuagint, are 
 strictly correct ; but his reasoning is of so length- 
 ened and recondite a nature that we must refer
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 23 
 
 our readers to the works themselves for complete 
 satisfaction on the subject.* 
 
 The Samaritan text is more consistent than the 
 Hebrew with regard to the centenary decrease of 
 the Antepaidogonian ages ; all of them but that of 
 Noah, having been submitted to its operation. 
 This alteration alone, however, was found to be 
 totally inadmissible ; because, as formerly re- 
 marked, the text would then have represented 
 three of the Patriarchs as long surviving the 
 deluge ; it was therefore necessary to make a 
 farther alteration, but on what principle it is 
 difficult to divine. We only know that two of the 
 Antepaidogonian ages, those of Methuselah and 
 Lamech, were reduced still more, namely from 
 87 and 82 years, to 67 and 53 years respectively ; 
 thereby occasioning a corresponding decrease in 
 the Postpaidogonian ages of Jared, Methuselah, 
 and Lamech, namely, from 900, 882, and 695 
 years, to 785, 653, and 600 years respectively, in 
 order to shorten their whole lives, and to bring the 
 dates of their deaths to coincide with the year of 
 the flood I Moreover, the idea thus conveyed, that 
 these three Patriarchs, either all died within forty 
 days of that event, or were swept away in the 
 common ruin, is, as we have shown in the case 
 of the Hebrew text, so contrary to nature arid to 
 
 * The reader will find an explanation of Mr. Cuninghame's 
 argument in the second part of this Dissertation.
 
 24 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 Scripture, that it cannot be entertained for a 
 moment. Whatever, therefore, may have been 
 the object of these complicated alterations in the 
 Samaritan, it is plain that they have been made 
 with much less skill and ingenuity than those of 
 the Hebrew, the clumsy artifice being so easy of 
 detection. Thus, we are forced, by internal evi- 
 dence alone, to conclude that the numerical state- 
 ments of the Hebrew and Samaritan texts, with 
 regard to the Antepaidogonian ages, on which 
 their chronology is considered entirely to depend, 
 have, with very few exceptions, been manu- 
 factured to serve some particular end or design ; 
 and that those of the Septuagint are not only 
 entirely free from any appearance cf this kind, 
 but being perfectly natural and consistent with 
 themselves, possess all the marks of genuineness 
 and authenticity. 
 
 It has been objected to the accuracy of the 
 chronology of the Septuagint, that some copies of 
 that version, were found at an early period of the 
 Christian era, having 167 instead of 187 years 
 for the Antepaidogonian age of Methuselah, and 
 802 instead of 782 years for his Postpaidogonian 
 age, whereby this Patriarch was represented as 
 surviving the flood by fourteen years ! Common 
 sense, however, teaches that this discrepancy 
 must have been purely owing to a mistake in the 
 transcribers of these copies ; because, other copies 
 were extant at the same period which contained
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 25 
 
 the correct numbers. Mr. Clinton, in his " Fasti 
 Hellenici," vol. i. p. 286, proves by extracts from 
 the early chronographers and historians, that some, 
 as Theophilus, Eusebius, Augustine, and Syn- 
 cellus, had the faulty reading in their copies ; 
 while others, as Demetrius, Josephus, Africanus, 
 Epiphanius, and the author of the Paschal 
 Chronicle, followed the correct copies ; and he 
 states that although " Augustine had the faulty 
 reading in his copies," yet " he judiciously applied 
 the proper remedy, and adopted the better read- 
 ing." This difference in the copies has even 
 reached our own times, and is found in the two 
 oldest and most complete manuscripts of the 
 Septuagint at present known to exist, namely, 
 the Vatican and Alexandrine codices ; the edition 
 of the Scriptures printed from the former having the 
 faulty reading, and that printed from the latter 
 having the true one. The librarians of the 
 British Museum have indeed, conferred an in- 
 valuable boon on the world, by the publication of 
 the fac simile of the Alexandrine codex ; and we 
 most anxiously hope that ere long, the Pope will 
 permit * the fac simile of the Vatican codex to be 
 published, especially as it is already printed and 
 ready for circulation ! The acknowledged fact 
 that discrepancies exist between this manuscript 
 and the editions printed from it,| increases the 
 
 * Revelation xiii. 17. f Ibid. xxii. 19.
 
 26 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 solicitude of all the pious and learned in this 
 country for its immediate publication. Would 
 that we could purchase even a single copy ! 
 
 The last argument we shall adduce here in favour 
 of the chronology of the Septuagint, and it ap- 
 plies both to the Ante and Post Diluvian ages, is 
 derived from the deliberate opinion of Dr. Kenni- 
 cott. In his valuable posthumous work, entitled 
 " Remarks on Select Passages of the Old Testa- 
 ment," p. 16, he says, " It has been proved from 
 Eusebius, that some Hebrew copies" of the Old 
 Testament, " having the larger numbers, existed 
 in the fourth century ; and others, on the autho- 
 rity of Jacob Edessenus, as late as the year 700 ; 
 whilst others much later, are mentioned in the 
 chronicle of Ecchellensis. And though such 
 manuscripts are all perhaps now lost, yet are 
 these testimonies confirmed by the traditions still 
 preserved among the Jews themselves, as to Seth 
 being born a hundred and thirty years after Abel's 
 death /" Moreover, it is acknowledged by biblical 
 critics, that all the copies of the present Hebrew 
 text were taken from manuscripts of date later 
 than the ninth century ; and, that the striking 
 uniformity which all the printed editions exhibit, 
 is to be attributed to the fact, that they were all 
 copied from the same codex. Dr. Hales also 
 gives citations from Eusebius, from the Jewish 
 Targums, and from other works, in which decided 
 reference is made to the larger numbers as they
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 27 
 
 anciently existed in the Hebrew.* In fine, Mr. 
 Cuninghame, in his " Dissertation on the Apo- 
 calypse," p. 535, fourth edition, proves, on the 
 authority of ancient Jewish tradition, that Adam 
 was two hundred and thirty years old when he 
 begat Seth ; consequently, by the argument ex 
 uno disce omnes, we conclude that the whole of 
 the Antepaidogonian ages are correctly given in the 
 Septuagint, and that the true extent of the ANTE- 
 DILUVIAN AGE, is 2262 years. 
 
 * Dr. Hales says. " The Targutn of Jonathan Ben Uzziel, 
 of the highest authority among the Jews, thus paraphrases 
 Gen. iv. 25: 'And Adam knew his wife when 130 years were 
 completed after Abel was killed.' And the same account is 
 furnished by the Bereshith Rabba, More Nevochim, Midrash 
 Tanchuma, Solomon Jarchi, Elias, and others of their prin- 
 cipal writers." See his " Analysis of Chronology," vol. i. 
 p. 80. Indeed, the whole of the second article of the second 
 section of his Introduction, is well worth perusal, being full of 
 very curious and interesting matter, all tending powerfully to 
 prove that the longer computation of the Septuagint was the 
 true and original computation of the Hebrew text. His com- 
 parison of the Masorete and Samaritan texts in regard to 
 Genesis xi. 10 32, is very valuable; see p. 82.
 
 28 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 EXTENT OF THE SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 1. Discrepancies of the three texts Unfounded hypothesis of Usher 
 Agreement of Josephus with the Septuagint Authority of this Version 
 in the Church Its chronology confirmed by the most authentic Chinese 
 annals Reasons why the Jews altered the Hebrew text. 
 
 THE extent of the Second, or Postdiluvian Age, 
 is ascertained from the text of Genesis x. 
 21 25; xi. 10 32, and xii. 4 ; by summing up 
 the Antepaidogonian ages of the Postdiluvian Patri- 
 archs, including the date of the Call of Abraham 
 from that of Terah. This amount is, according 
 to the Hebrew text, and the Latin Vulgate, 367 
 years ; according to Usher's view of that text, 
 427 years; according to the Septuagint, 1147 
 years; and, according to the Samaritan, 1017 years. 
 This enormous discrepancy is another Gordian 
 knot of equal difficulty with the former, and 
 requiring for its resolution, a similar process of 
 investigation and argument. Before resuming 
 the discussion, however, it is proper to notice a 
 very able and logical article in the " Cours Com- 
 plet de Theologie" of M. L'Abbe" Migne, entitled 
 " Chronographiae LXX Interpretum Defensio."
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 29 
 
 The author of this dissertation enters fully into 
 the critical history of the Septuagint version, and 
 investigates the causes of the existing discrepan- 
 cies between it and the Hebrew text. He power- 
 fully vindicates the authenticity and authority of 
 the Septuagint ; he clearly 1 refutes the absurd 
 suppositions which have been advanced from time 
 to time by critics in order to account for the 
 numerical errors which the advocates of the 
 Hebrew verity suppose it contains ; and, he com- 
 pletely demolishes the unfounded hypothesis of 
 Usher as to the fancied existence of two Greek 
 versions, both of which were ascribed to the 
 Seventy interpreters ! * He next discusses the 
 authority of the Samaritan Pentateuch, and proves 
 that it, as well as the Hebrew, originally contained 
 the same numerical statements as the Septuagint ; 
 and shews that it is entitled to be heard as an 
 additional witness in regard to the Postdiluvian 
 age, notwithstanding its error in the matter of 
 the Junior Cainan. He treats, in a very full and 
 impartial manner, of the authority of Josephus as 
 an historian and chronographer, and institutes a 
 careful and searching inquiry into his numerical 
 statements, which are universally admitted to be 
 so puzzling and contradictory. He clearly elicits, 
 however, the undeniable fact that the numbers of 
 Josephus originally agreed with those of the 
 Septuagint, both before and after the flood ; but 
 * " Syntagma," cap. iv. p. 34.
 
 30 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 he avows that they have been so vitiated by care- 
 less or designing copyists, that it is impossible to 
 establish a perfect coincidence. 
 
 The author then shows that in the first ages 
 of Christianity, the Septuagint translation was 
 esteemed a divine production ; that by the cita- 
 tions made from it in the New Testament, it has re- 
 ceived the stamp and seal of Christ and his Apos- 
 tles, as a genuine and faithful witness of the truth ; 
 and that the ancient chronology of this version 
 was reckoned authentic by the whole Christian 
 Church till the ninth century. He next inquires 
 into the authenticity of the chronological state- 
 ments of profane historians, particularly among 
 the Chinese and the Egyptians ; and shows that 
 the true and ancient records of these nations are 
 wholly irreconcileable with the shorter chrono- 
 logy. Thus, the era of the Emperor Yao, accord- 
 ing to the most authentic Chinese annals, is B. c. 
 2357 ; so that, according to the Hebrew chrono- 
 logy, even as expounded by Usher, he flourished 
 thirteen years before the flood ! While, accord- 
 ing to that of the Septuagint, he flourished in the 
 ninth century after the flood, or forty-one years 
 after the division of the earth among the primitive 
 founders of the nations.* 
 
 * We refer here to the date of the division of the earth as 
 determined by Mr. Cuninghame ; see the Preface to his 
 " Synopsis of Chronology," pp. 18 22, and his "Fulness of 
 the Times," p. 44. In these works, he makes out that the
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 31 
 
 The author next refutes some popular objec- 
 tions to the computation of the Septuagint, 
 founded, first, on the supposed immaculate purity 
 and miraculous preservation of the Hebrew text; 
 secondly, on the supposed antiquity of the Chaldee 
 paraphrasts, the Syriac version, and the Indian 
 and Chinese copies of the Pentateuch ; and 
 thirdly, on the decree of the Council of Trent, 
 in reference to the paramount authority of the 
 Latin Vulgate. He concludes by offering some 
 reasonable conjectures on the causes of the dis- 
 crepancies in question ; and, he shows that the 
 early Fathers were generally of opinion that the 
 Jews had violated and mystified the numbers of 
 the sacred text, in order, to disturb and confuse 
 the times which related to the Advent of the 
 Messiah, and thereby to confute the Christians, 
 by pretending to prove from that text, that Jesus 
 Christ could not be the true Messiah, because he 
 had appeared before the period predicted by the 
 prophets, namely, the middle of the sixth millen- 
 nary from Creation. Such is but a short and 
 hasty sketch of one of the ablest treatises we 
 have yet seen, on the Ante and Post Diluvian 
 chronology of the Septuagint. 
 
 division commenced in A. M. 3081 or B. c. 2398 ; that it con- 
 tinued during a jubilean period, or forty-nine years; and, of 
 course, that it terminated in A. M. 3130, or B. c. 2349. We confess 
 that we do not see the necessity of allowing so long a period for 
 the division of the earth ; and we think it more likely to have 
 been finished than to have been begun at the former date.
 
 32 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 2. Tables of the Discrepancies of the three texts with regard to the Post. 
 diluvian Patriarchs : Table IV., In their Antepaidogonian ages 
 Table V., In their Postpaidogouiau ages Table VI., In their whole 
 Lives. 
 
 The following Table relating to the Second Age, 
 exhibits the discrepancies of the three texts, with 
 regard to the Antepaidogonian ages of the Postdi- 
 luvian Patriarchs, and the years of the world, in 
 which they were born : 
 
 TABLE IV. 
 
 POSTDILUVIAN HEBREW. 
 PATRIARCHS. A.P. e. Bom A.M. 
 
 From the Flood . 2 
 
 SEPTUAOINT. SAMAHITAN. 
 
 A.P. *ges. Bom A.M. A.P. ages. Bora A.M. 
 
 2 2 
 
 Arphaxad . . . 
 Cainanf .... 
 Salah . . . . 
 
 35 
 30 
 
 1658 
 1693 
 
 135 
 130 
 130 
 
 2264 
 2399 
 2529 
 
 135 
 130 
 
 1309 
 1444 
 
 Heber .... 
 
 34 
 
 1723 
 
 134 
 
 2659 
 
 134 
 
 1574 
 
 Peleg 
 Reu 
 
 30 
 32 
 
 1757 
 
 1787 
 
 130 
 132 
 
 2793 
 2923 
 
 130 
 132 
 
 1708 
 1838 
 
 Serug .... 
 Nahor .... 
 Terah 
 
 30 
 29 
 70 
 
 75 
 
 1819 
 1849 
 1878 
 
 1948 
 
 130 
 
 79 
 70 
 
 75 
 
 3055 
 3185 
 3264 
 
 3334 
 
 130 
 
 79 
 70 
 
 75 
 
 1970 
 2100 
 2179 
 
 2249 
 
 To the Call of Abra- 1 
 ham . . J 
 
 SECOND AGE . 367 years. 1147 years. 1017 years. 
 
 The following auxiliary Table exhibits the dis- 
 crepancies of the three texts with regard to the 
 Postpaidogonian ages of the same Patriarchs, and 
 the years of the world in which they died : 
 
 t This name is marked in this and the two following Tables, 
 on account of its omission in the Hebrew and Samaritan texts.
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 33 
 
 TABLE V. 
 
 POSTDILUVIAN HEBREW. SEPTUAGINT. SAMARITAN. 
 
 PATRIARCHS. p.p. ges. Died A.M. P.P. Age*. Died A.M. P.P. ages. Died A.M. 
 
 Arphaxad ... 403 2096 403 2802 303 1747 
 
 Cainan f . . . . 330 2859 
 
 Salah. .... 403 2126 303 2962 303 1877 
 
 Heber 430 2187 270 3063 270 1978 
 
 Peleg 209 1996 209 3132 109 1947 
 
 Reu 207 2026 207 3262 107 2077 
 
 Serug 200 2049 200 3385 100 2200 
 
 Nahor .... *1 19 1997 *129 3393 *69 2248 
 
 Terah .... *135 2083 *135 3469 *75 2324 
 
 Abraham ... 75 2123 75 3509 75 2424 
 
 Lastly, the following Table exhibits the discre- 
 pancies of the three texts with regard to the whole 
 lives of these Patriarchs, and the number of their 
 generations from the flood : 
 
 TABLE VI. 
 
 POSTDILUVIAN 
 PATRIARCHS. 
 
 Arphaxad . . 
 Cainan f . . 
 Salah . . . . , *. 
 
 Heber 464 
 
 Peleg ..... 
 Reu . . . \ 
 Serug . . . .' 
 Nahor . . . 
 Terah .... 
 Abraham . 
 
 HEBREW. 
 
 W. livet. No. 
 
 438 1 
 
 SEPTUAOINT. 
 
 W. lives. No. 
 
 538 1 
 
 SAMARITAN. 
 
 W. lives. No. 
 
 438 1 
 
 
 
 460 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 433 
 
 2 
 
 433 
 
 3 
 
 433 
 
 2 
 
 464 
 
 3 
 
 404 
 
 4 
 
 404 
 
 3 
 
 239 
 
 4 
 
 339 
 
 5 
 
 239 
 
 4 
 
 239 
 
 5 
 
 339 
 
 6 
 
 239 
 
 5 
 
 230 
 
 6 
 
 330 
 
 7 
 
 230 
 
 6 
 
 *148 
 
 7 
 
 *208 
 
 8 
 
 *148 
 
 7 
 
 205 
 
 8 
 
 *205 
 
 9 
 
 *145 
 
 8 
 
 175 
 
 9 
 
 175 
 
 10 
 
 175 
 
 9 
 
 
 D 
 
 
 

 
 34 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 3. Authenticity of tbe Second Cainan Dilemma of the Venerable Bede 
 Mistake of Mr. Clinton and Mr. Home Usher's Dissertation Incon- 
 sistency of authorized translations of tho Bible Rashness of Beza 
 The Second Cainan in the most ancient Codices Mistake of Bede, 
 Hales, and other cbronographers. 
 
 Let us examine the internal evidence again 
 afforded by these Tables, in favour of our argu- 
 ment. On comparing their different columns, we 
 find that the name and generation of one of the 
 Postdiluvian Patriarchs, called by chronologers the 
 Second or Junior Cainan, has been either entirely 
 lost or wilfully omitted in the Hebrew and Sa- 
 maritan texts. This assertion we make with the 
 utmost confidence, because in Luke iii. 36, this 
 Cainan is distinctly enumerated in the genealogy 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and his name is found 
 in all the MSS. of the New Testament, with the 
 exception of the Codex Bez<E, which it is well 
 known has been corrupted in this place. The 
 hallucinations of commentators and chronologers 
 on this point, are perhaps the most extraordinary 
 which the annals of Criticism can furnish. To 
 refer no farther back than to the days of the 
 venerable Bede, we find him, in the preface to 
 his commentary on the Acts, confessing himself 
 unequal to the task of solving this difficult ques- 
 tion ; and, he greatly marvels why " ten genera- 
 tions only, from the flood to Abraham, are found 
 in the Hebrew verity," while the inspired Luke 
 chose to put " ekven in his Gospel, Cainan being
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 35 
 
 added according to the Seventy Interpreters." 
 In his exposition of that Gospel, he touches on 
 the same question, and says with singular naivete", 
 " but which of these is the truer, or whether both 
 can be true, God knoweth !"* Modern critics ap- 
 pear to have had much less difficulty in settling 
 this important matter. 
 
 Mr. Clinton, " Fasti Hellenic!," vol. i. pp. 
 288 -297, after citing all the testimonies of the 
 ancient chronographers for and against the gene- 
 ration of the second Cainan, hastily concludes 
 that it is a " spurious addition to the text;" and, 
 although he admits its existence in the " Greek 
 copies," yet he entirely omits to cite the testimony 
 of St. Luke, who must have been better acquainted 
 with the genealogy of Christ than any of the chro- 
 nographers ! His silence on this point would seem 
 to indicate that he had some doubts of the authen- 
 ticity of the text in question. He has, however, 
 given an extract from Syncellus, affirming that the 
 second Cainan was in all the copies of the Septu- 
 agint in his time, censuring Eusebius for omitting 
 him, and stating that St. Luke reckons him the 
 13th from Adam. Syncellus, in this passage, 
 very properly includes Shem in the genealogy, 
 although he is necessarily omitted in the chrono- 
 logy ; because, he was an Antediluvian by birth, 
 his Antepaidogonian age being entirely omitted in 
 the Scriptures, and the birth of his son being 
 
 * Usher's " Chronologia Sacra," cap. vi. p. 87. 
 D 2
 
 36 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 reckoned from the flood. Hence, we find that all 
 the ancient writers reckon Noah the tenth from 
 Adam, and Abraham the tenth from the flood, 
 Shem being evidently the eleventh from Adam, 
 and Abraham the twenty-Jirst. With feelings of- 
 the greatest respect for the extensive learning and 
 deep research of Mr. Clinton, we would seriously 
 advise him to consult the Codex Alexandrlnus in the 
 British Museum, and convince himself by ocular 
 demonstration, as we have done, of the genuine- 
 ness and authenticity of the testimonies of the 
 Evangelist and the Seventy Interpreters to the un- 
 deniable fact of the existence of the Postdiluvian 
 Cainan. Dr. Hales, " Analysis of Chronology,"* 
 vol. i. p. 90, appears to have strongly felt the 
 weight of St. Luke's authority on this point, 
 although, following the recent Masorete and Sa- 
 maritan texts, he rejects this generation. 
 
 Mr. Home, " Critical Introduction to the Holy 
 Scriptures," vol. iii. p. 561, 7th edition, asserts 
 that " St. Luke wrote for those Christians who 
 read the Greek version more than the original 
 Hebrew, and consequently he preferred their 
 version, which adds the name of Cainan to the 
 genealogy of Shem !" The desire to humour 
 the prejudices of any set of readers, by adding a 
 spurious generation to " the genealogy of Shem," 
 is too serious a charge to bring against the Evan- 
 
 The citations from Dr. Hales* work are referred to the 4to. 
 edition, Lond. 18001812.
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 37 
 
 gelist ; but when we consider that this would 
 be, in fact, adding a spurious generation to " the 
 genealogy of Christ," the charge becomes infi- 
 nitely more serious ! The attempt of chronologers 
 to mutilate this authentic document, by the exclu- 
 sion of one of the ancestors of our Lord, is so great 
 an injury to the Christian verity, that we do not 
 wonder at the pointed question put by Mr. Cun- 
 inghame, " Fulness of the Times," p. 200, " Did 
 St. Luke prefer a lie to the truth, to please men ?" 
 In order to satisfy his own mind, and to vindicate 
 his system of chronology from the charge of having 
 unwarrantably omitted this generation, by follow- 
 ing too closely the Hebrew verity, Usher deemed 
 it necessary to write in his " Chronologia Sacra,'' 
 a prolix Dissertation, entitled " De Cainano Ar- 
 phaxadi filio, &c.," to which our limits permit us 
 only to refer. The whole question, however, is 
 discussed in a very clear and satisfactory manner, 
 in Dr. Russell's "Connection of Sacred and Pro- 
 fane History," vol. i. pp. 158-167. There is also 
 a most admirable summary of the arguments in 
 proof of the existence of this Cainan, in Mr. Cun- 
 inghame's work above cited, where our readers 
 will find some -very judicious strictures on the 
 " Scripture Chronology " of Mr. Clinton ; see 
 pp. 187-207. 
 
 A candid perusal of these works must lead to 
 the inevitable conclusion that the name of the 
 Second Cainan ought not to have been rejected
 
 38 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 from the Sacred Text. It is strange, however, to 
 observe that in our authorized version of the 
 Scriptures, this generation has been excluded 
 from the Old Testament, while it has been ad- 
 mitted into the New. Such a manifest inconsist- 
 ency should have been avoided in a version 
 intended for public use in all the churches, and 
 sanctioned by royal authority ! The Latin Vul- 
 gate, published by the " supreme authority" of 
 the Roman Pontiff, is equally liable to the same 
 charge of inconsistency ; while Theodore Beza, 
 in his Latin version of the New Testament, has 
 omitted this generation altogether ! For this bold 
 step, Beza had no other authority than the 
 " Codex Graecolatinus," which, from having been 
 in his possession, bears his own name ; and 
 which, while reckoned of " little critical value," 
 is the only manuscript of the New Testament 
 discovered to be deficient in this respect. The 
 Second Cainan is, moreover, found in all the Greek 
 manuscripts of the Old Testament, both in Genesis 
 x. 24, and xi. 13 ; and, also in many copies, in 
 1 Chronicles i. 18 and 24, this chapter being 
 imperfect in the Vatican Codex, but complete 
 in the Codex Alexandrinus. 
 
 In confirmation of our argument, it is proper to 
 state, that there exists a fragment of a very an- 
 cient codex, which lays claim even to a higher anti- 
 quity than either of these codices, being described 
 in the words of Usher, " Syntagma de Septua-
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 39 
 
 ginta,"cap. ii. p. 18, as "omnium qui uspiam hodie 
 extant vetustissimus," and known by the name 
 of the " Codex Cottonianus." Of this codex, 
 unfortunately, a certain portion of Genesis only 
 remains; but it is of immense " critical value," 
 as it confirms the true readings of the Ante and 
 Post Paidogonian ages of Methuselah, and of the 
 passages relating to the second Cainan. In the 
 collation of this fragment " cum editione Ro- 
 mana," that is, with the Vatican edition, by Dr. 
 Grabe, posthumously published by Dr. H. 
 Owen, there are two fac simile engravings of a 
 portion of the manuscript, exhibiting the old, 
 uncial Greek letters, unaccented and unspirited, 
 like the codex Alexandrinus, and (curious to 
 remark) exhibiting also the effigies of four of the 
 Postdiluvian Patriarchs, spoken of in the adjacent 
 text, one being the very identical personage, 
 whose existence is not recognized by the Maso- 
 rete and Samaritan texts, and is therefore so 
 stoutly denied by the defenders of the Hebrew 
 verity ! We copy from the preface, the explana- 
 tion of one of the pictures, the plates of which 
 were engraven at the expence of the Antiquarian 
 Society of London, in 1744 : " Figurarum Ex- 
 plicatio. Tabula Prima. Fig. II. Arphaxadus, 
 Semi films, cum uxore sua et filio Cainane. Gen. 
 xi. 12, 13."* 
 
 * Collatio Codicis Cottoniani Gen sees, &c. Lond. 1778, 
 p. xiii.
 
 40 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 The unaccountable mistake committed by Bede, 
 in supposing that Abraham would be the eleventh 
 generation from the flood, if the Junior Cainan 
 were admitted into the text, has been copied by 
 a host of chronologers since his time, including 
 both Dr. Hales and Mr. Clinton ! Nothing, how- 
 ever, is more surprising than the pertinacity of 
 error, especially when it rests on the authority of 
 an esteemed or a learned man. We have seen 
 that when the Second Cainan is admitted into 
 the text, Abraham must be reckoned the tenth 
 generation from the flood ; consequently, if he be 
 rejected, Abraham must be reckoned only the 
 ninth, contrary to the united voice of antiquity, 
 both sacred and profane ! Hales and Clinton 
 have both cited extracts in proof of this argument, 
 from the most ancient chronographers, particularly 
 Berosus, Josephus, and Philo, shewing that 
 Abraham was universally reckoned the tenth 
 generation after the flood. The subterfuge adopted 
 by the advocates of the Hebrew verity, in reckoning 
 Shem, an Antediluvian, as one of the genera- 
 tions after the flood, in order to make up their 
 number, is too weak to require any comment. 
 There is no doubt, therefore, that both Hales and 
 Clinton are in the wrong; and, that Jackson, 
 Russell, and Cuninghame, who admit the Second 
 Cainan, are " in the right." The ancient testi- 
 monies which the former authors cite in favour of 
 their own argument, most decidedly confirm that
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 41 
 
 of their opponents ; consequently, they have the 
 merit of drawing "opposite conclusions from 
 the same facts," conclusions alike opposite to 
 the truth, and to the New Testament. 
 
 4. Internal evidence afforded by the Tables in favour of the computation 
 of the Septuagint Omissions in the Hebrew and Septuagint retained 
 in the Samaritan Accordance of the Septuagint with nature and pro- 
 vidence Mr. Cuninghame's argument from analogy The alterations 
 of Origen in the text of the Septuagint. 
 
 With reference to the three Postdiluvian 
 Tables, we find that the discrepancies of the 
 three texts exhibit greater irregularities in 
 Tables V. and VI. than in Table IV. It is 
 manifest that these discrepancies are also the 
 work of design or artifice, and not the offspring 
 of chance or mistake. The regular centenary 
 difference between the Hebrew and the Septua- 
 gint, occurs in siv of the Antepaidogonian ages, 
 namely, thejirst seven, omitting the second, which, 
 as we have seen, is wanting both in the Hebrew 
 and the Samaritan ; while, singular to remark, in 
 these six ages, the Samaritan agrees exactly with 
 the Septuagint ! To counterbalance this regular 
 centenary decrease in the Antepaidogonian ages in 
 the Hebrew, we should have expected, as in the 
 former case, that there would be a regular cen- 
 tenary increase of the corresponding Postpaidogo- 
 nian ages, in order to preserve the integrity of the 
 whole lives. This appears, however, to have been
 
 42 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 considered as a matter of no moment in regard to 
 the whole lives of the Postdiluvian Patriarchs, be- 
 cause the usual obituary statements regarding 
 them have been entirely omitted both in the 
 Hebrew and the Septuagint, while they have 
 been preserved in the Samaritan. Accordingly, 
 we find that the Samaritan, in the Postpaidogonian 
 ages, agrees only in two out of the six with the 
 Septuagint, and in none at all with the Hebrew. 
 Moreover, the difference between the Samaritan 
 and the Hebrew, is an exact centenary in Jive out 
 of the six ; while the Hebrew coincides entirely 
 with the Septuagint in four, one of the remain- 
 ing two, being the only case in which there is an 
 exact centenary increase to balance the centenary 
 decrease in the corresponding Antepaidogonian age. 
 In the corresponding whole lives, the Samaritan 
 agrees with the Hebrew mfive out of the six, while 
 the Septuagint and the Hebrew agree only in one. 
 The assimilation of the Samaritan to the Hebrew 
 in the whole lives, and its almost perfect agreement 
 with the Septuagint in the Antepaidogonian ages, 
 while it differs so much from both in other re- 
 spects, render its testimony as an uncorrupted 
 witness quite inadmissible ; yet, as it contains 
 manifest traces of the truth, especially in regard 
 to the latter statements, on which the chronology 
 mainly depends, we deem the double testimony 
 of the Septuagint and Samaritan of very consider- 
 able importance to our argument. This importance
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 43 
 
 is greatly increased, when we consider that the 
 statements respecting the whole lives in the three 
 texts cannot be compared, because they are now 
 only to be found in the Samaritan, and, even in it, 
 in a mutilated form ; the Hebrew and Septuagint 
 columns of Table VI. having been obtained from 
 those of Tables IV. and V., by the simple process 
 of addition. We, therefore, entirely agree with 
 Dr. Hales* in the opinion, that they must have 
 originally existed in all the texts ; first, because 
 they are given in all in the Antediluvian period, 
 and no sufficient reason can be assigned why 
 they are not also given in all in the Postdiluvian 
 period ; and secondly, because, though no trace 
 of them is left in the Hebrew, yet there is some 
 in the Septuagint, the latter still containing 
 the last clause of each statement, in the words 
 /cat a?re0av, " and he died." 
 
 An important argument in favour of the longer 
 computation is derived from the consideration that 
 the decrease in the duration of human life after 
 the flood, for the first ten generations, is more 
 natural and progressive in the Septuagint than 
 in the other two texts ; for, in the latter there 
 are greater leaps between the terms of the pro- 
 gression, and some of the differences even become 
 negative, which is not the case in the former. 
 Moreover, the decrease in the Greek series of 
 lives, seems to be more in accordance with the 
 
 * " Analysis of Chronology," vol. i. p. 84.
 
 44 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 usual proceedings of God's providence, and with 
 the history of the human race, instances of lon- 
 gevity having slowly and gradually diminished 
 both in number and extent, according as mankind 
 approached a greater degree of civilization and 
 refinement. In the preface to part second of Mr. 
 Cuninghame's " Fulness of the Times," p. xvii., 
 the author has discussed this question in a very 
 full and satisfactory manner. He shews that, in 
 the Septuagint, " there are deep analogies ob- 
 servable in the gradual diminution of human life." 
 Thus, " from Arphaxad to Serug are seven gene- 
 rations," and " from Nahor to Kohath are seven 
 generations." Now, from his observations, it 
 appears that the lives of the first and last of both 
 septenaries, constitute, with the highest average 
 of human life in the days of Moses (Psalm xc. 10), 
 a series of terms very nearly in geometrical pro- 
 gression, namely, 538, 330, 208, 133, and 80, of 
 which the approximate ratio is *62 ; but if the same 
 test be applied to the Hebrew lives, namely 438, 
 230,148, 133, and 80, (the two latter terms being 
 the same in both texts,) the regularity of the pro- 
 gression utterly fails ; for, if the ratio of the first 
 two terms were continued, the succeeding terms 
 would be so much reduced, that the highest ave- 
 rage of human life would become less than half 
 its true length ! The omission of the statements 
 respecting the whole lives in the Septuagint, can 
 only be accounted for, on the principle of undue
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 45 
 
 deference to the Hebrew text and to Jewish pre- 
 judices, after the era of the publication of the 
 Hexapla, the Octapla, and the Enneapla of the 
 celebrated Origen. This daring innovator in the 
 Church of God, so altered the original form of the 
 Septuagint, in order to make it correspond with 
 the Hebrew text, which he appears to have first 
 received from the hands of the Jews with the 
 most unsuspecting confidence, that the complete 
 restoration of the autograph of the Seventy inter- 
 preters, is, at this immense distance of time, a 
 question extremely problematical. 
 
 5. Mistake of Usher, adopted by Hales and Clinton, as to the Antepaido- 
 gonian age of Terah Mr. Cuuinghame's arguments unanswerable 
 His proof of the chronology of the Seventy from the discovery of its 
 Cyclical character Testimony of Eusebius to the true data of Abra- 
 ham's birth Table VII. Extent of the first two ages of the world. 
 
 The extraordinary hallucination of Usher in 
 adopting the unfounded opinion of some of the 
 later chronographers, that Abraham was born 
 when Terah was 130 years old,* is implicitly fol- 
 lowed by Mr. Clinton, although he admits that 
 " all the authorities which have been quoted " by 
 him, adhere to the Scriptural number, 70 years ; 
 and he argues in favour of the former, by con- 
 jecturing without a shadow of evidence, that the 
 Samaritan text was altered in Genesis xi. 32, 
 from 205 years to 145, in order that Terah's 
 " death might be adapted to the supposed time 
 
 * " Chronologia Sacra," cap. vii. p. 120.
 
 46 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 of the Call." This time is distinctly marked in 
 Scripture, and therefore requires "no supposi- 
 tion " at all. It is plain, from Genesis xii. 4, that 
 Abraham was 75 years old, when he obeyed the 
 Call ; and, from Genesis xi. 26, that he was born 
 when Terah was 70 years old. It is, therefore, 
 justly inferred that Terah was 145 years old, at 
 the time of the Call ; but as he died before Abra- 
 ham left Charran (Acts vii. 4), then 1 45 years was 
 also his age at his death, as in the Samaritan, and 
 not 205, as in the other two texts. The inconsis- 
 tency of the latter number, however, cannot by 
 any means affect the chronology, so long as the 
 authenticity of the former numbers is maintained. 
 The addition of 60 years, therefore, to the Ante- 
 paidogonian age of Terah, in order to preserve the 
 consistency of the number 205, is an unwarrant- 
 able assumption on the part of Usher and his 
 followers, and demonstrates that they have vir- 
 tually altered the Hebrew text in Genesis xi. 26, 
 from 70 years to 130, in order that Terah's age 
 at the birth of Abraham might be adapted to the 
 supposed time of his death ! There is no doubt 
 that both Hales and Clinton, who follow human 
 conjectures on this point, are again in the wrong ; 
 and, that Jackson, Russell and Cuninghame, who 
 follow the plain statements of Scripture, are " in 
 the right." In the preface to Part II. of the 
 " Fulness of the Times," p. xv., the author has 
 placed the inconsistency of Usher's scheme in
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 47 
 
 such a clear light, that further argument on the 
 subject is needless ; the following is his unan- 
 swerable conclusion: "the greatness of Abra- 
 ham's faith, in believing that he should have a 
 son at 100, is every where spoken of in the 
 Scriptures " as miraculous, " while he himself, on 
 this scheme, is procreated by his father at 130 !" 
 The author has, moreover, shown in this work, 
 that "the whole chronology of the Seventy is 
 arranged in various parallel series of Astronomical 
 time, Jubilees, Metonic cycles, and the larger 
 cycles of the universe ;" and, that these " depend 
 upon the exclusion of the 60 years added to 
 Terah's generation by Usher ; for if that period 
 be inserted, they are all destroyed. This, then, is 
 complete evidence that the f ranter of the Septua- 
 gint chronology, did not consider the 60 years as 
 any part of the chronology of the book of Genesis, 
 which is utterly incredible, had it then existed. 
 Therefore, it did not exist" On the other hand, 
 he has shown that " in the formation of the 
 Hebrew chronology, the insertion of the 60 years 
 was essential to the preservation of a Jubilean 
 character ; therefore, since there was a time 
 when " this period was ' ' not a part of the chro- 
 nology, the unavoidable and necessary inference 
 is, that the Greek, and not the Hebrew, is the ori- 
 ginal chronology." 
 
 From the Postdiluvian tables, it appears that 
 the birth of Abraham took place, according to
 
 48 EXTENT OF THE SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 the Masorete text, 292 years after the flood ; but, 
 according to Usher's interpretation of it, 352 
 years. The Samaritan text gives 942, and the 
 Septuagint 1072 years ; the latter number being 
 that given by Eusebius, at the beginning of his 
 Chronicon, translated by Jerome, as testified by 
 Scaliger in his "Thesaurus Temporum," p. 10, 
 and referred to by Usher,, in his " Chronologia 
 Sacra," cap. vi. p. 97; although in some of the 
 finest copies, we have seen it absurdly printed 
 1720 years, by an unaccountable transposition of 
 the figures ! See the edition by H. Stephans, in 
 1542. The following table exhibits the whole 
 amount of the discrepancies of the three texts, in 
 the first two ages of the world :* 
 
 TABLE VII. 
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. HEBREW. USHER. SEPTUAOINT. SAMARITAN. 
 
 Years. Years. Years. Years. 
 
 Antediluvian Age . . 1656 1656 2262 1307 
 
 Postdiluvian Age . . 367 427 1147 1017 
 
 FIRST Two AGES . 2023 2083 3409 2324 
 
 * It is remarkable that both Hales and Russell, notwith- 
 standing their acknowledged veneration for the Holy Scriptures, 
 have chosen to follow the testimony of Josephus, in regard to 
 the extent of the first two ages of the world ; but " their witness 
 agrees not together ;" for the 'former makes it 3333 years, and 
 the latter 3403 years !
 
 49 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW AND 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 
 
 THUS, it appears that there is a difference of 
 thirteen centuries and a-quarter between the 
 Hebrew-Usher and the Septuagint chronologies, 
 at the epoch of the Call of Abraham, a differ- 
 ence which is increased by another century and 
 a-half, in the remaining ages of the world up to 
 the birth of Christ, making in all, a difference 
 of fourteen and three-quarters exactly, or nearly 
 Jifteen centuries ! To account for this difference, 
 the advocates of the longer computation not only 
 impugn, as we have seen, the accuracy of the 
 Hebrew text, but adduce various important and 
 conclusive arguments against the shorter compu- 
 tation, in order to show the inconsistency of its 
 statements. Mr. Clinton, in citing these argu- 
 ments, chiefly from Jackson and Hales, endeavours 
 to rebut them, and to defend the Hebrew chrono- 
 logy, especially in the first two ages of the world ; 
 although he is forced to yield to the mass of evi- 
 dence against it, in the period of the Judges.
 
 50 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 1. Argument against the shorter computation, founded on the proportion 
 between the Antepaidogonian Ages and Whole Lives of the Patriarchs 
 Reasons for the enlargement of this ratio, and the diminution of the 
 length of human life. 
 
 The first argument, which is, that " the 
 shorter generations are repugnant to the course of 
 nature," is neither placed in a clear light, nor 
 fairly answered by Mr. Clinton ; Fast. Hell. vol. 
 i. p. 292. Although the extraordinary longevity 
 of man both before and after the flood, has no 
 parallel in the subsequent history of the world, 
 and we are therefore deprived of a satisfactory 
 means of comparison ; yet we perceive a suitable 
 proportion in the Greek numbers, between the 
 Antepaidogonian ages and whole lives of the 
 Patriarchs in the first two periods, which entirely 
 fails in the Hebrew numbers. Thus, taking the 
 averages of the six Antepaidogonian ages which 
 occasion the great discrepancy in the Antedilu- 
 vian period, and the corresponding whole lives, 
 we find that the former is about one-Jifth part of 
 the latter in the Septuagint, and about one-ninth 
 part in the Hebrew. If these ratios be applied 
 to the present average duration of human life, we 
 find that men, according to the former text, would 
 beget children at the age of fourteen years; but, 
 according to the latter, at the age of eight years ! 
 Again, taking the averages of the siv Antepaidogo- 
 nian ages which occasion the chief discrepancy 
 in the Postdiluvian period, and the corresponding
 
 AND SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 51 
 
 whole lives, we find that the former is about one- 
 third part of the latter in the Septuagint, and 
 about one-eleventh part in the Hebrew. Apply- 
 ing these ratios as before, we find that men, 
 according to the former text, would beget children 
 at the age of twenty-three years ; but according 
 to the latter, at the age of seven years ! On the 
 supposition, therefore, which we think not unrea- 
 sonable, that in these periods, the development 
 of the powers of the human frame was propor- 
 tional to the length of human life, it is manifest 
 that there is a propriety and consistency in the 
 Greek numbers, which are not only totally want- 
 ing in the Hebrew, but which render the idea of 
 generation at the ages now to be found in that 
 text, utterly impossible. It may be objected 
 even to the Greek numbers, that the ratio in the 
 Antediluvian period is rather premature, but it is 
 not impossible ; and we see in the enlargement 
 of the ratio, and in the diminution of the length 
 of life in the Postdiluvian period, according to 
 the Septuagint, the wise arrangement of an over- 
 ruling Providence ! For, the wickedness which 
 led to the destruction of the old world, appears 
 to have had its origin in the premature and un- 
 lawful connections which were formed between 
 " the sons" of the worshippers of the true God, 
 " who kept not their first estate" or original prin- 
 ciples, and " the daughters" of those sensualists of 
 the Cainitish race, who are, with them, " reserved 
 
 E2
 
 52 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 in perpetual chains under darkness to the judg- 
 ment of the great day !" In order, therefore, to 
 prevent such a fearful superabundance of vice in 
 future ages of the world, we see that the duration 
 of the life, as well as the development of the 
 natural powers of man, was reduced to narrower 
 limits. 
 
 2. Argument founded on the regular succession of human generations 
 Anomalies and Paradoxes of the Hebrew text Remark of Eusebius 
 Objections of learned men unanswered. 
 
 The second argument, which is, that the 
 shorter computation is inconsistent with the 
 regular succession of human generations, is rather 
 too quickly passed over by Mr. Clinton ; nor do 
 we wonder at his haste, for in our opinion, this 
 argument possesses very great weight, and is very 
 difficult to answer in a satisfactory manner. In 
 the Postdiluvian age, where he admits that it is 
 more cogent, there were, according to the Hebrew 
 chronology, no less than ten generations all alive 
 on the earth at the same time, contrary to the 
 principles of providential government so often 
 referred to in Scripture, and the following strange 
 anomalies and paradoxes took place. The last 
 two Antediluvian Patriarchs were contemporary 
 with all the Postdiluvian ; and after having wit- 
 nessed the destruction of the old world, they 
 were doomed to behold the violence of Nimrod, 
 the rebellious, the wicked project of the building
 
 AND SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 53 
 
 of Babel, and the judgment of God in the con- 
 fusion of tongues and the sudden dispersion of 
 mankind. Noah also survived the deaths of 
 Peleg and Nahor ; so that, contrary to the express 
 words of Scripture, the earth was divided in the 
 days of Noah instead of the days of Peleg. 
 Eusebius has even remarked that Noah was the 
 contemporary of Abraham for jifty-eight years ! 
 To avoid this obvious inconsistency was no doubt 
 a strong reason for Usher's adoption of the sixty 
 years additional to Terah's Antepaidogonian age, 
 the Hebrew chronology standing so much in need 
 of this extra time at the point of its greatest 
 poverty. Shem, the Antediluvian, survived the 
 deaths of all the Postdiluvian Patriarchs, except- 
 ing Heber ; he was alive at the marriages of 
 Isaac, Ishmael and Esau ; and, having buried 
 nine generations of his descendants, including 
 the Father of the Faithful, witnessed the destruc- 
 tion of Sodom, and died without partaking of the 
 Covenant of Circumcision! Terah, the father of 
 Abraham, was an idolater ; while Noah, the living 
 witness of God's judgment on the old world, and 
 a preacher of righteousness, and his son Shem, 
 the heir of his father's blessing, both Terah's 
 ancestors were still alive ! The promise made 
 to Abraham, that he should "go to his fathers in 
 peace," and be " buried in a good old age," most 
 distinctly implies that all those fathers, the 
 Postdiluvian Patriarchs, were dead and buried
 
 54 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 before him ; but, according to the Masorete text, 
 Shem, the Antediluvian, and seven of the Post- 
 diluvian Patriarchs, all his ancestors, were alive 
 at his death ; and the same Antediluvian, with 
 two of the Postdiluvians, Salah and Heber, even 
 survived him ! But it is quite unnecessary to 
 dwell on these paradoxes so contrary to the ordi- 
 nary providence of God, and to the whole tenor 
 of holy writ. Enough has been adduced to show 
 the inconsistency of the shorter computation, and 
 the difficult problems which its advocates have 
 yet to solve, in order to establish it on a secure 
 foundation, and to meet the unanswered objections 
 of the host of learned and pious men in all ages, 
 who have, either wholly or in part, adopted or 
 defended the Septuagint chronology ; such as, 
 the early chronographers, and historians down to 
 Syncellus, the early Christian Fathers, and in 
 later times, Morinus, J. Vossius, Pezron, Raleigh, 
 Stillingfleet, Walton, Kennicott, Jackson, Hales, 
 Horsley, and Russell. This argument is ably 
 enforced by Mr. Cuninghame in the " Essay" to 
 his " Chart of Sacred Chronology" pp. 17, 18, 
 the " Discourse," in his " Dissertation on the 
 Apocalypse" pp. 533 536, and his other Chro- 
 nological works.* 
 
 * See the Prefaces to the " Synopsis of Chronology ;" the 
 " Chronology of Israel ;" the " Hebrew and Septuagint Chro- 
 nologies Tried ;" the " Scientific Chronology of the year 1839," 
 and its Supplement; and the " Season of the End."
 
 AND SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 55 
 
 3. Argument founded on the inconsistency of the co-existence of idolatry 
 and the worship of the true God, in the same family, and within a short 
 period from the flood Remarks on the building of Babel Mr. Clinton 
 refuted Mr. Cuninghame's argument from Scripture The judgments 
 of God forgotten. 
 
 The third argument is, that the Hebrew 
 computation is inconsistent with the co-existence 
 of idolatry and the worship of the true God, in 
 the same family, and within so short a period 
 from the flood. This argument has been partly 
 anticipated ; but it receives additional strength 
 from the following considerations. If the short 
 account of the building of Babel, Gen. xii. 1 9, 
 be critically examined, there can be no doubt 
 that this politico-religious project, which was 
 headed by Nimrod, the " Great Intolerant before 
 the Lord," was the earliest attempt on record to 
 establish the Zabian system of idolatry. For the 
 arguments in favour of this opinion, we must, for 
 brevity's sake, refer to a work recently published, 
 alike remarkable for the novelty of its views and 
 the Scriptural simplicity of its style, entitled 
 the "Religious History of Man," by Mr. D. 
 Morison, pp. 157 168. Mr. Clinton sees 
 " nothing wonderful" in the fact that " idolatry 
 should have sprung up during the lives of Noah 
 and Shem ;" and he accounts for it on the princi- 
 ples of the fecundity of mankind and their dis- 
 persion at the confusion of tongues. It is very 
 strange, however, that Terah, who is mentioned
 
 56 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 in Joshua xxiv. 2, as the only idolater among the 
 Postdiluvian Patriarchs, should have dared to 
 follow the practices of the Heathen, while all his 
 pious ancestors were yet alive ! And, that, as 
 Mr. Cuninghame justly remarks, " the Scriptures 
 should tell us nothing" of the matter, seeing that 
 the sacred historians invariably record such awful 
 apostacies in the families of the righteous, as a 
 warning to all future generations. Idolatry, in 
 fact, sprang up in the family of Ham, in the third 
 generation ; but, not in that of Shem, till the 
 ninth ; shewing that the example and the memory 
 of pious ancestry had the effect of so long retard- 
 ing the influence of surrounding evil among their 
 descendants. The whole history of the period, 
 indeed, indicates that ages not a few, had elapsed 
 between the flood and the Call of Abraham ; and, 
 that during that interval, the remembrance of the 
 judgment of the old world was almost obliterated, 
 the worship of the true God virtually superseded, 
 and the memory of the early Patriarchs practically 
 forgotten. Moreover, the remarkable interposition 
 of Providence in the confusion of tongues and the 
 dispersion of mankind, calculated so deeply to 
 renew in the minds of men the recollection of 
 former judgments, and to put a stop to farther 
 progress in idolatry, appears in the lapse of time 
 to have shared the common oblivion, and to have 
 failed in producing that striking impression which
 
 AND SEPTUAQINT CHRONOLOGIES. 57 
 
 was sure to be felt among cotemporaries and their 
 immediate successors. 
 
 4. Argument founded on the inconsistency of the accounts of Sacred and 
 Profane History Remark of Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Isaac Newton's 
 objection refuted Epoch of the Foundation of the kingdom of Egypt. 
 
 The fourth argument is, that the shorter 
 computation is inconsistent with the credible ac- 
 counts of profane history, and the existence of so 
 many populous kingdoms and empires in the days 
 of Abraham. The insuperable difficulties in re- 
 conciling the chronology of sacred and profane 
 history, which have perpetually puzzled modern 
 historians, are in a great measure removed by the 
 longer computation. The often-cited passage of 
 Raleigh,* which contains his cutting remark on the 
 danger of " paring the times too near the quick," 
 lest thereby "the reputation of the whole story 
 might perchance bleed," has, in fact, never been 
 fairly answered on the principles of the Hebrew 
 chronology. The history of the battle of the 
 " four kings against five," in Genesis xiv., implies 
 a very great degree of populousness and civiliza- 
 tion in a single region, and more than can be 
 admitted on the shorter computation ; nor can 
 Sir Isaac Newton's answer to this objection be 
 considered as decisive, in which he implies that 
 the numbers of the allied armies must have been 
 small, because they were overcome by Abra- 
 * " History of the World," pp. 228, 277.
 
 58 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 ham with a very small force ; for, the Scriptures 
 inform us that it was " the Most High God that 
 delivered his enemies into his hand," and that it 
 is His province " to save by many or by few." 
 The account of Egypt, at the descent of Abraham, 
 in Genesis xii. 10 20, indicates that it was then 
 an ancient, populous, and long-established king- 
 dom ; and the profane records of its history, 
 though mingled with much that is fabulous, con- 
 tain well-attested facts which reach to a period 
 far beyond that assigned by the Hebrew text. 
 In an excellent article, entitled " Annotations 
 Ge'ologiques a la Genese," vol. iii. of the " Cours 
 Complet," it is shewn, by a careful and critical 
 analysis of the historical notices of Egypt, in 
 Manetho, Herodotus, Diodorus, Artapan, Jose- 
 phus, Eratosthenes, Pliny, the author of the Old 
 Chronicle, and Syncellus, that its various dynas- 
 ties were not consecutive but collateral ; and, 
 from the unsuspected agreement of the reigns 
 of different kings, it appears that " the epoch 
 B.C. 2900," or A.M. 2579, " may, in fact, be con- 
 sidered as that of the foundation of the king- 
 dom of Egypt." This epoch, according to the 
 Septuagint, corresponds to the patriarchate of the 
 Junior Cainan, about 300 years after the birth of 
 Mizraim, and about/i/h/ years after that of Salah ; 
 now, it is universally admitted that Egypt 
 or Mizraim (Genesis x. 6) was one of the first 
 kingdoms founded after the flood. According
 
 AND SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 59 
 
 to the Hebrew, however, the same epoch cor- 
 responds to the patriarchate of the Senior Cainan, 
 upwards of 500 years before the flood, and long 
 before Mizraim was in existence ! 
 
 5. Arguments founded on the deficiency of the numbers of mankind Epoch 
 of the occupation of Babylon by the Medes Calculation of the numbers 
 of mankind on the Eulerian ratio Mr. Clinton refuted. 
 
 As to the argument founded on the " num- 
 bers of mankind," Mr. Clinton has proved, Fast. 
 Hell., vol. i. p. 282, that an army of Medes occu- 
 pied Babylon about B.C. 2233, that is, according 
 to the Hebrew-Usher computation, 115 years, 
 and according to his own, partially interpolated 
 from the Septuagint, about 250 years after the 
 flood, when, as he says, " the population of the 
 earth would amount to many millions ;" and yet, 
 in the same page, he remarks, it is not likely 
 that " 101 years " after that event, the population 
 "would exceed 50,000 persons, and this number 
 it would certainly have reached within 160 years 
 of the flood !" Now, even on the Eulerian ratio, 
 cited from Malthus, this number would increase 
 only to about 6 J millions,* in his interval of ninety 
 
 * The Eulerian ratio here referred to, is that the numbers of 
 mankind are doubled every 12|- years. Now, in 90 years, the 
 doubling would occur about 7 times, which would occasion the 
 original number to be increased 128 times; because the 7th 
 power of 2 is 128. Hence, 50,000 multiplied by 128, gives 
 6,400,000, which is nearly 6| millions. If the calculation be 
 performed with the greatest mathematical nicety, the result will 
 only be 6,540,256, which is rather more than 6 millions.
 
 60 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 years, which is far from "many millions;' while, 
 in the Usherian interval, on his own showing, it 
 would have barely reached the former number ! 
 Such are only a few of the difficulties attending 
 the shorter computation, and such some of the 
 shifts to which its abettors and followers are 
 driven for its support. The simple and consistent 
 chronology of the Septuagint places the above- 
 mentioned event at the distance of nearly 1000 
 years after the flood, and rather less than a cen- 
 tury previous to the birth of Abraham ; so that in 
 his days the world had had sufficient time to reach 
 a state of populousness and civilization correspond- 
 ing to the history of the period, as recorded both 
 by sacred and profane authors. 
 
 6. Argument founded on the alteration of the Hebrew text by the Jews 
 Testimony of the early Fathers on this point Mr. Clinton's admission 
 as to the prophecies His refutation as to the chronology Motives of 
 the Jews for shortening the genealogies. 
 
 Mr. Clinton states that " Jackson and Hales 
 impute great alterations in the Hebrew copies " of 
 the Scriptures, " to the Jews of the second cen- 
 tury." It would have been more correct to have 
 said that Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Epiphanius, 
 Ephrem Syrus, Eusebius, Syncellus, and Abulfa- 
 rajius imputed such alterations to the Jews, not 
 only in the passages which applied to Christ, 
 which he considers " very probable," but also in 
 the numbers relating to the Ante and Post Dilu-
 
 AND SEPTUAGINT CRONOLOOIES. 61 
 
 vian genealogies ; because the testimonies of these 
 ancient authors are either cited or referred to by 
 the former. Mr. Clinton adds, that " it is difficult 
 to imagine what adequate motive the Jews could 
 have had for shortening the genealogies" Not 
 more difficult, in our opinion, than to imagine 
 what adequate motive the Jews could have had 
 for shortening the life of Jesus Christ ! A diffi- 
 culty, however, "to imagine an adequate motive" 
 for any transaction, is no proof that it did not take 
 place. The Jews did not attempt " to shorten 
 the genealogies," that is, to corrupt the chrono- 
 logy of the Scriptures, till all the witnesses were 
 dead who knew Jesus, and who had " companied 
 with them that were witnesses of his resurrec- 
 tion !" But when they found afterwards that the 
 Christians constantly proved out of the Septua- 
 gint, that Jesus was the Messiah, they had then a 
 sufficient motive for "shortening the genealogies," 
 if they could make it appear, from the Hebrew 
 text, that our Lord had come about fifteen cen- 
 turies earlier than the time fixed by tradition ; and 
 that, as the chronology of that text did not agree 
 with the chronology of the Septuagint, the epoch 
 of the true Messiah's advent had not yet arrived ! 
 They have accordingly continued to assert, in con- 
 tradiction even to their own Scriptures, and up to 
 the present day, that Jesus of Nazareth was not 
 their Messiah ! 
 vu ^buKndO blO adi.hii ,\iij
 
 62 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW 
 
 7. Motives ascribed to the Seventy Interpreters for enlarging the chronology 
 Pretensions of the Chaldeans and Egyptians to a remote antiquity 
 Insufficiency of the scheme adopted by the Interpreters Self-refutation 
 of Mr. Clinton's hypothesis. 
 
 Mr. Clinton finally asserts that " the first 
 translators of the Hebrew Scriptures had a very 
 obvious motive for enlarging the chronology," 
 because the " Chaldeans and Egyptians laid 
 claim to a remote antiquity !" The wished-for 
 inference is, that the Jewish translators, from a 
 very natural desire not to be behind their neigh- 
 bours in these pretensions, went upon an opposite 
 tack, and " lengthened the genealogies !" This 
 statement, for argument it cannot be called, 
 proves a great deal too much ; because the 
 scheme which they adopted, falls immensely 
 short of the end proposed. We have seen 
 that the difference between the Hebrew and 
 Septuagint chronologies, is only about fifteen 
 centuries ! This difference was, indeed, quite 
 sufficient for the purpose of the Jews, in denying 
 the advent of the true Messiah ; but, it was wholly 
 insufficient, nay, utterly useless, for the purpose of 
 coping with the pretensions of "the Chaldeans 
 and Egyptians to a remote antiquity." For, it 
 appears, from the testimony of Cicero, Diodorus, 
 and others, that Berosus claimed for the first 
 Chaldean kings, an antiquity of no less than 
 470,000 years ! And, from the fragments of 
 Manetho and the Old Chronicle, preserved by
 
 AND SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES. 03 
 
 Syncellus, that for the first Egyptian kings, an 
 antiquity is claimed, of 36,525 years ! But, 
 what are fifty -five centuries of antiquity, to 365 
 centuries, or to 4,700 centuries ? To add fifteen 
 centuries was to add nothing ! The Jews should 
 have added 1500 or 15000 centuries, in order to 
 meet the exigency of their "obvious motive!" 
 The argument, therefore, founded on the suppo- 
 sition that the Seventy Interpreters enlarged the 
 chronology of the Scriptures, in order to place the 
 claims of the Jews to " a remote antiquity," on a 
 par with those of the Chaldeans and Egyptians, 
 is so very absurd, that it completely refutes itself:* 
 
 * The pretensions of any nation to a remote antiquity could 
 only arise from ignorance of the sacred 'records, and of the true 
 traditions of its ancestors, or from a bold disbelief of both. 
 The Jews cannot be charged with either of these, their charac- 
 ter being remarkably the reverse until Christ came. Hence we 
 cannot suppose that the Seventy Interpreters would wilfully shut 
 their eyes to the glaring facts, that the true age of the world 
 was well known to their countrymen, that many of them were 
 then living in the hope of the fulfilment of the prophecies con- 
 cerning the Messiah, and that they were then accustomed " to 
 calculate the times." Any attempt on their part, therefore, to 
 increase that age by 1500 years, would have been looked upon 
 with abhorrence ; nor could they hope to escape detection and 
 severe reprobation ; unless, indeed, we can suppose that they 
 had assembled all the Jews " from every nation under heaven," 
 and made them privy to the transaction ! Before the advent, 
 therefore, such an alteration in the sacred text was impossible ; 
 but after that event it was not only possible, but actually took 
 place, not in the Greek but in the Hebrew, the former being 
 read all over the world, but the latter being confined to the 
 Jewish synagogue.
 
 64 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 EXTENT OF THE THIRD AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Table VIII. Patriarchal Eras and Intervals from Usher Table IX. Extent of 
 the first Three Ages of the World Date of the Exodus of Israel from 
 Egypt. 
 
 THE extent of the Third, or Patriarchal age, is 
 ascertained from the text of Exodus xii. 40 and 
 41. That this passage originally stood in the 
 Hebrew as it now stands in the other two texts, 
 is evident from Galatians iii. 17 ; and as all com- 
 mentators and chronologers are now agreed that 
 the commencement of the 430 years was reckoned 
 from the date of the Call, or the year following, 
 it is unnecessary to revive former disputes on this 
 point. The following table, partly from Usher,* 
 who distinctly enumerates all the texts of Scrip- 
 ture on which their determination depends, ex- 
 hibits the intervals, between the Patriarchal eras 
 of this period, and the corresponding years of the 
 world, according to the Hebrew and Septuagint 
 computations : 
 
 * Chronologia Sacra, pp. 162 and 171.
 
 EXTENT OF THE THIRD AGE OF THE WORLD. 65 
 
 TABLE VIII. 
 
 PATRIARCHAL 
 ERAS. 
 From the Call . . 
 
 HEBREW. 
 Intervals. A.M. 
 . . 2083 
 
 SEPTUAOINT. 
 Intervals. A.M. 
 3409 
 
 Birth of Isaac . . 
 
 . . 25 
 
 2108 
 
 25 
 
 3434 
 
 Birth of Jacob 
 
 . . 60 
 
 2168 
 
 60 
 
 3494 
 
 The Eisodus . . 
 
 . . 130 
 
 2298 
 
 130 
 
 3624 
 
 Death of Joseph . 
 Birth of Moses . . 
 
 . . 71 
 
 . . 64 
 
 2369 
 2433 
 
 71 
 
 64 
 
 3695 
 3759 
 
 To the Exodus . . 
 
 . 80 
 
 2513 
 
 80 
 
 3839 
 
 THIRD AGE 
 
 430 years. 
 
 430 years. 
 
 In the above and following tables we omit the 
 Samaritan computation, and adopt the Hebrew as 
 interpreted by Usher, as the question of the true 
 chronology in modern times is considered to lie 
 between the latter and the Septuagint. The next 
 table exhibits, according to these two systems, the 
 extent of the first three ages of the world. 
 
 TABLE IX. 
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 First two Ages 
 Third Age . . 
 
 HEBREW. SEPTUAGJNT. 
 Years. Years. 
 
 2083 3409 
 
 430 430 
 
 FIRST THREE AGES 
 
 2513 
 
 3839 
 
 Mr. Cuninghame, " Fulness of the Times," 
 p. 36, gives an ingenious explanation of " the 
 sojourning of the children of Israel in Egypt," 
 and shows that, strictly speaking, the period of 
 430 years should be reckoned from the date of 
 
 F
 
 66 EXTENT OF THE THIRD AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Abraham's descent into that land, after his arrival 
 in Canaan, or one year later than the date of the 
 Call. Hence, the Exodus took place in A.M. 
 3840, according to the computation of the Sep- 
 tuagint.* 
 
 * Although the extent of the third age is clearly established 
 by the reference of Paul to the period of 430 years, from the 
 confirmation of the covenant to Abraham to the promulgation of 
 the law from Mount Sinai, yet it will be satisfactory to observe, 
 that the passage cited from the book of Exodus originally stood 
 as follows : " And the sojourning of the children of Israel, 
 which they and their fathers sojourned in the land of Egypt 
 and in the land of Canaan, was 430 years. And it came to 
 pass, after the 430 years, that all the host of the Lord went out 
 of the land of Egypt by night ;" see the Septuagint, Alexandrine 
 edition, and the Samaritan Pentateuch, Exod. xii. 40, 41. The 
 words in Italics in this passage are omitted in the Hebrew text, 
 and the words " even the self-same day," are interpolated. 
 That this is an interpolation is quite evident, for even in the 
 Hebrew, in the very next verse, we are twice told that " It is a 
 night much to be observed unto the Lord," for this great de- 
 liverance. Thus, by the testimony of three witnesses against 
 one, the true reading is established. Nevertheless, Archbishop 
 Usher calls the passage just cited from the Septuagint a para- 
 phrastic explanation of the words of Moses ; and he says that 
 the corresponding passage in the Samaritan text is interpolated 
 from the Greek version ! " Chronologia Sacra," cap. viii. p. 
 127. Biblical critics and commentators, in general, now admit 
 that these texts have preserved the true reading ; see the note 
 on this passage, by the editor of the Religious Tract Society's 
 Commentary on the Bible, from Henry and Scott. Mr. Clin- 
 ton also very properly defends the right interpretation of the 
 passage ; for he says, " some modern writers have very unrea- 
 sonably doubted this portion of the Hebrew chronology ;" see 
 " Fasti Hellenici," vol. i. page 299.
 
 67 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 EXTENT OF THE FOURTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Palpable Forgery of this period in 1 Kings vi. 1. Table X. Critarchal Eras 
 and Intervals, from Usher and Cuuinghame Object of Usher in deter- 
 mining this period Testimony of Paul and the Book of Judges as to its 
 true extent Testimony of Origen Table XI. Extent of the first four 
 ages of the world Verification of the true extent of the fourth age by 
 Chronographers Agreement on this point between Mr. Clinton and 
 Mr.. Cuninghame. 
 
 THE extent of the Fourth, or Critarchal age, is 
 ascertained from the books of Joshua, Judges, 
 Samuel and Kings, and confirmed by Acts iii. 
 17 22. Many disputes have arisen as to the 
 true length of this period, in consequence of the 
 interpolation of a passage in 1 Kings vi. 1, 
 both in the Hebrew and Septuagint, which is 
 now very generally admitted to be a palpable 
 forgery! The following table, partly from Mr. 
 Cuninghame, " Synopsis of Chronology," p. 15, 
 and partly from Usher, " Chronologia Sacra," 
 p. 203, both of whom distinctly enumerate all the 
 texts of Scripture on which their determination 
 depends, exhibits the intervals of the Critarchal 
 eras, and the corresponding years of the world, 
 according to the two systems : 
 
 F 2
 
 68 
 
 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 TABLE X. 
 
 CRITARCHAL 
 
 ERAS. 
 
 From the Exodus . . 
 Passage of Jordan . . 
 Division of the Land 
 
 1st SERVITUDE 
 Critarchate of Othniel . 
 
 2nd SERVITUDE 
 Cr. of Ehud and Sham gar 
 
 3rd SERVITUDE 
 Cr. of Deborah and Barak 
 
 4th SERVITUDE . . 
 Critarchate of Gideon . 
 Of Abimelech, Tolah and Jair 48 
 
 5th SERVITUDE 
 Critarchate of Jephthah 
 Of Ibzan, Elon and Abdon 
 
 6th SERVITUDE (Samson) 
 Critarchate of Eli ... 
 
 7th SERVITUDE . . 
 Critarchate of Samuel . . 
 
 Reign of Saul 
 
 Reign of David .... 
 To the Foundation of Solo- 
 mon's Temple . . . 
 
 FOURTH AGE 
 
 The object of Usher in determining the Hebrew 
 computation of this period, as given above, was 
 evidently to square or fashion the intervals so that 
 their sum should not exceed the interpolated period 
 of 480 years ! This he has effected by the 
 
 HEBREW. 
 Intervals. A.M. 
 2513 
 
 SEPTUAGIWT. 
 Intervals. A.M. 
 3840 
 
 40 
 
 2553 
 
 40 
 
 3880 
 
 6^ 
 
 r 2559 
 
 7 
 
 3887 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 3915 
 
 40 
 
 2599 
 
 40 
 
 3955 
 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 3973 
 
 80 
 
 2679 
 
 80 
 
 4053 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 4073 
 
 40 
 
 2719 
 
 40 
 
 4113 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 4120 
 
 49J 
 
 I 2769 
 
 40 
 
 4160 
 
 r 48 
 
 2817 
 
 48 
 
 4208 
 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 4226 
 
 6 
 
 2823 
 
 6 
 
 4232 
 
 25 
 
 2848 
 
 25 
 
 4257 
 
 ) 
 40 
 
 2888 
 
 40 
 40 
 
 4297 
 4337 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 4357 
 
 21 
 
 2909 
 
 12 
 
 4369 
 
 40 
 
 2949 
 
 40 
 
 4409 
 
 40 
 
 2989 
 
 40 
 
 4449 
 
 3 
 
 2992 
 
 3 
 
 4452 
 
 
 
 479 
 
 years. 
 
 612 
 
 years.
 
 FOURTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 69 
 
 omission of the intervals of all the SERVITUDES, 
 which are expressly recorded in Scripture, the 
 interpolation of 9 years between the critarchates 
 of Gideon and Abimelech, and the addition of 
 nine years to the critarchate of Samuel. The 
 remark, therefore, of Mr. Cuninghame, in treat- 
 ing of the distinguishing marks of the true and 
 false systems of chronology, " Fulness of the 
 Times," p. 141, is no less just than severe : " it is 
 plain that had Usher given to this part of his 
 chronology the title of An attempt to pervert the 
 testimony of the Book of Judges, it would have been 
 a just description of it !" Moreover, Paul, when 
 he addressed the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, with 
 the book of the Law and the Prophets in his 
 hand, must have been perfectly well acquainted 
 with the period in question? and his summary of 
 the intervals completely confirms the reckoning of 
 the Septuagint, which was followed by all the 
 ancient chronographers, notwithstanding the inter- 
 polated passage, which is manifestly the work of 
 a later age. In this summary, he marks out the 
 intervals of "forty years in the wilderness," of 
 the judges "about 450 years" from the division 
 of the land, " until Samuel the prophet," and of 
 the reign of Saul "forty years," the amount of 
 which is 530 years. If to this be added the 
 intervals of the Jive years' war (Joshua xiv. 10) 
 of the two years for the completion of the con- 
 quest of Canaan and the division of the land, of
 
 70 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 the twenty years' abode of the ark at Kirjath- 
 jearim, of twelve years for the critarchate of 
 Samuel, of i\\Q forty years' reign of David, arid of 
 the first three years of Solomon's reign, making 
 in all eighty-two years, the whole amount is 
 exactly 612 years. The only one of these intervals 
 not now mentioned in Scripture, is the critarchate 
 of Samuel at Mizpeh, which has fortunately been 
 preserved by Josephus and Theophilus, both of 
 whom, without doubt, had more perfect copies of 
 the Hebrew and Septuagint texts, and who state 
 its length at twelve years. Independently, how- 
 ever, of this interval, the Book of Judges clearly 
 establishes the true period as far as 600 years, and 
 completely overthrows the forged period of 480 
 years. It is worthy also of remark, that Origen 
 cites the immediate context of the interpolated 
 passage, giving the sentences both before and 
 after it, but making no mention whatever of the 
 number itself ; * which clearly shows that it was 
 not in the Hebrew text in his time. The follow- 
 
 The following is the passage as written by Origen, in his 
 commentary on the Gospel of St. John : ytypairrcu yap iv rjj 
 rpt'rjj TMV /3astXctwv, is i/rot'/iaaav TOVS X/0ovs, KCU ra vXa rpialv 
 'irtaiv' iv ci ry rerapry crti, prjvi Ctvripy, fiaaiXtvovros rov 
 pacri\i(i>s SoXojUiWros lirl Icrpa^X, ivtrtiXaro o /jaaiXtvs, c.r.X. ; 
 which reads thus : It is written in the third [book] of 
 Kings, so they prepared stones and timber for three years ; 
 and in the fourth year, in the second month, of the reign of 
 King Solomon over Israel, the king commanded, SfC. 1 Kings v. 
 18; and vi. 1.
 
 FOURTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 71 
 
 ing table exhibits, according to the two systems, 
 the extent of the first four ages of the world : 
 
 TABLE XI. 
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. HEBREW. SEPTUAOINT. 
 
 Years. Years. 
 
 First three Ages 2513 3840 
 
 Fourth Age 479 612 
 
 FIRST FOUR, AGES . . 2992 4452 
 
 In the learned works of Russell, Clinton, and 
 Cuninghame, will be found numerous and im- 
 portant verifications of the true extent of the 
 fourth period, from different authors, ancient and 
 modern, of which the following are the most im- 
 portant. Josephus makes it 612 years in two 
 different places of his works, and 592 in another, 
 where he omits the 7th Servitude ; Dr. Russell, 592 
 years, following Josephus in the latter number ; 
 Theophilus, 612 years, some of his intervals being 
 inaccurate, but the errors balancing each other; 
 Eusebius, 613 years in his " Preparatio," and 600 in 
 his " Chronicon," where he omits the critarchate 
 of Samuel ; Jackson, 579 years, by the omission 
 of both ; and Hales, 621 years, by the interpola- 
 tion of an interregnum of ten years ; lastly, Mr. 
 Clinton, 612 years, his intervals being very nearly 
 the same as those of Mr. Cuninghame. Thus, 
 by the double testimony of Scripture, and by the 
 admission of the ablest defender of the Hebrew 
 verity in modern times, it is manifest that the 
 forged period of 480 years current, or 479 com-
 
 72 EXTENT OF THE FOURTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 plete, falls short of the truth by 133 years ! Hence, 
 Mr. Clinton places the creation of the world in 
 the year B. c. 4138, instead of the Usherian year 
 B. c. 4004.* 
 
 * Mr. Cuningharae's remarks on Usher's system, in his " Synop- 
 sis of Chronology," pp. 18-20, are very appropriate. We are 
 forced to abridge them as follows : " I have in my former works, 
 shown that the learned prelate's Chronology of this period is 
 manufactured; and in this conclusion I have the support of the 
 most eminent writers, including the names of Hales, Kennicott, 
 Dr. Russell, Mr. Clinton, added to the whole of the ancient 
 chronographers. The latest attempt made to prop up or patch 
 his system as a whole, is that of the author of the Chapter on 
 Chronology, in the last edition of Mr. Bickersteth's Guide to 
 the Prophecies. But while this learned chronographer thus 
 sets his seal to the almost exact truth of Usher's sum total of 
 years, he no less sets his seal to the fact that Usher has filled 
 up the period by & false chronoloyy. According to this learned 
 writer, it is therefore undeniable that Usher's chronology of the 
 period from the Exodus to the first of Solomon is, as to its par- 
 ticulars, manufactured and erroneous. Now it is quite a fair 
 question to Mr. Bickersteth and his friend, to ask them by 
 what arithmetical process they have found out that the scheme 
 which they thus bear testimony to be false as to its particulars, 
 is yet true as to its sum total. Is it a newly discovered prin- 
 ciple that many falsehoods make one truth ? As to the scheme 
 of particulars substituted for that of Usher in these tables, it is 
 like that of the learned prelate himself, utterly opposed to the 
 narrative and testimony of the book of Judges. There is one 
 part of the scheme, however, which merits even more severe 
 animadversion. The author of the Table makes the period in 
 Acts xiii. 20, expire at the return of the ark from Kirjath- 
 jearim. Are we then to conclude that he has clipped down St. 
 Paul's 450 to 350 ? I can see no other mode of explaining his 
 calculation."
 
 73 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 EXTENT OF THE FIFTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Table XII. Monarchal Eras and Intervals, from Usher and Cuninghame 
 Correction of the mistakes of cbronologers as to the true extent of thia 
 period, by Mr. Cuninghame Table XIII. Extent of the first five ayes 
 of the World Confirmation of the true extent of the fifth aye from 
 sacred history and prophecy. 
 
 THE extent of the Fifth, or Monarchal Age, is 
 ascertained from the Books of Kings and Chro- 
 nicles, and confirmed by chronological notices of 
 the Prophets. The difference between the He- 
 brew and Septuagint chronologies in this period, 
 amount only to about fifteen years, which is 
 chiefly owing to an interregnum between the 
 reigns of Amaziah and Uzziah not acknowledged 
 by Usher and his followers. The following table, 
 from Usher's " Chronologia," pp. 2 23, and Mr. 
 Cuninghame's " Synopsis," p. 73, where the 
 texts of Scripture containing them are distinctly 
 enumerated, exhibits the intervals of the Monar- 
 chal Eras, and the corresponding years of the 
 world, according to both systems :
 
 74 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 TABLE XII. 
 
 MONARCHAL 
 
 HEBREW. 
 
 SEPTUAOINT. 
 
 ERAS. 
 
 
 Intervals. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 Intervals. A.M. 
 
 From the Foundation 
 of Solomon's Temple 
 Death of Solomon . 
 
 } 
 
 
 . 37 
 
 2992 
 3029 
 
 
 37 
 
 4489 
 
 Reign of Rehoboam . 
 Abijah . . 
 Asa . . . 
 
 
 
 . 17 
 3 
 . 41 
 
 . 25 
 . *4 
 
 3046 
 3049 
 3090 
 3115 
 3119 
 
 17 
 3 
 41 
 25 
 *6 
 
 4506 
 4509 
 4550 
 4575 
 4581 
 
 Jehoshaphat 
 Jehoram . 
 
 
 
 Ahaziah . 
 
 . . 
 
 -'* 1 l 
 
 3120 
 
 1 
 
 4582 
 
 Athaliah . 
 
 . . 
 
 6 
 
 3126 
 
 6 
 
 4588 
 
 Jehoash 
 
 . . 
 
 . 39 
 
 3165 
 
 *40 
 
 4628 
 
 Amaziah . 
 
 
 
 . 29 
 *0 
 
 3194 
 
 3246 
 3262 
 
 29 
 12 
 52 
 16 
 
 4657 
 4669 
 4721 
 4737 
 
 Reign of Uzziah . . 
 Jotham 
 
 
 
 . 52 
 . 16 
 
 Ahaz . . 
 
 . . 
 
 . *15 
 
 3277 
 
 16 
 
 4753 
 
 Hezekiah . 
 
 > 
 
 . 29 
 
 3306 
 
 29 
 
 4782 
 
 Manasseh . 
 
 . . 
 
 . 55 
 
 3361 
 
 55 
 
 4837 
 
 Amon . . 
 
 . . 
 
 2 
 
 3363 
 
 2 
 
 4839 
 
 Josiah . . 
 
 . 
 
 . 31 
 
 3394 
 
 31 
 
 4870 
 
 Jehoaliaz, Jehoiakim, 
 and Jehoiachin 
 
 } . 
 
 . 11 
 
 3405 
 
 11 
 
 488! 
 
 To the Destruction of 
 Solomon's Temple 
 
 } 
 
 
 3416 
 
 10 
 
 4891 
 
 FIFTH AGE . . 424 years. 439 years. 
 
 The discrepancies in the different columns of 
 this table, have been very carefully and laboriously 
 investigated by Mr. Cuninghame, in his " Chro-
 
 FIFTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 75 
 
 nology of Israel," pp. 1839, 87, 88, 115 and 
 116 ; and in his "Fulness of the Times,'* part i. 
 pp. 193197, and part ii. pp. 3249, and 56 
 60, where the errors of Usher, Lightfoot, Hales, 
 Russell and Clinton, and of the " Seder Olam 
 Rabba,"* are clearly pointed out and refuted on 
 Scripture authority ; and, by the correction of 
 obvious mistakes of two or three current years in 
 their computation, the testimonies of Josephus, 
 Clemens, Theophilus, and Eusebius in favour of 
 the true chronology, are satisfactorily established. 
 By excluding the interregnum, and reckoning the 
 years of each reign complete, Dr. Russell and 
 Mr. Clinton, both estimate the length of this 
 period at 430 years ; the latter, however, in his 
 tabular view, p. 329, vol. i., ultimately reduces this 
 number from 430 current, to 426 complete years, 
 by reckoning from Rehoboam to Zedekiah 389 
 years. Jackson reckons this period at 428, and 
 Hales at 441 years. The true extent of ihejifth 
 age being determined at 439 years, the following 
 table exhibits according to the two systems, the 
 extent of the jirst Jive ages of the world : 
 
 * This is the Hebrew title of the most famous Jewish work on 
 chronology, and signifies " The Great Chronicle of the World.'' 
 Dr. Hales says, " This was the first curtailed system of Jewish 
 chronology, fabricated by Rabbi Josi, under the auspices of 
 Rabbi Akiba, the abettor of the rebel-impostor Barchochab, 
 A.D. 130, in the reign of Adrian." See his " Analysis," p. 13.
 
 76 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 TABLE XIII. 
 
 TH* WOELD. HEBREW. SEFTUAGIHT. 
 
 Years. Years. 
 
 First four Ages 2992 4452 
 
 Fifth Age -.,, 424 439 
 
 FIRST FIVE AGES . . 3416 4891 
 
 The true extent of the fifth age is strongly con- 
 firmed by Ezekiel iv. I 8, where, in the fifth 
 year of Jehoiachin's captivity, or in A. M. 4885, 
 the prophet is commanded to predict in a striking 
 manner the siege of Jerusalem, and to lie on his 
 left side 390 days, according to the number of the 
 years of the iniquity of the house of Israel ; and, 
 on his right side forty days, according to the num- 
 ber of the years of the iniquity of the house of 
 Judah ; EACH DAY FOR A YEAR. The sum of these 
 prophetic days, namely 430, is therefore, the 
 whole number of the years of the iniquity of Israel 
 and Judah. This number of years singularly 
 coincides with that of the period appointed for 
 the " sojourning of the fathers and children of 
 Israel," and has no doubt a very extensive pro- 
 phetic signification. But the period of 390 years 
 more particularly points at some great general de- 
 fection, when the iniquity of Israel was particularly 
 prominent. This iniquity in fact, rose to its 
 highest pitch, when the Ten Tribes separated 
 themselves from the house of Judah, and took to
 
 FIFTH AGE OF THE WORLD.' 77 
 
 the worship of the golden calves. Now, it ap- 
 pears from 2 Chronicles xi. 13 17, that the 
 general defection from the worship of the true 
 God, both in Israel and Judah, did not take place 
 till three years after the accession of Rehoboam 
 to the throne of David, and the election of Jero- 
 boam to the kingdom of Israel. For a period, 
 therefore, of forty years after the foundation of 
 the Temple, the iniquity of the Twelve Tribes was 
 restrained, and an apparent desire to worship God 
 aright, prevented the full manifestation of their 
 idolatrous propensities. After this, however, 
 " Rehoboam forsook the law of the Lord, and all 
 Israel with him," (2 Chron. xii. 1.); and by this 
 time the subjects of Jeroboam had become more 
 accustomed to the " new gods that came newly 
 up " at his accession, and had begun to think that 
 it was indeed " too much for them to go up to 
 Jerusalem " to worship ; and accordingly, they 
 went to worship a golden calf, " even unto Dan," 
 (1 Kings xii. 30). If from this epoch, A. M. 4491, 
 therefore, the period of 390 years be computed, 
 it will terminate in the first year of the captivity 
 of Jehoiachin, A. M. 4881 *, and, if the whole pe- 
 riod of 430 years be computed from the epoch 
 of the completion of the Temple, A. M. 4459, it will 
 terminate in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, 
 A. M. 4889, when the holy city was besieged by 
 Nebuchadnezzar ; and when, according to Eze- 
 kiel's prophecy, "he and all his host came against
 
 78 EXTENT OP THE SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts 
 against it round about," (2 Kings xxv. 1). More- 
 over, in two years after this epoch, in A. M. 4891, 
 and when the 439 years from the Foundation of 
 the Temple in A. M. 4452, were completed, the 
 " city was broken up," the " walls were broken 
 down," and the Temple was " burned with fire !" 
 (2 Kings xxv. I 10). Thus, the true extent of 
 thejifth age is established by Sacred History, and 
 confirmed by prophecy. On this subject, see Mr. 
 Cuninghame's " Synopsis," p. 47, and " Fulness 
 of the Times," p. 195.* 
 
 * " I have endeavoured to shew," says Mr. Cuninghame, in 
 the former of the places cited, " that the periods of 390 and 40 
 mystic days, during which Ezekiel was commanded to lie on his 
 sides, bearing the iniquity of Judah and Israel, are a period of 
 430 years, computed from the finishing of the Temple, B.C. 
 1020, to the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem, B.C. 590. 
 But it now appears to me that the 430 years may with equal 
 probability be computed from the first Passover in the Temple. 
 The dedication was in the month Tisri of B.C. 1019, which is 
 exactly 91 jubilees from the creation; the first Passover was 
 therefore in Nisan B.C. 1018, whence to the taking of the city 
 in Ab B.C. 588, are 430 years and three months ; and com- 
 puting back from B.C. 588, the second period of 40 years, it 
 brings us to B.C. 628, the 13th of Josiah, and the very year, 
 according to Prideaux, of the commission of Jeremiah. * * * 
 Whether, therefore, we compute the period of 430 years from 
 the finishing of the Temple B.C. 1020, to the beginning of the 
 siege B.C. 590, or as above, from the first Passover to the taking 
 of the city, it comes out with equal exactness."
 
 79 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 EXTENT OF THE SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 1. Table XIV. Hierarchal Eras and Intervals, from Usher and Cuninghame 
 Determination of the Intervals from Scripture Period of the Seventy 
 years Captivity Period of the Seventy prophetic weeks of Daniel 
 Table XV. Date of the Crucifixion determined Truth of the Ancient 
 Tradition respecting the First Advent of the Messiah demonstrated. 
 
 THE extent of the Sixth, or Hierarchal age, 
 is ascertained from chronological notices inter- 
 spersed in the Historical and Prophetical Books 
 of Scripture, and confirmed by the Astronomical 
 Canon of Ptolemy.* The difference between the 
 Hebrew and Septuagint chronologies in this 
 period, amounts only to two years, its length, 
 according to Usher's " Chronologia," p. 44, being 
 583 years, and, according to the following table, 
 585 years. This table, in which we have taken 
 the Hebrew dates and intervals from Usher's 
 " Annals," because they are wanting in the 
 Chronologia, exhibits only the Scriptural inter- 
 
 * See a full account of this Canon, in Dr. Hales' "Analysis," 
 vol. i. pp. 275 288 ; and a short account of it, in the " Brevi- 
 arium Chronologicum" of Strauchius, translated by Sault, pp. 
 262264, 3rd edition, Lond. 1745.
 
 80 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 vals of the Hierarchal eras, and the corre- 
 sponding years of the world, according to both 
 systems : 
 
 TABLE XIV. 
 
 U n f | 3416 4891 
 
 e . . J 
 
 HIERARCHAL HEBREW. SEPTUACINT. 
 
 ERAS. Intervals. A.M. Intervals. A.M. 
 
 From the Destruction 
 
 Solomon's Temple 
 
 The Edict of Cyrus 52 3468 52 4943 
 
 The Commission of Ezra . . . *69 3537 *78 5021 
 
 The Commission of Nehemiah . 13 3550 13 5034 
 
 The Return of Nehemiah . . 12 3562 12 5046 
 
 To the Birth of Christ . . . *437 3999 430 5476 
 
 THE SIXTH AGE . . . 583 years. 585 years. 
 
 The first interval in this table is determined 
 from the following texts : Jeremiah xxv. 12, and 
 xxix. 10; 2 Kings xxiv. 1, and xxv. 2; 2 Chron. 
 xxxvi. 21 ; and Daniel ix. 2 ; from these, it 
 appears that the seventy years' captivity in 
 Babylon commenced in the fourth year of Jehoia- 
 kim, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar ; and, that 
 it preceded the destruction of the Temple by 
 eighteen years. Consequently, it terminated ex- 
 actly jifty-two years after that epoch, namely, in 
 the Jirst year of Cyrus, when, by his permission, 
 the Jews " went up out of the Captivity," in 
 A.M. 4943. The second interval is determined 
 in the following manner : from Zechariah vii. 5, 
 it appears that in the fourth year of Darius,
 
 SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 81 
 
 seventy years had elapsed from the destruction of 
 the Temple ; consequently, eighteen years must 
 have elapsed from the first of Cyrus. This compu- 
 tation agrees with that of Ptolemy's Canon, which 
 gives seven years to Cyrus, and eight to Cam- 
 byses, or Ahasuerus, making, with the three 
 complete years of Darius, the same amount. 
 Again, we find, from Ezra vii. 8, that in the 
 seventh year of Artaxerxes, A. M. 5021, Ezra 
 received a commandment from that king, to 
 establish the Jews in their own land, and to 
 beautify the Second Temple. Now, Ptolemy's 
 Canon gives thirty-three years for the rest of 
 Darius's reign, and twenty -one for that of 
 Xerxes, making, with the six complete years of 
 Artaxerxes, the amount of sixty years ; conse- 
 quently, the whole interval, from the Jirst of 
 Cyrus to the seventh of Artaxerxes, is seventy- 
 eight years. That the epoch of Ezra's com- 
 mission is the commencement of the prophetic period 
 of seventy weeks, or 490 years, is evident from 
 Daniel ix. 24 27. Hitherto, the Jews had been 
 hindered in the building of the city and temple ; 
 the latter was indeed built and dedicated ; but 
 the walls of the city were still in ruins, and the 
 inhabitants were exposed to the insults and in- 
 roads of their enemies ! Now, by the liberal 
 decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra was furnished with 
 money and means to forward the work at Jerusa- 
 lem ; and their enemies were not only silenced, 
 
 G
 
 82 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 but compelled to assist in carrying the king's 
 order into execution. This was, therefore, the 
 epoch of " the going forth of the commandment 
 to restore and to build Jerusalem," and the be- 
 ginning of the period " determined upon the 
 people and the holy city," until the time, when 
 " the Messiah, the Prince," should " be cut off, 
 but not for himself;" when " the transgression 
 should be finished or consummated " in his cru- 
 cifixion ; and, when "reconciliation" should be 
 made "for iniquity," by his death and resur- 
 rection. 
 
 The third and fourth intervals in the table are 
 clearly pointed out in Nehemiah ii. 1 ; v. 14 ; and 
 xiii. 6 ; the date, indeed, recorded in the latter 
 text, being the last note of time to be found in the 
 present Hebrew text. At this period, or very 
 soon afterwards (according to Mr. Cuninghame, 
 in A.M. 5055),* the Old Testament Canon was 
 closed by the prophecy of Malachi, and a long 
 night of darkness reigned, "until at length the 
 Day-spring from on high " visited the world. 
 Thus we have proved, from Scripture evidence 
 alone, that at the date of Ezra's commission, 
 which was upwards of 5000 years from Creation, 
 and even before that period, the Jews were in 
 possession of a prophecy extending nearly 500 
 years into futurity, and pointing to the Advent of 
 a mighty Saviour who should restore all things, 
 See his " Chart of Sacred Chronology."
 
 SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 83 
 
 and "bring in everlasting righteousness." The 
 date of the passion of Christ is fixed and deter- 
 mined as in the following table : 
 
 TABLE XV. 
 
 The Date of Ezra's Commission A.M. 5021 
 The period of seventy weeks, or 490 years 490 
 
 THE DATE or THE CRUCIFIXION, A.M. 5511 
 
 Hence, it is clearly demonstrated that the general 
 belief among all nations, that the Messiah should 
 appear in the middle of the Sixth Millenary from 
 Creation, had its real origin in a knowledge of 
 the true chronology of the sacred Scriptures ! 
 In arriving at this conclusion, we have been 
 obliged, in order to establish the exact lengths 
 of the Critarchal and Hierarchal ages, to borrow 
 twelve years from the writings of the ancient 
 chronographers, and seventy -eight from the canon 
 of Ptolemy, amounting only to ninety years in 
 all, a period which may be considered as al- 
 most evanescent in the long range of 5500 
 years. Probably the Scriptures originally con- 
 tained notices even of these intervals, and in the 
 course of ages, they may have been either lost, 
 through the negligence of transcribers, or omitted 
 through the wilfulness of enemies to the truth. 
 
 G 2
 
 84 EXTENT OF THE 
 
 2. Determination of the Epoch of the Birth of Christ Labours of Mr. Con- 
 inghame on this point Coincidence of the extent of the period of 
 Patriarchal pilgrimage with that of Hierarchal Bondage Table XVI. 
 Extent of the Six Ages of the World Difference between the true 
 and vulgar dates of the Nativity Mr. Cuninghame's dates of the 
 Nativity and Public Ministry of Christ, deduced from the chronology 
 of the Septuagint. 
 
 The determination of the dates of the Nati- 
 vity and Passion of our Lord, is a question of 
 considerable difficulty, and of great importance 
 in the true system of chronology ; but much has 
 been written upon it to very little purpose. We 
 agree, however, with Mr. Cuninghame, in the 
 conclusion to which he has arrived, after a very 
 laborious and complete investigation, in his 
 " Fulness of the Times," parti, pp. 60107, and 
 part ii. pp. 1 27, and in his " Season of the 
 End," pp. 73 90, where he refutes the opinions 
 of Newton, Hales, Gresswell and others, and 
 demonstrates that the Passion of Christ took place 
 in the thirty-ffth year of his age, that is, accord- 
 ing to the vulgar reckoning in A. D. 33 : and, 
 that consequently, the true date of his Nativity 
 was B. c. 3. The Scriptural evidence for this 
 conclusion recommends itself to the mind, both 
 by its simplicity and sufficiency. It appears 
 from Luke iii. 23, that Christ was baptized when 
 he was thirty years of age ; and from Luke iv. 
 16 24, that soon after that period, he began his 
 public ministry. Moreover, from the whole of
 
 SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 85 
 
 the Gospel history, particularly that of John, it 
 appears that he was present at four, if not Jive, 
 public celebrations of the Passover ; and conse- 
 quently, that his thirty-jifth year was coincident 
 with the date of the Crucifixion. Hence, it 
 clearly follows, that the epoch of the, birth of Christ 
 was coincident with the 455th year of the pro- 
 phetic period of seventy weeks, this being the 
 difference between 35 and 490 years. Again, 
 the intervals of thirteen years between the com- 
 missions of Ezra and Nehemiah, and of twelve 
 between that of the latter and his return to the 
 court of Artaxerxes, amounting to twenty-five 
 years in all, being deducted from the 455 years, 
 gives the last interval of 430 years to the Nativity. 
 Thus, we perceive a singular coincidence in the 
 period of the pilgrimage and afflictions of the 
 Hebrews in Canaan and Egypt, till the time of 
 Moses ; and that of the persecution and sufferings 
 of the Jews in Syria and Egypt, till the Advent 
 of the Messiah ! The following table exhibits, 
 according to the two systems, the extent of the 
 six ages of the world : 
 
 TABLE XVI. 
 
 AGES or THE WORLD. HEBREW. SEPTUAGINT. 
 
 Years. Years. 
 
 First Five Ages 3416 4891 
 
 Sixth Age 583 585 
 
 THE Six AGES . . 3999 5476
 
 86 EXTENT OF THE SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Usher states in his " Chronologia Sacra," p. 45, 
 that the true period from Creation to the Birth of 
 Christ, is 3999 years, two months, four days, and 
 sir hours ; but, according to the vulgar reckoning 
 4003 years, two months, eleven days, arid six 
 hours ! Hence, according to his computation, the 
 true date of the Nativity in current years is A.M. 
 4000, and the vulgar date A.M. 4004. It is 
 indeed admitted by all chronologers that an error 
 of two or three years was committed by Diony- 
 sius Exiguus, who first introduced the Christian 
 era, in A.D. 532 ; and, by Bede, who followed 
 him, in A.D. 720. Accordingly, Mr. Cuning- 
 hame very properly places the commencement of 
 the vulgar era" in A.M. 5478 ; and that of the 
 Public Ministry of Christ, in A.M. 5508, which 
 was in fact the true period of his appearance to 
 the world ! In the whole of this interesting 
 inquiry, now approaching a close, we must can- 
 didly acknowledge the invaluable assistance we 
 have received from the learned and original works 
 of Mr. Cuninghame, which have been, as it were, 
 our guide through the labyrinth of chronological 
 difficulties, till we have at last arrived at the open 
 field of well-known History.
 
 87 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 CONFIRMATION OF THE GREAT EPOCHS. 
 
 THE epochs of the Nativity and Epiphany of 
 Christ, determined in the preceding Section, re- 
 ceive very strong confirmation from the histories 
 and chronicons of ancient writers both sacred and 
 profane, from the writings of the early Fathers, 
 and from the prophetic arrangement of "the Times 
 and the Seasons " by the Great 0eoe, or Supreme 
 " Disposer " of all human events. It is plain, 
 however, that a multiplicity of views both of the 
 Hebrew and the Septuagint chronology may be 
 taken, according as more or fewer of the errors, 
 which we have pointed out in the computation of 
 the different ages of the world, are either adopted 
 or rejected. Dr. Hales, in his " Analysis," vol. i. 
 pp. 3 7, gives a list of more than a hundred and 
 twenty different dates of the birth of Christ, under 
 the title of " Epochs of the Creation ; " and he 
 adds that the list might be swelled to the number 
 of three hundred! In such a multitude of dis- 
 cordant dates we might, at first sight, despair of
 
 88 CONFIRMATION OF THE 
 
 ever arriving at the truth ; but let us remember 
 that error is a hydra-headed monster, which in 
 chronology as well as in more sacred subjects, can 
 only be successfully destroyed by the sword of the 
 Spirit, which is the word of God. 
 
 It is easy to see the source of the differences of 
 opinion among the learned, in regard to the point 
 under consideration. Instead of taking the sacred 
 Scriptures as their guide, men have chosen rather 
 to follow their dwn fancies ; and, because discre- 
 pancies were found to exist in the ancient texts, 
 they have with one consent agreed to abandon the 
 light of internal evidence, and to take refuge in the 
 obscure glimmerings of heathen tradition or the 
 doubtful testimony of Jewish writers and Chris- 
 tian fathers. Hence, we have all varieties of 
 dates, from the bold conjecture of Alphonsus, 
 king of Castile, who supposed that the Mundane 
 Cycle of 7000 years had nearly expired at the 
 birth of Christ, to the traditionary epoch of the 
 Chronicle of Axum in Abyssinia, which, accord- 
 ing to Bruce, places that event in the year of the 
 world 5500 ; and, from the Alexandrian or Con- 
 stantinopolitan era, which, according to the com- 
 putation of the Greeks, places it in A. M. 5508, to 
 the Jewish epoch of the " Seder Olam Rabba," 
 which according to Ganz, dates it in A.M. 375 J. 
 
 The following Table of the extent of the dif- 
 ferent ages of the world according to the three 
 texts, will serve the double purpose of showing
 
 GREAT EPOCHS. 89 
 
 the leading varieties in the computation of the date 
 of the Nativity from Creation, and of bringing 
 before our readers, at a single glance, a condensed 
 view of the result of our investigations in the pre- 
 ceding pages. As the Samaritan text compre- 
 hends only the chronology of the first two ages, 
 the extent of the remaining four ages is borrowed 
 from the Hebrew. 
 
 TABLE XVII. 
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. HEBREW. SEPTUAGINT. SAMARITAN. 
 
 YEARS. YEARS. YEARS. 
 
 1. Antediluvian age . . . 1656 2262 1307 
 
 2. Postdiluvian age ... 427 1147 1017 
 
 3. Patriarchal age ... 430 431 430 
 
 4. Critarchal age .... 480 612 480 
 
 5. Monarchal age ... 424 439 424 
 
 6. Hierarchal age ... 583 585 583 
 
 Birth of Christ . . A.M. 4000 5476 4241 
 
 Error in the Sixth age . 2 2 
 
 Error in the Vulgar date .2 2 2 
 
 Extent of the Six ages . 4004 5478 4245 
 
 In the preceding Table we have reckoned the 
 date of the Birth of Christ in current years, and 
 included the year of Abraham's sojourning in 
 Egypt in the Patriarchal age of the Septuagint 
 computation. See page 66 of this Dissertation.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HISTORICAL CONFIRMATION OF THE TRUE SYSTEM 
 OF CHRONOLOGY. 
 
 Testimonies of the ancient chronographers and historians before and after 
 Christ, in favour of the chronology of the Septuagint Demetrius, Eupo- 
 lemus, Josephus, Justin Martyr, and all the early fathers of the first 
 three centuries Theophilus, Hippolytus, Africanus, Origen, Cyprian, 
 Lactantius, Epiphanius, Ambrose, Ephrem Syrus, Augustine, Chrysos- 
 tom, Sulpicius Severus, Annianus, Syncellus, Eutychius, the author of 
 the Paschal Chronicle, and the Council called " Synodus in Trullo " 
 Probable cause of minute variations among the ancient cbronographers. 
 
 IN confirmation of the true epoch of the birth of 
 Christ, and the accuracy of the Septuagint chrono- 
 logy, we select the following examples of ancient 
 testimony, for which we are chiefly indebted 
 to the learned works of Russell and Clinton, 
 " Connection of Sacred and Profane History," 
 vol. i., pp. 113 120, and "Fasti Hellenici," 
 vol. i., pp. 286 291. Demetrius, who lived 
 B.C. 220, and is cited by Eusebius and Polyhistor, 
 states that " from Adam to the Eisodus, were 
 3624 years ; from the flood 1360 ; and from the 
 Call of Abraham 215." It follows, that he 
 reckoned the Antediluvian age 2264 years, and
 
 TRUE SYSTEM OF CHRONOLOGY. 91 
 
 the Postdiluvian 1 145 ; adding two years to 
 the former, and taking them from the latter 
 by mistake, but preserving the correct sum of 
 both 3409 years, and the true epoch of the 
 Eisodus A.M. 3624, see Tables VII. and VIII. 
 Eupolemus, who lived B.C. 174, and is cited 
 by Clemens Alexandrinus, states that " from 
 Adam to the 5th year of Demetrius [Polior- 
 cetes], the 12th of Ptolemy [Soter], were 5149 
 years." If to this number, as Dr. Russell 
 remarks, we add 296, as the date B.C. of the 5th 
 of Demetrius, the epoch of the nativity is, accord- 
 ing to Eupolemus, A.M. 5445. From the works of 
 Josephus, who flourished A.D. 90, both Russell 
 and Jackson have determined the same epoch at 
 A.M. 5481. Justin Martyr, who wrote A.D. 140, 
 speaking of the prophecies concerning Christ, 
 says, '* some were delivered 5000 years before 
 his appearing, some 3000, some 2000 ; and, some 
 again 1000, and others 800 years."* Ignatius, 
 Clemens Romanus, Irenseus, Polycarp, Tertullian, 
 and all the early fathers of the first three centuries, 
 held similar opinions respecting the antiquity 
 of the prophecies, and the appearance of the 
 Saviour of the world in the sixth millennium. 
 
 Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, A.D. 180, 
 placed the epoch of the Nativity in A.M. 5507, 
 according to Kennicott ; and Clemens Alexan- 
 drinus, who lived A.D. 194, placed the same 
 
 * See his "Apology, &c.," translated by the Rev. T. Cheval- 
 Her, B.D., p. 221, Cambridge, 1833.
 
 92 HISTORICAL CONFIRMATION OF THE 
 
 
 
 epoch in A.M. 5444, according to Clinton and 
 Cuninghame, on the supposition that he follows 
 Eupolemus. Mr. Cuninghame, however, has 
 shown, in his " Fulness of the Times," Part ii. 
 pp. 59, 60, that by correcting an error of thirty- 
 four years, the epoch of Clemens is A.M. 5478 ; 
 and, by the most indefatigable scrutiny of his 
 numbers, that the epoch of Josephus is A.M. 5472, 
 the difference of six years arising from his well- 
 known error of this amount in the Antediluvian 
 age. Hippolytus, A.D. 200, states that " the first 
 advent of our incarnate Lord took place in the 
 5500th year of the world." Julius Africanus 
 (apud Syncellum) A.D. 220, says that " the Jews 
 have transmitted to us, from the extant Hebrew 
 histories, the number of 5500 years from creation 
 to the epiphany of the Saviour," a conclusion, 
 which, as Syncellus remarks, was received by all 
 the learned Christians of his day. It is also 
 remarkable, that although both Theophilus and 
 Africanus seem to omit the second Cainan in the 
 Postdiluvian age, yet their dates of the foundation 
 of Solomon's temple agree with that of Mr. 
 Cuninghame to a year or two ; thus showing that 
 an error of 130 years in relation to an epoch 
 so generally known, was wholly inadmissible 
 into any system of chronology pretending to 
 be founded on the sacred writings. Origen, 
 A.D. 230, states that " our Lord descended from 
 Heaven for the salvation of man, 6000 years after
 
 TRUE SYSTEM OF CHRONOLOGY. 93 
 
 the Almighty had formed the first of the human 
 race." Cyprian, A.D. 250, says that " 6000 years 
 are already almost accomplished since the devil 
 made his first assault on man." Lactantius, 
 A.D. 300, says, " philosophers who calculate the 
 thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, 
 must know that the 6000th year [that is, the 
 sixth millenary,] is not yet finished." Epipha- 
 nius, A.D. 368, says "the preaching of Christ 
 began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, in 
 the 30th year of his age, which was in the 
 5509th year of the world's creation." This date 
 differs only by one year from that which we have 
 assigned to the same epoch. Hesychius, a con- 
 temporary of Jerome, says, " the incarnation of 
 the Redeemer took place nearly 6000 years from 
 the foundation of the world." Ambrose, bishop 
 of Milan, A.D. 375, says, " but now more than 
 6000 years are counted from the foundation of 
 the world." Ephrem Syrus, A.D. 378, says, " the 
 Saviour was to appear after 5500 years, [from, 
 creation,] to deliver man." Augustine, A.D. 398, 
 says, " since from the first man, 6000 years are 
 not yet completed." Chrysostom, his contem- 
 porary, says, " after 5000 years and more, Christ 
 came as the substitute of our race." Sulpicius 
 Severus, A.D. 400, makes the date of the Nativity 
 A.M. 5469, according to Clinton. Annianus 
 A.D. 405, Syncellus A.D. 792, Eutychius A.D. 937, 
 and a host of later writers, adopt the epoch
 
 94 HISTORICAL CONFIRMATION, ETC. 
 
 A.M. 5500, following Africanus. The author 
 of the " Paschal Chronicle," makes the epoch 
 A.M. 5507 ; and the meeting of the council, called 
 " Synodus in Trullo," A.D. 691, reckoned it 
 A.M. 5508, which is the same as our date of the 
 Epiphany. In short, the epochs of the Nativity, 
 the Epiphany, and the Resurrection, (^ irapovala, 
 ft firityavtia, /cat ^ ava<rra<Tce) appear to have been so 
 inseparably connected in the minds of the ancient 
 writers, as to make them sometimes put the one 
 for the other ; a circumstance, which may account 
 for not a few of the small varieties in their com- 
 putation of the year of the world which was the 
 commencement of the Christian era.* 
 
 * Mr. Cuninghame says that " Mr. Gresswell produces a 
 mass of quotations from the Fathers, scarcely two of whom 
 entirely agree, to prove that they nearly all held that our Lord's 
 death was in one of the years 29 or 30, [A. M. 5507 or 5508], or 
 some of them in 31, [A. M. 5509] ; yet with respect to some of 
 his witnesses, he is obliged to exclaim, ' So little solicitous do 
 these writers seem to be about verifying their dates, before they 
 allowed them to remain on record.' If he were to give us 100 
 volumes of such passages to wade through, which is merely 
 wading through a mass of contradictions, they can avail nothing 
 against the unequivocal testimony of St. Luke, that in the 15th 
 of Tiberius our Lord was 30 years of age, and was therefore born 
 in B. c. 3, QA. M. 5476] ; and the other fact, founded on the 
 unerring principles of Astronomy, that from the year 28 to 33, 
 [A. M. 5506 to 5511], no Passover could possibly have fallen on 
 a Friday ; and, therefore, the death of our Lord is pinned down 
 to A. D. 33, [A. M. 5511]." " Season of the End," p. 85.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 REDUCTION OF THE MUNDANE ERA OF REDEMPTION. 
 
 Errors of Eusebius, Jerome, and the Western churches Consistency of the 
 Eastern and Southern churches to the latest period Chronology of the 
 Russians and Armenians that of the Septuagint Testimony of Abul- 
 pharajius Chronological innovations of the Venerable Bede His de- 
 nouncement as a heretic on this account Chronology of the Roman 
 church different from that of the Latin Vulgate The chronology of the 
 Masoretes an abridgement of the true The chronology of the Roman 
 Martyrology preserved by Pontifical authority to the present day Ex- 
 tract from Strauchius An important testimony in favour of the true 
 chronology. 
 
 HAVING shown by incontestable evidence, that 
 the computation of the Septuagint was universally 
 received as the true chronology of the Church of 
 Christ from the earliest periods of its history, and 
 that it was also received by the Jews themselves, 
 at least two centuries before the Christian era ; 
 let us now shortly inquire how it came to be 
 abandoned, and the chronology of the Masorete 
 Hebrew text adopted in its stead. Eusebius of 
 Cesarea, A.D. 325, or some one for him, acting 
 under Jewish influence, reduced the era of Re- 
 demption from A.M. 5478 to A.M. 5200, by the 
 exclusion of the Postdiluvian Cainan, the adoption
 
 96 REDUCTION OF THE 
 
 of the forged period for the Critarchalage, and the 
 omission of Jifteen years in the Monarchal. In 
 these errors, he was followed by Jerome,* A.D. 378, 
 and some of the Western churches ; but his 
 system was resolutely opposed by all the Eastern 
 and Southern churches, in which the chrono- 
 logical authority of Africanus and Epiphanius 
 prevailed. This opposition has indeed preserved 
 the true chronology in some countries to a very 
 late period ; for we find that the Russians, 
 who received it from the Greeks, still reckon that 
 the Christian era commenced in A.M. 5509, as 
 may be seen by reference to their native his- 
 torians. The remoter Eastern churches, with 
 some slight variations, also adhered to the longer 
 chronology ; as testified by Abulfarajius, the cele- 
 brated Armenian historian, who flourished in the 
 thirteenth century, and who reckoned the same 
 epoch at A.M. 5586, apparently to adjust it to the 
 birth of Peleg, in A.M. 2793, the former number 
 being just double the latter; for, "in his days 
 was the world divided," at the command of (9>c 
 rwv otwvwv) the God of the ages, or the worlds. 
 The Western Churches indeed, can scarcely be 
 said to have followed the chronology either of Euse- 
 bius orof Jerome, till the timeof the venerable Bede, 
 A.D. 720 ; and the innovations of the latter were 
 so ill received by his contemporaries, that he was 
 
 * Jerome even went further than this, and adopted the cur- 
 tailed system of the Jews in some of his writings, if not in all.
 
 MUNDANE ERA OF REDEMPTION. 97 
 
 denounced as a heretic, because he dared to 
 assert, in opposition to all the fathers of the 
 Church, that Christ was not born in the sixth 
 millenary of the world; see Usher's "Chrono- 
 logia Sacra," p. 50. The chronology of the 
 Roman Church appears to have remained in this 
 state during the dark ages till the meeting of the 
 Council of Trent, A.D. 1563, when the Pro- 
 testants, under the double influence of prejudice 
 against the errors of the Church, and overweening 
 confidence in the Hebrew text, adopted the 
 modern and corrupted chronology of the Jews ! 
 The Roman chronologists had, however, abridged 
 
 \J * * O 
 
 the true computation of the ancient Church of 
 Christ only by 278 years ; while the Masoretes 
 and their followers had abridged it by no less 
 than 1474 years ! The system of the former con- 
 tinues to prevail in the Church of Rome, though 
 contrary to the Latin Vulgate, and the system of 
 the latter in the Reformed Churches, even to this 
 day. In the " Roman Martyrology," published 
 by the authority of Pope Gregory XIII., in 
 A.D. 1582, and revised by command of Pope 
 Urban VIII., in A.D. 1640, we find the following 
 statement, which according to Strauchius, " Bre- 
 viarium Chronologicum," p. 382, is read in the 
 churches every year on the 25th of December : 
 "In the 5199th year from the creation of the 
 world, when God created heaven and earth ; and 
 the 2957th after the deluge ; the 2015th from the 
 
 H
 
 98 REDUCTION OF THE MUNDANE ERA, ETC. 
 
 birth of Abraham ; the 1510th from the time of 
 Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt ; and the 
 1032nd from the time of David being anointed 
 king ; in the 65th annual week of Daniel ; in the 
 194th Olympiad; in the 752nd year since the 
 building of Rome ; in the 42nd year of the Emperor 
 Octavius Augustus, when the whole world was 
 blessed with peace ; in the sixth age of the 
 world ; Jesus Christ, Eternal God, and Son of 
 the Eternal Father, conceived from the Holy 
 Ghost, was born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem 
 of Judea." * There are several contradictions 
 among the synchronisms contained in this state- 
 ment, which are acknowledged by Roman Catholic 
 writers themselves, as may be seen in the works 
 of Baronius and Petavius ; but, it is a noble 
 public testimony to the true faith of the Church of 
 Christ, and an important public evidence in 
 favour of its ancient chronology. 
 
 * The Birth of Christ took place according to 
 
 The Septuagint. 
 
 In the 5476th year from Creation ; 
 the 3215th from the Deluge; the 
 2143d from the birth of Abraham; 
 the 1637th from the Exodus ; and 
 the 1068th from the accession of 
 David ; the 65tb prophetic week of 
 Daniel; the 193d Olympiad; the 
 751st year of Rome ; and the 42d 
 of Augustus. 
 
 The Hebrew Text. 
 In the 4000th year from the Crea- 
 tion ; the 2344th from the Deluge ; 
 the 1992d from the birth of Abra- 
 ham ; the 1487th from the Exodus; 
 and the 1051st from the accession of 
 David ; the 65th prophetic week of 
 Daniel; the 193d Olympiad; the 
 749th year of Rome ; and the 40th 
 of Augustus.
 
 99 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CHRISTIAN AND JEWISH SYSTEMS OF CHRONOLOGY 
 ERRONEOUS. 
 
 Chronology of the English Bible erroneous Usher influenced by the Ma- 
 soretes Tradition of the House of Elias Its complete refutation both 
 from Scripture and fact Utility and application of Mr. Cuninghame's 
 " Chart of Chronology" Reasons assigned by the Jewish Rabbis why 
 their expected Messiah is not yet come Their curse upon all who cal- 
 culate the Times. 
 
 FROM the whole of the preceding testimony and 
 argument, it must appear evident that the chro- 
 nology of Usher, which places the Christian era 
 in A.M. 4004, which is adopted in all the larger 
 editions of the English Bible, and which is still 
 strenuously maintained by English divines, is but 
 of comparatively recent origin, and rests upon a 
 very unsound foundation. We have no doubt 
 that the pious and learned Archbishop was in- 
 fluenced in his determination to adopt the 
 Masorete chronology, contrary to his better 
 judgment, by a tradition current among the Jews 
 from a very early period, which appears to be 
 only a corruption of the more ancient one referred 
 
 H 2
 
 100 CHRISTIAN AND JEWISH 
 
 to at the beginning of this Dissertation. After their 
 rejection of Jesus Christ as the true Messiah, the 
 Jews, in order to cover their retreat from the 
 truth, gave out in their Talmud the following 
 gloss on the universal belief of the Church : 
 
 " Traditio Domus Eliae : Mundus sex millibus 
 
 
 
 annis durabit ; duobus millibus inauitas; duobus 
 millibus lex ; duobus millibus tempus Messiac ;" 
 the meaning of which is, that according to the 
 tradition of the house of Elias, the world shall 
 last 6000 years ; of which 2000 shall pass without 
 the law ; 2000 under the law ; and 2000 under 
 the Messiah. It is proper to observe that the 
 inventor of this tradition was neither Elijah the 
 Tishbite, nor his antitype, John the Baptist, but 
 a certain famous doctor of the Jewish schools, 
 who flourished after the Messianic age ; and, that 
 not the slightest trace of the tradition itself is to 
 be found in the Holy Scriptures ! As some 
 writers, however, consider it a confirmation of the 
 modern Hebrew chronology, v/e may show that 
 it is not only quite erroneous, but inconsistent 
 with itself, even in its details. Referring to Mr. 
 Cuninghame's " Chart of Sacred Chronology," 
 in which he lias arranged the Hebrew and Septua- 
 gint chronologies in parallel columns, and ex- 
 hibited the most remarkable events in ancient 
 history, both according to the years of the world 
 and before Christ, we see that according to the 
 Masorete text, the law was delivered on Mount
 
 SYSTEMS OF CHRONOLOGY ERRONEOUS. 101 
 
 Sinai in A.M. 2513, more than 500 years after the 
 time said to be predicted by Elias ! Hence, it 
 follows that the interval from that epoch till the 
 end of the next 2000 years, is less than 1500 
 years, and terminated in A.M. 4000, when, ac- 
 cording to the tradition, the Messiah was expected 
 to appear ! With respect to the 2000 years 
 allotted to the reign of the Messiah, they are, on 
 their own showing, nearly past ; inasmuch as 
 1844 years of this period have already elapsed, 
 and yet, according to their opinion, he is not come / 
 The reason assigned by the Jewish Rabbis for 
 this long delay, is that their sins have prevented 
 his coming! This grievous falsification of their 
 famous Doctor's prediction, has made them so 
 ashamed of their traditions, that they have pro- 
 nounced a curse upon all who dare to calculate 
 the times : *?E? ^rmnsn ^QETO pp " Animam ex- 
 halent illi qui supputant terminos." On this and 
 other curious matters relating to the Hebrew chro- 
 nology, see Father Le Quien's " Defense du Texte 
 Hebreu et de la Vulgate," reprinted in the "Cours 
 Complet," vol. iii. pp. 15251586.* 
 
 * Rabbi Salomon Jarchi, qui nous a donne Fexplication de 
 cette tradition, dit que les deux mille ans de Tohu, ou d'/w- 
 anite, ont dure depuis la creation du monde jusque vers la cin- 
 quante ou soixantieme annee d'Abraham, et que les deux 
 rnilles ans de Loi ont commence vers ce terns-la, lorsque Dieu le 
 fit sortir de Chaldee, et lui donna des lois pour lui et pour toute 
 sa posterite, principalement celle de la circoncision ; et qu'ils 
 ont fini vers la destruction de Jerusalem par Titus. II ajoute 
 enfin ces paroles : Mais nos pcches sont la cause que le Mtssic 
 nest point venu au bout des quatre mille ans. p. 1527.
 
 102 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE MUNDANE TIMES. 
 
 1. The Revolutions of the Heavenly bodies appointed for Cycles Origin of 
 the cycles of the year and the month The subject of Enoch's prophecy 
 Mr. Cuninghame's discovery of the cvcle from the Creation to the 
 Era of Redemption Scriptural Cycles of frequent occurrence The 
 numbers of Jubilee and of Pentecost of Pilgrimage and Persecution 
 of Omnipotence, glory, and wisdom ; and of mystery, vengeance, and 
 forgiveness The prophetic numbers of Daniel Discovery of their 
 connection with the Higher Cycles of Astronomy, by M. de Chesaux 
 and Mr. Cuningbame 
 
 THE true system of chronology receives its 
 grandest confirmation from the cyclical character 
 of the times appointed by (o irariip TWV atwvwv) 
 the Father of the ages. In Genesis i. 14, the 
 word of God created two luminaries in the firma- 
 ment of Heaven, for giving light upon the earth, 
 and for separating day and night ; and, for signs, 
 and times, and days and years ! Thus early were 
 the phenomena of the sun and moon appointed to 
 indicate the arrangements of Divine providence, 
 as well as to regulate the ordinary periods of 
 time. Before man, however, could understand 
 the nature of these periods as they were gradually
 
 CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE MUNDANE TIMES. 103 
 
 unfolded by the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, 
 or by the still higher cycles of prophecy which 
 were afterwards revealed to God's chosen people, 
 the natural division of the day, and the sacred 
 division of the week were appointed for his 
 observance. The origin of the year is considered 
 by the learned as involved in obscurity ; but we 
 think there is a striking indication of its length in 
 the life of Enoch. This favoured Patriarch lived 
 a year of years on earth, that is, a year of 365 
 prophetic days ; and he himself was a prophet, 
 who, by the Spirit of God, was enabled to see far 
 into the womb of futurity. It is also very remark- 
 able that, according to Mr. Cuninghame's singular 
 discoveries, the birth of Him, who was the great 
 subject of Enoch's prophecy, took place at a 
 period of fifteen years of years, or fifteen years of 
 prophetic days from the creation ! The origin of 
 the month is referable to the same age ; for 
 we recognize the month of thirty days in the 
 account of the year of the Deluge ; and, a period 
 of four prophetic months, or 120 prophetic days, 
 is visible in the 120 years of grace before that 
 awful catastrophe. The sacred period of seven 
 days also assumed a prophetic character. In 
 Pharaoh's dream, the seven years of plenty, and 
 the seven years of famine, were vividly depicted. 
 After seven days previous warning, the Diluvian 
 rain descended in torrents for forty days. After 
 Jericho was encompassed seven days, the last
 
 104 CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE 
 
 day seven times, by seven priests with seven 
 trumpets, the walls were levelled with the ground. 
 The number forty is prophetic; the Israelites 
 wandered forty prophetic days, that is, forty 
 years, in the wilderness ; Moses was in the 
 mount forty days ; and, Christ was tempted forty 
 days. In forty days, Nineveh was to be de- 
 stroyed ; Christ was seen of his disciples forty 
 da^s after his resurrection ; and, in forty years, 
 after his baptism, was Jerusalem destroyed. The 
 number of seven days and seven years, with their 
 multiples and higher powers, perpetually recur 
 in the Mosaic institutes ; and the period of seven 
 times seven, or forty-nine days and forty-nine 
 years, is particularly signalized in the feasts of 
 the Jews. Balaam, who knew the sacredness of 
 the number seven, in the divine institutions, at 
 three different times and places, built seven altars, 
 and slew seven oxen and seven rams, in order to 
 propitiate the favour of God. In the land of 
 Canaan, seven nations were destroyed in seven 
 years. Solomon's temple was seven years in 
 building, and in 430 years after the celebration 
 of the first passover within its walls, it was de- 
 stroyed. The latter number, as we have seen, is 
 highly prophetic, corresponding to the 430 pro- 
 phetic days of Ezekiel, and having a mysterious 
 reference to the 430 years of promise to Abraham, 
 the 430 years of Gentile persecution, and the 
 three times 430 days, or 1,290 years of Daniel.
 
 MUNDANE TIMES. 105 
 
 But time would fail us to speak of the seven 
 spirits of God, the seven eyes, the seven lamps, 
 the seven stars, the seven golden lamp-stands, the 
 seven churches, the seven angels, the seven seals, 
 the seven vials, the seven plagues, the seven 
 heads, the seven crowns, the seven mountains, 
 and the seven kings ; the seven times, yea and 
 the seventy times seven the perfect numbers of 
 omnipotence, glory and wisdom ; and, of mystery, 
 vengeance and forgiveness ! 
 
 We have already seen the prophetic nature of 
 Daniel's seventy weeks, and it now only remains 
 to notice his other prophetic periods. In Dan. xii. 
 14, mention is made of " a time, times and half a 
 time," which should be accomplished, before the 
 wonders he had seen should come to an end. This 
 period is clearly shown by writers on the prophe- 
 cies, to signify three and a-half prophetic years, 
 forty-two prophetic months, or 1260 prophetic days; 
 and this view is confirmed by the mention of 1290 
 and 1335 prophetic days, in the context. Again, 
 in Dan. viii. 14, we read of 2300 prophetic days, 
 after the lapse of which, " the sanctuary shall be 
 cleansed." That these periods are all connected 
 with each other, and that they each signify so 
 many years, has been long known and generally 
 admitted ; but, that they are connected with the 
 revolutions of the heavenly bodies, appears to be 
 but a very recent discovery ! Mr. Birks, of Tri- 
 nity College, Cambridge, in his " Elements of
 
 106 CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE 
 
 Prophecy," just published, has very properly 
 remarked, in p. 368, that, " It seems to have 
 been first unfolded by M. de Chesaux, a French 
 writer, purely as a curiosity of science ; but it is 
 Mr. Cuninghame who has revived attention to this 
 interesting topic." The fact is, that the original 
 work of M. de Chesaux might have lain for ever 
 on the shelves of the library of the University of 
 Lausanne, had not Mr. Cuninghame searched it 
 out with his wonted industry, and republished 
 the author's discovery anew in his work on the 
 " Jubilean Chronology." We shall endeavour to 
 give our readers some idea of this curious dis- 
 covery. 
 
 2. Lengths of the tropical year and the synodical period of the moon, ac- 
 cording to Sir John Herschel Application of the method of continued 
 fractions to the determination of their approximating ratios Various 
 lunisolar cycles The Octaeteris of the Greeks The cycle of nineteen 
 discovered by Melon, but probably known to the Hebrews The period 
 of Calippus Proof that the numbers of Daniel are lunisolar cycles 
 Remarks of Mr. Birks in bis " Elements of Prophecy'' Observations 
 of Mr. Cuninghame in.his " Scientific Chronology" Proof that the 
 prophetic month and the jubilean period are lunisolar cycles. 
 
 The latest determinations of the lengths of the 
 tropical year, and the lunar month, or synodical 
 period of the moon, are, according to Sir John Her- 
 schel, 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 49'7 seconds; 
 and 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, 2'87 seconds. 
 "Astronomy," pp. 205, 224. By the method of 
 Continued Fractions* we find that the continually 
 
 * The rules for the determination of the approximating ratios
 
 MUNDANE TIMES. 
 
 107 
 
 approximating ratios of these periods are repre- 
 sented by the following series of fractions : 
 
 Numberi. (1) (2) (3) (4) 
 
 (5) 
 
 (6) 
 
 (7) 
 
 (8) 
 
 (9) 
 
 . &c - 
 
 where the numerators represent the numbers of 
 years, and the denominators the numbers of luna- 
 tions, necessary to bring the sun and moon 
 again into the same relative position, very nearly 
 at the same point of time in the tropical year. 
 
 of any two numbers by the method of Continued Fractions, are 
 very clearly explained, on Algebraical principles in Hind's Al- 
 gebra, 5th edition, pp. 273 292; and, on Arithmetical prin- 
 ciples in Thomson's Arithmetic, 16th edition, pp. 241 246. 
 We subjoin the operation, as much abridged as possible, by 
 which the preceding series of fractions was obtained. Reducing 
 the above lengths of the year and the month into seconds, we 
 have the numbers 31556929-7 and 2551442-87 ; hence, 
 
 12 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 255144287 
 187923052 
 
 3155692970 
 3061731444 
 
 67221235 
 53480582 
 
 93961526 
 67221235 
 
 13740653 
 12999638 
 
 26740291 
 13740653 
 
 741015 
 402383 
 
 12999638 
 12597255 
 
 338632 
 &c. 
 
 402383 
 
 Quotients, 12, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 17, 
 Ratios, T V, &, *V, 
 
 17 
 
 1, 
 
 &c. 
 , &c. 
 
 Unmathematical readers will find a much more simple, but 
 of course, a more lengthened explanation, of these ratios in 
 Mr. Cuninghame's " Synopsis of Chronology," pp. 6 10, and 
 5460.
 
 108 CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE 
 
 Of these ratios, some have been long known ; the 
 fourth is the Greek cycle called Octaeteris, dis- 
 covered B.C. 600, and is a very rude approxima- 
 tion : the sixth is the famous cycle re-discovered 
 by Meton B.C. 432, but probably known to the 
 Hebrews from the earliest ages, as the lives of 
 Seth, Methuselah and Noah are exact multiples 
 of this cycle, as well as the Antediluvian age itself, 
 and is a remarkably near approximation to the 
 truth ; four times this ratio gives the period of 
 Calippus, which Was rectified by the omission of 
 one day in seventy-six years. These approxima- 
 tions, however, are much inferior in accuracy to 
 the higher terms of the series ; from which, in 
 fact, any number of approximate ratios may be 
 deduced by the following principle : If a series 
 of fractions be all equal to each other, the sum or 
 difference of the numerators and denominators of 
 any pair will constitute a new fraction equal to 
 each ; and the same is true of fractions whose 
 numerators and denominators are equi-multiples 
 of those of any of the given or derived fractions. 
 Hence, from the terms of the preceding series, we 
 derive the following additional ratios, whose de- 
 gree of approximation, of course, depends on that 
 of the fractions of which they are composed. 
 From the eighth and ninth ratios, by addition, 
 we obtain the ratio iW<rV, which is so remarkably 
 correct, that the approximation is within about 
 three-quarters of an hour of the truth. From
 
 MUNDANE TIMES. 109 
 
 the sixth and seventh ratios, by subtraction, we 
 obtain, the ratio -fflfo = T V 2 A, which shows that 
 the prophetic period of 1260 years is a scientific 
 lunisolar cycle. From the two new ratios thus 
 obtained, by addition, we have a third new ratio 
 sW^T, which proves that the prophetic period 
 of 2300 years is another scientific cycle, in 
 which the approximation is nearly twelve hours. 
 
 Mr, Birks, in his "Elements of Prophecy," pp. 
 368 372, distinctly acknowledges the " Cyclical 
 character of the Prophetic Times," and gives the 
 numerators of the above series of ratios. He adds 
 a very ingenious explanation of these cycles, and 
 remarks that, " the highest prophetic period, 2300 
 years, is perhaps the only secular cycle, composed 
 of centuries, known to exist!" The secular cycle 
 of 5200, though not, as far as we are aware, a 
 prophetic period, is " composed of centuries ;" 
 and being Jive times the cycle of 1 040 years, is so 
 close an approximation to the truth, that it is 
 within about 3| hours, and is therefore consider- 
 ably more accurate than the cycle of 2300 years ! 
 What then does Mr. Birks mean in this passage ? 
 Perhaps the following sentence from Mr. Cuning- 
 hame's " Scientific Chronology of the year 1839," 
 will supply the answer : " Moreover, 2300 years 
 is the only centurial number, which is an original 
 cycle in astronomy ; for though we have a cycle 
 of 5200 years, it is only as the multiple of the 
 perfect one of 1040 by 5." From the fifth and
 
 110 CYCLICAL CHARACTER OF THE MUNDANE TIMES. 
 
 sixth ratios in the series, we obtain those of 
 and /inr, which shows that thirty years, the pro- 
 phetic month, and forty-nine years, the jubilean 
 period, are also scientific cycles, but not possess- 
 ing such close approximation to the truth as the 
 larger cycles. In the same way, it may be easily 
 proved, that the periods of 1290 years and 1078 
 years are scientific cycles ; the former being three 
 times the prophetic period of pilgrimage and trial, 
 namely 430 years, which is also a cycle of an in- 
 ferior degree of approximation ; and the latter 
 being exactly twenty-two jubilees.* 
 
 * We have much satisfaction in giving the following abridge- 
 ment of the remarks of Mr. Birks, on this interesting subject ; 
 pp. 371, 372. Thus, he says, "A fresh light is thrown upon 
 the words of the Psalmist, He appointed the moon for seasons. 
 A divine ladder of time is set before us, and, as we rise suc- 
 cessively from step to step, days are replaced by years, and 
 years by millenia ; and these, perhaps, hereafter, in their turn, 
 by some higher unit, from which the soul of man may measure 
 out cycles still more vast, and obtain a wider view of the im- 
 measurable grandeur of eternity. Human science has strained 
 its utmost efforts in calculating the actual motions of the Moon 
 and the Earth ; but the determining causes which fixed at first 
 the proportion of their monthly and yearly revolutions have 
 altogether eluded its research. Yet these elements of the na- 
 tural universe are linked in, by these sacred times and celestial 
 cycles, with the deepest wonders of Providence, and the whole 
 range of Divine prophecy. How glorious, then, must be the 
 inner shrine, lit up with the Shechinah of the Divine Presence, 
 when the approaches themselves reveal such a secret and hidden 
 wisdom !"
 
 Ill 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 DISCOVERY OF NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 
 
 1. Mr. Cuuinghame's discovery of the mystical signification of the Seventy 
 years' Captivity Its connection with the Era of the French Revolution 
 Confirmed by the sentiments of the modern Jews Prediction of 
 Rabbi Joseph Crool Prediction in the Hebrew Tract, " Explanation of 
 the Times," published in 1794 The latter prediction not fulfilled 
 Hope concerning Israel. 
 
 BESIDES developing the original views of M. de 
 Chesaux, and applying them in a very remark- 
 able manner to the great epochs of the Sep- 
 tuagint chronology, Mr. Cuninghame has sug- 
 gested and confirmed the important discovery, 
 that the period of seventy years' captivity in 
 Babylon "has a mystical signification," as well 
 as a literal one, " and probably represents the 
 whole period of the captivities and dispersions of 
 Judah, until the final redemption of the nation."* 
 He has more fully developed his ideas on this 
 subject, in his " Chronology of Israel," and in his 
 " Fulness of the Times ;" in which he shows, that 
 the mystical interpretation is a period of seventy 
 
 * See his work " On the Jubilean Chronology of the Seventh 
 Trumpet of the Apocalypse," pp. 1 3, and 19 26.
 
 112 DISCOVERY OF 
 
 jubilees, or 3430 years in Spiritual Babylon, 
 at the expiration of which " the Redemption of 
 Israel draweth nigh." Reckoning this period to 
 commence at the epoch of the first Redemption 
 of Israel, the Exodus from Egypt, he finds that 
 it terminates at the era of the French Revolution, 
 A. D. 1792. This opinion is strongly confirmed 
 by the sentiments of the modern Jews. Thus, 
 in a book entitled " The Restoration of Israel" 
 published in 1812, by Rabbi Joseph Crool, 
 Teacher of Hebrew, in the University of Cam- 
 bridge, the author says, p. 59, " By this calculation 
 we may learn that the Jubilee of the Restoration 
 of Israel has begun already these twenty years 
 back, that is, just when the Revolution began in 
 France; at that very time, the seventy jubilees 
 were at an end." The following is still more 
 curious, p. 60 : " There are yet thirty-sir years 
 to the end of the Jubilee of Israel, and before the 
 end of these thirty-sir years, Israel will be restored, 
 and the Messiah will take possession of his empire ;" 
 that is, in A. D. 1848! Mr. Cuninghame, in his 
 " Chronology of Israel," p. 69, refers to a Hebrew 
 tract, published in 1794, entitled " Explanation 
 of the Times," in which the Advent of the 
 Messiah is placed at the end of 112 jubilees 
 from Creation, an epoch which, according to the 
 true chronology, was A.M. 5488, and corresponded 
 exactly to the fourteenth year of Christ, when, 
 according to the law, he first appeared in his own
 
 NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 113 
 
 person in the Temple, and was no longer a child. 
 It is also worthy of remark, that, if this period be 
 reckoned according to the curtailed system of 
 Jewish chronology, which is even shorter than 
 that of the modern Hebrew text, placing the 
 birth of Christ in A. M. 3760, the advent of their 
 Messiah was expected in A. M. 5600, that is, ac- 
 cording to them, in A. D. 1840! The Jews, in this 
 calculation, erroneously reckon the Jubilee at fifty 
 years instead of forty-nine; for 50 multiplied by 
 112, gives the product 5600. The epoch being 
 now past, which, according to the latter compu- 
 tation was to be the era of their Redemption, let 
 us hope that they will no longer look for the first 
 advent of the Messiah, seeing that it has long 
 since taken place ; but that, embracing the reli- 
 gion of the New Testament, which is virtually the 
 same as that of the Old, they will turn with their 
 whole heart to seek " the angel of Jehovah's pre- 
 sence, who saved them ;" who, "in his love and 
 pity redeemed them ;" and, who " bare them and 
 carried them all the days of old." 
 
 2. Mr. Cuninghame's discovery of seven streams of time, of seventy jubilees 
 each, in the true system of chronology This test wholly inapplicable to 
 any other system His discovery of five streams of time of different 
 jubilean periods Utility of his " Fulness of the Times," where these 
 discoveries are developed Notice of his more recent works. 
 
 Mr. Cuninghame proves that the periods of 
 all the great eras in the history of the Israelites 
 and Jews, are measured by great jubilean and
 
 114 DISCOVERY OF 
 
 astronomical cycles. In his " Fulness of the 
 Times," he demonstrates the existence of seven 
 streams of jubilean time from the era of the 
 Exodus and establishment in Canaan, each con- 
 taining a period of seventy jubilees, in the true 
 system of chronology ; and that these seven 
 streams are marked at their beginning and end, 
 and at several intermediate points, by great eras 
 in history. He shows also that all other schemes 
 of chronology, particularly those of Usher, Hales, 
 and the Jewish Rabbis, cannot stand this test of 
 accuracy and perfection, and consequently, none 
 of them can be the true system. To these great 
 streams of jubilean time, he adds other five streams, 
 consisting of different periods of jubilees, which he 
 has discovered in the true system, all marked, in 
 like manner, by remarkable historical events. In 
 the course of his laborious investigations, in order 
 to establish these general streams of cyclical time, 
 he touches on many interesting and disputed facts 
 both in sacred and profane history, which renders 
 the work a complete storehouse of information on 
 chronological questions ; while the Supplements, 
 Prefaces, Dissertations, and Appendixes, to which 
 we had such frequent occasion to refer, partake so 
 much of the same general character, as to make it 
 a work of universal reference. In the general 
 preface to the second edition, the author an- 
 nounced some new discoveries in regard to the 
 cyclical character of the mundane times. These
 
 NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 115 
 
 he has more fully developed and applied with the 
 most extraordinary industry and ingenuity, in the 
 following recent works : "The Scientific Chro- 
 nology of the year 1839;" "A Supplement to" 
 the preceding work, "comprising the Arithmetical 
 Solution, and Chronological Application of the 
 Number 666 ;" " The Season of the End ;" " A 
 Chart of Sacred Chronology," with an " Essay to 
 accompany" it; "A Dissertation on the Apo- 
 calypse," with "A Supplement in two Parts: I. 
 On the Scientific Chronology, as a Test of Apo- 
 calyptical Interpretation ; II. On the Scientific 
 character of the Great Numbers of Daniel ;" also 
 "A Discourse on the Scientific Measures of the 
 Mundane Times, and the Reasons for the Greek 
 Chronology ;" and, " A Table of the Greek and 
 Hebrew Chronologies from Creation to the end of 
 the Jewish War," 4th Edition. We shall now 
 endeavour to give a short notice of these dis- 
 coveries. 
 
 3. Various cycles which enter into the true system of chronology Mr. 
 Cuninghame's discovery of the trinal fraction Its explanation and 
 application by an Algebraic formula Original form in which it was 
 discovered Its superiority to the formulae of the figurate numbers 
 Remarkable instance of its application to Scriptural and other numbers, 
 and to lunar and solar cyclical numbers Mr. Cuninghame's definition 
 of the trinal fraction the most correct The series deduced from its 
 formula possesses curious properties. 
 
 It has been already shown that according to 
 
 the will of Him, Who (rovg atwvac 7TOirj(Tv) COH- 
 
 structed the ages, the septenary cycle, with its 
 
 i 2
 
 116 DISCOVERY OF 
 
 multiples and higher powers, and the lunisolar 
 cycles, with their sums, differences and multiples, 
 including the Metonic, the Jubilean, the Prophe- 
 tic and the Secular, enter into the structure of the 
 true chronology. To these, Mr. Cuninghame 
 adds the Duodenary cycle, and its multiples and 
 higher powers ; the Undenary cycle, which is also 
 Lunisolar ; the Quinary cycle, which is indicated 
 no less than four times in the formation of man ; 
 and the Trinal fraction, which alone seems to 
 require explanation. The author was led by cir- 
 cumstances detailed in " The Scientific Chrono- 
 logy" pp. 5 8, to give the name of " Trinal 
 fraction" to the general term of a series of num- 
 bers of which each is composed of the root, its 
 square, and unity, that is, in Algebraic language, 
 n* + n+ 1 ; an expression, in which n may be zero, 
 unity, or any whole number whatever, and giving, 
 by the substitution of 0, 1,2, 3, &c. as roots, the 
 series itself, namely, 1, 3, 7, 13, 21, 31, 43, 57, 
 73, &c. To the discovery of this series, as new 
 in mathematics, of course, he makes no claim ; 
 because, a mere tyro in that science could write 
 out a hundred such in as many minutes ; see 
 " Dissertation on the Apocalypse," fourth edition, 
 pp. 522, 523 ; but, to the discovery of its appli- 
 cation to the cyclical character of the mundane 
 times, he has a decided claim, and we think he 
 has fully substantiated it by a reference to chro- 
 nological facts.
 
 NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 11? 
 
 As to the formula itself, its most general form 
 i s !5 + + n as originally discovered by the author; 
 and in this form it is manifestly more simple and 
 general than any of the formula? of the figurate 
 lumbers ; for, if n be taken equal to zero, in any 
 of the latter, the value of the vanishing fraction 
 is always equal to zero ; but, in the former, it is 
 equal to unity, the first term of the series, and 
 the basis of all numerical calculation. Let us 
 take some other examples of its application : the 
 sacred number 3, is the trinal fraction of unity, 
 and although it includes the higher powers of the 
 root, is only the sum of three units, mysteriously 
 indicating a trinity in unity. The sacred number 
 7, is the trinal fraction of 2, which is the basis of 
 the binary system of numeration so natural to 
 man. The number 13, is the trinal fraction of 3, 
 and is a lunisolar cycle of years, the hebdomadal 
 measure of the seasons of the year, and the actual 
 number of the tribes of Israel. The number 21 
 is the trinal fraction of 4, and the product of the 
 sacred numbers 3 and 7, the trinal fractions of 1 
 and 2. The number 31, is the trinal fraction of 
 5, the basis of the Quinary scale so incorporated 
 with the human frame, and is the measure of the 
 life of the Jirst man. The number 57, is the 
 trinal fraction of the sacred number 7, and three 
 times the Metonic cycle of nineteen years, being 
 an element of the Mundane Times. Lastly, the 
 number 73, is the trinal fraction of 8, a lunisolar
 
 118 DISCOVERY OF 
 
 cycle of years, and gives, when multiplied by 5, 
 the number of days in the solar cycle. 
 
 The trinal fraction has been compared also 
 with the formula n" n + 1, which is only a par- 
 ticular case of it, namely, where n is negative. It 
 is true, that if in this formula, 1, 2, 3, &c., 
 be taken for values of n, it will still give the series 
 of trinal fractions ; but it does not therefore fol- 
 low that the two formulae are the same; for, if in 
 the latter, n be taken equal to zero, it will give 
 the same result as when n is taken equal to 1 ! 
 The definition given by Mr. Cuninghame, is there- 
 fore the most accurate, simple, and general, and 
 one which can be easily comprehended without 
 any reference to the formulaB of the Figurate 
 Numbers. Moreover, the author has shown in the 
 works last referred to, that the series of trinal 
 fractions possess higher properties of science, 
 mathematically, astronomically, and chronologi- 
 cally, than the triangular numbers, from which 
 it is pretended that they have been derived. To 
 some very curious properties and applications of 
 the trinal fractions, the author has added a 
 "Table of the Trinal Fractions from 1 to 85, 
 showing the sums of the Roots and Fractions at 
 each Pentad," p. 519 of the " Dissertation ;" and 
 he has shown how these numbers enter so ex- 
 tensively and so mysteriously into the whole 
 structure of the Mundane Times!
 
 NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 119 
 
 4. Application of the Theory of the Trinal Fraction to the discovery of the 
 meaning of the Number of the Beast in the Kevelation of John Proof 
 that the numher 666 is the number of a Man Its indication of Spiritual 
 and Secular dominion Of Tyranny and Persecution Recent efforts to 
 raise the Beast again to power A warning to Protestants. 
 
 We may just give another example of the ap- 
 plication of this theory to the discovery of the 
 meaning 1 of a very much disputed number both 
 in chronology and history. If we look into 
 Mr. Cuninghame's table, we find that the number 
 111 is the trinal fraction of 10 ; and if it be mul- 
 tiplied by the mathematically perfect number 6, 
 the number of blessing and cursing (Deut. xxvii. 
 12, 13,) it will give the product 666, the number 
 of the Beast (Rev. xiii. 18). Now, we have seen 
 that the number 10, or 5 + 5, is a number indi- 
 cated in the formation of man ; it is also the base 
 of the Denary system of numeration employed by 
 all mankind ; it is plain, therefore, that the 
 number of the Beast, to which was also given " a 
 mouth speaking great things and blasphemies'," is 
 thus discovered to be the " the number of a man;" 
 the two jives indicating both hands, with which this 
 human beast grasped at both spiritual and secular 
 dominion over the saints of God. But, we know 
 that when he attempted to use a third and a 
 fourth five, by putting his feet upon their necks, 
 and trampling them under him, his wrath was 
 mercifully restrained by a higher Power, and he 
 lost one jive, that is, one hand, even the secular
 
 120 DISCOVERY OF 
 
 dominion ! Nevertheless, we find that now he is 
 endeavouring to use both hands, and is making a 
 mighty effort to recover strength in the " withered 
 hand." He has, however, been compelled to 
 abandon the use of the foot, and to declare aloud 
 to Christendom, not only that it is perfectly 
 innocuous at present, but that it shall never 
 be used again ! Let Protestants beware ; if once 
 he recovers the use of the lost hand, he will be 
 sure again to employ the deeping foot ! The 
 solution of the problem is due to the author, the 
 commentary upon it is ours. For an extensive 
 and curious application of this number in the true 
 system of Chronology, see the " Supplement to 
 the Scientific Chronology of 1839."* 
 
 * Dr. Hales, in his " Analysis," vol. ii. p. 1354, gives the 
 following explanation of the " enigmatical number of the 
 name of the second Beast, in its second stage, after the 
 image was made," from Fuardentius, an early Romish writer, 
 followed by Walmsley. The number 666 is the numeral 
 amount of [Mahomet] the False Prophet's name, written 
 Moa^erts or Mao/item, by the Greek Historians Zonaras and 
 Cedrenus : 
 
 M, A, O, M, E, T, I, 2. 
 
 40 + 1 + 70 + 40 + 5 + 300 + 10 + 200 = 666. 
 
 This is very curious, and indicates the strong likeness between 
 Popery and Islamism, in some grand point, namely, the Spirit 
 of Persecution ! ! John xiii. 35. The following explanation 
 of the number of the Beast, is taken from Mr. Cuninghame's 
 " Supplement to the Scientific Chronology of the year 1839," 
 pp. 28, 29. " In my Dissertation on the Seals, I have adopted
 
 NEW MUNDANE CYCLES. 121 
 
 the usual Protestant Solution and application of this number, 
 as being found [first by Irenseus] in the name of LATINUS, the 
 founder of the LATIN KINGDOM, written with the epsilon, 
 Aareivos, according to the ancient Greek orthography; or, 
 if it be written without the e, according to the later usage, 
 then we owe to Mr. Clarke the important discovery, that is 
 found in the name of the LATIN KINGDOM, 'H AartV?? Bo- 
 tn'Xeia. 
 
 A 
 
 = 
 
 30 
 
 TT 
 
 8 
 
 B 
 
 = 
 
 2 
 
 a 
 
 = 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 = 
 
 1 
 
 T 
 
 = 
 
 300 
 
 A = 
 
 30 
 
 <r 
 
 = 
 
 200 
 
 
 
 = 
 
 5 
 
 a = 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 = 
 
 10 
 
 I 
 
 = 
 
 10 
 
 T 
 
 300 
 
 \ 
 
 = 
 
 30 
 
 V 
 
 = 
 
 50 
 
 t = 
 
 10 
 
 e 
 
 = 
 
 5 
 
 O 
 
 = 
 
 70 
 
 V = 
 
 50 
 
 i 
 
 = 
 
 10 
 
 s 
 
 = 
 
 200 
 
 ~n = 
 
 8 
 
 a 
 
 = 
 
 1 
 
 666 = 407 + 259 
 
 Now, without in the least departing from this interpretation, I 
 remark, that while it correctly ascertains the PERSON or POWER 
 to whom this number belongs, namely, THE LATIN EMPIRE, 
 BOTH SECULAR AND SPIRITUAL; yet it does not COUNT or 
 COMPUTE the number itself, or discover to us its ROOT in arith- 
 metic. The expression, Let him that hath understanding 
 COUNT, " ^Tj^iffarw," the number of the Beast, cannot mean 
 to find the number itself, for this is given ; nor does it merely 
 signify to find out the name which expresses that number ; but 
 it also means that the root of the number must be found, and 
 the number computed from it ; and further, it signifies, I appre- 
 hend, that we must apply the number to the chronology of the 
 Beast himself, in connection with that of the World, in which 
 he exercises his dominion."
 
 122 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. 
 
 1. Mr. Cuninghame's application of the Lunisolar cycles and Septenary 
 periods to the settlement of chronological questions The Septuagint 
 proved to be the exact truth by a complex harmony of scientific time 
 His " Synopsis of Chronology " recommended. 
 
 IN his "Synopsis of Chronology," Mr. Cuning- 
 hame very fully developes the nature of the 
 Lunisolar Cycles and Septenary Periods, settles 
 several important chronological questions by 
 means of this touchstone of accuracy, and gives a 
 great many remarkable series of historical events, 
 whose intervals are all measured by complete 
 cycles from the era of Creation, from the births 
 and deaths of the Ante and Postdiluvian Patriarchs, 
 and from the Exodus and occurrences in the life 
 of David the King. In this manner, he shows 
 that the Septuagint chronology " is proved to be 
 the exact truth by such a complex harmony 
 of scientific time, or in other words, of great 
 astronomical periods, which do, as the web and 
 the woof, intersect and intertwine each other with 
 multiplied and variegated harmony of arrange-
 
 DEMONSTRATIONS, ETC. 123 
 
 ment, knitting together all the great eras of the 
 world, and the most ancient antediluvian periods 
 with the events of our times, as to make it 
 manifest that it is the workmanship, not of a finite 
 mind, but of Him who set forth the sun and moon 
 in their courses ;"* see page 25. The author next 
 recapitulates the series of great periods to the 
 birth and death of Christ, shows the use of the 
 scientific chronology in refuting false dates, &c. ; 
 and gives astronomical evidence of the near 
 approximation of the larger lunisolar cycles to the 
 exact truth. He then terminates this work with 
 a series of the most valuable tables of chronology 
 from Creation to A. D. 1837, including a curious 
 table of the great periods which expire in that 
 year. 
 
 2. Evidence in favour of the Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies compared 
 and tested by Mr. Cuninghame His detection of the Scheme of Fraud 
 invented by the Jewish Rabbis for shortening the chronology of the 
 Scriptures His exposition of this Scheme in three distinct Acts, and 
 
 the result of the whole. 
 
 ,(f f .' i\', :'. ,liJ .' . i. 
 
 In his work, entitled "The Septuagint and 
 Hebrew Chronologies Tried," he very carefully 
 sifts the evidence in favour of both systems, by a 
 minute analysis of the Jubilean series from the 
 Greek era of Creation B. c. 5478, and from the 
 Hebrew era, B. c. 4004, and demonstrates, by 
 a comparative estimate of both series, that the 
 former must be the true chronology ; he then 
 * See Note A. p. 130.
 
 124 DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE 
 
 applies the test of the lunisolar cycles to the same 
 era in both systems, and to other eras of marked 
 importance, illustrating the whole in a tabular 
 form ; establishes the accuracy of the Greek 
 series in the most irrefragable manner ; and, 
 finally, detects the scheme adopted by the Jewish 
 Rabbis in shortening the chronology of the 
 Scriptures, showing that, though it be one of deep 
 and artful contrivance, it will not stand the test of 
 scientific investigation. The following is their 
 scheme of fraud which the author has detected, 
 and which they have employed for this nefarious 
 purpose. The Jirst act of the Rabbis in cor- 
 rupting the chronology, was to determine the 
 total sum of years to be annihilated. The second 
 act was to divide it among the great subdivisions 
 of the Mundane Times. The third act was to 
 distribute it among the reigns and administrations 
 so as most effectually to conceal the fraud. They 
 Jirst determined to place the Mundane era at the 
 birth of Lamech B. c. 4005. This comes out at 
 the 1st of Nisan, of his first year B.C. 4004. 
 Thus they annihilated 1474 years. Their second 
 act was to divide this sum of 1474 years, by 
 abstracting periods equal to the following from 
 the great subdivisions of the Mundane ages : 
 
 I. Before the Deluge ; 1st, A period equal to 
 that from Noah's birth B. c. 3817, to the flood 
 B.C. 3217, namely 600 years: 2nd, From the 
 death of Methusaleh to the Deluge, six years ;
 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. 125 
 
 making the total curtailed from the Creation to the 
 Flood, 606 years. 
 
 II. From the Flood to Abraham ; a period 
 equal to the interval from the death of Noah 
 B. c. 2867, to the year before the birth of Abra- 
 ham B.C. 2146, (' Fulness of the Times," p. 138,) 
 721 years. 
 
 III. From the Exodus to the foundation of 
 Solomon's Temple ; a period equal to the interval 
 from the Exodus B. c. 1639, to the administration 
 of Ehud B. c. 1506, 133 years. 
 
 IV. From the foundation of Solomon's Temple 
 to the Captivity; a period equal to the interval 
 from the Captivity of Jehoiachin B. c. 598, to the 
 carrying away the last remnant of the people 
 B. c. 584, (Jer. lii. 30 ; " Dissertation on the 
 Apocalypse," p. 504,) 14 years. 
 
 The total sum of all the years thus abstracted 
 in these four periods is 1474 ; for in the 
 
 1st Period are . . 606 years. 
 
 2nd . . . 721 
 
 3rd ^'.'.\ . 133 
 4th 14 
 
 and the effect is, as above stated, to make the era 
 of Creation, B.C. (5478-1474)=B. c. 4004.* 
 
 * This abstract of his arguments was communicated to the 
 author by Mr. Cfuninghame.
 
 126 DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE 
 
 
 
 3. Recommendation of Mr. Cuninghame's " Septuagint and Hebrew Chro- 
 nologies Tried " His description and Table of the Great Periods of 
 1838 His table of both Chronologies His appeal to the disciples of 
 Usher His view of their chronological difficulties and paradoxes His 
 call to them to produce their evidence in favour of tbeir system. 
 
 This work concludes with a description and 
 Table of the Great Periods which terminate in 
 and mark the year 1838, as the point of time 
 which sums up and concentrates, as in a focus, 
 the chronology of past ages. These he divides 
 into four great classes, viz., Mundane, Patriarchal, 
 Mosaic, and Intermediate Eras, illustrating the 
 whole with tables and arguments, and ending 
 with " A Comparative Table of the Septuagint 
 and Hebrew Chronologies from the Creation to 
 the accession of Uzziah, B. c. 810, showing their 
 Jubilean difference to the Christian era at each 
 date." The inconceivable labour which the au- 
 thor has undergone to find out the true system of 
 chronology, and his triumphant success in estab- 
 lishing it on the double evidence of Scripture 
 testimony and Mathematical and Astronomical 
 Science, entitle him to make the following de- 
 cided appeal to the disciples of Usher, " Septua- 
 gint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried," pp. 88, 89. 
 
 " They, it seems, possess the true chronology ! 
 incumbered indeed with a few awkward difficul- 
 ties and paradoxes ; as that the people, whose 
 sins St. Paul declares to have been filled up, who 
 had crucified the Messiah, and were the perse-
 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. 12*7 
 
 cutors of his Church, and are the chronological 
 forgers who have corrupted the times of Daniel's 
 prophecy of the seventy weeks, telling us in their 
 almanacs, as I see from that of their year of the 
 world 5598, answering to 1837 8, now open be- 
 fore me, that from the destruction of the first 
 temple by Nebuchadnezzar, to that of the second 
 by the Romans, were only 490 years, the true 
 chronology being 657 years, are yet more worthy 
 of credit than the apostles of the Lord, and the 
 first churches, and the text of St. Luke ! As that 
 Abraham was born only two years after the death 
 of Noah, and was the cotemporary of Shem, Ar- 
 phaxed, Salah, Eber, the last of whom actually 
 survived him ; and thus that there were different 
 arid discordant economies of the world co-existent 
 and co-etaneous ! As that, it is better to twist, 
 and crucify, and reject the chronological testi- 
 mony of the whole book of Judges, than expressly 
 to admit that the immaculate Rabbis have inter- 
 polated in a single text, 1 Kings vi. 1., a single 
 false number! Yet, notwithstanding these few 
 and awkward difficulties, we repeat it the dis- 
 ciples of Usher can have no difficulty, seeing they 
 possess the truth ! in producing from their hidden 
 treasures, greater and more stupendous concentra- 
 tions of the true chronology, at some given point 
 of time, than has now been evolved from the 
 Septuagint!"
 
 128 DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE 
 
 4. Recommendation of Mr. Cuninghame's later works Summary of the 
 remarkable and original subjects of which they treat His remarks on 
 the Theories of modern Geologists recommended Their large demands 
 upon time not warranted by the simplicity of the Mosaic narrative The 
 authority and authenticity of the Inspired Record endangered by their 
 speculations Another mode of solving Geological difficulties recom- 
 mended A boon of 1500 years additional granted to Geologists 
 Recommendation of Mr. Morison's " Religious History of Man " Mr. 
 Cuninghame's discoveries concentrated in his " Chart of Chronology " 
 and " Essay," and in the Appendices to the fourth edition of his " Dis- 
 sertation on the Apocalypse.*' 
 
 The views developed by Mr. Cuninghame, in 
 the preceding work, are still more fully exem- 
 plified and applied in his later works. In these, 
 he gives, 1st, A Table, accompanied with nume- 
 rous cyclical demonstrations, of the great periods 
 which expire in 1839 ; a further elucidation of 
 the four great classes of Eras, the Mundane, the 
 Patriarchal, the Ecclesiastical, and the Propheti- 
 cal ; and remarks on the great periods which 
 expire in 1840 and 1841. 2nd. Tables of the 
 whole Eras from Creation to the last year of 
 Christ's personal ministry, and of years subse- 
 quent to that event, from which simple Trinal 
 Fractions being reckoned, terminate in 1839. 
 3rd. Table of the Great Periods which expire 
 in 1840, with remarks and illustrations ; Division 
 of the Mundane period from Creation to 1840, 
 into eleven subordinate periods or ages, marked 
 by perfect cycles of scientific time ; the arrival 
 of the time of the End, and of the Restoration of
 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. 12Q 
 
 Israel.* To the latter work, he prefixes some 
 pertinent and pungent remarks on the modern 
 Theories of Geology as opposed to the Scriptures, 
 in which we entirely coincide ; and, though our 
 space will not permit us to enter into any dis- 
 cussion, we cannot avoid remarking, that the 
 principle of interposing, between the first and 
 second verses of Genesis, chap. i. " millions of 
 ages " " unlimited drafts upon antiquity " " an 
 unutterable period " " unnumbered ages,"" &c., is 
 wholly unwarranted by the truth and simplicity 
 of the Mosaic narrative, and extremely dangerous 
 to the authority and- authenticity of the Inspired 
 Record. Instead of demanding "millions of 
 ages," therefore, we would seriously advise Geo- 
 logists Christian Geologists, at least, to be 
 content with the extraordinary rapidity of che- 
 mical operations and electrical developements, 
 within a very limited period of time, and to en- 
 deavour to explain their Geological phenomena 
 in a manner more in accordance with the known 
 chronology of the world, to the common estimate 
 of which must now be added nearly 1500 years on 
 the authority of Scripture ! But on this subject 
 we must refer to the author's work, " Season 
 of the End," pp. viii xiii., and to Morison's 
 " Religious History of Man," ch. ii. pp. 25 46. 
 In fine, we observe, that the results of Mr. Cun- 
 inghame's labours and discoveries are concen- 
 
 * See Note B. p. 132. 
 K
 
 130 DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE" 
 
 trated in the "Chart of Chronology" and " Essay," 
 and in the fourth edition of the " Dissertation on 
 the Apocalypse." 
 
 NOTE A. 
 
 The number and variety of the author's proofs of this gene- 
 ral proposition are so great, that we can scarcely dip into a 
 page of his chronological works without meeting them ; the 
 following are some of the most remarkable instances. 
 
 From Creation B.C. 5478, to the birth of Enoch B.C. 4357, 
 are 1121 years, a number which is 59 times the cycle of 19 
 years, to the Deluge B.C. 3217, are 2261 years, which is 119 
 times or 17 weeks of the cycle of 19, to Noah's Egression 
 from the Ark B.C. 3216, are 2262 years, which is a Lunar 
 cycle, the moon fast 15 hours, to the birth of Arphaxad B. c. 
 3215, are 2263 years, which is the product of the Trinal Frac- 
 tions 31 and 73, and from the death of Adam B.C. 4548, to 
 the birth of Arphaxad, are 1333 years, which is the trinal frac- 
 tion of 36, and the product of the trinal fractions 31 and 43. 
 
 To the Dedication of Solomon's Temple B. c. 1019, from 
 Creation, are 4459 years, which is 91 Jubilees or 13 cubes of 7, 
 or the product of the cube of the trinal fraction of 2 by the 
 trinal fraction of 3 ; otherwise, it is 13 weeks of the Jubilee, 91 
 and 13 being both trinal fractions, as well as 343 the week of 
 the Jubilee, from the birth of Arphaxad, are 2196 years, 
 which is 12 times the trinal fraction 183, from the birth of 
 Abraham B.C. 2145, are 1126 years, which is the sum of the 
 trinal fractions 993 and 133, from the birth of Isaac B. c. 
 2045, are 1026 years, which is 54 times the cycle of 19, from 
 the birth of Ishmael B. c. 2059, are 1040 years, which is a per- 
 fect Lunar cycle, and from the Exodus B. c. 1639, are 620 
 years, which is 20 times the trinal fraction 31. 
 
 From Creation, to the foundation of Rome B. c. 753, are 
 4725 years, which is 15 times the Lunar cycle of 315 years,
 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. 131 
 
 to the taking of Babylon by Cyrus B. c. 538, are 4940 years, 
 which is 260 times the cycle of 19, to the taking of Jerusalem 
 by Pompey B.C. 63, are 5415 years, which is 15 times the 
 square of the cycle of 19, to the death of Christ A. D. 33, are 
 5510 years, which is 290 times the cycle of 19, and from the 
 Deluge to the death of Christ, are 3249 years, which is 9 
 times the square of the cycle of 19, or the product of the 
 squares of 3 and 19. 
 
 From the death of Noah B. c. 2867, to that of Shem B. c. 
 2715, are 152 years, which is 8 times the cycle of 19 ; thence, 
 to that of Arphaxad B. c. 2677, 38 years, which is 2 times the 
 cycle of 19 ; and thence, to that of Cainan II. B. c. 2620, 57 
 years, which is 3 times the cycle of 19, to the birth of Abra- 
 ham, are 722 years, which is 2 times the square of the cycle 19, 
 to the death of Joseph B. c. 1784, are 1083 years, which is 3 
 times the square of the cycle of 19, to the birth of David B. c. 
 1100, are 1767 years, which is 93 cycles of 19, and to the 
 French Revolution of A. D. 1789, are 4655 years, which is 245 
 cycles of 19, or 95 Jubilees. From the flood to the death of 
 Salah B.C. 2517, are 700 years; and from the death of Noah 
 to the same, are 350 years. 
 
 From the birth of Judah B. c. 1903, to the attempt to esta- 
 blish a Christian church at Jerusalem A. D. 1842, are exactly 
 3744 years, which is two times the square of 12, added to 3 
 times the cube of 12. From the capture of Jerusalem by 
 David B.C. 1063, to A. D. 1842, are exactly 2904 years, or 2 
 times the square of 1 1, added to 2 times the cube of 11. Hence, 
 from the birth of Judah to the capture of Jerusalem, are 840 
 years, which is the product of 70 and 12, or of 7 and 120. 
 From the Exodus B.C. 1639, to the capture of Jerusalem, are 
 576 years, which is 4 times the square of 12, and to A. D. 1842, 
 are 3480 years, which is 2 times 12 added to 2 times the cube 
 of 12; and from the entrance of Israel into Canaan B.C. 1599, 
 to A. D. 1842, are 3440 years, which is 8 times 430, (see 
 Exodus xii. 40.) 
 
 K 2
 
 132 DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE 
 
 NOTE B. 
 
 It is utterly impossible to give our readers any correct idea 
 of the extraordinary labour which the author must have had 
 in the construction of these Tables, or of the astonishing coinci- 
 dences which he has discovered in the cyclical periods of time 
 which connect remote events in the history of the world with 
 those which are passing under our own eyes in these latter days ; 
 we must positively refer our readers to the works themselves, 
 particularly the " Season of the End." We shall take however 
 one event from this work, as an example of the rest, namely, the 
 " Accession of Victoria," A. D. 1837, and show how he connects 
 it with past history in the true system of Chronology. From 
 the birth of Seth, B. c. 5249, are 7085 years, which is the sum 
 of the triual fractions 6973, 91, and 21 ; the corresponding 
 epochs being a Grand conjunction of the Planets in A. D. 
 1725, the first year of General Peace in A. D. 1816, and the 
 Accession ; or, the sum of the trinal fractions 6963, 91, and 31, 
 the corresponding epochs being the Rebellion of A. D. 1715, 
 the fall of Prussia in A. D. 1806, and the Accession. 
 
 From the birth of Enos B. c. 5044, are 6880 years, which 
 is the sum of the trinal fractions 6807 and 73. From the 
 death of Seth B. c. 4337, are 6173 years, which is the sum 
 of 5932, or 4 times the fraction 1483, and the fraction 241 ; 
 the corresponding epochs, being the Divine defeat of the 
 Spanish Armada in A. D. 1596, and the Accession. From 
 the birth of Methuselah B. c. 4192, are 6028 years, which 
 is the sum of the fractions 6007 and 21, the corresponding 
 epochs being the General Peace in A. D. 1816, and the 
 Accession. From the birth of Japhet B. c. 3317, are 5153 
 years, which is the sum of 4820, or 20 times the frac- 
 tion 241, and 333, or 3 times the fraction 111. From the 
 Egression of Noah from the Ark B.C. 3216, are 5052 years, 
 which is the sum of 4995, or 45 times the fraction 111, 
 and the fraction 57 or 3 times the cycle of 19. 
 
 From the death of Eber B.C. 2416, are 4252 years, which is
 
 SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGY. 133 
 
 the sum of the fractions 4161 and 91, the corresponding epochs 
 being the defeat of the Pretender at Culloden in A. D. 1746, and 
 the Accession. From the Call of Abraham B. c. 2070, are 3906 
 years, which is the sum of 3885 or 35 times the fraction 111 and 
 the fraction 21, the corresponding epochs being the General 
 Peace in A. D. 1816, and the Accession. From the beginning 
 of the 3rd servitude of Israel B.C. 1426, are 3262 years, which 
 is the sum of 3219, or 29 times the fraction 111, and the 
 fraction 43, the corresponding epochs being the fall of Robes- 
 pierre A. D. 1794, and the Accession. From the captivity in 
 Babylon B. c. 606, are 2442 years, which is 22 times the frac- 
 tion 111, and terminates at the epoch of the Accession. From 
 the birth of Christ B. c. 3, are 1839 years, which is the sum of 
 1776, or 16 times the fraction 111, and 63, or 3 times the frac- 
 tion 21, the corresponding epochs being the Accession of Louis 
 XVI. in 1774, and the Accession of Victoria I. But we must 
 stop here, having cited only 12 instances out of 30 given by the 
 author, in which the latter event is shown to be linked to great 
 events in the former history of the world by curious and remark- 
 able cycles of time.
 
 ON 
 
 THE TRUE AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 part H* 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 
 
 Primeval prophecy concerning tbe Messiah Errors in the translation of it, 
 in different versions Correct in the Septuagint Tradition of this pro- 
 phecy in the Ante and Post Diluvian ages Its clearer development in 
 the Patriarchal Age Dr. Lamb's explanation of the word Shiloh Pro- 
 phecy of Balaam in the Critarchal Age Predictions of Moses and Han- 
 nah The glorious revelations of the Monarchal Age The testimony of 
 the Psalms to the Messiah Explanation of the last words of David 
 from Kennicott Application of the term Sun to Jehovah Testimony of 
 the Prophecies to the Messiah Isaiah, the Evangelical Prophet The 
 predictions at the close of the Monarchal and tbe commencement of the 
 Hierarchal Age Testimony among the Heathen. 
 
 IN the Introduction to the first part of this Disser- 
 tation, we very shortly alluded to the tradition 
 and prophecies concerning the first Advent of the 
 Messiah, which were prevalent in the world be- 
 fore the era of Christianity. That, in consequence 
 of the prophecies, traces of such a tradition, from 
 a very remote period, should be found among all 
 nations, will not be deemed improbable by those
 
 136 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS 
 
 who attentively read and sincerely believe the re- 
 cords of Inspiration. There indeed, we find that 
 the first sweet note of Jubilee which sounded in 
 the ears of Fallen Man, was the distant promise 
 of Redemption by the hands of a Mediator, an- 
 nounced in the Divine prediction of the punish- 
 ment to be inflicted on the Author of Sin by the 
 Seed of the woman : " HE shall bruise thy 
 Head, and thou shalt bruise his Heel;" Gen. iii. 
 15. The meaning of this very remarkable pas- 
 sage is greatly obscured in our vulgar translation 
 by the use of the neuter pronoun It (Ipsum), in- 
 stead of the masculine He (Ipse), which clearly 
 refers to the Seed of the woman, who is Christ. 
 The Seventy Interpreters have correctly employed 
 the masculine pronoun He (auroc) in the Greek 
 Version ; while, in the Latin Vulgate, the femi- 
 nine pronoun She (Ipsa) has very absurdly been 
 inserted, as if the prediction referred to the Woman 
 herself and not to her Seed ! Some have attri- 
 buted this error to Josephus; but we do not think 
 it is at all borne out by the passage referred to in 
 his Antiquities, although it is quite evident that he 
 was utterly ignorant of the true meaning of the 
 prophecy.* To us, it appears to savour more of a 
 
 * In L'Estrange's Translation of Josephus, p, 10, he says 
 " God commanded Eve to tread upon his [the Serpent's] head, 
 both as the fountain of all our woes, and as the part where he 
 most easily receives a mortal wound." Reland says " Quia 
 interpres vettis hsec reddit, ut mulicr ejus capiti playas
 
 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 137 
 
 Rabbinical or Roman Catholic gloss ; be this, how- 
 ever, as it may, it is evident that had the transla- 
 tors or editors of the Latin version remembered 
 that " the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of pro- 
 phecy," they would not have committed such an 
 egregious mistake. 
 
 With the reign of sin, began the reign of mercy. 
 Thus early was it declared that the Messiah 
 should come to destroy the works of the Devil ; 
 and thus early was it announced that the Christ 
 should suffer and enter into his glory ! All the 
 attempts of the Wicked One for ages have never 
 been able to obliterate this first and glorious pro- 
 phecy of God from the remembrance of the human 
 mind. Onward it has passed from father to son, 
 and from patriarch to patriarch, gathering fresh 
 vigour and clearness in its descent ; brightly did it 
 beam, even in the Antediluvian age, through the 
 righteous preaching of Enoch and of Noah ; and 
 having survived the deluge, anew did it shine 
 forth in the Postdiluvian age, in the glorious anti- 
 cipations of the ancient Idumean prince, and in 
 the Divine revelations vouchsafed to the great 
 Father of the Jewish nation. " I know," said 
 Job (xix. 25), " that my Redeemer liveth, and that 
 he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." 
 
 inferret, &c. Nulla apud Josephum est mentio mulieris, nee 
 ullum hactenus codicem Joseph! conspectum rnemini, in quo 
 hoc loco mulier commemoratur." Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. 
 page 8, note c.
 
 138 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS 
 
 Again, " to Abraham and his seed were the pro- 
 mises made ;" for, God said not " And to seeds, as 
 of many ; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is 
 Christ." See Genesis xiii. 15; xv. 18; xviii. 7; 
 xxii. 18; and Galatians iii. 16. 
 
 The divine predictions concerning the person 
 and work of the Messiah were more clearly de- 
 veloped in the Patriarchal age. To Isaac and 
 to Jacob, they were at first announced in terms 
 very similar to those in which they were conveyed 
 to Abraham; Genesis xxvi. 3; xxviii. 13; and 
 xxxv. 10. But to Israel, was it given, to declare 
 to the Twelve Patriarchs, while uttering his dying 
 benediction, the celebrated prophecy concerning 
 Shiloh, which was fully verified in the Advent of 
 our Saviour, whatever may be deemed the true 
 interpretation of the name ; Genesis xlix. 10. 
 Although we cannot agree with Dr. Lamb, in his 
 theory of the existence of a Hieroglyphic language 
 previous to a Phonetic one, we think that he has 
 struck out the real meaning of this term Shilok, 
 when he says, " The word is literally tl?, ' who' or 
 'who is' m^ (Jelovah), the very same word as 
 mrf ' Jehovah,' with the original *? restored. 
 Thus Jacob points out the Messiah by a title 
 which could be applied to no other individual, 
 and declared the Divinity of our Saviour about 
 seventeen hundred [1838] years before his birth. 
 The three words, (omitting D" 1 which implies an 
 attribute of omniscience)
 
 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 139 
 
 Alovah, The Creator, 
 miT Jehovah, The God of Israel, 
 m^ Jelovah, The Promised Messiah, 
 are one and the same. We need no farther com- 
 ment upon the 58th verse of the 8th chapter of St. 
 
 John I 'Afjiriv, 'Apjv, Xiyw vfjiivj Trpiv'Aflpaap. ytvfaBai, eyd> 
 
 ii/M. " Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abra- 
 ham was I am." See his work entitled " Hebrew 
 Characters derived from Hieroglyphics," p. 86. 
 
 During the Critarchal Age, the predictions con- 
 cerning Christ were less numerous ; but it com- 
 menced with the brilliant prophecy of the Star 
 which was to come out of Jacob, and terminated 
 with the first announcement in Scripture of the 
 name of the Messiah. To Balaam it was per- 
 mitted to foresee in splendid vision, the glory of 
 Israel in the latter days, and the rise of a Sceptre 
 or King who should possess universal dominion ; 
 see Numbers xxiv. 17. Dr. Gill, in his comment 
 on this passage, seems to think that the Star which 
 the Eastern Magi saw at the birth of Christ, is 
 here clearly foretold, and that the Jews them- 
 selves were at that period in expectation of such 
 a phenomenon. That this universal King was to 
 be a Jew, is manifestly the opinion held by the 
 Seventy Interpreters ; for in their version, the 
 prophecy is thus rendered, " A star shall .arise out 
 of Jacob, and a man shall be raised up, or shall 
 raise himself up, out of Israel." How strongly 
 does this passage remind us of our Saviour's own
 
 140 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS 
 
 words, when speaking of his Mission, he said, " I 
 have power to lay down my life, and I have 
 power to take it up again;" John x. 18. Moses, 
 who had so often spoken to the children of Israel 
 concerning Jehovah their God, and the " Angel of 
 his presence," was at last commissioned to pre- 
 dict the Advent of Christ in the following words : 
 " I will raise them up a Prophet from among their 
 brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words 
 in his mouth;" Deuter. xviii. 15. To this pro- 
 phecy is added an awful sanction, to which our 
 Saviour plainly alluded when speaking of the un- 
 believer he said, "the word that I have spoken, 
 the same shall judge him in the last day;" John 
 xii. 48. But to the mother of Samuel, the pro- 
 phet, was it first given to announce in holy prayer 
 and song, the name of the Messiah, the anointed 
 of the Lord; for she said "Jehovah shall judge 
 the ends of the earth, and he shall give strength 
 unto our king, and exalt the horn of his Messiah ;" 
 1 Samuel ii. 10. 
 
 The clearest revelations of this divine person- 
 age, however, were reserved for the glory of the 
 Monarchal Age, the acm6 of the Levitical dis- 
 pensation, which all along prefigured the good 
 things to come. In the Psalms written by David 
 the king, " the sweet Psalmist of Israel," we find 
 the brightest anticipations of the happiness and 
 universality of Christ's kingdom, accompanied 
 with the most distinct intimations of his estate of
 
 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 141 
 
 humiliation and exaltation. We refer particularly 
 to the 2nd Psalm, which speaks of him by name 
 as the Messiah; the 8th, of his assumption of our 
 nature ; the 16th, of his resurrection and ascen- 
 sion; the 22nd, of his words and his feelings on 
 the cross ; the 24th and 68th, of his reception and 
 glory in heaven ; the 40th, of the union of his 
 divine and human nature ; the 45th and 72nd, of 
 the eternity and glory of his reign ; the 91st of 
 his temptation ; the 97th of his adoration by the 
 angels; the 102nd and 110th, of his divinity, per- 
 petual priesthood, and eternal duration; the 118th, 
 of his rejection by the Jews; the 132nd, of his 
 name and office as the Messiah ; and, the 146th, 
 of his final and everlasting dominion. Moreover, 
 in the last words of David, as elucidated by the 
 critical industry and acumen of Dr. Kennicott, we 
 have a remarkable prophecy of the coming of 
 Christ, couched in one of the most splendid and 
 pleasing figures which can be drawn from the 
 phenomena of the natural world : " And as the 
 light of the morning, shall arise Jehovah the Sun, 
 a morning without clouds, with the glittering of 
 the dew on the tender herb of the earth ;" 
 2 Samuel xxiii. 4. In this passage of the printed 
 Hebrew text the word Jehovah has been omitted ; 
 but the corresponding words 0eoc and Kupoc have 
 been preserved in the Septuagint ; and Dr. Ken- 
 nicott found the word miT Jehovah, which is 
 wanting in the printed text, in one of the oldest
 
 142 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS 
 
 Hebrew MSS. in the Bodleian library, marked 
 by him No. 2; see his "Dissertation" entitled 
 " The Printed State of the Hebrew Text, &c." 
 vol. i. pp. 468 47 1 . As U? Shin or Sin, in the 
 Hieroglyphics of Dr. Lamb, signifies the Sun, 
 being the first and last letter of the Hebrew word 
 tt/Qttt, Shemesh, the Sun, it is possible that even 
 the term H^tt) Shiloh, which he has so ingeniously 
 explained, may have originally signified the Sun 
 Jelovah : and hence, the origin and propriety of 
 some of the figurative and prophetical expressions 
 to be found in the Psalms and the Prophets. 
 Thus, in Psalm Ixxxiv. 11, "The Lord God is a 
 Sun and shield:" in Isaiah xix. 18, "One shall 
 be called the City of the Sun ;" xxx. 26 : " the 
 light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of 
 seven days, in the day that the Lord biiideth up 
 the breach of his people ;" Ix. 20 : " thy Sun shall 
 go no more down, neither shall thy moon with- 
 draw itself, for the Lord shall be thine everlasting 
 light;" and, in Malachi iv. 2, " But unto you that 
 fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise 
 with healing in his wings." 
 
 Almost all the predictions concerning Christ to 
 be found in the writings of the prophets, were 
 delivered to the Jews during the Monarchal 
 age ; and so clearly and distinctly have some of 
 the prophecies, particularly those of Isaiah, pointed 
 out his generation, his person, his office, his char- 
 acter and his sufferings, that rather than yield to
 
 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 143 
 
 conviction, infidels have even dared to assert that 
 the descriptions which they contain were written 
 after the events took place ! This Evangelical 
 prophet first unfolded the true meaning of the 
 primeval prophecy, by announcing, in the 7th 
 chapter, that he should be born of a Virgin, and 
 that his name should be called Immatiuel, or God 
 with us; by ascribing to him, in the 9th, the 
 names and attributes of Deity; by declaring, in 
 the llth, his descent from David according to the 
 flesh; by describing in the llth, 32nd, and 61st, 
 his offices as a prophet, priest and king ; by fore- 
 telling, in the 40th, the words and the office of his 
 Forerunner, John the Baptist; in the llth, and 
 49th, the calling of the Gentiles to his kingdom ; 
 and, in the 49th, 60th, and 65th, their willingness 
 to receive him as the Messiah ; in the 52nd, and 
 53rd, his external appearance and circumstances ; 
 in the 6th, 8th, and 28th, his unbelieving recep- 
 tion and final rejection by the Jews; in the 53rd, 
 the gracious design of his sufferings, and the 
 striking manner of his trial, death and burial : 
 and by declaring in the 35th, 40th, and 55th, his 
 glory as the Almighty conqueror, the compas- 
 sionate Saviour, and the righteous Judge of all ; 
 in the 9th, his heirship to the throne of David, as 
 the beloved king of all the true Israel of God ; and 
 in the 35th, 62nd, and 65th, his glorious reign in 
 the new Jerusalem above, in the heavenly and 
 eternal Zion, as the King of kings and Lord of
 
 144 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS 
 
 Lords, the Omnipotent Creator, the everlasting 
 Ruler, and the immortal Preserver of Angels and 
 of Men. 
 
 Towards the close of the Monarchal age, during 
 the Babylonish captivity, and near the beginning 
 of the Hierarchal age, many splendid predictions 
 of the Messiah, were vouchsafed to the Prophets, 
 for the comfort of those who mourned in Zion for 
 the abominations of the land and the sins of Judah, 
 and for the solace of those who piously submitted 
 to the righteous judgments of God. Thus, in the 
 23rd chapter of Jeremiah, we have a prophecy of 
 the future elevation of a king of the house of 
 David, whose name should be called The Lord our 
 Righteousness ; and in the 33rd, of the perpetual 
 humanity of the final heir to David's throne ; in 
 the 34th and 37th, of Ezekiel, of the ultimate ac- 
 cession of the Antitype David as the Shepherd and 
 Prince of his people ; in the 7th of Daniel, of the 
 everlasting dominion of the Son of Man over all 
 the kingdoms of the world, given to him by the 
 Ancient of Days; in the 8th and 12th, of the op- 
 position to the kingdom of the Prince of Princes, 
 and of the Time of the End disclosed by the Won- 
 derful Number er ; in the 9th, 10th, and 12th, of 
 the coming of the Messiah the Prince, and of the 
 Defence of his people by Michael the great and 
 sole Archangel; in the 2nd of Haggai, of the Ad- 
 vent of the Desire of all nations, and the Glory of 
 the Second Temple ; in the 3rd and 6th of
 
 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 145 
 
 Zechariah, of the springing up, in due time, of the 
 righteous servant of Jehovah, denominated The 
 Branch ; in the 13th, of the mystery of the Incar- 
 nation, and the circumstances attending the Cruci- 
 jlxion; and, in the 3rd and 4th of Malachi, of the 
 Mission of John the Baptist, and the unexpected 
 appearance of the " Angel of the Covenant" in the 
 Temple at Jerusalem. 
 
 In the midst of all these glorious predictions 
 from the fall of Adam to the close of the Old Tes- 
 tament Canon, comprising a period of more than 
 5000 years,* we cannot suppose that the Heathen 
 were left utterly ignorant of their existence and 
 their meaning ; or, that the people of God did not, 
 in some way or other, make known to the nations 
 by whom they were surrounded, the glory of his 
 grace and the manifestations of his eternal power 
 and Godhead. It is certain, indeed, that Jehovah 
 never left himself without a witness to his truth, 
 his mercy and his goodness, in any age of the 
 world ; and we shall now proceed shortly to en- 
 quire by what means this testimony was begun 
 and carried on among mankind, by the perpetual 
 exhibition of the natural and supernatural pheno- 
 mena, which accompanied the revelations of his 
 will to his chosen people in all ages. 
 
 * For the accuracy of this number we have the testimony of 
 Josephus in two different places of his works, which have 
 escaped the alterations made in the text of his Jewish Antiqui- 
 ties, by wicked and designing persons. See the Prooemium to 
 that work, paragraph y; and the Prologue to his first Book 
 against Apion. 
 
 L
 
 146 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH TO 
 THE SUBJECT OF PROPHECY. 
 
 1. Object of the Disposition of the Cherubim at Edeu Its disappearance 
 from the earth The remembrance of its glory transmitted to the Post- 
 diluvians Its occasional re-appearance to Abraham, to Moses, to Israel, 
 to Elijah, and to Isaiah Identity of the visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and 
 John Similarity of the visions of Daniel, John, the Three Disciples, 
 and Paul Object of these glorious representations in heaven and on 
 earth Known among the Heathen, and grafted on their religious wor- 
 ship Origin of Zabaism, and its spread over the world. 
 
 THE setting up of the Cherubim, and a Flaming 
 Fire, likened to a sword, as the emblems of the 
 Divine glory and presence, in the garden of Eden, 
 after the expulsion of Adam, was an evidence of 
 God's mercy and favour to fallen man, and a 
 symbolical indication of the ultimate fulfilment 
 of the primeval prophecy ; Gen. iii. 24. As God 
 set the Bow in the cloud to be a memorial of his 
 covenant with all flesh regarding the future pre- 
 servation of the earth from the waters of a flood, 
 so he set the Shechinah in paradise to be a me- 
 morial of his covenant with man regarding the 
 future destruction of his implacable enemy, and
 
 TESTIMONY TO PROPHECY. 147 
 
 the future restoration of himself and his posterity 
 to innocence and happiness, through the Almighty 
 power of Him who dwelt between the Cherubim. 
 That man was appointed to reside in the vicinity 
 of Eden, and to worship before this supernatural 
 evidence of the divine glory, is manifest even 
 from the very short notices of the history of the 
 Antediluvian world, which now remain. The 
 sacrifice of Abel is supposed to have been con- 
 sumed byjire from the Shechinah, as a proof of 
 its acceptance through faith in the promised 
 Saviour ; and the punishment of Cain appears to 
 have consisted chiefly in his banishment from the 
 face or presence of the Lord at Eden. There, 
 indeed, did men first begin to call on the name of 
 Jehovah ; and thence, no doubt, was Enoch first 
 translated to the kingdom of glory. 
 
 The flood at last came, and the Shechinah 
 disappeared from the earth ; but the remem- 
 brance of its supernal glory was preserved in the 
 family of Noah. There was nothing, however, 
 in nature with which it could be compared, for 
 beauty and for dazzling brightness, but the Sun 
 itself, or a Flaming Fire most terrible to the be- 
 holders. Such, indeed, have always been the 
 terms of comparison used by those whom God 
 hath favoured with the heavenly vision; and 
 such, no doubt, was the description of the ap- 
 pearance of the Edenic Cherubim, given by the 
 sons of the great Antediluvian to their posterity 
 
 L 2
 
 148 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 In the appearance of Jehovah to Abraham, the 
 divine presence was accompanied by a flame, a 
 smoking furnace, and lamps of Jire, Gen. xv. 17; 
 to Moses in Horeb, by a flame of jire out of the 
 midst of a bush, Exodus iii. 2 ; and to Israel, in 
 the wilderness, by a pillar of cloud by day, and 
 a pillar of jire by night, xiii. 21 ; at Sinai, by 
 thunders and lightnings, devouring jire, and 
 smoke as the smoke of a furnace, xix. 16. and 
 xxiv. 17 ; and at the setting up of the tabernacle 
 of the congregation, by cloud and Jire, and the 
 glory of the Lord, the Insessor of the Cherubim, 
 Ix. 34. At the destruction of the priests of Baal, 
 God answered Elijah* by Jire, 1 Kings, xviii. 38 ; 
 at the dedication of Solomon's Temple, the 
 glory of the Lord appeared with cloud and Jire, 
 2 Chronicles vii. 1 ; and, in the year that King 
 Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the glory of Christ, and 
 spake of Him ; then was the house filled with 
 smoke, and His glory filled the temple and 
 the whole earth ; and then was that glorious 
 Trisagium pronounced by the Seraphim, in the 
 hearing of the prophet, and afterwards repeated 
 
 * This eminent Prophet was favoured with a vision of God's 
 glory, which, though preceded by storm, and earthquake, and 
 fire, was accompanied with a still small voice. This was the 
 voice of love and mercy, whose sweetest notes were heard at 
 Calvary without the gate ; for the Septuagint says, KUKE'I 
 Kvptos, and the Lord was there; 1 Kings xix. 12. See the 
 Alexandrine edition.
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 149 
 
 by the four Living Creatures in that of the beloved 
 disciple, which establishes for ever in the mind 
 of the believer, His eternal power and Godhead, 
 Isaiah vi. 1 4 ; John xii. 41 ; and Rev. iv. 8. 
 
 In the land of Chaldea, by the river of Chebar, 
 and in the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, 
 Ezekiel saw the glory of the God of Israel, ac- 
 companied with a great cloud and a Jire infolding 
 itself, and a brightness about it. like the rainbow ; 
 the appearance of the Living Creatures, which he 
 knew were the Cherubim, was like burning coals 
 of Jire, like the appearance of lamps, and out of 
 the^re went forth lightning ; and the voice of the 
 Almighty was like the noise of many waters, and 
 the earth shined with his glory, Ezek. i. x ; Ixiii. 
 In his night visions at Babylon, Daniel beheld 
 the glory of the Ancient of Days, having a throne 
 like the Jiery flame, wheels as burning Jire, and a 
 Jiery stream issuing from before him, vii. 9 ; and 
 by the side of the river Hiddekel, he saw a man 
 whose face had the appearance of lightning, and 
 his eyes as lamps of Jire, his arms and feet like 
 polished brass, and his voice like the voice of a 
 multitude, x. 6. Peter, James, and John saw the 
 glory of Christ on the mount of transfiguration, 
 when his face did shine as the Sun, and his rai- 
 ment was white as the light, and a bright cloud 
 overshadowed them, Matthew xvii. 2, 5 ; Paul, 
 at mid-day, saw his glory as a light from heaven 
 above the brightness of the Sun, Acts xxvi. 13 ;
 
 150 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 and he declared to the Hebrews of that age, as 
 Moses did to the children of Israel 1700 years 
 before him, in language of the strongest meta- 
 phor, that Jehovah our God is a consuming Jire, 
 Heb. xii. 29, and Deut. iv. 24. John, who said 
 that God is light and in him is no darkness at all, 
 and that Christ is the Light of the World, saw, in 
 the Isle of Patmos, his eyes as a flame ofjire, his 
 feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a fur- 
 nace, and his countenance as the Sun shineth in 
 his strength, and heard his voice as the sound 
 of many waters, Rev. i. 1416; he beheld the 
 mighty angel clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow 
 over his head, and his face as it were the Sun, 
 and his feet as pillars of Jire, x. 1 ; and he saw 
 the Faithful and True Witness, whose eyes were 
 as a flame of fire, and on whose head were many 
 crowm y who possesses the. Incommunicable Name, 
 and who is called the Word of God, the KING OF 
 KINGS, and the LORD OF LORDS, xix. 11 16. 
 
 From all the splendid and glowing imagery, 
 which is thus employed in Scripture, to shew 
 forth the glory of Christ, and under which human 
 language, though the gift of God, seems to labour 
 and groan as under an insupportable burden, it is 
 manifest that He, who is the brightness of his 
 Father's glory and the express image of his 
 person, hath, by symbolical representations of 
 himself, both under the Old and the New Dis- 
 pensations, declared the being and attributes of
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 151 
 
 God from the beginning of the world. The 
 Angel of Jehovah has, in fact, in all ages, made 
 the heavens declare the glory of God, and the 
 firmament shew forth his handy work ; in them, 
 he hath set a tabernacle for the Sun, to demon- 
 strate the wonders of his grace ; and, he hath 
 ordained the moon and the stars, not only to rule 
 the night and direct the seasons, but to utter all 
 his praise in a universal language, which he has 
 imparted to all nations under the whole heaven ; 
 Deut. iv. 19 ; Psalm viii. 3; and xix. 3. Thus it 
 appears, that even among the heathen, the re- 
 membrance of the true God and his Son the 
 Redeemer, was kept up by tradition and by 
 symbol ; and that traces of the grand truth first 
 announced in the primeval prophecy, and after- 
 wards gradually developed to God's chosen peo- 
 ple at sundry times and in divers manners, are to 
 be found in the history of the religious worship of 
 mankind in all ages, and from the remotest times. 
 Before the flood these traces are no doubt very 
 obscure, but they are not altogether obliterated. 
 Soon after the deluge, however, was the light of 
 the Sun of Righteousness bedimmed in their gross 
 minds by that of the natural emblems of his 
 glory ; and soon was " the truth of God" changed 
 into *' the lie" of the devil; for they began to 
 worship and serve the creature more than the 
 Creator, who is God over all, and blessed for ever. 
 Hence, arose the earliest and the most extensive
 
 152 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 system of idolatry ever known in the world, the 
 worship of the Sun, and the Moon, and all the 
 Host of Heaven ; with this also was connected the 
 worship of Fire, Light, and Ether, and of all those 
 symbolical representations of these natural pheno- 
 mena, which are to be discovered in the ancient 
 records of the Babylonians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, 
 Egyptians, Phenicians, and Persians, as well as 
 in the early histories or traditions of the Chinese 
 and the Hindoos or Eastern Indians of the Old 
 Continent, the Britons, and the Celts or Gauls 
 who overspread Europe, and the Peruvians and 
 Mexicans or Western Indians of the New World. 
 
 2. The Sun worshipped by the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans, 
 under the names of Baal, or Beelsamen By the Egyptians, under the 
 names of Orus and O'siris Connection between the Sun and Sirius 
 The Sun and his Satellite worshipped by the Israelites, under the name* 
 of Molech and Remphan, Baal, and Ashtaroth, during the Critarchal 
 age The Zabian idolatry set up at Jerusalem in the Monarchal age 
 The partial Reformation of Josiah The ancient Persians, Sun and Fire 
 worshippers Origia of Mithras The gods of Fhenicia, Elioun, and 
 Adonis or Tainmuz. 
 
 It is of some importance to our general argu- 
 ment, to refer to a few of the evidences of this 
 universal species of idolatry, which are still to be 
 found in the names ascribed to the gods which 
 these different nations worshipped. Among the 
 Babylonians, the Assyrians, and the Chaldeans, 
 there existed from the age of Nimrod to the 
 destruction of Nineveh and Babylon, the worship 
 of Baal, in Hebrew bjQ Lord, which signifies,
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 153 
 
 astrologically speaking, Lord of the Ascendant; 
 this term is in fact the same as *?1, Bel, or Belus, 
 /37JAoe, /3fXtc, or 'HAtoc, and signifies the Sun, who 
 is called in Chaldee pEtt^SD, jSstXaa/ufv, or Beelsa- 
 men, the Lord or Master of the Heavens, and 
 Leader of the Heavenly Host. Among the Egyp- 
 tians arose, at a period perhaps prior to, or, at 
 least, coeval with the age of Nimrod, the worship 
 of Orus and Osiris, and at a later period, their 
 attendant or identical gods, Isis, Apis, Serapis, 
 Anubis, &c. ; yea, " all the gods of Egypt." The 
 earliest of these is Orus, from the Hebrew D'Vf 
 Eres, or Din Heres, the Sun ; or from TIN Aur, 
 or TIN!! He Aur, the Light, or Fire, a term also 
 applied to the Sun ; whence, evidently comes 
 the Greek wpoc,* and wpa, or Horus, Hora, and 
 Era, Time, a period of Time, and the begin- 
 ning of Time, all of which are measured by the 
 revolutions of the Sun. Next comes Osiris, from 
 the Hebrew D"lH, Eres~\ inverted, that is Sere, the 
 Sun, or from "Wil and IDH, He Ser, the Prince or 
 Chief; whence also, o Ze/p and o Sa'ptoc, the Sun, 
 or Sirius (and the English terms Sir, or Sire, 
 and Sirrah], the former denoting the Chief, or 
 King of Heaven, and the latter, his Satellite or 
 
 * A name of Apollo, or the Sun ; hence, perhaps, Opos, 
 a mountain, because the morning sun first appears ,on the 
 mountain-tops. 
 
 t This inversion, or Metathesis, is not uncommon in Hebrew, 
 see Joshua xix. 50, and xxiv. 30, compared with Judges ii. 8, 9, 
 where it occurs in this very word in composition.
 
 154 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 Companion, in Hebrew D^ID, Seris, a Double, 
 or himself, as in Hesiod, " Opera et Dies " 
 line 417, where he is called 2ptoc ocm)c; 
 otherwise, the terras 26i'p and -lintm- may be 
 derived from IJTt J2eer, Zzg-^f ; "lilt!? Seher, Morn- 
 ing ; or mt Zereh, the East or Sun-rising. All 
 these terms, both in Hebrew and Greek, have 
 evidently an intimate connection with each other, 
 and indicate that there was originally some astro- 
 nomical relation between the Sun and Sirius, the 
 largest and brightest of all the stars in the firma- 
 ment. The term St/ptov, Sirion, indeed, derived 
 from SE/pior, Sirius, is applied indiscriminately to 
 every star, because all the stars were either sup- 
 posed to follow the Sun in his daily course, or to 
 borrow their light from that luminary, From 
 this source, there can be little doubt that the 
 Israelites, during their period of bondage in 
 Egypt, borrowed their Y?D, Moloch, or DSD^ft, 
 Moltkem and Milcom, that is, their king, and the 
 Star of their god Remphan or Chiun JVD ; whence 
 comes Kuwv, or Canis and Canicula, the Dog-star 
 or Sirius, idols of which they made to themselves 
 figures to worship in the wilderness, Amos v. 26 ; 
 Acts vii. 43. 
 
 This kind of idolatry appears to have been 
 pursued with more or less obstinacy by the chil- 
 dren of Israel, during the whole period of the 
 Critarchal and Monarchal ages ; notwithstanding 
 the strict prohibitions of the First and Second 
 Commandments, and the awful sanctions with
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 155 
 
 which their promulgation was accompanied at 
 Mount Sinai. Passing over the rebellion of the 
 Golden Cfl/fand the sin in the matter of Baalpeor, 
 in the wilderness, we find that the Israelites for- 
 sook Jehovah, after the death of Joshua and of 
 all the elders who outlived him, and served 
 Baalim, or Baal and Ashtaroth, o |3aaA and rj |3aaA, 
 the King and Queen of Heaven ; and as often as 
 they repeated this iniquity, so often were they 
 punished for it, by subjection to the yoke of their 
 enemies ; Judges ii. 13 ; iii. 7 ; vi. 30 ; and 
 ix. 46. After the worship of the true God was 
 set up in all its magnificence and glory in the 
 Temple at Jerusalem, how soon, alas! was it 
 forgotten, and that of Moloch or Milcom, Chemosh 
 and Ashtaroth adopted in its stead ; and how con- 
 soling must it have been to the real worshipper of 
 Jehovah, to be informed, that even in the worst of 
 times, there were 7000 in Israel who had not bowed 
 the knee to Baal; 1 Kings, xi. 5 ; and xix. 18. 
 Nevertheless, Israel was at last cut short for his 
 idolatry, in making images and groves, worship- 
 ping all the Host of Heaven, and serving Baal ; and 
 Juclah, being seduced by Manasseh to commit 
 precisely the same abominations, was threatened 
 with a similar captivity ; 2 Kings, xvii. 16 ; and 
 xxi.3. A temporary suspension of this sentence, 
 however, took place ; and a respite of forty years 
 was granted to the house of Judah, because of the 
 reform which was effected in the days of King
 
 156 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 Josiah. For, he put down them that burned 
 incense to Baal, to the Sun, and to the Moon, and 
 to the Planets, and to all the Host of Heaven ;* 
 and he took away the horses that the kings of 
 Judah had given to the Sun, and burned the 
 chariots of the Sun with fire ; but, after his death, 
 they mocked the messengers of God, and des- 
 pised his words, and misused his prophets, until 
 the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, 
 and there was no remedy : until, in fact, Jerusa- 
 lem was destroyed, and Judah carried captive 
 into Babylon ; 2 Kings xxiii. 5 ; and 2 Chronicles 
 xxxvi. 16. 
 
 Among the ancient Persians, the worship of 
 the Sun and Fire appears to have existed from a 
 period so remote, that no record remains of its 
 commencement, though there can be no doubt that 
 it was an offshoot from the Babylonish idolatry. 
 For ages, it appears to have existed in Persia, in a 
 state of greater purity than in Chaldea, if such a 
 term can be applied to a corruption of the worship 
 
 * The construction of this sentence in the original, indicates 
 that Baal and the Sun are to be considered as one and the 
 same ; for the copulative 1 Vau, is not put between them as it 
 is between the remaining words; thus, and the Moon, and the 
 Planets (or, more literally, and Mazzaroth), &c." The latter 
 term, which occurs also in Job xxxviii. 32, is understood by 
 most critics, to signify the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac ; if this 
 be its real meaning, the doctrine of the Celestial Sphere must 
 have had a very early origin, and long anterior to the famous 
 sphere of Chiron or Eudoxus.
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 157 
 
 of the true God ; and to have been mingled with 
 more intellectual notions of the being and attri- 
 butes of Deity, than were to be found among 
 other heathen nations. The Persians, indeed, 
 appear to have had a more distinct idea, though 
 still a very obscure one, of the method by which 
 the human race were finally to be rescued from 
 the power of the Evil One, and raised to a con- 
 dition of purity and bliss. They worshipped the 
 Sun under the name of Mihr, Mithr, or Mithras ; 
 the latter term, according to Mr. Morrison,* sig- 
 nifying the wounder or bruiser of the head, and if 
 derived from the Hebrew tiJNVJDD, Muthras, 
 Lord of Death, conveying a beautiful allusion to 
 the primeval prophecy, and to him who, long 
 afterwards was declared in apocalyptic vision* 
 to have the keys of hell and death, and who 
 " openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and 
 no man openeth " the gates of Paradise. Among 
 the Phenicians, we find, according to a fragment 
 of their ancient historian, Sanchoniatho, pre- 
 served by Eusebius, that one of their earlier gods 
 was called Elioun, from p^y, the Most High, 
 who was also considered Man ; and that 'Ovpavog 
 icai FT), the Heavens and the Earth, were gene- 
 rated or created by him. They also worshipped 
 the Sun, under the names of Adonis and Tammuz ; 
 the former evidently from the Hebrew WTN, 
 Adonai, Lord ; and the latter from the name of 
 * " Religious History of Man," p. 248, second edition.
 
 158 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 the Hebrew month appointed for the celebration 
 of his orgies. In the weeping for the absence, or 
 eclipse of Tammuz, Selden sees the lamentations 
 for Osiris, which originated in Egypt, and were 
 observed in Phenicia ; and in the rejoicing for his 
 return or resuscitation, Parkhurst discovers a pre- 
 lude to the joy of the nations at the advent of the 
 the promised Saviour, the true Adonai, or Lord of 
 all ;* Ezekiel viii. 14 ; and 1 John ii. 8. 
 
 3. The gods of the Hindoos, Vishnu, Buddha, Brahma, and Seeva, form no 
 Trinitj The theft of their names and attributes from the Hebrew- 
 evinced by their meaning Buddha an avatar of Vishnu Origin of 
 Fohi, the god of the Chinese Uruidical, Peruvian, Mexican, and 
 Parsee worship Origin of Surya, Suras, and Asuras Russell's citation 
 of Macrobius on the worship of the Solar god The concentration of 
 Paganism. 
 
 Proceeding farther eastward, to nations whose 
 origin is so remote and so involved in dark- 
 ness, that all traces of their derivation from the 
 Noachian stock is lost, we find in their ancient 
 traditions similar evidences of the truth, buried 
 under a mass of the grossest and most debasing 
 idolatry. In the avatars, or transformations of 
 Vishnu and Buddha, the gods of the Hindoos, we 
 perceive the awful perversion of the primeval 
 prophecy, and its stupid admixture with more 
 recent revelations concerning the Messiah, which 
 have been purposely mystified and defaced by 
 the agents of the Evil Spirit, in order that poor 
 
 * Russell's " Connection," vol. i. p. 401.
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 159 
 
 besotted mortals might be led away from the 
 truth as it is in Jesus. But their own traditions 
 testify against the Hindoos, and show, that in not 
 seeking to know him who had placed his witness 
 in the physical heavens, they were without ex- 
 cuse ; for when they knew God, they glorified 
 him not as God. The names of their chief gods, 
 Brahma, Vishnu and Seeva, plainly indicate their 
 Hebrew origin and meaning. Brahma signifies 
 the great Creator, and is evidently derived from 
 the word Nil Bra, He created, which occurs in 
 Genesis i. 1, and DM or Q^N, Am or Aim, terrible ; 
 and Vishnu or Veeshnu, the Preserver, from the 
 copulative 1 Ve or Vau, and "OttTN, Aishnu or Ishnu, 
 the Man for us; these two, therefore, constitute 
 a Binity or Duad, by reason of the copulative 
 particle between them, and not a Trinity or Triad 
 in conjunction with Seeva, as is generally supposed 
 by mythologists. As to the latter name, which 
 signifies the Destroyer, it is derived from rwit!?, 
 Seevah, Storm, or Destruction, or from JHtt?, Seeva, 
 the noise which accompanies it, thus exemplifying 
 the idea of the poor untutored Indian, who sees 
 God only in the fearful storm, and hears Him only 
 in the thunder's dreadful roar ; or, perhaps, from 
 Mitt?, Seeva, a dream or vain error, an " insubstan- 
 tial pageant," or even an idol, which is nothing in 
 the world. The exhibition of this triple absurdity 
 in the temples of Hindoostan, not like Janus at 
 Rome, with two faces, but like Cerberus in Hell,
 
 160 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 with three faces, shows not a Trinity, or Sacred 
 Three in One, in which Christians believe, but 
 a threefold exhibition of the same God, as the 
 Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer, in 
 which the Hindoos, like the devils, believe and 
 tremble. These are, in fact, the attributes of the 
 true Deity ; for He is Jehovah, and there is none 
 else ; there is no God besides him ; he forms the 
 light and creates darkness ; he makes peace and 
 creates evil ; but, inasmuch as " they had not the 
 sense to acknowledge God (literally to have God 
 in acknowledgment), God gave them over to a 
 senseless mind, to do those things which are not 
 lawful (i. e. not appointed by God) ; Romans 
 i. 28. 
 
 In the name of Boodh or Buddha, an avatar of 
 Vishnu, the principal God worshipped in the 
 Transalpine, or Ultra-Gangetic regions and 
 islands of Asia, we again trace the early idea of 
 a Saviour of celestial origin. This name is evi- 
 dently derived from the Hebrew JHB or me, 
 Phudah, to deliver or redeem, by interchange of 
 the labials 1 and D ; and from the same roots 
 are derived a variety of words, signifying either 
 Redemption, or the Price of Redemption, and 
 reminding us delightfully of Him, who, by his 
 own blood entered once for all into the holy 
 place, having obtained eternal Redemption for 
 us; Heb. ix. 12. In the name of Fohi, the chief 
 god, worshipped in China from the earliest times,
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 161 
 
 we discover also, by its Hebrew origin from 
 Phohe, Prince or Governor, the foreshadowing of 
 Him whom God sent to be a light to lighten the 
 Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel ; Luke 
 ii. 32. The Druids of ancient Europe were wor- 
 shippers of the Sun and Fire, and the name of 
 their god was Hems, most probably derived from 
 the Hebrew ttfl&n, Hesus, burns up or consumes, 
 emblematic of the physical objects of their de- 
 votion, but still prefiguring the advent of Him 
 whose fan is in his hand, who will thoroughly 
 purge his floor, and burn up the chaff with un- 
 quenchable fire; Matt. iii. 12; and Isa. v. 24. 
 Among the Peruvians and the Mexicans were 
 found similar traces of Sun and Fire worship, 
 accompanied with the apparatus of the Incas or 
 Children of the Sun, and the Vestal or Solar vir- 
 gins, as in ancient Rome. Nor should we omit 
 that the Parsees, the most learned sect among 
 the Hindoos, are worshippers of the Sun, which 
 is called in their language Surya, evidently of a 
 similar origin with the Greek 2ap and 2aptoc; 
 moreover, in their fabulous histories of the " War 
 between the Gods and the Giants," the spirits, 
 who were the worshippers or children of Light 
 or the Sun, are called Suras, and the demons of 
 darkness, Asuras, A being evidently privative in 
 Sanscrit as in Greek. In fine, the names of the 
 gods which were worshipped among the Greeks 
 and the Romans, as every classical reader knows, 
 
 M
 
 162 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 carry abundant evidence of their having been bor- 
 rowed from the earlier systems of idolatry already 
 described. Dr. Russell remarks, that "in the 1st 
 book of the Saturnalia, from the 17th to the 23rd 
 chapters inclusive, Macrobius establishes, from 
 the writings of the philosophers, as well as of the 
 poets, that all the gods of Assyria, Egypt, and 
 Greece, were mere personifications of the Solar 
 influence ; and, moreover, that all their names, 
 however varied, might be resolved into some 
 attribute of the Sun.' 1 He further states, that all 
 the nations of the East acknowledged originally 
 but one deity, the Sun, and he ingeniously ac- 
 counts for the rise of Hero-worship and Poly- 
 theism ; he also observes that, however the titles 
 of the gods may be separated and distinguished 
 from each other, they are all plainly resolvable 
 into those of the Solar deity. The same is to be 
 observed of the gods of the Romans. Indeed, it 
 is well known that the magnates of the Pantheon, 
 Apollo, Phoebus, Bacchus, Jupiter, &c.,* were all 
 severally addressed by the poets, as possessing 
 the power supposed to reside in the Sun, to direct 
 
 * Dr. Russell gives the following curious extract from the 
 Canon Chronicus of Sir John Marsham : " Plures in Oriente 
 Joves est investigare, Grsecis Romanisque longe recentioribus, 
 null us datur hie locus. Varro trecentos Joves introducit : Nos 
 originem quaerimus, non multitudinem. Sane omnis de Jove 
 theologia ex Egypto derivata est ; nee Jovis solum, sed 
 omnium etiam deorum numina inde petenda sunt." See his 
 " Connection," pp. 389406.
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 163 
 
 the seasons of the year, lo give success to the 
 operations of agriculture, to decide the fates of 
 nations, and to influence all the affairs of men. 
 
 4. Origin of the Greek aud Latin names of the Supreme God Ingenious 
 derivation by Dr. Hales Confutation of that given by Francoeur in his 
 " Uranographie " Origin of the New Testament titles of Christ 
 Citation of Theophilus on this subject Irrefragable proof of the 
 Divinity of our Lord Original temple of the Sun Connection of 
 Religious worship and Astronomical observation Antiquity of the 
 Hindoos and Chinese. 
 
 Thus it appears, that the heathen nations have, 
 in all ages and countries, borrowed the names 
 and attributes of Jehovah, the God of Israel, and 
 applied them to the absurd creations of their own 
 imagination, the physical objects of the world 
 around them, or the stupid fabrications of their 
 own hands. The origin of the name Zewc or Ale 
 in Greek, and Jupiter in Latin, as applied to the 
 supreme God, appears to be distinctly traceable 
 to the Hebrew. Dr. Hales endeavours to deduce 
 the former of these from the Phenician form of 
 , Jehovah, or Jahok, which in Greek letters is 
 , or law ; and he cites the answer of the oracle 
 of the Clarian Apollo, to the enquiry " Which 
 of the gods is he to be reckoned, who is called 
 
 <I>paO TOV, TTaVTWV UTTOTOV OfOV kfJifJitV IAQ. 
 
 Learn this, that JAH is greatest God of all. 
 
 This derivation is ingenious ; but it is more spe- 
 cious than solid. The name Ate, which gives its 
 
 M 2
 
 164 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 oblique cases to Zsuc, is evidently derived from 
 the Hebrew 'H, Di, the Sufficient, or Self-sufficient 
 One, or, with the relative, "HE, Sdi or Shaddai, He 
 who is Self -sufficient, the Almighty, a Scriptural 
 name of God ; Genesis xvii. 1. From the former 
 comes Ate, and from the latter Ztuc,* by the ad- 
 dition of the Greek terminations. The derivation 
 of Jupiter from Jah pater is obvious ; while the 
 oblique cases Jovis, Jovi, &c., clearly show their 
 descent, or rather theft from the Hebrew word 
 Jehovah. These observations on the origin of the 
 Greek arid Latin names of the Supreme Being are 
 rendered the more necessary, in consequence of 
 the following most extraordinary attempt on the 
 part of an eminent French writer, to give a dif- 
 ferent, and we hesitate not to say, a very absurd 
 account of their derivation. M. Francoeur, in 
 his very curious and useful work on Astronomy, 
 entitled " Uranographie," p. 382, 5th edition, 
 says, " Each PLANET was denoted by a letter ; 
 arranging these bodies in the order of their sup- 
 posed distances, these representative characters 
 were : 
 
 Saturn. Jupiter. Mare. The Sun. Venus. Mercury. The Moon. 
 
 Q, Y, O, I, H, E, A. 
 
 The Sun seemed to be placed in the middle of 
 the motions, in order to regulate their march ; 
 
 * The inversion and amalgamation of the letters "1 and tl? 
 producing Z.
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 165 
 
 thus he governed the universe. It was supposed 
 that the planets revolved round the earth in crys- 
 talline concentric spheres. The world was de- 
 noted by the extreme letters A and Q ; the letter 
 I, of the Sun, united to these, formed the name 
 IAQ, of the god of light, of Bacchus, of Osiris, &c. ; 
 whence was derived the words Jevo, Jeova, Jovis, 
 Jovis pater, or Jupiter ! T It is a sufficient refu- 
 tation of this learned derivation, that the name of 
 Jehovah was known among the Hebrews at least 
 1000 years before the doctrine of the crystalline 
 spheres was invented ; and that the answer of the 
 Clarian oracle itself, instituted before the fall of 
 Troy, testified its well-known antiquity. The 
 Latin term Deus, God, is evidently derived from 
 the Greek Oeoc, by interchange of the dentals 
 O and A, and not from At? or Zci/c ; and the term 
 0oc itself, from TtU^u, Pono, to place, order, or 
 arrange, the old form of which, 0w, signifies to 
 dispose or create. This appellation, Ge'oc, the Dis- 
 poser or Creator, is peculiarly applicable to Him 
 into whose hands the Father hath delivered all 
 things, and who of old created and arranged the 
 universe ; John i. 3 ; and iii. 35. Theophilus, 
 Bishop of Antioch, has given the same derivation 
 in the following eloquent passage, to which we 
 can never give the spirit of the original : " But 
 God is called Geoe, because he hath reposed all 
 things on his own infallibility, and because he 
 created [all things] ; for to create, is to originate, and
 
 166 TESTIMONY OF THE HEAVENS AND 
 
 put in motion, and work upon, and put together, 
 and prepare, and direct, and put life into, all 
 things ; and he is called Kwptoc. because he rules 
 over the whole universe, &c."* Now, our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ is perpetually called in 
 the New Testament, o Kupioc o Bcoc, the Lord, the 
 Disposer or Creator ; hence, his Divinity is estab- 
 lished beyond dispute ; his Unity with the Father 
 is demonstrated ; and his claim to the title of the 
 Sun of Righteousness, is placed on the triple testi- 
 mony of the Heavens, and the Earth, and the 
 Everlasting God. 
 
 From the observations of this chapter, we 
 draw the conclusion that all the various kinds of 
 idolatry which have existed in the world, can be 
 traced to a common source, namely, the Satanic 
 substitution of the worship of the Sun, Fire, or 
 Light, which was the emblem of the glory of 
 God, for the worship of the Great Insessor of the 
 Cherubim, who dwelleth in the Light which no 
 man can approach unto ; whom no man hath 
 seen, nor can see ; and who only hath immor- 
 tality. We further conclude, that the tradition 
 respecting the Shechinah, or glorious emblem of 
 his Divine presence, passed through the family of 
 Noah, and on it was grafted the idolatrous scheme 
 
 * 0EO2 8* \c-ycrai, 5ta TO TE0EIKENAI ra TT&VTO. cirl 
 rfj favrcv do-^aXcia, KOI 8ta ro 0EEIN' TO 8e 0e'ai> COTI TO 
 rp\ctv, KOI Kivelv, Kal fvfpyf.lv, /cat rpf<pfi.v, /cat iipovof.lv, 
 Kal Kvfifpvqv, *cai faoiroiflv TO. Tiavra. KTPIO2 bt ori, 8ia 
 TO KTPIETEIN dvTor T&V oXcor, K.T.X. Theoph. ad Autoly- 
 cum, p. 10., Oxon. 1684.
 
 THE EARTH TO PROPHECY. 16? 
 
 which raised a temple to the Sun at Babel ; that 
 traces of the existence of this worship among 
 Europeans and Asiatics, and Indians of both 
 hemispheres, from the remotest times, are to be 
 found in their traditions respecting the heavenly 
 bodies, and in the names and attributes ascribed 
 to their false divinities ; and that the antiquity of 
 the Hindoos and Chinese, as nations, within the 
 limits of the true system of Chronology, is no 
 more to be doubted than that of the Babylonians, 
 Assyrians, and Egyptians. In fine, the astrono- 
 mical observations and religious worship of the 
 former appear to have been so intimately con- 
 nected, that, as we shall see in a subsequent 
 chapter, a higher degree of credence must be 
 yielded to the ancient records or traditions of 
 both, than they have hitherto received among the 
 learned world.* 
 
 *The celebrated historian of Astronomy, Delambre, following 
 the opinions of Sir William Jones and Mr. Bentley in the 
 " Asiatic Researches," sneers at the supposed antiquity of the 
 Hindoo Astronomical Tables contained in the Surya Siddhanta, 
 and ridicules Bailly and Playfair for maintaining such an opi- 
 nion. But ridicule is not a test of truth ; and after all, his 
 conclusion is only this, that the question seems to be settled ! 
 Without insisting on the antiquity of the Tables, it may be 
 urged on very satisfactory grounds, that some of the observa- 
 tions to which they refer, were real and not fictitious. De- 
 lambre has brought no proof of his own to shew that they must 
 be fictitious, but has merely copied the statements and argu- 
 ments of Mr. Bentley. For these, we refer to his work entitled, 
 " A Historical View of the Hindu Astronomy," London, 1825,
 
 1G8 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 1. Tradition concerning the Seventh Age Prophecy of the Universal 
 Saviour Traditions of the Jews Opinion of Irenaeus and the Chris- 
 tian Church in his time Dr. Russell's opinion confuted Testimony 
 of the Heathen to the Tradition of the Seven Ages Digression on the 
 Corruptions of the Septuagint and the Hebrew text Arguments 
 against the numerical accuracy of the latter Remarkable prophecy 
 contained in the names of the Ante-diluvian Patriarchs Opinions of 
 Augustine and Abulfarajius Notion of Dr. Isaac Barrow Important 
 admission of Eusebius Opinion of Ephrem Syrus. 
 
 THE idea that the improvement and the happiness 
 of the human race is progressive, and that the 
 succeeding age is always to be superior to the 
 present, appears to have prevailed in every clime 
 and in every age of the world. Such a sentiment 
 seems indeed to be interwoven with our very 
 nature and constitution ; and the words of the 
 Poet are true, not only of each individual of 
 the species, but also of every successive genera- 
 tion : 
 
 " Hope springs eternal in the human breast, 
 Man never is, but always to be blest." 
 
 When we take an extensive review of the past, we 
 also find that there have been ages of the world 
 previous to our own, in which mankind enjoyed
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 169 
 
 a length of days, and a degree of innocence and 
 happiness, now altogether unknown. All have, in 
 fact, heard of the blessedness of the Paradisaical 
 state, and all sigh for its return. The restoration 
 of man to this state, has been the subject of pro- 
 mise, and the theme of prophecy and song ; the 
 sentiment has been found in all countries, and 
 under every Dispensation ; and many of the 
 Divine appointments, both of nature and of Pro- 
 vidence, seem to have had an express reference 
 to the accomplishment of this glorious and benig- 
 nant purpose. The Septenary division of time 
 was impressed on the human mind from the era 
 of creation ; it was perpetuated in the Mosaic 
 institutions ; and a constant succession of Sep- 
 tennial changes in the frame of man himself from 
 his birth to his death, has tended to keep alive 
 the idea that the Great period of the Restoration 
 of all things is measured by the number Seven. 
 Hence, arose the universal opinion, corroborated 
 by tradition, that the World was to continue for 
 Six successive ages, appointed ages of trial and 
 probation, and that the Seventh age would be a 
 state of never-ending felicity and joy. Poets and 
 philosophers, always the most sanguine of our 
 race, have in every nation seized upon this idea, 
 and by the splendid efforts of their genius, en- 
 grafted it upofc the early history of their respective 
 countries. Thus, compositions which were at first 
 admired only as the production of superior intel-
 
 170 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 lect, became early incorporated with the popular 
 creed, and were at last admitted by all as the 
 true records of antiquity.* 
 
 The Jews, with whose forefathers no doubt 
 the true ideas concerning the various ages of the 
 world originated, had, as we have seen, divided 
 the Grand Interval from Creation to the time 
 assigned by prophecy for the coming of the 
 Messiah, into six subordinate periods, the true 
 extent of which we have already determined. 
 More than a thousand years, however, before the 
 latter event took place, the great Hebrew Warrior 
 and King prophesied in Sacred Song, concerning 
 the only begotten Son of God, who was to receive 
 the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost 
 parts of the Earth for his possession ; concerning 
 Him who was to be fairer than the children of 
 men, and whose throne, like that of the Eternal, 
 was to be for ever and ever ; whose dominion 
 should be from sea to sea, and from the river to 
 the ends of the earth ; and before whom all kings 
 should fall down and worship, and whom all na- 
 tions should serve and call the Blessed and only 
 Potentate; Psalms ii., xlv., Ixxii. About three 
 centuries later than the time of David, Isaiah 
 received his Divine Commission to deliver the 
 prophecy concerning Him of whom Moses and 
 
 * Even the splendid creations of Milton's genius, in his 
 " Paradise Lost" have been often substituted for the truths of 
 Sacred Inspiration.
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 the Prophets did write, in which He was de- 
 scribed as " the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty 
 God, the Prince of Peace, and the Father of the 
 Future or Everlasting Age."* During the Fifth 
 or Monarchal Age, therefore, the idea had spread 
 abroad, not only among the Jews, but among all 
 nations, that the Renovation of the World would 
 be accomplished in the Sixth or succeeding age, 
 and that the Great King, called in Scripture, 
 Swrrjp or Saviour, would then set up his kingdom 
 in eternal justice, and establish his dominion with 
 everlasting peace ; and nation should no longer 
 lift up the sword against nation, neither should 
 they learn the Art of War any more. 
 
 According to the Jews, however, who lived in 
 the time of our Saviour, the grand object of the 
 mission of the promised Messiah was not to be 
 consummated till the Seventh age, when should 
 commence, to use the words of the Apostle, who 
 applied them very differently, the keeping of the 
 eternal " Sabbatism which remaineth for the peo- 
 ple of God." This notion of a Seventh age was 
 not entirely unknown to the Heathen, for we find 
 some traces of it in their writings ; but it seems 
 to have originated in the mysticism or glosses of 
 those who at that period, had made " the word of 
 God of none effect through their traditions." It 
 
 TOV jueAAwros ai&vos : Isaiah ix. 6 ; See the 
 Alexandrine edition of the Septuagint.
 
 172 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 is of great importance to our argument, to give 
 some instances of this mysticism, as it inciden- 
 tally proves that the Jews originally held the 
 longer computation. One of the reasons assigned 
 by their Rabbins for the tradition of the Seven 
 ages, from time immemorial, is that because the 
 Hebrew letter N Aleph, which (pointed) stands 
 with them for a thousand, is found to occur sir 
 times in the 1st verse of the 1st chapter of 
 Genesis ; therefore, the world is to last in its 
 corrupt or fallen state for six thousand years ; and 
 that then it is to be restored and purified as at the 
 beginning ! Another reason, to which indeed, we 
 have already adverted in our First Part, is that 
 because God employed sir days in the work of 
 Creation, and rested on the Seventh day ; there- 
 fore, there are to be Seven ages of the World, each 
 containing a thousand years! Such notions as 
 these appear to have been current among both 
 Jews and Christians in the days of the Apostles ; 
 and we find them transmitted with even a higher 
 degree of mysticism, to the first age of Apostolical 
 Succession! Irenaeus, who flourished A. D. 170, 
 in commenting on the number of the Beast, 
 endeavours to connect the Six ages of the world, 
 with the number Sit', which occurs in the units, 
 tens, and hundreds of that number, and adds, "For 
 in as many days as the world was made, in so 
 many thousand years is it being brought to an end. 
 And on this account, the Scripture says and the
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 173 
 
 heavens and the earth were finished and all their 
 garniture ; and on the Sixth day, God finished the 
 works which he made ; and on the Seventh day, 
 God ceased from all his works but this is a nar- 
 ration of the prototypes of things, and a prophecy of 
 things that shall come to pass ; for the day of the 
 Lord is as a thousand years : but in Six clays the 
 creation was finished ; it is manifest, therefore, 
 that its consummation is the sLr thousandth year.* 
 In this curious passage, it is evident that the 
 disciple of John, the beloved Apostle, has fol- 
 lowed the ideas of the Jews rather than those of 
 his inspired Master, and has mingled up the 
 mystical notions of the Rabbins with the sacred 
 truths of Revelation. 
 
 While we admit, however, that the followers 
 of Christ and his Apostles had erroneous views 
 respecting the Jewish tradition, which we have 
 thus traced to its real source, we cannot adopt 
 the opinion of Dr. Russell, p. 103, vol. i. of 
 
 * 'O(rats...^ju,epais eye'vero 6 
 
 crwreAeirai. /cat bia TOVTO (prjcnv fi ypa^rj' " /cat 
 6ricrav 6 ovpavbs Kal % yr\ /cat TTCLS 6*007x0? avr&v. KCU arwcrlA- 
 f<Tfv 6 debs fv rfj fjntpq rrj r ra epya O.VTOV, a eirotTjo-e ; Kal 
 KaTtTtavcrfv 6 6ebs tv rr\ ^ju,e'pa rfi anb TTCLVTM T&V epyuiv av- 
 TOU." TOVTO 8' eort TU>V TTpoyfyovoTtov oiriyrjcns, Kal riav etro- 
 fj,V(av Trpo(pr]Tia. ->] -yap r]jj,fpa Kvpwv w?a er?j' ev e ovv f)fJ.t- 
 pats <ruvTT\(r6ai ra yeyorora* (fravepbv ovv, OTI f) o-wreAeta 
 avT&v TO p eras Icrrtv. Irenseus contra omnes Haereses ; 
 pp. 444, 445, Grabe's edition, Oxon. 1702.
 
 174 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 his "Connection," that the apostles themselves 
 wrote under the influence of such views, or that it 
 formed any part of their theological system, al- 
 though it entered deeply into those " of the age 
 which witnessed the introduction of our holy 
 faith." They wrote under the influence of that 
 Spirit which Christ promised to send, in order to 
 lead and to guide them into all the truth ; it is 
 impossible, therefore, to imagine, that the Apos- 
 tles Paul and John in their writings, " partook of 
 those impressions relative to the speedy arrival 
 of the first resurrection, and the beginning of the 
 Messiah's reign, which prevailed among their coun- 
 trymen;" nor, can we agree, as he does, "with 
 Grotius, who hesitates not to state that St. Paul 
 thought it possible that he might be alive at 
 the time of the general judgment," as we see no 
 evidence for such a statement in any part of the 
 New Testament. The reply of our Saviour, while 
 yet on earth, to the inquiry put by his disciples, 
 " When shall these things be, and what the 
 sign of thy coming, and of the end of the 
 world ?" sufficiently points out their mistake in 
 supposing, as the unbelieving Jews did, that the 
 first advent of the Messiah and the consummation 
 of all things, were contemporaneous or approxi- 
 mate events: and clearly shows that instead of 
 the " general judgment " after or upon his advent, 
 there would only be a particular one, namely, the 
 destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and that
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 175 
 
 it would be fulfilled in the experience of that ge- 
 neration, for their rejection of the true Messiah, 
 as the filling up of the measure of the iniquities of 
 their fathers. So much hold, however, had the 
 tradition in question taken on the minds of the 
 Jews as a nation, that we find the words of Paul, 
 in 1 Thess. iv. 15 17, respecting the resurrection 
 of the dead, and the Second Advent of Christ, 
 were either misunderstood or misinterpreted by 
 some of those to whom they were addressed. 
 Hence, he was obliged to address them a second 
 time, in the following words ; 2 Thess. ii. 1 : 
 " Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering 
 together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in 
 mind, or troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, 
 nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ 
 is at hand." The rest of the Apostle's warning 
 advice in this chapter, plainly indicates that many 
 ages were to elapse before the epoch of the Second 
 advent, and the arrival of the end of the world. 
 The time, indeed, necessary for the fulfilment of 
 the prophecies, of both the Old and New Testa- 
 ment, especially those contained in the books of 
 Daniel and the Revelation of John, must have 
 clearly evinced to the minds of well-informed 
 Christians, as well as those of the Apostles them- 
 selves, that many predicted events had yet to 
 receive their accomplishment ; and, that God's 
 controversy with the nations, and particularly
 
 176 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 with his ancient people Israel, required a longer 
 interval than that which the Judaizing teachers 
 among them had dared to assign, and which, to 
 give it greater currency, it appears that they were 
 desirous to father upon the great Apostle of the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that a very 
 considerable degree of plausibility might attach 
 to such sentiments among the early Christians, 
 from the occurrence of such expressions as 
 the following in the writings of the Apostles : 
 2 Peter iii. 8, " One day is with the Lord as a 
 thousand years, and a thousand years as one 
 day." This expression, however, merely exhibits 
 in words suited to our ordinary conceptions, the 
 great truth which should ever be present to our 
 minds, that all time appears but as a single mo- 
 ment to the eternal Jehovah, who sees the end 
 from the beginning, and to whom the ideas both of 
 space and time, as they exist in our finite under- 
 standings, are altogether unknown. The same 
 sublime sentiment, similarly expressed, is also to 
 be found in one of the Psalms, the authorship of 
 which is ascribed to Moses, the man of God : 
 thus, "a thousand years in thy sight, are but as 
 yesterday, when it is past, and as a watch in the 
 night." It is evident, therefore, from the ex- 
 treme generality of the expressions employed, 
 that no specific conclusion can be drawn from 
 these and similar passages of Scripture, respect-
 
 AGES OP THE WORLD. 1?7 
 
 ing the true period of the world's duration. Their 
 simple intent is to convey to our minds an idea of 
 the eternity of the Almighty, and they are of the 
 same import as the following, which proves the eter- 
 nal Divinity of our Lord ; namely, " Jesus Christ, 
 the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Hence, 
 it is plain that the idea, entertained by many 
 divines, of the duration of the world for a period 
 of only Seven thousand years, (a period, which, in 
 fact, as we have shown in our First Part, it has 
 already passed) is a figment of the human imagi- 
 nation, which has no foundation in real tradition 
 or prophecy, and which is contrary to the express 
 revelations of Scripture. In a note to this para- 
 graph, consisting chiefly of references to the au- 
 thors who have treated of or touched upon the 
 opinion of Irenasus and the whole Christian 
 church after the Apostolic times, the learned 
 reader will find sufficient ground for the belief 
 that the longer or Septuagint chronology was 
 universally held by ancient writers both before 
 and after the Christian era.* We proceed to 
 
 * Haec Irensei sententia de mundi permansione, tot tan- 
 tosque liabet vindices et confirmatores, ac plausibiles persua- 
 siones, modo divinse potestati nihil temere praescribatur, ut in 
 earn lubens descenderem. Primo enim Ethnicorum omnium 
 clarissimos et antiquissimos scriptores, Hydaspen Medorum 
 Regetn ; Mercurium Trismegistum, ac Sybillas hoc prsecinuisse 
 et finnasse, testis Lactantius, lib. vii. cap. 14, 15 et 18. He- 
 braeos idem sequi, testimonio est oraculum, quod Heliae nomine 
 
 N
 
 178 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 notice the evidence on this point, which may be 
 gathered from the testimony of the Heathen. 
 
 "The belief of this singular notion," concerning 
 the Seven ages," says Dr. Russell, p. 76, vol. i. of 
 his Connection, "has been detected in the writings 
 of Heathens, Jews, and Christians. It is traced 
 in the Sybilline oracles, in Hesiod, in the work 
 
 circumferunt Thalmudistte, libro Sanhedrin, capite Helec : et 
 lib. Havoda Zara, cap. liphne-edehen : cujus verba recitantur, 
 nee refelluntur, a doctis et Catholicis Authoribus, Galatino 
 libro iv. cap. 20., Pico Mirandulano lib. vii., Heptapli cap. 4. 
 et Francisco Veneto lib. de Hannonia Mundi Cant. iii. Tono 7, 
 cap. 7. Oraculum hoc declarant, ac conjecturis multis et non 
 spernendis confirmant insignes Rabbini Selomo et Isaac. Ex 
 Latinis Ecclesiasticis Patribus, sententiam bane amplectuntur 
 et tuentur Lactantius lib. vii. cap. 14., Hilarius in cap. 17. 
 Matth., Hieronymous Epist. ad Cyprianum, et Comment in 
 cap. iv. Micheee, Gaudentius Brixianus Tract, x. de Lectione 
 Evangelica. Refert eandem et Augustinus lib. xx Civitat. Dei 
 cap. 7, ut verisimilem, licet alibi illam impugnaverit. Glossa 
 etiam, quee Ordinaria vocatur constanter affirmat, in 5 cap. 
 Genes. Inter Greecos vero placuit hasc opinio Justino Martyri, 
 seu cuivis alteri Authori Queestionum ad Orthod. Queest. 71. 
 Sex istis millibus quingentos annos addere visum est Hippolyto, 
 Cyrillo, et Chrysostomo, ut author est Germanus Constantino- 
 politanus libro de theoria rerum Eccles. Perspectum mihi, est 
 hanc sententiam oppugnari ab Augustino Comment, in Psal. 6 et 
 89. atque Epist. 89. insuper a Beda in Psal. 89. an vero illam 
 expugnent, viderint docti et acuti eorum Lectores. Heec autem 
 ni fallor, aliquod emolumentum adferent ad eorum reprimendos 
 clamores, qui temere nullaque ratione B. Martyri hac de re vehe- 
 mentius insultant, et lapsos, quos putunt, Patrum aliquanto 
 contumeliosius insectantur. Feuardentius." Grabe's Irenaetis, 
 pp. 444, 445.
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 179 
 
 ascribed to Darius Hystaspes the King of the 
 Medes, and in Hermes Trismegistus, the cele- 
 brated founder of Egyptian learning and science. 
 Plato quotes from Orpheus the same mystical 
 doctrine ; handing down to more recent times the 
 persuasion of the first generations of the human 
 race, that the earth, which was given to them for 
 a habitation during Six ages, was doomed in the 
 Seventh to be consumed by fire."* Dr. Russell 
 discovers in the prevalence of these opinions and 
 expectations, however ill-founded and absurd 
 they may seem, the principal motive which actu- 
 ated the Jews about the beginning of the Second 
 century, in their attempt to vitiate the most an- 
 cient of their chronicles. " Their rejection of 
 Christ," says he, " rendered necessary an exten- 
 sive change in their dates and calculations ; and 
 if we may trust to the assertions of Justin Martyr 
 and other primitive apologists for our holy faith, 
 we cannot doubt that their fraudulent purpose 
 was realized to a considerable extent. ' I entreat 
 you to remember,' says the Father now named, 
 when addressing Trypho the Jew, ' that your 
 Rabbis have taken away entirely many texts of 
 Scripture from that version which was made by 
 the Elders who were at the court of Ptolemy, in 
 which it was declared, that Jesus who suffered 
 death upon the cross was both God and man : and 
 
 * 'E-nra cv yevf.fi KarctKavcrerai Kocrp-os aei7ys. Philebos, 
 p. 157., cited by Dr. Russell, p. 77 of his " Connection." 
 
 N 2
 
 180 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 wherein it was also predicted that he was to be 
 crucified and submit to the power of the grave. 
 These texts, because I know that your nation 
 now rejects them, I will not insist upon in the 
 course of our inquiries, but shall content myself 
 with appealing to those prophecies and descrip- 
 tions respecting the divine power, which are still 
 allowed to remain in your sacred books.' After 
 quoting a passage from Jeremiah, which the 
 Christian author applies to the point in discus- 
 sion, as an argument in favour of the views 
 adopted by the Church, he reminds his antagonist, 
 that the text now in question was still found in 
 certain copies of the Old Testament which con- 
 tinue to be read in the Synagogues ; for, says he, 
 this portion of Holy Writ has been but lately 
 expunged by your doctors ; and that on account 
 of the unanswerable demonstration founded upon 
 it, in regard to the conduct of the Jews towards 
 Christ, against whom it was predicted that they 
 would take counsel, and afterwards put him to 
 death." Archbishop Usher, in reference to this 
 passage of Justin Martyr, says, in his " Syn- 
 tagma," pp. 44, 45, that this Father produces/ow 
 testimonies concerning Christ the Saviour which 
 he affirms were abstracted from the version cf the 
 Seventy Elders : the second of which is still found 
 entire in all our books, namely, Jeremiah xi. 19. 
 But the first, abstracted from the book of Ezra, 
 chap vi., which is testified by Lactantius, lib. 4.
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 181 
 
 Institut. cap. 18, is as follows : And Ezra said unto 
 the people, This passover is our Saviour and our Re- 
 fuge ; and if ye did consider, and it came up into your 
 heart, that we shall humiliate him in a sign, and if 
 afterwards ye shall believe upon him, this place shall 
 never be left desolate, saith the Lord of Hosts ; but 
 if ye will not believe on him, nor hearken to his 
 preaching, ye shall be a laughing-stock to the 
 Heathen. The third testimony, which is found in 
 Irenasus, lib. 5, cap. 26, is said to have been cut out 
 of Jeremiah : But the Lord God of Israel remem- 
 bered his dead who slept in the land of heaps, and 
 descended to them to declare unto them the good news 
 of his salvation. The fourth and last is taken from 
 Psalm xcv. (or xcvi. according to the Hebrew) 
 v. 10, where the reading should be, Declare among 
 the Heathen, The Lord reigned from the tree; the 
 words "from the tree" are said to have been erased 
 by the Jews, although they are to be found in the 
 ancient editions of the Latin Psalter, and are cited 
 by several ancient authors whose names and 
 works the Archbishop enumerates. 
 
 The best proof, however, that the Jews have 
 tampered with some passages of Scripture, is to be 
 found in the discrepancy which exists between 
 most of the passages which are cited in the New 
 Testament out of the Old, and which agree more 
 nearly with the Septuagint, mutilated as it has 
 been, than with the present Hebrew Text. The 
 most striking case of this kind is to be found in
 
 182 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 the passage cited by Paul, Hebrews x. 5, from 
 Psalm xl. 6 ; where instead of the words " mine 
 ears hast thou opened" as in the Hebrew, we have 
 " A body hast thou prepared me," as in the Sep- 
 tuagint. The straining of commentators to make 
 these totally different readings signify exactly the 
 same thing is perfectly astonishing, when we con- 
 sider that the simple admission of the corruption 
 of the Hebrew text in this passage at once solves 
 the difficulty ! Another remarkable case is the 
 passage cited by the same Apostle, Romans iii. 
 10 18, from Psalm xiv. 3, where the greater 
 part of the quotation, from v. 13 to v. 18 inclu- 
 sive, is entirely omitted in the present Hebrew 
 text, but is to be found verbatim in the Sep- 
 tuagint, Vatican edition. The reason assigned 
 by Dr. Wall for its insertion in this edition, and 
 its omission in the Alexandrine MS., is not at all 
 satisfactory ; because it does not in the least ac- 
 count for the full quotation of the passage by the 
 Apostle ; it does not at all answer the question, 
 where did St. Paul get the verses ? A third case 
 is that of the celebrated passage in Psalm xxii. 
 17, where, instead of the words " they pierced 
 my hands and my feet," as in the Septuagint, 
 the Hebrew has to this day, the reading " as a 
 lion my hands and my feet ;" but as this passage 
 had no sense or meaning, the English translators 
 were fain to avail themselves of the reading of 
 the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate. But it
 
 3! AGES OF THE WORLD. 183 
 
 is unnecessary to multiply discrepancies of this 
 kind ; enough has been adduced to show that 
 implicit reliance is not to be placed on the pre- 
 sent Hebrew text. As to the discrepancy in Gen. 
 ii. 2, between the Hebrew and Septuagint, regard- 
 ing the day on which " God ended his work," it 
 can only be accounted for on one or other of the 
 following principles : either a mistake has been 
 committed in transcribing the Hebrew text ; or, 
 a change has been wilfully introduced into that 
 text. For it is quite inconsistent with the fact, 
 and with the preceding context, to say that God 
 ended his work on the Seventh day ! In that con- 
 text, Gen. i. 31, we are told that " God saw ALL 
 that He had made, and behold it was very good ; 
 and the evening and the morning were the Sixth 
 day." It is manifest that to end work on the 
 Seventh day, would be to perform a part of it on 
 that day; and, consequently, the whole of the 
 Sabbath could not be said to have been devoted to 
 rest, nor wholly blessed and sanctified on this ac- 
 count* It is easy to see that a loop-hole is thus 
 given, by an error in that text and in our trans- 
 lation, we fear more wilful than accidental on the 
 part of the Jews, to the partial observance of the 
 Sabbath, and to the notion acted on by many in 
 former ages, and by multitudes in the present, 
 that it is only that part of the Sabbath devoted to 
 religious services in public, which is to be ac- 
 counted sacred ; the remainder of the day being
 
 184 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 devotable either to work, to literary pursuits, or 
 to sensual enjoyment. Mankind, both Jews and 
 Christians, has in all ages been too anxious to 
 throw off the strict and unalterable obligation of 
 keeping the Sabbath holy to the Lord; but the true 
 Christian, he who is a " Jew inwardly," though 
 l( not outwardly," feels his highest enjoyment in 
 the Scriptural employment of that Holy Day, con- 
 sidering it as a foretaste and an earnest of the 
 glorious and eternal Sabbath in Heaven. 
 
 A strong argument against the accuracy of the 
 present Hebrew text, is derived, as we have seen, 
 from the different accounts of the census of the 
 Hebrew Patriarchs and their families, at the 
 epoch of their migration into Egypt, to be found 
 in the Old and New Testaments. In Acts vii. 
 14, we find that the martyr Stephen, in his de- 
 fence before the High Priest of the Jews, gives 
 this census, including the grandsons and great 
 grandsons of Joseph, who, as well as his sons, 
 had previously migrated in their father's loins, as 
 amounting in all to "threescore and fifteen," or 
 "75 souls." On referring to the Mosaic narrative, 
 Gen. xlvi. 27, we find, according to the Hebrew 
 text, that this census amounts only to " three- 
 score and ten," or " 70 souls ;" but, according 
 to the Septuagint, that it amounts to '* 75 souls." 
 Here, assuredly, the authority of the Septuagint 
 must be reckoned superior to that of the Hebrew 
 text, inasmuch as that version not only perfectly
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 185 
 
 agrees as to the census with the reckoning of 
 St. Stephen in the place now cited, but in the 
 same chapter, it enumerates the names of the 
 three grandsons and the two great-grandsons of 
 Joseph, making up thejive persons whose names 
 are totally omitted in the Hebrew. The census 
 of the Septuagint also agrees with that of the 
 New Testament, in other places where Moses has 
 occasion to remind the Israelites of the smallness 
 of their number when their fathers went down 
 into Egypt; see Exodus i. 5; and Deuteronomy 
 x. 22. It is proper to remark, however, that the 
 number in the latter citation agrees with the 
 Hebrew, in the Vatican edition of the Septuagint ; 
 but, not in the Alexandrine codex, or the Grabian 
 edition, where it is correctly given as in the other 
 places which have been cited. Dr. Hales, in his 
 " Analysis," vol. ii. p. 159, has grievously mis- 
 taken the composition of the census in question ; 
 for, he includes in it, the wives of Jacob's sons, 
 amounting to nine persons in all, according to his 
 account. The Sacred text, however, includes 
 Jacob, and Joseph with his two sons, in the num- 
 ber 70 ; now if the nine wives were also included, 
 the census would amount to the number 79 ; 
 because the names of the 70 men are all distinctly 
 enumerated even in the Hebrew text itself. In 
 order, therefore, to get rid of this difficulty, and 
 reduce the number from 79 to 75, the Dr. ex- 
 cludes the.four men just mentioned, and includes
 
 186 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 the nine women, whether they are kindred or not 
 kindred! His solution, however, does not agree 
 xvith the express words of Scripture, which, in 
 fact, excludes the women, the words being accord- 
 ing to the Septuagint, x w p*c iv yuvaucwv, "without 
 the wives ;" and includes the men, in the number 
 75, the words of Stephen being " his father Jacob, 
 and all his kindred," descended, c rwv /ujpwv mm>u, 
 " out of his loins." 
 
 In reference to the numerical statements of the 
 Hebrew text, the disingenuity of modern com- 
 mentators renders the following remarks neces- 
 
 O 
 
 sary, for the sake of truth and common sense. It 
 is well known that the numbers which occur in 
 the Old Testament are always expressed in words 
 at length, and not in abridged characters or arith- 
 metical symbols ; hence, the possibility of tran- 
 scribers mistaking one character or symbol for 
 another, in consequence of the similarity of the 
 letters, is completely removed. It is an unfair in- 
 ference, therefore, to say, because the Jews em- 
 ployed the letters of their alphabet to denote 
 numbers in their later writings, or to indicate 
 chapters and verses in the sacred writings, and 
 because some of these letters are extremely simi- 
 lar, though they denote very different numbers ; 
 that numerical errors might arise from this cause 
 in those parts of the Scriptures where no such 
 arithmetical characters or symbols were ever 
 used. Among unfair reasoners of this, class, may
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 187 
 
 also be placed those who maintain that all know- 
 ledge of the ancient Hebrew is lost, because for- 
 sooth it has been preserved in Chaldaic charac- 
 ters, and mystified by the Masoretic points ! It 
 does not follow, however, that the language itself 
 is lost, because the characters are changed in 
 their form, even supposing this to be the fact. If 
 so, then we might as well assert that the English 
 language is lost, because we have changed the 
 Old English character for the Roman ; that it has 
 become utterly unintelligible to us by the 
 change ; or that the accented, punctuated and 
 mispelt words of Orthoepists must render every 
 genuine English word of doubtful meaning ! 
 Moreover, it has likewise been gravely said that 
 because some Hebraists choose to assert that the 
 same word in Hebrew signifies both to bless and 
 to curse ; therefore, all or most of the words of 
 that language may be translated so as to mean 
 any thing you please ; this is at least the conclu- 
 sion which would be drawn from such random 
 assertions on the part of Lexicon writers and com- 
 pilers of Hebrew dictionaries. We ask such per- 
 sons, if they know any thing at all of Hebrew, to 
 arrange the names of the Antediluvian Patriarchs 
 in one line, so as to form a Hebrew sentence, and 
 to try whether, among the " thousand and one" 
 varieties of rendering of which it is affirmed the 
 words are capable, it will not bear the following 
 translation, demonstrative of the fact that the
 
 188 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL. 
 
 Antediluvians were, during the days of God's 
 grace, and in addition to the tradition of Enoch's 
 prophecy, taught the knowledge of a Divine 
 Saviour, even by the symbolical names which 
 the Patriarchs were directed by the Spirit of 
 God, to impose upon their children : 
 
 .TO yfi rftsnns TOH IT ^N^rro p^p tn: nr DTK 
 
 "Man was appointed miserable and wretched, 
 but the blessed God shall descend, teaching that 
 his death shall send to the afflicted, Rest." The 
 consolation which a sentence like this was calcu- 
 lated to give to the Patriarch Noah, and to his 
 family, in the near prospect of the " end of the 
 world that then was," may be more easily con- 
 ceived than described ; nor let it be forgotten 
 that in continuation of this Divine nomenclature, 
 the Patriarch was instructed to call his son, who 
 was to be the progenitor of the wonderful Being 
 whose coming is predicted in this sentence, by 
 the name of Shem, in prophetic anticipation of the 
 future development of that glorious Name, in 
 which both Jews and Gentiles were afterwards to 
 trust, and on which the salvation of both worlds 
 was suspended. 
 
 To return from this lengthened digression ; it is 
 manifest that there is great reason to suspect 
 that the numbers contained in the Hebrew text 
 which have reference to dates and to the age of 
 the world, have been systematically and exten- 
 sively altered. Dr. Russell cites a passage from
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 189 
 
 the celebrated Abulfarajius, in which he asserts 
 that the Jews, believing it to have been foretold 
 that the Messiah was to have been sent in the last 
 times, altered the chronology in order to be able to 
 produce a reason or apology for their rejection of 
 Jesus Christ. Thus they made it appear by their 
 new computation, that Christ was manifested in 
 the very beginning of ihejifth millennium, near to 
 the middle of the period to which the duration of 
 the earth was to be limited, that is, according to 
 their glosses upon Scripture, not more than 7000 
 years in all. But the computation of the Septua- 
 gint, he observes, showed that Christ did actually 
 come in the sixth millenary age of the world ; the 
 very time at which the prediction of the Old Tes- 
 tament led mankind to expect his advent. The 
 learned Dr. refers also to the candid Augustine, 
 who states that the Jews were suspected of having 
 corrupted their copies of the ancient Scriptures, 
 and particularly of having altered the generations 
 and lives of the Antediluvian patriarchs, out of dis- 
 like to the Christians, and in order to weaken the 
 authority of the Septuagint, which was used not 
 only in their churches during divine service, but 
 also in their writings and controversies with the 
 Jews. Though Augustine saw that the temptation 
 to vitiate the sacred text lay with the Rabbins, 
 and that the Greek translators had no inducement 
 to alter the original, he was unwilling to believe 
 that either party could have intentionally altered
 
 190 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 the Scriptures ; thinking it more probable that 
 the differences between the Hebrew and the Sep- 
 tuagint, had originated in the wish entertained by 
 an early transcriber, to render the generations of 
 the patriarchs more natural, and less dispropor- 
 tioned to the total length of their lives.* This 
 disproportion, as we have remarked in our First 
 Part, was only partial in the Hebrew, and the 
 discrepancy in this respect is a strong argument 
 in favour of the more natural proportion of the 
 Septuagint. But men in all ages have endea- 
 voured to reduce the Antediluvian standard of 
 human life and generation, without regard to the 
 actual record of Holy Scripture. Some curious 
 specimens of reasoning on this point will be found 
 in Usher's " Syntagma," cap. ii. p. 13 et seq. 
 What, for instance, can be more ridiculous than 
 the following remark on this subject by the 
 learned Dr. Isaac Barrow? "No one," says he, 
 " can pretend to assert, as a certainty, that the 
 age of Methusalem [Methuselah !] himself, who 
 lived a thousand years wanting one, [999 instead of 
 969 !] was really longer than that of a man, who 
 now dies at a hundred ! Why might not the Sun, 
 being then younger and more vigorous, have per- 
 formed his periods ten times sooner than at this 
 time?" See his "Geometrical Lectures," trans- 
 lated by Stone, 1735. Credat Judaus ! 
 
 * Augustine de Civit. Dei, lib. xv. c. 11 13; cited by 
 Russell, p. 81 of his " Connection."
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 191 
 
 Dr. Russell states that Augustine was not aware 
 that 400 years had elapsed from the time when 
 the Septuagint version was made, before any dis- 
 crepancy between the Greek and the Hebrew 
 Scriptures was ever imagined to exist ; and that 
 there flourished in that interval, the chronograph- 
 ers Demetrius, Philo, Euphorus, Eupolemus, and 
 Polyhistor, in whose writings, compiled from the 
 books of Moses, we find the events, numbers, 
 dates and proper names, agreeing with the Septu- 
 agint, but differing from the modern Hebrew. 
 The ignorance of this early Father in reference to 
 these writers, though it were admitted, for which 
 however we see no good reason, and his want of 
 reference to the works of Josephus, form no 
 ground of objection whatever to the facts of the 
 case ; nor can we conclude from his silence re- 
 garding their testimony that he was not biassed 
 in favour of the Jewish system of chronology in 
 consequence of the high authority of Jerome in 
 the Christian Church. Dr. Russell gives a very 
 full and clear account of the manner in which this 
 system originated. He states that the publica- 
 tion of the Seder Olam Rabba in A.D. 130, may 
 with certainty be regarded as the epoch at which 
 the Jews altered their genealogies and changed 
 the dates of the great events which are recorded 
 in their Sacred Books ; and that Theophilus, 
 bishop of Antioch, was the first Christian chrono- 
 loger who attempted to compute the age of the
 
 192 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 world from the facts and dates only which are 
 contained in the Bible. He judiciously remarks 
 that the bishop must have possessed a copy of 
 the Hebrew Scriptures or at least of the Penta- 
 teuch, which had escaped the innovations of the 
 Jews ; for his dates of the deluge and the birth of 
 Abraham differ from both the Hebrew and the 
 Septuagint.* Moreover, we find that Eusebius, 
 in the middle of the fourth century, who was well 
 aware of the discrepancies between the Hebrew 
 and the Septuagint in the matter of chronology, 
 still writes as follows : " On all sides therefore the 
 version of the Seventy, being demonstrated to have 
 been translated from an ancient, as it appears, 
 and a correct copy of the Hebrew, we have with 
 reason made use of it in the present chrono- 
 graphy, and the more especially since the church 
 of Christ spread through the whole world adheres 
 to it alone, the Apostles and disciples of our Sa- 
 viour having from the beginning delivered that it 
 is to be used."f Dr. Kennicott, in his " Disser- 
 
 Russell's " Connection" pp. 8084. 
 \ YlavraxoOcv roiyapovv Trjs T&V 6 c/j/xr/yeuzs K iraAcuas, 
 l abiaarpcxfrov 'E/Spcuooy ypa<f)T)s /iera/3e'/3A77<r#cu 
 s, eiKcmos Tai/rr/ KCU ^pteis K^Kprip.cda Kara TT\V ra- 
 povvav xpovoypatyiav, ore juaXiora KCU f) tad* 6A.7js rijs OLKOV- 
 fji^vrjs f]TT\(ti(rp.{vTj X/HOTOU (KK\rj(rCa Tairrrj fjiovij Trpoo-e'xei ru>v 
 TOU crwrijpos f]fJ.<MV aTTooroAwi' re KCU fJ.adi]Tu>v ap\ij6cv raiirrj 
 \pij<rOat. 77apa8e8a)Kora>i>. Eusebius, cited by Syncellus, p. 
 89, Bonn, 1829.
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 193 
 
 tatio Generalis," Sect. 83, p. 37, also cites the 
 words of Ephrem Syrus, who flourished near the 
 end of the same century, in which he charges the 
 Jews with having abstracted 600 years from the 
 generations of the Antediluvian patriarchs in 
 order that their own books might not convict 
 them concerning the coming of Christ, who had 
 been predicted to appear for the deliverance of 
 mankind after 5500 years. 
 
 2. Description of the Ages of the World from Hesiod Error of Newton 
 The Golden Age corresponds to the Antediluvian The Silver to the 
 Postdiluvian The Brazen, Heroic and Iron ages, to the Patriarchal, 
 Critarchal and Monarchal These ages relate chiefly to Greece Refe- 
 rences to Scripture history in all The Sixth or Cumasan age corresponds 
 to the Hierarchal Wisdom of the Heathens Their expectation of a 
 Divine Instructor Socrates, Plato, Eupolis, Virgil, and others, antici- 
 pate his glorious Advent The close of the Sixth age indicates the arrival 
 of the Seventh, or the return of the Golden age. 
 
 The Greek and Roman Poets borrowed their 
 sublime ideas concerning the Ages of the World, 
 from the Sacred writings and traditions of the 
 Jews ; and alas ! they transmuted the fine gold 
 of Mount Sion into the base metal of Helicon and 
 Parnassus. Hence arose the Poetical appella- 
 tions of the first Six ages which are to be found in 
 the most ancient and celebrated writings of the 
 Heathen. The distinct recognition o the Seventh 
 age appears not to have been very general, at 
 least among the poets ; or rather, it seems to 
 have been frequently confounded or identified 
 with the Sixth age. The following, however, is 
 an enumeration of the Poetical ages which is 
 
 o
 
 194 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 clearly to be traced in the writings of the oldest 
 authors ; to each, we have added the names of 
 the corresponding Scriptural Ages, for the sake of 
 comparison and connection. First, the Golden 
 Age which corresponds to the Antediluvian; Second, 
 the Silver Age, to the Postdiluvian ; Third, the 
 Brazen Age, to the Patriarchal; Fourth, the 
 Heroic Age, to the Critarchal ; Fifth, the Iron 
 Age, to the Monarchal; and Sixth, the Last or 
 Cum&an Age, to the Hierarchal. In this enume- 
 ration, we do not mean, of course, to convey the 
 idea that each of the Poetical Ages is precisely 
 limited by the epochs which serve to fix and de- 
 termine the Scriptural Ages of the Jews ; but 
 merely to indicate that there is such a connection 
 between them as serves to prove their common 
 origin, and to establish the chronology of both on 
 a secure and authentic foundation. There seems, 
 however, to our mind, such a striking analogy 
 between the real and thefeigtied events ascribed 
 in history to the different periods above mentioned, 
 as to justify us in drawing the parallelism close, 
 and in allotting to the various ages of the world, 
 the appellations which have been ingeniously 
 assigned to them by the poets and historians of 
 Greece and Rome. One of the oldest Heathen 
 writers, whose authentic works have reached our 
 times, is the poet Hesiod, who, according to some 
 authorities, was the contemporary of Homer, and 
 who, according to Mr. Clinton, flourished from
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 195 
 
 859 to 824 B. c. His description of the Six Ages 
 contained in the poem entitled 'Epya /cat 'Hjuepat, 
 or Works and Days, is in many parts unquestion- 
 ably borrowed from Scripture History. Dr. Hales 
 has advanced and defended this opinion in his 
 " Analysis," vol. i. pp. 38 46 ; after having 
 shewn, in pp. 35 38, that Sir Isaac Newton has 
 mistaken, and consequently misrepresented He- 
 siod's ages, in his " Chronology of Ancient 
 Kingdoms," by confounding the word yevoc, a 
 race, employed by the poet to denote an age, with 
 yevsa, the usual word for a generation ; and that 
 this error has not only deranged all his dates of 
 Grecian history, but has vitiated his entire system 
 of ancient chronology. With the opinions of Dr. 
 Hales on the subject of Hesiod 's Ages of 'the World, 
 we in general coincide ; but we think that he has 
 neither carried out the above-mentioned analogy 
 sufficiently far, nor applied it in so clear and 
 distinct a manner as he might have done, to the 
 illustration of the connection between Sacred and 
 Profane Chronology. It may be of some im- 
 portance, therefore, to enlarge a little upon this 
 interesting point. 
 
 The description of the First or Golden Age 
 given in the Works and Days, extends from v. 
 108 to v. 126,* and as Dr. Hales justly remarks, 
 bears no relation at all to Grecian history. It 
 
 * We refer to Robinson's edition of Hesiod's works, qua 
 supersuut, cum notis Variorum, Oxon. 1737. 
 
 o 2
 
 196 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 refers to the time when " The immortal gods and 
 mortal men were as members of the same family, 
 and (/lEpoTrwv) partook of the same likeness ; when 
 Saturn (Kpovoe, quasi ^povoc, Time) reigned in 
 Heaven, and men lived as gods, with minds free 
 from care, without labour and sorrow, or the 
 feebleness of old age ; and always the same 
 (TroSae /cat x ^P a O m strength and activity, they 
 enjoyed continual feasting, free from all evils, 
 rolling in wealth, and beloved by the blessed 
 gods ; they died as overcome by sleep ; to them, 
 all things were good ; and the fertile field spon- 
 taneously brought forth varied and abundant 
 fruit ; seeking only their own ease, they mingled 
 their operations with innumerable pleasures ; and 
 when (-yam) the green sod covered their bodies, 
 they became good angels, by the will of mighty 
 Jove, and were confined to the earth, as the 
 guardians of mortal men ; they became observers 
 of good and bad actions, and inhabiting the aerial 
 regions, they everywhere roamed through the 
 earth, the dispensers of riches ; such indeed was 
 the royal honour which they obtained." This 
 description is a curious admixture of the tradi- 
 tions concerning the Antediluvian age to be found 
 in the early history of all ancient nations, and of 
 the lofty but extravagant imaginings of the Poet 
 derived from the absurd mythology of ancient 
 Greece. It evidently alludes to the creation of 
 man in the likeness of God, and to the Sacred
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 197 
 
 communion which Adam held with his Creator in 
 the garden of Eden ; to the wonderful length of 
 human life, amounting in the case of the Patri- 
 archs, in general, to nearly a thousand years, when 
 indeed Time might be said to reign, and Death for 
 ages to be disappointed of his prey ; to the gene- 
 ration of sons and daughters to a late period of 
 the lives of mankind ; and to the piety of the 
 righteous generations of the line of Seth, who 
 were called the " Sons of God," some of whom 
 had communion with God, and received peculiar 
 marks of his favour. The description of the 
 " royal honour" of the happy dead, seems to 
 have had its origin also in the Scripture record of 
 the frequent appearance of angels in the likeness 
 of men in the Postdiluvian and Patriarchal ages, 
 and of the promises which God gave to Abraham, 
 Isaac and Jacob, regarding the number, the 
 wealth and the glory of their seed ; and of the 
 appearance of Samuel to Saul, when he predicted 
 his speedy fall and admittance to Hades : of the 
 divine appearance to Solomon, when he was pro- 
 mised riches and honour, so that no king was 
 like to him : and of the divine vision of the 
 young man in Samaria, who saw the mountain 
 full of horses and chariots of fire round about 
 Elisha : with many others of the very singular 
 and preternatural phenomena which were divinely 
 vouchsafed to the chosen people of God in all 
 ages, before that in which the Poet himself flou-
 
 198 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 rished. Hesiod is also cited by Josephus among 
 the ancient writers who before his time recorded 
 that the men of the Jirst age of the world lived a 
 thousand years ; but Dr. Hales observes that this 
 statement is " no where to be found in his pre- 
 sent [extant] works." 
 
 The description of the Second or Silver age, 
 extends from v. 127 to v. 142, and refers to the 
 time after the flood, when as the Poet says, " the 
 men were much inferior to those of the Golden 
 age, being unlike them both in body and mind ; 
 then, indeed, the boy of a hundred years was 
 brought up by his careful mother, as a child, 
 passing much of his time at home ; but when he 
 grew up and reached the age of puberty, his life 
 was speedily shortened, being embittered by 
 ignorance ; for they manifested injurious pride 
 towards each other, and refused to serve the 
 immortal gods, or to sacrifice at their sacred altars, 
 which was the customary rite among civilized 
 people ; these, therefore, Jupiter the son of 
 Saturn buried, being incensed because they ho- 
 noured not the blessed gods who inhabit Olympus; 
 and when the green turf had covered their bodies, 
 then the blessed dead confined to the earth, were 
 called Secondary angels ; thus, they also had their 
 share of honour." This description contains in- 
 ternal proof that it refers to the Postdiluvian age, 
 in opposition to the sentiments of some modern 
 writers, who have supposed that the Golden age
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 199 
 
 referred solely to the Paradisaical state, and the 
 Silver age to that which immediately succeeded 
 it. The Golden age must have evidently included 
 the Post -Paradisaical state, because the Poet con- 
 templates men as mortal, which they had become 
 in consequence of their loss of perfect innocence, 
 and speaks of them as having increased in num- 
 bers, or in other words, become " multiplied on 
 the face of the earth," which took place only after 
 the expulsion of the great progenitors of the race 
 from Paradise. The Silver age must have been 
 after the flood, because the usual period of human 
 life had not been diminished till after that event,but 
 had in fact been rather increased just immediately 
 before it, as in the case of Methuselah; and Noah 
 himself the connecting link of both worlds, was 
 longer lived than Adam. Moreover, the Poet's 
 account of the Antepaidogonian age of mankind, 
 corresponds in a very remarkable degree to the 
 statements of the Septuagint, the Samaritan Text, 
 and Josephus, on this point, and proves almost to a 
 demonstration that the Hebrew Text originally con- 
 tained the longer computation; for the traditions 
 concerning the Postdiluvian age were, of course, 
 known to Hesiod, about Six centuries before the 
 Septuagint was in existence. The causes assigned 
 by the poet, for the shortening of human life, 
 seem clearly to refer to the breaking up of the 
 ecclesiastical polity of Nimrod at Babel ; and the 
 destruction of the impious, to the later event, the
 
 200 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 overthrow of the "cities of the plain," and the 
 formation of the Lake Asphaltites. The distinc- 
 tion drawn between the fate of the good, and the 
 fate of the bad in this age, evidently refers to the 
 selection of a few among mankind, as the deposi- 
 tories of Sacred Revelation, and to the appoint- 
 ment of others as the friends of God, and the 
 Fathers of the faithful to all generations. Such 
 statements as these plainly indicate a belief in the 
 immortality of the soul, or, at least, its existence 
 after death in a separate state, and forcibly re- 
 mind us of the argument which our Saviour held 
 with the Sadducees, in proof of the resurrection 
 of the dead : " Have ye not read in the book 
 of Moses, how in the bush God spake to him, 
 saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God 
 of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? He is not the 
 God of the dead, but the God of the living : ye, 
 therefore, do greatly err ;" Mark xii. 26. The 
 conclusion was indeed manifest ; Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob are still alive, as to their souls; there- 
 fore, their souls are immortal. Because God 
 lives, they live also; for he is still their God. 
 But life and immortality were brought to light 
 by the Gospel ; and because Christ rose from the 
 dead, they shall also rise from the dead ; for he 
 has become the first-fruits of them that slept. 
 From the preceding remarks, it is evident that 
 Dr. Hales is in error, both when he limits the 
 " termination of the Silver age to - the days of
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Peleg; and when he refers the latter clause of 
 the Poet's description to the " first and purest 
 Patriarchs of this age ;" for the upright and 
 blessed Job lived in the latter part of it ; and 
 the divinely honoured Abraham left Ur of the 
 Chaldees at its close. 
 
 That Hesiod's description of the three subse- 
 quent ages appears to relate entirely to the history 
 of Greece, is the opinion of Dr. Hales. Without 
 disputing the general accuracy of this opinion, we 
 still think that we can perceive traces of the his- 
 tory of other countries. The allusions to Scrip- 
 ture are, it is true, more obscure in this part of 
 the poem ; but they are not wholly imperceptible. 
 Indeed, the ingenuity of the " cunningly devised 
 fables " which it contains, would not be deemed 
 complete without the admixture of some sacred 
 truth, without the addition of some egregious per- 
 version of the Inspired records. The description of 
 the Third or Brazen age, extends from v. 143 to 
 v. 155, and refers to the time when the men, 
 " wholly unlike those of the Silver age, were 
 strong and mighty in the use of the spear, re- 
 joicing in war and deeds of rapacity ; they ate 
 not (<rtrov) the food of culture, but, unyielding in 
 their disposition, they had minds as hard as ada- 
 mant ; possessing immense force and unpolished 
 hands, nature furnished them with powerful 
 limbs, from the shoulders downwards ; they had 
 brazen armour, brazen houses, and they worked in
 
 202 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 brass ; for iron was not yet in use ; these, indeed, 
 slain by their own hands, went to the dark do- 
 mains of gloomy Pluto, unrecorded in song ; for 
 sable death seized them, though mighty in 
 strength, and they left the shining light of the 
 Sun." This passage seems very clearly to de- 
 scribe the state of the world in the days of Abra- 
 ham. The battle of the four kings against five in 
 the Vale of Siddim (Destruction), the slaughter of 
 the kings and the sacking of their cities, the cap- 
 ture of Lot and all his family and property, as 
 recorded in Genesis xiv., is a sufficient proof of 
 the warlike and rapacious character of this age ; 
 and then, no doubt, originated the migration of 
 those marauding parties which, proceeding from 
 Assyria, Phenicia, and Egypt, spread themselves 
 over Greece and her islands for colonization and 
 settlement, and founded the early kingdoms of 
 Sicyon and Argos. The testimony of the Greek 
 historians Herodotus and Thucydides, respecting 
 the state of society during this period, confirms 
 the description of the Poet ; arid, according to 
 Dr. Hales, the rape of lo, the daughter of Inachus, 
 which was followed more than a century after- 
 wards by that of Europa, the daughter of Agenor, 
 king of Tyre, are instances of the wicked conduct 
 of those whom Jove is reported to have sent a 
 flood to destroy, at the close of the Brazen age. 
 Dr. Hales, however, is in error when he refers 
 this flood to the age of Deucalion ; it appears
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 203 
 
 more clearly to belong to that of Ogyges, who 
 was earlier than Deucalion by more than two 
 centuries, and in whose reign, according to Dr. 
 Russell,* the inhabitants of Boeotia were compelled 
 to leave the plains of their native country, which 
 was that of our poet, and to seek an asylum in the 
 mountains of Attica. 
 
 The description of the hardihood of the men 
 of the Brazen age corresponds also to that of the 
 King of Egypt, when he expressed his fears 
 concerning the increase of the children of Israel. 
 The very weak argument of Sir Isaac Newton 
 against the longer computation, which he draws 
 from the speech of Pharaoh, Exodus i. 9, respect- 
 ing Egypt being " thinly peopled " before the 
 birth of Moses, is very satisfactorily answered by 
 Dr. Hales in his explanation of the succeeding 
 verse ; " Analysis," p. 88. The correct transla- 
 tion, however, of the former verse, according to 
 the Septuagint, which appears to have retained 
 the true meaning of the passage, renders even 
 Dr. Hales' explanation unnecessary. Thus, "And 
 he said to his nation, Behold the race of the sons 
 of Israel is a great multitude, and their (bodily) 
 strength is greater than ours !" This observation 
 will appear both natural and just, when we con- 
 sider that the Egyptians, as a nation, must have 
 by this time reached a degree of luxury and 
 refinement, the consequences of extensive empire 
 * " Connection," vol. ii. p. 465.
 
 204 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 and early civilization, which rendered them more 
 effeminate or less robust than the hardy sons of 
 Israel. The dread, therefore, of the increase of 
 such a nation, which they held in cruel bondage, 
 and which, though vastly fewer in numbers, was 
 greatly superior to their own in individual and 
 personal strength, was a sufficient reason for the 
 precautionary policy announced from the throne, 
 by which the rigour of the bondage of the Israel- 
 ites was to be increased, in the expectation of 
 thus diminishing their numbers. This policy, 
 however, having failed, the king resorted to one 
 still more cruel and sanguinary ; but the very 
 cause which he had assigned as a reason for the 
 adoption of cruel measures towards an unoffend- 
 ing race, was wisely ordained, so as to render 
 those measures completely abortive; and, we 
 thus perceive, from its acknowledged truth, an 
 additional force and beauty, in the simple defence 
 made before the king, by those heroic females who 
 bid defiance to his wrath, by refusing to become 
 the detestable instruments of his cruelty ; Exod. 
 i. 19. 
 
 That the Greeks from a very early period were 
 distinguished from other nations by the use of 
 Brazen Armour is well known ; and it is remark- 
 able that in Scripture prophecy this characteristic 
 is selected by the Spirit of God to point out the 
 nation to which it belongs, and to predict the rise 
 of that Universal empire which it once maintained
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 over all the kingdoms of the known world. In 
 the description of the different parts of the great 
 Image which King Nebuchadnezzar saw in his 
 dream, Daniel ii. 31 45, and which prefigured 
 the four Great Monarchies or Empires of anti- 
 quity, we find the Assyrian or Babylonian Empire 
 denoted by the head of gold, the Medo- Persian by 
 the breast and arms of silver, the GREEK or Mace- 
 donian by the belly and thighs of 'BRASS, and the 
 Roman by the legs and feet of iron. Moreover, 
 the Greeks are commonly denominated by Homer 
 in his Iliad, the yaXicoyjiTuvig A^aiot, or Brazen- 
 coated Achaians, that is, wearing brazen coats of 
 mail ; and they are described in Herodotus, ac- 
 cording to the words of the oracle, as ^aA/cEwv 
 avSpwv ETrt^avfVTwv, or men glittering in Brazen 
 armour. Hence, it may be truly said with the 
 poet, that they lived in brazen houses, and per- 
 formed their works in brass; for, they spent all 
 their time in deeds of arms, perpetually seeking 
 to increase their wealth, and to form new settle- 
 ments, at the cost of the native inhabitants of the 
 soil, the natural consequence of such predatory 
 incursions was premature death in battle ; and 
 until they had gained a complete footing in 
 Greece, by a series of splendid victories, it could 
 not be supposed that their names would be trans- 
 mitted to posterity with renown. Thus the hosts 
 of original adventurers belonging to this age, ac- 
 cording to the poet, descended to the grave,
 
 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 (pro 'Avwviyioe,), without name and without 
 fame, receiving no share of honour like the men of 
 the former ages, but sinking into irretrievable ob- 
 livion, both in this world, and in the world of 
 souls. 
 
 The description of the Fourth or Heroic age, 
 which Dr. Hales remarks is included by Ovid in 
 the Brazen age, extends from v. 157 to v. 174, 
 and refers to the time when the men " spread 
 over the boundless earth, were more upright and 
 more just than those of the former age, and re- 
 ceived the name of Demigods ; these also, calami- 
 tous war and tremendous battle destroyed ; some 
 before the seven-gated Thebes, in the territories 
 of Cadmus, fighting for the wealth of (Edipus : 
 but others before the walls of Troy, having been 
 transported across the broad sea in ships, on ac- 
 count of the fair-haired Helen : to the former, 
 death brought final destruction ; to the latter, 
 father Jupiter, the son of Saturn, having granted 
 life and a settlement apart from mankind, he 
 planted them at the ends of the earth, far from the 
 immortal gods, where Saturn reigns their king ; 
 and these happy heroes, having minds free from 
 cares, dwell in the Islands of the Blessed, near 
 the deep deep Ocean ; to them, the fertile soil 
 produces ripe fruit, as sweet as honey, three sea- 
 sons of the year." In this description there 
 seems to be a very considerable want of incident, 
 when we compare it with the history of Greece
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 207 
 
 during the Heroic age. For, it was in this age, 
 that the Kingdom of Athens was founded ; that 
 the flood of Deucalion took place ; and that the 
 chief founders of the Greek nation made their 
 descent into the country itself, namely, Danaus, 
 Pelasgus, Cadmus and Pelops. It was in this 
 age also, that the events most celebrated in his- 
 tory and poetry took place ; such as, the birth 
 and the labours of Hercules ; the expedition of 
 the Argonauts ; the wars at Thebes and the fall of 
 Troy, which the poet has particularly noticed ; 
 the Return of the Heraclidae ; and the -/Eolic and 
 Ionic Migrations. The meagreness of detail in 
 this portion of the poem, therefore, would lead us 
 to adopt the opinion of many critics, that it has 
 not reached us in a perfect but in a fragmentary 
 state ; enough of it, however, remains to enable 
 us to determine the limits of the poetical ages. 
 We have seen that the flood of Ogyges was the 
 event which, according to the testimony of the 
 ancients, terminated the Brazen age, and of course, 
 formed the commencement of the Heroic age; 
 now, according to the testimony of Julius Afri- 
 canus and others, this event was coeval with the 
 Exodus from Egypt ; and, according to the testi- 
 mony of Eratosthenes and others, as expiscated 
 by Mr. Clinton, the Ionic migration was a few 
 years earlier than the foundation of Solomon's 
 temple, and may, therefore, be considered as the 
 event which terminated the Heroic age, and not
 
 208 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 the fall of Troy, as stated by Dr. Hales, which, 
 according to the best authorities, occurred about 
 a century and a-half before the Scriptural era in 
 question. No shorter period than this at least 
 would be sufficient to settle all the mighty events 
 which resulted from the iAee KOKWV, or multitude 
 of evils springing from the Trojan war, and the 
 final catastrophe of the ancient city of Priam ; 
 and in no less a time, would the heroes who sur- 
 vived this great event, and who went in quest of 
 new settlements and peace, far from the scenes 
 of strife, be able, in the name and power of their 
 posterity, to build cities and plant vineyards, and 
 to form new states and create dynasties in foreign 
 lands. 
 
 " Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem." 
 
 The description of the men of this age as 
 " divine," and the idea of giving to heroes the 
 name of Demigods, thus commingling earth and 
 heaven, seems to have originated in the Sacred 
 history of the wars of the Israelites in Canaan, 
 at the beginning and during the progress of the 
 Critarchal age. The remarkable interpositions of 
 Providence which accompanied this people, under 
 the guidance of Moses in the wilderness, under 
 the command of Joshua in the promised land, and 
 under the government of the Judges when settled 
 there, would lead all the Heathen nations around 
 them to ascribe to their leaders more than mortal
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 209 
 
 power ; hence would naturally arise the title of demi- 
 god. Moreover, the history of the transactions re- 
 corded in "the book of the wars of Jehovah" 
 (Numbers xxi. 14), of which no doubt our poet 
 had '* heard by the hearing of the ear," would 
 inspire him with feelings and language similar to 
 that which the Philistines uttered when they 
 heard that the Israelites had brought the ark of 
 God into their camp : " Woe unto us ! who shall 
 deliver us out of the hands of these mighty Gods? 
 these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with 
 all the plagues of the wilderness;" (1 Sam. iv. 
 8). The extraordinary exertions of the Judges 
 to deliver their countrymen from a foreign yoke, 
 roused and assisted as they always were by the 
 hand of God, might well strike terror into the 
 hearts of their enemies, and give rise to the name 
 and the notion of their being of supernatural 
 origin. For instance, the remarkable atmospheric 
 and celestial phenomena which occurred under 
 the leadership of Joshua, when " the Lord cast 
 great stones from heaven" upon the enemy, and 
 when, at the voice of a man, the Sun and Moon 
 "stood still" in the heavens for "a whole day," 
 would not be soon forgotten among the Heathen ; 
 because " there was no day like that before it or 
 after it, for the Lord fought for Israel ;" (Josh. x. 
 13, 14). Again, we are told in the song of De- 
 borah and Barak, that " the stars fought from 
 heaven ; the stars in their courses, fought against 
 
 p
 
 210 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 Sisera;" and when we consider that the Heathen 
 worshipped the heavenly bodies, including the 
 stars, as divinities, we see how the idea of gods 
 and demigods fighting the battles of men, would 
 naturally arise in their minds from the recital of 
 such a song as this ; and we can thus trace the 
 origin of the mythological machinery which is so 
 finely wrought and so eloquently described in the 
 pages of Heathen poesy. 
 
 In like manner, we find that the description of 
 the settlement of the " Happy Heroes in the 
 Islands of the Blest," at the close of this age, 
 savours strongly of the lofty ideas and the poetic 
 language to be found in the prophecies concern- 
 ing the future happiness of God's chosen people. 
 The establishment of the Israelites in the pro- 
 mised land, so long the subject of prophecy, was 
 no doubt the great prototype, which the Poet had 
 in his " mind's eye" in this description ; and the 
 fame of God's gracious dealings with them having 
 spread abroad throughout the whole world, was 
 no doubt the inciting cause which led mankind in 
 general to think of improving their condition, and 
 to make those frequent descents and migrations 
 into other countries, which were so common in 
 this and the preceding age. Our Poet had no 
 doubt heard of the blessing of Jacob, which pre- 
 dicted the coming of Shiloh and the happiness of 
 the tribe of Judah, who, as its representative, 
 should " wash his robe in wine, and his cloak in
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 211 
 
 the blood of grapes ;" and whose " eyes should 
 sparkle with wine, and whose teeth should be 
 whiter than milk ;" also, the felicity of the tribe 
 of Joseph, who, in like manner, should be blessed 
 " with blessings of heaven above, and blessings 
 of the earth beneath, blessings of the breasts and 
 of the matrix, and blessings of his progenitors, 
 which should prevail beyond the everlasting 
 hills."* But the Song and the Blessing of Moses, 
 which belonged to a later age, and which height- 
 ened the expectations of the twelve tribes by a 
 clearer revelation, were still more likely to have 
 reached the poet's ears through the traditions of 
 those early times. From the former, he would 
 learn that the " Lord's portion is his people ;" 
 and "Jacob the lot of his inheritance;" that 
 " the Lord alone did lead them," and " there was 
 no strange god with them;" that " he made Israel 
 ride on the high places of the earth, that he might 
 eat the increase of the fields ; and he made him 
 to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the 
 flinty rock ; butter of kine, and milk of sheep, 
 with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Ba- 
 shan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; 
 and he drank the pure blood of the grape ;" Deut. 
 xxxii. 12 14. By the latter, he would be in- 
 
 * Genesis xlix. 11, 12, 25, 26. The above passages are im- 
 proved a little by reference to the Septuagint, of which see a 
 Translation according to the Vatican edition, just published by 
 Bagster and Sons, from the pen of Sir L. C. L. Brenton, Bart. 
 
 p 2
 
 212 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 formed that Jehovah " was King in Jeshurun, 
 when the heads of the people, the tribes of Israel 
 were gathered together;" that "the land" of 
 Joseph was Blessed of the Lord, " for the preci- 
 ous things of heaven, for the dew, and for the 
 deep that coucheth beneath ; and for the precious 
 fruits of the changes of the Sun, and for the 
 precious things produced by the month, and for 
 the chief things of the ancient mountains, and 
 for the precious things of the lasting hills, and for 
 the precious things of the earth and fulness there- 
 of, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the 
 Bush;" that "there is none like unto the God of 
 Jeshurun, he who rideth upon the heaven thy 
 helper, even the most glorious of the sky ;" and 
 that " Israel should dwell alone : the fountain of 
 Jacob should be in a land of corn and wine ; and 
 his heaven should drop down dew." In the con- 
 templation of such a glorious prospect, he might 
 be led to say with the great lawgiver himself: 
 " Happy art thou, O Israel : who is like unto 
 thee, O people, saved by the Jehovah, who is the 
 shield of thy help, and the sword of thy excel- 
 lency !" Deut. xxxiii. 5, 13, 26. Truly as the 
 poet said " the Eternal (Kpovoc, Time without end) 
 now reigns their King." 
 
 The sudden transition of the Poet from the 
 description of the Fourth age, to that of the Fifth, 
 with his rapid glance at the Sixth, which extends 
 from v. 174 to v. 201, shows that his mind must
 
 v AGES OF THE WORLD. 213 
 
 have been wrought up to a great pilch of feeling 
 and sublimity, in reflecting on the glorious deeds 
 of the past age, and the splendid anticipations of 
 the future. With the description of the Fifth 
 or Iron age in which he himself lived, we cannot 
 but deeply sympathise, feeling as we do that it 
 has returned in our own days, arid that its fea- 
 tures are precisely the same as those which now 
 characterize this age of Bronze.* " Oh ! how I 
 
 * The character of the present age, which is remarkable for 
 vulgar Infidelity, and the entire worship of Mammon, especially 
 in the metropolis, has made many of the people of God sigh and 
 cry for the abominations of the land, and fear that the Apoca- 
 lyptic vials of wrath are about to be poured out upon this 
 devoted country; for to whom much is given, of them much will 
 be required. The crying sin, in our estimation, is that which 
 makes a gain of godliness, and which puts men into the priest's 
 office for a piece of bread ; for by this craft they have their 
 IvTTopia, wealth, Acts xix. 25; or, as it might be rendered, 
 respectability. This age indeed makes vast pretensions to 
 respectability, but it is only that whicli arises from wealth. 
 Now it is very remarkable that the letters of the Greek word 
 iviropia, which was used by the craftsmen who made silver 
 shrines for Diana, when they complained of the spread of the 
 Gospel, and set Ephesus in an uproar for two hours, added up 
 according to their value in the Greek system of notation, 
 make the sum of 666, the well-known number of the Beast ! 
 Thus : 
 
 E Y n O P I A 
 
 5 + 400 + 80 + 70 + 100 + 10 + 1 = 666. 
 
 What does this indicate, but that the beast reigns triumphant 
 in the present age ; for the whole world has gone a wondering 
 after him, and the image which he has set up ? And what is
 
 214 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 wish," says he, " that I had not lived in the Fifth 
 age (irtfnrToiai avSpamv), but had either died before 
 it, or lived after it ; for, now indeed is the Iron 
 age; and they will rest neither day nor night 
 from labour and misery, corrupting each other ; 
 but the gods shall give them unutterable sorrows ; 
 still even to these shall good and evil be inter- 
 mingled ; but Jupiter shall destroy the men of 
 this age, for they shall become grey-headed soon 
 after their birth ; because the father will not live 
 in unity with his children, nor the children with 
 the father ; the guest with his host, nor the friend 
 with his companion ; and the brother will be no 
 longer affectionate, as in former ages ; and soon 
 shall they dishonour their parents growing old ; 
 then also shall the wicked attack them, speaking 
 cruel words, and not fearing the wrath of the 
 gods ; nor shall the lawless then yield to their 
 aged parents the rewards of their education ; but 
 one shall destroy the city of another ; and no 
 favour shall be shown to the pious, or the just, 
 or the good ; but they will rather honour the evil- 
 doer, and encourage injustice ; nor shall there be 
 any justice or modesty in their hands; and the 
 
 this image but wealth or respectability, which all are so anxious 
 to acquire and maintain? Let Christians beware of falling into 
 this snare, and let them attend to the warning voice of the 
 beloved Apostle ; Rev. xviii. 4. For the discovery of the above 
 singular numerical coincidence, we are indebted, through the 
 publisher, Mr. Bagster, to the author of a work just published, 
 entitled " WEALTH, The Name and Number of the Beast, &c."
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 215 
 
 wicked man shall injure the good, addressing him 
 with hard speeches, and even be guilty of per- 
 jury ; and croaking envy of hateful countenance, 
 rejoicing in evil, shall pursue the whole race of 
 miserable mortals ; and then shall blushing Mo- 
 desty and indignant Virtue, clothed in their white 
 robes, having forsaken mankind, pass from the 
 spacious earth to Olympus, to mingle with the 
 immortal gods ; then shall they leave direful woes 
 to mortal men ; and there shall be no help for 
 the evil/' In this description, the Poet, who, 
 according to the best authorities, lived about the 
 end of the first century of the Iron age, seems to 
 have partly borrowed his description from the 
 sacred poetry of the Jews, and having himself 
 experienced the evils of injustice at the hands of 
 his own kindred, to have partly anticipated the 
 wickedness of the age, in a fine prophetic vein. 
 Solomon, with whose glorious reign the Monarchal 
 or Iron age began, uttered sentiments concerning 
 the wicked, to which the ideas of our poet have a 
 striking similarity : "For they," said he, "sleep 
 not, except they have done mischief; and their 
 sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to 
 fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and 
 drink the wine of violence;" Prov. iv. 16, 17. 
 The following passages in the book of Proverbs, 
 to which we shall only refer, with others which 
 might be cited, would almost lead us to imagine 
 that Hesiod had been familiar with the writings
 
 216 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 of Solomon: Prov. i. 11 19; v. 314; vi. 16 
 19; ix. 1318; xxiii. 27 35; xxiv. 1,2, 15 
 22; and xxx. 11 23; but in the psalms of 
 David, we find a more vivid and sustained de- 
 scription of -the wickedness of the wicked, and 
 one to which that of the Poet bears a more marked 
 similarity than any of the passages yet cited : 
 thus, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is 
 no God. They have corrupted themselves, they 
 have done abominable works, there is none that 
 doeth good, there is not even one. The Lord 
 looked down from heaven upon the children of 
 men, to see if there were any that did understand, 
 or seek after God. They are all gone out of the 
 way, they are together become useless, there is 
 none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat 
 is an open sepulchre ; with their tongues they 
 have used deceit ; the poison of asps is under 
 their lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and 
 bitterness : their feet are swift to shed blood : 
 destruction and misery are in their ways : and 
 the way of peace they have not known : there is 
 no fear of God before their eyes." Psalm xiv., 
 according to the Septuagint. When we consider 
 that even on the lowest computation, the poet 
 Hesiod must have preceded the prophet Micah, 
 by at least 100 years, we cannot but be struck 
 also with the similarity of their descriptions of this 
 age in which they both lived, and we cannot but 
 admit that the description of the former written
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 217 
 
 as it is in the future tense, partakes strongly of 
 the character of inspiration. " The good man," 
 says the latter, " is perished out of the earth : 
 and there is none upright among men : they all 
 lie in wait for blood ; they hunt every man his 
 brother with a net. That they may do evil with 
 both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the 
 judge asketh for a reward ; and the great man, he 
 uttereth his mischievous desire : so they wrap it 
 up. The best of them is a brier, the most up- 
 right is sharper than a thorn hedge : the day of 
 thy watchmen and thy' visitation cometh ; now 
 shall be their perplexity. Trust ye not in a friend, 
 put ye not confidence in a guide : keep the doors 
 of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. 
 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter 
 riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law 
 against her mother-in-law ; a man's enemies are 
 the men of his own house ;" Micah. vii. 2 6.* 
 This passage, which was frequently appropriated 
 by our Saviour when on earth, as describing the 
 effects of his Mission upon the wicked, to whom 
 the Gospel is the savour of death unto death, 
 (Matt. x. 21, 35, 36 ; Luke xii. 53 and xxi. 16,) 
 was eminently descriptive of the Iron or Mo- 
 narchal age, from its beginning to its end, Hesiod, 
 Micah and Ezekiel, as well as all the prophets, 
 being Judges; (Ezek. xxii. 613; and 2931). 
 
 * The similarity of this description to that of Hesiod, is in 
 some points, even more marked in the Septuagitit.
 
 I 
 
 218 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 The Poet's description of envy is strikingly just, 
 and is manifested in a powerful degree in every 
 unregenerate human heart ; and to their shame 
 be it said, it is not completely rooted out of the 
 hearts even of Christians, till death has done its 
 part : see the confession and exclamation of Paul, 
 and the pointed description of James, to which 
 the heart of every one must fully respond : Rom. 
 18 25; James iv. 1 5. The idea of the flight 
 of Modesty and Virtue to heaven, leaving nothing 
 but sorrows behind them, is also conceived in the 
 finest vein of true poetry, which is always correct 
 in its descriptions ; nor is there any remedy for 
 the evil until (as the Poet perhaps said, had we 
 his works entire,) the return of the Golden age, 
 when earth shall be as heaven. 
 
 With regard to the Sixth age, it is true, as Dr. 
 Hales remarks, that Hesiod does not expressly 
 announce that it shall succeed the Iron age, nor 
 that it should be a state of regeneration or a revi- 
 val of the Golden age ; but his language strongly 
 implies that it would be superior to the Fifth age, 
 inasmuch as he earnestly expresses his wish that 
 it had been his lot to have lived after the latter, in 
 the words T) i-Ven-a -yevEffflai. Moreover, in his ad- 
 dress to his brother Persa, we find a description 
 of the happy effects which would result from doing 
 justice, extending from v. 225 to v. 237 ; and this 
 description corresponds exactly to the language 
 used by the poets of the succeeding age, in de-
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 219 
 
 scribing the return of the Golden age at the close 
 of the Sixth: thus, " But they who grant strict 
 justice to strangers and citizens, and depart not in 
 the least from equity, shall have a flourishing 
 city, and flourishing people within its walls; and 
 peace, the nurse of the young, shall dwell in the 
 land ; and Jupiter who sees afar, shall never 
 bring upon them the horrors of war ; neither shall 
 famine or destruction annoy men strictly just ; to 
 them also the earth shall bring forth plenteous 
 subsistence ; and on the mountains, the pines 
 shall produce apples at the top, and honey at the 
 middle ; and the fleece-bearing sheep shall be 
 laden with wool ; and wives shall give birth to 
 children like their parents ; and they shall flourish 
 among the good with perpetual bloom ; and there 
 shall be no need of navigation ; for the fertile 
 ground shall produce all manner of fruit." 
 
 It is to the poets and other writers of the Sixth 
 age itself, however, that we are to look for the 
 prophetic anticipations of the glorious event which 
 was to illuminate its close. At the beginning of 
 this age, flourished the Seven Wise Men of Greece, 
 whose laconic, but excellent aphorisms, indicated 
 the approach of better times. To them we owe, 
 according to Plato, the celebrated maxim TvuOi 
 afavTov, Know thyself; but even to know himself 
 was more than man could attain, without a reve- 
 lation from heaven ; how much more necessary 
 was it, therefore, that the knowledge of the ever-
 
 220 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 lasting God should emanate from the same source ! 
 Accordingly, we find in the Scriptures, the follow- 
 ing maxim perpetually inculcated, which is as 
 much above that of the Seven Sages, as the 
 Heavens are above the earth. " The fear of the 
 Lord is the highest wisdom ;"* to which we may 
 add, with Solomon, David, and Job, who all 
 uttered the same aphorism " And to depart from 
 evil is understanding;" (Prov. i. 7; Psalm cxi. 10; 
 and Job xxviii. 28.) and it is easy to give it the 
 laconic form, if this be any recommendation to the 
 admirers of the wisdom of the Heathen, who 
 prefer to drink at their muddy streams, and 
 neglect the fountain of truth ; for we have only to 
 say TvwOi OEOV, Know God ; and we concentrate in 
 these two words, all that is necessary for man's 
 happiness, both in this world, and that which is 
 to come : " And this is life eternal, that they 
 might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus 
 Christ whom thou hast sent ;" John xviii. 3. He 
 indeed, who knows God, knows himself also ; for 
 he knows that in the sight of God, he is "wretched, 
 and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked;"' 
 and that he must buy of God, through Jesus 
 Christ, "gold tried in the fire," that he may be 
 rich; and "white raiment," that he may be 
 clothed, and that the shame of his nakedness may 
 
 <ro<j>ias which is the same as r\}TT rPu. <l N"% signifies 
 literally the beginning or summit of wisdom, and consequently 
 the highest wisdom.
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 221 
 
 not appear ; and " eye-salve" to anoint his eyes, 
 that he may see ; Rev. iii. 17, 18. 
 
 When a century and a-half of the Sixth age had 
 passed away, arose Socrates, the wisest of all the 
 Greeks, who, as Cicero remarks, brought philo- 
 sophy down from heaven to earth, and taught all 
 that man could know about Divine things, which, 
 according to his own confession, was positively 
 nothing, with the exception of some obscure ideas 
 which he had learned from primitive tradition. 
 He indeed appears to have had just views of 
 man's ignorance, and according to Plato, his 
 illustrious disciple, who survived his master half a 
 century, he considered that there was no real way 
 of rinding out the truth concerning God, but by a 
 revelation from Heaven, by the hand of a Divine 
 Messenger. This appears evident, both from 
 some passages in Plato's Dialogue, entitled the 
 " Phredo," and from the following remarkable 
 passage in that entitled the "Second Alcibiades ; 
 or, of Prayer" which we copy from the 2nd vol. 
 of Dr. Hales's "Analysis," p. 1231. 
 
 " SOCRATES. We must needs wait then, Alci- 
 biades, until we can learn how we ought to behave 
 toward GOD and men. ALCIBIADES. When shall 
 this time come, SoCraletJ and who shall be the 
 instructor? for I long to see this man (TOVTOV TOV 
 avOpuirov*) whosoever he is. SOCRATES. He it is who 
 carethfor thee (M /IE A a irtpi <rov) ; and I think, that 
 as Minerva in Homer (Iliad 5, 127) removed the
 
 222 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 mist from the eyes of Diomedes, that he might well 
 know both gods and men ; so it is necessary in the 
 first place, that He should remove the mist from 
 your soul that is now attached thereto ; and next 
 that He should apply the means by which you 
 shall know both good and evil in future ; for now 
 indeed you seem not to be able. ALCIBIADES. 
 Let him remove the mist, or whatever else it is, 
 since I am prepared to decline none of his direc- 
 tions, whosoever this man is, (otmr TTOT' iariv o 
 avfyxoTToe), provided I may be able to become better. 
 SOCRATES. Truly that same person (/ca^tvoc) hath 
 a wonderful regard for thee. ALCIBIADES. I think 
 then, the best way will be to postpone sacrificing 
 until that time. SOCRATES. You think right, for it 
 is safer than to run so great a risk [of sacrificing 
 improperly.] ALCIBIADES. Then indeed, shall we 
 give to THE GODS crowns and other legitimate offer- 
 ings, when I see that day coming, and it will come 
 in no long time, THE GODS willing." From the 
 same work, to which we have been so much 
 indebted, we cannot avoid extracting the following 
 lines to the same purport, taken from the Hymn of 
 Eupolis, another disciple of Socrates, as translated 
 by Wesley, not the founder of Methodism, but 
 his father, Dr. Hales remarks : - 
 
 " And yet, a greater Hero far 
 (Unless great Socrates could err) 
 Shall rise to bless, some future day, 
 And teach to live, and teach to pray."
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 223 
 
 Dr. Hales has also given, at p. 1378, the following 
 striking description from Plato, of the sufferings of 
 the JUST ONE, and of the reception he should meet 
 with from a heedless and ungrateful world. " He 
 shall be stripped of every possession, except his 
 virtue ; stigmatized as wicked, at a time when he 
 exhibits the strongest proofs of goodness ; endowed 
 with patience to resist every temptation, and reverse 
 of fortune, but inflexibly maintaining his integrity ; 
 not ostentatious of his good qualities, but desiring 
 to be good rather than to seem so. In fine the 
 recompense which the JUST ONE so disposed 
 (OUTW Sm/cet/uevoc o Si/ceuoc), as I said, shall receive 
 from the world is this ; he shall be scourged, tor- 
 tured, bound, deprived of his eyes, (/uaortywaerat, 
 
 oTf>|3A<i(TTat, SfSijfferat, EKKauOrjaerai rto o00aA^ua)), and 
 
 at length, having suffered all sorts of evils, he shall 
 be crucified (avaayiv SuAt0ri<TTai) ; [Works] vol. ii. 
 p. 361, 362, Edit. Serrani" He adds, "Plato 
 who travelled into Egypt, unquestionably collected 
 this singular character and sufferings, of the JUST 
 ONE, from the Hebrew Scriptures, of the Psalms, 
 Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah, with the last of 
 whom, he was nearly contemporary." 
 
 As the time, the long-expected, and eagerly- 
 wished for time, drew nigh, when the Messiah 
 was to appear, and as (the o-wTeAtia rav atwvwv) the 
 consummation of the ages hastened on, we find that 
 the expectations of the Heathen for this Divine 
 Instructor, this mighty King and Saviour, increased
 
 224 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 in magnitude and intensity, a certain proof that 
 the arrival of the Seventh, or the return of the Golden 
 age, was the subject of their calculation, as well 
 as the theme of their song. On this subject we 
 need only refer to the works of Virgil, who 
 flourished B.C. 40, in the reign of Augustus 
 Caesar, and particularly to the celebrated Eclogue 
 entitled " Pollio" in which he gives a condensed 
 summary of the prophetic anticipations of all 
 preceding poets and philosophers from the days 
 of Hesiod to his own. To those who may not have 
 viewed the fourth Eclogue in this light, the follow- 
 ing extract of a poem so well known, may not be 
 unacceptable : 
 
 " Now the last age of Cumic song has come : 
 A cycle vast of ages new appears ; 
 Virtue returns, and Saturn's former reign : 
 Now a new race descends from lofty heaven. 
 O chaste Lucina, hail the coming prince, 
 Who shall the death of Iron rule* behold, 
 And resurrection of the Golden age : 
 For in this age, the Great Apollo reigns. 
 This glorious year, O Pollio, is thine ; 
 And now the vast lunations are begun. 
 This year, if any trace of crime remain, 
 With its destruction, fear forever flies. 
 
 * Here Virgil, by a Poetic licence, melts the Iron age and 
 the Cumaan age into one. This was natural for him to do, as 
 a Roman ; for no doubt he was aware that the ascendancy 
 of the Roman Power had been predicted in ancient prophecy 
 under the figure of Iron Rule : and lie might hope that the 
 Fifth Monarchy would spring from the same source.
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 225 
 
 That prince, on earth, the life of gods shall lead, 
 Heroes with gods in council he shall see, 
 And they with wonder shall behold his deeds : 
 While with paternal sway, the world he rules. 
 O, prince ! to thee spontaneous earth shall bring 
 Her early fruits, and sweetest smelling shrubs, 
 On velvet flowers thy infant feet shall tread ; 
 Before thy face, the serpent shall succumb, 
 And poisoned herbs their baneful power shall lose : 
 The Rose of Sharon everywhere shall spring. 
 In early youth thou shalt delight to read 
 The praise of heroes, and thy father's deeds, 
 And all that tends to form the virtuous mind ; 
 Soon shall the fields be to the harvest white, 
 And prickly thorns be changed to blushing vines, 
 While honey sweet the knotty oak shall yield. 
 Yet traces of man's early sin shall rise, 
 And lead him to renew his toils at sea, 
 To wall his towns, and cultivate the ground. 
 Again, the Argonauts shall skim the main ; 
 Again, the Theban war shall be begun ; 
 Again, to Troy, shall Peleus' son descend." 
 
 This description has a manifest reference to 
 Hesiod's account of the different ages of the world, 
 and forms a complete supplement to that interest- 
 ing relic of antiquity. Here we trace the last, or 
 Sybilline age, in which Hesiod wished he had 
 lived, the commencement of a great succession of 
 ages, the return of the virgin Nemesis or Astrcea, 
 the Goddess of Justice, whom we have denomi- 
 nated Virtue, and who fled at the close of the 
 Iron age ; the return of Saturn s reign, which was 
 to begin with the Seventh, or Golden age revived; 
 
 Q
 
 226 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL 
 
 and the reign of Apollo, who was the representa- 
 tive of the Sbfar deity, and the reviver of all things. 
 The humanity and the divinity of the expected 
 prince, is strangely shadowed forth by the poet, 
 in his allusion to his intercourse with gods, demi- 
 gods and heroes, according to the Greek mythology. 
 The misapplication, however, of the Cumaean or 
 Sybilline prophecies, which were evidently bor- 
 rowed or stolen from the Hebrew Scriptures, to 
 the expected son, of Pollio according to some, or 
 of Augustus according to others, is a proof that the 
 time of our Saviour's advent at the close of the 
 Sixth age was known to be near ; and that while 
 there were some who, like aged Simeon, waited 
 for the consolation of Israel ; or, like Anna, the 
 prophetess, departed not from the temple at 
 Jerusalem, in earnest expectation of Him who 
 suddenly came to it, and gladdened their eyes ; 
 so there were some even among the Heathen who, 
 like Virgil, had heard of the expected Saviour, 
 and who gladly hailed his approach, although 
 they were mistaken as to the signs of his coming, 
 and were ignorant of the distinguishing charac- 
 teristics by which he was to be known. It can 
 scarcely be doubted indeed, that in this Eclogue, 
 Virgil had the prophecy of Isaiah in his mind, in 
 which the Messiah is described as a " rod out of 
 the stem of Jesse, and a Branch out of his roots," 
 and which he might have even read in the Greek 
 version of the Seventy. The following are some of
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 227 
 
 its more striking points of similarity : " With 
 righteousness he shall judge the poor, and convince 
 the meek of the earth : and he shall smite the 
 earth with the word of his mouth, and with the 
 breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. The 
 wolf also shall feed with the lamb, and the leopard 
 shall lie down with the kid ; and the young calf, 
 and the bull, and the lion shall feed together; 
 and a little child shall lead them. And the ox 
 and the bear shall feed together ; and their young 
 ones shall be together: and the lion shall eat 
 straw like the ox. And an infant shall put his 
 hand on the holes of asps, and on the nest of young 
 asps. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my 
 holy mountain : for the earth shall be full of the 
 knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the 
 sea ;" Isaiah xi. 1 9 ; taken partly from the 
 Septuagint. In a similar passage of the same pro- 
 phet, which is perhaps still more to be admired 
 on account of the richness of its promises to the 
 people of God, and its striking resemblance to 
 some passages in the book of Revelation, we find 
 a very singular remark which seems, to our dark 
 and finite understandings, to mar the beauty of 
 the description; we refer to Isaiah Ixv. 17 25. 
 At v. 20, the prophet says, " but the sinner, being 
 a hundred years old shall be accursed ;" but for 
 this sentence, we should have taken the whole 
 passage for a figurative description of the happi- 
 ness of the heavenly state allotted for the righteous 
 
 Q 2
 
 228 TRADITIONARY AND POETICAL AGES, ETC. 
 
 after death. In imitation, perhaps of this singular 
 passage, our poet introduces into his description of 
 the renewal of the Golden age, the acute remarks 
 with which the preceding extract terminates, and 
 in which it seems as if he had anticipated the 
 wars which have since desolated Christendom.* 
 
 * This learned and illustrious poet, who had no doubt, 
 borrowed his " priscce vestigia fraudis" 'f from the 2d Chapter of 
 Genesis, might have also anticipated the gross wickedness 
 which should continue to prevail, notwithstanding the advent 
 of the Divine Instructor, until death should put an end to mortal 
 strife, and the spirits of the just be made perfect. It is lamen- 
 table in the present Age of Respectability, to behold so many of 
 these vestigia as the newspapers exhibit, those daily records of 
 crime and debauchery, murder and suicide ; to read the reports 
 of the police, inquest, and law courts, one would scarcely 
 believe that he lived in a Christian country, but rather that he 
 dwelt in the midst of Pagan Rome. It is our deliberate opinion 
 that the publication of such reports is injurious to the morals of 
 the country, and that an immediate stop should be put to it by 
 legislative enactment. The reading of newspapers is now so 
 universal, and the taste for The Horrible so rabid, especially 
 among the lower orders, that we are fully persuaded that the 
 perusal of the reports of trial for crime, under the temptation of 
 the Devil, and the pressure of similar circumstances, too fre- 
 quently leads to its commission. It would serve all the good 
 purposes that can possibly be gained by publicity, merely to 
 record the names and crimes of the offenders, without entering 
 into all the shocking details, so disgusting to the truly humane 
 and Christian portion of the community. 
 
 t " Traces of Man's early sin."
 
 229 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ERRORS OF THE ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 
 
 1. Authority of the Scripture texts superior to that of the ancient chro- 
 nographers The testimony of the latter chiefly in favour of the Sep- 
 tuagint The testimonies of Josephus, Theophilus, Africanus, Eusebius, 
 and the author of the Paschal Chronicle selected for examination 
 Table I. Containing their statements relating to the First age of the 
 world Errors of Josephus Corruption of his text Mr. Cunning- 
 hame's detection of his blunders in regard to the first age His dis- 
 covery of the truth from the titulary statements of the first and second 
 books of Josephus His explanation of the Jewish fraud to which this 
 author appears to have been accessory Error of Theophilus, and 
 accuracy of Africanus in this age Similar error of Eusebius and Syn- 
 cellus, and accuracy of Epiphanius and the author of the Paschal 
 Chronicle. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the chronology of the Septuagint re- 
 ceives the strongest confirmation from the writings 
 of the ancient chronographers, it must not be 
 concealed that some of them have committed very 
 strange and unaccountable errors in the computa- 
 tion of the different ages of the world ; while, 
 the works of others have come down to us in such 
 an imperfect and corrupted state, that implicit 
 dependance cannot be placed in the chronogra- 
 phical statements which they now contain. The 
 latter remark is peculiarly applicable to the
 
 230 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 writings of Josephus, whose authority, notwith- 
 standing all his errors, has been followed by many 
 modern chronologers in preference even to that of 
 the sacred Scriptures. Surely the question of 
 chronology lies between the Hebrew text and the 
 Septuagint version, and not between either of 
 these and the works of the chronographers whe- 
 ther ancient or modern. By a fair examination, 
 however, of their Sacred Chronology, we shall 
 find that the testimony of the oldest and best 
 chronographers is almost entirely in favour of the 
 chronology of the Septuagint, and that wherever 
 they differ from it in their works, they commit 
 errors which in general, can easily be detected 
 and accounted for, unless the passages in question 
 have been so entirely vitiated by the wilful mis- 
 takes of transcribers as to render it impossible to 
 determine what were the real and actual state- 
 ments of the author. We shall select for this 
 purpose, the names of five authors who possess 
 the greatest influence among the learned on the 
 subject of chronography, and whose statements 
 are more or less followed by all later writers on 
 the same subject : namely, Josephus A.D. 90, 
 Theophilus A.D. 180, Africanus A.D. 220, Eusebius 
 A.D. 3 1 5, and the author of the Paschal Chronicle.* 
 
 * The works of these authors to which we shall chiefly refer, 
 are, the "Jewish Antiquities " of Josephus, the treatise "To 
 Autolycus" of Theophilus, the remains of the " Chronicon " 
 of Africanus, the mutilated " Chronicon " of Eusebius, and 
 the " Chronicon Paschale."
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 231 
 
 The names of these chronographers have been 
 particularly selected indeed, and their statements 
 tabulated by Mr. Clinton himself, as the best 
 authorities, at least so far as regards the first two 
 ages of the world. We do not follow him, how- 
 ever, in placing their statements on a level with 
 those of the ancient texts and versions of Scrip- 
 ture ; but we class them together as possessing 
 the next claim to our attention. The following 
 table, which for the sake of comparison, is marked 
 by the same number as the corresponding table in 
 our first Part, contains the Antepaidogonian ages 
 of the Antediluvian Patriarchs, and the Extent of 
 the First age of the world according to each 
 chronographer : 
 
 TABLE I. 
 
 ANTEDILUVIAN 
 PATRIARCHS. 
 
 JOSEPHUS. 
 
 THEO- 
 
 PHILUS. 
 
 AFRI- 
 
 OANUS. 
 
 EUSEBIUS, 
 
 PA SCH. 
 CH ON. 
 
 
 A. P. ages. 
 
 A. P. ages. 
 
 A. P. ages. 
 
 A. P. ages. 
 
 A. P. ages. 
 
 From Creation . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Adam .... 
 
 230 
 
 230 
 
 230 
 
 230 
 
 230 
 
 Seth ..... 
 
 205 
 
 205 
 
 205 
 
 205 
 
 205 
 
 Enos .... 
 
 190 
 
 190 
 
 190 
 
 190 
 
 190 
 
 Cainan . . . 
 
 170 
 
 170 
 
 170 
 
 170 
 
 170 
 
 Mahalaleel . '.*' 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 Jared .... 
 
 162 
 
 162 
 
 162 
 
 162 
 
 162 
 
 Enoch . . . / 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 165 
 
 Methuselah . . 
 
 187 
 
 167 
 
 187 
 
 167 
 
 187 
 
 Lamech 
 
 *182 
 
 188 
 
 188 
 
 188 
 
 188 
 
 Noah .... 
 
 500 
 
 500 
 
 500 
 
 500 
 
 500 
 
 To the Flood . . 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 FIRST AGE . 2256 2242 2262 2242 2262 
 Besides their respective statements above tabu-
 
 232 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 lated, these chronographers generally give in 
 their works some additional statements which, 
 with some exceptions, serve to rectify their 
 errors, and to corroborate and confirm the true 
 chronology. Josephus, however, in the present 
 text, is made to say that the period from 
 Adam to the flood is 2656 years ; whereas 
 the summation of the Antepaidogonian ages gives 
 only 2256 years ! On this point, some advo- 
 cates of the Hebrew chronology argue that 
 the original number was 1656 years, and that 
 ^(T^tXtwv has been put for ^tXiwv, or two thousand 
 for a thousand ; but this is mere assertion; for it 
 is just as easy to say that the original number 
 was 2256 years, and that taKoaiwv has been put 
 for SmKOffiwv, or sir hundred for two hundred. Now 
 the proof that the latter assertion is the true one, 
 is that the number 2256 agrees entirely with the 
 summation of the numbers given in detail ; 
 whereas the number 1656 does not agree, and 
 must consequently be erroneous. Moreover, 
 there are some MS. copies of Josephus in which 
 we find the true reading TWV St<r^tXiwv Sia/totnwv 
 7rVTT}/co<rTat, or two thousand two hundred and fifty 
 sir years ; and this reading is also to be found in 
 some ancient authors who have followed Josephus 
 in chronology, such as, Eutychius Alexandrinus, 
 Josephus Christianus, Anianus Asceta, &c.* A 
 few various readings relating to the Antepaidogo- 
 nian ages are also to be found in the different 
 
 " See Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. pp. 13, 14 ; note a.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 233 
 
 MSS. to which we have referred, but they are of 
 minor importance and not sufficient to invalidate 
 the authenticity of the tabular numbers. The 
 same may be said of his statements regarding the 
 Postpaidogonian ages and whole lives ; but as the 
 chronology does not depend on these statements, 
 it is unnecessary to make them the subject of 
 discussion. \ , 
 
 It is a very remarkable thing that Josephus 
 differs here from the Septuagint only in the Ante- 
 paidogonian age of Lamech, and that in this point 
 he agrees with the Hebrew text. Nor are we 
 aware of the existence of any various reading 
 which would lead us to suppose that it had been 
 otherwise in the text of Josephus. This circum- 
 stance alone, though there be many others, would 
 almost lead us to conclude, with Mr. Cuning- 
 hame, Preface to his " Synopsis," p. vii., "that 
 the corruption of the Chronology must have 
 taken place at an earlier period" than is com- 
 monly supposed by the learned. He believes "it 
 to have been in the interval between our Lord's 
 death and the beginning of the Jewish war. This 
 allows more than 30 years for the purpose, which 
 is quite sufficient." He also conceives " that it 
 must have been well known to Josephus, and the 
 end for which it was done ;" and he adds, " It was, 
 however, yet of too recent an origin for him to 
 venture upon the bold experiment of openly 
 substituting it [the corrupted chronology] for the
 
 234 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 universal chronology of his own, as well as other 
 nations, and the Christian church, and therefore 
 he has introduced both schemes, namely, the 
 short a/id the long [computation"], in such a manner 
 as to perplex and utterly confuse the whole sub- 
 ject, and to draw from some of our most learned 
 men, the acknowledgment that his chronology 
 is involved in hopeless obscurity." The follow- 
 ing explanation of. the discrepancy between 
 Josephus and the Septuagint in regard to the 
 Antepaidogonian age of Lamech will be to the 
 general reader more satisfactory than that to 
 which we referred in our first Part, p. 23. 
 "Josephus, who in all the other Antediluvian 
 generations follows the Greek, does in this of 
 Lamech follow the Hebrew, and the effect of it 
 is, that his Diluvian period from Creation is 2256, 
 while that of the best copies of the Seventy, and 
 of Demetrius, is 2262 years. This difference of 6 
 years, therefore, goes through his whole Chrono- 
 logy. At the beginning of the 1st book of his 
 Antiquities [that is in the Title to the Book] he 
 tells us, that it contains a period of 3833 years, 
 to which, adding the 6 years above mentioned to 
 make it accord with the Greek chronologr of 
 
 O v 
 
 Demetrius, the sum is 3839 years. If the reader 
 will next turn to the Table in the Fulness of the 
 Times, p. 34, he will see that this period of 3839 
 years, measures exactly the interval, from Crea- 
 tion, to the end of the year B.C. 1640, when the
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 235 
 
 children of Israel left Egypt. Now as it is in the 
 nature of things impossible that this most remark- 
 able coincidence should have been unknown to 
 Josephus, the necessary and the legitimate con- 
 clusion is, that the above period of 3833 years is 
 his authentic chronology from Creation to the 
 Exodus. It divides itself as follows : 
 
 Years. 
 
 1st. To the Deluge ,/, . . . 2256 
 2nd. To the Birth of Abraham . . 1072 
 3rd. To the Exodus 505 
 
 Total from Creation to the Exodus . 3833 
 
 It, moreover, necessarily includes the disputed 
 generation of Cainan, proving that it was in his 
 text originally ; and it excludes Usher's addition 
 of 60 years to that of Terah. But the narrative 
 of the 1st book of the Antiquities comes no lower 
 than the death of Isaac, which was 226 years 
 before the Exodus, and the 2nd book contains the 
 history from the death of Isaac to the Exodus. 
 Yet Josephus, after having at the beginning of his 
 1st book already given the period which measures 
 the narrative of both books, does nevertheless at 
 the commencement [that is, in the Title] of his 
 2nd Book, tell us that it contains a period of 2LO 
 years in addition to the former, and to this extent 
 his chronology of the whole period from the Cre- 
 ation to the Exodus is forged" For the rest of 
 his remarks on the delinquencies of Josephus, and 
 the detection of his errors, we must refer our
 
 236 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 readers to the Preface to Part II. of Mr. Cuning- 
 hame's " Fulness of the Times," pp. x, et seq. 
 whence the above extract is taken. 
 
 It is proper, however, to add the promised 
 explanation, as abridged as possible. Mr. Cun- 
 inghame, in his "Fulness of the Times," pp. 138, 
 139, shows that in curtailing the true chronology, 
 the Jews preserved the Jubilean Series from the 
 birth of Enos to the departure of Jacob to Padan- 
 aram ; for, according to the Septuagint, this inter- 
 val is 3136 years, or 64 Jubilees; but, according 
 to the Hebrew text, and Usher, 2009 years, or 41 
 Jubilees ; the difference, therefore, is 1 127 years 
 or 23 Jubilees. Now this difference consists of 
 the following periods struck off in the Hebrew 
 chronology : 
 
 Years. 
 
 From the birth of Enos to the Flood * . 406 
 From the Flood to the birth of Terah . . 720 
 Antedate of Jacob's departure **;''" .. *" /" 1 
 
 Total 23 Jubilees, or . . 1127 
 
 Mr. Cuninghame argues from the cyclical 
 nature of this period, that the Rabbis who cur- 
 tailed the true chronology, " were well aware 
 that from the birth of Enos to the departure of 
 Jacob for Padan-aram, there was an exact series 
 of Jubilees, and that in corrupting the Sacred 
 text, they have, with profound artifice, contrived 
 to preserve a series of complete Jubilees, by sub- 
 tracting exactly 23 Jubilees, or 1127 years."
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 237 
 
 He adds the following proof regarding the single 
 year ; in the true chronology, the birth of Abraham 
 is B.C. 2 145, and the departure of Jacob, B.C. 1908, 
 interval, 237 years ; in the curtailed chronology 
 these events are respectively dated B.C. 1996, and 
 B.C. 1760,' interval, 236 years ; hence, the ante- 
 date is one year. Now in the preceding interval 
 from the birth of Enos to the flood, the period of 
 6 years which was subtracted from the Antepaido- 
 gonian age of Lamech, is an essential element in 
 the argument ; otherwise that interval would be 
 only 400 years instead of 406, and the whole of 
 the argument would then fall to the ground. 
 Another argument, in favour of the 6 years is, 
 that if the longer chronology of Josephus be so far 
 correct, which is proved from the Septuagint, it is 
 surely proper to follow the authority of that 
 version in regard to the 6 years, as well as in 
 regard to the 600 years ; if we trust to its accu- 
 racy for the greater number, we may also trust it 
 for the less! It seems ridiculous and absurd to 
 take the evidence of the highest authority at second 
 hand, and to reject a small part of that evidence, 
 because it is not fairly brought forward by the 
 same hand ; although it be pressed on our notice 
 by many other witnesses ! Surely in regard to 
 these 6 years, the testimony of the Septuagint and 
 the whole Christian Church, is before that of 
 Josephus. 
 
 In reference to the tabulated statements of
 
 238 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 Theophilus, we find only the very singular and 
 unaccountable error of 20 years in the Antepaido- 
 goman age of Methuselah, which the Vatican 
 codex, if we may trust the editions of the Septua- 
 gint said to have been taken from it, appears to 
 have retained. That this chronographer has 
 evidently read 167 years instead of 187 years, 
 can scarcely be doubted from his subsequent 
 statements, and particularly from his statement 
 respecting the extent of this age, that " all the 
 years till the flood were 2242."* 
 
 The statements of Africanus as to the Antedilu- 
 vian period, entirely agree with those of the Sep- 
 tuagint, which shows that he had taken his 
 numbers from a more correct copy of that version, 
 and one that agreed in this respect with the cele- 
 brated Alexandrine codex now deposited in the 
 British Museum. He confirms the truth of his 
 particular statements by the following summary 
 ones: first "Therefore, from Adam till the 
 birth of Enos all the years are 435;" second, 
 " Therefore, from Adam till Noah and the flood 
 are 2262 years."! As to the statements of 
 Eusebius, and the author of the Paschal Chro- 
 nicle, they are of a later age, and must therefore 
 have been copied from one or other of the former 
 authors, or from the copies of the Septuagint 
 extant in their time. From the notes upon the 
 
 * Lib. Hi. ad Antolycum, p. 262, Oxon. 1684. 
 
 f See Routh's Reliquiae Sacree, vol. ii. pp. 126, 129.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 239 
 
 Chronicon of Africanus, added by Routh,* it is 
 evident that both Eusebius and Syncellus adopted 
 the numbers in the preceding table which we 
 have arranged under the name of the former; and 
 that Epiphanius and the author of the Paschal or 
 Alexandrine Chronicle adopted the correct num- 
 bers of the Septuagint, which we have placed 
 under the title of that work. After stating that 
 according to Africanus, " there were 3000 years 
 from Adam to the death of Peleg;" Syncellus 
 adds, " but according to Eusebius, 2980 years;" 
 the difference between these numbers is 20 years, 
 which is precisely the same as the difference 
 between their dates of the year of the flood, viz : 
 A.M. 2262, and A.M. 2242. Moreover, although 
 Syncellus states that Africanus gives the former 
 of these dates, as the true epoch of the deluge ; 
 he adds his own opinion, that " from Adam to the 
 flood there were 2242 years," and "contra Afri- 
 can um pugna.t," Jights against Africanus, in favour 
 of the erroneous number. The author of the 
 Paschal Chronicle says explicitly, that " in the 
 100th year of Shem, the 600th of Noah, and the 
 2262d year of the world, the flood was upon the 
 earth ; and this is the exact number which Afri- 
 canus exhibits at this epoch since the correct 
 copies of Genesis shew 187 years as the age of 
 Methuselah when he begat Lamech." Epipha- 
 nius, in his first book " against Heretics," after 
 * Ibid, pp. 242, 243. 248, 250.
 
 240 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 narrating that Noah was saved in the ark, says 
 "and thus the 10th generation extended to the 
 2262d year [of the world,] and the flood brought 
 it to an end." Thus it appears to have been the 
 general opinion of the oldest and best writers that 
 the First age of the world was of the precise length 
 which we have assigned to it ; and that the only 
 difference among them was, whether it were not 
 shorter by 20 years, in consequence .of some 
 foolish mistake committed by an early transcriber 
 in the Antepaidogonlan age of Methuselah ; for in 
 this age, the correct copies of the Septuagint 
 perfectly agree with the Hebrew text. 
 
 2. Table II., Containing the statements of the ancient cbronographers re- 
 lating to the Second age of the world Absurd errors of the text of 
 Josephus The discrepancy between his detailed numbers and his sum 
 total, the work of an enemy to the truth Proof that the true sum was 
 in his text originally Errors of Theophilus and Africanus in this age 
 due to Jewish influence Notion entertained by the ancient chronogra- 
 phers regarding the bisection of the Mundane period at the death of 
 Peleg The genealogy of Shem, like that of Melchisedec, in the chro- 
 nology Reference to Mr. Clinton Error of Eusebius, rectified in the 
 Hieronymian version of his Chronicou Accuracy of the Paschal 
 Chronicle, with the exception of the biennial period Valuable Testi- 
 mony of Eusebius and Africanus, preserved by Syncellus iu his Cbrono- 
 graphia, on the extent of fae first two ages. 
 
 We now proceed to notice the errors of these 
 chronographers, in their statements regarding the 
 Second age of the world. The following table, 
 which should be compared with Table II. in our 
 first Part, contains the Antepaidogonian ages of the
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 241 
 
 Postdiluvian Patriarchs, and the Extent of the 
 Second age, according to each chronographer. 
 
 TABLE II. 
 
 POSTDILUVIAN THEO- AFRI- -p, PASCH. 
 
 PJOSEPHUS. LUSEBIUS. f , 
 
 ATRIARCH8. PHILUS. CANUS. L-HRON. 
 
 A.P. ages. A. P. ages. A.P. ages. A.P. ages. A. P. ages. 
 
 m the Flood *12 *0 *0 2 *0 
 
 From the Flood 
 
 12 
 
 *0 
 
 *0 
 
 2 
 
 *0 
 
 Arphaxad 
 Cainan .... 
 Salah 
 
 135 
 
 *0 
 130 
 
 135 
 *0 
 130 
 
 135 
 
 *0 
 130 
 
 135 
 
 *o 
 
 130 
 
 135 
 130 
 130 
 
 Heber .... 
 
 134 
 
 134 
 
 134 
 
 134 
 
 134 
 
 Peleg 
 Reu 
 
 130 
 130 
 
 130 
 132 
 
 130 
 
 132 
 
 130 
 132 
 
 130 
 132 
 
 Serug .... 
 Nahor .... 
 
 132 
 *120 
 
 130 
 
 *75 
 
 130 
 
 79 
 
 130 
 79 
 
 130 
 
 79 
 
 Terah 
 
 70 
 
 70 
 
 70 
 
 70 
 
 70 
 
 To the Call of Abra- | 
 ham . . . y 
 
 75 
 
 75 
 
 75 
 
 75 
 
 75 
 
 SECOND AGE. 1068 1011 1015 1017 1145 
 
 In regard to the Extent of this age, Josephus is 
 made to say, in the present text, that Abraham 
 " was born in the 292d year after the flood ;"f 
 while the summation of the Antepaidogonian ages 
 gives 993 years, to which adding the age of 
 Abraham at the Call, we have 1068 years! As 
 we can scarcely suppose Josephus to have been 
 guilty of so extraordinary an absurdity as to 
 commit an arithmetical error of this magnitude, 
 we cannot only attribute the discrepancy to the 
 t Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. p. 26. 
 R
 
 242 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 evil design of his transcribers, and say " an 
 enemy hath done this!" Moreover, the same 
 wicked hand that dared to alter this and other 
 numbers of our author, has no doubt, also dared 
 to omit here the genealogy of the Second Cainan. 
 Nor can we see what good purpose it could serve 
 to make him say that " Arphaxad the son of Shem, 
 was born 12 years after the flood," instead of 2, 
 as in the Sacred text ; and that " Nahor when he 
 was 120 years old begat Terah,"* instead of 79, 
 as in the Septuagint. But since in these details, 
 Josephus has in general adopted the numbers of 
 the Septuagint, it is plain that he must have 
 followed the same authority in their sum total, 
 and that the sum of 292 years must have been 
 inserted instead of the true sum of 1072 years, by 
 some early advocate or supporter of the Hebrew 
 chronology. Besides, we have shown in our 
 preceding remarks on the Extent of the First age, 
 that Josephus has prefixed a number to his Jirst 
 Book, which in reality belongs to his first and 
 second Books, and which includes the extent of the 
 Jirst three ages, all but 6 years. That number is 
 3833 years, a period wholly inexplicable on any 
 other principle than that which Mr. Cuninghame 
 has laid down. To him, we are therefore justly 
 indebted for its true and satisfactory explication ; 
 and he has clearly shown that Josephus must 
 have originally inserted in his Antiquities, the true 
 * See Hudson's Josephus, pp. 26, 27.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 243 
 
 number of 1072 years, from the Deluge to the 
 birth of Abraham ; although the text is now so 
 vitiated that it cannot be made out from the place 
 in question. 
 
 The errrors of Theophilus in this age are both 
 strange and unaccountable, except on the prin- 
 ciple of Jewish influence, when we consider that 
 his error in the first age, was only 20 years, 
 while here it amounts to 132 years. He states 
 that from the Creation " till Abraham, there are 
 3278 years,"* that is, to the birth of Isaac as 
 appears by the context. If from this number we 
 subtract his extent of the first age, viz. 2242 years, 
 the remainder is 1036 years, or his period from the 
 flood to the birth of Abraham; and from this 
 period, deducting 25 years, the time which elapsed 
 from the Call to the birth of Isaac, we obtain a 
 remainder of 1011 years, which is the extent of 
 the Second age, according to Theophilus. Hence, 
 it is plain that he omits the Second Caman y the 
 2 years after the flood previous to the birth of 
 Arphaxad, and 4 years in the Antepaidogonian age 
 of Nahor. The second omission is manifest also 
 from the context, where he says, " but immediately 
 (cvflcwc) after the flood, Shem being 100 years old, 
 begat Arphaxad." We shall see that he endeavours 
 to make up for these omissions, by a curious ba- 
 lance of some of these errors in the succeeding age. 
 In addition to the tabular statements, Africanus 
 * Lib. iii. ad Autolycum, p. 262. 
 R 2
 
 244 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 says that, " Arphaxad begat Salah in A. M. 2397 ; 
 Salah begat Heber in A. M. 2527 ; and Heber 
 begat Peleg in A. M. 2661." He says also that 
 " Peleg at the age of 130 begat Reu, and having 
 lived other 209 years, died ;" so that "from Adam 
 to the death of Peleg there were 3000 years." * 
 According to the true chronology, Peleg died in 
 A. M. 3132; hence, from the dates of Africanus, 
 if correctly reported, it appears that he omits the 
 genealogy of the Second Cainan, and the two years 
 after the flood previous to the birth of Arphaxad. 
 The difference between the dates of Africanus 
 and those derived from the Septuagint, is there- 
 fore 132 years ; and this number must be added 
 to the subsequent dates of Africanus, until other 
 errors appear, in order to obtain the true dates. 
 If this be done, we shall find that throughout the 
 whole of this age, the dates of Africanus will 
 perfectly agree with those of the true chronology. 
 Connected with the tradition of the renovation of 
 the world at the end of 6000 years, there appears 
 to have been an idea current among the early 
 chronographers, that the period from the Creation 
 to the Advent of Christ was exactly bisected at the 
 death of Peleg ; because the Scripture says that 
 " in his days the earth was divided," by which 
 they seem to have understood the whole period of 
 its existence ! Hence, the apparent reason of the 
 omission of the Second Cainan s generation, and the 
 
 * Routh's Reliquiae Sacrse, vol. ii. p. 130.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 245 
 
 Postdiluvian biennial .period.* Africanus further 
 states that " in A. M. 3277, Abraham entered the 
 promised land ;" consequently, an interval of 277 
 years had elapsed since the death of Peleg ; but 
 this corresponds exactly with the interval of the 
 Septuagint, for 3409-3132=277 ; see Tables V. 
 and VIII. of ouvjirst Part. Moreover, he states 
 that " from the flood and Noah to the descent of 
 Abraham into the promised land, were ten gene- 
 rations or 1015 years, and from Adam, twenty 
 generations or 3277 years." t We have suf- 
 ficiently discussed the question of the number of 
 generations here mentioned, in our Jirst Part, 
 pp. 34 40 ; it is quite unnecessary therefore, to 
 resume the subject ; suffice it to say that Shem 
 was an Antediluvian, and therefore his generation 
 could not be reckoned in the number of generations 
 after the flood ; neither was it reckoned in the 
 number before the flood : for Noah was reckoned 
 the tenth from Adam, and Abraham the tenth from 
 the flood. In this respect, therefore, Shem was 
 like Melchizedec, as far as the generations or 
 genealogies on which the Chronology depended, 
 was concerned, viz., " Fatherless, motherless, 
 without genealogy, having neither beginning of 
 days nor end of life, being assimilated to the Son 
 of God," who " remains a priest for ever ;" and 
 
 * On this point, see the " Cours Complet de Theologie," 
 torn. iii. p. 1538 ; and " Chronicon Paschale," p. 340, Venet. 
 1729. 
 
 f Routh's Reliquiae Sacra;, vol. ii. p. 131.
 
 246 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 who " hath made us [true believers in Christ] 
 kings and priests unto God even his Father ; to " 
 whom " be glory and dominion for ever and ever. 
 Amen." Heb. vii. 3 ; and Rev. i. 6. 
 
 The statements of Eusebius and the author of 
 the Paschal Chronicle respecting this age are 
 taken from Mr. Clinton's " Fasti Hellenici," vol. i. 
 p. 287 ; he appears to have very carefully sifted 
 these numbers, in order to arrive at the exact truth 
 concerning the opinions of their authors. He 
 gives the following extract from the Chronicon 
 of Eusebius; "From the flood to the first year 
 of Abraham are collected 942 years ;" if to this 
 number we add 75 years, the age of Abraham at 
 the Call, we have 1017 years for the Extent of the 
 Second age according to Eusebius. The author 
 of the Paschal Chronicle appears to have omitted 
 the two years after the flood ; hence, the pre- 
 ceding 75 years being added to 1070 years, the 
 period which he assigns between the flood and 
 the birth of Abraham, we have 1 145 years for the 
 Extent of the Second age according to that work. 
 Routh, however, justly remarks that " in the 
 Hieronymian version of the Eusebian Chronicle, 
 the years of this [the Second] Cain an are still 
 extant;" hence, even according to Eusebius, the 
 true extent of the Second age appears originally 
 to have been 1 147 years. The following testimony 
 collected by Syncellus in his Chronographia, from 
 the works of Eusebius and Africanus, in support
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 247 
 
 of the computation of the Septuagint before the 
 flood, and of the Septuagint and Samaritan after 
 the flood, we extract from Dr. Russell's " Connec- 
 tion," vol. i. pp. 96, 97, on account of its impor- 
 tant bearing on the Extent of the^r^ two ages: 
 " Since, according to the most ancient Hebrew 
 copy preserved among the Samaritans, and which 
 agrees with the Septuagint translation, they who 
 lived after the flood down to Abraham did not 
 beget children till after the age of 100 years and 
 more, what reason can be assigned that their pre- 
 decessors before the flood, whose lives were 
 longer by many years, should begin to beget 
 children sooner, and not rather at the ages set 
 down in the Septuagint ? On mature considera- 
 tion, we must incline to the latter computation, 
 and necessarily conclude, that the Jewish-Hebrew 
 reckoning of the times from Adam to Abraham is 
 wrong in all the ages excepting three, Jared, Me- 
 thuselah, and Lamech ; and that the Samaritan- 
 Hebrew computation is also wrong in the period 
 from Adam to the flood ; for in the years from 
 the flood to Abraham it agrees entirely with the 
 Septuagint. But the error of the Jewish-Hebrew 
 text is evident from hence, that it makes Abraham 
 and Noah contemporaries, which is inconsistent 
 with all history : for since according to the 
 Hebrew text, there are no more than 292 years 
 from the flood to Abraham, and since, according 
 to the same text, Noah lived 350 years after the
 
 248 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 flood, it is evident that he lived to the 58th year 
 of Abraham !" 
 
 3. Table III., Containing the statements of tbe ancient cbronographers 
 relating to the Third age of the world The testimony of Josephus to 
 the true chronology very explicit Misinterpretation of prophecy the 
 cause of wavering in Josephus and blunder in Theophilus The testi- 
 mony of Africanus correct Eusebius, Demetrius, and the author of the 
 Paschal Chronicle correct Explanation of the period of 400 years. 
 
 The following table which contains the state- 
 ments of the chronographers, regarding the Third 
 age of the World, ought to be compared with 
 Table VIII. in our first Part ; as it contains the 
 Chief Patriarchal Eras and Intervals according 
 to each chronographer : 
 
 TABLE III. 
 
 PATRIARCHAL J O8EPHU8 . THEO- AFBI- PASCH. 
 
 JHUC. PHILUS. CANUS. CHRON. 
 
 Interval*. Intervals. Interval*. Interval*. 
 
 From the Call . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Eisodus . . 
 
 215 
 
 215 
 
 215 
 
 215 
 
 215 
 
 To the Exodus . . 
 
 215 
 
 430 
 
 215 
 
 215 
 
 215 
 
 THIRD AGE . 430 645 430 430 430 
 
 The testimony of Josephus to the Extent of this 
 age is very explicit. He states that the Israelites 
 " left Egypt in the 430th year after that our 
 father Abraham came into Canaan, and in the 
 215th year after the Eisodus of Jacob into 
 Egypt ;"* and he mentions some of the minor 
 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. p. 111.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 249 
 
 intervals, in a very clear and distinct manner, in 
 his 2nd Book. It is evident indeed that he 
 rightly understood the testimony of Scripture as 
 to the true intervals of this prophetic period ; 
 although he seems to waver from the truth in the 
 9th chapter of that Book, where he speaks of the 
 afflictions of the Israelites in Egypt for a period 
 of 400 years, according to Gen. xv. 13. The 
 latter text, however, appears to have been the 
 stumbling block of Theophilus in his chronology ; 
 for he agrees with the Scriptures, as regards the 
 intervals from the call to the Eisodus ; and then 
 he says that " the sojourning of the Hebrews in 
 Egypt was 430 years !"* He seems therefore to 
 have confounded the period of 400 years with the 
 period of 430 years, and to have applied the 
 whole period to the sojourning of the Israelites 
 in Egypt alone, exclusive of Canaan, contrary to 
 the testimony of the Septuagint, Exodus xii. 40, 
 Alexandrine edition, and that of St. Paul, Gala- 
 tians iii. 17. By this means, he increases the 
 Extent of the Third age to 645 years, making it 
 greater than the true Extent, by 215 years! It 
 would almost seem, therefore, as if he had in- 
 tended this error to compensate in some measure 
 for those which he committed in the preceding 
 ages ; inasmuch as it is of an entirely opposite 
 character. This excess of 215 years makes up 
 not only for the omission of the 20 years in the 
 
 t Lib. iii. ad Autolycum, p. 262.
 
 250 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 Antepaidogonian age of Methuselah before the 
 flood, of the 130 years of the generation of the 
 Second Cainan, of the 2 years after the flood, and 
 of the 4 years in the Antepaidogonian age of 
 Nahor ; but gives a surplus of 59 years at the 
 end of the Third age in his chronology. For, 
 adding the 40 years wandering in the Wilderness 
 to his amount of the Jirst three ages, he says that 
 "all the years are 3938,"* from the Creation of 
 the world to the entrance of the Israelites into 
 the promised Land. By a reference to Table X. 
 of our Jirst Part, it will be seen that the true date 
 of this entrance is A.M. 3880, and making allow- 
 ance for the single year we have added to this 
 date, on the ground specified at p. 65, it follows 
 that the date of Theophilus is erroneous in excess 
 by 58 years. 
 
 The statements of Africanus respecting this 
 age have not been preserved in a perfect state ; 
 but from the following fragments, it will appear 
 that he took the correct and Scriptural view of 
 its Extent and Intervals. Syncellus says that 
 according to Africanus, " Joseph was 40 years 
 old in the 130th year of Jacob; consequently, 
 Joseph lived 70 years after the arrival of Jacob 
 in Egypt;" and that "from Adam to the death 
 of Joseph, were 23 generations, and 3563 years.f" 
 Now, if to the latter number, we add 132 years, 
 
 * Lib. iii. ad Autolycum, p. 265. 
 
 f Routh's Reliq. Sacr. vol. ii. p. 15,5.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 251 
 
 for reasons already mentioned p. 244, we shall 
 have 3695 years for the correct number according 
 to the true Chronology ; see Table VIII. of our 
 Jirst Part. Again, he says, " it has been shown 
 that there were 1020 years from Moses and 
 Ogyges to the first Olympiad, that is, from the 
 Passover or first year of the Exodus of the 
 Hebrews from Egypt, when the flood of Ogyges 
 happened in Attica."* Here, if we take the last 
 year of the first Olympiad as that to which 
 Africanus refers, namely B.C. 773, and add to it 
 the preceding number, we shall have B.C. 1793, 
 for his date of the Exodus ; but as this chrono- 
 grapher constantly reckons the period from Crea- 
 tion to the Birth of Christ as 5500 years,! ft * s 
 evident by subtraction, that his Mundane date of 
 the Exodus is A.M. 3708 ; to which, adding the 
 constant number 132 as before, we shall obtain 
 A.M. 3840, or B.C. 1639, for the date of the 
 Exodus according to the true system of chrono- 
 logy. Again, if we take the difference between 
 either the dates of Africanus, or the true dates of 
 the death of Joseph and the Exodus, which we 
 have deduced from his by the addition of a con- 
 stant quantity, we shall obtain the interval of 145 
 
 * Ibid, p. 136. 
 
 \ Mera TOV aXrjOovs Sia TOV Mcocrecos Trvfyfj-aros St^a^eyres, 
 fK T T&V \onra>v EfjfNUK/iw laropi&v, apiQ^ov tr&v TrevraKis 
 XiAicou TrevraKocTictiv ets rr)v fraufidvciav TOV 2a>rT//nou Aoyou TTJV 
 7:1 rrjs fj.ovap%[as rcoy Kato-apcoy taipvtrt^ofj^vrjv 7rapa8e8wKaam 
 Routh's Reliq. Sacr. vol. ii. p. 132.
 
 252 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 years, which, added to the period of 70 years 
 above mentioned, makes 215 years as his interval 
 between the Eisodus and the Exodus; conse- 
 quently, his interval between the Call and the 
 Eisodus must have been the same amount, and 
 his whole extent of this age 430 years. 
 
 Mr. Clinton has given a very full extract from 
 the Chronicon of Eusebius, in which he states 
 that from the first year of Abraham to the Exodus 
 were 505 years; that Abraham left Charran in 
 the 75th year of his age ; and consequently, from 
 that year to the Exodus were 430 years. He 
 then states the Scriptural intervals from the Call 
 to the birth of Jacob, and traces through his 
 genealogy, the intervals from thence to the birth of 
 Moses and the Exodus; but since, as Mr. Clinton 
 remarks, his "distribution of the last 215 years is 
 more correct than in the account of Demetrius, but 
 still erroneous," we need not repeat his enumera- 
 tion in this place ; suffice it to say, that his esti- 
 mate of the whole period is correct. Mr. Clinton 
 also cites the following passage from the Paschal 
 Chronicle, which shows that its author's estimate 
 of the Extent of this age was likewise correct : 
 " Joshua, the son of Nun, 27 years ; Chushan- 
 rishathaim, 8 years; in all, 3912 years.'* For, 
 adding to the latter number, the two years which 
 he omits after the flood, we shall have 3914 years ; 
 and from this, subtracting the 35 years just cited, 
 we shall have 3839 years, and consequently, A.M.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 253 
 
 3839 for his date of the Exodus, which is within 
 a year of the true date for reasons already alluded 
 to ; he, therefore, must have reckoned the period 
 of 430 years from the ingress of Abraham into 
 Canaan, to the egress of Israel out of Egypt. 
 
 The adjustment of the period mentioned in 
 Gen. xv. 13, can occasion no difficulty to the 
 careful reader of Scripture, for it is evident that 
 the commencement of this period must be reckoned 
 from the day that Isaac was weaned, or perhaps a 
 year or two after; inasmuch it related specifi- 
 cally to the seed of Abraham which were to be 
 strangers in " a land not theirs," and to be " evil 
 entreated 400 years ;" Acts vii. 6. This evil 
 treatment began when Isaac was a child, and was 
 able to play, say at 5 years old, with the son of 
 Hagar, the Egyptian, the son of the bond-woman, 
 who was not to be heir with the son of promise 
 and of laughter. Isaac was his name; but Sarah 
 saw Ishmael Isaaking or laughing at her son, and 
 mocking him, and accordingly, she demanded that 
 the "bondwoman and her son" should be cast out, 
 a striking emblem of the punishment that shall 
 befal all the mockers of and laughers at the people 
 of God ; for the Apostle truly says " but as then 
 he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that 
 was born after the Spirit, even so it is now :" 
 Galatians iv. 22 ; yea, and the term " Saints," or 
 " Holy ones" 1 of God, is become a term of mockery, 
 of scorn, and of reproach, in this very age in which
 
 254 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 we now live ; although it be written that "without 
 
 7 O 
 
 Holiness no man shall see the Lord !" Precisely 
 then, for the space of 400 years did this affliction 
 and persecution continue against the seed of 
 Abraham, till God brought them out of the land 
 of Egypt " with a mighty hand and with an out- 
 stretched arm ;" and precisely in the same manner 
 shall all the true Israel of God be rescued from 
 their enemies, and be in due time delivered from 
 the land of darkness and of death. 
 
 4. Table IV., Containing the statements of the ancient chrouographers 
 relating to the Fourth age of the world The testimony of Josephus 
 to the extent of this age highly satisfactory Proof that it was 612 
 years Strange errors of Theophilus Method of rectifying them 
 Compensating errors of Africanus His date of the foundation of 
 Solomon's Temple correct Errors of Eusehius His Prteparatio cor- 
 rect in amount, his Chronicon wrong He confutes himself and adopts 
 the Hebrew chronology Comparison between him and Usher Errors 
 of the Paschal Chronicle The author coincides with Josephus 
 Hesitancy of Mr. Clinton Table V., The first four ages of the world, 
 
 f' and date of Solomon's Temple according to the different chro- 
 nographers. 
 
 The following table, which exhibits the state- 
 ments of the chronographers regarding the Fourth 
 age of the world, should be compared with Table 
 X. in ouTJirst Part ; as it contains the Critarchal 
 Eras, and Intervals according to each chronogra- 
 pher. With regard to this period, we omitted to 
 observe that the reading in most of the MSS. and 
 editions of the Septuagint, in 1 Kings vi. 1, is 
 440 years instead of 480 years.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 
 
 255 
 
 TABLE IV. 
 
 CRITARCHAL T THEO- AFHI- 
 T JOSEPIIUS. 
 ERAS. PHILUS. CANUS. 
 
 T, PASCH. 
 
 EUSEBIUS. CHRQN< 
 
 Intervals. Intervals. Intervals. 
 
 Intervals. Intervals* 
 
 From the Exodus . 
 
 40 
 
 40 40 
 
 ^ " ^ 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 Joshua and Elders . 
 
 27 
 
 27 *55 
 
 *30 
 
 27 
 
 27 
 
 1st SERVITUDE 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 *0 
 
 8 
 
 Critarchate of 1 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 *50 
 
 40 
 
 *32 
 
 Othniel . . / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2nd SERVITUDE 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 *0 
 
 18 
 
 Cr. of Ehud and \ 
 
 80 
 
 *8 
 
 80 
 
 80 
 
 80 
 
 Shamgar . j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3rd SERVITUDE 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 *0 
 
 20 
 
 Cr. of Deborah | 
 and Barak . j 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 4th SERVITUDE 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 *0 
 
 7 
 
 Cr. of Gideon . . 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 OfAbimelech,To-l 
 lah, and Jair . f 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 5th SERVITUDE 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 *0 
 
 18 
 
 Cr. of Jephthah 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 Of Ibzan, Elon, | 
 and Abdon . ) 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 *15 
 
 25 
 
 6th SERVITUDE, 1 
 (Samson) . j 
 
 40 
 
 40 490 
 
 *60 
 
 *20 
 
 60 
 
 Critarchate of Eli . 
 
 40 
 
 81 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 *80 
 
 7th SERVITUDE 
 
 20 
 
 *0 
 
 *0 
 
 *0 
 
 *0 
 
 Cr. of Samuel . . 
 
 12 
 
 12 90 
 
 *0 
 
 *0 
 
 *20 
 
 Reign of Saul . 
 
 40 
 
 *20 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 *20 
 
 Reign of David 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 To the Founda--\ 
 tion of Solo- > 
 mon's Temple J 
 
 3 
 
 3 70 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 612 541 745 613 479 632
 
 256 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 With regard to this much disputed period, the 
 testimony of Josephus is, in several places of his 
 works, highly satisfactory. First In the title of 
 the fifth book of his Antiquities, which records the 
 history of the interval from the death of Moses to 
 that of Eli, he states that it contains a period of 
 476 years ; and in the title of the 6th book, 
 which records the history of the interval from the 
 death of Eli to that of Saul, he states that it 
 contains a period of 32 years. These intervals 
 taken together make a period of 508 years ; to 
 which, if we add the 40 years in the wilderness, 
 the 40 years of David, and the three years 
 of Solomon, we have 591 years; this period 
 wants only about 20 years to make it correspond 
 with the true chronology, and these 20 years 
 appear to have been omitted in the Seventh 
 Servitude ; for the short period of 32 years is 
 manifestly erroneous. The truth is, that the longer 
 interval should be only 456 or 457 years, in order 
 to correspond exactly with Acts xiii. 19, 20; and 
 the shorter interval 72 years, in order to correspond 
 with Acts xiii. 21, and 1 Samuel vii. 2.* These 
 intervals would then make together 529 years ; to 
 which, if the numbers above mentioned be added, 
 the true amount is 612 years, as in the Table. 
 Second, That 612 years is the true Flavian 
 
 * The 20 years taken from the former period, and the 20 
 years of the servitude omitted, being both added to the short 
 period, will make it exactly 72 years.
 
 ANCIENT CIIRONOGRAPIIERS. 25? 
 
 Extent of the Fourth age of the world is evident 
 from the 20th book of the Antiquities x. 1, 
 where the author says " but the number of the 
 years which the thirteen [high priests] ruled, 
 from the day our fathers left Egypt, Moses being 
 leader, until the foundation of the temple which 
 Solomon the king built in Jerusalem, was 612 
 years."* From this distinct statement of the 
 true extent of the Critarchal age, it is evident that 
 the text of Josephus, in books 5th and 6th of the 
 Antiquities, must have originally contained the 
 true Scriptural numbers, although now we find 
 the following errors have supervened. The first 
 error is in Book vii. 5, 4, where, speaking of the 
 form of the Hebrew Government under Moses and 
 Joshua, he says, " but after his [or their] death, 
 for the whole 1 8 years, anarchy ruled their people. "f 
 The words TOIQ iram, the whole, seem plainly to 
 indicate that a connecting sentence has been 
 omitted here ; and that these 18 years must have 
 been part of the government of Joshua and the 
 Elders, which appears to have been so mild and 
 Patriarchal, after the division of the land, when 
 "the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all 
 their enemies round about," that humanly speaking, 
 they were without government, although they were 
 living under the best of all governments a Theo- 
 cracy. After the death of Joshua and the Elders, 
 indeed, there must have been a short period of 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. p. 979. f Ibid, p. 322. 
 
 S
 
 258 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 anarchy, perhaps about two years,* when the 
 children of Israel " forsook the Lord and served 
 Baal and Ashtaroth," and when "an angel of the 
 Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim" to reprove 
 them for their Idolatry, (Judges ii. 1 5,) previous 
 to their being "sold into the hand of the King of 
 Mesopotamia;" (iii. 8.) This anarchal period of 
 two years, with the 18 years of rest under Joshua, 
 and the 7 years of his active government during the 
 war and the allotment of the land, will clearly 
 make up the number of 27 years, a period to 
 which all the ancient chronographers bear the 
 most distinct and unequivocal testimony; " Fre- 
 quens tamen opinio est 27 annis eum [Jesum] 
 Hebraeis praefuisse."t A further proof of the 
 opinion we have here advanced respecting the 18 
 years, is that Josephus does not make the slightest 
 mention of them at the proper place in the history, 
 where he speaks of the death of Joshua, and the 
 accession of Judah to power according to the 
 Divine word, Judges i. 2 ; but incidentally intro- 
 duces them into a reflection which he makes on 
 the different forms of the Hebrew government, on 
 the occasion of the renewal of the Kingdom to 
 Saul at Gilgal ; 1 Samuel xi. 14. 
 
 The second error relates to the critarchate of 
 Shamgar, which is usually reckoned at one year 
 by those who undertake to expound the chrono- 
 
 * Russell's " Connection," vol. i. p. 147. 
 
 t Sulpicius Severus in Hist. Sacr. i. 44,3 ; cited by Clinton.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 259 
 
 logy of Josephus; but there is no warrant for this 
 either in the Scriptures, or in Josephus ; for he 
 merely says, in v. 4, 3, that " Shamgar died 
 in the first year of his government," which might 
 have been at the very commencement of it, and 
 perhaps in the 80th year of Ehud. The next 
 error of Josephus is the total omission, in the 
 present text of the Critarchate of Tolah, who 
 succeeded Abimelech, and preceded Jair ; this 
 omission amounts to 23 years ; but it must have 
 been reckoned by Josephus, otherwise he could not 
 have recorded such numbers as he has done in 
 every place for the whole length of the period. 
 Again, the name and progeny of Abdon are men- 
 tioned in v. 7, 15 ; but the years of his critarchate 
 are omitted, in the present text, evidently by 
 mistake or oversight. Lastly, an error has been 
 attributed to Josephus by some chronologers,* in 
 making Saul reign only 20 years ; but this is a 
 mistake on their part ; for he distinctly states in 
 vi. 14, 9, that "he reigned 18 years while Samuel 
 was alive, and 22 years after his death," which 
 clearly makes 40 years in all. Further, he states 
 in vi. 13, 5, that " after the death of Eli, the 
 high priest Samuel alone ruled the people 12 
 years; and after Saul was king, 18 years;" thus 
 plainly, as in the present text, omitting the 
 
 * See Russell's " Connection," p. 128 ; where he gives a 
 very erroneous view of the critarchate of Samuel and the reign 
 of Saul. He is also mistaken as to the critarchate of Samson. 
 
 s 2
 
 260 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 Seventh Servitude, when the ark was at Kirjath- 
 jearim for the space of 20 years ; 1 Samuel vii. 2. 
 Third, in his 2d Book against Apion, Sect. 2, 
 Josephus says, " But Solomon himself built the 
 Temple, 612 years after the Exodus of the Jews 
 from Egypt."* This is a very important testimony, 
 occurring as it does in an argumentative treatise 
 concerning the " Antiquity of the Jewish Nation," 
 in opposition to the pretensions of the Greeks, 
 Egyptians, and Chaldeans, to a vastly more 
 remote origin than the Hebrews. Here, Josephus, 
 or his transcribers, having no particular end to 
 serve in reference to dates, has allowed the simple 
 fact concerning the true length of the period to 
 remain on record. Most likely it has escaped 
 their notice, otherwise it might have shared the 
 fate of the dates and periods of his Antiquities, 
 which have been by wilful alteration, thrown into 
 such inextricable confusion. 
 
 Having thus shown that Josephus originally 
 held the true chronology of this period, we may 
 select some other instances of the manner in 
 which it has been misstated either by himself or 
 others in the present text of his works, the error 
 being in general a period of about 20 years, 
 either above or below the truth. In the Antiqui- 
 ties vii. 3, 2, he says " But all the time from 
 Joshua being commander of the expedition against 
 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. ii. p. 470.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 261 
 
 the Canaanites, until David expelled them from 
 Jerusalem, was 515 years."* Now adding to 
 this number the 40 years in the Wilderness, the 
 33 years which David reigned in Jerusalem 
 (2 Sam. v. 5, 6, 7), and the 3 years, of Solomon, 
 we have 591 years as before, a period which 
 is deficient by about 20 years. Again, in viii. 3, 
 1, he says, " But Solomon began the building of 
 the Temple in the 4th year of his reign, 592 years 
 after the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt;" 
 but according to Tostatus, cited by Hudson, the 
 number found in some copies was 612 years. ^ 
 Next, in ix. 14, 1, he says, "Therefore the Ten 
 Tribes of Israel migrated from Judea 947 years 
 after the time when their forefathers, having left 
 Egypt, possessed the land ; but after the time 
 when, having rebelled against Rehoboam, the 
 grandson of David, they transferred the kingdom 
 to Jeroboam, 240 years, 7 months, 7 days ;"J 
 now, if we reckon the captivity of the Ten Tribes 
 from the Foundation of the Temple, by allowing, 
 according to Josephus, viii. 7, 8, for the reign 
 of Solomon 80 years, taking off 3 years, and 
 adding the remaining 77 years to the latter in- 
 terval above mentioned, neglecting the months 
 and days, we have 317 years for the amount; and 
 if we subtract this amount from the former in- 
 terval, we have 630 years for the remainder, which 
 
 * Hudson's Josephus, p. 371. f Ibid, p. 422. 
 
 I Ibid, p. 506.
 
 262 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 is evidently the period here reckoned between the 
 Exodus and the Foundation of the Temple, and it 
 errs in excess by 18 years. Lastly, in x. 8, 5, he 
 says, " But the temple was burned 470 years, 6 
 months, and 10 days after it was founded; and 
 1062 years, 6 months, and 10 days after the 
 Exodus of the people from Egypt ;* hence it 
 follows, that the period from the Exodus to the 
 Foundation of the Temple is here reckoned 592 
 years, which is deficient as above by 20 years. 
 The object of the author, or of his corrupters, ap- 
 pears to have been to make the chronology square 
 as much as possible with the extended reign of 
 Solomon, and to throw back upon this period a 
 moiety of the surplus years which he has thought 
 fit to add to the length of this reign ; but we shall 
 see more evidence on this point in the next 
 section. 
 
 The intervals of Theophilus, according to the 
 text extant, must have been strangely corrupted, 
 when we find that they make the extent of this 
 age only 541 years. If we restore to the Cri- 
 tarchate of Ehud the period of 80 years instead 
 of 8, a mistake which might easily occur in the 
 Greek, by the writing of H for n, and omit the 
 single year allotted to Samira,* out of place, and 
 void of authority, we shall at once have the true 
 
 * Hudson's Josephus, p. 528. 
 
 t Probably intended for Shamgar ; see Lib. iii. ad Au- 
 tolycum, p. 266.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 263 
 
 number 612 years. We can scarcely, however, 
 attribute the corruption of the text of Theophilus 
 to simple mistake in this manner ; for we find 
 that he reckons from the entrance of Israel into 
 the promised land " till the [end of the] reign of 
 David, all the years were 498 :" now if to this 
 interval, we add the 40 years in the Wilderness, 
 and the 3 years of Solomon, we shall have the 
 precise period inserted in the preceding Table, as 
 his extent of the Fourth age. Theophilus has 
 committed other errors, which however balance 
 each other, and produce no effect on the whole 
 period. After stating that " the Philistines ruled" 
 the Israelites " 40 years," he says that " Samson 
 judged them 20 years ;" thus forgetting the Scrip- 
 tures which says, that " he judged Israel in the 
 days of the Philistines 20 years ;" Judges xv. 20. 
 He then says that " there was peace among them 
 for 40 years," an assertion wholly unauthorized 
 by Scripture, and by the whole crowd of chro- 
 nographers.* These errors are compensated for 
 by allotting to Eli only " 20 years " instead of 40 
 years, by omitting the seventh servitude of 20 
 years, and by putting only " 20 years " instead of 
 40 years, for the reign of Saul.f Dr. Russell, in 
 his " Connection," vol. i. pp. 128, 129, gives a 
 view of the chronology of this period according 
 to Theophilus, where he strangely misdates the 
 
 * Clinton's " Fasti Hellenic!," vol. i. p. 306, note d. 
 t Lib. iii. ad Autolycum, p. 266.
 
 264 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 age in which he lived, and contrary to the copy 
 of his work to which Mr. Clinton or ourselves 
 have referred, makes out that his Extent of the 
 Critarchal age is 612 years ! He makes no re- 
 mark whatever about the error of Theophilus in 
 regard to the years of Ehud, but assumes them 
 at once at 80 ; he retains the one year of Sham- 
 gar, and puts him in his proper place ; and he 
 jnakes the years of Tolah 22 instead of 23 ; thus 
 he easily obtains the correct number, but by no 
 means in a satisfactory manner, when compared 
 with the text of the author. Indeed, trusting to 
 the view which Dr. Russell has given in the pas- 
 sage referred to, we have at p. 71 stated, and at 
 p. 92 considered, that the extent of this period is, 
 according to Theophilus, 612 years; but we now 
 have some doubts whether this was his genuine 
 number, seeing that he has included the erroneous 
 number of 541 years in his subsequent dates and 
 intervals, as will be shown in another section. 
 
 In this age also, we have to regret the deficiency 
 of the intervals of Africanus, owing to the frag- 
 mentary state in which his works have reached 
 us. The testimony of Eusebius, both in his 
 Chronicon and his Prseparatio Evangelica, as well 
 as that of Syncellus, enables us to exhibit the 
 chief Intervals and the whole Extent of the Cri- 
 tarchal age according to this Chronographer. In 
 the extracts of his third book, which have been 
 preserved, he says " From the Exodus of Moses
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 265 
 
 to Cyrus, who reigned after the Captivity, were 
 1237 years ; for the remaining years of Moses 
 were 40 ; the years of Joshua, who succeeded 
 him as leader, 25 ; the years of the Elders, the 
 Judges after Joshua, 30 ; the years of those con- 
 tained in the book of Judges, 490; the years of the 
 High Priests Eli and Samuel, 90 ; then, the years 
 of the Kings of the Hebrews, 490 ; [and the years 
 of the captivity, 70;] the last year of which was the 
 first year of the reign of Cyrus, as we have before 
 said."* The sum of these numbers is only 1235 
 years, instead of 1237 years, which shows that he 
 must have originally written 27 years for Joshua 
 instead of 25 years. f From this passage we 
 learn that the interval from the Exodus to the 
 accession of Saul is, according to Africanus, 675 
 years. From Syncellus, we learn that " according 
 to Africanus, the years from Adam till the last of 
 the Judges and the first of Eli the High Priest, 
 were 4292;" and that "from Adam till his 
 [Solomon's] 8th year, there were, according to 
 Africanus, 4457 years."J Taking 5 years from 
 the latter number, we have A.M. 4452 for the date 
 of the Foundation of the Temple, being the 4th 
 year of Solomon. The difference, therefore, 
 between this date and the first year of Eli, is 
 according to Africanus, 160 years; and the 
 
 * Routh's Reliq. Sacr. vol. ii. pp. 160, 161. 
 
 f Clinton's " Fasti Hellenici," vol. i. p. 308, note q. 
 
 t Routh's Reliq. Sacr. vol. ii. pp. 167, 169.
 
 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 difference between the latter number, and the 90 
 years allotted by him to Eli and Samuel, is 70 
 years ; hence, if we add this difference to the 
 interval of 675 years above mentioned, we have 
 745 years for the Extent of the Critarchal age, 
 according to Africanus. Eusebius in his Chronicon, 
 cited by Mr. Clinton, p. 308, makes this period 
 744 years, the difference being " only a single 
 year, which may have arisen from a slight differ- 
 ence in the mode of computation, and accounts 
 for its elongation by the addition of 100 years, 
 which are wholly unauthorised by Scripture: viz. 
 the 30 years ascribed to the Elders who outlived 
 Joshua, the 40 years of supposed anarchy after 
 the death of Samson, and the 30 years of imagi- 
 nary peace which succeeded the anarchy. The 
 grand object of Africanus in the chronology of 
 this age, appears to have been to make up at 
 once for the deficiency of the generation of the 
 Junior Cainan, and the two years after the flood, 
 by the enlargement of the period from its true 
 length 612 years, to his surreptitious length of 
 744 years ; for the difference between these 
 numbers is just 132 years, the precise difference 
 between the dates of Africanus and the true dates 
 of the epochs in the two former ages. By the 
 manufacture of the intervals of the Fourth age, 
 therefore, he has contrived to bring about the 
 true date of the Foundation of Solomon's Temple 
 in his Chronology, and to compensate for his former
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 267 
 
 errors in such a manner as to restore the ancient 
 computation of Scripture at this important and 
 well-known epoch. 
 
 Of the Extent of the Critarchal age, and the 
 length of its Intervals, as Mr. Clinton remarks, 
 Eusebius has three accounts. For the account 
 taken from his Praeparatio Evangelica, Lib. x. c. 
 14, and the account taken from his " Chronicon," 
 which we have placed side by side in the preced- 
 ing table, we are partly indebted to Russell and 
 partly to Clinton.* As Dr. Russell has endea- 
 voured to make the former account, by the cor- 
 rection of some of its intervals, speak the language 
 of the " Chronicon" in a passage, for the citation 
 of which we are indebted to Mr. Clinton ;-f we 
 have thought it right to restore the original 
 numbers, in order to show what was the real 
 opinion of Eusebius, respecting this age, on the 
 occasion of writing his " Gospel Preparation." 
 According to his opinion, therefore, the Extent of 
 the Fourth age was 613 years, the difference 
 between this number and the Scriptural one, 
 being only a single year ! The author, however, 
 commits a number of errors in detail, which 
 balance each other, and in their summation, 
 bring out almost exactly the true period. The 
 chief errors are, the omission of the Seventh 
 
 * Russell's " Connection," pp. 130, 131 ; and Clinton's 
 "Fasti Hellenici," vol. i. pp. 303310. 
 f See the vol. last cited, p. 310, note x.
 
 268 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 Servitude, 20 years ; and of the Critarchate of 
 Samuel, J2 years. In order to compensate for 
 these omissions, he reckons the Critarchate of 
 Samson, apart from the 6th Servitude, 20 years ; 
 he adds 10 years to the Critarchate of Othniel ; 
 and gladly seizes upon the 30 years for Joshua 
 and the Elders instead of 27 years ; in order to 
 bring out the correct number for the whole period, 
 as nearly as possible, as he well knew that it was 
 612 years. That this was his real opinion, is also 
 evident from the following passage in his " Chroni- 
 con " already referred to: "The amount of the 
 time during which the judges bore rule until 
 Samuel, was altogether 450 years, our apostle 
 himself testifying it by his declaration, [Acts xiii. 
 20]. There are, however, besides this reckoning, 
 the periods of Moses and Joshua his successor, as 
 well as of Samuel and Saul. But let us pass, in 
 the meantime, the periods of Samuel, and Saul, 
 and Joshua. Now from the testimony of the 
 Apostle, the 40 years of Saul must be added to 
 the 450 years of the judges, to which number the 
 40 years of David and the 4 years of Solomon 
 being added, the sum of the years amounts to 
 534: which is, in fact, the apostolical tradition. 
 Then, the 40 years which Moses led in the desert, 
 and again the 27 years of Joshua the son of Nun, 
 to which the Jews themselves agree, being added, 
 the years amount to 600." This is a very im- 
 portant and clear statement of the truth, with
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 269 
 
 the exception of the 12 years of Samuel, " which," 
 Mr. Clinton says, " he supposed to be included 
 in the years of Saul" We do not agree with Mr. 
 Clinton in this point; we think the passage bears 
 evident marks that he had the separate period of 
 Samuel in his mind ; particularly, from his cun- 
 ning "interim seponamus," " let us pass in the 
 mean time" In fact, he only pretends to forget 
 it ; for he knew that if he had added it, along with 
 the periods of Joshua and Saul, he would have had 
 the correct number at once, namely, 612 years ! 
 His accommodation to the spirit of the age in 
 which he lived, by the insertion of the Hebrew 
 chronology of this period in his Tables, instead of 
 the Septuagint or ancient chronology which he 
 has so clearly established by Apostolical tradition, 
 exhibits a degree of vaccillation and imbecility 
 wholly unworthy the character of an able histo- 
 rian and chronographer, and quite unbecoming 
 an ardent advocate of the Truth. We have suffi- 
 ciently refuted this chronology in our first Part ; 
 and it is unnecessary to go over the same argu- 
 ments, or attempt to strengthen them by the 
 admissions of our opponents. Suffice it to remark 
 that the Hebrew intervals of Eusebius amount 
 only to 479 years, instead of 480 years, which it 
 ought to reach according to 1 Kings vi. 1, and 
 that even the Hebrew intervals of Usher amount 
 only to 478J years, p. 68 ; and although these 
 amounts differ only by half a-year, the details of
 
 270 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 their intervals exhibit a very surprising difference. 
 Thus, Eusebius allows 27 years to Joshua and 
 the Elders, Usher none, with the exception of 6J 
 years for the war and the division of the land ; 
 Eusebius reckons the Critarchate of Gideon at 
 40 years, Usher at 49^ years ; Eusebius reckons 
 the Critarchate of Tolah at 22 years, Usher at 23 
 years ;* Eusebius omits the Critarchate of Ibzan 
 10 years, and of Samuel 12 years ; Usher admits 
 the former, and reckons the latter 21 years ; 
 Eusebius reckons the Critarchate of Samson 20 
 years, and Usher omits it altogether. Eusebius 
 and Usher are indeed very fit authors to be classed 
 together : both no doubt pious men and exem- 
 plary Christians ; but both too much given to 
 yield to the pressure of the times as historio- 
 graphers and chronographers ; and too much 
 influenced by the bold assertions of the Jews 
 respecting the immaculate purity of the Hebrew 
 Text. 
 
 The Extent of the Fourth age and the lengths 
 of the Intervals, according to the Paschal Chroni- 
 cle, are given by Mr. Clinton, but in such a 
 rambling manner that we have had some difficulty 
 to expiscate them from his extracts. As to 
 the extent, the author of the Chronicle says 
 " the whole time, from the 81st year of Moses, in 
 
 * We have observed the correct number in the series of the 
 Judges prefixed to the Armenian copy of the Chronicon of 
 Eusebius.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 271 
 
 which the Exodus from Egypt took place, to 
 Solomon and the Foundation of the Temple 
 amounts to 630 years."* We have seen that this 
 is the number collected from Josephus Book 
 viii. 7, 8 ; but the intervals given by the author 
 of the Chronicle, amount to 632 years. The 
 first error he commits is making the Critarchate 
 of Othniel only 32 years ; or, which is the same 
 thing, including the 1st Servitude in the 40 years of 
 that judge;! the next is reckoning the years of 
 Samson distinct from those of the GthServitude, and 
 interposing an unauthorised periodof 40 years peace 
 between Samson and Eli ; J and the last is omitting 
 the 7th Servitude, reckoning the critarchate of 
 Samuel 20 years, and reducing the reign of Saul 
 to 20 years. The author probably reckoned 
 only 39 years of Moses and 2 of Solomon, when 
 he calculated the whole period at 630 years. But 
 from the Chronicon itself, the number of 632 years 
 is clearly made out ; for the 81st year of Moses is 
 reckoned A.M. 3837, and the 3rd of Solomon 
 A.M. 4469. The coincidence between its author 
 and Josephus, which we have remarked above, 
 is very singular, and seems to indicate that 
 this error of putting 630 years for 612, on 
 the part of both, had a common origin. Mr. 
 Clinton also particularly investigates the 
 statements of Clemens Alexandrinus, and Syn- 
 cellus, regarding this period ; but as we do not 
 
 * Clinton's Fast. Helle. p. 310, note z. t Ibid, p. 304. 
 \ Ibid, p. 305. Ibid, p. 305, note z.
 
 2?2 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 attach so much importance to their statements 
 as to those we have already discussed, we have 
 thought proper to omit them ; suffice it to remark 
 in general, that they strengthen and confirm the 
 lengthened chronology of the older chronographers. 
 The concluding observations of Mr. Clinton, 
 p. 312, appear to us surprising, considering the 
 mass of evidence he has brought forward in favour 
 of the true period of 612 years. He says that 
 " it fluctuates between the 600 years of Eusebius, 
 and the 628 years arising out of the corrected 
 numbers of Josephus. The truth lies somewhere 
 between these points. We may assume 612 
 years as the most probable." There appears to 
 us to be no probability in the case ; we have seen 
 that the statements of Josephus, Theophilus, 
 Eusebius, and the author of the Paschal Chro- 
 nicle, when corrected for obvious errors, according 
 to the authority of Scripture, all speak the same 
 language and announce the invariable period of 
 612 years. The details of the period assigned by 
 Africanus are lost ; but his case is peculiar ; he 
 was evidently desirous to make this period com- 
 pensate for former errors; and he has effected his 
 purpose to a single year. His date, therefore, of 
 the Foundation of the Temple is correct ; and 
 this appears to have been his chief aim. Accord- 
 ing to their estimate of the extent of the different 
 ages of the world up to this epoch, their respective 
 dates, according to the preceding Tables will 
 stand thus :
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 2?3 
 
 TABLE V. 
 
 AGES THEO- AFRI- ^, PASCH. 
 
 , JOSEPHUS. LuSEBIt'S. r, 
 
 OF THE WORLD. PHILVS. CANUS. CHRON. 
 
 Years. Years. Years. Years. Years. 
 
 1st Age . . . 2256 2242 2262 2242 2262 
 
 2nd Age . . . 1068 1011 1015 1017 1145 
 
 3rd Age ... 430 645 430 430 430 
 
 4th Age ... 612 541 745 480 632 
 
 To SOLOMON'S TEMPLE 4366 4439 4452 4169 4469 
 
 Had we corrected these dates on grounds 
 already stated, and which by many would have 
 been deemed sufficient, we could have shown a 
 much nearer coincidence between them and the 
 true date; but our object was to show what the 
 details of the different authors really are as exhi- 
 bited in their works now extant. It is satisfac- 
 tory, however, to observe that the difference be- 
 tween the latter and either of the former, is very 
 small, and in the case of the greatest magnitude, 
 is very easily accounted for on the principle of 
 Rabbinical authority and influence. 
 
 The following remark of Mr. Clinton, p. 313, 
 is much more in point than the former above 
 cited ; our only wonder is that he seems to think 
 the extent of the period itself not sufficiently 
 established : " This extended term of 612 years is 
 inconsistent with the date in the Book of Kings 
 (1 Kings vi. 1), which reckons the foundation of 
 the Temple in the 4th year of Solomon to be in 
 the 480^ year after the children of Israel were 
 come out of the land of Egypt. But the computa- 
 
 T
 
 274 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 tion of Paul, delivered in a solemn argument 
 before a Jewish audience, and confirmed by the 
 whole tenor of the history in the Book of Judges, 
 outweighs the authority of that date ; and we may 
 agree with Jackson and Hales in rejecting it." 
 To this he might have added, and we ought 
 rather to agree with the whole Christian Church 
 in adopting the extended period, than with the 
 Jews, the persecutors and vilifiers of that Church, 
 in adopting the curtailed period, and thus giving 
 countenance to their interpolations of Scripture. 
 
 5. Table VI. Containing tbe statements of die chronographers relating to 
 the Fifth age of the world The errors of Josepbus peculiar His elon- 
 gation of the reign of Solomon Disagreement of his titulary periods 
 with the summation of the reigns in Books Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth 
 Proof that the former is nearly correct Table VII. Monarchal Periods 
 of Josephus Comparison with the True Chronology Evidence that 
 these periods have been manufactured The true Chronology of this age 
 detected in his works Table VIII. True Flavian Periods, showing the 
 Scriptural extent as originally held by Josephus Proof that he knew the 
 true epoch of the Captivity The errors of Tbeophilus in this age few 
 He is also mistaken as to the epoch of the Captivity Africanus diminishes 
 the true extent of this age He is misrepresented by Syncellus The 
 statements of Eusebius taken from the Hieronymian and Armenian 
 versions of his Canon Those of the author of the Paschal Chronicle from 
 that work itself Their errors pointed out The difference between their 
 Extent of this age and the true Extent only 3 years. 
 
 The following Table which exhibits the state- 
 ments of the Chronographers regarding the Fifth 
 age of the World, should be compared with Table 
 XII. in our First Part ; as it contains the Monar- 
 chal Eras and Intervals according to each chrono- 
 grapher.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 
 
 275 
 
 TABLE VI. 
 
 MONARCHAL 
 
 ERAS. 
 
 JOSEPIIUS. 
 
 THEO- AFRI 
 PHILUS. CANU: 
 
 
 Intervals. 
 
 Intervals. Intervi 
 
 Foundation of 
 Solomon'sTemple 
 
 i *77 
 
 37 
 
 Rehoboam . . 
 
 . 17 
 
 17 
 
 Abijah . . . 
 
 3 
 
 *7 
 
 Asa .... 
 
 41 
 
 41 
 
 Jehoshaphat . . 
 
 . 25 
 
 25 
 
 Jehoram . . . 
 
 . *8 
 
 *8 
 
 Ahaziah . 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Athaliah . . . 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 Jehoash . 
 
 . 40 
 
 40 
 
 Amaziah . 
 
 . 29 
 
 *39 
 
 Interregnum . . 
 
 . *0 
 
 *o 
 
 Uzziah . . . 
 
 . 52 
 
 52 
 
 Jotham . . . 
 
 . 16 
 
 16 
 
 Ahaz . 
 
 16 
 
 M7 
 
 Hezekiah . . 
 
 . 29 
 
 29 
 
 Manasseh . . 
 
 . 55 
 
 55 
 
 Amon . . . 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 Josiah . . . 
 
 . 31 
 
 31 
 
 Jehoahaz . . 
 
 01 
 
 01 
 
 Jehoiakim . . 
 
 . 11 
 
 11 
 
 Jehoiachin . 
 
 . OJ 
 
 oi 
 
 Zedekiah 
 
 . Ml 
 
 Ml 420 
 
 -r, PASCH. 
 
 .LUSEBIUS. n 
 
 CHHON. 
 
 Intervals. Intervals. Intervals. 
 
 37 
 
 *33 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 41 
 
 *44 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 *8 
 
 MO 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 *7 
 
 6 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 29 
 
 29 
 
 *0 
 
 *0 
 
 52 
 
 52 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 29 
 
 29 
 
 55 
 
 55 
 
 M2 
 
 M2 
 
 31 
 
 31 
 
 04 
 
 Oi 
 
 M2 
 
 M2 
 
 Oi 
 
 04 
 
 Ml 
 
 Ml 
 
 442 
 
 442 
 
 FIFTH AGE . 470 445 420 
 
 The principal errors of Josephus in this age, are 
 his addition of 40 years to the reign of Solomon, 
 and his omission of the interregnum between 
 Amaziah and Uzziah. The former error appears 
 to have been peculiarly his own ; the latter he 
 
 T 2
 
 276 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 seems to share in common with most, if not all, 
 the ancient chronographers. In his Antiquities, 
 Book x. 8, 5, he says, " the temple was burned 
 470 years 6 months and 10 days after its founda- 
 tion ;"* and this period is clearly made out from 
 the summation of the years of the reigns of the 
 kings of Judah as laid down by him, in Books 
 Eighth, Ninth and Tenth. Moreover, these 
 books contain the history of the Jews from the 
 accession of Solomon to the end of the Babylon- 
 ish captivity ; but we find, by the summation of 
 the titulary periods prefixed to them, that the 
 whole amount of this period is only 502^ years ; 
 and, deducting from this amount, the first 3 years 
 of Solomon's reign and the 70 years of the Cap- 
 tivity, we have 429J years for a remainder, which 
 is a totally different result. In order to arrive at 
 the proper explanation of the difference between 
 this number and the former, we shall exhibit the 
 comparison of the summation of his periods and 
 his reigns in these Books with the true chrono- 
 logy in the form of a table ; premising, that the 
 history of the Vlllth Book extends from the 
 accession of Solomon to the death of Ahab, in 
 the 19th year of Jehoshaphat's reign ; of the IXth 
 Book, from the same year to the Captivity of the 
 Ten Tribes of Israel, in the 6th year of Hezekiah's 
 reign ; and of the Xth Book, from this same year 
 to the end of the Babylonish Captivity. In the 
 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. p. 528.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 277 
 
 following Table, the first column exhibits the 
 periods announced in the titles of the different 
 books, the second the amount of the years of the 
 different reigns they contain, and the third the 
 amount of the same years according to the true 
 chronology : 
 
 TABLE VII. 
 
 MONARCHAL PERIODS. JOSEPHUS. TRUE 
 
 e A ^ CHRO- 
 
 Periods. Reigns. NQLOGY. 
 
 The VIHth Book comprehends ... 163 160 119 
 The IXth Book .... 157 180 190 
 
 The Xth Book 182s 2034 185 
 
 Total, including Captivity 502 543 494 
 
 Deduct the three years of Solomon . . 3 3 3 
 
 499| 540| 491 
 Deduct the years of the Captivity . . 70 70 52 
 
 Extent of the Fifth age .... 429 470 439 
 
 Here the discrepancy between the amount of the 
 Periods and the amount of the Reigns is mani- 
 fest ; and the cause of the discrepancy is plainly 
 the 40 years surreptitiously added to Solomon's 
 reign ; for if this number be subtracted from 470 
 years, the result of the reigns, the remainder is 
 4301 years, which agrees with the result of the 
 periods to a single year, and this year may have 
 been added for the 1st of Cyrus. The latter 
 amount, however, still differs from the true 
 period by 10 years ; and this difference evidently 
 arises from the omission of the interregnum of J2
 
 278 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 years, and the addition of 2 years to the reign of 
 Jehoram. The extraordinary want of agreement 
 between the different periods and the correspond- 
 ing amount of the reigns, shows that the former 
 must have been manufactured to serve some par- 
 ticular purpose, the most probable being the con- 
 cealment of the error of 40 additional years in 
 the reign of Solomon. This is so far ingeniously 
 done, and might deceive a cursory reader ; for 
 the first period of 163 years is his exact interval 
 from the Foundation of the Temple to the end of 
 Jehoshaphat's reign ; the second period of 157 
 years is exactly 40 years less than his interval 
 from the end of Jehoshaphat's reign to the end of 
 Hezekiatis reign ; and the third period of 182^ 
 years is only 2 years more than his interval from 
 the end of Hezekiah's reign to the end of the 
 captivity. 
 
 That this tortuous chronologer and historian 
 must have originally reckoned his periods in this 
 age according to the true system of chronology, 
 is manifest from the following passage in Book x. 
 4, 4; where, speaking of the fulfilment of the pro- 
 phecy concerning the idolatrous altar at Bethel 
 (1 Kings xiii. 1), he says, " and he [Josiah] burned 
 the bones of the false prophets upon the altar 
 which Jeroboam first built," and " these things 
 were fulfilled after a period of 361 years."* 
 Now, according to the testimony of Scripture 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. p. 518.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 
 
 (2 Chronicles xxxiv. 3), cited by Josephus (x. 
 4, 1),* we find that this fulfilment took place in 
 the 12th year of the reign of Josiah ; and from 
 the 1st year of Jeroboam, when the altar was 
 built, to the epoch in question, the interval, 
 according to the chronology of Josephus in the 
 preceding Table, is only 351 years ; but, accord- 
 ing to the true Chronology, it is exactly 361 
 years. It is plain, therefore, that Josephus in 
 this passage, must have reckoned an interregnum 
 of 10 years between Amaziah and Uzziah : and, 
 if we reckon the reign of Jehoram only 6 years 
 as in the true chronology, instead of 8 years as in 
 that of our author, and add the surplus of 2 years 
 to these 10 years, we shall have the correct Inter- 
 regnum of 12 years, as stated at p. 74, under the 
 head of the Septuagint ; see 2 Kings xv. !.) 
 It is true that the 10 years which we have thus 
 detected in the Antiquities, might have been 
 added by Josephus, as by Theophilus and Cle- 
 mens, to the reign of Amaziah, but this would 
 not alter the total amount. Some chronologers, 
 as Polyhistor cited by Eusebius,J have added 10 
 years to the reign of Amon instead of to that of 
 
 * Ibid, p. 516. 
 
 t On this point, see Clinton's " Fasti Hellenici," vol. i. p. 
 316 ; where the author makes a wrong citation from the Sep- 
 luagint, viz., 4 Reg. xiii. 10. 
 
 t Euseb. Chron. Canon. Book I. 5, 2, ex Haicano Codice, 
 Mediolan. 1818.
 
 280 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 Amaziah ; but in either case the effect is still the 
 same, to make the whole period more consistent 
 with the true chronology. Thus we have expis- 
 cated the truth concerning this period even from 
 the unwilling pages of Josephus ; for the rest of 
 the computation concerning the Fifth age will be 
 clearly seen from the following Table, which 
 harmonizes with the previous result : 
 
 TABLE VIII. 
 
 TRUE FLAVIAN PERIODS. 
 
 Years. 
 
 From the 1st of Jeroboam to the 12th of Josiah . 361 
 The rest of Josiah's reign ..... 19 
 The remaining Jewish reigns ..... 22 
 
 From the 1st of Jeroboam to the 10th of Zedekiah . 402 
 The previous years of the Reign of Solomon . . 37 
 
 Extent of the Fifth Age , ff . . . 439 
 
 Although Josephus in his " Antiquities" has 
 generally reckoned the 70 years of the Captivity 
 from the Destruction of the Temple to the 1st 
 year of Cyrus, which is contrary to the true 
 chronology and to the Canon of Ptolemy, yet we 
 have evidence in his " Jewish War" that he was 
 perfectly acquainted with the correct period of 
 52 years, which we have shown in our Jirst Part, 
 at pp. 80, 81, to be the true interval. Thus, in 
 Book vi. 4, 8, of the latter work, when speaking 
 of the Destruction of the Temple, he says, "and 
 from the Jirst foundation which King Solomon
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 281 
 
 laid, till the present destruction, which happened 
 in the 2d year of the Emperor Vespasian, are 
 reckoned 1130 years 7 months and 15 days; but 
 from the second, which Haggai effected in the 2d 
 year of Cyrus the king, till the destruction under 
 Vespasian, 639 years and 45 days."* Not to 
 dwell on the glaring anachronism of referring the 
 foundation of the temple in the 2nd year of Cyrus 
 (Ezra iii. 8), to the renewal of the work of building 
 it in the 2nd year of Darius (Ezra iv. 24, and v. 1), 
 it is plain that the difference between the two 
 periods mentioned in this passage, viz. 49 1^ years, 
 is the true interval from the destruction of Solo- 
 mon's temple to the foundation of the second 
 Temple in the 2nd year of Cyrus ; for omitting 
 the half-year, as the 2nd year had just commenced 
 at the latter epoch (Ezra iii. 8), and subtracting 
 the 52 years above mentioned, from 491 years, 
 we have the remainder 439 years, for the true 
 Extent of the Fifth age as before. The proof, 
 however, that he was acquainted with the true 
 interval, at least within a year or two, is manifest 
 from a passage which occurs in his 1st Book 
 against Apion, sect. 21 ; where he says, " For it 
 is written in them [the Hebrew Scriptures] that 
 Nebuchadnezzar destroyed our temple in the 18th 
 year [the 19th year, 2 Kings xxv. 8] of his 
 reign, and it was in ruins for 50 years ; but in the 
 2nd year of the reign of Cyrus, the foundations 
 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. ii. p. 387.
 
 
 282 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 were laid, and in the 2nd again of the reign of 
 Darius they were finished."* The difference of 
 2 years is easily accounted for by supposing that 
 he took the reign of Cyrus in Babylon at 9 years, 
 according to some copies of the Canon of Ptolemy, 
 instead of 7 years, according to Scripture, that is, 
 by supposing his reign to have begun 2 years 
 earlier than the true period. He appears, how- 
 ever, to have tacked these two years to the true 
 interval in question, in another chapter of the same 
 book, viz. " Jewish War," vi. 10; where, speaking 
 of the destruction of Jerusalem, he says " David, 
 King of the Jews, having expelled the people of 
 the Canaanites, made his own inhabit it ; and 477 
 years 6 months afterwards, it was destroyed by 
 the Babylonians."! Now as David reigned 33 
 years in Jerusalem, and the temple was founded 
 in the 4th year of Solomon, if we subtract 36 
 years from the preceding number, we obtain 
 44 H years for the period from the foundation of 
 the temple to its destruction, which is only 2| 
 years more than the true period, a surplus which 
 appears to have arisen from his unwarrantable 
 addition to the true period of the 10th Book of 
 the Antiquities. The last passage which we 
 shall adduce from this extraordinary historical 
 production, so full of chronological errors, is from 
 the 20th Book, where speaking of the High 
 Priests, he says, Nebuchadnezzar " took Josedek 
 * Hudson's Josephus, vol. ii. p. 452. t Ibid, p. 400.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 283 
 
 the High Priest captive ; and the time of their 
 hierarchy was 466 years, 6 months, and 10 days, 
 during the reigns of the Jewish kings." Now 
 Josedek was taken captive, not when the temple 
 and city were burned, as Josephus erroneously 
 says in the context, but when the " king of 
 Babylon took Jehoiachin in the Sth year of his 
 reign," and "carried away all Jerusalem, and all 
 the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, 
 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen, and all 
 the smiths ; none remained, save the poorest sort 
 of the people of the land ;" 2 Kings xxiv. 11 16, 
 and 1 Chronicles vi. 15. But as Nebuchadnezzar 
 destroyed Jerusalem in the \9tk year of his reign 
 (2 Kings xxv. 8), the difference of time between 
 the first, or Jehoiachin's captivity, and the second, 
 or Zedekiah's captivity, is evidently 11 years, 
 which being added to the preceding period, makes 
 a total of 477^ years as before. In these two 
 passages, therefore, Josephus is consistent with 
 himself, and he differs from the true chronology 
 in this period only by the small interval of about 
 2 years ; a difference which, as we before re- 
 marked, may be due to his mistake in reference to 
 the Scriptural commencement of the reign of 
 Cyrus, King of Babylon. For a more extensive 
 inquiry into this period of the Chronology of 
 Josephus, we refer to Mr. Cuninghame's " Fulness 
 of the Times," pp. 27 60, to which we have been
 
 284 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 indebted for some suggestions in the preceding 
 discussion. 
 
 The errors of Theophilus in the intervals of the 
 Fourth age are few, and chiefly of a compensating 
 nature ; and his error in its extent amounts only to 
 about 6 years. He states the reign of Abijah at 
 7 years instead of 3; of Jehoram at 8 years 
 instead of 6 ; and of Amaziah at 39 years instead 
 of 29 ; but the two latter errors make up for his 
 omission of the interregnum of 12 years. He next 
 reckons the reigns of Ahaz and Zedekiah, each a 
 year too much, which, with the error in the reign 
 of Abijah, makes the whole period erroneous in 
 excess by about 6 years, its Extent being 445 
 years, according to the Table. This Extent is 
 confirmed by the following statement in his 
 general summary : " from the death of David, till 
 the [end of the] sojourning of the people in the land 
 of Babylon, were 518 years, 6 months, 10 days."* 
 Now, if from this period, we subtract the first 3 
 years of Solomon, and the 70 years of the capti- 
 vity, we shall have for the remainder 445 years, 
 the period from the foundation to the destruction 
 of the Temple, according, to Theophilus. Again, 
 he says, all the time, from the beginning of the 
 world till the end " of the sojourning in the land 
 of Babylon, is 4954 years, 6 months, 10 days."f 
 
 * Lib. III. ad Autolycum, p. 281. 
 t Lib. III. ad Autolycum, p. 269.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 285 
 
 Now, if we add together his different ages up to 
 this epoch, including the 70 years of the captivity, 
 we shall have this precise amount ; thus, 2242 + 
 1011 + 645 + 541 + 445 + 70 = 4954 years. 
 This confirmatory statement, therefore, shows the 
 accuracy of our estimate of the chronology of 
 Theophilus ; and thus we see that like other chro- 
 nographers, he has, contrary to Scripture, reckoned 
 the period of the 70 years' captivity from the 
 destruction of Jerusalem to the 1st year of the 
 reign of Cyrus. The errors of Africanus in the 
 intervals of the Fourth age cannot be detected, 
 owing to the loss of this part of his Chronicon ; 
 we can only decide upon the inaccuracy of his 
 statement regarding its Extent from the extract 
 already cited at p. 265, where he assigns 490 
 years as the whole period of the Jewish Kings. 
 We have seen at p. 266, that 70 years of this 
 period belong to the former age, according to 
 Africanus; it follows, therefore, that 420 years 
 must be his Extent of the Monarchal age, which 
 we have accordingly inserted in the Table. We 
 have scarcely any means of confirming the cor- 
 rectness of this result, until we show, from his 
 remaining fragments concerning the succeeding 
 age, that it is quite consistent with his great 
 Mundane period from Adam to Christ. It is 
 necessary, however, to make one remark on this 
 subject, namely, that Syncellus has committed an 
 error in stating that " Africanus reckoned the 70
 
 286 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 years of the captivity from the 1st year of Zede- 
 kiah,"* as we shall see in the sequel. 
 
 The statements of Eusebius, in the preceding 
 Table, are taken from the Hieronymianf and 
 Armenian^ versions of his Canon ; those of the 
 author of the Paschal Chronicle from that work 
 itself. The former places the foundation of the 
 temple in the 4th year of Solomon ; the latter 
 erroneously in his 8th year. Both authors in 
 several places of their works, state the extent of 
 the Fifth age at 442 years, and in order to pre- 
 serve this number entire they appear to have 
 manufactured two or three of the reigns. Thus, 
 Eusebius reckons the reign of Jehoram at 8 com- 
 plete years instead of 6, that of Athaliah at 7 
 instead of 6, and that of Amon at 12 instead of 2. 
 In the Armenian version the reign of Jehoiakim 
 is reckoned at 12 years instead of 11, which 
 seems necessary to make up the total 442 years. 
 In the Paschal Chronicle, the reign of Asa is 
 reckoned at 44 years instead of 41, that of Jeho- 
 ram at 10 instead of 6, that of Jehoiakim at 12 
 instead of 11, and that of Amon at 12 instead of 
 2. Abating the errors thus pointed out, and 
 admitting the interregnum, both authors testify to 
 the true length of this period, which, notwith- 
 standing the former, they have only overrated by 
 3 years. 
 
 Routh's Rel. Sac. vol. ii. p. 174. t Ven. 1483. 
 I Mediolan. et Ven., 1818. Ven. 1729.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 287 
 
 6. Table IX. Ethnocratic Eras and Intervals according to Ptolemy's Canon 
 and the ancient Chronographers Accuracy of the Canon Josephus 
 erroneous but consistent in the Sixth age His remarkable coincidence 
 with the true Chronology in the Mundane period Theophilus follows 
 the Roman Chronology in this age Africanus the prophetic Both 
 erroneous Errors of Eusebius, and accuracy of his Extent of this age 
 Errors of the Paschal Chronicle considerable and unaccountable 
 Table X. Summation of the Six ages of the world according to the Sep- 
 tuagint and the ancient chronographers Table XI. Summation of the 
 Periods of the Christian Chronographers, adopted by themselves Chro- 
 nological Table of the Principal Epochs and Events from the Creation 
 to the Advent of Christ. 
 
 The following Table exhibits the errors of the 
 chronographers in regard to the Sixth age of the 
 world. In our Jirst Part, we have denominated 
 the Eras of this age Hierarchal, Table XIV. 
 p. 80, to indicate the internal form of Govern- 
 ment which prevailed among the Jews during the 
 period from their return to their own land to the 
 Advent of the Messiah ; here we style them Eth- 
 nocratic, to indicate the Iron rule which the Hea- 
 then Kings exercised over the remnant of the 
 ancient people of God, till " in the days of these 
 kings the God of Heaven set up a kingdom which 
 should never be destroyed," but " should break 
 in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and 
 stand for ever" In this table, we have introduced 
 an additional column, showing the periods of the 
 Four Great Monarchies or Empires foretold in the 
 book of Daniel, in as far as they relate to the Sixth 
 age, according to the Canon of Ptolemy, which is 
 accounted by chronologers as one of the most 
 valuable and precious relics of Antiquity.
 
 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 TABLE IX. 
 
 ETHNOCRATIC p TOLEMy- J OSEPHUS . THEO- Ami- EuSEBIU8> PASCH. 
 J&KA8. PHILUS. CANUS. CHKON. 
 
 Interval!. Interval!. Intervals. Intervals. Intervals. Intervals. 
 
 From Solomon's 1 
 Temple. J " 
 
 THE ASSYRIAN "J 
 
 v 52 .. .. .. .. .. 
 
 EMPIRE. ) 
 
 Jewish Captivity ... 70 70 70 70 70 
 
 Roman Regifugium . . . . 54 
 
 PERSIAN EMPIRE 205 .. .. 230 190 206 
 
 Jewish Hierarchy . . 414 . . . . . 
 
 The Asamonean "I 
 
 > .. 125 
 
 Dynasty. } 
 
 GRECIAN EMPIRE 302 . . . . 298 301 296 
 
 Roman Republic . . . . 453 . . 
 
 To THE ROMAN -\ 
 
 EMPIRE. V 28 33 46 30 27 29 
 
 Birth of Christ ) 
 
 THE SIXTH AGE 587 642 623 628 588 601 
 
 In this Table the extent of the Ethnocratic age 
 is 587 years according to the Canon of Ptolemy ;* 
 this is 2 years more than we assigned at p. 80, 
 owing to the reign of Cyrus being estimated at 
 9 years instead of 7, which brings the Sixth age 
 up to the vulgar era of the Birth of our Saviour. 
 The Canon assigns 43 years respectively to the 
 reigns of Nebuchadnezzar and Augustus Caesar ; 
 hence the former reigned 25 years after the taking 
 * See Hales's " Analysis," vol. i. pp. 276278.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHER8. 289 
 
 of Jerusalem,* and the latter 28 before the Chris- 
 tian era ;f thus the extreme intervals of the first 
 column of the table were obtained. The inter- 
 vals of Josephus were determined from the follow- 
 ing passages: Book XI. 1, 1, " In the first year 
 of the reign of Cyrus, and this was the 70th from 
 the day that it befell our people to remove from 
 home to Babylon ;" Book XX. 10, 1, "After the 
 period of the 70 years' captivity, &c. Joshua the 
 Son of Josedek, took the office of High Priest ; 
 and his posterity, in all 1 5, held the democratic 
 form of government for 414 years, till the reign 
 of Antiochus Eupator;" Book XIV. 16, 4, "Thus 
 ceased the government of the Asamonean [race] 
 after 126 years;" Book XVII. 6, 3, "for 125 years 
 during which they [the Asamoneans] reigned ;" 
 and, Book XVII. 8, 1, " Having reigned, after 
 he [Herod] caused the death of Antigonus, 34 
 years, and after he was appointed by the Romans, 
 37 years/'J Now, taking the period of the Asa- 
 monean dynasty at 125 years, and the years of 
 the reign of Herod before Christ was born, at 33, 
 we have, from the preceding extracts, the intervals 
 in the Table, and the extent of the whole period 
 642 years, according to Josephus. This result 
 receives a striking confirmation from the summa- 
 tion of the periods contained in the Titles of the 
 different Books of the Antiquities which relate the 
 
 * 2 Kings xxv. 4. t Luke iii. 1, 23. 
 t Hudson's Josephus, vol. i. pp. 547 979. 
 
 U
 
 290 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 History from the 1st year of Cyrus to the death of 
 Herod. Thus, 
 
 Years. 
 
 The Captivity continued . .>.,, 70 
 The Xlth Book comprehends . . 253 
 The Xllth Book . ! . 170 
 
 The XHIth Book ' ! V ' '> J 82 
 
 The XlVth Book . ,.<i . 32 
 
 The XVth Book ,-.-.: 18 
 
 The XVIth Book .',. 12 
 
 The XVIIth Book to the year before ) 
 
 f 5* 
 the death of Herod, comprehends ) 
 
 Total 642 
 
 Thus it appears that Josephus, or his corrupter, 
 conscious that by the omission of the Second 
 Cainan, he had curtailed the length of the true 
 age of the world, has compensated for this gene- 
 ration, by enlarging the Postdiluvian biennial 
 period, the Antepaidogonian age of Nahor, the 
 reign of Solomon, and the extent of the Hierarchal 
 age ; for, we shall see that by the summation of 
 the different ages as we have now determined 
 them from the Antiquities, we obtain the true 
 period from the Creation to the Christian Era, 
 viz. 5478 years ! 
 
 The extent of the Sixth age according to Theo- 
 philus, is obtained from the following extracts: 
 " The 70 years being finished, Cyrus king of the 
 Persians, in the 2d year of his reign," proclaimed 
 the return of the Jews; "then, Cyrus having 
 * See Dr. Hales's " Analysis," vol. ii. p. 652.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 291 
 
 reigned 29 years died," u. c. 220; "at which 
 time Tarquin surnamed Superbus began to reign" 
 at Rome, " who reigned 25 years. After whom, 
 the Consuls and Tribunes reigned 453 years." 
 To these, succeeded 1 the Emperors, " First Caius 
 Julius, 3 years, 4 months, 6 days ; then Augus- 
 tus, 56 years, 4 months, 1 day."* From these 
 extracts, it is evident that Theophilus reckoned 
 54 years from the end of the Jewish captivity to 
 the Regifugium at Rome ; and 46 years from the 
 beginning of the Roman Empire to the Christian 
 Era.f Thus, according to Theophilus, the whole 
 extent of this period is 623 years ; and conse- 
 quently, the period from Creation to the Christian 
 era, 5507 years. We obtain the extent of the Sixth 
 age according to Africanus, from the following 
 fragments of his work: "For after the 70th year 
 of the captivity, Cyrus having sent" the Jews to 
 rebuild the temple, " we find the kingdom of the 
 Persians extending to 230 years, and that of the 
 Macedonians to 300 years ; and thence to the 16th 
 year of Tiberius Caesar, 60 years." Again, " the 
 whole time of the Macedonian empire, was 300 
 years wanting 2," from its commencement till 
 its termination with Cleopatra, the last of the 
 Ptolemies, in the 14th year of the Roman monar- 
 chy ; " all the years from Adam being 5472." 
 
 * Lib. iii. ad Autolycum, pp. 268277. 
 t Luke iii. 1, 23 ; and p. 89, Part /. 
 I Routh's Rel. Sac. pp. 181, 186, 187. 
 u 2
 
 292 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 Here, Africanus appears to have forgotten himself, 
 and after saying that the period of the Grecian 
 Empire was 298 years, he still reckons it 300, and 
 thus obtains the number of 5472 years from the 
 Creation. Taking 298 years for the correct 
 period of that Empire, and 30 years as the true 
 interval from its termination to the Christian era, 
 we have 628 years for the extent of the Sixth age, 
 according to this chronographer ; and conse- 
 quently, the whole period from the Creation to 
 the Christian era, 5500 years. 
 
 The extent and intervals of the Sixth age ac- 
 cording to Eusebius in his Chronicon, were 
 obtained from the same sources as before, see 
 p. 286. He dates the proclamation of Cyrus in 
 the 30th year of the Captivity, and his death in 
 the 60th year. He next dates the 70th year of 
 the Captivity in the 2nd of Darius Hystaspes, 
 and thus annihilates 40 years of the Persian 
 Empire before that epoch ; consequently, only 
 190 years remained after it, as he reckons the 
 whole period 230 years. He next reckons 6 
 years of the reign of Alexander the Great, inde- 
 pendently of the Grecian Empire, which he esti- 
 mates at 295 years under the Ptolemies ; thus 
 making the whole period of the Macedo-Grecian 
 empire 301 years. Lastly, he dates the Birth of 
 Christ in the 42d year of Augustus Caesar, his 
 1 5th year being reckoned coincident with the 
 22d of Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemies; hence,
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 293 
 
 the period from the end of the Grecian Empire to 
 the Christian era, is 27 years, and the extent of 
 the whole period under discussion, 588 years. 
 Thus Eusebius, by an admixture of the Hebrew 
 and Septuagint Chronologies in his Canon, makes 
 the period from Creation to the Christian era, 
 5199 years. The intervals 'and extent of the 
 Sixth age, according to the author of the Paschal 
 Chronicle, were obtained from his work, see 
 p. 286. He follows Eusebius in his epochs of the 
 1st of Cyrus and the end of the Captivity ; but he 
 reckons the whole period of the Persian Empire 
 at 246 years, and thus makes the remainder 206 
 years after the Captivity. He estimates the 
 period of the Grecian Empire at 296 years, in- 
 cluding Alexander; and the reign of Augustus 
 Caesar as sole Emperor, at 44 years ; thus making 
 the period from the end of the Grecian empire to 
 the birth of Christ 29 years, and the extent of the 
 whole period in question, 601 years. According 
 to this author, therefore, by the summation of 
 his periods the number of years from the Cre- 
 ation to the Christian era, is 5512 ; but he states 
 it himself at 5507 years. He seems to have 
 obtained this period, by annihilating 2 years in 
 the extent of the 4th age and 3 years in that of 
 the 5th age, in order to make it coincide with 
 that of Theophilus. 
 
 The following table exhibits the summation of 
 the Six ages of the world, according to their ex-
 
 294 
 
 ERRORS OF THE 
 
 tent, as determined in the preceding pages, from 
 the works of the ancient chronographers ; in- 
 cluding those of the Septuagint, with the Sixth 
 age as determined by the Canon of Ptolemy. 
 
 TABLE X. 
 
 MUNDANE 
 AGES. 
 
 First . 
 
 SEPTTA- 
 
 GINT. 
 
 Years. 
 2262 
 
 JOSEPHUS. 
 
 Years. 
 2256 
 
 THEO- 
 
 PHILUS. 
 
 Years. 
 2242 
 
 AFRI- 
 CA NUS. 
 Years. 
 
 2262 
 
 EuSEBIUS. 
 
 Years. 
 2242 
 
 PASOH. 
 
 ClIRON. 
 
 Years. 
 2262 
 
 Second . 
 
 1147 
 
 1068 
 
 1011 
 
 1015 
 
 1017 
 
 1145 
 
 Third . 
 
 431 
 
 430 
 
 645 
 
 430 
 
 430 
 
 430 
 
 Fourth . 
 
 612 
 
 612 
 
 541 
 
 745 
 
 480 
 
 632 
 
 Fifth 1 
 
 439 
 
 470 
 
 445 
 
 420 
 
 442 
 
 442 
 
 Sixth . 
 
 587 
 
 642 
 
 623 
 
 628 
 
 588 
 
 601 
 
 Total 5478 5478 5507 5500 5199 5512 
 
 The following table exhibits the summation of 
 the different periods into which the four Christian 
 chronographers subdivide the Great Mundane 
 period, from Creation to the Era of Redemption. 
 
 TABLE XI. 
 
 1. Eras and Intervals according to Theophilus.* 
 
 Years. 
 From Creation to the Flood . . . 2242 
 
 From the Flood to Abraham . : t *| . 1036 
 
 From Abraham to Moses , fl , . ... 660 
 
 From Moses to David . . ,. . , 498 
 
 From David to the Captivity . . . . 518 
 
 From the Captivity to Aurelius . .' 744 
 
 From Creation to Aurelius . . . 5698 
 From the Christian Era to Aurelius . 191 
 
 From Creation to the Christian Era . 5507 
 * Lib. iii. ad Autolycum, pp. 276281.
 
 ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHER8. 295 
 
 2. Eras and Intervals according to Africanus.* 
 
 Years. 
 
 From Adam to the Flood . . . 2262 
 From the Flood to Abraham . . .1015 
 From Abraham to Joseph . . . 286 
 From Joseph to Eli . . . 729 
 
 From Eli to the Captivity of the Ten Tribes 458 
 From the Captivity to the Resurrection "J 
 
 I Ijfg] 
 
 and Ascension of Christ . . ) 
 
 5531 
 From the Birth to the Resurrection and 1 
 
 I 01 
 
 Ascension of Christ . . / 
 From Adam to the Christian Era 5500 
 
 3. Eras and Intervals according to Eusebius.^ 
 
 Years. 
 
 From Adam to the Flood . . . 2242 
 
 From the Flood to Abraham and Ninus . 942 
 
 From Ninus to Moses and Cecrops 505 
 
 From Cecrops to the Fall of Troy . . 329 
 
 From the Fall of Troy to the 1st Olympiad 406 
 
 From the 1st Olympiad to Darius . ' . 256 
 
 From Darius to the 15th of Tiberius . 548 
 
 From Adam to the 15th of Tiberius . 5228 
 From the Nativity to the 15th of Tiberius 29 
 
 From Adam to the Christian Era . - . 5199 
 
 * Routh's Reliquiee Sacrae, vol. ii. pp. 129 193. 
 
 f Seethe Hieronymian version of his " Chronicon," Ven. 1483.
 
 296 ERRORS OF THE ANCIENT CHRONOGRAPHERS. 
 
 4. Eras and Intervals according to the Paschal Chronicle.* 
 
 Years. 
 
 From Adam to the Flood . . . 2262 
 From the Flood to the Exodus ' o; . 1575 
 From the Exodus to the Temple ' '. >';' :.' 614 
 From the Temple to Cyrus ;-t ' &.*. v 480 
 From Cyrus to Alexander . .;.-.'. 249 
 From Alexander to the 15th of Tiberius . 356 
 
 From Adam to the 15th of Tiberius . 5536 
 From the Nativity to the 15th of Tiberius 29 
 
 From Adam to the Christian Era . . 5507 
 
 We shall now conclude this work, with a 
 Chronological Table of the principal epochs and 
 events from the Creation of the World to the 
 Advent of our Saviour. The epochs of Sacred 
 History determined according to the true Chro- 
 nology, are printed in Roman letters, and the 
 epochs of Profane History in Italics. In the 
 former, Cuninghame is our best authority ; in 
 the latter, Clinton, with occasional reference to 
 Russell, or Hales. Some dates that seem to be 
 well founded, are taken from Julius Africanus. 
 The epochs marked with a Star are either tradi- 
 tional or conjectural. The Critarchates, Reigns, 
 Missions, Commissions, &c., are all dated at their 
 respective commencements ; and the extent of 
 each of the two former may be determined from 
 the table, by taking the difference of the dates of 
 any two consecutive Critarchates or Reigns. 
 * See " Chrouicon Paschale," p. 179, Ven. 1729.
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 
 
 FIRST AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 21 Traditional Epoch of the Creation . ',.,, . 5500 
 
 21 "Higher Astronomical Epoch of the Brahmins . 5500 
 
 1 True Epoch of the Creation . 5478 
 
 100 *Death of Abel . . . . ' /,V. . . 5379 
 
 230 Birth of Seth . ... '.^0 . . 5249 
 
 435 Birth of Enos . . . . . ."V . 5044 
 
 625 Birth of Cainan 1 4854 
 
 765 Chronological Epoch of the Julian Period . 4714 
 
 795 Birth of Mahalaleel . ..., . . . 4684 
 
 931 Death of Adam .' . . ' . : ; . 4548 
 
 960 Birth of Jared . . . . ,/;' . 4519 
 
 1070 *Apostacy of the Sons of God . . ^ '-, ^ . 4409 
 
 1086 Samaritan Epoch of the Creation . '-..,. . 4393 
 
 1122 Birth of Enoch . . . .\;Vi . 4357 
 
 1142 Death of Seth . . ... 4337 
 
 1179 Lower Astronomical Epoch of the Brahmins . 4300 
 
 1286 *Astronomical Revelations of Uriel . . .4193 
 
 1287 Birth of Methuseleh . . ,' . ... . 4192 
 1340 Death of Enos. . . 'M; ? :, . V. . 4139 
 1406 Astronomical Epoch of Laplace . . . 4073 
 
 1474 Birth of Lamech . . . : '. . . 4005 
 
 1475 Hebrew Usher Epoch of Creation . / . 4004 
 1487 Translation of Enoch . , r . '.,.,... > . 3992 
 1535 Death of Cainan I. . ". . . . . 3944 
 1662 Birth of Noah. . . V " / . . 3817 
 1690 Death of Mahalaleel . '':,',; 3789 
 1719 Modern Jewish Epoch of Creation " ( . (J V" . 3760 
 1922 Death of Jared . . "^': fl) - ; , f . 3557 
 2142 Prediction of the Flood . .'/' " ,/' :".." . 3337 
 2162 Birth of Japhet or lapetus . .'.''!'. ' . 3317 
 
 2164 BirthofShem. . .. " >r *.. . . u ^ 3315 
 
 2165 BirthofHam . > . " . ".' , ' - 3 31 4 
 2227 Death of Lamech . . . *.'" & - 3252
 
 298 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 B.C. 
 
 2256 Death of Methuselah .... 
 
 . 3223 
 
 2256 Flavian Epoch of the Flood . 
 2262 True Epoch of the Flood .... 
 
 . 3223 
 . 3217 
 
 SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 
 2263 Descent of Noah from the Ark . 
 
 . 3216 
 
 2263 First appearance of the Rainbow . 
 2264 Birth of Arphaxad 
 2377 Hindoo Epoch of the Calyougham . 
 2399 Birth of Cainan II. . . ' . 
 
 . 3216 
 . 3215 
 . 3102 
 3080 
 
 2401 First Jubilee of Jubilees from Creation 
 
 . 3078 
 
 2526 Chinese Epoch of Fohi . . . 
 2529 Birth of Salah . . . . . 
 
 . 2953 
 . , 2950 
 
 2579 Foundation of Egypt by Mizraim . . , 
 2612 Death of Noah " . > . . '.' '.' 
 
 . 2900 
 , 2867 
 
 2659 Birth of Eber . . . . : ..'. .V| 
 
 . 2820 
 
 2764 Death of Shem 
 2793 Birth of Peleg or Phalec . ; .' '. ! 
 
 . 2715 
 2686 
 
 
 2677 
 
 2859 Death of Cainan II. . : '. '" . '. ; 
 
 2620 
 
 2923 Birth of Reu or Ragau . . .' , . 
 2962 Death of Salah . . , . 
 
 . 2556 
 . 2517 
 
 3018 Chinese Epoch of Tchouen-Hiu . '. 
 3055 Birth of Serug . . ^ .' . 
 3063 Death of Eber . . .'. 
 
 . 2461 
 . 2424 
 . 2416 
 
 3079 *Foundation of Babel .... 
 
 . 2400 
 
 3081 *Confusion of Tongues .... 
 3081 *Division of the Earth .... 
 
 . 2398 
 . 2398 
 
 3122 Chinese Epoch of Yao . . : ~ ' . ' 
 3132 Death of Peleg . . " . . 
 3152 Foundation of Memphis by Menes . 
 3185 Birth of Nahor . . . . 
 
 . 2357 
 . 2347 
 . 2327 
 . 2294 
 
 3249 *Birthof Job . . .. . . . 
 
 . 2236 
 
 3246 Babylon taken by the Medes y 
 3246 Chaldean Astronomical Epoch . 
 3262 Death of Reu . . * . . - . 
 
 . 2233 
 . 2233 
 2217 
 
 3264 Birth of Terah 
 
 . 2215 
 
 3297 Foundation of the Assyrian Monarchy 
 3334 Birth of Abraham 
 
 . 2182 
 . 2145 
 
 3343 "Trial of Job 
 
 . 2136 
 
 3385 Death of Serug 
 3406 "Abraham arrives in Haran 
 
 . 2094 
 . 2073 
 
 3409 Death of Terah 
 
 . 2070 
 
 3409 True Epoch of the Call of Abraham . 
 
 . 2070
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 299 
 
 THIRD AGE OF THE WOULD. 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 3410 Descent of Abraham to Egypt .... 2069 
 
 3418 Canaan promised to Abraham .... 2061 
 
 3420 Birth of Ishmael 2059 
 
 3433 Covenant of Circumcision .... 2046 
 
 3433 Destruction of Sodom . . . . . 2046 
 
 3434 Birth of Isaac 2045 
 
 3471 Death of Sarah . . ..( /.- . . . 2008 
 
 3474 Marriage of Isaac . . ;.<;: . . . 2005 
 
 3483 *Deathof Job . . . . >,. = . .1996 
 
 3494 Birth of Jacob and Esau . * ' . . . 1985 
 
 3509 Death of Abraham . V . , . .' , 1970 
 
 3522 Foundation of Sicyon . . .' .'.x. . 1957 
 
 3534 Marriage of Esau . ...'. . . 1935 
 
 3557 Death of Ishmael .... >'>. 'I/ . 1922 
 
 3571 Jacob goes to Padanaram . . !,;. . 1908 
 
 3571 Marriage of Jacob . ..v . . *.** . 1908 
 
 3572 Birth of Reuben . . . . .'> . 1907 
 
 3574 Birth of Simeon ; . .,v. . to.> <.< . 1905 
 
 3575 Birth of Levi . . . ..:'. --.\^ . 1904 
 
 3576 Birth of Judah . . . . ..--v 1903 
 
 3587 Foundation of the Assyrian Empire . '- . 1892 
 
 3591 Jacob returns to Canaan . . .i, - 1 V -'.- 1888 
 
 3598 Birth of Benjamin . . ttjihWj WM . 1881 
 
 3602 Joseph carried into Egypt . . '.< . 1877 
 
 3614 Death of Isaac . . . ,/ ',w . 1865 
 
 3615 Joseph made Regent of Egypt . *': u-vj . -t . 1864 
 
 3616 First Year of Plenty . ...-. . \$*ti . 1863 
 3622 Birth of Kohath . tif.A . : ....W:v -v 1857 
 3624 Eisodus of Jacob into Egypt . . . i\'J 1855 
 3641 Death of Jacob ^. . : .i'i i '.-,- fci* . 1838 
 3684 Birth of Amram . . ,.. 'i^ .)-'- V 1795 
 3695 Death of Joseph . V- T .. ..-> .v . 1784 
 3712 Death of Levi . . . V- . *-V. 1767 
 3726 Descent of Phoroneus . . ,v-^ . ''* 1753 
 
 3755 Death of Kohath . . . . v : . 1724 
 
 3756 Birth of Aaron . . . '.;'.i. . 1723 
 3759 Birth of Moses . >vi *-,.;. . v^V ' 1720 
 3787 Foundation of Argos . . . -. . 1692 
 3799 Moses flies to Midian . . . v "- r " *& 1680 
 3837 Flood of Ogyges . . ^:*<-. .-\ -: '& << . 1642 
 3840 True Epoch of the Exodus . i-^-. '.... * 1639
 
 300 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 
 
 FOURTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 3840 The Law proclaimed at Sinai ; -, > . 1 >+ :i*i! 1639 
 
 3879 Death of Aaron and Moses . inr<vi!f.ifia# 1600 
 
 3880 Passage of the Jordan . . . . ; U dtu. 1599 
 3886 Division of Canaan by Lot -:;.<> u. M*,n v 1593 
 3896 Death of Joshua . . * . rfc^Sj . 1583 
 3894 Foundation of Athens .... i. - r j 1585 
 3907 First Servitude of Israel . . ;,i. -.'.;..' . 1572 
 3915 Critarchate of Othniel . ,-u . v >.^ 1564 
 3955 Second Servitude . . . . . - : 41 1524 
 3973 Critarchate of Ehud . ;/.';:,!<. . . 1506 
 3988 Indian Astronomical Epoch . '<v\ . . 1491 
 4013 Descent of Danaus and Pelasgus . . . 1466 
 4043 Flood of Deucalion . . - -.! . . 1436 
 4043 Third Servitude . . . .' i : .. !; . 1426 
 4073 Critarchate of Deborah and Barak . oq^ift .. 1406 
 4096 Reign of Dardanus and Erectheus ! ..t . '? 1383 
 4113 Fourth Servitude . . . . . ' . 1366 
 
 4119 The Sphere of Chiron or MUSCBUS . . .1360 
 
 4120 Critarchate of Gideon . . . H ,'. . 1359 
 4146 A za, Aphidas and Elatus, in Arcadia . . 1333 
 4160 Critarchate of A bimelech .... 1319 
 4163 Critarchate of Tolah . . . -,' .1316 
 
 4166 Descent of Cadmus 1313 
 
 4186 Critarchate of Jair ;.}..' . ; .':. . 1*93 
 
 4196 Descent of Pelops . . . \>. '- . 1283 
 
 4208 Fifth Servitude . . ; . . . .1271 
 
 4218 Birth of Hercules . . W. . . .1261 
 
 4226 Critarchate of Jephthah . . . [ : f. '.: . 1253 
 
 4232 Critarchate of Ibzan 1247 
 
 4239 Critarchate of Elon 1240 
 
 4249 Critarchate of Abdon . . . U ; . 1230 
 
 4254 Argonautic Expedition . . v-. -..;"' . 1225 
 
 4257 Sixth Servitude . . . ~U- t : .',, . 1222 
 
 4266 First Theban War . . . . . .1213 
 
 4292 Destruction of Troy . . . >.K ,>v 1184 
 
 4297 Critarchate of Eli ... .; : * ' . 1182 
 
 4303 Reign of Orestes at Argos . . ". 1176 
 
 4337 Seventh Servitude . ' . ,' . ; * 1142 
 
 4355 Aeolic Migration . . . -* ;': r ' 1124 
 
 4357 Critarchate of Samuel . . . v, ". 1122 
 
 4369 Reign of Saul . i:^ .;; 1110 
 
 4375 Return of the HeradidoE . . . '. .1104
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 301 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 4379 Birth of David . . . .--. 1100 
 
 4405 Reign of Aletes at Corinth .... 1074 
 
 4409 Reign of David . . . . .1070 
 
 4417 Capture of Jerusalem 1062 
 
 4435 Ionic Migration 1044 
 
 4449 Reign of Solomon 1 030 
 
 4452 Foundation of Solomon's Temple . . . 1027 
 
 FIFTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 4459 Completion of Solomon's Temple . . . 1020 
 
 4464 Foundation of Smyrna . . . . .1015 
 
 4489 Revolt of the Ten Tribes of Israel . . . 990 
 
 4489 Reign of Jeroboam and Rehoboam . . . 990 
 
 4492 Lapse of the Twelve Tribes into Idolatry . . 987 
 
 4494 Invasion of Shishak . . . ;. t ': . 985 
 
 4506 Reign of Abijah 973 
 
 4509 Reign of Asa 970 
 
 4511 Reign of Nadab 968 
 
 4512 Reign of Baasha 967 
 
 4517 Acme of Homer . . . . 962 
 
 4520 Asa defeats the Ethiopians .... 959 
 
 4535 Reign of Ela ._ 944 
 
 4536 Reigns of Zimri and Omri . . . ' :^ 943 
 
 4537 Acme of Hesiod 942 
 
 4540 Foundation of Samaria 939 
 
 4546 Reign of Ahab . 933 
 
 4550 Reign of Jehoshaphat 929 
 
 4553 Jehoshaphat appoints Judges .... 926 
 
 4555 Mission of Elijah 924 
 
 4558 Destruction of the Prophets of Baal V . . .921 
 
 4568 Reign of Ahaziah . . . ... 911 
 
 4569 Translation of Elijah . . '..*. :. 910 
 
 4569 Mission of Elisha . ... .!,,,. 910 
 
 4570 Reign of Joram . .. . .V-. . . . 909 
 4575 Reign of Jehoram . . . . . . -, * . 904 
 
 4581 Reign of Ahaziah . . . .>E. Y\ 898 
 
 4582 Reigns of Athaliah and Jehu j^*jl . . .. 897 
 4588 Reign of Jehoash . . . ^.k, i.-r*:., . 891 
 4595 Olympiad of Iphitus . . HMb-V 884 
 4604 Mission of Jonah ,. : .': . . ? } v ., :.< '..' . 875 
 4610 Reign of Jehoahaz . . . ;<">. ;i . 869 
 4627 Death of Elisha . / . . . . . 852 
 
 4627 Reign of Joash . . >. . . .852 
 
 4628 Reign of Amaziah . . , ..u. . .851
 
 302 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 4633 Reign of Jeroboam II. .- . . 'V'. . 836 
 
 4657 Interregnum in Judah V , . 822 
 
 4669 Reign of Uzziah . .-.-.:. . 810 
 
 4684 Interregnum in Israel . ^ . . . 795 
 
 4684 Missions of Hosea and Amos . . > > 795 
 
 4703 Era of the Olympiads .... 776 
 
 4706 Reigns of Zechariah and Shallum ,<* . . 773 
 
 4708 Invasion of Pul . , . ' . . . . 771 
 
 4718 Reign of Pekahiah . . . . ... 761 
 
 4719 Mission of Isaiah . '\ . ' .' . . 760 
 
 4720 Reign of Pekah . . . . . '.759 
 
 4721 Reign of Jotham ' .' . V i . \ 758 
 4726 Foundation of Rome . ;' . * >. 753 
 4729 Mission of Micah ^ . U u 750 
 4732 Era of Nabonassar . -. . - *V- ' . . 747 
 4737 Reign of Ahaz ....... 742 
 
 4739 Captivity of the Transjordanic Tribes . . 740 
 
 4740 Interregnum in Israel . j& * 4V) 739 
 4745 Foundation of Syracuse . . ' "vl 734 
 4750 Reign of Hoshea . ..''./"> i 729 
 
 4752 Mission of Nahum . . . .iiv . 727 
 
 4753 Reign of Hezekiah . .M'-.^ > . . 726 
 4758 Captivity of the Ten Tribes ''.{* . v. . 721 
 
 4766 Invasion of Sennacherib . '. .' ,'', 713 
 
 4767 Destruction of the Assyrian Army 'i '" -> -e ' ' 712 
 
 4768 Revolt of the Medes . . - 4 ' l u- . 711 
 4782 Reign of Manasseh . . F:v*jt; , . 697 
 4792 Foundation of the Median Empire . . -. 687 
 4796 Creon First Annual Archon at Athens * ' 683 
 4802 Captivity of Manasseh . . . :* v '; 677 
 4802 Second Jubilee of Jubilees from Creation . . 677 
 4802 Captivity of the Remnant of Israel *r ; Ml|> ^77 
 4822 Foundation of Byzantium .... 657 
 4837 Reign of Amon ' .- . ^.. . . w 642 
 
 4839 Reign of Josiah . . . . , . ftl 640 
 
 4840 Birth of Thales . . . .1-^4 639 
 
 4850 Josiah reforms the Land . /r . ; V . > i. 629 
 
 4851 Mission of Jeremiah . ^'. . fi ._:**. 628 
 4856 The Book of the Law found . ' i . -.:**.'.:;. 623 
 4856 Mission of Zephaniah . rf?- . . '* 623 
 
 4858 Legislation of Draco . . . ,'\ 621 
 
 4859 Missions of Joel and Habakkuk . . .*. 620 
 4863 Reign of Pharaoh Necho . . . .616 
 
 4867 Destruction of Nineveh . . . .612 
 
 4868 The acme of Sappho 611 
 
 4869 Reigcn of Jehoahaz 610
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 303 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 4869 Birth of Anaximander . -, "< . 610 
 
 4870 Reign of Jehoiakim - . -f < . . *i .- . 609 
 4873 Reign of Nebuchadnezzar .... 606 
 
 4873 Era of the Babylonish Captivity . . .606 
 
 4874 First Vision of Nebuchadnezzar . ..-> . 605 
 
 4876 Rebellion of Jehoiakim 603 
 
 4876 Epoch of the Eclipse of Thales . . -. 603 
 
 4880 Reign of Jehoiachin .... "^T. 599 
 
 4881 1st year of Jehoiachin's Captivity . . 598 
 4881 Reign of Zedekiah 598 
 
 4884 Birth of Croesus ...... 595 
 
 4885 Mission of Ezekiel ..... 594 
 4885 Legislation of Solon ..... 594 
 
 4889 Siege of Jerusalem 590 
 
 4891 Destruction of Solomon's Temple . . 588 
 
 SIXTH AGE OF THE WORLD. 
 
 4891 The BABYLONIAN or ASSYRIAN EMPIRE . 588 
 
 4893 Celebration of the Pythian games . . 586 
 
 4893 Era of the Seven Sages of Greece . . 586 
 
 4907 Acme of Esop 572 
 
 4918 Reign of Evil Merodach .... 561 
 
 4937 Release of Jehoiachin . .... 562 
 
 4920 Reiyn of Neriglissar ..... 559 
 
 4920 Reiyn of Cyrus in Persia .... 559 
 
 4924 Reign of Nabonadius or Belshazzar . . 555 
 
 4924 The First Vision of Daniel .... 555 
 
 4924 The Second Vision of Daniel . 557 
 
 4931 Anaximenes flourished ... . . . 548 
 
 4931 Cyrus takes Sardis \&, .... 548 
 
 4939 Pythagoras flourished ;1 <, . . . 540 
 
 4941 Cyrus takes Babylon . . v.;\i 538 
 
 4941 Xenophanes flourished .... 538 
 
 4941 Reign of Darius the Mede .... 538 
 
 4941 The Third Vision of Daniel . . . .538 
 
 4943 M EDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE .... 536 
 
 4943 1st year of Cyrus the Persian .... 536 
 
 4943 Commission of Zerubbabel and Joshua . . 536 
 
 4944 Foundation of the Second Temple . . 535 
 
 4945 The Fourth Vision of Daniel it -U 534 
 4948 Anacreon flourished . V* \ . . .531 
 4950 Reign of Cambyses or Ahasuerus '<' . 529 
 4954 Cambyses conquers Egypt .... 525 
 4954 Birth of Mschylus . W,, . .525
 
 304 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 4957 Usurpation of the Persian Throne .' W v . 522 
 
 4958 Reign of Darius Hystaspes :-;.- . - . 521 
 
 4959 Missions of Haggai and Zechariah . ':.>,. . 520 
 4959 The Second Temple re-founded . . . 520 
 
 4961 Birth of Pindar '; iil 518 
 
 4963 The Destruction of Babylon . . . .516 
 
 4963 The Second Temple completed ^ * . . 516 
 
 4970 The Roman Rcgifugium i. . ' o v'- . . 509 
 
 4971 Expulsion of the Pisistratida . .. ; . . 510 
 4979 Birth of Anaxagoras . s.:,' . : > ." ' . 508 
 4984 Birth of Sophocles . . ..." i .V; . 495 
 4989 The Battle of Marathon ',' , ; : V" .. 490 
 
 4994 Reign of Xerxes the Great . ' , ' . v 485 
 
 4995 Birth of Herodotus . ;. . . '. 484 
 
 4996 Ostracism of Aristides . . .1 . 483 
 
 4999 Battle of Salamis 480 
 
 4999 Birth of Euripides 480 
 
 5008 Birth of Thucydides n ! . * : : . 471 
 
 5011 Birth of Socrates ,468 
 
 5015 Reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus .'.> ; . 464 
 
 5015 Zeno flourished . . . * . . 464 
 
 5019 Births of Democritus and Hippocrates . . 460 
 
 5021 The Commission of Ezra . . ' . . 458 
 
 5021 The Isi Week of Daniel begins fcs3 . .., i, 458 
 
 5024 Empedocles flourished . . . - . 455 
 
 5028 The Roman Decemviri . . . v*i..,' . 451 
 
 5030 Restoration of the Consuls . . v**-^ * 449 
 
 5034 The Commission of Nehemiah , . 445 
 
 5035 Military Tribunes at Rome * . . ,'u . 444 
 
 5046 Nehemiah returns to Artaxerxes '. . . . 433 
 
 5047 Meton flourished . .1 u^. . . -. 432 
 
 5048 The Peloponnessian War w . . .431 
 
 5049 Mission of Malachi 430 
 
 5050 Birth of Plato ji. 429 
 
 5051 Aristophanes flourished . . . .-. */. 428 
 
 5055 Close of the Old Testament Canon . . , r i , . 424 
 
 5056 Reign of Darius Nothus . . &i* v .>. . 423 
 5070 The 7th Week of Daniel ends ;.., . . :< 409 
 5075 Reign of Artaxerxes Mnemon . \i 404 
 5075 Ly sander takes Athens .... / 404 
 5078 The Anabasis of Xenophon : ; .. * ,.-.: . 401 
 5081 Ctesias flourished . ': '* . ,. . -; ... 398 
 5089 Rome burnt by the Gauls . **. i v ',; J ., . 390 
 5095 Birth of Aristotle .-.>.-;.-.!* ," tj.. , ... 384 
 5108 Battle of Leuctra . . rwK^i - .371 
 511] Eudoxus flourished .... 368
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 305 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 5113 Consuls restored at Rome .... 366 
 
 5119 The 14th Week of Daniel ends . . . 360 
 
 5120 The accession of Philip . . . ... 359 
 
 5121 Reign of Ochus . . . . , . *' 358 
 5123 Birth of Alexander the Great . . . 356 
 
 5138 Birth of Epicurus .... V- . 341 
 
 5139 Demosthenes flourished . . . ' ". '' . 340 
 
 5141 Battle of Charonea ..< . . v . . 338 
 
 5142 Reign of Arses . . . . *' . 337 
 
 5143 Reign of Alexander in Macedon w . 336 
 
 5144 Reign of Darius Codomannus . ... 335 
 
 5145 Alexander crosses the Hellespont . . . 334 
 5147 Tyre taken by Alexander . . v ' . 332 
 
 5147 Alexandria founded . . . * , . 332 
 
 5148 Battle of Arbela . . . . ;. .> 331 
 5150 MACEDO-GRECIAN EMPIRE . . . <- . 329 
 5156 Death of Alexander . . . V . 323 
 5159 Ptolemy takes Jerusalem . . . i ; 320 
 5168 The 21st Week of Daniel ends . . ; . 311 
 5167 Era of the Seleucidse or Contracts . '.. ' . 312 
 5174 Reign of Ptolemy Lagus . . . '>' . 305 
 5180 A rcesilaus flourished . . . > -.; . 299 
 5194 Reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus . . V 285 
 
 5199 Reign of Antiochus Soter . . . . . 280 
 
 5200 Irruption of the Gauls into Greece v* ' " '-. 279 
 5202 Epoch of the Septuagint Version . . i- 277 
 5215 First Punic War . . . ; .- ' ;' 264 
 
 5217 The 28th Week of Daniel ends . . . ' 262 
 
 5218 Reign of Antiochus Theus . > v i 261 
 
 5232 Reign of Ptolemy Evergetes .... 247 
 
 5233 Reign of Seleucus Callinicius .... 246 
 5238 Sicily ceded to Rome \ . . . . .241 
 5254 Reign of Seleucus Ceraunus .... 225 
 
 5256 Reign of Antiochus the Great . . . / 223 
 
 5257 Reign of Ptolemy Philopator . Y" ';' . '.V 222 
 5261 Second Punic War . . . > V . : 218 
 5263 Battle of Cannae . . . >v'>. - : .- 216 
 5266 The 35th Week of Daniel ends . . . .213 
 5274 Reign of Ptolemy Epiphanes . . . v 205 
 5289 The Romans cross the Hellespont . . .190 
 5292 Reign of Seleucus Philopator . . . .187 
 5298 Reign of Ptolemy Philometor . . . ?- A v 181 
 5304 Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes . . . V 175 
 5304 Antiochus persecutes the Jews 10 years . . 175 
 5304 End of the Jewish Hierarchy . ' . . ^.? 175 
 5309 Antiochus sacks Jerusalem . . . '- J' 170
 
 306 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 B.C. 
 
 5311 
 
 Macedon subdued by the Romans 
 
 . ' 168 
 
 5312 
 
 Martyrdom of the Maccabees . 
 
 . . 167 
 
 5313 
 
 The Asamonean Dynasty 
 
 . 166 
 
 5313 
 
 Reign of Judas Maccabeus 
 
 . 166 
 
 5315 
 
 Reign of Antiochus Eupator 
 
 . 164 
 
 5315 
 
 The 42d Week of Daniel ends . 
 
 164 
 
 5317 
 
 Reign of Demetrius Soter 
 
 162 
 
 5318 
 
 The Jews allied with the Romans 
 
 . 161 
 
 5329 
 
 Reign of Alexander Balas 
 
 150 
 
 5330 
 
 Third Punic War .... 
 
 . 149 
 
 5333 
 
 Reign of Demetrius Nicator 
 
 . 146 
 
 5333 
 
 Reign of Ptolemy Physcon . , . 
 
 146 
 
 5333 
 
 Destruction of Carthage . 
 
 . 146 
 
 5336 
 
 Reign of Antiochus VI. Epiphanes 
 
 . 143 
 
 5337 
 
 Reign of Trypho . . . n 1 . 
 
 . i 142 
 
 5341 
 
 Reign of Antiochus Sidetes 
 
 . 138 
 
 5351 
 
 2d Reign of Demetrius Nicator . 
 
 128 
 
 5354 
 
 Reign of Alexander Zebina . *i.i . 
 
 . 125 
 
 5356 
 
 Reign of Antiochus Grypus 
 
 . 123 
 
 5362 
 
 Reign of Ptolemy Soter . 
 
 . 117 
 
 5364 
 
 The 49th Week of Daniel ends . 
 
 115 
 
 5374 
 
 Africa made a Roman Province 
 
 . '/.;. 105 
 
 5384 
 
 Reign of Seleucus Nicator 
 
 95 
 
 5387 
 
 Reign of Philip . TV 
 
 92 
 
 5389 
 
 Cicero flourished .... 
 
 90 
 
 5396 
 
 
 83 
 
 5397 
 
 Sylla made Perpetual Dictator 
 
 82 
 
 5398 
 
 Reign of Ptolemy Auletes * 
 
 81 
 
 5410 
 
 Birth of Virgil .... 
 
 69 
 
 5410 
 
 Reign of Antiochus Asiaticus . \*\ f \ 
 
 69 
 
 5413 
 
 The 56th Week of Daniel ends'. , .-. - 
 
 66 
 
 5414 
 
 Birth of Horace . . . , , .\ , , 
 
 -.'' . 65 
 
 5414 
 
 Syria made a Roman Province . ' . 
 
 : * r . 65 
 
 5416 
 
 Jerusalem taken by Pompey . *.;? 
 
 . . 63 
 
 5419 
 
 First Roman Triumvirate . ',*/', 
 
 60 
 
 5421 
 
 Birth of Livy . . ,* , , . : V,.-. 
 
 58 
 
 5421 
 
 Julius Caesar invades Gaul 
 
 58 
 
 5425 
 
 Julius Ccesar reduces Britain . 
 
 54 
 
 5428 
 
 Reign of Cleopatra .... 
 
 51 
 
 5431 
 
 Battle of Pharsalia . . 
 
 48 
 
 5434 
 
 The 59th Week of Daniel ends . 
 
 45 
 
 5434 
 
 The Julian Era 
 
 45 
 
 5435 
 
 Death of Julius Casar 
 
 44 
 
 5436 
 
 Second Roman Triumvirate 
 
 43 
 
 5437 
 
 The Battle of Philippi 
 
 42 
 
 5441 
 
 The 60th Week of Daniel ends . 
 
 38
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 307 
 
 A.M. B.C. 
 
 5441 The Spanish Era 38 
 
 5442 Reign of Herod ..... 37 
 5442 End of the Asamoneans '. *' . . 37 
 5448 The 61st Week of Daniel ends . . . . 31- 
 
 5448 The Battle of Actium . . . , ' 31 
 
 5449 Egypt made a Roman Province ... 33 
 5449 THE ROMAN EMPIRE .... 30 
 5449 Reign of Augustus Caesar .... 30 
 5452 The Augustan Era .... 27 
 5455 The 62d Week of Daniel ends .... 24 
 5455 THE TEMPLE OF JANUS SHUT . . 24 
 5462 The 63d Week of Daniel ends . 17 
 5462 The Temple at Jerusalem rebuilt by Herod. . 17 
 5476 The 65th Week of Daniel ends ... 3 
 
 5476 BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST . . . 3 
 
 5478 Reign of Archelaus ..... 1 
 
 A.D. 
 
 5478 VULGAR ERA OF CHRISTIANITY ... 1 
 
 5486 Judea made a Roman Province ... 8 
 
 5492 Reign of Tiberius Cesar . . . . 14 
 
 5504 The 69th Week of Daniel ends ... 26 
 
 5505 Pontius Pilate procurator of Judea . .' . 27 
 
 5506 BAPTISM OF CHRIST .... 28 
 5511 The 70th Week of Daniel ends ... 33 
 
 5511 THE CRUCIFIXION AND ASCENSION . . 33 
 
 5511 THE FIFTH EMPIRE 33 
 
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