betwixt the time of the Creation of the World, and the Birth of Abraham, there are at least 1440 years want ing. Not long after this Differtation, he publifhed his Chronologia Sacra, as he calls it, where he begins the 22d Chapter with thefe following Words: Sometime ago we have made it appear, that according to the vulgar Calculation there is a defect of no less than 1440 years from the Beginning of the World till the time of Mofes, Befides which it is now our Opinion (which appeared doubtful to us before) that 60 years more ought to be added to the faid Sum, Thara the Father of Abraham being born fo many years later. There is therefore a defect of fifteen whole Ages, in the vulgar Calculation, the time from the beginning of the World till the Death of Mofes being computed by the modern Jews to confift of 2493 years; whereas the true Interval is 3993 years. It will not be amifs to infert here the alledg'dDefects in the fame Order as they have been fet down in oppofition to the vulgar Chronology, by Isaacus Voffius.

Betwixt Arphaxad and Cainan

100

Arphaxad

Betwixt the time after Cainan and that after} 130

Betwixt Salem and Heber

100

But Voffius does not ftop here; he alledges feveral other Intervals, which he fays are omitted in the vulgar Chronology: These are the following:

The years of the Elders after fofbua

Years.

18

...

18

The time of the Servitude of Ifrael under Cufhan, 8
The Anarchy after the Death of Othoniel,
Their Servitude under the Moabites,
The Anarchy after the Death of Ahud
Their Servitude under Fabin
The Anarchy after Deborah,

Their Servitude under the Midianites,
The Anarchy after Fair,

The Servitude under the Ammonites,
The Anarchy after the Death of Abdon,
Their Servitude under the Philistines,

...

20

...

7

18

40

The Anarchy after the Death of Heli, the High-20 Priest,

Thefe and feveral other Defects are imputed to the vulgar Chronology by Ifaacus Voffius; to prove which, he calls to his Aid not only the Authority of the 70 Interpreters, and Jofephus, but also the Ancient Monuments of the Egyptians, Chaldeans and Chinefe; which he fays, are of a much older Date than the vulgar Epocha: Who can be either fo blind as not to fee, fays he, p. 280. or who dare deny, that the most proper and the only way to convince those who make use of the Authority of Prophane Hiftory in contradiction to the Sacred Writ,is to demonftrate the truth of the Sacred Hiftory out of the Annals of the Gentiles? Bryan Walton feems to be of the fame Opinion with Voffius; for in the Prolegomena to his Bible printed in London, he declares that the Computation, according to the Hebrew Text, is not to be relied on; but that in its ftead the 70 Interpreters ought to be confulted. But as we fhall have occafion to examine the Authority of the Greek Computation in the Chapter of the Epocha of the Deluge, fo as to what has been objected to Chronologers concerning the newly invocated prophane Antiquities, I cannot but give this feasonable Caution; that it appears to me the most unbecoming a Chriftian Philofopher to prefer the fabulous Relations of the Gentiles before the

Ац

Authority of the Sacred Hiftory. Befides that, offisought to have confidered, that his 15 Ages will fall much fhort of fupplying the difference there is betwixt the vulgar Epocha of the World and thofe of the Chinese and other Gentiles. Neither can he be ignorant that among the Gentiles themselves Plutarch and Cenforinus, and among the Chriftians, St. Austin,have many years ago left it as their Opinion to the World, that the years mentioned in the Chronologies of the Gentiles, are not of the fame length with ours.

the Wor

was cres

S..6. But fince we have faid enough about the Epocha What time of the World, according to the Computation of the of the year Intervals the next thing in order offered to our confideration is, to infert fomething alfo concern- ed. ing the four Quarters of the year. Tacitus relates that the ancient Germans knew of no more than of three Seafons of the year: But the Divifion of the year into four Cardinal Quarters has been received many Ages among moft Nations. The beginning of the Spring is fixed at the time of the Ingrefs of the Sun into, of the Summer into, of the Autumn into, of the Winter into w. The Subject of our prefent Enquiry is, in which of these four Cardinal Points the first day of the World is to be fixed- There is fcarce any body that I know of who has taken upon him to plead for the Winter in this cafe, unless it be Claverins, who in his German Antiquities lib. 1. c 33. feems to mifapply the Word Hyems or Winter, when he fays thus; Que ritur, &c. The Question is now put in what Seafon of the year the Celta commenced their Annual Calculation whether in the beginning of the Spring, Summer or Winter? My Opinion is, that their year commenced in the beginning of Winter, as well as that of the Egyptians and the ancienteft Jews, for the beginning of time it felf runs from the fame point. But no probable reafon can be offered for the fixing of the Nativity of the World in the Winter, unless it be that the Fall of Man happening foon after the Creation, the Earth was thereupon Curfed, and that the Winter is the Seafon in which the Curfe is moft apparent. Modern Authors are against the fixing of the time of the Creation of the World in the Summer. But both Solinus and Macrobius relate, that this was the Opinion of the ancient Agyptians. For the first exprefly says, Polybist.c.35.

that

that the Egyptian Priefts had fixed the first day of the World on the 18th of July: And Macrobius in Somn. Scip.l. 1.c. 21. alledges concerning the Egyptians, That as they were the first that applied themfelves to Aftronomy, fo they affigned Leo as the proper House to the Sun; becaufe, fays he, this was confidered among them as the Native Sign of the Sun. Gerhardus Mercator who (according to the Teftimony of Buntingus) was the moft exact Chronologer of his time, follows the Opinion of the Egyptians, in this Point because it is related in the Hiftory of the Deluge, that the Dove returned with a green Olive-Leaf on the 17th day of the 11th Month. Now if it be allowed that the Olive Tree does not bloffom but in May, the Confequence is plain enough. For if the 11th Month be correfpondent to the Month of May, the Month of July, muft of neceffity be the firft. But there are many eminent Writers, who plead with equal Paffion, fome for the Spring, and fome for Autumn. Among thole who fet up for Patrons for the Spring, Virgil declares himself thus, l. 2. Georg.

In this foft Seafon (let me dare to fing,)

"

The World was hatched by Heaven's Imperial King
In prime of all the year, and holy days of Spring.
Then did the new Creation first appear,
Nor other was the tenour of the year,

When laughing Heaven did the great Birth attend,
And Eastern Winds their Wintry breath fufpend.
Dryden

Of the fame Opinion are Eufebius, S. Ambrofe, S. Cyril, S. Aftin, Beda, Melanchton, Bucholzerus, Buntingus, Codemannus, Keplerus, Kreitzhemius, Mercerus, Alftedius, Spondanus, Capellus, Edward Simpfon and William Lange; as alfo Scaliger himfelf: Befides, the Armenians, Perfians, and moft other Eaftern Coun tries, do all begin the Computation with the Spring in their publick Feftivals. But thofe who have declared for the Autumnal Quarter, are not Inferiour in Autho rity to the others. Thole of this Clafs, who at prefent occur to my memory, are, S. Ferome in Ezec.c.1. Nicholaus Lyra, almost all the Jewish Writers, but efpecially fofephust. 1. antiq. c. 4. Menaffeh ben Ifrael in

Con

Con. p. 118. who cites a great number of his own Country-men; Alphonfus Toftatus, Torniellus, Scaliger, Petavius, Helvicus, Behmius, Mofilinus, Ubbo Emmius,Calvifius,Philippus Cluverius, Facobus Ufferius, Joannes Temporarius, Hainlinus, Helwigius, the Ruffian and adjacent Nations; to which Opinion we alfo fubfcribe.

S. 7. And will alledge here in fhort the Arguments Reasons at. which commonly are, or may be made ufe of for the ledged for Confirmation of this Opinion, though we are not in- our Affer fenfible that fome of the Rabbi's Arguments contain tion.. more vanity than certainty.

(1) The Patriarchs in most ancient times always began the year in Autumn, and therefore the Jews would not without an exprefs Command begin their Ecclefiaftical year in the Month Nifan.

(2.) The Time of gathering the Fruits of the Earth, (which without doubt was in Autumn in Palestine) is called the Revolution or End of the year in the Holy Scripture Exod. 23. 16.c. 34. 22.

(3.) It is faid that the Deluge began in the fecond Month, to wit, in refpect of the beginning of the years of the World. And the fame is mentioned by Jofephus 1.1. Antiq. c. 4. to have been Marchefvan, or the fecond in Autumn.

4.The Sabbatic and Jubilean years began in Autumn, which being inftituted for to let the Grounds reft during that time, this Ordination of God would appear not fo fuitable if the Crettion of the World had begun in the Spring.

(5.) the Day of Expiation to be celebrated on the 10th day of the Month Tifri feems to be inftituted in remembrance of the Fall of Adam: But if Adam's Fall did happen in Autumn, confequently the Creation of World began about the fame time.

(6) According to the moft ancient Inftitution of the Jews, the Mofaick Hiftory of the Creation of the World was to be read in the fame Month Tifri.

(7.) The Chaldean Interpreter in 3 Reg. 8. 2. whofe Authority in this cafe is very confiderable, afferts that the firft Autumnal Month was the first of the World.

(8.) There feems to be the fame Relation betwixt Darkness and Light as there is betwixt Autumn and the other Seafons of the year: But Darkness was before Light, and by confequence Autumn before the reft.

(9.) It