Days of unleavened Bread Upon which there was Oblation of Fruits and from whence seven Weeks (l) Lev. 18. 15. were reckoned till Pentecost and therefore the Sabbaths betwixt the Pasca and Pentecost were thus named The Saturdays before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi modo geniti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miscricordias Domini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jubilate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cantate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocem jucunditatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exaudi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pentecosten § 7. After many other Fabulists Menasseh Ben Of the Sabbatic River which the Jews were wâ—nt to alledge in Testimony â—f the Sabbath which was sanctified by God Israel (m) In Concil Quaest 36. in Exodum writes that the Sabbatic River is a Testimony of the Sabbath sanctified by God whereof mention is made in the Babylonian and the Jewish Talmud Rabat Jalcut and Josephus also an Historiographer of great Authority makes mention of it as running through Phoenicia in Assyria which after six Days of its own Accord stops its rapid Course and afterwards runs after the same manner and therefore it received the Name of the Sabbatic River from its Rest on the seventh Day Others (n) R. Moses 〈…〉 will have it that this River is Gozen over which the ten Tribes pass'd and at the Coming of the Messiah they shall be freed from their Captivity and according to the Ancient Wisemen (o) Cap. 4â— 9. Isaiah speaks of the People beyond this River which is commonly called Flumen Lapidum But these are childish Fables of the Jews For the above-mentioned Josephus says This River runs very swift on the Sabbath Day These are Rivers that run only out of the Brains of the Rabbi's which are near a-kin to the Poets § 8. (p) Photius in Excerptis ad Nichom Not only among the Gentiles accustomed What we ought to judge of the Numb 7 which determines the Cycle of the Feriae to Superstition was the Number 7 had in great repute but also amongst the Christians many wonderful things are spoken of the mysterious Character 7. Nor has Augustine (q) Lib. 5. Quaest super Deut. Lib. 2. de Cive Dei cap. 21. escaped the Prejudice who makes 7 of 3 and 4 a very perfect Number The firstof these viz. 3. says he is wholly odd and denotes Excellency the other is perfectly equal and denotes the Mother of Justice Equability and a sacred Agreement in things This Number 7 is also assum'd into the most sacred Mysteries is concerned in the Formation of Corporeal Things and appears a Symbol of Perfection Others as Philo Robertus Pontanus c. reckon up those things wherein the Number 7 is concerned as almost all Sacrifices were offered by sevens as 7 Bullocks 7 Rams which always was observed by that mercenary (r) Numb 23. 1. Prophet Balaam Nor do we want Examples of it among the Gentiles as in that Passage of the Poet Nam grege de intacto septem mactare juvencos Praestiterit totidem lectos de more bidentes And those who reckon up the Mysteries of the Number 7 tell us that the chief Feasts of the Jews were reckoned to 7 Months of the Year and continued 7 Days in the Pasca they the unleavened Bread 7 days and then they reckoned 7 Weeks to the Pentecost many joyful Days were celebrated in the 7th Month. Wisdom built her House upon 7 Pillars In the Lamp of the Sanctuary there were 7 Candles St. John in the Revelations saw 7 Golden Candlesticks and in Zachary a Stone had 7 Eyes In the New Testament there were 7 Deacons chosen and through the whole Apocalypse of St. John the different State of the Church is described by the Number 7 Christ commands him to write to the 7 Churches of Asia and their 7 Angels The mystical Book was sealed with 7 Seals 7 Angels with 7 Trumpets and 7 Vials represented the State of the Church in the last Days They yet add to these in Natural things that there are 7 Planets 7 fixed Stars called the Pleiades the 7 Hyades and both the Bears are figured with 7 Stars There are 7 habitable Climates in the Earth The Structure of the Humane Body is 7 Feet And innumerable other things are wont to be alledged by (Å¿) Vide Philonem passim in suis Scriptis Roberti Loei Angli Pâ—â—giationem veri sublati p. 25. Meursii denarium Pythagoriâ—â—â—â— c. those who seek Mysteries in the Number 7. § 9. In Section the 3d and 4th of this Chapter The naming of Days in Weeks is not the same now among the Jews and Christians as it was at first we have given an Account of the Denomination of the Days in the Week among the Jews and in § 3d. Ch. 2d of the accounting by Feriae among the Romans and Eastern Christians But now we all use the Names of the Planets in the Days of the Week § 10. The Order of the Planets if you The reason why the same order of the Planets in naming the Days of the Week was not observed among the Ancients consider their Spheres or Orbs is express'd by this memorable Versicle Post SIMSVM sequitur ultima LVNA subest But there 's nothing attended to less than this in the Names of the Days of the Week Dio (t) Lib. 37. Hist Rom. Cassius gives us the reason and Original of this which he that pleases may read at length and understand upon what Grounds they first fixed the Musick of the 7 Spheres and how they would have the Days of the Week concerned in it The Custom of the Egyptians in these musical Proportions tho' known every where was formerly unknown to the Ancient Greeks therefore each had their distinct Way § 10. In ancient times the 7th Day of the Of thrse Days of the Week which among divers People have been kept holy Week was kept holy which Custom owing its Original to the Divine Institution the Jews at this time observe but the Christians have receded from it distinguishing themselves in this matter from the Jews consecrating the first Day of the Week to Divine Worship And Examples of this Worship seem to be fetch'd even from the time of the (u) John 20. 19 26. Acts 15. also 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 and â— Apostles Certainly except Christians could alledge Apostolick Tradition they would scarce with so much Religion and Constancy have observed the first Feria or Sunday That Melito a Cotemporary of Justin would have wrote a whole Book upon that Matter that whole Companies of the Faithful would have incurr'd the Suâ—picion of the Idolatrous Worship on Sunday that they would even with their Blood (w) Tertul. Apol. Cap. 16. testifie their Sanction of that Day For the Martyrs being asked (x) D. Danhov disp dec oct §. 5. Hast thou kept the Lord's-day answered I am a Christian and cannot pass it by The Africans in Guinea
Catholick Writers of the Martyrologies Breviaries Diaries c. From these Characters it seems evident to me that our Saviour was born in the Year of the Julian Period 4711 Cycl ☉ 7. ☽ 18. on the 25th day of December If therefore 4711 years be subtracted from any certain Year given of the Julian Period the Residue How to investigate the Year of this Epocha shews the Year since the Beginning of this Epocha c. But there being a Difference of two whole years betwixt the vulgar Computation and this If therefore 4713 years be subtracted from any known Year of the Julian Period the Residue will be correspondent to the Year since the Beginning of this Epocha Or if the said 4713 years be added to the known year of this vulgar Epocha the Product will shew the Year of the Julian Period And if according to the Opinion of some the Computation be begun in the Year preceding the vulgar Epocha let the same be subtracted from the 4714th Year of the Julian Period and the Residue will shew the Year of the Julian Period correspondent to the Year next preceding the Nativity of Christ And if the true Year of the Julian Period be known and you would investigate the Year before the Beginning of the vulgar Epocha subtract 4714 years from the known Year of the Julian Period and the Residue will shew the Year next preceding the vulgar Epocha § 1. (q) Dubior Ev. Part 2. dub 1. FRed Spanheim (r) Syn. disp select Exc. 8. Joh. Cloppenburgius Whether it be impossible to find out the true year of the Nativity of Christ Joh. Vossius and many others are of Opinion that it is impossible to determine the true Year of the Nativity of Christ They alledge that the uncertain Beginnings of the several different Epocha's and their unequal Conceptions and uncertain Foundations together with the various Interpretations of so many Authors of Note are insuperable Difficulties They add to this the Institution of the Christian Epocha not till a considerable time after the Nativity of Christ the different Opinions and Computations concerning the Reign of Herods the Taxation of Cyrenius and the thirty Years of Christ from whence they conclude that all the Opinions of the Chronologers concerning this Epocha are founded upon false and uncertain Conjectures But we being in the Constitution of this Epocha guided by the Sacred Writ the Authority of very ancient Chronologers and the unquestionable Truth of the Celestial Characters this Epocha may be look'd upon as entangled in some Difficulties but ought not to be numbered amongst the Impossibilities § 2. The Interpreters are much divided in their Opinions concerning the Taxation under Concerning the Taxation under Cyrenius Cyrenius the main Difficulty arising from thence that at the time of the Nativity of Christ Sentius Saturninus and not Cyrenius was Governour of Syria For (s) L. 17. c. ult Ant. L. 18. c. 1. Josephus enumerates the Governours of Syria in the following Order Sentius Saturninus Quintilius Varus Quirinius Besides that he makes not the least Mention of the first Decree of Augustus at the time of the Nativity of Christ but only of the Taxation under Cyrenius after the Banishment of Archelaus and the Death of Herod To resolve this Difficulty the Interpreters have had Recourse to divers Explications Theodorus Beza pretends to correct the Text of St. Luke and to substitute the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But besides that it is of very ill consequence to correct the Sacred Text neither Porphyrius nor Julian the Apostate tho' they were not unacquainted with what is said in the New Testament concerning the Taxation of Cyrenius under the Reign of Herod never attempted to contradict it and (t) Apol. 2. pro Christ Justin Martyr alledges in his Behalf the taxation-Taxation-Books made by Cyrenius Calvin and Salmero accuse Josephus of a Mistake in the time of the Taxation of Cyrenius But to lay so gross an Error at the Door of so great an Historian is in Effect to call in question the Veracity of his whole History Neither am I of the same Opinion with Eusebius (u) L. 1. c. 5. Hist Eccl. who maintains the Taxation mentioned by (x) L. 17. c. 15. L. 18. c. 1. Josephus to have been the same with the Taxation of which mention is made by St. Luke Spanhemius having sufficiently shewn the great Difference there is betwixt them (y) Chron. c. 241. Joh. Georg. Herwart and (z) Ecl. Chr. Kepler interpret the Words of St. Luke (a) C. 2. v. 2. thus that the Genitive Case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joined with the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be taken in the Comparative Mood and signifies as much as if it had been said that this Taxation was the first and was made before Quirinius or Cyrenius was Governour or Prefect of Syria But if this had been the Sence of St. Luke he would questionless have express'd it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this being more agreeable to the Style of this Evangelist In my Opinion it is the safest way to conclude that either Cyrenius has been twice Governour of Syria or that he was sent at the time of the Nativity of our Saviour on purpose into Syria with full Power to regulate this Taxation the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying any superiour Power and that Josephus did not make mention of it because it came perhaps never to his Knowledge § 3. This Character of the Nativity of Christ Hâ—w to reconcile the Synchronism of the 15th year of Tiberius and the 30th of Christ which ought to be considered as one of the fundamental ones of this Epocha has met with dubious Interpretations For some of them explain the Words of a St. Luke thus Jesus began to be thirty years of Age c. Whereas others would have it Jesus was about thirty years of Age to wit when he began his Ministry Of the first Opinion is Scaliger who (b) C. 3. v. 23 L. 3. Isag Chron. pretends to evince that Christ was then entring his 31st year of Age. But I am rather inclin'd to believe that the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made use of here in an Eliptick Sense and that it ought to be understood as relating to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Ministry of Christ § 4. This vulgar Epocha of the Nativity of Whether the Vulgar Epecha of Christâ— be the true one Christ was not only made use of by the Christian Writers at the time of Beda but the same has also met with a Patron among the Modern Authors in the Person of Henr. Harvil a Franciscan Fryar but to no great Purpose it being certain that the same is repugnant to the true Computation of the time of Herod and the Synchronism of the 15th year of the Reign of Tiberius and the 30th year
Breviarium Chronologicum BEING A TREATISE Describing the Terms and Most Celebrated Characters Periods and Epocha's us'd in CHRONOLOGY By which that Useful SCIENCE may easily be attained to Writ in Latin by Gyles Strauchius D. D. and Publick Professor in the University of Wittebergh And now done into English from the Third Edition with Additions Time of it self is nothing but from Thought Receives its Rise by lab'ring Fancy wrought From things consider'd whilst we think on some As present some as past or yet to come Creech 's Lucretius LONDON Printed for A. Bosvile at the Dial against St. Dunstan's Church and P. Gilburne at the Harrow the Corner of Chancery-Lane both in Fleetstreet 1699 Mr. LOCK in his Thoughts of Education page 327. speaking of the usefulness of Chronology says THE most useful Book I have seen in that part of Learning is a Treatise of Strauchius which is Printed in 12º under the Title of Breviarium Chronologicum out of which may be selected all that is necessary to be taught a Young Gentleman concerning Chronology STRAUCHIUS'S CHRONOLOGY TO THE READER Reader I Here present thee with the Translation of an Author who has never yet appeared in an English Dress one so famous for that sort of Learning he treats of that I thought it might prove no ungrateful Work to the Publick to make him speak our Language which has already been so great a Stranger to Chronology the Subject which our Author here so learnedly handles In it thou wilt find that Accuracy Method and Exactness that it may justly be esteemed the most useful Book of this kind that has ever yet appeared abroad in the World and withal so fully written that it contains all that is necessary to be taught a young Gentleman concerning Chronology The Usefulness of this Study I cannot better recommend to thee than in the Words of the Ingenious and Learned Mr. Lock who thus expresses himself upon this Occasion in his Extraordinary Thoughts concerning Education With Geography says he Chronology ought to go Hand in Hand I mean the general Part of it so that he may have in his Mind a View of the whole Current of Time and the several considerable Epocha's that are made use of in History Without these two History which is the great Mistriss of Prudence and Civil Knowledge and ought to be the proper Study of a young Gentleman or Man of Business in the World without Geography and Chrenology I say History will be very ill retained and very little useful but be only a Jumble of Matters of Fact confusedly heaped together without Order or Instruction 'T is by these that the Actions of Mankind are ranked into their proper Places of Times and Countries under which Circumstances they are not only much easier kept in the Memory but in that natural Order are only capable to afford those Observations which make a Man the better and the abler for reading them After this he extends his due Praises to our Author as the best Chronologer he has met with yet extant But herein he only follows the Opinion of the Learned World which has always discovered a particular Value for this Piece as may appear by the several large Impressions that have been bought up since its first Publication And 't is for this Reason I presume to set it in a clearer Light and more publick View that so a Book of such General Use and Concernment may not any longer be continued to a particular Set of Men Upon which score I hope this Translation may meet with an Acceptance and Entertainment suitable to the Worth and Character of the Author As to the Translation it self the Author's Method has been followed in every thing except in that tedious Way he has made use of by Question and Answer which breaking off so often the Thread of the Discourse renders it less pleasing to the Reader and not more useful This I have endeavoured and think may modestly say I have amended by turning the Author's Questions into a Marginal Summary of the adjoining Section and the Answer of it which in the Original is long and full of Quotations into the Section it self and these agree generally the several Responses there with which is to be hoped may be more agreeable and easier retained by thee The Quotations which are many in the Original and much used by most German Writers I have only taken the Sence of except such as are most material referring thee if such is thy Curiosity to the others in the Margin And where the Author is so prolix in Things of little Moment and only shews his Skill in confuting the Author of the Mystic Chronology and others not of his Opinion I have thought fit rather to give thee the Sum of it than cumber thee as Mr. Lock calls it Pag. 328 with his Arguments at large And lastly to make the Work as compleat as I could I have added several Tables which are of great use for the more clear understanding the ensuing Discourse particularly that useful one of Mr. Flamstead's about the Equation of Time R. S. THE CONTENTS INtroduction Page 1 BOOK I. Of the Terms in Chronology Chap. I. Of some Chronological Terms viz. Minutes Scruples Moments p. 8 Ch. II. Of Hours p. 11 Ch. III. Of Vigils and Watches p. 19 Ch. IV. Of Days p. 23 Ch. V. Of Months p. 32 Ch. VI. Of Years p. 39 Ch. VII Of Epacts p. 48 Ch. VIII Of a Lustrum Saeculum or Aevum p. 54 Ch. IX Of the Epocha Aera Cycle and Period p. 58 BOOK II. Of Chronological Characters Ch. I. Of Chronological Characters in general p. 60 Ch. II. Of Hebdomatick or Weekly Characters p. 62 Ch. III. Of the lesser sacred annual Character or the Sabbatic Cycle p. 71. Ch. IV. Of the greater sacred annual Character or the Sabbatic Cycle p. 83 Ch. V. Of the Solar Cycle p. 87 Ch. VI. Of the Lunar Cycle p. 91 Ch. VII Of the Cycle of Indiction p. 97 Ch. VIII Of the Character of the Roman Consulate p. 104 BOOK III. Of Periods Ch. I. Of the Period of Calippus p. 112 Ch. II. Of the Period of Hipparchus p. 119 Ch. III. Of the Victorian Period p. 123 Ch. IV. Of the Constantinopolitan Period p. 125 Ch. V. Of the Julian Period p. 131 BOOK IV. Of the Celebrated Epocha's Ch. I. Of the Epocha of the World p. 155 Ch. II. Of the Epocha of the Jews p. 174 Ch. III. Of the Epocha of the Deluge p. 179 Ch. IV. Of the Chaldean Epocha and the Reigns of the Assyrian Monarchs p. 191 Ch. V. Of the Epocha of the Years of Abraham p. 204 Ch. VI. Of the Epocha of the 430 Years the Jews sojourned in Aegypt of which Mention is made in Exodus 12. v. 40. p. 211 Ch. VII Of the Epocha of Inachus the Founder of the Kingdom of Argos in Peloponnesus and his Successours p. 216 Ch. VIII Of the Epocha of Cecrops the first Founder of the Kingdom of Athens and
renders Prophecies more perspicuous so it is in this case that since the time prefixed by the Angel is expired long ago the Event it self has in a great measure illustrated the Words of this Prophecy so that we need not despair of its Interpretation And since it is evident that the Angel expresly mentions both the Beginning and End of these 70 Weeks the Hypothesis of Reinoldus ought to be rejected as directly opposite to the Words of the Holy Scripture § 2. Among the Christian Interpreters (f) Hom 29. in Matth. Concerning the Interval of 7 Weeks mentioned by the Angel Origen understands by each of the Angelical Weeks seven times ten Years So that the whole Number of these 70 Weeks makes up 4900 years He fixes their beginning to the Creation of Adam and their end to the Destruction of the second Temple There are also some among the Jews who interpret these 70 Weeks of so many Jubilean Cycles and conseâ—uently make up their whole Number 3430 years But both these Opinions are so absurd and founded upon Suppositions contrary to the Phrase of the Scripture and the Nature of this Interval that there are but very few who have espoused either of these Opinions For two sorts of Weeks are only mentioned in the Scripture The first is the Week consisting of seven Days on the last of which to wit the seventh Feria the Jews were commanded to rest from their ordinary Employments in memory of the seventh day when God rested after the Creation of the Universe And besides these Weeks consisting of 7 Days we also find in the holy Scripture Annual Weeks each of which are equivalent to 7 years Of these Moses makes mention in (g) Cap. 25. ver 8. Levitieus And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee seventy times seven years and the space of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years It is no very difficult Matter to determine which of these two sorts of Weeks is to be understood in this Prophecy it being evident that since the Prediction of the Angel was made in respect of a thing that was to happen not till a considerable time after these 70 Weeks could not be understood of the Common Ones but of Annual Weeks For it is said that in the Space of 7 Weeks the City was to be rebuilt which certainly could not be done in 49 Days or 7 Weeks time And the Event it self the best Interpreter of Prophecies has convinc'd us that the Edict of rebuilding the City the Appearing of the Messias and the total Destruction of the City did not happen till 490 years after which was the exact time of 70 Weeks foretold by the Angel From whence it plainly appears that the Weeks mentioned in Daniel were Annual Weeks each of which contained the Space of 7 Years and the whole Interval of 70 Weeks 490 Years Most of the Jewish Interpreters themselves are forced to agree in this Point with us that the Angel intended by these 70 Weeks 490 Years tho' they differ from us both in the Beginning and End of this Interval (h) Term. vit hum p. â—68 Menasseh Ben Israel says ex-expresly The 70 Weeks of Daniel make up 490 Years And to the same Purpose (i) Comment in Dan. Rab. Isaac Abarbinel expresses himself as also Rabbi Joseph Jacchias and Rabbi Aben Ezra and many more § 3. Julius Africanus who is supposed to have Whether these 490 years consisted of Lunar Years been the first among the Christians that traced the Chronology of the holy Scripture Eusebius according to the Opinion of Scaliger and Gerhardus Johannes Vossius having transcribed out of his Works entire Pages in his Chronology This Africanus and after him Theodoretus with several others are of Opinion that these 490 years are to be understood of Lunar Years which make 475 Solar Years Dionysius Carthusianus who according to Rob. Bellarminus flourished about the year of Christ 1450 affirms that this Opinion was received in the Scholastick History and by those Doctors of the Church that profess themselves Followers of Beda But these Interpreters have been misguided by the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which not only in the vulgar Translation but also in the time of Tertullian has been translated are abbreviated For Tertullian in his Book written against the Jews in the Chapter of the Passion of Christ and the Destruction of Jerusalem cites the Words of the Angel in the following manner Seventy Weeks are abbreviated upon thy People and upon thy Holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an End of Sins and to make Reconciliation for Iniquities and to bring in everlasting Righteousness Which has misguided these Interpreters into this Error That not the common Years but such as are shorter than the rest ought to be understood in this Prediction In which Sence Carthusianus says These Weeks are said to be shortened not so as to be lessened in their Number but in Quantity because the Lunar Year falls 11 Days shorter than the Solar Year But these Interpreters have missed the true Meaning of the Original Text which does not imply so much a Shortening Lessening or Abbreviating as the Determination of certain exact Intervals of time So that it remains unquestionable that the Angel in this Prophecy did speak of the Solar Years and at the same time exactly determined the Beginning and the End of this Interval See Corn. à Lapide upon this Passage § 4. That the Beginning of this Interval Whether the beginning of this Interval is to be fixed to the time of that solemn Edict of rebuilding the City ought to be fixed to the time of that solemn Edict of rebuilding the holy City appears most evidently from the Words of the Angel in (k) Cap. 9. v. 25. Daniel Know therefore and understand that from the publishing of the Commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem c. according to the Translation of Junius and Tremellius or from the going forth of the Commandment as Pagninus and Luther have translated it And that thereby was intended the rebuilding of a City which was formerly destroyed is evident from the Words and the whole Scope of the Prophetick Text the Angel having spoken these Words as God's Answer to the Prayers of Daniel which were as follows Now therefore O our God hear the Prayer of thy Servant and his Supplications and cause thy Face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lord's sake I cannot therefore but be surprized to see some of the Fathers look for the Beginning of this Interval any where else than where is is fixed by the Angel especially what could move Origen to go back as far as Adam and as we have said before to make the Number of these Weeks amount to 4900 years Thus (m) Lib. contra Jud. Tertullian with several others of the Ancients and among the modern Writers Raymondus and Andreas Helvicus
is the same of whom it is said that he obstructed the Rebuilding of the Temple and by his Edicts shewed himself an Enemy to the Jews Therefore Artaxerxes Longimanus c. The Major Proposition proves it self The Minor is evident from the Words of Ezra cited before out of his 4th Chapter 3. The same Artasasta or Artaxerxes from whose Reign till the time of Alexander the Great there is a larger Interval of Years than is suitable to the Age of Men and particularly to that of Sanballat and Nehemiah according to the Judgment of those of a contrary Opinion is not to be supposed to be the same mentioned by Ezra and Nehemiah But from the Reign of Artaxerxes sirnamed Longimanus till the time of Alexander the Great there is a larger Interval of Years than is suitable to the Age of Men but especially to that of Sanballat and Nehemiah even according to the Judgment of those of a contrary Opinion Therefore Artaxerxes Longimanus c. The Major Proposition is 1st evident from thence that Sanballat did flourish in the time of Nehemiah (p) Neh. 4. Jos Lib. 12. c. 8. Ant. about the year of the Reign of Artaxerxes XXVI and likewise served under Alexander the Great 2dly That Nehemiah was also living still about the time of Alexander the Great is manifest from thence that he makes mention in his 12th Chapter in the 11th Verse of Jaddua whose meeting with Alexander the Great is famous among the Jews Corn. à Lapide and his Adherents have found out this Exception That this part of the Book of Nehemiah was not writ till after his Death and that Nehemiah might have seen Jaddua not when he was High Priest but when as yet in his tender Years But the first Objection has not so much as the least Probability in it the whole Content of the Words of Nehemiah sufficiently evincing that both the preceding and following Words of the Relation concerning Jaddua could be writ by no body but Nehemiah himself And which way can it rationally be supposed that Nehemiah did not know Jaddua when it is expresly said that he removed Manasseh the Brother of Jaddua from his Person because he was Son-in-Law to Sanballat See Nehemiah Chapt. 13. v. 28. and Josephus Lib. 13. But to take away all further Scruple it is said These were the chief Men in the time of Nehemiah And what is more absurd and ridiculous than to suppose that Children were inserted in the Catalogue of the Principal Men. The Minor Proposition is proved by the Interval of Time betwixt Artaxerxes Longimanus and Alexander the Great For supposing Sanballat to have been 30 years of Age in the 20th year of the Reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus by adding the several Years of the Reigns of the Persian Kings to it according to the Catalogue of these Kings we may without much Difficulty investigate the Age of both these Persons In the 20th year of the Reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus Nehemiah and Sanballat are supposed to be 30 years of Age. Add to these the remaining Part of Artaxerxes Longimanus his Reign Years  21 The Reign of Darius Nothus 19 Of Artaxerxes Memor 46 Of Ochus 21 Of Arostus 2 Of Darius Codemannus 4 Thus Nehemiah and Sanballat at the time of Alexander the Great were 143 Years of Age. 4. The same Artaxerxes is understood by Ezra and Nehemiah from the 20th year of whose Reign to count backwards to Cyrus are elapsed so many years as are sufficient to obliterate the Genealogies of those that returned out of the Babylonian Captivity But this may fitly be applied to Artaxerxes Memor Therefore c. The Major Proposition is proved out of the 7th Chapter of Nehemiah The Minor derives its Certainty from the before-mentioned Catalogue Neither have our Adversaries any thing else to object against this Argument but the Longaevity of Nehemiah and Sanballat which has been sufficiently answered before § 14. Joh. Funccius Henr. Buntingus Lansbergius Whether this Computation of Daniâ—l ought to begin with the time of the Edict of the 7th year of Artaxerxes mentioned in Ezr. 7. v. 6. and many of their Followers are of Opinion that the beginning of these 70 Weeks ought to be fixed to the time of the Edict of the 7th year of Artaxerxes mentioned in Ezra Funccius appoints its Beginning exactly on the 12th day of March when Ezra and the Jews began their Journey from the River Ahava towards Jerusalem but their Hypothesis is founded upon a wrong Basis by confounding Artax Longimanus with Artax Memor Besides that in the 7th year of this Artaxerxes mentioned in Ezra understand which of the two you will no particular Command or Edict was issu'd for rebuilding the Temple and Holy City but only for the Return of the Remainders of the Jews to Jerusalem under the Direction of Ezra And since according to their own Hypothesis the Structure of the Temple was compleated before to wit in the 6th year of the Reign of Darius Hystaspis it is evident that this Edict cannot have any Relation to that mentioned by the (r) Daniel 9. ver 25. Angel Lansbergius to avoid this Contradiction has invented this Expedient That the two several Mandates or Edicts issued by Artaxerxes one in the 7th year of his Reign concerning the RESTAVRATION of the Jews under the Direction of Ezra the other in the 20th year of his Reign concerning the Rebuilding of JERVSALEM under the Direction of Nehemiah ought to be joined together and what is wanting in one to accommodate the whole to the Words of the Angel must be supplied out of the other But how can it be conceived that a certain Number of Years can be determined and fixed to the End of a certain Term beginning from such different times as is the 7th and 20th years of Artaxerxes This Arithmetical Nicety of Lansbergius I confess is past my Apprehension nothing being more certain than that those who attribute a double Beginning to these 70 Weeks must at the same time acknowledge a double Period or End which is contradictory to the Words of the Angel who mentions only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Edict or Mandate not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edicts § 15. Africanus and Theodoretus and among our Whether the Beginning of this Computation is to be fixt 〈◊〉 time of the 20th year of Artaxerxes Modern Authors Tho. Lydiott Joh. Temporarius Corn. à Lapide Joh. Vossius and others who interpret the Words in Ezra and Nehemiah of Artasasta or Artax Longimanus begin this Epocha of the 70 Weeks with the 20th year of this Reign when Nehemiah went up to Jerusalem to rebuild the Walls and Gates of the City But above all the rest (Å¿) L. 12. c. 32. de Doct. Temp. Dionys Petav. patronizes this Opinion which however he explains in a peculiar manner We do says he agree for the most part with those who begin these 70 Weeks with the 20th Year of the Reign of