Now if we will learâ—h all the Histories of all the Nations of the World of whom the Writings are arrived to our Age the most Ancient time of which they make mention shall be of their antient Destruction of Troy by the Greeks The History whereof hath been written by Dictis of the Isle of Creet which is the best Testimony they have for the present and since by Homer and many others And from this Destruction Diodorus Siculus renowned amongst the Historians began his Books now the same according with the common Judgment and Calculation of knowing men comes only to be about 358 years before the building of Rome the same time then falls to be in the sixteenth year of the Government of Elon Judge of the People of Israel mentioned in the Book of Iudges And the same was 316 years before the first Olympiade the reckoning of the Annals of the Greeks So then the said Destruction of Troy falls to be only under the year of the World 2838. VVhen therefore we shall give consent that their Writings the most certain whose Narrations we may best give Credit unto Yet the Prophet Moses shall be found much more Ancient then all the Writers of the World what Nation soever though they are in great number and of whom we see yet the old Books in these last times in their proper Tongues And that he hath put his hand to the Pen and began to write his Divine Revelations of the Creation and Conduct of the World even to his time and his sacred History and Prophesies touching the Church of God shall at least be 325 years before all other Writers of whom there is any mention or news in the World that is to say in the year of the World 2513. Whereupon we note even to this present against all those prophane Mockers that have disgorged that enormous Blasphemy amongst others that the World is eternal and of it self which if it were so as they dream and that it had no such beginning as is written by Moses they might find then by all and in all Languages many Histories of infinite times and many Chronicles of many Ages and of old times that have preceded Moses in the account of years But we see that there is no such and that the holy Bible is found even in the middle amongst all sorts of Enemies that strive to destroy lose abolish burn and extermine from the World the Books of it and for all thereto they had so long time yet nevertheless they never could nor ever shall For we see the said Bible yet in his proper Writing and Language and of all others of what Nation soever the most celebrated and renowned and if they could find any History which had been written before Moses was born into the World yet shall it contain their Time and Composition with more years and ages as we can gather from the holy Scriptures even to this present year 1633 since the Nativity of Christ. The which account of times past from the Creation unto this present year shall come to amount to 5563 years but such Histories neither can be found nor ever were But for Moses and his faithful Writings even prophane Authors and Histories of the Gentiles themselves have been even as it were divinely constrained to bear Testimony maugre their Calumnies Lyes Dreams and Disguisings through and by the invincible force of Truth And so they have served for Certificates to all Nations of the venerable and well known Antiquity of him and his Holy Writs For some of them have noted and writ thus as a thing notorious of their times to wit That in the East parts and of Syria it self there had been an Abraham an Israel and even a Ioseph who say they was a Son of the said Israel sold by his Brethren and led into Egypt Then how he was received into the Court and held very dearly with the King to whom he foretold the grievous and great Famin so as without the Divine Counsel by him given whereupon the admonished King gathered up and made Reservation of Corn before the time of the said Famin Egypt had perished And finally how his Successor Moses and all his People issued out of Egypt came to Mount Sinai how they consecrated the Seventh day for their Sabboth or resting day But I will leave this Discourse though diversified from a spark of Truth that these Historians have mixed with their own Devices as prophane and in which they were poorly advertised and deceived by the subtilty of Satan as we may well know by conferring their Writings with the Holy Bible And be it that these Scoffers of God and his Holy Word dare be so bold to say and affirm that Moses and his have suppressed and abolished all Precedent Histories making their Writings to be before all others thereby to Authorize them the better yet we will leave those their Calumnies to the Judgment of any of sound Sense and Understanding If that could be or can have any place or shadow of belief amongst men of sound Judgment or reasonable Discourse For if they will put into mature Consideration the small means and contemptible Quality in the World of these poor Israelites but Shepherds and breeders of Cattel and which is worse People exposed to the Oppressions and hard Servitude under their puissant Enemies and evil disposed Neighbours Then who shall make comparison of them with great Kings and People of the Earth Babylonians Aegyptians Syrians Romans and other Potentates who with all their Authority their Edicts Forces and Armies had never power to abolish the Holy Books written simply by our poor Shepheards when they could not conserve their Royal Libraries favoured of all the World Truly this may well put to the blush these wiselings that shew themselves fools in so speaking and discoursing without Discourse and will Judge of things without inquiry Now for the Integrity of Moses for us Christians we are sufficiently cleared and satisfied by the Authority of the Holy Spirit of God who hath given excellent Testimony by all the Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament of his Original and Lineage being descended from the latter Levi Nephew of the Holy Patriarch Abraham Also of his miraculous Conservation and Deliverance from Death and Waters from whence he was drawn forth and then had that name of Moses in their Language Then his Royal Education and Breeding his Love to his afflicted People and his Magnanimity to despise humane Greatness in preferring the just cause and sufferance of Christ the Redeemer then look'd for before all the Regal Estate and great Treasure of Aegypt Moreover his sufferance long and bitter for the defence of Right and Equity and for the Deliverance of the poor afflicted His Divine calling to the Charge and Government of his People his Patience Gentleness and Perseverance with such Faithfulness in the difficult Execution of this weighty Charge and the singular gift of Prophecy and of his Divine
the Sacred Scriptures long before Writâ—en of which they having heard some â—â—ckling and received it as from hand to hand or drawn it from his Writings â—or heard it recounted by the Father to the Son and they from theiâ— Aâ—cestors which were the Children aâ—d Successors of the three Sons of Noah who was the second Father of humaâ—â— kind and restorer of the Nations of all the World all issuing from his Posterity after the universal Flood His three Sons as Holy Scripture hath acquainted us with where Shem Ham and Iaphet of whom are descended all the Earth And this before spoken is easily and sufficiently discovered in the Writings of the said Pagans by the proper Names of the said Children of Noah and of their Successors which of long time before these Writings and prophane Histories had been named by Moses For the Pagans testifie that the People had made of these Ancient Fathersâ— Idols and Gods As of Iaphet Iapetus they drew Iavan Ianus and Ion and because they were Names held in the Hebrew Letters or value of them they accommodated them to their Tongues and Letters and to make them more easie and glib in their accustomed Pronunciation came near but with alâ—eration And if we will go more high and weigh the old Times of the first Age which preceeded the Flood as we have it from that only History of Moses in the Holy Bible We shall easily perceive that the Pagan Poets and Writers have received even the Ancient Names and mingled them amongst their Fables and Dreams and drawn them from the Holy Scriptures And so it shall appear plainly that their false God Vulcan is not very hard to unmask that he was a mortal Man and one of the Sons of the other Lamech the prime Bigamist and corrupter of Marriage who descended of that accursed Race of Cain And this appears by the faculty of this Vulcan which was a Smith or forger of Armour And Moses declares him so and by his Name too for he is by him called Thu-vulcain and every one any thing skill'd in the Hebrew knows that if they leave the first Letter which is servile and put to form the Name according to the manner of the Hebrews it will appear mere Vulcain for their Letter Beth B. having not a prick in him is pronounced as our v Consonant And for the name of Vulcain's Wife by Moses call'd Nehama which signifieth Fair in their Language or as speak the Latines Venusta It is a plain course to discover vain Beauty or their so much celebrated unchast and wanton Venus A goodly Race and fair Family of that accursed murtherer Cain And here may we see some of the proper Gods and Idols of the poor Pagans amongst that Anthill of such and other ill stoln Names unhandsomely fetch'd from the Holy Scriptures with and by the subtilty of the Devil to the end that a wicked Troop of execrable Gyants violent oppressors of men Thieves and Adulterous desperates shaken off and damned by the Word of God of whom the first Apostate and Lyer Sathan made his counterfeit Gods and Idols the old Serpent expert and knowing in all malice that there was no better way for him to muffle and blind humane Judgement from the knowledge of the true God at first ingraven in the Souls of men but by this counterfeit device with Posterity But to pass farther in our begun purpose touching the fabulous Writings of the Pagan Poets we shall find that their Discourse in the best we can of it is but Corruptions of the Truth in the Holy Scriptures of God or things therein revealed turn'd by them into Dreams and prophane Narrations As we may see in that they writ of the Creation of the World and Government of the same of the Divine vertue that sustains and interiourly nourisheth all things of the Consumption of Heaven and Earth with Fire at the last Day and also of the Restoration of the World and of all things in such good order for all so many Confusions proceeding from Sin All which things they might obtain and by some dark means draw from the Books of Holy Scripture and Sacred Prophets translated out of Hebrew into other Languages or understand something by means of the dispersion of the People of Israel spread through all the Provinces of the Roman Empire and through all the Quarters of the World For the Iews had for the most part leave in all Places to hold their Synagogues and to have publick Lectures of their Law and Prophets When these Poets flatterers of men turn'd all that spoken of the Person of Christ the promised Redeemer and that then was expected falsely to apply them by flattery to their Princes false Gods and Idols But let us leave all those Juglers and Lyers that durst be so prophanely bold to corrupt the pure Verity of God's Word and speak we of the Gentiles Writings how long they came after Moses and Writ since he and that even they have given Testimony to him and his Divine Writings which may at least suffice to convince all Contradictors that Moses was in Nature and before them all We understand that his reckoning is a perpetual following all the years since the Creation of the World even unto his time as it is easie to gather by his Books and his account of the Years and Lives of the first Fathers from Adam unto the Patriarch Abraham and after from his Successors as from Father to Son to wit Isaac Iacob Levi Caath Amram and then Aaron and Moses himself Children of the said Amram And that he had express charge to Write to the very last the year since the Creation of the World 2513. and of his Life the 80. Year and hath continued his Holy Stories even to the year of his Death and of the World 2553. Now since that timeâ— God hath always so provided for the advancement of his Glory and the edification of his Church that the perpetual History of her and the certain account of the years of the World hath been continued and still put in Writing by his Prophets As it is to be seen in the Holy Books that treat of and contain the Government of Ioshua and the Iudges then to Samuel and the Kings of the People unto the Transmigration into Babylon and of other Governours which have succeeded them after their return from thence And finally the Prophet Daniel hath declared the rest of the time that is The 490 years since the said Deliverance of the Jews and return from Babylon by the means of Cyrus King of Persia even to the Death and Resurrection of Christ the Redeemer promised to the Holy Fathers which is our Lord Iesus the eternal Son of God true God and true Man who appeared living after his Death and Resurrection to more than five hundred faithful Witnesses at one time besides his other manifestations and mounted visibly into Heaven in the year of the World 3961.
Miracles so strange and supernatural that they have been admired and celebrated of all the whole World But there is one point above all very Remarkable and which is more than sufficient to overcome humane Reason and to shew the Integrity of Moses which is that if he had would he might easily and according to the manner of men have had the Monarchy and Domination for his Children and their Posterity upon all the People of Israel And with the same the two fertile Kingdoms reduced under his hand and Conquered beyond Iordan Nevertheless he left his Sons Gersom and Eliezer and their Posterity private men and of most simple Estate amongst the other Levites And the same Children remaining subject to the Sacrificers Successors of Aaron and to the Magistrates and Governours of Israel More that he hath himself written and inregistred his own proper Faults and yet more notable those of his House as of his Brother Sister and Nephews and the most remarkable Judgments of God's Chastisements and Punishments of them all Of which things all his People were Witnesses in number more than six hundred thousand Persons And if they could have contraried him for any falsity either for the present or times to come If he had been I say such as they could have found any brack in his Actions or in his Writings or falseness in either his Person or any of his in his Life and his Miracles in his Writings or End But on the contrary all the Hebrews and Iews which have been since that time and are now near 3000 years since and that are dispersed through all the VVorld who are in so great a number that if they were re-united into a body of People and into a State their multitude should be innumerable and might astonish the greatest Nation of the whole Universe All those I say have received from their Ancient Fathers from their Kings and Princes and their Sacrificators and Ancestors from Father to Son and from hand to hand and with an admirable consent even in the middle of so many Confusions and Dissipations have kept and yet keep always in their Bibles the Holy VVritings of Moses in their proper Letters and Hebrew Tongue as Books most True and Veritable Sacred and Divine And such so known and acknowledged in all Nations with the excellent Testimony Authority and Holiness of them that Christ himself hath spoken of them and the Prophets and Apostles also in their VVritings and Alleagtions I and the most Ancient Pagans and Strangers cannot with sound Sense but acknowledge them And so Reader although I have been as I formerly said something prolix yet the Excellency of the Subject forc'd and bound me to be so tedious herein to shew as an illustrious Addition the worthiness of the Books and Divine Writings as their Antiquity Dignity as also the Excellency of their humane VVriter from the Dictate of the most High And being the matter whereof we have formerly treated I held it not impertinent though I have dealt too weakly in so worthy a Business but refer the rest and it to your charitable Censure FINIS * Great Esquire Argument of the History * One of the Captains of Great Alexander the third Monarch As the Latins now in Christendom 1 Praefat. in Pentateuchum Mosi 1 Iustin. dialog cum Tryphone Irenaeus Lib. 3. Cap. 25. Clemen Alexander lib. 1. stro Epiphanius de mens ponditibus Euseb. preparat lib. 8. chap. 1. 2 Hieron in questionibus Hebraicis in chap. 5. Ezechielis in cap. 2. Michiae Iosephi praefat in Antiquit. lib. 12. Antiquit. chap. 13. Philo. de vita Mosis lib. 2. Ptolomeus Lagus 1 At Virtutem non everterunt Diog. Laert. in vit Demet. 2 Diog. Laert. ibid. Excellence of this History A Drachma is 3 shillingsâ— sixpence that is 3 Pound 1 d. 10. shillings the head The Talent is 600 French Crovvns * Scripsit librum de Judaeis teste Suida Reasons for the Iews choice and diversity in Meats Order of Meats Calumniators false Reporters or Spies Some Copies call them Emplanists The delivery of the Holy Law or Sacred Books of Moses in Hebrew Characters to King Ptolomy Nature of good Officers and Subjects The Custom of Egypt was so It was a Custom to Register what was propounded and answered in the Kings of Egypts Presence Ovid. 1. de Meta. Virgil 6. Aeneid Virgil Eglog 4.5 Iosephus antiq Act. 18.20 Virgil. Aeneid Daniel 9. Luk. 24. â— 1 Cor. 15. Iudges 12. Trogus Justinus Praise of Moses
THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE Septuagint Written in Greek by ARISTEVS near two thousand years ago BEING His Voyage to Ierusalem as Ambassadour from Ptolomaeus Philadelphus unto Eleazar then High Priest of the Iews concerning the First Translation of the HOLY BIBLE by the Seventy two Interpreters With many other remarkable Circumstances no where else to be found First English'd from the Greek by the Learned and Reverend Dr. Iohn Done late Dean of St. Pauls Now Revised and very much Corrected from the Original London Printed for W. Hensman and Tho. Fox Booksellers in Westminster-Hall 1685. To the Reader ALthough Time and Death from our Cradles to our Graves pursue us swiftly and according to the Almighties Ordinance overtake and seize upon our frail and earthly parts upon some sooner upon others later yet Excellent Acts like strong Eagles break from their seizure and soar above them in so sublime a pitch as neither Time with all his Power and rusty Powder with which he blots and rubs out Brass and Marble can quite obscure or extinguish them neither Death close in his dark-gaping Mouth the Grave their Nobleness Witness this small yet ancient History which this last Summer I made part of my Exercise to put into an English Habit. That the Story is ancient I may well say for it is 1900 years since Aristeus Writ it to his Brother Philocrates which Aristeus St. Hierom in his Epistle to the Pentateuk of the Bible says was Hyperaspistes to Ptolomeus Philadelphus King of Egypt Syria Phenicia and Cilicia and son of Ptolomeus Lagus one of the great Captains of Alexander Magnus that divided his Conquests the World amongst them This Ptolomeus Philadelphus was a most accomplish'd young Gentleman vertuously disposed and so great a lover of Learning as he had accumulated into his Library according to some Authors 1800000 Volumes Printing being not then risen in our Hemisphere was by the said Aristeus a most Noble Person and a great friend of the then captive Iews as an Instrument of God for the Liberty and Freedom of them then his People practised with Demetrius Phalerius to tell the King that his so abundant Library was but poor because it wanted the Book of Books the sacred Volume of God which we call the Holy Bible The King vertuously covetous thereof demanded how he should best acquire it Aristeus waiting this desired Occasion proportioned his advice that he should first set all the Captived Iews not only in Egypt but also in Syria c. at free Liberty and send Ambassadors and Presents to Eleazar their High Priest and Pontiff The King willingly consents thereto as to the Musick of his desires and prepares most rich Presents as a Table of Massie Gold embellish'd with precious Stones Cups of Gold and Silver likewise adorned sets at freedom the Captived by publick Edict and sends as Ambassadours Aristeus and Andrea Prince and great Captain of the Guard of his Person with these Gifts and divers Talents of Gold and Silver They go deliver his Letters of Request and Commends have gracious entertainment return with the 72 Interpreters Iews Letters and also Eleazars Presents to the King and in especial with the Sacred Volume and Word of God The good King adores the Books feasts the Bringers who after fall to the Business and Translated it out of the Hebrew into the Greek the common learned Language of those Times made famous by the Sword of Alexander And this in brief is the effect of this Venerable History which is by me thus made yours And though I seem to Anticipate thus to you yet it is as nothing for in it self as you may further see it is Elaborately and Eloquently Written by the said Aristeus and let no man wonder too much thereat as thinking our Times excell theirs in Eloquence No For who ever exceeded Demostenes the Greek or Cicero the Latin therein Lastly to speak the Praise of History Libri sunt vasa memoriae and worthy Historical Books have in them a kind of Divine Permanency and as Eminent Persons should affect Noble Actions so ought they to cherish the Registers as their Honourers For hath not Plutarch made those Gyant Heroes as Theseus Romulus Alexander Iulius Caesar and the rest yet live and himself more praisfully longer then them all So as an ignorant swaggering Fellow threatned his Adversary to kill him if he had as many lives as Plutarch â— Did not Alexander sigh for another Homer Lastly If I have in honour of the History like one holding a lighted Taper to the clear Noâ—â—â—shining Sun made an Appendix shewing the Antiquity and Dignity of the Books by the said Sâ—â—tuagint Translated and the Excelleâ—â—y of their inspired Writer Moses and have therein been too prolixious pardon me because of the Profundity and Worthiness of the matter So I referr you to that and the rest and so rest Yours Iohn Done The Elenchus or Contents of the following Book CHaracters of the Persons that were herein Aiders imploying and imployed p. 1 Aristeus to his Brother Philocrates p. 1. The Discourse that Aristeus held with King Ptolomy for the deliverance of the Jews p. 10. The Request of Demetrius Phalerius to King Ptolomy p. 20â— Tenour of the Letter of King Ptolomy to Eleazar High-Priest of Jerusalem p. 23. Eleazar High-Priest to King Ptolomy our most Illustrious Friend p. 27. The Names of those which were chosen of all the Lines and Tribes of the Jews to go into Aegypt for the Translation of the Law of Moses p. 30. Of the Presents sent to Eleazar High-Priest of the Jews by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus p. 33. Of the Vessels Cups and Viols of Gold p. 43. Of the City of Hierusalem and Region thereabouts as it was 260. years before the Birth of our Saviour p. 49. Of the Priests p. 53. Of the High-Priest Eleazar p. 54. Of the Fortress or Castle of Hierusalem p. 56. Yet more of the Town p. 58. Of the Region about Hierusalem and of the Policy of the Countrey-people or Pesants p. 60. What manner of men the Translators of the Law were p. 66. Of the Answers made by Eleazar upon certain points of the Law of Moses p. 70. Return of the Ambassadors into Alexandria with the Jewish Doctors and how the King adored the Holy Law seven times with Tears in his Eyes p. 88. Answers of the Jewish Doctors to Questions propounded by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus from p. 96. to 154. The means used by the 72 Doctors in their interpreting the Law p. 159. A Discourse in way of Apology concerning the truth of this Story Also divers Opinions of both Ancient and Modern Authorities and Fathers concerning the manner of the Translation p. 170. Lasty an Appendix in Honour of this Ancient and Famous History discoursing the Antiquity and Dignity of the Books and the excellency of their inspired Writer Moses p. 175. Certain Praecognita or Characters of the chief Persons mentioned in the ensuing History 1. Of Ptolomeus Philadelphus PTolomeus
of the most great and Noble Actions In which you have imployed much time which hath given me occasion now to write you things worthy and excellent and the best that I could chuse because that betwixt us I would kindle a kind Contention and Emulation of amiable Vertue for the desire to have an intelligence of things more worthy to be observed and which are the most excellent The end of ARISTEUS his History Proofs concerning this History NOW follow sundry Opinions of divers Authors Ancient and Modern concerning this Business and Translation of the Law of Moses And first an Extract from the fourth Chapter of the fifth part oâ— the several Collections of Pietrâ— Messie in which there fell saith he an admirable and miraculous hapâ— viz. How the 72 Interpreters being put severally into several Cells bâ— the Commission of the King without possible means to conferr thâ— one with the other and that afteâ— they had made so separated everâ— one his Traduction and being broughâ— all together before the King with all their Traductions nevertheleâ—â— were all found so conformable thaâ— there was not one syllable more in the one than in the other which could not be without the especial Grace and Operation of the Holy Ghost as saith Saint Augustine Ireneus and Tertullian who saith he had seen in his Time and in Alexâ—ndria the very Books written by â—he Hands of the seventy two Tranâ—lators which were in Hebrew and in Greek As much also saith Iustin the Philosopher in the Book of his Adâ—ertisements that he made to the Pagans and Gentiles where he saith that King Ptolomeus made to be built without the City of Alexandria seâ—enty two Halls to lodg severally the seventy two Traductors and there â—rovided very honourably for them â—ll of all that to them was necessaâ—â— In the which place the said â—ranslators remained without one â—eing the other untill that such â—â—eir Translations were perfectly â—â—nished And he affirmeth also â—o have seen then the Ruins and old Walls of these Buildings which were kept as Reliques and things Sacred And although Saint Hierom and Ruffinus agree not in the number oâ— the said Chambers the matter is noâ— great Seeing that according to Sainâ— Augustin and many other Authorâ— every Translator made his Translaâ—tion apart without conference witâ— the other yet all the Traductionâ— were found conform And truly however when it iâ— duely considered it appears a greaâ— Mystery and may be held for a greaâ— Miracle of this Conformity of Stylâ— and of Order to Translate a thing so long and so diverse although alâ— the Translators had been togetheâ— and that they had begun this Worâ—â— at this time For we see that it is enough for twâ— men to accord in one only poinâ— when they are to mix something toâ—gether After the Translation was finisâ—â—ed the Iews that remained in Egypâ— and which had been versed in their Law recommended to the King this Holy Writing wherewith the King was right well content And for certain according to Iosephus and Eusebius King Ptolomy was astonished at the Holy Scriptures and ravishingly taken with their Mysteries That he demanded of Demetrius Phalerius who had the charge of his Library saying How comes it â—hat Lycurgus Solon and other Law-â—ivers are so silent of the Law of â—he Iews To whom Demetrius answered â—aying Sir This Law as you may â—ufficiently see comes from God so â—hat no Law-giver durst be so harâ—y to touch it or take from it any â—ract For even Theopompus was â—rucken by the Divine Hand with â—erturbation of his Sense and with â— Cardiack Passion for having a will â—o mix the Holy History of the Heâ—rews by his Inriching it with eloâ—uent Words and rhetorical Colours But after returning to God anâ— commending himself to his Mercy 〈◊〉 was revealed to him in a Dream thâ— his Disaster came upon him for so aâ—tempting to embellish and as 〈◊〉 thought to enrich the Sincerity 〈◊〉 the Holy Scriptures with drest Worâ— and trim'd Phrases and to commâ—â—nicate it so to the Pagans and Iâ—â—dels It comes also into my thought how Theodorus a Tragick Poet suâ—denly lost his sight for having takâ— one only passage of Holy Writâ— Argument of his Tragedy but â—â—â—penting him of the same and doiâ—â— Penance for his Forfeit he reâ—â—â—vered his sight as before HItherto are the Words of Pâ—â—tro Messie by the which 〈◊〉 may see the Diversity of Opinioâ— that is amongst Authors concerniâ—â— this Translation of the Law of â—â—â—ses For my self it seemeth to 〈◊〉 that Aristeus which was always pâ—â—â—sent and that had conduced to the affair in part meriteth that one do him the Honour to give belief to his History although some Doctors â—herein vary A short Discourse of the Antiquity and Dignity of the Sacred Books and Excellency of their inspired Writer the Prophet Moses By the English Translator AS the true God is the ancient of Dayes and Times so it pleased him that his perpetual History contained 〈◊〉 Holy Scriptures should excell in Antiâ—uity of Time all other Histories and â—ritings of the World that can be â—â—und the Writings of the Pagans and â—ations being all under these and long â—â—ter and that only of Moses the Subâ—â—ct of this former History contains the â—ccount of years justly from the Creation and beginning of the World even unto the coming of the promised Redeemer A reckoning I say so just and certain that there is no such to be found For to come to the Time wherein the Prophet of God Moses the first Writer of Holy Writ began to write manifestly under the Lord of Heaven and Earth we may gather and without prejudice of all that then could be done as by a Passage amongst many other places we read of in the seventeenth Chapter of the Book of Exodus where it is said God Commanded him to write and that in the same year the People of Israel issued ouâ— of Egypt which was from the Creation of the World 2513. Upon which wâ— may advertise our selves that the yearâ— are calculated according to Verity of the said Scriptures by the faithful Servantâ— of God which have happily travelled therein And therefore we need not rest upoâ— the Calculation of Histories Annals and humane Chronicles or other Writerâ— that have not intirely followed Holy Scriptures who are discordant amongsâ— themselves and many times directly opposite to one anothers times Therefore if we diligently search all Antiquities and Writings of men of all Nations that have any appearance of certain time wherein those Writings were made and after confer those times with the things recited and inregistred by the Holy Prophet Moses and the time wherein he writ them we shall see manifestly â—he Excellency and Antiquity that he is herein above all men For the Fables and Disguisements of prophane Poets Greeks and Latines which all came a long time after Moses Amongst them I say we shall see no other but maniâ—est Dreams Lyes and amongst other things notable some Corruptions of