Cycle of the Moon 15. It was the nineteenth year of Tiberius the fourth yeare of the 202. Olympiad the 33 yeare of Christ according to the common account but according to the true time of his birth the seven and thirtieth and yeare of the World 4037. And thus we have no fewer then five Passovers from the time that Christ was baptized to the time that he suffered which though they be not all of them mentioned by one Evangelist yet out of them all they may be gathered Between the first and second of these Passovers it was that Iohn the Baptist was cast into prison and then was the full beginning of Christs Ministery For now was the course of his forerunner accomplished and therefore now must Christ be only looked upon as the Messiah here being the first beginning of the last week of the Seventy from whence our Saviour preached three yeares and an halfe before he suffered For though there were some Testimonies and manifestations of Christ before yet was not the time of the Messiah fully come till now Mark 1.14.15 And thus much for the year and day of Christs Passion Onely a Question or two would be resolved of which in the following Chapter CHAP. XXII Of killing the Paschal Lambs and whether at Christs death the Jewes and our Saviour kept the Passover upon one and the same day IT is recorded by Maymonides that no Pascha might be kept but of those Lambs which were killed by the Priests in the Temple But that was not so as appeareth by the Testimony of Philo Judaeus who expresly writeth Philo in vita Mosis et in Libro de Decalogo that in the Paschal festivity all the Jewes exercised the Priests office in regard that every one at his own home might Sacrifice the Lamb. Thus he a man who had seen the observation of many a Passover which Maymonides never did For Philo Judaeus lived in Christs time but Maymonides was not till a long time after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Master Broughton therefore and Ainsworth followed Rambam or Maymonides too confidently in this particular as also in that of the Chagigah which they say was a voluntary sacrifice and not of command for it was commanded we as may see Deut. 16.2 There might indeed no Paschal Lamb be sâ—â—in but at Jerusalem and tha 's the reason why the Jewes now observe no Passover and in the Temple were some Lambs likewise slaine by the Priests but it was for them who came out of the Country to keepe the Feast For the Inhabitants of the City were at their owne choice and might take a Lamb and kill it at their owne houses how else could they exercise the Priests office in this Sacrifice of the Lamb which Philo Judaeus saith they did They who say our Saviour in the year when he suffered kept not the Passover on the same day with the Iewes ground their tenet upon these texts First upon that of Saint Iohn Chapt. 19. vers 14. where the day on the which Christ was put to death is expresly called The preparation of the Passover And in the Chapter before at the 28 verse The Iowes themselves went not into the Judgement Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover And in Matthew 27.62 the day after Christs death and buriall is called the day that was next after the preparation And in Ioh. 19.31 The Iews because it was the Preparation that the bodies should not remaine on the Crosse on the Sabbath for that Sabbath was an high day besought Pilate that their legges might be broken and that they might be taken away Which texts seeme to prove that for which they are cited Notwithstanding all which some there be who upon good grounds maintaine the contrary and are very confident that the Iewes and Christ kept one and the same day And for proofe thereof they alleadge these places First Mat. 2.6.2 You know saith Christ to his Disciples that after two dayes is the Passover and the Sonne of Man is given up to be crucified The Evangelists do here call the 14 of Nisan the day of unleavened bread because on that day as soon as dinner was over the people cast all leaven out of their houses Which speech importeth a generall agreement for the Passover And so much saith Saint Mark chap. 14. vers 12. On the first day of the * unleavened Bread wheÌ„ they sacrificed the Passover two of his Disciples said where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover And in Luk. 22.7.8 Then came the day of unleavened Bread when the Passover must be killed And he sent Peter and Iohn saying Go and prepare us the Passover that we may eat In which texts by the words when they sacrificed the Passover and when the Passover must be killed is also shewed that thre was a generall agreement for the time of the Passover which must be done before the Lamb was slaine at the eating whereof they first of all began to eat unleavened bread so continued for the space of 7 dayes Exod. 12.8.15 and Deut. 16.4 and that our Lord and all the Iewes kept one and the same day for the killing and eating the Lamb. And therefore to that in Iohn 18.28 they answer that there is meant not the eating of the Paschal Lamb but the Oxe or the flesh of the Chagigah Passover which was added to the former and commanded in Deut. 16.2 where it is written thou shalt sacrifice a Pascha unto the Lord of the Flocke and of the Herd The practice whereof was notably seen in that solemne Passover which Josiah kept 2 Chron. 35.7 The eating of this was for two dayes and one night as saith Maymonides Or else in the text objected is to be understood the eating of the Loafes of Sweet-bread which was to be observed for an whole weeke together For as one observeth upon Luke 22.7 the word Pascha used for the Passover is taken many wayes As first for the Paschal Lamb Mark 14.12 Secondly for the whole weeke of Sweet-bread or of the Paschal solemnity which lasted seven dayes Act. 12.3.4 Thirdly for the Paschal solemnity of the sixth day Fourthly for the houre of immolation eating of the Paschal Lamb Mark 14.1 Fifthly for whatsoever meate or bread belonging to the Feast the Iewes eat during the solemnity thereof Iohn 18.28 where the story telleth us They would not goe into the Judgement Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover that is saith he Azimos Panes The unleavened Bread belonging to the Passover Sixthly for that which was figured by the Passover to wit Christ 1 Cor. 5.7 And Sevnthly for the Festivity of the Paschal cheer 2 Chron. 35.7.18 If therefore the word Pascha might be taken these many wayes there is no necessity to tye us absolutely to conclude that in Iohn 18.28 the Iewes meant what they said of eating the
the Moon p. 11 CHAP. IV. Of the antient and Naturall year that it was measured by the course of the Sunne though the Moneths were reckoned by the course of the Moon p. 19 CHAP. V. Of the Periods of time by which the years of the World may be truely reckoned As also of the Jubilees how to account them where also to begin and end them p. 25 CHAP. VI. Of the Julian Period and how to joyne the years of the World thereunto p. 33 CHAP. VII Other Observations concerning the Times in their Periods untill the Destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar p. 35 CHAP. VIII The Periods againe considered and all such doubts and scruples cleared as may arise concerning the just length of any of them together with answers to certaine other questions not impertinent p. 51. In the former Chapter be eight Sections CHAP. VIII Sect. 1. Of the time from the Creation to the end of the Flood p. 51 CHAP. VIII Sect. 2. Of the second Period from the end of the Flood when the face of the ground was dry to the Promise at the time of Abrahams departure from Charran into Canaan that it was a Period of 427. yeares current but not compleat p. 68 CHAP. VIII Sect. 3. Of the third Period from the promise at Abrahams departing out of Haran to the comming of the Israelites out of Egypt that it was a Period of 430 years p. 75 CHAP. VIII Sect. 4. Of the fourth Perod from the comming out of Egypt to the beginning of the building of Solomons Temple that it was a Period of 479 years compleat or of 480 current p. 78 CHAP. VIII Sect. 5. Of the fifth Period from the foundation of the Temple in the fourth year of King Solomon to the Desolation thereof by Nebuchadnezzar In which is also shewed the true and right account of the 390 and 40 years in Ezekiel p. 87 CHAP. VIII Sect. 6. Of the sixth Period from the Destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar to the beginning of the building thereof by Zorobabel in the second year of Darius King of Persia In handling whereof many things of note are discussed and Scaliger refused upon good and warrantable grounds both out of Scripture and other good Authours p. 106 CHAP. VIII Sect. 7. Of the seventh Period from the second year of Darius Hystaspis to the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus p. 115 CHAP. VIII Sect. 8. Of Daniels 70 Weekes in the ninth Chapter of his Prophecy at the 24.25 26 and 27. verses An exposition of them together with a Confutation of Master Broughton and others concerning Olympiads and length of the Persian Monarchy p. 124 CHAP. IX Of the LXX years in the Prophecy of the Prophet Jeremy commonly called the 70 years of Judahs Captivity p. 155 CHAP. X. Of the time when Tyrus and Egypt were subdued and taken by Nebuchadnessar according to the Prophecies of Esay Jeremy and Ezekiel p. 159 CHAP. XI Of the number of Kings that reigned in Babylon during the time of the Captivity In the handling whereof the fragments of Berosus and Megasthenes are examined divers errores of Scaliger discovered and the truth laid plainly open p. 164 CHAP. XII Of the first year of Cyrus and of Darius Medus mentioned in holy Scripture p. 174 CHAP. XIII Of Alexander the great signified by the Horne between the eyes of the Goat Dan. 8.5 p. 176 CHAP. XIIII Of the four hornes which came up in stead of the great horne broken off as was prophesied in Dan. 8.8 21 22. As also of the beginning of that Date of the Kingdome of the Greeks so often mentioned in the Books of the Maccabes and in Josephus p. 178 CHAP. XV. Of the little Horne in the eighth Chapter of Daniel at the ninth verse And at the 2300 dayes that were givin it verse 14. p. 180 CHAP. XVI Of the fourth Kingdome in Daniel that it signifieth the Monarchy of the Romans p. 182 CHAP. XVII Of the Times and Distances of the taking of Jerusalem by Pompey Herod and Titus p. 188 CHAP. XVIII Of the time of Herods reigne and of his Posterity p. 192 CHAP. XIX Of a true and right year of our Saviours Birth and Baptisme p. 202 CHAP. XX. Of the day of Christs birth that it was kept and on what Day both among the Ancients and in the succeeding Ages p. 212 CHAP. XXI Of the reigne of Tiberius and of the beginning and end of Pontius Pilat's government As also of the Year and Day of our Saviours Passion p. 228 CHAP. XXII Of Killing the Paschal Lambs and whether at Christ's death the Jews and our Saviour kept the Passeover upon one and the same day p. 237 CHAP. XXIII Wherein is shewed the times of Vespasian and Titus together with the Destruction of Hierusalem To which Chapter is added a Chronologicall Table and a Kalender for that very year wherein Hierusalem was destroyed by the Romans p. 241 CALAMVS MENSVRANS OR The measuring Reed CHAP. I. Gentle Reader I Have undertaken a Subject which in it selfe cannot be enough commended in the handling whereof I have opposed no man out of any Singularity or Spirit of contradiction but onely for the love of truth which I doubt not but I may do and yet arrogate to my self nothing more then is meet History is a Subject commended I know by the most as being the Herald of Antiquity the Light of Truth the Life of Memory and the Eye of the World but Chronology is little esteemed few prize it according to the true value and yet 't is indeed the very Eye of History Alter Historiae oculus as one speaketh And so another saying Nulla historia lucem habet sine temporum serie No history hath Light without a right order of the Times Nor can it be thought the Holy Spirit of God would be so exact in noting the Times even to Moneths Weeks and Dayes in the sacred story if the carefull account of them were not to be regarded Sure I am it can be no small confirmation of a mans faith concerning the threatnings and promises of God and consequently of the whole Scripture when he seeth how the Prophecies at their determined times came to be accomplished and how the linking of one period with another makes up such a chaine as cannot but minde us of the Providence of God in his Government of the World eternally foreknowing and wisely disposing of what should be acted in future times Math. 24.15 Our Saviour Christ mentioning the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet saith Let him that readeth understand Revel 13.18 And in the Revelation He that hath understanding let him count the number of the Beast Deut. 4.32 And in the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy even the conferring the Histories of holy Scriptures with the Narrations of other credible bookes is commanded that thereby Gods doings may be compared Besides which the exact handling of these things makes it manifest that the Being of the
ipsius deducit Maimon quem semper à Judaeis observatum fuisse docet quamdiu Sapientes erant in terra-Israelis hoc est ut ipse explicat ad tempora Abai Rabba Aben Ezra likewise saith upon Exod. 12. That the Lord gave commandement in the Law of keeping the Feast at the appointed time Dicit enim Observa mensem Abib ut facias Pesah Domino si tempus Abib non fuerit inventum in medio mensis faciemus Pascha mense sequente But higher then all these doth the testimony of Elias Scripturiarius bring us who as he is cited by that famous and illustrious Antiquarie Mr. Selden in his accerptis saith Praeceptum hoc sanctificandi Lunam exstabat seculis antiquissimis temporibus Noachi Abrahami patris nostri That is This precept of sanctifying the Moon was exstant in the most ancient ages even in the times of Noah and Abraham our Father And thus we have testimony for times high enough even to the times wherein mention is first made of Moneths in holy Scripture which testimonies will neither allow the Moneths in the history of the Flood to be according to the course of the Sunne nor grant that the Jewes made use of the Period of Calippus after the times of Alexander as Scaliger sometimes taught nor that in Christs time they used a Quaterdenarian Cycle as Petavius would prove from Epiphanius For as I said before according to the witnesse of the forecited authors the ancient manner was to begin the Moneth from the first sight or vision of the Moon sanctifying that day Salomon therefore would not so much as lay the foundation of the Temple on the first but on the second day of the Moneth because the first was holy For as God appointed a time for his dayly and weekly worship so he appointed generall Feasts for his monethly and yearly worship He therefore instituted the New Moons and first day of every year to be accordingly observed Blow the Trumpet saith the Psalmist in the New Moon in the time appointed on our solemn feast day For this was a statute for Israel and a law of the God of Jacob Psal 81.3 4. By which he meaneth the feast of Trumpets commanded to be celebrated on the first day of the seventh Moneth Levit. 23.24 And in the Revelation this is certain that after Christs time the Moon was trodden under foot by the Woman cloathed with the Sunne Revel 12.1 By which is signified That that typicall worship which for the dayes thereof in the law of Moses had been regulated by the course of the Moon was now in the Christian Church through the revealing of Christ laid prostrate abolished and gone the Woman therefore treadeth the Moon under her feet Nor doth the Psalmist again but justify this Lunar account saying God appointed the Moon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for feastivall seasons as Master Mede in his Comment upon the Revelation renders the place that is as the Sonne of Syrach before mentioned hath expressed it from the Moon is a signe of feasts a light that decreaseth in her perfection the moneth is called after her name Ecclus 43.7 8. And so indeed it is For in Scripture a moneth is called in the Hebrew tongue Iaerach from Jareach Luna And in Greeke the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Luna also And so in Job accordingly the moneths are called Moones as thus Quis ponetime juxta Lunas hoc est Menses antiquos Job 29.2 The moneth likewise is somtimes in the Hebrew called Hodes or Chodesch which word doth properly signifie A renovation so that Chodesch is as much as Novilunium or Renovatio lunae in regard that on the first day thereof the Moon or moneth is renewed in which sence it is used in 1 Sam. 20.5 and expounded so by David Kimhi in libro Radicum saying vocatur Hodes sive Novus quia renovatur Luna in eo die This word is also used for the whole moneth or space of time that is from one renovation of the Moon to another and hath either an adject number of dayes past since the renovation as prima luna secunda suna tertia luna decima quarta luna c. or else all the dayes are spoken of junctim and together as in Numb 11.20 ye shall not eat one day nor two dayes nor five dayes neither ten dayes nor twenty dayes but even a moneth of dayes together This therefore made Kimhi in the place before mentioned say Triginta dies junctim vocantur Hodes dies primus solus vocatur Hodes However therefore the Grecians applyed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the first day of their moneth even when they reckoned them by the light of the Sun yet it was onely proper of right belonging to the first day of such months as were rightly called moneths and accounted by the course of the Moon And so also Master Lydyat saith in his book De variis annorum formis c. 4. where speaking of the word Neomenia id est Nova luna this he addeth quae dictio licet demùm translata sit ad significandum initium qualiscunque mensis non solum lunaris primo tamen propriè de mensibus lunaribus utpote antiquissimo naturali genere mensium accipiendam neutiquam dubitari debet And thus are the Moneths fully proved to be Lunar Against which I meet with three Objections The first whereof is Object that if the moneths were Lunar then in some years there must be thirteen moneths by reason of a moneth intercalar called by the late Jews Veader or another Adar But the Scripture makes no mention of any such moneth and therefore it may be concluded that of old there was no other intercalar Adar indeed is mentioned both in the book of Hester and elsewhere but with no note of distinction to signifie which Adar it was whereas if there were two Adars there would have been something added to know which of them was meant Answ And why so it needed not Answ unlesse there had been two Adars in every yeare it was onely the Embolismall yeare which had two Adars and not the Common year Beside which know also this we finde not in Scripture mention made of the thirtieth day of any moneth shall we therefore conclude that no moneth had thirty dayes But that the vanity of this Objection may further appeare this I say that though the Scripture give no expresse mention of the moneth intercalar yet some cleare footings of it may be seen there As for example in the Prophecy of Ezekiel at the first chapter we finde that the Prophet had a vision in the fifth year of Jechoniah's Captivity on the fifth day of the fourth moneth and that after seven dayes more as in the Chapters following is mentioned he was commanded to lie on his left side 390. dayes and to beare the sins of Israel after which he
was not the first Author of the ancient yeare but the yeare being somewhat interrupted by the Flood was by him brought backe to the old ancient forme which he taught his posterity But now for the finding out of this eighth Moneth Noah I say knew when to begin it by the first sight of the Moon which at Babylon and the parts thereabouts was on the 14. day of October in the yeare of the Julian Period 2366 after which Noah was in the Arke untill the 27 day of the second Moneth and then came forth even to the fifth day of June which was a Sabbath day and a just Solar year after the Flood began And note that the day on which the Arke rested upon Mount Ararat was the second day of November in the yeare of the Julian Period 2366. for that was the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth and the next after the last of CL. dayes that the Waters prevailed For I said before the waters prevailed 150. dayes of which the 40 dayes of the continuall rain were part else how could the Arke rest on the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth we are sure enough it did Gen. 8.4 But it is objected Object that acording to this rule the Arke must rest the very day the waters began to abate which is not like both in regard that they were fifteene Cubits above the highest Mountaines and likewise in regard that it was above two Moneths after before the tops of the highest Mountaines appeared Answ Not so The tops of the Mountaines but not the tops of the highest Mountaines For the Mountaine tops appearing on the first day of the tenth Moneth were rather the tops of the Iower and inferiour Hils then of the highest Mountaines And for the ark resting on the Ararat two Moneths before to that I answer namely thus The Arke was a vast body and being so vast a body as it was it could not chuse but draw many Cubits of water Now suppose this proportion to be XI Cubits and so many it might well be And if XI then will it follow that the bottome of the Ark could never be more then foure Cubits from the tops of of the highest hils and in one day and lesse those 4 Cubits and more might easily be abated Nor may this seeme strange for though the depth from the tops of the highest Hils to the superficies of the Iower grounds were as great as 30 furlongs of which height they say Mount Tabor is yet by confidering in what time that space was dryed up and drawing the abatement into a proportion it will easily appeare that even to the first day may be allowed more by farre then foure Cubits See Doctor Willet on Genesis and there you shall find That some who have proportioned the full time of abatement which was from the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth to the first day of the first Moneth with the space from the height to the highest Mountaines have allowed 37. Cubits and an halfe for every day But Igrant not every dayes abatement to be alike because the greatest compasse above must have the lesser abatement yet neverthelesse the first day might well have so much as would suffer the Arke to rest so soone as it did on the high Mountaines of Ararat upon which Moses saith it rested on the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth CL. dayes after the beginning of the Flood What more concerns the Flood shall be handled afterward Terah dyed in the year of the Julian Period 2794 The Promise and as may be conjectured not many dayes before the Promise was made to Abraham who hereupon departed out of Haran from his Kindred and his Fathers house when he had almost finished the seventy fifth of his age even in the year of the World 2085. Now in this year the Cycle of the Sun was twenty two the Dominicall letter A. the Cycle of the Moon one and the Vernall Equinox Aprill the seventh By which is gathered that the first day of the first moneth called afterward Nisan was one the 31. day of March feria sexta The next moneth began Aprill the twenty nine feria septima The Promise might be then After which Abraham departed out of Haran on the third or fourth of May when the Sun was in the twenty six or twenty seventh degrees of Aries in which place it was 430. years after on the twenty nine or thirtieth of Aprill when Israel came out of Egypt as you shall see by and by in that which I am to mention next For in the next place the time of the comming out of Egypt is to be considered The Exodus or comming out of Egypt This was in the year of the Julian Period 3224. and in the year of the World 2515. In this year the Equinox was on the third day of Aprill feria septima The Cycle of the Sun was four the Dominicall letter C. and the Cycle of the Moon thirteen By which is gathered that the first day of Abib or Nisan was on the sixteenth day of Aprill feria sexta the Israelites therefore killed and eat the Passeover on the twenty ninth day of April which was the fourteenth day of the moneth feria quinta After midnight they are driven out of Egypt and sent away in haste and therefore their comming from thence is to be reckoned on the thirteenth day of Aprill which was the sixth day of the Week even as on the same day of the Week Christ purchased a better Redemption by the blood of the Crosse In all which I doe much admire at the wonderfull Providence of God in disposing of the times so exactly and harmoniously For as on the sixth day of the Week Man was made and Christ suffered So on the sixth day of the weeke Israel was delivered out of the Egyptian bondage on the very next day after the Passeover even as on the next day after the Passeover Christ our Passeover was sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 to free us from the bon dage of Sinne and Sathan In this year at this time the Sunne was in the 27. degree of Aries Abraham therefore by an exact account having received the promise went out of Haran on the fourth day of May 430. yeares before when the Sunne was also in the same point of Heaven that he was in now And why on the fourth of May rather then on the thirtieth of Aprill was in regard of the anticipation of the Equinoctiall which if we will reckon precisely is to be observed because as hath been shewed the Julian yeare agreeth not exactly to the course of the Sunne But to go on The History of the * Exod. 16.1 Manna doth also well accord to this viz. that the day of the comming out of Egypt should be on the fixth day of the weeke and in that is another sparke of Gods Providence witnesse the fifteenth day of the second Moneth Another Character of a right time which
Passover to be understood of the Lamb rather then of any other thing eaten by them at that Feast But how will that place in Iob. 19.14 be answered where the day of Christs death is called the Preparation of the Passover It is called there the Preparation of the Passover not in regard of the Passover but in regard of the Sabbath in the Passover as Master Perkns observeth In Marke therefore chap. 15. verse 42. it is called the Preparation not of the Passover but the preparation which went before the Sabbath And in Luke 23.54 It was the Preparation saith the Evangelist and the Sabbath drew on Which Sabbath was an high day because of the Chagigah Passover which was then to be eaten ae well as on the day before Or else thus The forenoon of the day of Christs death was the Preparation to the eating of the Passeover Bullocke and in the afternoone was the Preparation of the Sabbath And thus is this Text answered From it also appeareth that the translation of dayes which Scaliger speaketh of was not in use so soone as these times For though the late Iewes tell us that the constitutions thereunto belonging were set forth by Eleazar in the beginning of the second Temple and that they have a book treating of the motion of the Sun the Moon said to be written by Rabbi Gamaliel in which this translation of dayes is confirmed although I say they tell us these things yet will the whole be found inventions of a later age For when the Authors of the Mischna and Thalmud lived the sixteenth day of Nisan might be on the Sabbath day as is written Cod. Pesachim cap. 7. And if the sixteenth were and might be Sabbath day then both was and might the fifteenth be feria sexta as it was in this year of our Saviours Passion Learned Langius hath gallantly declared this howbeit he agreeth with those who say Christ and the Iewes kept not one and the same day And the reason of their difference he taketh to be in regard of two chief Sects among the Iewes viz. the Karraeans and the Thalmudists who though they both began their Moneths according to the Phasis or Vision of the Moon yet in regard of the manner of their observation they did sometimes differ a day each from other insomuch that that which to the Karraeans was the second day of the Moneth The Thalmudists accounted but the first And so it was saith he in that year when Christ suffered Now Christ following the Karraeans did therfore eat the Passover one day sooner then the rest of the Iewes who followed the Thalmudists But I doubt much of the truth of this opinion not only because all the Iewes kept one and the same day as I have already shewed but also because it maketh Christs Passion as he accounts the difference now and in this yeare to be on the Thursday and fifth day of the weeke which is contrary to the Scriptures and to all the Creeds of the Christian Church I confesse him indeed to be a man of full deepe learning much reading and great knowledge in the Tongues but in this I doe beleeve he will have but few to follow him especially considering what the Apostle saith in 1 Cor. 15.4 namely That Christ rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures wheras by his opinion he must not arise untill the fourth day If then the third be according to the Scriptures the fourth is not but is to be refused of all them who will be guided by the Scriptures CHAP. XXIII The times of Vespasian and Titus together with the Destruction of Jerusalem WHen the reignes of Galba Otho and Vitellius had well neare measured the length of a year then was Vespasian advanced to the Empire in the second yeare of whose reigne his sonne Titus destroyed the City and Common-wealth of the Jewes this destruction falling out to be in the yeare of the Iulian Period 4783. and seventyeth yeare of Christ according to the Vulgar and common account The Ancients as Egesippus Clemens of Alexandria Eusebius Hierom and others say that it was 40 yeares after Christ's Passion and the reason of that I take to be because many of the Fathers accounted Christ's Baptisme to be in the twelfth yeare of Tiherius and his Passion in the fifteenth which was certaine an absolute error as I have already plainly shewed I take it therefore for granted that this was the yeare when Jerusalem was destroyed and have already proved it so in the seventeenth Chapter It was without doubt a dismall overthrow and sundry were the Signs and tokens that went before it of which we read at large in Josephus De bello Judaico lib. 7. cap. 12. as also in Eusebius his Eclesiasticall History lib. 3. cap. 8. There was a terrible blazing Starre or Comet fashioned like a Sword which for a years space in threatning manner hung over the City The Moon suffered an Eclipse for twelve nights together Before the Warre in the Feast of Sweet-bread upon the eighth day of April in the night a clear light as bright as day was seene in the Temple abiding the full space of halfe an houre And upon the same Feast day a Calfe being prepared for the Sacrifice brought forth a Lamb in the middle of the Temple The East Gate of the inward Temple being a Gate of Brasse fast locked and barred opened by its own accord this was about the middle of the night and much labour there was to shut it up againe Some few dayes after upon the 21. day of May a little before Sun-setting in the Skies were seen Armies of men fighting and Horses and Chariots running too and fro And on the day of Pentecost the Priests entring into the Temple according to their custome heard a terrible voice sounding out these words Let us go hence But that saith Josephus which was more terrible then all these was the crie of one Josus the sonne of Anani He was a man of the common sort of people and brought up in the Country who in the dayes of Albinus the Roman Governour of Judea Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles four yeares before the beginning of their Warres suddainly as he was in the Temple began to cry after this manner A voice from the East a voice from the West a voice from the four Winds a voice against Jerusalem and the Temple a voice against the Bridegroomes and Brides and a voice against the whole multitude of the City In which manner he continued crying day and night up and downe the streets without any hoarsnesse or wearinesse for the space of seven yeares and five Moneths but chiefly on the Feast dayes neither cursing them that hurt him nor thanking them that releeved him and being brought before the Deputy by the Magistrates and Nobles of the City they whip this flesh to the very bones for which he neither wept nor craved mercy but at every stroke cried Woe woe