yeare is shorter then the Roman by six houres or one fourth part of a day which in so many yeres breedeth the losse and difference of threescore and thirtie dayes and a halfe So there is no disagreement betweene the old writers in Clemens reckoning after the Roman manner and Dionysius following the Greeke account and Ptolomie numbring by the vsuall custome of the Egyptians except this that Ptolomie respected the verie end of that war in the taking of Alexandria Egypt in theende of that month after Antonius was slaine the other goe somewhat hier to the beginning of it wherein Antonius by the falling away of his nauie was quite vndone and not able to stand out any longer Vnto these 294. yeares betweene the Monarchies of Alexander and Augustus sixe more being added which had passed before Alexanders death to the end of Darius the number is made 300. yeares For the truths sake I may not here omit one error of Ioseph Scaliger notwithstanding the reuerence and loue which I beare him in regarde of his fruitefull paynes employed to the benefite of learning and aduauncement of knowledge whereby he hath well deserued of God his Church in his fift booke de emendatione temporū speaking of that victorie of Augustus Caesar at Actium which as he saith hapned in the third Consulship of Augustus Caesar with Valerius Messala Coruinus hee affirmeth that Ptolomie counteth vnto it from Nabonasars coronation 718. yeares fullie compleat which commeth short of my reckoning by a yeare Ptolomie indeede counteth from Nabonasars coronation to the death of Alexander 424. yeares and thence to Augustus his Monarchie 294 which in all make 718. yet not naming the conquest at Actium for the ende of those yeares for that was obtayned in September as Dio testifieth beyond the compasse of Ptolomies precise reckoning by foure or fiue dayes in regarde of the moneth But to let that passe it is plaine euen by his owne testimonie a little before in the same booke in the chapter where he treateth of the first Thoth of the yeares of Alexanders death that hee was deceaued here in his reckoning His words there be these Alexander decessit anno 424. diebus aestiuis Thoth vero sequens est initium annorū à morte eius Nouemb. 12. feria prima anno periodi Iulianae 4389. anno primo Olymp. 114. that is Alexander departed in the 424. yeare meaning of Nabonasar in the sommer time But the Thoth following is the beginning of the yeares from his death in the twelft of Nouember the first daye of the weeke in the 4389. yeare of the Iulian period in the first yeare of the 114. Olympiad Let any now make the reckoning of 294. Egyptian yeares from the twelft of Nouember in the first yeare of the 114. Olympiad and hee shall stay and make his rest toward the ende of August in the third yeare of the 187. Olympiad which was the yeare of Augustus Caesars fourth Consulship wherein he got the sole Empire of Rome into his hands by the death of Antonius as before is shewed and not of his third Consulship wherein hee got the victorie against Antonius at Actium as Scaliger would haue it Ptolomie therefore counteth from Alexanders death not to the victorie at Actium as Scaliger saith but to Augustus his Monarchie or to vse Ptolomies owne word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is his kingdome which he had not entire till such time as Antonius was dispossessed of all Likewise whereas Scaliger saith that the Egyptian nauie was ouercome at Actium by Augustus in the time of his third Consulship with Coruinus and that in the sixteenth Iulian yeare it cannot possiblie be so because the sixteenth Iulian yeare began together with the fourth Consulship of Augustus The first Iulian yeare was the very next before Caesars death beginning at Ianuarie in the 708. of Rome and the third yeare of the 183. Olympiad as Censorinus teacheth Foure Olympiads that is sixteene yeares thence continued bring vs to the third of the 187. Olympiad wherein Augustus was Consull the fourth time and his fellow Consull with him was Licinius Crassus so as no part of it could fall to that battaile at Actium except we wil make it twice fought once in the third Consulship of Augustus and againe in his fourth the yeare after The grounde of this error of Scaliger was misunderstanding of Censorinus as may be euidentlie seene in his third booke in the chapter of the Egyptian Actiac yeare where his words are these Censorinus ait annum Augustorum Actiacum 267. esse 1014. Iphiti 986. Nabonosari that is Censorinus saith that the 267 Actiac yeare of the Augusts was the 1014. of Iphitus and the 986. of Nabonasar Censorinus neither saide it nor thought it hee maketh no mention of any Actiac yeare at all but onely affirmeth that the 986. of Nabonasar was the 265. of the yeares called Augusts the beginning whereof was taken from Augustus his seuenth and Vipsanius his third Consulship accounted of the Egyptians the 267. Quia biennio ante in potestatem ditionemque populi Romani venerunt because they became subiect to the power dominion of the people of Rome two yeares before saith Censorinus speaking not of the victorie at Actium but of the subduing of Egypt which after the death of Antonius was conquered to the Romane Empire and made a prouince a yeare after that ouerthrow of Antonius at Actium Therefore I see no cause why my former reckoning ought not to bee receaued as vndoubtedly true whatsoeuer Scaliger may seeme to haue to the contrarie or any other that is to saye that from the death of Alexander to the Monarchie of Augustus in the yeare of his fourth Consulship were 294. yeares and from the slaughter of the last king of Persia in the third yeare of the 112. Olympiad which made Alexander an vndoubted Monarch to the third of the 187 wherein the death of Antonius did the like to Augustus were 300. yeares Now that Iesus Christ was borne in the 28. yeare of the Monarchie of Augustus wherein after Antonius his death he ruled alone without the part taking or fellowship of any other with him therein wee haue the testimonie of Clemens Alexandrinus 1. Stromat Eusebius in the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall Historie in plaine words confirming it In the 42. yeare saith he of the raigne of Augustus and the 28. after the subdewing of Egypt and the death of Antonius and Cleopatra in whom the raigne of the Egyptian kings called Ptolomies was extinct our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne in Bethleem of Iuda Cyreneus being gouernour of Syria and so forth The 42. yeare of Augustus his parted raigne was all one with the 28. of his lone raigne That began in the 710. of Rome these 14. yeres after in the 724. of Rome being the fifteenth of Augustus from his first beginning For though the ciuill warres were ended by the death of Antonius and the subdewing of Egypt in the
fourteenth yeare of Augustus in the moneth of August yet the yeares of his Monarchie after the manner of the Romans began to bee reckoned from Ianuarie following in the beginning of the next yeare being his fifteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustus the king of the Romanes attayning the fifteenth yeare of his raigne got Egypt and the rest of the world saith Eusebius in his eyght booke de demonstratione Euangelij And in his Chronicles likewise hee beginneth the Monarchie of Augustus from the same his fifteenth yeare For foureteene yeares then past being added to 28. following the number is 42. The same beginning of Augustus his Monarchie from that yeere is confirmed by Paulus Orosius in the sixt booke of his Historie against the Gentiles Where hauing declared in the nineteenth chapter of that booke that Antonius and Cleopatra now forsaken of their nauie which in the beginning of August had turned to Caesar for griefe slew themselues And that Caesar after passed from thence into Syria by land and then into Asia and at length by Greece into Italie in the next chapter immediatly he addeth that Augustus Caesar in the yeare following wherein himselfe now the fift time and L. Apuleius were Consuls the sixt daye of Ianuarie entred into Rome with three triumphes Atque ex eo die summa rerum ac potestatem penes vnum caepit esse mansit quod Graeci Monarchiam vocant And from that daye saith Orosius the soueraigntie and cheefe power called of the Grecians a Monarchie begun to be in one mans hand and so remained Ioseph Scaliger I can but maruaile at in his sixt book de emendatione temporum affirming that Christ our Lorde was borne in the seuen and twentie yeare after the victorie at Actium which is short of the time by mee set for his birth in the 42. of Augustus by two yeares and more For the yeare of Christs birth was the 30. at the least after the Actiac victorie 29. full yeares beeing past and almost foure moneths Now touching the moneth and daye of our Sauiours birth I see no cause why we ought to referre that constant opinion of ancient Fathers that it was the 25. of December receaued of Augustine Orosius Chrysostom and other from them continued nowe by many ages to this daye except direct proofe can be brought to the contrarie Which Beroaldus after his wonted manner goeth about in the second chapter of his fourth booke of Chronicles affirming in plaine words that our Lorde Iesus Christ was borne in the middest of the moneth September when the daye and night is of one length His reason to proue that assertion of his is in this manner Christ preached three yeares and a halfe before his death this is prooued by the words of Daniel in his ninth chapter Hee shal confirme the couenant to many one weeke and halfe that weeke shall abolish sacrifice and offering which saith Beroaldus is to be vnderstoode of Christ preaching three yeares and a halfe from his baptizing to his death Now that his baptisme begun together with the 30. yeere of his age is testified by Luke in his third chapter the 23. verse where Christ is sayd to haue entred the 30. yeere of his age when he was baptized The end of the last halfe yeere wherein Christ dyed being the 14. day of the Iewes Nisan and of our March Leaue as well the begining thereof as consequently the birth of Christ to the 14. of September In deede if those his interpretations of Daniel and Luke in these places were both of them certaine and cleare as he sayeth they are his proof were good but if either of them faile his reason is not worth a strawe And so farre they are from being both certaine that neither of them both is sure Scaliger maketh it an vndoubted thing that they are otherwise to bee vnderstood referring the wordes of Daniell to the beseging and warre against Ierusalem by the Romanes and making the time of Christes preaching not three yeeres and a halfe but full foure Beda and Ignatius made it onely three yeeres after his baptisme And Apollinaris with diuers other eyther on or two at the most And as for the wordes of Luke a precise exact beginning of the thirtie yeere of Christes age can not be gathered of them Seeing hee vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing a doubtfull and imperfect number wherevnto somewhat more or lesse may be added or taken away and signifying that Christ begunne to bee about thirtie yeeres of age at the time of his baptisme As in our English bible it is well translated and so vnderstood by Epiphanius and Iustinus Martir and Augustine with some other of the ancient fathers Wherfore this his best reason is too weake to pull backe the receaued time of Christes birth from the 25. day of December to the 14. of September An other argument of his is taken from the custome of the Greeke and the Egyptian churches beginning their yeare from September Whence also the indictions haue their begining This saith Beroaldus they did because they knew that Christ was borne in the middest of September And how proueth he that Beroaldus for sooth sayth so The mans bare yea was enough belike to perswade the simple and vnskilfull Other reason he bringeth none at all either from authoritie or otherwise Neither in deed do I see how he could possibly bring any For it is a thing held without controuersie that the cause of the yeres beginning in the midst of September was the memorie not of Christes birth but of the glorious conquest of Alexander against Darius at Gaugamela retained long after euen in the Greeke church Which Scaliger out of Epiphanius declareth in his second booke De emendatione temporum the chapter of Calippus his period beginning in Autumne and also in his fift booke the chapter of the councell of Nice which by Socrates was set downe to haue bene in the 636. yeere of Alexander But what shall we need goe further then to Beroaldus himselfe for confirmation hereof who euen in the verie next Chapter before going had prooued by the Greeke Canons the first Tome of councels printed at Paris that the Greeke church counted their yeres from Alexander If the Greeke church counted frō Alexander and that accompt of Alexanders yeeres begun in the Equinoctiū of Autumne as Scaliger teacheth about mid September how can the cause and custome of this reckoning be referred to Christs natiuitie as for the Egyptians the first month of their yeere called Thoth before they were subdewed by Augustus went through all the monthes and seasons of the yere some times in Februarie after in Ianuarie and so in order to Februarie againe But after Antonius and Cleopatra were ouerthrowen and Egipt made one of the Roman prouinces won by Augustus Caesar in the month of August the first of their Thoth was not the 14. of September nor any part of it but the 29. of August and that in
memorie not of Christ his birth being yet vnborne but of Augustus his victory therein against the Egyptians Whereof also as before hath beene shewed the moneth Sextilis tooke a new name to bee called August Now follow the indictions which begunne about the 24. of September and therefore by Beroaldus made likewise an argument of Christes birth in that month Constantine after the death of his father Constantius who died here in England at Yorke obtayned the empire of Rome in the yeere of Christ 312. The time of his coronation being the 24. of September was celebrated with much ioy and great solemnitie and many sportes and games against that time proclamed thereof called an Indiction that is a proclaming And from that day in memorie thereof a new accompt of yeeres begunne by that terme of Indiction This accompt the church also obserued Yet beginning it later with the month Ianuarie following to make it agree with the yeeres of Christ Therefore this argument of all other is most forcible against that which Beroaldus being blinded with a new fangled conceipt brought it for as euerie one may see which will open but indifferent eyes For the 24. of September was 11. or 12. dayes after the aequinoctium wherein he setteth Christ his birth and the cause thereof Constantine crowned not Christ borne And because the time of Christ his birth was in those dayes celebrated and kept in winter and the beginning of the yerae of Christ in the first of Ianuarie as now at this day it is with vs the holy and zealous Christian fathers of that age in honour of Christ changed the time of that Indiction from the 24. of September to the first of Ianuarie Thus it pleaseth the God of truth to blind the aduersaries therof that they may fight against themselues which striue against it His last proofe is fetched from the course of Abiah whereof Zacharie Iohn Baptists father was as the Euangelist Luke testifieth in the fift verse of his first chapter There were 24. courses of the Priests seruing in the Temple at Ierusalem two families or courses appointed for euerie moneth in the first of Chronicles the 24 Chapter saith Beroaldus the first of these courses began most like in March as other holy thinges pertaining to the temple did so the course of Abiah beeing the eight falleth to Iune In that moneth vnto Zacharie seruing in the Temple was foretold the birth of Iohn Baptist by an Angell About that time then his wife Elizabeth conceaued and sixe moneths after the blessed virgin Marie as is gathered by the 26. the 36. verses of the first chapter of Luke So the time of Christ conceaued falleth to December and the ninth moneth after for his birth is September All these linkes hang together but vpon bare likelyhoods One that the Priests courses of seruice began in March the other that two courses were appointed for euery moneth neyther of them both is certaine Beroaldus himselfe in that chapter witnesse Zacharias quidem ad Abiae familiam pertinebat cui forte octauo loco ministerium obeundum erat in sacrario Sed quando aut quamdiu non intelligitur a nobis Zacharias saith he pertained to the course of Abiah to whose lotte the eight course of seruing in the Temple fell but when and how long wee know not That which hee saith of the vncertaintie of these thinges is most true for it may bee that the courses began presently at that time wherein they were first appointed which is vnknowne to vs. And if they did begin at the first with March yet the next beginning must needes be changed if the times of their seruice were equall because twelue moneths of the sunne are not euen all alike in dayes It may be also that euerie course had his wecke of seruice which in my iudgement is most like to be true But to take all doubte away concerning the beginning of the first course of Iehoiarib and his posteritie wee haue a plaine testimonie in the Hebrewes auncient Chronicle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seder olam rabba in the last chapter thereof against that coniecturall likelyhood of Beroaldus for the beginning of those courses in March in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is whē the first temple was destroyed That day was the next after the sabbaoth and the next after the weekes end the course of Iehoiarib the ninth of Ab and in like manner was it at the destruction of the second temple If Iehoiaribs course as there it is witnessed being the first of all the 24. fell about the ninth day of the Iewes fifth moneth called Ab which in some part is answerable to our Iulie then by no meanes could the eight course of Abiah in that order fall to Iune beeing the fourth moneth Thus all Beroaldus his coursing of Abiahs course yeeldeth him no more help nor maketh any whit more for his purpose then the rest of his wise reasons as children say and therefore by them no let but that the receiued opinion of ancient fathers so long continued in God his Church touching the birth of Christ in the 25. day of December may bee still retained for any thing that yet is prooued to the contrarie Wherefore I conclude that our glorious Lord and Redeemer Christ Iesus blessed be his name and his memorie for euer was borne in the third yeare of the 194. Olympiad and the 751. of Rome now within sixe dayes or there about expired wherein Augustus Caesar the 13 time was Consull M. Plautius Silanus with him 328. yeres almost a halfe after the Persian Monarchie and so end the second part of the compasse and boundes which haue bin set for Daniels weekes The third and last part therof only remayneth frō Christ his birth to the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans which som of the ancient Fathers 1. Stroae as Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius in his Chronicles and P. Eberus in his historie of the Iewes referre to the 73. yeare of Christ and the third yeare of the 212. Olympiad going further than the true acount permitteth almost by two yeares As Functius in the fift booke of his commentaries vpon his chronologie declareth and Ioseph Scaliger in his fift booke de emendatione temporum where they shew the cause of this errour to bee the confused raigning of diuers Emperours together at one time Galba with Nero Otho with Galba Vitellius with Otho and Vespasian with Vitellius So that whereas Vitellius is said to haue raigned in all seauen monethes two of them and more were spent in the Soueraigntie of Otho and foure at the least in the raigne of Vespasian Hence came that ouershooting by sundring those times which were confounded in themselues and so reckoning the same yeres twice or thrice ouer in the seuerall raignes of diuers Emperours Functius himselfe came somewhat nearer the mark in placing that ouerthrow of the holy Citty in the second yeare of that Olympiad which
his help in that which followeth declare what I thinke Shall be desolation So I interpret the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantiuelie as the Greeke and Latine interpreters here and the 31. verse of the 11. chapter haue taken it though otherwise it seemeth to haue the forme of a Participle Wee haue like examples in the fift chapter of this booke and twelft verse where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an exposition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loosing or dissoluing so that this need not seeme strange Vtter and precise destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is in proprietie of signification some difference betweene these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a perfect desolation of that which is vtterlie wholie destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred to the resolute and precise determination of that vtter destruction to come When it is precisely and certainly decreed all hope of recalling the same being quite cut off One respecteth the greatnes the other the certaintie of God his vengeance to come Esa 10.22 The Lord in the middest of the land shall make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vtter desolation and precise waste past all calling backe Hauing thus made first a true account and reckoning of the times wherein the fulfilling of Daniels prophecie is contained by the helpe of prophane writers testifying the certaine truth thereof and secondly a true interpretation of Daniels wordes according to the originall tongue It now remaineth by applying the one to the other to search and examine where the beginning and end of those 70. weekes may be found The greatest part of those who haue laboured for the vnderstanding of this Prophesie haue vnderstood the Messias here spoken of to be Iesus Christ and first seauen weekes then 62. that is 69. in all to bee the distance betwixt the commandement and him referring the end of those yeares eyther to his birth or his baptisme or his death and the beginning eyther to Cyrus who first gaue leaue for the returne of the people and the building of the temple or to Darius Hystaspis who confirmed the same by a new decree in the second yeare of his raigne as they take it mentioned in the sixt of Esdras or lastlie to Artaxerxes the long handed supposing him to be the Artaxerxes mentioned in the seauenth of Esdras and the second of Nehemias who in the twentie yeare of his raigne gaue a new commandement for the building of the walles of the Citie and sent Nehemias about it Though some reckō from his seuenth yeare wherein Esdras was sent to Ierusalem by the Kinges authoritie with great priuiledges graunted Touching their opinion which bring the time of their yeares from Cyrus to Christ it is with good reason confuted by Iulius Affricanus in the fift booke of his Chronicles because that from Cyrus to Christ are many yeares aboue that time that the compasse of Daniels weeks can reach to which may be likewise obiected against Darius Histaspis his second yeare from which to Christs birth are aboue 500. yeares But all this reasoning of Africanus toucheth Beroaldus no whit at all bringing Cyrus downe from the 55. Olympiad to the 80. within the reach of these weeks and so Darius Hystaspis in proportion if euer there were anie such Darius among the Persian kings For Beroaldus reckoning them al by their names hath no one of this name amongst thē to bee found but other in his stead I know not who such as were neuer heard of before If these fancies had beene broched before the dayes of Africanus his answere I beleeue would haue beene as is vsed amongst the learned contra negantes principia against such as denie principles and grounds not with words but eyther with silence or hissing as Aristo Pyrrho were serued for making no difference betwixt riches and pouertie Either of these answeres is good enough for him who going against the streame of al antiquity learning neither acknowledgeth any Cyrus before the 80. Olympiad nor any king of Persia by the name of Xerxes in proper person as king to haue inuaded Greece so for mee it shall rest The true time of Cyrus his age and the Persian Monarchie which the Reader may safely leane to is alreadie declared The last opinion is of such as referre the beginning of the 490. yeres of Daniels Prophesie to Artaxerxes the longhanded some reckning them from his seaūenth yeare to the death and passion of Christ Iesus as Functius and some other The seuenth of that Artaxerxes was the second yeare of the 80. Olympiad and our Sauiour suffered in the last of the 202. The distance betweene is 490. yeares so that in regard of the time and space of yeares this opinion would in some sort agree if other things were answerable but this is certaine that Esdras was in that seauenth yeare of Artaxerxes sent to Ierusalem by the kings authoritie with letters and many priueledges graunted vnto him and great summes of monie for offerings and vses of the Temple yet no decree made for the building of the Citie eyther Temple which had bin finished before or walles which were made vp after by Nehemias by speciall commandement Moreouer if the decree to build the Citie had beene then published in the seauenth yeare of Artaxerxes we must from thence to Messias onelie account seauen yeares and sixtie two as the Angell in plaine wordes declareth which expire seauen yeeres before the death of Christ Lastlie this opinion disagreeth from the Historie of Ezra where we read of an other Artaxerxes before this vnder whom Ezra came to Ierusalem which had forbidden the Iewes to proceed in the building of God his Temple therefore this could not bee the long handed Artaxerxes before whome there was no king of Persia called by that name Which reason likewise serueth to improue the next opinion here following for manie goe somewhat lower to the 20. yere of the same Artaxerxes wherin a newe decree went out for the building of the walles of Ierusalem as we reade in the second chapter of Nehemias This twentieth yeare of Artaxerxes was for the most part of it answerable to the 4. of the 83. Olympiad and the commandement giuen in the first moneth in the beginning of the spring as wee reade in the second of Nehemias From which time to the death and passion of our Sauiour in the spring time of the last yeare of the 202. Olympiad were 477. yeares full and no more So there wants of Daniels number thirteene yeares To supply this want two waies haue bin deuised One by Iulius Africanus Beda Rupertus Comestor Pererius and other who thought the yeares of the Moone to bee vnderstood in this place Which opinion as of all other most fitlie agreeing to the true interpretation of this place Pererius on the 9. of Daniel embraceth and bringeth reason for it because it is sayd in the Latin translation 70. Hebdomadae abbreuiatae sunt that is 70. weekes are shortened
Darius was dead sayth Herodotus the kingdome came to his sonne Xerxes So that if Artaxerxes as they say were appoynted king by his father Xerxes in his life time it was but for the next place after his fathers death to be an heire apparant and successor Farre from that imperiall maiestie which Thucidides giueth to him calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a king newly come to his kingdome But for my part weighing all circūstances I see not any colour that Artaxerxes should be chosen so much as heire apparant by his father yet liuing much lesse king He had three sons by his chiefe wife Queene Amestris first of all Darius then two yeares after another called Hystaspes and last of all this Artaxerxes besides two daughters as Ctesias declareth By the custome of the Persians it must needes bee that he named his next heire and successor to the crowne before his famous voyage into Greece And who was then to be named before his eldest sonne Darius For Gerardus Mercator in his Chronology maketh it a thing past doubt that Artaxerxes was at that time vnborne Whereunto agreeth that which wee reade in Iustin in the beginning of his third booke concerning the age of Artaxerxes at his fathers death which happened about 16. yeares after his going foorth agaynst Greece For there by Iustin he is termed admodum puer a very child If he had then been borne yet there is no likelihood that he should haue been preferred either before Darius the eldest of all or the next that is Hystaspes being elder then he This deuise therefore of two beginnings and two 20. yeares of Artaxerxes to helpe out the want of so many yeares betwixt the twentieth yeare of Artaxerxes and the death of Christ is a very poore shift and altogether friuolous If plaine proofe had been brought by the testimonie of ancient writers that the kingdome and monarchie of Artaxerxes begun whilest his father liued and that they raigned both at once many yeares together they had sayd somewhat to the purpose But that is not done It is fetched about I know not how by vaine coniectures and gessing and childish wrangling and sophistrie The reasons to work it are deceitfull and haue nothing at all in them but a colourable shew without substance That therefore which Iulius Africanus writeth in his Chronologie the 5. booke that if we begin to number Daniels 70. weekes from any other beginning then the 20. of Artaxerxes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither the time will accord and many absurdities follow is true as well in that yere which he excepteth as any of the rest Neither doe I see how by iust chronology of the times either the yeare of Christ his birth or his baptisme or his death may serue for the 490. yeares of Daniels 70. weekes to bee accounted vnto from any commandement and decree giuen out by the Persian kinges to build Ierusalem or how the word Messias in this place can bee applied to our Sauiour Iesus euen by their owne exposition for if the 70. weekes expire in the death of Christ as Beroaldus with the most part and best learned thinke why doeth Daniel reckon onely threescore and nine to Messias except they will say that Messias is here taken for the seauenth yeare before the death of Messias which were a strange kinde of interpretation And as Chronologie here fitteth not for Messias to be vnderstood of Christ our Lord so the verie text it selfe is against it which maketh onlie seuen weekes that is 49. yeres distance from the cōmandement to Messias in plaine speech so that it cannot bee applied to our blessed Sauiour without strayning and wresting which they who so vnderstand it of Christ Iesus are driuen vnto They are faine to vse chopping and changing adding and taking away contrarie to the expresse commandement of God For first whereas the original text after these words seauen weekes hath a rest yea that rest which is vsuall in the middest of a sentence to signifie a pause after halfe the verse now alreadie ended this pause by them is taken away and the wordes without anie rest at all continued with the next following and the pause or stay made at 62. weekes in this manner From the out going of the word to build againe Ierusalem vnto Messias the gouernour shal be seauen weekes 62. weekes Againe because in that interpretation of theirs the wordes and 62. weekes are seuered from the other following wherewith they should be ioyned as in my interpretation before deliuered may appere by that meanes the sence so darkned that of it selfe in any plaine construction of sence it cannot stand To make somewhat of it they are faine to thruste in words of their own inuention as for that which God sayeth it shall bee builded againe they say it shal be builded againe thrusting in the coniunction more than ought to bee Some put in other wordes some change verbes into Participles and all to make 483. yeares distance betwixt the decree and the Messias heere spoken of in steed of onlie 49. Here is great ods what is this els but to make Gods word a wax nose to turne which waie a man list at his pleasure How is it possible that by such kind of dealing diuine scripture should be rightly vnderstood Howe shall the Iewes by such wresting of texts bee made Christians and brought to beleeue that Christ is come Here it may bee some will say vnto mee you make more a doe about distinctions pauses and pointes then is need those are small matters and not so streightlie and preciselie to be looked into I may giue men leaue to thinke as they list but the truth is that euen these small matters of distinctions and rests are of great weight importance to the true vnderstanding of God his holie word yet bee it graunted that as small matters they may bee neglected Is that also a small matter to put in wordes of their owne which the custome of the originall tongue will not beare Well let that bee yeelded to be it a trifle not to bee stood vppon Though all this were graunted and though there were no vowels nor points at all yet euen the verie manner of the speech it selfe were enough to reproue their interpretation for who euer read in the Hebrew Bible this kinde of speech Seuen and threescore and two for threescore and nine It is not the custome of the holie Ghost to speake after that manner If all the Hebrew scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Malachie be sought throughout no one cleare example of the like can bee found As for that which Pererius bringeth from the twelfth verse of the 45. chapter of Ezechiell Tremellius will soone teach him that it is in another kinde If therefore neither agreement of time nor text of holy scripture permit the name Messias in this place to be referred to Iesus Christ we are to examine what other signification of this
A TRVE CHRONOLOGIE OF THE TIMES OF THE PERSIAN Monarchie and after to the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes WHEREIN BY THE WAY briefly is handled the day of Christ his birth with a declaration of the Angel Gabriels message to Daniel in the end of his 9. chap. against the friuolous conceits of Matthew Beroald Written by EDVVARD LIVELIE Reader of the holie tongue in Cambridge AT LONDON Printed by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man John Porter and Rafe Iacson 1597. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MY VERY HOnorable good Lord my Lord the Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace THE knowledge of former times most reuerend by prophane authors recorded for the great profit and delight thereof hath not without cause beene alwaies highlie esteemed of the best wisest men in Heathen common wealths guided only by natures law the word of life not knowne amongst them This keepeth the memorie of thinges done of old and in spite of death preserueth still in some sort as it were the life of Noble ancestors who by their prowesse and wisedome for guiding the course of mans life aright haue left most worthie examples and notable patternes of vertue behind them To Christians it hath this more to commend it selfe that it bringeth much light to the vnderstanding of God his worde and greatlie auaileth to the aduancement of that trueth wherby soules are wonne to the Lorde wherefore I cannot but meruaile at the shall I terme it follie or rather madnes of those men which for the continuance of the Persian Monarchie and the raigne of the seueral kings therin are bold to reiect the true histories of ancient writers who liuing in the times thereof haue set forth the same for the ages to come The cause and maine ground whereof is nothing else but their owne error in misunderstanding holie Scripture by wrested interpretation making flat contradiction betweene the spirite of God and prophane truth So not onelie wrong is done to those excellent men who by their paines haue deserued well but also euen the certaintie of Gods worde it selfe by this meanes is weakned made doubtfull and called into question For it is not possible that one truth should be repugnant to another Now because truth as Augustine writeth in his second booke de doctrina Christiana is the Lordes wheresoeuer it is found therefore euerie Christian in dutie bound to stand for the maintaining thereof against all aduersaries so farre forth as his strength will serue I haue according to my pore talent vndertaken the defence of the true Historie Chronologie of the Persian times against the aduersaries thereof and withall an exposition of the Angell Gabriels message to Daniel agreeable thereunto The one that is my account of the times in fast perswasion I hold so sure as that I stedfastlie beleeue scarse 2. yeres vnder or ouer if any at all will be easily disprooued which in so great a number were a small matter in regard of those mens conceipt who are bold at one dash to chop off no lesse then a hundred yeares For the other I meane my exposition by reasō of interpreters disagreement among themselues hauing not like euidence I referre my selfe to learnings skill the iudgement of cunning Linguists and sound Diuines In English rather then in Latine I haue chosen to set foorth this treatise for no other cause in the world but one That as my owne Countriemen in their natiue language by reason of Mathew Beroald the first brocher of the new Chronologicall History of the Persian Empire translated into English and some other bookes doe read the wrong in danger thereby to bee seduced So likewise in the same their mother tongue by this my paines they may see the right so hold themselues therein from going astray This my labour I am bolde to present vnto your Grace sundrie reasons moouing me thereunto For hauing in intent sought herein the vpholding of truth to the good of my Countrie and the benefitte of Christ his Church amongst vs the chiefe care wherof for these matters appertaineth vnto your Grace I feared not the checke of vnseemely boldnes if by the honour of your Graces name I should seeke to commend the same Your great loue of learning and kind good will to Students hartned me on But aboue all my especiall motiue hereunto was the earnest desire of my heart to shew some token of my dutifull remembrance of your great kindnes heretofore so many waies shewed vnto mee That I was first scholler and after fellow of Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge it proceeded of your louing minde and fauorable good wil vnto me besides other benefits many some greater then the forme which were too long to recite In regard whereof if it may please your Grace to accept of this acknowledgement of my dutie I shall account the same my duty doubled Thus with my hartie desire of your Graces happy estate long to cōtinue to the glory of God the good of his Church and the wealth of this land your own sounde comfort I most humbly take my leaue of your Grace this 24. day of Nouember in the 1597. yere of Christ our Lord. Your Graces most bounden EDVVARD LIVELIE A TRVE CHRONOLOGIE OF THE TIMES OF THE PERSIAN MONARCHIE CIcero if euer any other was one which verified that doctrine of the blessed Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians that the wisedome of God of the wisest of the world was accounted foolishnes The learning of the Grecians all artes pertaining to humanitie beeing held together to vse his owne tearme in a certaine kindred betweene themselues hee had in great price The knowledge thereof he admired the professors he honoured and by quicke conceit and sharp wit together with earnest trauaile and diligent study therein he grew to that ripenes of deepe knowledge and sweet speech wise counsell whereby he became the rare ornament of his countrie the precious iewell of his age and the great glorie of the world far beyond al before him neuer ouertooke of any after him But touching true diuinity the people of God with the word of life amongst them they were no better esteemed of him then Paul and his preaching was of the learned Philosophers of Athens being mocked for his labour and acounted a babling toole Let his owne mouth make proofe hereof in an Oration which he made for Lucius Flaccus beeing at that time accused amongst other matters for detayning great summes of gold sent yearely vpon deuotion by an vsuall custome out of Italie and some other prouinces of Rome to Ierusalem This action of his client withstanding the Iewes herein he greatly commendeth Ierusalem the holie and glorious seate of God his seruice hee calleth a suspitious and backebyting Citie The deuout worship of God and the holy religion of the Iewes he termeth barbarous superstition by great contempt in regard of the glorie and ancient customes of the Roman Empire in the end he concludeth
the first of Ester the ninteenth verse If it seeme good to the king let a royall word goe forth from him that is Let a commandement by the kings authoritie be published In the second chapter of this Prophet the twelfth verse The decree went forth the wise men were slaine In the second booke of the Machabies the sixt chapter and eight verse Thorough the counsell of Ptolomie there went out a commandement into the next cities of the heathen against the Iewes to put such to death as were not conformable to the manners of the Gentiles In the second chapter of Luke the first verse there went out a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed To build againe Ierusalem In Hebrew to returne build Ierusalem Of this a little after toward the end of this verse Vnto Messias the Gouernour The worde Messias in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and with vs annoynted So these three in signification are all one Messias Christ Annoynted The Hebrew word in the holy Scripture attributed sometime specially to the persō of Christ Iesus our Lord as in the first of Iohn the 42. ver we haue found the Messias And in the second Psalme the second verse The Rulers tooke counsell together against the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and against his Messias or Christ that is against Christ Iesus our Lorde as the place is expounded in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Sometime more generally to any annoynted Priest as in the fourth chapter and fift verse of Leuit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Annoynted Priest shall take off the bullockes blood or to the annoynted Prophets Touch not mine annoynted doe my Prophets no harme Psa 105.15 Or lastlie to the kings and chiefe gouernours of the people Thus Saul in the first of Samuel the 24. chapter and 7. verse and Dauid in the 2. of Samuel the 19. chapter and 22. verse is called the annoynted of the Lord. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying any Ruler or Gouernour is vsed sometime of kinges as in the first of Samuel the tenth chapter the second verse where Saul is called the Gouernour of the Lords inheritance and in the second of Samuel the seauenth chapter Dauid is called the ruler of Gods people and Ezechias in the second booke of the Kings the 20. chapter and fifth verse In all those places this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed Sometime it is giuen to other inferiour rulers or gouernours as in the 2. of Chronicles the 11. chapter and 11. verse Hee repayred the strong holdes and set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gouernours therin and in the 19. chapter and last verse of the same booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebadias the Ruler of the house of Iuda shall be for the kings affaires and in the 11. chapter of this Prophet Daniel the 22 verse the Prince and chiefe gouernour of the Jewes is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So there is no let by the force and signification of the word but that it may bee well referred to the chiefe ruler of the Iewes common wealth in Ierusalem after the building thereof Seauen weekes It is great pittie that this message of the holy Angell contayning a most excellent Prophesie from Gods owne mouth should be so peruerted and depraued as it hath beene by those which picke out this sence as though hee said there should be from the out-going of the commaundement to Messias 69. weekes in all A strange interpretation such I dare boldly say it as by the Hebrew text can neuer bee vpheld That interpretation which I haue made leauing a stay or rest at seuen weekes as the halfe sentence being past and continuing the 62. weekes with the other part of the sentence following to the end of the verse and not referred to the former as part of one whole number with them by the Hebrew text is most sure and vndoubted and iustifiable against all the world contayning that which God himselfe in his owne wordes hath vttered neyther more nor lesse but the verie same which Gods Angell deliuered to Daniel by word and Daniel to the Church by writing in the holie tongue and this once againe it is From the going forth of the word to build againe Ierusalem vnto Messias the gouernour shall be seauen weekes and threescore and two weekes it shall be builded againe street and wall and in trouble some times Marke the wordes consider their order and weigh well the rests As I finde in the Hebrew so I haue Englished that is the truth of interpretation be it vnderstood as it may It shall be builded againe Word for word in the original tongue is written It shall returne and be builded which learned Hierome verie learned lie translated thus Iterum aedificabitur It shall bee builded againe This is a familiar phrase in the Hebrew peoples mouth For proofe whereof take a view of these places First of that in Malachie the first chapter and fourth verse We will returne build the desolate places It is as much to say as we wil build them againe also in the 26. chapter 18. verse of Genesis Isaak returned and digged the wels of water which beeing digged in the dayes of Abraham the Philistians after his death had stopped The meaning is therfore that he digged them againe rightly vnderstood by the Greeke interpreters called the 70. thus trāslating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He digged againe Hierome agreeing thereunto rursus fodit In the sixt chapter of Zacharie the first verse I returned and lifted vp my eyes and saw which Tremellius verie wel translated thus Rursus attollens occulos meos vidi Againe lifting vp my eyes I saw That therefore which some interpreters here haue imagined concerning the returne of the people from the captiuitie of Babilon is to vse the old prouerbe nothing to Bacchus an interpretation farre from Daniels purpose The like reason is of that before written in this verse to returne and build Ierusalem being in sence the same which there I haue translated and Hierome long before me to build againe Ierusalem Moreouer it shall be builded importeth as much as if hee had said it shall continue builded or beeing once builded it shall so remaine by the space of 434. yeares before the desolation thereof come as Saadias and Gershoms sonne expounded the meaning of the word The 26. verse Shall Messias be cut off The signification of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is much more large then to slay as by the most part of interpreters it is here taken and reacheth to any cutting off eyther by death or banishment or any other kinde of abolishing whereby a thing before in vse afterward ceaseth Ioel. 1.8 The new wine is cut off from your mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amos 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will cut off the inhabitant of
Bikeathauen him that holdeth the Scepter out of Betheden and the people of Aram shall goe into captiuitie vnto Kir saith the Lord. And hee shall haue no beeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there shall not bee vnto him that is hee shall not be He shall haue no beeing he shall be extinct and gone Much like hereunto is that in the 42. of Genesis the 36. verse Simeon is not Ioseph is not where the meaning is that neither of them was remaining aliue or had any being Ieremie 31. Rachel mourned for her children because they were not Genesis 5.24 Enoch was not because the Lord tooke him away That is hee had no longer being among the liuing a speach vsed in prophane authours Homer 2. Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is For the sons of valiant Oeneus were not any lōger neither was he himself yet And more plainly in the Tragedie of Euripides called Hecuba where she bewailing the death of her son Polydorus I vnderstand now saith she the dreame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I saw touching thee my child not being anie longer in the light of heauen Therefore the Hebrew scholiast Solomon Iarchi thinking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to be alone with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other places of all other interpreters iudged best and the same which my selfe approoued before euer I read it in him or any other As likewise master Fox in a sermon of his entituled De Oliua Euangelica vnderstandeth it so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee is an Hebrew phrase whereby is signified mans life taken away and therefore he giueth this interpretation thereof Et vita priuabitur Hee shall be depriued of life His iudgement touching the force of the worde to bee all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall not be is all one with mine and that of Rabbi Solomon yet as I vnderstand the word of cutting off somewhat more largelie of thinges abolished otherwise then by death So this not beeing may bee referred to the gouernment ceasing and extinguished of the gouernour taken away though not dead Of the come Gouernour A come gouernour I call Presidem aduenam a deputie stranger called here in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ruler which is come for in the times before the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans there were two rulers of the Citie one of their owne people a Iew by profession or birth after their manner annointed to the gouernment of the common wealth amongst them here named in the verse afore going 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointed Prince the other a stranger appointed Deputy by the Roman Emperour called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ruler not borne in the country or one of the same Nation but a stranger come from another place In which sence the same worde seemeth sometime otherwhere to be vsed In the 42. of Genesis the fift verse The sonnes of Israell came to buy foode 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the commers meaning other strangers which were come to Egypt In the second booke of Chronicles the 30. chapter and 25. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangers which were come frō the Isralites are opposed to the inhabitants of Iudea Also in the fift of Nehemias the 17. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commers of the gentiles are set against such as were Iewes borne With a floud Vespasians hoste the mightie power of the Roman enemies with great force inuaded and went through the whole land of Israell and Iuda and as it were ouerflowing waters ouerwhelmed all A metaphor taken from flouds as in the 11. of this prophesie the 40 verse The king of the north shall come against him with Chariots and Horsemen ouerflow and passe through Vnto the end of the warre shall bee a precise iudgement of desolations In the time and continuance of that warre partly by the forraine enemies partly by the ciuill dissentions within the citie a great desolation of Ierusalem Iuda was made many of the Iewes for the intollerable miserie of those times leauing their Citie and flying as far as their legges could beare them from their owne natiue countrie into strange landes which likewise happened in the former destruction of that land and Citie by Nabugodonosor and the Chaldeans Ierem. 42.14 We will goe into Egypt that wee may see no more war nor heare the sound of the Trumpet nor haue hunger of bread and there wil we dwell This is it which the same Prophet bewaileth in his Lamentations the first chapter and third verse Iudah went away because of affliction and great seruitude Besides these which fled many were slaine a great number perished by famine All the places about the Temple were burnt vp and the Citie was made a Wildernesse and a solitarie floore as Iosephus writeth who knew it so well as no man liuing better The same Author testifieth that the land which before had beene beautified with goodlie trees and pleasant gardens and orchards became so desolate that none which had seene Iudea before with the faire buildings therein at the sight of such a wofull change thereof could haue contained himselfe from weeping and lamenting For all the beautifull ornaments had beene destroyed by warre so that if any which had knowne the place before comming then againe vnto it on a suddaine could not haue knowne it but would haue asked where Ierusalem was though present in it This wee read in Iosephus his seuenth booke of the Iewes war the first chapter and the sixt book the first chapter some other places therfore the speaking of desolations in the plurall number here wanteth not his force to note the multitude thereof They were manifold comming fast one vpon an other first in one place then in another till all was wasted The 27. verse One weeke This seemeth to pertaine not only to the couenant confirming next before in this verse mentioned but also to all the thinges spoken of in the former verse touching Messias to be cut off and the enemies wasting of the Citie by continuall war to the vtter desolation and ruine thereof All these thinges came to passe in the last weeke of the 70. Halfe of that weeke That is of that last weeke mentioned in the next wordes afore going and not a new halfe of an other weeke besides the 70. For this cause the demonstratiue Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ha is set before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie no other but the same weeke spoken of before according to the Hebrewes custome and manner of speaking obserued also and retained in the Greeke tongue as the learned knowe A like example wee had in the beginning of the next verse afore going in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing the same Article and referring vs to those same 62. weekes before spoken of and no other Touching this couenant sacrifices abolished I will by God
then he yet so as he hath likewise done that for other which Scaliger did for him that is left somewhat behind to bee vnderstood of other which himselfe neuer attained Especially in the 26. verse where it is said that after those 62. weekes Messias shall be cut off Where Master Iunius vseth some wresting by turning the future tence into the preterperfect and leauing out some coniunctions and changing other thereby making the accusatiue case of the nominatiue reiecting the ancient interpretations Greeke and Latin without any cause These inconueniences they are of force driuen vnto who by the word Messias doe not with Eusebius and the Hebrew expositors vnderstand the anointed gouernours Some may here say vnto mee Is it not plaine by the 24. verse that Daniel in this prophesie speaketh of Iesus Christ the redeemer of the worlde of whose death so many singular and notable effects are declared therein of abolishing sinne of reconciling sinners vnto the fauour of God and bringing euerlasting righteousnesse and fulfilling whatsoeuer had been foretold by the former Prophets of him I answere to this that of all other places in the old Testament touching the comming of Christ whereof there is great store that verse of Daniel is most excellent and cleere yet withall I deny that by the name of Messias in the verses following Christ our Sauiour is vnderstood For neither the true account of yeares will suffer it nor the text of holie Scripture beare it But how then is it here sayd that 70. weekes were decreed for abolishing sinne and making attonement if Christ came not in the ende of those 70. weekes The meaning is that within the space of those 70. weekes Christ by his passion should worke that redemption and saluation from sinne and wrath to the world As Tertullian speaketh in his booke against the Iewes where writing of the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ he saith that it was perfected in the time of Tiberius Caesar Intra tempora septuaginta hebdomadarum within the times of the seuentie weekes I am not ignorant that by the Hebrew writers it is a thing acknowledged and granted that Christ came in the verie ende of those weekes For they held that their Messias should begin to raigne at the destruction of Ierusalem And therefore Rabbi Leui ben Gershom expounding those wordes of this text to bring euerlasting righteousnesse and to seale vp vision and prophet referreth the fulfilling thereof to the kingdome of Christ which hee calleth the fift kingdome because it was to succeede the other foure spoken of before in the second and seuenth chapters of this prophesie It was an olde tradition amongst the Hebrews of auncient time receiued from the schoole of Elias declared in their Talmud in the treatise Sanhedrim the eleuenth chapter and diuers other places that the world should endure sixe thousand yeres whereof two thousand should bee voyd without the lawe two thousand vnder the law and two thousand the time of Christ Whereby the iudgement appeareth concerning the comming of Christ that it should be at the desolation of the holie citie immediatly after the ceasing of the law For the law then ceased and all the ceremonies thereof ended when Ierusalem the seat of God his worship according to that lawe was destroyed by Titus and neither place nor people there left anie longer for the law-seruice of God Diuers such testimonies of the auncient Hebrewes are recorded by Philip of Morney Lord of Plessie in his book of the truth of Christian Religion the 29. and 30. chapters wherby he gathereth that it was a common opinion among them that the Messias should come about the destruction of the Temple R. Hama the sonne of Hauina in the same chapter of the Talmudicall treatise before alleadged sayd that the sonne of David should not come so long as any soueraigne authoritie were it neuer so small remained in Israel Also R. Mili alleadging Rabbi Eliezer the sonne of Simeon sayd that Christ should not come vntill there were a cleane riddance of all Iudges Magistrates in Israel And R. Moses Haddarsan vpon the 49. of Genesis gaue this iudgement of the Iewes Senate consisting of seuentie Elders or Iudges called Sanhedrim that they were not to cease before the comming of the Messias Let vs then examine when the authoritie of those Iudges and all gouernment ceased in Ierusalem that thereby wee may know the time of Christ his comming by the Hebrew writers opinion That honorable Lord of Plessie in his booke before mentioned hauing cited the testimonie of Philo in his booke of Times to proue that Herod slew al the Sanhedrim about the 30. yeare of his raigne affirmeth that to be the time wherein the soueraigntie and iurisdiction of Iuda did cease not for a few dayes or yeares but for a continual time How this may stand for trueth I cannot perceiue For to say nothing of that fained Philo an author forged in the shop of Annius his toying braine it is well knowne that the common-wealth of Ierusalem and Iewrie flourished with princely rule and other gouernment of Magistrates yea of the very Sanhedrim themselues aboue three score and ten yeares after that time euen to Ierusalems desolation Christ in the 30. yeare of Herod was yet vnborne who about the 33. yeare of his age in the sixteenth of Matthew foretold to his Disciples what he was to suffer of the Elders and chiefe Priests and Scribes All these were gouernours and rulers of the citie and by the name of Elders the best interpreters haue especially vnderstood those Sanhedrim hauing great reason for it For these Sanhedrim were nothing els but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 70. Elders of the great Consistorie or iudgemeat place in Ierusalem As by Elias Leuita they are described in his Tishbi The old Rabbins in their Talmud haue borowed from the Greeke tongue many words whereof this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanhedrim is one signifying a sitting of Iudges or Senatours together in councell or iudgement So it is taken in the 107. Psalme the 32. verse by the Chaldie interpreter where for these Hebrew wordes there vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let thē praise him in the sitting that is the assemblie of the Elders The Targum hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let them praise him in the sitting together of the wise expressing the word of sitting by Sanhedrim as Synedrion in Greeke is taken Christ therefore in the fift of Matthew saying Whosoeuer calleth his brother Raca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be bound ouer to a sessions or sitting meaneth the sitting in iudgement of the Sanhedrim applying his speech to the manner of the ciuill iudgements in Ierusalem Iosephus in his 20. booke of Antiquities the eight chapter telleth that when Festus the Romane gouernour was dead Ananus the high priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made the assemblie of the Iudges to sit by whom Iames the brother of Christ was adiudged to be stoned This happened
thought the verie same and vnderstoode the same world which ended at the comming of Messias to raigne in a new world by the Gospell and for this cause those times betweene the preaching of Christ and Ierusalem destroyed were called the last dayes in the second chapter of the Actes of the Apostles the 17. verse In the last dayes saith God I will powre of my spirit vpon all flesh and in the beginning of the Epistle to the Hebrewes In these last dayes God hath spoken vnto vs by his son These last dayes are all one with the end of the worlde spoken of by the blessed Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the tenth Chapter eleuenth verse calling that time the ends of the world These things saith he were writtē to admonish vs vpon whome the ends of the world are come and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the ninth chapter and twentie sixe verse Now in the end of the world hath Christ appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe That which R. Nehemias said of wickednesse to be multiplied against the comming of Christ is it not in plaine wordes verified by Christ himselfe in the verie same twenty foure Chapter of Mathew the twelft verse giuing this for one token of his comming and the desolation of Ierusalem to be at hand that iniquitie should abound and charitie wax cold If any here demaund how the second comming of Christ can be with any reason referred to the destruction of Ierusalem seeing that it is euident by that verie same twentie foure chapter of Mathew that the comming of Christ to iudgement at the latter day is there described by the suddennes therof by his appearing in the clouds the gathering of the elect with the sound of a trumpet by the doome of the iudge declared in the next chapter where the same argument is continued Come yee blessed of my father inherit yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world depart yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel his angels I answere that the second cōming of Christ containeth his whole raigne iurisdiction and iudgement in the Citie of God the heauenly Ierusalem by the gospel preached frō the desolation of the outward earthly Ierusalem when it begun to the end of the world at the resurrection of all flesh so that the destruction of Ierusalem and the latter doome being both included within the time of Christs second comming there is no let but that the comming of Christ may be referred to both to one in regard of the beginning to the other in regard of the end and consummation thereof And this is the cause that Christ there speaking of his second comming blendeth these two together the desolation of Ierusalem and his last iudgement because both pertained to one and the same kingdome of Christ And hereof it is that respecting the beginning of that kingdome in the destruction of Ierusalem wherein hee first appeared a rauenging iudge hee saith that that generation should not passe till all those thinges were fulfilled All one with that in the end of the sixteene chapter of the same Gospel Verily I say vnto you some of them that stand here shall not taste of death till they haue seene the sonne of man come in his kingdome What time was there more fit for an other comming of Christ to fall vnto within one generation from those wordes by him vttered a little before his death then this what time more agreeable to that which after his resurrection hee spake of Iohns tarrying till he came then the downefall of the Iewes estate and the vtter desolation of their Citie common wealth which that Euangelist liued to see It is not vnlike or disagreeing to reason that then should begin the spirituall raigne of Christ ouer all Nations by the preaching of the Gospell when the doctrine of the law with all the ceremonies thereof were vtterly abolished That then shuld begin the heauenly kingdome of Christ whē the earthly kingdom of the Iewes and all their law gouernment was first extinct That then should begin the inward subiection of Gods newe people the elect amongst the Gentiles and the spirituall seruice of GOD when the Iewes outward worship had ceased That then should begin the spirituall Sion and new Ierusalem from heauen when the earthly Sion and olde Ierusalem had no more being According to the saying of Esay the Prophet in his second chapter It shall come to passe in the last daies that the mountaine of the Lords house shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hils and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths for the Law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Where by the high mountaine of the Lords house and the names of Sion and Ierusalem is vnderstoode not any certaine earthly place or materiall citie but the Church of Christ ruled and guided by the preaching of the Gospell Which the Apostle in the fourth chapter of the epistle to the Galathians calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is high Ierusalem or Ierusalem which is aboue Alluding to the former prophesie of Esay and opposing the high Ierusalem to the earthly and materiall Ierusalem which begot children of bondage by the law like Agar and mount Sinai there called the new Ierusalem or Ierusalem that now is For as there were two kinds of Iewes spoken of by Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes the second chapter one visible the other secret so there were two Ierusalems one outward by the visible ceremonies of the Law the other in ward by the spirituall graces of the Gospell which is Christ his Church termed the heauenly Ierusalem in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the twelfth chapter and 22. verse This heauenly Ierusalem then begun when the earthly Ierusalem was brought to an end being destroyed by the Romane armie and consumed by fire and the Iewes led captiue and dispersed abroad The preaching of the gospel begun long before the destruction of Ierusalem I confesse euen by Christ himselfe while he liued and continewed after by the apostles for the space of 40. yeares All this is true Yet so as withall the outward and ciuill gouernement of the Iewes common wealth with their ceremoniall seruice and law worship remayned still all that while in the holy citie and temple of God And therefore that preaching of Christ and his apostles so long before seemed rather a preparation to this kingdome of Christ then any perfect beginning thereof According to that manner of preaching vsed by Christ and followed of his apostles Mat. 4.17 Mat. 10.7 repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Meaning that Christ in