perceiuing the houreglasse to be almost runne out and seeing all these thinges knowe that he is neere euen at the doores Math. 24.23 and because wee know not when the time will be Let vs take heede watch and pray Mark 13.33 making our selues readie and euer waiting with all attendance to be caught vp in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre 1. Thess 3.17 who hath said Reuel 22.20 Surely I will come quickly Yea come Lord Iesu Amen A Table coupling the yeares of the Kings of Iuda with the Kinges of Israel and them both with the yeares of the world taken out of the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles wherein the beginninges of their raignes are certainely recorded and also some middle yeares compared together as here is represented to the eie Juda. World Israel REhoboam the sonne of Solomon succeeded his father but at his Caronation the 10 Tribes reuolted from him and so he raigned ouer the tribe of Iuda onely 1. Reg. 12.16.17.20 the space of 17 years 1. reg 14.21 Rehoboam 3025 1 Ieroboam Ieroboam the son of Nebat was proclaimed king of Israel by the 10 tribes he raigned 22. yeares 1. Reg. 12. 14.20 The 15. day of this eight month Ieroboam ordained the solemne feast of his Golden Calues ca. 12.32 which was as solemnely kept and celebrated by the Israelites vers 30. Heere beganne the Iniquitie of Israel Ibidem Ezech. 4.  a    2 2 3026    17 17 3041 18   19 Abijam the sonne of Rehoboam began his raigne in Ieroboams 18. yeare and raigned three yeares 1. Reg. 15.1.2 Abijam 1 3042    20 2 3043    21 3 3044    1 Nadab Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam began his raigne his father being aliue in the second yeare of Asa and raigned two yeares 1. Reg. 15.25 Asa the sonne of Abijam began in Ieroboams 20. yeare and raigned 41 years 1. Reg. 15.9.10 Asa 1     22   2 2 3045    Baasha Baasha the sonne of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab and killing him obtained the kingdome He began in the third yeare of Asa raigned 24. yeare 1. Reg. 15.27.28.33 3 3046    2 4 3047    24 20 3069 1 Ela Elah the sonne of Baasha began in the 26 of Asa and raigned two yeares 1. Reg. 16.8  3070  Iehosaphat the sonne of Asa began in Achabs 4 yeare and raigned 25 years 1. Reg. 22.41 27     2  3081 1 Zimri Omri Tibni Zimri Captaine of halfe Elahs Chariots slue Elah in the 27 yeare of Asa He raigned but 7 daies For Omri Generall of the host being the same day proclaimed king in the Campe subdued him in 7 daies Tibni was proclaimed king by another side against Omri But he died in the 31 yeare of Asa and so Omri raigned alone Jn the third yeare of his sole raigne he finished Samaria and remoued the Court thither so he raigned 6 yeares at Tirza and 6 at Samaria in all 12. 1. Reg. 16. Achab the sonne of Omri began in the 38 yeare of Asa and raigned 22 yeares 1. Reg. 16.29 Achab going the warre against the king of Assyria left his sonne Ahazia viceroy at home who began in Iehosaphats 17 yeare and raigned 2 years 1. reg 22.51 Ahaziah died in the beginning of his 2 yeare whom his brother Iehoram succeeded in Iehosaphats 18 yeare 2. Reg. 3.1 that is the second yeare of Iehoram of Iuda 2. Reg. 1.17 He raigned 12 yeares For his father was slaine in that warre 38    3082 12 Jn his 17 yeare he with Achab went to warre against the King of Assyria leauing his sonne Iehoram as Viceroy in his steade at home But returning safe out of the warre he receiued the kingdome againe till the third yeare of Iehoram king of Israel wherein Iehosaphat at the request of Iehoram going to warre against Moab placed his sonne Iehoram as viceroy againe and neuer after displaced him Heere began Iehorams raigne of 8 years viz. 4 with his father and 4 alone 2. Reg. 8.16 39     1 Achab  3083 2 40     3  3084  41     4 Iehosaphat 1 3099    19  3100  16     20 1 17  1 Ahaziah 1   IehoraÌ„ 3101    21   2 18   2 3102 1 Iehoram IehoraÌ„ 1 3106 5 7 3112 11 Ahaziah was made viceroy by reason of his fathers disease in his bowels 2. Reg. 9.20 His Father died in the beginning of his 8 yeare and so Ahaziah was proclaimed absolute king in the 12 yeare of Iehoram of Israel 2. Reg. 8.25 and anon after was slaine by Iehu Ahaziah viceroy    3113 12 8     Iehu Iehu the sonne of Iehosaphat the sonne of Nimsi being anoynted king of Israel slevv Iehoram king of Jsrael and Ahaziah king of Iuda 2. Reg. 9.6.24.27 He raigned 28 years Cap. 10.36 Ahaziah   Athaliah destroying all the rest of the blood royall saue Ioash that was hid from heâ— raigned after her sonne 6 yeares 2. Reg. 11.3 Athalia 1    3118 6 6   Ioash the son of Ahaziah began at the solemne feast Easter a little before Iehues 7 beganne for his 23 was begun before Iehues 28 was ended He raigned 40 yeares Cap. 12.2 Ioash 1 3119    7 2 3120    8 22 3140    28 23 3141 1 Iehoachaz Iehoachaz the sonne of Iehu began in the 23 yeare of Ioash and raigned 17 yeares 2. Reg. 13.1.2 Ioash the sonne of Iehoachaz was made viceroy of Israel because of the warre which the king of Syria made against them 2. Reg. 13.10 whereof he was the deliuerer vers 5. 25. he began in the 37 yeare of Ioash king of Iuda and raigned viceroy and absolute king 16. yeares 37 3155 15.1   Ioash 1 38 3156  Amaziah the sonne of Ioash was made viceroy of Iuda because of the warre which Chazael king of Syria made against Iuda 2. Reg. 12.17 14.1 He began in the 2 yeare of Ioash of Israel and raigned viceroy and absolute king 29 yeares Amaziah  16.2 15 3170 16   1 Ieroboam Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash began in the 15 yeare of Amaziah and raigned 41 yeares 2. Reg. 14.23 19 3171  29 3184    15 a Heere is a vacancie or Interregnum of 11. yeares in Iuda 3185    16  3196    27 Vzziah alâ—âs Azariah the sonne of Amaziah began in Ieroboams 27 year and raigned 52 yeares 2. Reg. 15.1 Vzziah 1    3210    41 15 Â
  3211    51 Heere is a vacancie or Interregnum almost of 23 yeares in Israel 16    3233  38    3234 1 Zacharias Zacharias the sonne of Ieroboam began in the end of the 38. yeare of Vzziah and raigned 6. monthes 39  Sallum Sallum killed Zacharias and raigned one month in Vzziahs 39. yeare 2. Reg. 15.8.13  3235 1 Menahem Menahem killed Sallum in the verie ende of Vzziahs 39. yeare and raigned 10. yeares vers 17. 40    3245  50  1 Pekahiah Pekahiah the sonne of Menahem began in the 50 yeare of Vzziah and raigned 2. yeares 2. Reg. 15.23  3246  51     2  3247  52    * The first Olympiad Game was kept and celebrated by Iphitus at the full moone of HecatoÌ„baeon that is the first month of the Athenians about the summer Solstice and hence the Computation of Iphitus and of the Olympiades are to be reckoned 1 Pekah Pekah the sonne of Remaliah kill ng Pekahiah began in the 52. yeare of Vzziah and raigned 20 yeares 2. Reg. 15.27 In his daies Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria tooke from him diuerse townes and caried away the tribes of Ruben Gad halfe the tribe of Menasses all Galilie and the whol tribe of Naphthalie captiue into Assyria 2. Reg. 15.29 1. Chron. 5.26 Iotham the sonne of Vzziah began a little before the beginning of Pekahs second yeare for Iothams 20 was begun before Pekahs 20 were ended but Pekahs second was Iothams first he raigned 16 yeares 2. Reg. 15.32 IothaÌ„ 1 3248    2 16 3263    17 Achaz the sonne of Iotham began in the 17. yeare of Pekah and raigned 16. yeares 2. Reg. 16.1 Achaz 1    3264 18 2   18    3265    16 3   19    3266    20 4   20    3267    1 Hoseas Hoseas the sonne of Elah killing Pekah began in Iothams 20. yeare 2. Reg. 15.30 He meaneth Achaz 4. yeare which woulde haue beene Iothams 20 had he liued so long yet he vseth his Computation being dead because he had made no meÌ„tion of Achaz before 5    3274  12  8   a Salmaneser king of Assyria tooke a voyage against Hoseas made him his vassal to hold that kingdome of him in Fee and for tribute in the 12 yeare of Achaz Here began a new stile and Computation of Hoseas which afterwarde is vsed 2. Reg. â—7 1  3275    1 Hoseas 13 * Merodac Baladan the sonne of Baladan taking the oppotunitie of Salmanesers absence busines in the great warres of Syria and Samaria reuolted from him and proclaimed himselfe king of Babilon From this first king and first beginning of the kingdome of Babilon Ptolomie taketh the Epoche and marke of his aera and Computation naming him Nabonassar   3276    2 14    3277  15  3 Ezechias began in the third yeare of Hoseas tributarie raigne a little before the feast of Easter and raigned 29 yeares 2. Reg. 18 1.2 He rebelled against the king of Assyria denying the tribute which Achaz vndertooke 2. Reg. 16.7 entering into league with the newe king of Babilon as it seemeth by the great kindnes betweene them afterward Merodac sending ambassadors with presentes to him and Ezechias shewing them all his treasure that they might see what forces he could make against the common enimie the king of Assyria Ezechias 3278    4 16   2 3279    5 b Hoseas incouraged by the example good successe of Merodac king of Babilon and Ezechias king of Iuda reuolted from Salmaneser and entred into league with So king of Aegypt 2. Reg. 17.4 3 3280  4 3281 6 c Salmaneser maketh his second voyage against Hoseas   7 d Samaria besieged three yeares 2. Reg. 18.9 5 3282    8 6 3283    9 e Samaria taken and Israel caried captiue into Assyria in the 6 yeare of Ezechias and the 9 of Hoseas vers 10. Heere ended the kingdome of Israel which had continued 259 yeares to this yeare of the world 3283 adde 23 more of Ezechias 55 of Manasses 2 of Amon 31 of Iosias and you come to the yeare of the world 3394 the next yeare is Iehoiakims first as heere followeth Iehoiakim was made king of Iuda by Pharao Neco king of Aegypt to hold it of him for tribute he raigned 11 yeares 2. Reg. 24.1 in the beginning of his 11 yeare he was taken by Nabuchodonosor 1 Iehoiakim 3395  2 3396  3 3397 a Nabuchodonosor the father being sicke Nabuchodonosor the greate was made viceroy of Babilon and went with great forces against the king of Aegypt other rebels which had reuolted from him in which voyage he besieged Ierusalem and made Iehoiakim to yeelde and become his vassal and tributarie 2. Reg. 24.3 Dan. 1.2.3 and gaue the armie of the king of Aegypt a great ouerthrovv at Carshemish Jer. 46.2 at this making of Nabuchodonosor viceroy in his fathers life time Daniel Ptolomie and Metasthenes begin his raigne that is in Iehoiakims third yeare by vvhich Computation he raigned 45 yeares 4 3398    1 Nabuchodonosor Nabuchodonosor the father being dead Nabuchodonosor the great vvas made absolute King Monarke of the vvhole Empyre Beros in Ioseph li. 10. ca. 10. vvhere Ieremie the bookes of Kings and Chronicles and Iosephus begin his raigne of 43 yeares complete besides the odde monthes He began in Iehoiakims 4 yeare Ier. 25.1 vvith the beginning of the 7 month of the Chaldaeans called Phamenòth vvhich began about the middle of Thamus the 4 month of the Hebrues 5 3399    2 10 3404 7 11 3405  Iehoiacin raigned three monthes and 10 daies which began in Nabuchodonosors 7 and ended in his 8.2 Reg. 24.10.11.12 2. Chro. 26.10 Ier. 52.28 Iehoiacin  8 Zedekiah began his raign in Nabuchodonosors 8 yeare in the 6 month of the vsual yeare of the Hebrues 2. Reg. 24.18 2. Chron. 36.11 Ier. 52.1 Zedekiah 1    3406  2  9  3407  3  10  3413  9     16 Ierusalem was besieged by Nabuchodonosor in the 10. day of the 10. month in Zedechiahs 9. yeare 2 Reg. 25.1 a    3414    17 The famine began to be extreme in the Citie 10    3415  11     18  3416  b The 9. day of the fourth month in Zedechiahs 11. yeare Ierusalem was taken ver 6. Ier. 52.6 which was in Nabuchodonosors 18. yeare Ier. 52.29     19 c The 7. day of the fifth month the temple and Citie was burnt which was in Nabuchodonosors 19. yeare 2. Reg. 25.11 and the verie end and expiring of Zedechias 11. yeare Ier. 1.3   〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in fight was slaine himselfe This is the summe of Herodotus wherein the league betweene the Medes and Persians as two nations linked and confederate in one is cleane dashed and also Darius Medus or Cyaxares is quite wipt out beside the taking of Babylon in the day time and other diuersities Metasthenes differeth from both these for first hauing reckoned vp the kinges of Medes from Arbaces to Apanda in the same sort as Ctesias Guidius doth in Diodorus sixt booke who also addeth that Apanda was called Astyages of the Grecians he saith that Cyrus and Darius subdued him and raigned in Persia sixe yeares and after resigning the kingdome of Persia to Cambyses his sonne they made warre against Tamaris sixe yeares In the sixt yeare being called out by the Babilonians they slewe Baltassar reunited the Monarchie and translated it to the Persians where they raigned ioyntly two yeares and then Cyrus 22 alone whome succeeded Priscus Artaxerxes Assuerus 20 yeares being Darius sonne who reuenged the Tamarical faction Patruum which by deceite slewe his fathers brother Cyrus After him followed his sonne Darius Longiman Heere you see Metasthenes maketh Cyrus and Darius brethren and both Persians because after the subduing of the king of Medes they raigned in Persia and after the killing of Baltassar they reduced the Monarchie to the Persians as Diodorus maketh Cyrus for of Darius he maketh no mention king of Persians when he tooke Apanda Secondly he preferreth Cyrus as the elder and better in that his sonne Cambyses was made king of Persia before they had Babylon 3 He maketh them to haue sixe yeares warre with Tamaris before they slew Baltassar though Cyrus were not slaine there 4 That the kingdome of Persia was resigned to Cambyses six yeares before the taking of Babylon of whose issue and succession he speaketh nothing but affirmeth that Priscus the sonne of Darius succeeded Cyrus in Babylon 5 that the Babilonians rebelled against their king and sent for Cyrus and Darius to ayde them 6 Betweene Cyrus and Longiman he maketh but one king Priscus whereas the Greekes reckon three and that agreeably to Daniel to whome Chap. 10.1.2 the Angell sheweth that betweene Darius Medus and the rich king that should rayse all against the Graecians that is Xerxes there should be three kinges of Persia and he should be the fourth Those were Cyrus Cambyses Darius Histaspis and Xerxes of which three last Herodotus writeth of certaintie without intimation of any other reportes Philo in Breuiar li. 2. agreeth with Metasthenes but that he giueth an Epithet to Darius that died in Cyrus second yeare naming him Darius Histaspis and further addeth that the principall fautor of the Tamaricall faction was Artaxat who compelled the Assyrians Medes and Persians to reuolt from Priscus in so much that Priscus kept himselfe at Babylon but in the end be sudued Artaxat Thus you see the great oddes among writers in this article all which Clemens Schubertus laboureth and toyleth to reconcile together But I doubt he hath lost both oyle and toyle Yet that which he hath done perhaps may giue light to some other grounded Historician to effect some further matter The meane season for the order of the kinges or Emperours in the Persian Morarchie we are to followe Xenophon for Darius and Cyrus and Herodotus for the rest as most agreeable to holy Scripture And for the Confirmation of these two last articles and the iust Chronologie thereof I will take a course more certaine Virg. Georg 1. euen the course of the Sunne with the Moone Solem quisdi cere falsum Audeat obserued by Ptolomie and other of the most autentique humane writers And to tye their Chronologie to the Computation of the Scripture which ceaseth with the ende of the Captiuitie Ieremie the Prophet helpeth vs to a string or sinewe Cap. 25.1 where he coupleth the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim that is the 3398. yeare of the world with the first yeare of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon This verse of Ieremie is the very kay of Chronologie wherefore I will first shew how the Diuine and Humane Chronologie is locked together and after vnlocke and open it with this kay And first as we reckon the yeares of the kinges of Iuda after Ezechias for full and complete so we begin their raigns alike as we did his that is at the beginning of the vsuall yeare as shall appeare in the Table Wherefore Iehoiakims fourth began euen with the beginning of 3398. Againe Nabuchodonosors first yeare did not beginne euen with the first day of Iehoiakims fourth yeare but at the first day of the month Phamenòth being the seuenth month of the Chaldaeans which Phamenòth in that age began about or rather anone after the middle of Thamus which was the fourth month of the Hebrewes so that about three monthes and an halfe of Nabuchodonosors first concurred with Iehoiakims fift as appeareth Ier. 52.29 where one captiuitie or carying away of the Iewes is attributed to Nabuchodonosors seauenth yeare which could not be before Iehoijakims 11 yeare when Iehoiakim and the Nobles were caried away And so by this means Iehoiakim raigned not aboue two monthes of his 11. yeare not full so much I meane as was in Nabuchodonosors seuenth and then Iehoakim raigned three monthes who was taken in Nabuchodonosors eight yeare the beginning of which three monthes was in Nabuchodonosors seuenth the end in his eight so that Zedechias began in the beginning of the sixt month of the yeare of the world 3405. that is about the middle of the second month of Nabuchodonosors eight yeare and consequently the fourth month of the yeare 3416. the ninth day whereof the Citie was taken was the verie latter ende of Nabuchodonosors 18. yeare VVherefore Ieremie vers 29. referreth that Captiuitie to Nabuchodonosors 18 yeare with which 18 yeare he coupleth Zedechias 10. too Cap. 23.1 For they concurred a month and an halfe together Againe Cap. 25. vers 12. he placeth the burning Desolation of the Temple and Citie in the fift month the seuenth day of the month that is Nabuchodonosors 19 yeare For his 19 yeare began about the midde of the fourth month about a fortnight after the taking of the Citie And that fift month was the ending and expiring of Zedechias 11 yeare as Ieremie affirmeth plainly cap. 1.3 vnto the ending of the eleuēth yeare of Zedekiah euen to the carying away of Ierusalem captiue in the fift month And thus it is euident and manifest how the years of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon and king of the Chaldaeans as he is called 2. Chron. 36.6 are locked and linked to the yeares of the kinges of Iuda according to the Computation of the raigne of Nabuchodonosor which is vsed in the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles and in Ieremie the Prophet Now for the vse hereof and opening of the Chronologie by this kay you must knowe that Ptolomie taketh the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or marke of his aera or Computation from the
wherein as God bindeth himselfe to be with Ieroboam to build him a sure house as he did to Dauid and to make him king ouer the tenne tribes after Solomons death So likewise he bindeth Ieroboam to harken to all that God commanded him to walke in his waies and to keep all his statutes and precepts as Dauid his seruant had done Which couenant God for his part most faithfully obserued defending Ieroboam from Solomon that sought his death preseruing him in Aegypt renting the ten Tribes from Solomons sonne and making him king ouer them But Ieroboam was no sooner in his kingdome but the couenant was for his part cleane forgot and fordone and thence Ezechiel taketh the beginning of bearing the burden of the iniquitie of the house of Israell The end of the bearing of this burden and the forbearing of the iniquitie is both plainely expressed and also typically represented to be the besieging of the Citie Ierusalem yet not the besieging simply for at the beginning of the siege they were in case good enough feeling no punishment at all but that necessitie when as by reason of the siege the Citie grewe to be in harde termes and extreeme famine and beganne to consume in their iniquitie Then indeed Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and forbearing of them was at an end his burthen was laid downe his rod taken vp and the punishment begunne as God most plainely expoundeth the type himselfe vers 16.17 Sonne of man behold I will breake the staffe of bread in Ierusalem and they shall eate bread by weight and with care and they shall drinke water by measure and with astonishment because the bread and water shall faile they shall be astonished one with another and shall consume in their iniquity When and how truely this was performed appeareth manifestly Ier. 52.6 Now in the fourth month the ninth day the famine being sore in the Citie so that there was no bread for the people of the land the Citie was broken vp c. And with this famine Ezechiel in the next Chapter beginneth euidently the laying down of the burthen and the punishment of the iniquitie vnder an other type 1 Sonne of man take thee a sharpe knife and make it passe vpon thy head vpon thy beard then take thee balances to wey and deuide the heare 2 Thou shalt burne with fire the third part in the middes of the Citie when the daies of the siege are fulfilled and thou shalt take the other third part and smite about it with a knife and the last third part thou shalt scatter in the wind and I will draw out a sword after them 3 Thou shalt take of them a few in number and bind them in thy lappe 4 Then take of them againe and cast them into the middes of the fire thereof shall a fire come into all the house of Israell 5. Thus saith the Lord this is Ierusalem The rest of the exposition followeth after 9 Behold I will doe in thee that which I neuer did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thy abominations 12 The third part of thee shall die with the pestilence and with famine shall they be consumed in the middest of thee This was performed before the taking of the Citie as I shewed before 2. Reg 25.6 an other third part of thee shall fall by the sword round about thee which was in breaking of the wall and taking of the Citie 2. Reg. 25.7 and the last third part I will scatter into all windes and will drawe out a sword after them this was done vers 8. and the armies of the Chaldaeans pursued the king and all his armie was scattered from him Heere you see the first beginning of the punishment is the famine in the City wherewith no doubt they had beene grieuously consumed before the Citie was taken The Citie was taken in the ninth day of the fourth month of the yeare 3416. which is from the 15. day of the eight month of the yeare 3025. being Ieroboams first yeare 390 yeares complete beside the three monthes and fifteene daies of 3025. which must goe to make vp Ieroboams first yeare which was wholly numbred in the article before and also beside the three monthes and nine daies of 3416. which must goe likewise to make vp the first yeare of the captiuitie and followeth to be reckoned in the next article Heerewith also lump the 40. yeares of Iudaes iniquitie spoken of by Ezechiell Cap. 4. vers 6. which beginne with the 13. yeare of Iosias as God himselfe sheweth their beginning Ier. 25.3 From the 13. yeare of Iosias the sonne of Amon king of Iuda euen vnto this day that is the 23. yeare the word of the Lord hath come vnto me and I haue spoken earlie vnto you rising earely and speaking but ye would not heare This day that he speaketh of was as appeareth vers 1. the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim and the first yeare of Nabuchodonosor which was as he saith the 23. yeare of that computation For Iosias 19. last and Iehoiakims foure make iust 23. adde thereto 17. to make vp Nabuchodonosors 18. for Iehoiakims 4. was his first and there amount iust 40. And heerewith also agreeth notably the tradition of the Iewes for the standing of the Temple which R. Abraham the Cabalist recordeth namely that the temple stood 427. yeares By our account the temple was founded in the second month of the yeare 2988. and it was desolated in the 5 monthe of 3416. The space betweene is iust 427. yeares full and complete beside the peece of the first yeare wherein it was founded and the peece of the last yeare wherein it was destroyed Beda li. de nat rerum Cap. 66. saith that it was burnt the 430 yeare after it was begunne to be founded which differeth but one yeare which perhaps Beda added to make the numberfull and round Both these accounts aswel of the 40. years of Iudaes iniquity of the 390. of Israels iniquitie are confirmed to the eie in the chronological table of the kings of Iudae Israel The eight article is recorded Ier. 25.11 And this whole land shall be desolate and an astonishment and these nations shall serue the king of Babell 70. yeares And also 2. Chro. 36.2 And they were seruants to the King of Babel and his sonnes till the kingdome of the Persians had rule to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremie vntill the land had her fill of her Sabbothes For all the daies that she lay desolate she kept her Sabbothes to fulfill 70. yeares This is the punishment of the iniquitie set downe by Ezechiel Cap. 5. as before is shewed and the 70. years of Captiuitie prophesied by Ieremie which beginne at the taking of Ierusalem and end at the taking of Babilon For at the taking of Ierusalem they became absolutely the king of Babels seruantes and so continued without interruption 70. yeares as Ieremie foreshewed Cap. 25.11 where
beginning of a king of Babylon of the Chaldaeans whom he nameth Nabonassar Ptol. l. 4. ca. 6. 8. From whence he maketh the second of Mardocempad to be the 28. yeare and the fifth of Nabopolassar to be the 127. c. Who and when Nabonassar l. 5. c. 14. Mardocempad Nabopolassar were will appeare if we take some king that is certainely knowne and agreed vpon and thence proceeding backward finde out the other The next king that is knowne and agreed vpon Ptol. l. 5. ca. 14. is Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus whose seauenth yeare is Cambyses 225. then consequently Cambyses seauenth is the 99. yeare from Nabopolassars 5. To Cambyses 7 adde Cyrus 7. and the 70. yeares of captiuitie the first whereof was Nabuchodonosors 19. then 14 backward to Nabuchodonosors fift and all make 98. which is one too short Wherefore the Computation of Nabuchodonosors raigne in Ieremie and the bookes of Kinges beginneth later by a yeare than the aera and account of Ptolomies Nabopolassar Nowe if it can be shewed that Nabuchodonosors raigne began a yeare before that computation of Ieremie we may vndoubtedly affirme that Ptolomies Nabopolassar is Ieremies Nabuchodonosor And this will easily and euidently appeare by two sufficient witnesses Berosus the priest of the Chaldaeans and Daniel the Prophet brought vp in Chaldaea to the learning of the Chaldaeans First Berosus lib. 3. rerum Chaldaicharum hath these wordes recorded by Iosephus de antiqu Iud. lib. 10. Cap. 11. Nabuchodonosor the father hearing that his Lieuetenant whom he had set ouer Aegypt Syria and Phoenicia had reuolted from him and being vnable for sicknesse to goe against him in his own person made his sonne Nabuchodonosor Emperour or Generall of his armie and sent him against the Rebell who ioyning battle with him conquered him and recouered his countrie againe The meane season Nabuchodonosor the father died of his sicknesse in Babilon hauing raigned 21 yeares Nabuchodonosor hearing of his fathers death straight waies left some of his friendes to bring the captiue Iewes Syrians and Phoenicians together with the army and cariage to Babilonia and himselfe accompanied with a fewe sped him in all hast to Babilon thorow the wildernesse Where taking vpon him the gouernment of the kingdome which the Chaldaeans kept for him till he came he was made Lord of all his fathers Empyre And first of all he disposed the captiues in conuenient places in Babilonia and with the spoyles which he had got furnished and beautifyed the Temple of Belus Among this company of captiues Daniel was one Dan. 1. ver 1.2.3.4.5.6 and therefore none can tell the time better then he heare what he saith In the third yeare of Iehoiakim King of Iuda came Nabuchodonosor King of Babilon vnto Ierusalem and besieged it And the Lord gaue Iehoiakim King of Iuda into his hand with part of the vesse s of the house of God which he caried into the land of Shinar to the house of his God And the king spake to Ashphenaz the maister of his Eunuches to bring certaine of the children of Israel of the Kinges seede whom they might teach the learning tongue of the Chaldaeans among these were Daniel c. Ioyne to these 2. Reg. 25.2 2. Chr. 35. the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles and see the concent Two or three yeares before this Pharao Neco King of Aegypt went vp against the king of Assyria to the riuer Euphrates and besieged Carshemish whom Iosias as feodarie or confederate to the king of Assyria seeking to resist was slaine and the people of the land made Iehoahaz his sonne king of Iuda whom Neco taking imprisoned a while at Riblah and after caried him into Aegypt making Eliakim his brother whose name he turned into Iehoiakim king in his steede Yet the Iewes woulde not vouchsafe him the name of King while his brother Iehoahaz liued but onely the title of high Priest as he is called in the booke of Iudith For they still hoped for and earnestly expected the returne of Iehoahaz out of Aegypt as Ieremie sheweth plainely Cap. 22.11.12 and about this time as it is most probable Nabuchodonosors Lieuetenant seing Neco preuaile so mightily reuolted from his maister to him and betrayed all those countries into his handes which Berosus speaketh of Wherefore Nabuchodonosor sent his Captaine Holophernes against those Rebelles with a great power but what bad successe he had the booke of Iudith sheweth This voiage of Holophernes happened while Iehoahaz king of Iuda was captiue in Aegypt and his brother Iehoiakim raigned at home though the people did not vouchsafe the name of King his brother being aliue Holophernes being ouerthrowne â—eros Nabuchodonosor in the third yeare of Iehoiakim his brother being then dead in Aegypt beeing sicke himself made his sonne Viceroy sent him to reduce those countries into subiection againe and to reuenge the ouerthrow of Holophernes who in the same third yeare of Iehoiakim Dan. 1. besieged Ierusalem and in the beginning of the next yeare made Iehoiakim to yeeld 2. Reg. 24.3 and become his vassal and Tributarie And so pursuing the victorie passed thorow Syria and recouered Carchemish Ier. 46.2 giuing the armie of the king of Aegypt a great ouerthrowe there Then hearing of the death of his father he sped him into Babilon and became sole Monarch as Berosus saith Afterward Iehoiakim rebelling against him he made his second voyage into those countries wherein he tooke Ierusalem in his 7 yeare and recouered from the king of Aegypt whatsoeuer he held from Euphrates to Nilus 2. Chro. 36 6. 2. Reg. 24.9 Thus the storie recorded by diuerse in sundry parcels hangeth together Heere is all the oddes that Daniel beginneth Nabuchodonosors raigne in Iehoiakims third yeare when he was made Generall in his fathers sicknesse as Berosus saith with the title of King of Babilon Beda de rat temp nat retuÌ„ cap. 66. and Ieremie with the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles beginne it in Iehoiakims fourth yeare when his father being dead he beganne his sole Monarchie ouer the whole Empyre Iudaea and all which he had then newly subdued againe But doubtlesse Daniel being brought vp in Babilon in the learning and language of the Chaldaeans vsed the right computatioÌ„ of the Chaldaeans which Metasthenes followeth also attributing to Nabuchodonosors raigne 35 years and Ptolomie likewise following the obseruations and calculations of the Chaldaeans vseth the same And Nabuchodonosors 5 by all their accountes is but his 4. by Ieremies computation which is iust 99. yeares from Cambyses 7. as Ptolomie saith And therefore we conclude that Ptolomies Nabopolassar is that Nabuchodonosor which destroyed Ierusalem So likewise by Ptolomie this 5 of Nabopolassar is the 100. yeare from the second of Mardocempad draw these 100 yeares backe and the holy Scripture will lead you to the 25 yeare of Ezechias and 3302 of the worlde So that Mardocempads first was Ezechias 24. yeare the 3301. yeare
anno indictione quibus suprà And the next before mentioned is that whereas in April 1417 the 32 Session was held as before there was mentioned Thirdly because the Indiction is changed which the Church of Rome altereth with their yeare But in all that Councel the writtes and processes of the Popes themselues Martin v. Gregorie xij or Iohn xxiiij are dated neither by the daies of the month nor by the yeare of the Lord but by the Calendes the yeare of their owne Papacie or Coronation And I haue a pardon granted by Martin V. to Issabell Wootton of London dated thus vi Idus Martij Pontificatus nostri anno nono without any mention of the yeare of the Lord. Wherefore Blondus perswading Eugenius IIII. about thirtie yeares after that councell to date his Bulles Pardons and writtes by the yeare of the Lord would haue him to follow Dionysius stile and to write from the Incarnation keeping the same number but altering the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or marke though all other courtes and notaries did keepe their newe stile from the Natiuitie as Forocemproniensis affirmed before The practise heereof is euident in the councell of Basil held vnder the same Eugenius wherein all his Bulles and Mandates as also the Bull of Nicholaus V. are dated anno Incarnationis Dominicae c. and by the Calendes And the reuocation of three of his Buls is dated by himselfe Calendis Ianuarij anno Incarnationis Dominicae 1433 but the Bishop and two Cardinals which subscribed to the same Reuocation the fift day of Februarie following date their subscription anno a Natiuitate Domini 1434. where the yeare you see is chaunged And so all the Sessions and Actes of the same councell are dated by the yeare à Natiuitate Domini or anno Domini which is all one for they meane à Natiuitate The like practise we haue in the Bull of Clement VII for the Iubilie 1525. For the Bull as it came from the Pope himselfe is dated thus Datum Romae apud sanctum Petrum anno Incarnationis Dominicae 1524. Cal. Maij. But out of the courte of Audience by the Bishop of Worcester Auditor Generall of the Apostolique Chamber it is dated thus Datum Romae in aedibus nostrae solitae residentiae anno a Natiuitate Domini 1524. die decimo mensis Iunij And these are the two vsuall datings and computations in Christendome at this day the occasion of the difference whereof I will briefly shew The principall cause of the oddes and errour was in Dionysius Exiguus who both erred himselfe and caused other to erre as one saide truely of him though the same man could not find out the errour as in like sort Reinerius Sigebertus Gemblacensis Stofflerinus Paulus Forosemproniensis c. haue found by their Calculations that Dionysius was out and in an errour Marry wherein the errour consisteth and what was the true cause thereof which being taken away it might be amended and made right they coulde not perceiue and therefore mistaking the cause they plunge themselues into further errours The trueth is briefly this Dionysius intending principally the time and account to come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely the time and Computation past came too short of the Conception or Incarnation of Christ by one whole yeare in his account backward because he accounted from the Incarnation of Christ to his Passion but onely 33 yeares so made the whol life of Christ but onely 32 yeares beside the odde time from the 25 of December to his Passion In which errour were as Forosemproniensis reckoneth them vp parte 2. li. 4. Apollinarus Laodicensis Augustine Victorinus Lemonicensis Magister Historiarum Nicholaus de Lyra and Marianus Scotus to whome we may adde Bartholomeus Scultetus and many other excellent Astronomers And because that would not fit well with Histories and the astronomicall calculations it hath driuen other into grosser absurdities namely to auouch that Christ liued but 31 full years as Iohannes de Muris and Rogerus Bacon in his Epistle to Clement V or that he liued 34 yeares full as Chrysostome Albertus Magnus and of late Gerardus Mercator all contrarie to the faith of the Church as Beda sheweth li. de nat rerum Cap. 46. Habet ecclesiae fides Dominum in carne paulò plus quam 33 annis vsque ad suae tempora passionis vixisse The faith of the Church holdeth that the Lord liued in the flesh a little more than 33 yeeres to the time of his Passion And contrarie to Ignatius who attributeth to Christ 33 yeares and somewhat more in his Epistle to the Trallians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ hauing conuersed three Decades of yeares was baptised and hauing preached three yeares was crucified where he reckoneth 33 full yeares beside the time from his baptisme to the beginning of his preaching and contrarie to Eusebius who placeth Christes Natiuitie in the 3 yeare of the 194 Olymp. and his death in the yeare 4 of the Olymp. 202. which is the distance of 33 yeares and as much as from the 25 day of December to the day of his Passion contrarie to the age of Christ by the yeares of the Emperours For Saint Luke saith that Iohn the Baptist began his office in Tiberius 15 yeare which ended the 19 day of August if we begin his Empire at Augustus death Yet Tacitus and Suetonius Cap. 14. shew that Tiberius stood a while after Augustus death in great suspence whether he might take the Empyre vpon him or not insomuch that some brak pacience one in a tumult cryed out aut agat aut desistat c. And therefore it may be that his Empyre began to be accounted two or three monthes after Howsoeuer it be for it mattreth not much it is euident by Daniel that Christ was baptised about October accounting from his Passion backward to his baptisme halfe a weeke and it is probable by the Analogie betweene the Baptisme of Christ the feast of Expiation that he was baptised at that feast which was that yeare the 7 day of October Nowe Christ at his Baptisme was almost full 30 yeare old as appeareth by Saint Luke Cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Iesus himselfe was beginning almost to be of 30 yeares of age that is beginning to be full 30 yeare olde as Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and twise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth place the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and Iesus was beginning to be almost of thirtie yeares being the sonne c. And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken Act. 13.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and almost fortie yeares he bare their maners in the wildernes meaning not full 40 for there wanted aboue a month of it as before is shewed And so ferè is vsed by Eutropius Caesar was slaine in they yeare seuen hundred and almost nine septingentessimo ac ferè nono because there wanted aboue a month of the full of that yeare So