Moses, and as it seemeth, preserve the text with far more integrity than the Jews: who as Tertullian, Chrysostom, and others oberve, did several ways corrupt the same, especially in passages concerning the prophecies of Christ. So that, as Jerome professeth, in his translation he was fain sometime to relieve himself by the Samaritan Pentateuch; as amongst others in that text, Deuteronomy xxvii, 26; Maledictus omnis qui non permanserit in omnibus quæ scripta sunt in libro legis. From hence Saint Paul, (Gal. iii, 10,) inferreth there is no justification by the law, and urgeth the text according to the Septuagint. Now the Jews, to afford a latitude unto themselves, in their copies expunged the word or syncategorematical term omnis: wherein lieth the strength of the law, and of the apostle's argument; but the Samaritan Bible retained it right, and answerable unto what the apostle had urged.1

As for Christians, from whom we should expect the exactest and most concurring account, there is also in them a manifest disagreement, and such as is not easily reconciled. For first, the Latins accord not in their account; to omit the calculation of the ancients, of Austin, Bede, and others, the chronology of the moderns doth manifestly dissent. Josephus Scaliger, whom Helvicus seems to follow, accounts the creation in 765 of the Julian period; and from thence unto the nativity of our Saviour alloweth 3947 years; but Dionysius Petavius, a learned chronologer, dissenteth from this compute almost forty years; placing the creation in the 730th of the Julian period, and from thence unto the incarnation accounteth 3983 years. For the Greeks; their accounts are more anomalous for if we recur unto ancient computes, we shall find that Clemens Alexandrinus, an ancient father and preceptor unto Origen, accounted from the creation unto our Saviour, 5664 years; for in the first of his Stromaticks, he collecteth the time from Adam unto the death of Commodus to be 5858 years; now the death of Commodus he placeth in the year after Christ 194, which number deducted from

4 the Samaritan, &c.] It is also preserved in six MSS. in the collections of Dr. Kennicott, and De Rossi, in several

copies of the Chaldee Targum, and in the LXX.-Jeff.

the former, there remaineth 5664. Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, accounteth unto the nativity of Christ 5515, deducible from the like way of compute; for in his first book ad Autolychum, he accounteth from Adam unto Aurelius Verus 5695 years; now that Emperor died in the year of our Lord 180, which deducted from the former sum, there remaineth 5515. Julius Africanus, an ancient chronologer, accounteth somewhat less, that is, 5500. Eusebius, Orosius and others dissent not much from this, but all exceed five thousand.

The latter compute of the Greeks, as Petavius observeth, hath been reduced unto two or three accounts. The first accounts unto our Saviour 5501, and this hath been observed by Nicephorus, Theophanes, and Maximus. The other accounts 5509; and this of all at present is generally received by the church of Constantinople, observed also by the Moscovite, as I have seen in the date of the emperor's letters; wherein this year of ours, 1645, is from the year of the world 7154, which doth exactly agree unto this last account 5509: for if unto that sum be added 1645, the product will be 7154; by this chronology are many Greek authors to be understood and thus is Martinus Crusius to be made out, when in his Turcogrecian history he delivers, the city of Constantinople was taken by the Turks in the year or that is, 6961. Now according unto these chronologists, the prophecy of Elias the rabbin, so much in request with the Jews, and in some credit also with Christians, that the world should last but six thousand years; unto these I say, it hath been long and out of memory disproved; for the sabbatical and 7000th year wherein the world should end (as did the creation on the seventh day) unto them is long ago expired; they are proceeding in the eight thousandth year, and numbers exceeding those days which men have made the types and shadows of these. But certainly what Marcus Leo the Jew conceiveth of the end of the heavens, exceedeth the account of all that ever shall be; for though he conceiveth the elemental frame shall end in the seventh or sabbatical millenary, yet cannot he opinion the heavens and more durable part of the creation shall perish before seven times seven or forty-nine,

that is, the quadrant of the other seven, and perfect jubilee of thousands.5

Thus may we observe the difference and wide dissent of men's opinions, and thereby the great incertainty in this establishment. The Hebrews not only dissenting from the Samaritans, the Latins from the Greeks, but every one from another. Insomuch that all can be in the right it is impossible that any one is so, not with assurance determinable. And therefore, as Petavius confesseth, to effect the same exactly without inspiration, it is impossible, and beyond the arithmetick of any but God himself. And therefore also, what satisfaction may be obtained from those violent disputes, and eager enquiries, in what day of the month the world began, either of March or October; likewise in what face or position of the moon, whether at the prime or full, or soon after, let our second and serious considerations determine.

Now the reason and ground of this dissent is the unhappy difference between the Greek and Hebrew editions of the bible, for unto these two languages have all translations conformed; the Holy Scripture being first delivered in Hebrew, and first translated into Greek. For the Hebrew; it seems the primitive and surest text to rely on, and to preserve the same entire and uncorrupt there hath been used the highest caution humanity could invent. For, as R. Ben Maimon hath declared, if in the copying thereof one letter were written twice, or if one letter but touched another, that copy was not admitted into their synagogues, but only allowable to be read in schools and private families. Neither were they careful only in the exact number of their sections of the law, but had also the curiosity to number every word, and affixed the account unto their several books. Notwithstanding all

5 Marcus Leo the Jew.] The text convinceth this dotage of the Jew: St. Paule sayd 1500 years agoe, that the ends of the world were then coming, which was spoken not of hundreds of yeares but of thousands. Yf then Christ were borne in the 4000th yeare of the world, as the late learned Armachanus (Abp. Usher) opines, (not without excellent and undeniable reasons easie to bee made good) wee must divide the age

of the world into 3 partes. The beginning of the world must bee counted as the first 2000 yeares: the midste 4000: and the end 6000 or perhaps not soe much: for our Saviour sayes evidently there shall be an abbreviation, viz. in the last parte; but when that shall bee Deus novit.-Wr.

Our Lord's prediction is usually applied to the destruction of Jerusalem.

which, divers corruptions ensued, and several depravations slipt in, arising from many and manifest grounds, as hath been exactly noted by Morinus in his preface unto the Septuagint. As for the Septuagint, it is the first and most ancient translation; and of greater antiquity than the Chaldee version; occasioned by the request of Ptolemeus Philadelphus king of Egypt, for the ornament of his memorable library, unto whom the high priest addressed six Jews out of every tribe, which amounteth unto 72; and by these was effected that translation we usually term the septuagint, or translation of seventy. Which name, however it obtain from the number of their persons, yet in respect of one common spirit, it was the translation but as it were of one man; if, as the story relateth, although they were set apart and severed from each other, yet were their translations found to agree in every point, according as is related by Philo and Josephus; although we find not the same in Aristæas,* who hath expressly treated thereof. But of the Greek compute there have passed some learned dissertations not many years ago, wherein the learned Isaac Vossius makes the nativity of the world to anticipate the common account one thousand four hundred and forty years.

This translation in ancient times was of great authority. By this many of the heathens received some notions of the creation and the mighty works of God. This in express terms is often followed by the evangelists, by the apostles, and by our Saviour himself in the quotations of the Old Testament. This for many years was used by the Jews themselves, that is, such as did Hellenize and dispersedly dwelt out of Palestine with the Greeks; and this also the succeeding Christians and ancient fathers observed; although there succeeded other Greek versions, that is, of Aquila, Theodosius, and Symmachus. For the Latin translation of Jerome called now the vulgar, was about 800 years after the Septuagint; although there was also a Latin translation

• Aristaas ad Philociatorem de 72 interpretibus.

Isaac Vossius] He contended for the inspiration of the Septuagint.-Jeff. VOL. III.

before, called the Italic version, which was after lost upon the general reception of the translation of Jerom. Which notwithstanding, (as he himself acknowledgeth *) had been needless, if the Septuagint copies had remained pure, and as they were first translated. But (beside that different copies were used, that Alexandria and Egypt followed the copy of Hesychius, Antioch and Constantinople that of Lucian the martyr, and others that of Origen,) the Septuagint was much depraved, not only from the errors of scribes, and the emergent corruptions of time, but malicious contrivance of the Jews; as Justin Martyr hath declared, in his learned dialogue with Tryphon, and Morinus † hath learnedly shewn from many confirmations.7

Whatsoever interpretations there have been since have been especially effected with reference unto these, that is, the Greek and Hebrew text; the translators sometimes following the one, sometimes adhering unto the other, according as they found them consonant unto truth, or most correspondent unto the rules of faith. Now, however it cometh to pass, these two are very different in the enumeration of genealogies, and particular accounts of time: for in the second interval, that is, between the flood and Abraham, there is by the Septuagint introduced one Cainan to be the son of Arphaxad and father of Salah; whereas in the Hebrew there is no mention of such a person, but Arphaxad is set down to be the father of Salah. But in the first interval, that is, from the creation unto the flood, their disagreement is more considerable; for therein the Greek exceedeth the Hebrew and common account almost 600 years. And 't is indeed a thing not very strange, to be at the difference of a third part, in so large and collective an account, if we consider how differently they are set forth in minor and less mistakable

* Præfat. in Paralipom.

7 Which was after lost, &c.] This concluding sentence was first added in the 2nd edit.

8 Cainan,] How this second Cainan was foisted into the translation of the Septuagint, see that learned tract in Gregoryes Posthuma, p. 77, which hee

De Hebræi et Græci textus sinceritate.

calls Kanàv deuregos: Hee [meaning Sir Thomas,] might have called him Ψευδοκαινὰν ; which had been most sutable to this learned worke, of discovering comon errors.-Wr.

See also Dr. Hales's New Analysis, vol. 1, pp. 90–94.