The Scriptures of Harmony, Part 2
From the ceaſing of NOAH's Flood unto ABRAHAMS departing from VR of the Chaldees, are 362. yeeres.
FOR,
Shem Noah's ſonne, begat Arphaxad 2 yeeres after Ch. 11. verſ. 10.the Flood.
Arphaxad at 35 yeeres begat Salah.Verſe 12.
Salah at 30 yeeres begat Eber.Verſe 14.
Eber at 34 yeeres begat Peleg.Verſe 16.
Peleg at 30 yeeres begat Reu.Verſe 18.
Reu at 32 yeeres begat Serug.Verſe 20.
Serug at 30 yeeres begat Nahor.Verſe 22.
Nahor at 29 yeeres begat Terah.Gen. 11. v. 24.
Terah at 70 yeeres begat Abraham.Verſe 26.
Reaſons why it cannot be admitted that TERAH begat ABRAHAM at 130. yeeres old.
FIrſt, becauſe we muſt then grant, that there were two promiſes made by God unto Abraham; The one before his departure out of Ur of the Chaldees; The other after Terah's death, before his departure out of Haran: Which is a meere conceit, and cannot be proved out of the Scriptures. For Saint Stephen by repeating the words of Moſes, Get thee out Acts 7. v. 2. 3, 4 Gen. 12. v. 1.of thy Countrey, &c. ſhewes plainly, that Moſes and he did both ſpeake of one and the ſame promiſe, which (he expreſſely ſaith) was made in Meſopotamia (containing at that time the land of the Chaldees) before Abraham dwelt in Charran. And indeed had Saint Stephen at that time ſpoken any thing differing from Moſes (though by divine revelation, yet) he Sr. W. Ral. Hiſt. l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 3.had offered the Jewes, his accuſers, too great an occaſion of ſcandalizing him, and the Goſpel of Chriſt.
Secondly, becauſe we muſt then admit, that Moſes, who ſo punctually and largely has ſet downe the life of Abraham, did leave out, and not at all mention the firſt and chiefe promiſe made by God unto Abraham: which would ſavour of no leſſe impiety then improbability.
Thirdly, becauſe the laſt and beſt Engliſh Tranſlations, render not the words of Moſes thus; Terah Gen. 12. v. 1.died in Haran. And the Lord ſaith, or, then the Lord ſaid; but, Now the Lord had ſaid unto Abraham, in the Preterpluperfect Tenſe, ſhewing, that the Lord had made this promiſe before Terah's death, and (as Saint Stephen ſaith) in the land of the Chaldees. Junius and Tremelius tranſlate it by the Preterpluperfect Tenſe Dixerat enim: So Beza annot. in Act. 7. Ʋatahl. in a. locum.And Vatablus a learned Hebrician confirmes it, Hebraicè per futurum legitur, quod pro praeterito perfecto ponitur: & perfectum pro pluſquam perfecto; Lege Actor. caput▪ 7. in principio. Vertendum igitur, I am verò dixerat Dominus.
And as Gods promiſe, ſo Abraham's departure out of Haran, was alſo before Terah's death. Neither doth the relation of it after the death of Terah any way hinder: For the Scriptures do frequently Judg. 10. v. 5. 6. 8. So c. 13▪ v. 24. &c. 15. v. 20. compared with c. 13. v. 1. So Num. 9. v. 1. compared with c. 1. v. 1. So Ezek. 26. v. 1. comp. with c. 26. v. 1. Gen. 25. 1. Gen. 2. v. 3. 22. &c. 3. comp. with c. 1. v. 27. So Jer. 26. v. 1. compared with c 25. v. 1. So c. 49. v. 34. compared with 2. 39. v. 1. So Dan. 7. v. 1. comp. with c. 5 v. 30.in Story place that after, which was done before in time. As we know, that the eighteene yeeres wherein the Philiſtines and Ammonites oppreſſed Iſrael, were in the daies of Jair the Judge, yet it is ſaid, And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. And the children of Iſrael, &c. where the ſtory of the oppreſſion is placed after Jairs death. So Abraham's taking another wife, is mentioned after the death of Sarah, which was long before her death, in her time. So the relation of the making of woman, and the fall of man followes after the ſeventh day, yet we know, that both were created on the ſixth day. The Prophets, eſpecially Jeremiah & Daniel, afford many ſuch examples.
Fourthly, becauſe it cannot be inferred out of Saint Stephens words, that Abraham departed not out of Haran till his fathers death: for he ſaith, from thence when his father was dead, foreign, God tranſplanted him, that is, fully and abſolutely removed him into this Land, tam animo quam corpore; Flac. Illyr. Gloſſ. in Act. 7. v. 4. Vide Genebrard Chronol. l. 1.which indeed could not be before his fathers death, becauſe of the duty and naturall affection, which he did and ought to beare unto his Father. So that he departed thence at 75. yeeres old, as Moſes ſaith: but was not tranſplanted thence till his fathers death, as Saint Stephen ſaith, at which time Abraham was 135. yeeres old.
Fifthly, becauſe the Scriptures ſet downe preciſely, that Terah lived 70. yeeres and begat Abraham, Gen. 11. v. 16.Nahor, and Haran. Now if the 70. yeeres be not referred to Abraham, then they are inſerted ambiguouſly, and to no purpoſe. Ambiguouſly, becauſe it cannot be determined whether they belong to Nahor or Haran. And to no purpoſe, becauſe what matter is it to the continuance of the Church (which was the ſcope of Moſes in that Chapter) to mention how old Terah was when he begat Nahor or Haran, who were Idolaters, and not of the Church?
Sixthly, becauſe we muſt then admit that it was no wonder that Abraham ſhould beget a child at 100 yeeres old; whereas the Scriptures record it for an extraordinary act of Gods power, beyond the courſe of nature. Shall a child (ſaith Abraham) be Gen. 17. v. 17.borne unto hm that is an hundred yeeres old? Therefore C. 18. v. 11. 12.Sarah laughed within her ſelfe, ſaying, After I am waxed old, ſhall I have pleaſure, my lord being old alſo? Abraham's age (as well as her owne) was the cauſe of Sarah's laughter. And Saint Paul ſaith, there ſprang even of one and him as good as Heb. 11. v. 12.dead, ſo many as the Starres of the skie in multitude. Nay more, He conſidered not his owne body now dead, when he was about 100 yeeres old. Rom. 4 v. 19.Whence it is cleere, that Abraham's ſtrength of nature was in his hundreth yeere quite ſpent, his body was unable to beget children; and therefore the wonder was wrought on him, as well as on Sarah.
But in truth I cannot ſee, how they ſhould account this a wonder, who give Abraham a wife and ſixe ſonnes of her after Sarah's death; the eldeſt of whom ſhould we ſuppoſe that Abraham begat him Gen. 17. v. 17. compared with C. 23. v. 1.the ſame day that Sarah died, muſt be begotten in the 137 yeere of Abraham's age: and (if ſome may be credited) all ſix were begotten in leſſe then foure Sr. W. R. Hiſt. l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 4.yeeres. Sed ex uno abſurdo mille ſequuntur.
Seventhly, becauſe the beſt Writers and Chronologers affirme, That Terah begat Abraham at 70. yeeres old. As, Joſeph. Ant. l. 1. c. 7. Euſeb. Chron. fol. 6. Auguſt. quaeſt. 25. in Gen. Beda de 6. aetat. mundi. Func. fol. 20. Bucholz. pag. 4. Calviſ. pag. 35. Hen. Buntingus. fol. 22. Chriſt. Helvic. fol. 3. Iſaacſ. fol. 30.
Nevertheleſſe Abraham was not the eldeſt, but the younger ſonne of Terah, and is placed firſt, becauſe Compare Gen. 11. v. 29. with C. 17. v. 17.of his excellency and dignity.
Abraham departed from Ur of the Chaldees when he was 70. yeeres old.
His departure was immediately after Gods Covenant with him, Acts 7. v. 2, 3, 4. which is implyed, Gen. 11. v. 31. and c. 12. v. 1. Now Gods Covenant was when Abraham was 70. yeeres old. For from the Covenant to the Law were 430. yeeres; but from the 75. of Abraham to the Law, were but Gal. 3. v. 17.425. yeeres; Therefore the Covenant (and ſo his departure out of Ur) muſt be five yeeres before, which was in his 70. yeere.
The ſaid times accompted are 362 yeeres.