The Scriptures of Harmony, Part 9 – Part 10
The firſt Monarch of Grecia.
Alexander the Great, after the full overthrow Juſtin. l. 11. Bacholz. pag. 53.of Darius, reigned 7 yeeres.
Upon his death-bed he parted his Kingdome among 1 Mac. 1. v. 6. 9. Dan. 11. v. 5. to the 30.his ſervants, ſuch as were honourable; who all after his death put Crownes upon themſelves, and ſoone fell into warres one againſt another. Of whom the chiefeſt were foure: Seleucus King of Syria, Joſeph. Antiqu. l. 12. c 1. Juſtin. l. 13. Sleidan. l. 1. Dan. 7. v. 6 c. 8. v. 8. 21, 22. &c. 11. v. 3, 4.Ptolomeus of Egypt, Antigonus of Aſia the leſſe, and Caſſander of Macedon. And of theſe the two former excelled in power: between whom what leagues and conflicts ſhould be, Daniel foretold under the names of The King of the North, and the King Dan. 11.of the South. For Syria lieth Northward, and Egypt Southward, from Judea. The whole chapter is paraphraſed by Joſeph Hall Biſhop of Exceter.
Note, That the Grecian Kingdome Func. fol. 75. Bucholz. pag. 56ſo often mentioned in the Books of the Maccabees, began 13 yeeres compleat after the death of Alexander the Great.
Antiochus ſirnamed Epiphanes, ſonne of Dan. 8. v. 23. &c 11. v. 21. 1 Mac. 1. v. 10. 2 Mac. 4. v. 7. Joſeph. Antiqu. l. 12 c. 5.Antiochus King of Syria, a King of fierce countenance, a vile perſon, that wicked root, after his brother Seleucus was dead, began to reigne in the end of the 137 yeere of the Grecian Kingdome.
On the eighth day of the fifth monethmonth in the 141. Dan. 8. v. 11, 12 13. 1 Mac. 1. v. 13, 14. 15. 21. to the end of the ch. &c. 2. v. 6. to the 16. Joſeph. Antiqu. l. 12. c. 7, 8.yeere, the tranſgreſsion of deſolation began, and the daily ſacrifice decaied by the groſſe idolatry of thoſe, who (with the licence of Antiochus) joyned themſelves to the Heathen, and were ſold to do miſchief. And in the 143. yeere, he took Jeruſalem, polluted the Sanctuary, hindered, and afterwards forbad the daily Sacrifice, and compelled the Jewes to all manner of ambition. Whom Mattathias the Prieſt for 1 Mac. 2. v. 1. 19 to the 48. & v. 66. 70. &c. 3. v. 1, 2. Joſeph. l. d. c. 8.ſome times couragiouſly and proſperouſly reſiſted; but he quickly deceaſing, Judas Maccabeus (according to his appointment) roſe up in his ſtead, and became both the Captaine and Governour of Judea, in the end of the 146. yeere of the Grecian Kingdome,
Antiochus having then reigned 9 yeeres.
Iudas, ſirnamed Maccabeus, was ſlaine in 1 Mac. 9. v. 3. 18 Joſeph. l. d. c. 9. & 19.the end of the firſt monethmonth of the 152. yeere, having governed 5 yeeres and 1 monethmonth.
In the ſecond yeere of his government on the 1 Mac. 4. v. 36. 10 …he 60.five and twentieth day of the ninth monethmonth, in the 148. yeer, he finiſhed the cleanſing of the Sanctuary, and reſtored the daily Sacrifice. So that from the time that the tranſgreſsion of deſolation began, and the daily Sacrifice decaied, unto the cleanſing of the Sanctuary, and the full reſtoring of the Sacrifice, are 6. yeeres 3. moneths, and 17. dayes; which containe thoſe 2300. dayes revealed unto Daniel.Dan. 8. v. 13. 14. 1 Mac. 12. v. 48. &c. 13. v. 12. 23. compare c. 11. v. 19. 20. with c. 13. v. 41, 42. Func. Chr. f. 83. Bucholz. p. 79.
Ionathan the High-Prieſt, was taken priſoner▪ and ſlaine in the end of the 169. yeere, having governed 18 yeeres.
Simon the High-Prieſt, and Prince of the Jewes, 1 Mac. 13. v 42 &c. 16. v. 14. 16 Joſeph. Antiqu. l. 13. c. 11. & 14was treacherouſly ſlaine in the 11. monethmonth of the 177. yeer, having governed 7 yeers and 11 moneths.
Iohn, ſirnamed Hyrcanus the High-Prieſt, 1 Mac. 16. v. 23 24. Joſeph. Antiqu. l. d. d. c. 15. & 18.governed 31 yeeres.
Ariſtobulus, who was the firſt that Crowned Joſeph. l. d. c. 19himſelfe King of Judea, reigned 1 yeere.
Alexander, ſirnamed Ianneus, 27 yeeres.Ioſeph. l. d. c. 20 & 23.
Salome, whom the Greeks call Alexandra, Ioſeph. l. d. c. 24.the wife of the ſaid Alexander, reigned 9 yeeres.
Ariſtobulus, compelling his brother Hyrcanus Ioſeph. l. 14. c. 1 & 8.the High-Prieſt, to ſubmit unto a private life, took upon him both the Kingdome and Prieſt-hood; but in the third yeere of his reign he was taken priſoner by Pompey, and carried to Rome.
Preſently after, Gabinius the Romane Generall, Ioſeph. l. d. c. 10.vanquiſhing Alexander the ſon of Ariſtobulus, erected five ſeats of Juſtice; The firſt at Jeruſalem, the ſecond at Gadar, the third at Amatho, the fourth at Jericho, the fifth at Saphor in Galilee, and ſo changed the Kingdome into an Ariſtocracy; which was immediately Ioſeph. l. d. c. 11.interrupted by Ariſtobulus, who eſcaped from Rome, but was ſoone taken by the ſaid Gabinius, and againe ſent back.
Ariſtobulus reigned (including the time of his Ioſeph. ibid.Captivity) 3 yeers and 6 moneths
Afterwards the ſaid Ariſtocracy continued Ioſeph: l. d. c. 15. ſchol. illuſtrat.15 yeeres and 6 moneths.
Antipater by Julius Caeſar made Governour of Judea, in the end of the third yeere Ioſeph. l. d. c. 15. & 17 ſchol. illuſtrat. Func. Chr. fol. 89.of his government placed (his two elder ſonnes) Phaſaelus over Jeruſalem, and Herod over Galilee.
Phaſaelus and Herod, when they had governed Joſeph. l. d. c. 25. fchol. illuſtr. Func. chr. ibid.3 yeeres, were diſplaced by the Parthians.
Antigonus, ſonne to Ariſtobulus, by the Parthians Ioſeph. l. d. c. 24. & l. 15. c. 1. ſchol. illuſtr. Func. Chr. ibid.made King, reigned 5 yeeres.
Herod before named, was by the Romanes declared Joſeph. l. 14. c. 26. & 28. l. 15. c. 1. & l. 17. c. 10. Func. Chr. f. 91.King of Judea, and by their help overcame Antigonus. After which he was ſirnamed the Great, and reigned 34 yeeres.
Of whom Matth. 2. v. 1. to the 19. Luke 1. v. 5.
He was nine yeeres and ſixe moneths in repairing Ioſoph. Antiqu. l. 15. c. ult. Bucholz. p. 128Zerubbabels Temple; which was in building (including the times of interruption) 29. yeeres. Solomon's was built in ſeven yeeres and ſixe moneths. Now adde theſe three ſummes together, and according to the Jewes manner of ſpeaking, (which they frequently uſed for memory ſake) The Temple was in John 2. v. 20.building 46. yeeres.
Our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt was borne in the Ioſeph. l. 17. c. 10 Func. Chr. f. 91.beginning of the 34. yeere of Herod.
And in the beginning of the 42. yeere of Auguſtus, Euſeb. Chr. fol. 69. D. Beda. l. d. Polan. Synt. Theol. l. 6. c. 27. Baron. apparat. ad Annal. Eccl. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. c. 8. Luke 2. v. 1. Gen. 49. v. 10.accompting from the death of his predeceſſour Julius Caeſar.
At that time Auguſtus made a Decree that all the world ſhould be taxed.
Note, That when Jacob ſaid, the Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah, untill Shiloh come, It is not to be underſtood that the Crowne ſhould continue in the Tribe of Judah from the time of the ſaid Prophecy untill Chriſts comming. For before David Calvin. inſtitut. l. 1. c. 8. Sect. 7.the Prophecy tooke no effect; And after Zedekiah, even untill the Maccabees (excepting onelyonly Zerubbabel Neh. 5. v. 14. 15 Ezek. 21. v. 25, 26, 27. Genebr. Chr. l. 1.and Nehemiah, who yet were no Kings, nor abſolute Governours) it is altogether uncertaine who ruled in Judea: and from the Maccabees untill Chriſt, it is manifeſt the ſupreme authority was not in the Tribe of Judah. The true ſenſe thereof is, That after Davids reigne, in whom the Prophecy firſt took effect, The Scepter, that is, the right and juſt title unto Comment. vulg. in 1. Matth.the Crowne, ſhould not depart from the Tribe of Iudah untill Chriſt came; which is clearely proved Matth. 1. v. 1. to the 17.by Saint Matthew. But at our Saviours birth or comming the Jewes were not onelyonly diſpoſſeſſed of the Baron. apparat. ad Annal. Eccl. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. c. 2.Crowne, but alſo had loſt the very right and title thereunto, by ſwearing fealty unto King Herod not long before: and ſo Iacobs Prophecy was fully accompliſhed.
Archelaus ſucceeding his father Herod, reigned Matth. 2. v. 22. Ioſeph. Antiqu. l. 17. c. 10. & 13. Gerhard. Comment. in Harm. Evang. c. 10. Ioſeph. l. d. c. ult.3 yeeres, but was then degraded by Auguſtus Caeſar, and made Preſident onelyonly of halfe Herod's Kingdome; the other halfe was divided betwixt Herods two other ſonnes, Philip and Antipas. Seven yeeres after Auguſtus confined the ſaid Archelaus for his Tyranny unto Vienna a City of France, where he died.
Herod, ſirnamed Antipas, and Philip, at the aforeſaid diviſion of Herod's Kingdome, were by Auguſtus made Tetrarchs, the former of Galilee, Luke 3. v. 1.the latter of Iturea, and of the Region of Trachonitis.
This Herod beheaded Iohn the Baptiſt, and was by our Saviour termed a Fox, for his deceit and treachery: Matth. 14. v. 1.Whom Saint Mark, uſing the phraſe of his owne people, calleth a King; And in reſpect of his Mark▪ 6. v. 14. 26. Luke 9. v. 7. &c. 13. v. 32.power and greatneſſe it is, that the Scriptures place him before his elder brother Philip.
Our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt was crucified when Ioſeph. Antiqu. l. 17. c. 13. & l. 18. c. 3. ſchol. illuſtr. Func. Chr. fol. 91. 92.Herod the Tetrarch had governed 29 yeeres, and about 3 moneths.
And in the eighteenth yeere, about the beginning Euſeb. Ch. f. 71. Beda. l. d. Genebr. chr. l. 2. Baron. Annal. Eccleſ. f. 101. & 169. Gualterius Tom. 2. Ioſeph. Antiq. l. 18. c. 3.of the fourth monethmonth of Tiberius Caeſar, who ſucceeded Auguſtus, having reigned 57. yeere.
And in the ſeventh yeere of Pontius Pilate, Governour Func. Chr. f. 92. Iſaacſ. pag. 184.of Iudea.
The age therefore of our Saviour Ignat. ad Trall. Niceph. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 1. ſub finem. Polan. Syntag. Theol. l. 6. c. 18. Baron. Annal. Eccleſ. 169. Gordon. Leſinor. Chr. Tom. 2. Apparat. c. 4.was 33. yeeres and about three moneths.
And may be thus ſet forth in particular.
Upon the expiration of the 30. yeere of His age, Luke 3. v 21. 22, 23. comp. with Numb. 4. v. 23. 30. 47. Matth. 4. v. 12. 17. Mark. 1. v. 14. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. c. 17. &c 22. Ioſeph. Antiqu. l. 3. c. 10. Scalig. de emendat. temp. l. 6. Chemnit. Harm. Evang. Prolog. c. 3. Levit. 23. v. 5. 6 10. 11. comp. with Deut. 16. v. 1. 9, 10. Genebr. l. 2. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. c. 45.He was baptized and entred into His Miniſtery; though He did not publikely ſhew Himſelfe, till Iohn was caſt into priſon, which was almoſt a yeer after.
Neither can any inconvenience follow from the ſeaſon of the yeere, that Chriſt ſhould then go into the river Iordan to be baptized For in Iudea there is very little winter, and that onelyonly in October, and the beginning of November. And the Scriptures tell us, that on the ſecond day after the Paſſeover, which was the 16. day of the monethmonth Abib alias Niſan, and is with us the 27. of March, a ſheafe of the firſt fruits of Harveſt was offered.
The firſt Paſſeover after His Baptiſme was about the end of three moneths, Iohn 2. v. 13. 23.
The ſecond Paſſeover is expreſſed, Iohn c. 5. v. 1. where the word Feaſt, by way of eminency is put for the Paſſeover, which was the chiefeſt feaſt of the Jewes. So Matth. 27. v. 15. So Iohn 4. v. 45. compared with c. 2. v. 23. So c. 11. v. 56. So c. 12. v. 1, 2. So c. 13. v. 1. 29.
The third Paſſeover, Iohn 6. v. 4.
The fourth Paſſeover, Iohn 13. v. 1. On the Eve Mark. 15. v. 42. John 19. v. 31. 42. Auguſt. de Trin. l. 4. c. 5.whereof Our Saviour was crucified, which the Jewes call the Preparation day; And was the 25. day of March, on which day He was alſo conceived in the wombe.
From whence theſe particulars are manifeſt.
1. That from the beginning of the Captivity of Babylon, unto the firſt of King Cyrus are 70. yeeres; from thence unto the end of the 7. of Artaxerxes Longimanus are 82. yeeres; which added together, make 152. yeeres. And from thence unto the death and paſſion of Our Saviour, are 490. yeeres, or, as the Angel informed Daniel, 70. weeks; In the end of Dan. 9. v. 24.which laſt yeere of the ſaid 490. Our Saviour was crucified.
2. That neere the midſt of the laſt week of the ſaid 70. Our Saviour entering into His Miniſtery, began Dan. 9. v. 27. John 4. v. 23. Matt. 27. v. 51. Mark. 15. v. 38to cauſe the Sacrifice and the Oblation to ceaſe, but by His death He did utterly aboliſh them; which was ſignified when the vaile of the Temple rent in twaine.
3. That neere the 25. day of December, and moſt Auguſt. in Pſal: 132. & de Trin. lib 4. 2. Chryſoſt. in c. Lucae. 1 v. 29. Niceph. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 1. c. 12. Paul Oroſ. l. 7. c. 7. Genebr. l. 2. Baron. Apparat. ad Annal. Eccleſ. ſub finem. Chemnit. Harim. Evangel. c. 8. Gordon. Leſinor. Chr. Tom, 2. in apparat.probably on that day Our Saviour was borne.
Laſtly, That from the Creation of Adam, unto the birth of Our Saviour, are 3966. yeeres, 9. moneths, and 10. daies. Unto which 9. moneths and 10. daies, adding the 5. dayes before the Creation of Adam, Gen. 1. v. 23. Exod. 12. v. 2. compared with c. 13. v. 4. Beda de ratione Temp. c. 28. & 40. Polan. Synt. Theol. l. 5. c. 7.and then accompting 9. moneths and 15. dayes from the 25. of December backwards, It is evident that the world began on the 10. day of March, when the Sun entereth into Aries, and makes the Equinoctial.
Soli Sapienti DEO, ſit laus & gloria in omne aevum. Amen.
FINIS.
Imprimatur,
Joſeph Caryl.
End of the text · Edward Fisher, The Scriptures of Harmony (1643)