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Show a ee Cuaragun \Ys aeaon oeAe Ss Cuar.§.2. , of theFifry of theWorld linein Sardanapalus, if not before, all fach computations were blotted out » the fuccef fion ofBelochus & his iffue that occupied thekingdome afterwards,depending vpon the vncettaine relationsof fuch,as were neither conftant in affigning the years ofhis begin: ning,nor ofcredit enoughforothers torelye vpon. Let it therefore fuffice thatthe con fentand harmony,which fome hauefoundinthe years ofthofe ouer-worne Monarchs doth preferue their naines which otherwife might haue beene forgotten. Now con: cerning the latter Kings of that Nation,howfoeuer it be true that wefinde the names of all or moft ofthemin Scriptures,which are recorded by prophane Hiftorians,yet heres PART OF THE THE FIRSTLE EAOR OF THE by could we onely learne in what age each ofthemliued,but not in whatyearehis reion xo began or ended,were it notthatthe reigneof Wabuchadnezzar is more precifely apply- edtothe times ofJehojekimand Zedekia. Hence haue wethefit light whereby todif- couer the meanes of connecting the facred and prophane Hiftories, For vader Nabye chadnezzar was the beginning ofthe captiuity of Jude, which ended when 79. yeares were expired;and thefe 70.yeares tooke end atthefirft ofCyrus, whofe time being well knowne,affords vs meanesoflooking backinto the ages paft,and forwards into the race ofinen fucceeding.The firft yeare of Cyrus his reigne in Perfia, bygenerall confent,is Intreating of the Timesfrom the deftraction of Ierufalem, to the time of Putiar of MACEDON, THE THIRD BOOKE. Cura. l. Ofthe time pafsing betweene the deftruttionof lernfalem,andthefall ofthe Affjrian Empire. ioynedwith the firft yeare of the 5 5.Olympiad, where, that he reigned three and twen= ty @eares before his Monarchy, and feuenyeares afterwards, it is apparant; andalmoft out of controuerfie. Giuing therefore foure hundred andeight yeares vnto the diftance 20 betweenethe fall of Troy,and the inftauration of the Olympiads by Iphitus Sve may eafily arrive vnto thofe antiquities of Greece,which were not meerly fabulous. As for Princes tuling the whileft in fundry parts of the world,S. Augu/line and others may be trufted in fetting downetheir times,which they had by Tradition fromauthors of wel-approued faith and induftry. i From Cyras forwards, how the tinies are reckoned vnto U4/éxander,and from himto the battaile ofAcHium,it were(peraduenture)in this place impertinent to fer downe.But oe that the beginning andendofthe Babylonian captinity aremarkes wherby weare chielly dire@ted,in pailing fromthefirft vnto the lateft yeares of the world,throuch any ftory, with leaft interruption it is very expedient, that we take fome paines to informe $° our felues truely of the 70.yeares, during whichit continued,euen from Webschadness PATVItO Cyrus. "ort: elke Of the connexion offacred andprophane Hiflories HE courfeof Tinie; whichin profane Hiftories might rather be difcerned throughthe greateft part ofhis ways \ hitherto pafled in fome out-wornefoot-fteps, thanin } ay beaten path, hauing once inGreece by the Olympiad' & in the Eafterrie Countries by the accompt from Nabe 40 A britferehearfalloftwo opinionstouching z beginning of the captivity : with an enfwer to thecanils ofPorphyric,inucighteg againf S.Matthew,end Daniel,vpax whomthe later ofthefe opinions isfounded. ; qo Any Commentators, and other Hiftorians, and Chronologersfinde that the captiuity then began,whenlechenias wascarriedprifonerinto Babylon,1 L.years before the finall deftruction ofJeru/alem vnder Zedeki.ss-This they proue out of #affar,left farer marks;Semoreappliable to actions com diners places in Ezekiel,efpecially outofthe fourteenth chapter,where he makes a plain formerdate;begins at length inthe ruiste ofZera/s/emto difcouerthe connexionofantiquity fore-{pent,with the ftory offucceeding ages. Manifett iisithat the origin®™ and progreffe of things could ill befenghtin thofe that tie, if the beginning ofthe yeere, in the tenth day of the moneth,in thefouretecathyeere after 6.3.0.18.0 153 that the City was Smitten. In which words he beginneth the captiuityin plaine termes, current, than werethe warofTrey,or any other token ot wete ignorant ofthe firft cécation Jaslikewife that © . attaires of Kingdomesiand BmpireafterwAtds srowne vp, arénotr0be found amons thofe that hane now no ftate nor policy remaining oftheir owne,d4auing therefore pu fed ofthe Worldvnio thavage,fram whencethe: mefnory of fucceeding®«¢ E the. ftory ainterruption yes cidentsis with little of fabulons difcourfe deried vnto vs, Iholditit aoenow! conuenientbrieflyto fhew,by whatmeans.& circumftancesthe Hiftoryofthe Hebrew; whichofall hich other is the moft ancient}Aaay be confeyned with the following cart wherein that Image of fundry mettals, difoucted by God vnto Nebuchadnezzat , O° reigne ouer the earth,when //rael was either none,or an varegarded-Nation. _ Herein I doenotholdit needful, to infift ypon thofe authorities, which git as it hi wereby heare-fay,a certaine year of fome old A(fyrian King vnto fome action OF © nt, wherofthe time is found expreffed in Scripture:for together with the end of NI iftinétion between the beginning of the Captiuity, andvtter deitruction of Jerufalem Y Nabuzaradan, inthefe words : In the fine aad twentieth yeere of eur being in Captini- y,shies eleuen. yeares before the City was deftroyed. Beroaldwsis of opinion that it began in thefirft ofNabuchedonofor, and the fourth of Joskim, which he endeauours to proue out ofthefecond ofchromicles, but more efpecially out of Saint Matthew,and Daniel; ny manor words afford matterofdiffputation,but ferme not tomake good fo muchas Bere- aldus would enforce.That place of S.Matthew,and the whole booke of Daniel,haue miniftred occafion offcoffing & railing atthe Chriftian Religion to that wretched mam Porphyrie, who, not vaderftanding howthe fons of King Iofiws were called by diuers as Epiphanius hath {iewed at large, thought that the Apoftle had fpoken pames, © knew not what in reckoning the fonnes, or, according to fome tranilations, the Sonne and Nephewes of that good King, begotten about the time of the Captinity, Vpon Dasiel alfo the fame Porphyrie doth {pend thetwelfth of his malicious bookes written againft the Chriftians, affirthing that thefe prophecies and vitand at, or neare the time, Ons Femembred by Daniel, were written longafter =eoe 2 Of 3 |
