PREFACE.
The following Dissertation treats of a subject which has divided the opinions of the learned world from the third century till the present time; namely, the discrepancies which exist between the present Hebrew text and the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, respecting the generations of the Ante and Postdiluvian Patriarchs. It treats also of the similar discrepancies, which exist between the Hebrew and the Samaritan texts, and of the testimonies of Josephus and other ancient historians and chronographers, in favour of the accuracy of the Septuagint on this point. These discrepancies, with others of minor extent, which are here also duly considered, occasion a difference between the Hebrew and the Septuagint as to the chronology of the period from creation to the Birth of Christ, amounting in all to nearly 1500 years,—the difference between the modern and ancient computation of the true age of the world.
This question, which has never been satisfactorily settled, notwithstanding the efforts of the ancient chronographers Theophilus, Africanus, Eusebius and Syncellus, and the labours of the modern chronologers, Petavius, Usher, Jackson, Hales, Russell and Clinton, has acquired fresh importance from the late discoveries of Astronomers and Geologists, and the recent investigations of learned writers on the prophecies and the millennium. The startling announcements made by Geologists regarding the antiquity of the earth, which, according to their discoveries, amounts to millions of millions of years; and the curious statements of Astronomers respecting the ages of time required for the transmission of the light of the stars, the continual development of new nebulæ in the heavens, and the gradual formation of new suns and systems in the universe; are sufficient causes, why a new inquiry into the chronology of the Bible has become both popular and necessary, and why the question concerning the discrepancies between the Hebrew text and the ancient Greek version has been revived.
The interest attached in these latter days, by pious and learned men, to the study of the prophecies of Daniel, and of the Apocalyptic visions of John, tends greatly to increase the popularity of chronological inquiries respecting the Mundane Times. The late researches of writers on this subject into the mystic numbers of days or years appointed by the Great Creator for the fulfilment of these prophecies and visions, naturally leads to the investigation of the true age of the world; and this again, if properly conducted, conduces to the settlement of the dates of all the great events both in sacred and profane history. The Christian Church, having once established these epochs on a firm chronological basis, can then look calmly forward, as from an elevated vantage ground, to the rapid accomplishment of all the prophecies both of the Old and New Testament; and particularly to the downfall of the Papacy, the destruction of the Mohammedan Imposture, the overthrow of Infidelity, the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, the battle of Armageddon, the supervention of the Millennium, and the Second Advent of the Messiah in the clouds of Heaven.
It is no mean and uninteresting inquiry, therefore, to attempt to ascertain from the Sacred Scriptures, the true date of the present year from the creation of the world; and to determine which of the modern computations is the most correct, or whether any of them be in exact accordance with the unerring testimony of the word of God. For, according to the chronology of the modern Jews, we now live in the year of the world 5604; according to that of the Church of England, founded on the authority of Archbishop Usher’s interpretation of the Hebrew text, in A.M. 5848; according to that of the Church of Rome, founded on the authority of Eusebius, and the later chronographers, in A.M. 7044; but, according to that of the most learned of all Christian churches, and particularly the recent writers, Jackson, Hales, Russell and Cuninghame, founded on the authority of the Septuagint, corrected according to the best and most ancient codices of that version, and tested by Astronomical and Jubilean Cycles of time, in A.M. 7322.
In the First Part of this Dissertation, a critical analysis is given of the construction of the different Ages of the world previous to the Messianic age, as determined by the supreme authority of the Sacred Scriptures, which the author places above and beyond that of the statements and the testimonies of all human writers. The learned chronological works of Mr. Cuninghame have been particularly brought under his review, and have, in fact, formed the basis of his investigations; namely, A Synopsis of Chronology, London, 1837; The Septuagint and Hebrew Chronologies Tried, London, 1838; The Fulness of the Times, second edition, London, 1839; A Chart of Sacred Chronology, London, 1842, &c. The following important chronological treatises have also been specially brought under his notice; namely, Scripture Chronology, being Appendix V. to Vol. i. of Mr. Clinton’s very learned work, the Fasti Hellenici, Oxford, 1834; and Chronographiæ LXX. Interpretum Defensio, being Treatise V. in Vol. iii. of the Cours Complets D’Ecriture Sainte et De Theologie, a laborious, learned and valuable work in 50 volumes, published by M. L’Abbé Migne, Paris, 1841. Frequent references are likewise made to the well-known chronological works of Usher, Jackson, Hales, and Russell.
In the Second Part, a critical inquiry has been instituted into the evidence, Scriptural, Historical and Physical, for the universal diffusion among mankind of the Great Primeval prophecy concerning the Renovation of the world, and its bearing on the question of the true period of the Advent of our Saviour, and the Extent of the Mundane ages. This inquiry leads to a short discussion on the origin of Idolatry, the Source of the Heathen names of the Deity, and the notions entertained by the ancient mythologists and poets concerning the Seven ages of the world. This discussion brings to light some evidences of a curious and striking nature in favour of the true Chronology. The work concludes with an investigation of the errors of the most eminent of the ancient Chronographers, and an elucidation of their clear and united testimony to the authenticity of the computation of the Septuagint.
To complete the object of this Dissertation, the author intended to review the Astronomical and Geological evidence for the antiquity of the globe; but the Scriptural and Historical evidence for the true age of the world, appeared to him of such paramount importance, and of so overwhelming a nature, that he was compelled to devote his best attention to its development and elucidation. If he has been successful in this attempt, it will be to him a source of no small gratification, and no small reward for his labour; it will also be a powerful inducement to prosecute his intended investigations, having, in this work, only very slightly touched on the Geological question, and not at all on the Astronomical, except in what relates to the cyclical character of the Mundane Times, which may be considered as only the germ of this magnificent subject. Impressed with the idea that the True Age of the World is written in the Heavens by the finger of God, and that the revolutions of the Solar System, if rightly investigated, must lead to its discovery; the author made some astronomical calculations of which at present, he can only communicate the results. Assuming that at the Creation of the world, there was a Grand Heliocentric conjunction of all the Planets, and that at some subsequent period of its history, the same phenomenon would at least be partially visible from its surface, he endeavoured to determine the period or cycle which must elapse before a second conjunction would happen. He found by these calculations, that this cycle was nearly 2401 years, a period which according to the language of Scripture is a Jubilee of Jubilees; and, that reckoning from the era of Creation determined in this work, the Second conjunction took place about B. C. 3078, which is within a few years (24) of the date generally assigned to the Hindoo epoch of the Calyougham. He found also, that the Third conjunction took place about B. C. 677, when the remnant of the Ten Tribes was carried away into a long captivity, and the kingdom departed from Israel; and, that the Fourth conjunction took place in A.D. 1725, when on the 17th of March, at Pekin in China, the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter, were all seen in the field of the same telescope at the same instant, by the Jesuit Missionaries Gaubil, Jacques and Kegler. In confirmation of the same epoch of Creation, he also found that the longitude of Sirius, the largest and brightest of all the Stars in the Heavens, and by some supposed to be the central point of attraction to our Sun, was 0° 0′ 0″ on the 21st of March B. C. 5478, according to the most recent determination of the precession of the equinoxes; but the discussion of these curious results and other topics to which he has already alluded, must form the subject of a future volume.
London, Sept. 2nd, 1844.