A dissertation on the true age of the world : $b in which is determined the chronology of the period from creation to the Christian eraWallace, R. (Robert)
Religion
A dissertation on the true age of the world : $b in which is determined the chronology of the period from creation to the Christian era
Wallace, R. (Robert)
Bible; Chronology; Chronology, Historical
of the epochs in the two former ages. By the manufacture of the
intervals of the _Fourth age_, therefore, he has contrived to bring
about the true date of the Foundation of Solomon’s Temple in his
Chronology, and to compensate for his former errors in such a manner as
to restore the ancient computation of Scripture at this important and
well-known epoch.
Of the Extent of the _Critarchal age_, and the length of its
_Intervals_, as Mr. Clinton remarks, Eusebius has three accounts. For
the account taken from his _Præparatio Evangelica_, Lib. x. c. 14, and
the account taken from his “Chronicon,” which we have placed side by
side in the preceding table, we are partly indebted to Russell and
partly to Clinton.[104] As Dr. Russell has endeavoured to make the
former account, by the correction of some of its intervals, speak the
language of the “Chronicon” in a passage, for the citation of which we
are indebted to Mr. Clinton;[105] we have thought it right to restore
the original numbers, in order to show what was the real opinion of
Eusebius, respecting this age, on the occasion of writing his “Gospel
Preparation.” According to his opinion, therefore, the Extent of the
_Fourth age_ was 613 years, the difference between this number and the
Scriptural one, being only a single year! The author, however, commits a
number of errors in detail, which balance each other, and in their
summation, bring out almost exactly the true period. The chief errors
are, the omission of the _Seventh Servitude_, 20 years; and of the
Critarchate of Samuel, 12 years. In order to compensate for these
omissions, he reckons the Critarchate of Samson, apart from the _6th
Servitude_, 20 years; he adds 10 years to the Critarchate of Othniel;
and gladly seizes upon the 30 years for Joshua and the Elders instead of
27 years; in order to bring out the correct number for the whole period,
as nearly as possible, as he well knew that it was 612 years. That this
was his real opinion, is also evident from the following passage in his
“Chronicon” already referred to: “The amount of the time during which
the judges bore rule until Samuel, was altogether 450 years, our apostle
himself testifying it by his declaration, [Acts xiii. 20]. There are,
however, besides this reckoning, the periods of Moses and Joshua his
successor, as well as of Samuel and Saul. But let us pass, in the
meantime, the periods of Samuel, and Saul, and Joshua. Now from the
testimony of the Apostle, the 40 years of Saul must be added to the 450
years of the judges, to which number the 40 years of David and the 4
years of Solomon being added, the sum of the years amounts to 534; which
is, in fact, the apostolical tradition. Then, the 40 years which Moses
led in the desert, and again the 27 years of Joshua the son of Nun, to
which the Jews themselves agree, being added, the years amount to 600.”
This is a very important and clear statement of the truth, _with the
exception of the 12 years of Samuel_, “which,” Mr.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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