CHAPTER I.

HISTORICAL CONFIRMATION OF THE TRUE SYSTEM OF CHRONOLOGY.

Testimonies of the ancient chronographers and historians before and after Christ, in favour of the chronology of the Septuagint—Demetrius, Eupolemus, Josephus, Justin Martyr, and all the early fathers of the first three centuries—Theophilus, Hippolytus, Africanus, Origen, Cyprian, Lactantius, Epiphanius, Ambrose, Ephrem Syrus, Augustine, Chrysostom, Sulpicius Severus, Annianus, Syncellus, Eutychius, the author of the Paschal Chronicle, and the Council called “Synodus in Trullo”—Probable cause of minute variations among the ancient chronographers.

In confirmation of the true epoch of the birth of Christ, and the accuracy of the Septuagint chronology, we select the following examples of ancient testimony, for which we are chiefly indebted to the learned works of Russell and Clinton, “Connection of Sacred and Profane History,” vol. i., pp. 113–120, and “Fasti Hellenici,” vol. i., pp. 286–291. Demetrius, who lived B.C. 220, and is cited by Eusebius and Polyhistor, states that “from Adam to the Eisodus, were 3624 years; from the flood 1360; and from the Call of Abraham 215.” It follows, that he reckoned the _Antediluvian_ age 2264 years, and the _Postdiluvian_ 1145; adding two years to the former, and taking them from the latter by mistake, but preserving the correct sum of both 3409 years, and the true epoch of the Eisodus A.M. 3624, see Tables VII. and VIII. Eupolemus, who lived B.C. 174, and is cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, states that “from Adam to the 5th year of Demetrius [Poliorcetes], the 12th of Ptolemy [Soter], were 5149 years.” If to this number, as Dr. Russell remarks, we add 296, as the date B.C. of the 5th of Demetrius, the epoch of the nativity is, according to Eupolemus, A.M. 5445. From the works of Josephus, who flourished A.D. 90, both Russell and Jackson have determined the same epoch at A.M. 5481. Justin Martyr, who wrote A.D. 140, speaking of the prophecies concerning Christ, says, “some were delivered 5000 years before his appearing, some 3000, some 2000; and, some again 1000, and others 800 years.”[29] Ignatius, Clemens Romanus, Irenæus, Polycarp, Tertullian, and all the early fathers of the first three centuries, held similar opinions respecting the antiquity of the prophecies, and the appearance of the Saviour of the world in the sixth millennium.

Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, A.D. 180, placed the epoch of the Nativity in A.M. 5507, according to Kennicott; and Clemens Alexandrinus, who lived A.D. 194, placed the same epoch in A.M. 5444, according to Clinton and Cuninghame, on the supposition that he follows Eupolemus. Mr. Cuninghame, however, has shown, in his “Fulness of the Times,” Part ii. pp. 59, 60, that by correcting an error of thirty-four years, the epoch of Clemens is A.M. 5478; and, by the most indefatigable scrutiny of his numbers, that the epoch of Josephus is A.M. 5472, the difference of _six_ years arising from his well-known error of this amount in the _Antediluvian_ age. Hippolytus, A.D. 200, states that “the first advent of our incarnate Lord took place in the 5500th year of the world.” Julius Africanus (apud Syncellum) A.D. 220, says that “the Jews have transmitted to us, from the extant Hebrew histories, the number of 5500 years from creation to the epiphany of the Saviour,”—a conclusion, which, as Syncellus remarks, was received by all the learned Christians of his day. It is also remarkable, that although both Theophilus and Africanus seem to omit the second Cainan in the Postdiluvian age, yet their dates of the foundation of Solomon’s temple agree with that of Mr. Cuninghame to a year or two; thus showing that an error of 130 years in relation to an epoch so generally known, was wholly inadmissible into any system of chronology pretending to be founded on the sacred writings. Origen, A.D. 230, states that “our Lord descended from Heaven for the salvation of man, 6000 years after the Almighty had formed the first of the human race.” Cyprian, A.D. 250, says that “6000 years are already almost accomplished since the devil made his first assault on man.” Lactantius, A.D. 300, says, “philosophers who calculate the thousands of ages from the beginning of the world, must know that the 6000th year [that is, the sixth millenary,] is not yet finished.” Epiphanius, A.D. 368, says “the preaching of Christ began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar, in the 30th year of his age, which was in the 5509th year of the world’s creation.” This date differs only by _one year_ from that which we have assigned to the same epoch. Hesychius, a contemporary of Jerome, says, “the incarnation of the Redeemer took place nearly 6000 years from the foundation of the world.” Ambrose, bishop of Milan, A.D. 375, says, “but now more than 6000 years are counted from the foundation of the world.” Ephrem Syrus, A.D. 378, says, “the Saviour was to appear after 5500 years, [from creation,] to deliver man.” Augustine, A.D. 398, says, “since from the first man, 6000 years are not yet completed.” Chrysostom, his contemporary, says, “after 5000 years and more, Christ came as the substitute of our race.” Sulpicius Severus, A.D. 400, makes the date of the Nativity A.M. 5469, according to Clinton. Annianus A.D. 405, Syncellus A.D. 792, Eutychius A.D. 937, and a host of later writers, adopt the epoch A.M. 5500, following Africanus. The author of the “Paschal Chronicle,” makes the epoch A.M. 5507; and the meeting of the council, called “Synodus in Trullo,” A.D. 691, reckoned it A.M. 5508, which is the same as our date of the Epiphany. In short, the epochs of the Nativity, the Epiphany, and the Resurrection, (ἡ παρουσία, ἡ ἐπιφάνεια, και ἡ ἀνάστασις) appear to have been so inseparably connected in the minds of the ancient writers, as to make them sometimes put the one for the other; a circumstance, which may account for not a few of the small varieties in their computation of the year of the world which was the commencement of the Christian era.[30]