CHAPTER III.—DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HEBREW AND SEPTUAGINT CHRONOLOGIES.

1. Argument against the shorter computation, founded on the proportion between the Antepaidogonian Ages and whole Lives of the Patriarchs—Reasons for the enlargement of this ratio, and the diminution of the length of human life 50

2. Argument founded on the regular succession of human generations—Anomalies and Paradoxes of the Hebrew text—Remark of Eusebius—Objections of learned men unanswered 52

3. Argument founded on the inconsistency of the co-existence of idolatry and the worship of the true God, in the same family, and within a short period from the flood—Remarks on the building of Babel—Mr. Clinton refuted—Mr. Cuninghame’s argument from Scripture—The judgments of God forgotten 55

4. Argument founded on the inconsistency of the accounts of Sacred and Profane History—Remark of Sir Walter Raleigh—Sir Isaac Newton’s objection refuted—Epoch of the Foundation of the kingdom of Egypt 57

5. Arguments founded on the deficiency of the numbers of mankind—Epoch of the occupation of Babylon by the Medes—Calculation of the numbers of mankind on the Eulerian ratio—Mr. Clinton refuted 59

6. Argument founded on the alteration of the Hebrew text by the Jews—Testimony of the early Fathers on this point—Mr. Clinton’s admission as to the prophecies—His refutation as to the chronology—Motives of the Jews for shortening the genealogies 60

7. Motives ascribed to the Seventy Interpreters for enlarging the chronology—Pretensions of the Chaldeans and Egyptians to a remote antiquity—Insufficiency of the scheme adopted by the Interpreters—Self-refutation of Mr. Clinton’s hypothesis 62

Table VIII. Patriarchal Eras and Intervals from Usher—Table IX. Extent of the _first three ages_ of the World—Date of the Exodus of Israel from Egypt 64