Alexander the Great's reign commenced with the beginning of the Syrian era...........................

Sabbatic in the 150th Syrian era, I. Mac.

2 117 2

1

117

3

150

155

178 162

186 164

... 236 176

243 178

3

Christ. Syrian

260 182 4

Olympiads.

264 183

280 187

44

Farther on I shall show that there are other calculations to be given from chronological and astronomical observations, which prove that there is an error of 15 years too much in the Christian era. The error of 25 years too much at the beginning of the Syrian era, and the error of 15 years too much in the Christian era, make altogether an error of 40 years too much, and this error has rendered it totally impossible for many eminent persons like thyself, to calculate correctly the prophetical time which has been given in the Bible; and it is to be remarked, that this error of 40 years does square with Porphyry's corruption of the ten Olympiads, equal to 40 years, that were put back at Alexander's death from the true time; and that this fraud committed by Porphyry was skilfully executed, is sufficiently evinced by the fact, that it has defied calculators for about fifteen hundred years to give a satisfactory solution of the extraordinary discrepancies between the dates in the Bible and those of profane history; and I have no doubt that this fraud was committed during Pagan supremacy, and the persecution of Christians, during the first three centuries after Christ, and which afterwards misled the first Christian chronologists, and amongst them Dionysius, who is said to have been the first that designed the Christian era, A. D. 532; but he being in error 15 years too much, the exact time he commenced the Christian era should have been dated, A.D. 517; and from every date in the vulgar or common Christian era since the year 532, there must be deducted 15 years, in order to give the exact time that elapsed from the birth of Christ. For example, it is

P

stated that the Mohammedan era began in A. D. 622; subtract 15 years from 622, and it will give the true time 607, when the Mohammedan era commenced.

I shall now refer thee to a part of Scripture which gives the total time from the creation of Adam to the destruction of Jerusalem. It is to be met with in II. Esdras. I am aware that objections may be urged by some against quoting from this book, seeing it is not classed with the books of the Bible that are received as having been given by inspiration, but from the harmony so clearly subsisting between many of the parts of this book and those other books that are reckoned canonical, and more especially, when I find that it gives the exact time that Christ appeared in the world, corroborative, in this respect with the other books of the Bible, I cannot allow myself, notwithstanding the doubts and disputes that have been agitated about its authenticity, to dismiss the distinct and satisfactory proofs that it contains ; its opposers must acknowledge, that it is at least as good evidence as any of those works written by profane authors, which have been handed down to us. The place I refer to is in II. Esdras, xiv. 11, 12: "For the world is divided into twelve parts, and the ten parts of it are gone already, and half of a tenth part, and there remaineth that which is after, the half of the tenth part. Now, therefore, set thy house in order, and reprove thy people; comfort such of them as be in trouble, and now renounce corruption." By the end of the world I understand it to mean the total destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Jewish nation by Titus; and the highest authority that I can appeal to for this is, that