The harmony of the Old and New Testament and the obscure texts explained with a relation especially to the times that preceded Christ and how they meet in him, his genealogie and other mysteries preparatory to his first coming / written in French by John d'Espagne ... ; and published in English by his executor.

THE PARTICULAR TABLES OF The Years of the World.

The Seventh year.

THIS year is not remarkable by by any particular mark, yet it is illustrious; it is the first of all the Sabbatical years. The Sep∣tenary of years hath been since made fa∣mous in many great affairs, I will not touch upon Examples, which other Writers have observed; but I will pro∣duce some, the observation whereof is particular to our selves, as, the seven last years of Methuselah, the seventh year after the death of Abraham, the seventh year after the coming out of Egypt, the seventh of the Palsey of that Man, who was cured by the Son of God, Joh. 5.5. and others, which we shall mention in their proper places.

Now from this seventh year of the world, to the Conception of Christ, when the Son of God was made of a Woman, in the year 3927, there have been seventy weeks of years, and seven seventies of weeks of years.

The year 120

Endeth the first of the 33 Periods of time, which were from the fall of Adam to the 33th. and last year of Christ's so∣journing here.

The year 235

The nativity of Enoc followed, with the distinction made between the chil∣dren of God, and the children of men. From Enoc to the Flood there were eight generations. Which is remarkable for the causes we shall see on the year 1656.

The year 365

Endeth the first Prophetical year, and from thence to the death of Christ, when he sealed the Vision and the Prophesie, in the year 3960, there passed ten Propheti∣cal years.

The year 365

Endeth the first year of years, the Sun having run his course as many years, as he doth days in a year.

The year 497.

From thence to the Conception of Christ seven seventies of weeks of years.

The year 720

Endeth the second Prophetical year, as also the fourteenth week of years of the Prophet Enoc, and the thirty third year of his son Methusela.

The year 730

Endeth the second year of years. Just two hundred years before the death of Adam.

The year 930

Adam dieth; the years of his life were thirty years, and thirty times thirty years. At the age of thirty years Christ began his Ministery. From the time the Ten Tribes forsook the Temple, that repre∣sented

Christ, until the Veil of the Tem∣ple was rent at the death of Christ, there passed the number of the years of Adam, 930. From the fall of Adam, to the fall∣ing away of the Ten Tribes 3030 years. From the death of Adam to the death of Christ 3030 years.

The year 987.

This is altogether mysterious. It end∣eth the first seventy of the weeks of years, that ran from the year 497, to the Con∣ception of Christ.

It was the same year of the translation of Enoc, which began the second Septe∣nary of the 77 Generations, in the Ge∣nealogy of our Lord.

Christ is the seventieth Man after Enoc, as Enoc is the seventh man after Adam.

Enoc was the third went out of this world. Christ the third of those went up bodily into heaven, being preceded by Enoc and Elias.

The departure of Enoc was preceded by that of Abel, who died a violent death, and by that of Adam, who died a death natural. Those two ways, the vio∣lent death, and the natural, have been opened until, and represented now, in Abel and in Adam, the two first men that departed out of this world. There

remaineth a third way, viz. the trans∣mutation and translation of those that shall be sound living at the last day, 1 Cor. 15.51. this third way was represented in the Person of the third Man who de∣parted out of this world.

That translation of Enoc was the first Miracle that God wrought after the Crea∣tion of the world; and the last Miracle he will work, before he destroyeth the world, will be the translation of those that shall ascend to heaven.

The year 1636.

God prefixed to the world the term of 120 years, the eighth part of the age of men at that time, Gen. 6.3. A long time after, since the Israelites had di∣vided the land of Canaan, 2560, they possessed it seven times 120 years, to the Captivity of Babylon, which began in the year 3401. God gave them then seven times as much time as he had given to the old world, when he did threaten them with the Flood.

The year 1650

Doth begin the last seven years of Me∣thuselah, those seven years he had above the age of any other man that ever lived:

the last of these seven years of Methu∣selah was also the last year of the old world, when it perished by the Flood in the year 1656. The same year of the de∣struction, a little before it came to pass, God caused him to be seen of men, who had lived a longer time then any other man. The example of so great a blessing so near unto the Flood was a warning to them, that God would have greatly pro∣longed their days, had not their impeni∣tency abridged them.

The year 1651.

'Tis the second of the seven years of Methuselah, in that same year his son Lamech died, five years before his father, which were also five years before the Deluge. Lamech is the first that we read of who died a natural death before his father; he is the seventh man that died af∣ter Adam; he is all made of Septena∣ries, which are expressed in our Harmony of the Times.

The year 1656.

The Flood. Noah, then the chief of Mankind, was the eighth Generation af∣ter Enoc inclusively, in whose days men began to call on the name of the Lord,

Gen. 4.26. Thus in this eighth Genera∣tion, after the term of the eighth part of the ordinary age of man at that time, eight persons were saved in the Ark.

In the Deluge, God did some works, which were contrary to those of the se∣cond, and the third day of the Creation, he mingled the waters that are above with those that are below; he caused also the earth to be covered with waters, to teach men, that the earth was covered with them when God created it, 1 Pet. 3.5, 6. In the last six months of the year of the Flood, there was neither born, nor did there die, any humane creature, nor Beast, nor Bird; God for that time having suspended both the birth and the death of all living creatures of the earth and of the aire. Not one creature either died or was born in the Ark, during the whole year of the Flood.

From the Flood, to the Promise made to Abraham in the year 2083, there were 427 years. Abraham was the tenth Generation after Noah, as Noah was the tenth after Adam. A long time after Abraham, from the foundation of the first Temple, in the year 2993, to the first ruine thereof, in the year 3420, there were also 427 years. Also from the in∣terruption of the foundation of the second Temple, in the year 3473, until the

final ruine of the Grecian Empire, in the year 3900, there were likewise 427 years, which are 61 weeks of years.

The year 1658.

The Nativity of Arphaxad. Of all the Ancestors of Christ, Arphaxad was the first that was born after the Flood.

He was the twelfth Generation after Adam inclusively; and the twelve Pa∣triarchs, the sons of Jacob, were the twelfth Generation after Arphaxad inclusively. And Nathan the son of David, from whom Christ came, was the twelfth Ge∣neration after Juda (one of the Patriarchs) inclusively.

The year 1723.

The nativity of Heber, which begins the third Septenary of the seventy seven Generations in the Genealogy of our Lord.

Heber living, and at the same time when Phuleg was born unto him, hapned the confusion of the Tongues. Heber was the fourteenth Generation after Adam inclusively. Christ, who conferred the gift of Tongues, was the fourteenth Ge∣neration after the Captivity of Babel, where the Tongues were confounded, or

rather where one Tongue was confounded into many, Matth. 1.

The year 1757.

The nativity of Phaleg followed by the division of Tongues; from hence to the death of Heber, the father of the He∣brews, in the year 2187, there were 430 years; and so much time was from the Promise, in the year 3082, to the Law, in the year 2513; and as much from the Law to the annointing of Da∣vid in Bethlehem, in the year 2943.

The division of Tongues was followed by the erection of the first and most an∣tient Monarchy, in the person of Nim∣rod, who was come from Cham. That ac∣curs'd race had the honor of the first Em∣pire.

The year 2008.

The nativity of Abraham, two years after the death of Noah: He lived 175 years, half of the 350 which were the years of Noah after the Flood.

The year 2094.

The second time the Angels shewed themselves unto men, Gen. 16.7, &c.

The year 2108.

The nativity of Isaac, which begins the fourth Septenary of the 77 Generations in the Genealogy of the Son of God. Isaac is the first whose conception was mira∣culous.

The year 2113.

From thence to the going out of Egypt, in the year 2513, there were ten times forty years, Gen. 15.13. the last of these ten times forty doth end with the second fortieth of the age of Moses: These ten times forties were followed by another forty years spent in the Wilder∣ness, and ending with the last fortieth of the years of Moses.

The year 2168.

The nativity of Jacob, the 22 Patri∣arch after Adam: After him the Church became to be the body of a Nation, ruled by 22 Judges successively, from Moses unto Samuel: 22 Priests, until the de∣struction of the first Temple; 22 Kings, 22 Generations from the Captivity to Christ.

The year 2245.

Jacob goeth to Laban, he was then seventy seven years of age; he serveth seven years, or one week of years, to have a wife; he maried being eighty four years of age: after which, he had as many sons, as he had lived weeks of years before he was maried. His family consisted of seventy souls when he went down into Egypt, Gen. 46.27. He preferred Rachel before Leah, for he was ignorant that Christ should come from Leah.

The year 2276.

Joseph being sold, continueth thirteen years in slavery, according to the number of the thirteen Luminaries that had done homage to him in his Dream: His eleven brothers, represented by so many stars, went to submit themselves unto him, be∣fore Jacob, who was represented by the Sun: Although the Sun and the Moon were in his Dream expressed to be the first, according to the order of dignity, yet in the order of time, Jacob was the last who personally did homage unto Joseph.

Again, as the Sun and the Moon are sufficiently distinguished from the eleven Stars, so the two last years of the servitude of Joseph were distinguish'd from the ele∣ven Stars going before; for two years before

his deliverance and preferment, he had interpreted the Dream of the two Officers of Pharaoh, which interpretations, at the end of two years, were the occasion of his liberty and greatness, Gen. 41.1, 9. &c.

The year 2298.

Jacob and his sons, who had been re∣presented by the Sun and the Stars, do homage unto Joseph; since that, viz. 257 years after, in the year 2555, the Sun in effect did homage to one descended from Joseph, viz. to Joshua; and from the time the race of Joseph forsook the Temple and the Service of God, in the year 3030, until they were transported into Assyria, in the year 3287, there were 257 years. The glory and the ig∣nominy of a Family have often the like measures of time, until their final ex∣tinction.

The year 2460.

The nativity of Joshua. A hundred years after, in the seventh year of his Govern∣ment, he divided the Land of Canaan amongst the Tribes of Israel.

The year 2513.

The Angel appeared to Moses in the

burning bush. There passed 215 years (all the time of the so journing of the chil∣dren of Israel in Egypt) without any An∣gel appearing or speaking unto men.

The miracle Moses wrought, by order of the Angel, changing a Rod into a Ser∣pent, is the first Miracle that ever was wrought by man. Seven men under the Old Testament had the gift of Miracles; 1 Moses. 2 Aaron his brother. 3 Joshua. 4 Samuel. 5 The Prophet sent to Jerobo∣am. 6 Elijah. 7 Elisha.

That year is that of the Israelites com∣ing out of Egypt; Moses was then eighty years old, as many years as Joseph had govern'd Egypt.

The Tribe of Judah had, at that time, Naason for their Head, who begins the fifth Septenary of the seventy seven Ge∣nerations in the Genealogy of the Son of God.

From the coming out of Egypt, to the foundation of the first Temple, in the year 2993, there were twelve times forty years, 1 King. 1.6. The first of these 12 times 40 years were spent in the Wilder∣ness. From the time of the foundation of the first Temple, to the interruption of the second, in the year 3473, there were also 12 times 40 years. From that in∣terruption, to the end of the last but one of the weeks of Daniel, and of the years

of the abode of Christ on earth, in the year 3953, there were also twelve times forty years. From the time of the finishing of the second Temple, in the beginning of the year 3520, to the destruction of it, in the year 4000, there were also twelve times forty years. This twelfth fortieth begins at the death of Christ.

At that same year 2513, expired the ten times forty years, foretold unto the Patriarch Abraham.

The year 2515.

The Murmurers condemned to die in the forty years of their sojournings in the Wilderness. See the year 2570.

Israel beaten by Amalek. Why the people of God have so often been beaten in war by their enemies. See my Ob∣servations on the Creed.

The year 2520.

Endeth the seventh Prophetical year.

'Tis the seventh year after the coming out of Egypt, the seventh year of the so∣journing of Israel in the Wilderness. The thirty three years which followed, and ex∣pired when the Israelites entred into Ca∣naan, do answer the thirty three years of the so journing of Christ on earth, and

which expired in the Redemption. And as the entring of Israel into Canaan, under the conduct of Joshua, hapned at the time of the Feast of the Passover, Josh. 5.10. so the Redemption accom∣plish'd by JESƲS hapned at the time of the same Festival.

The year 2553.

Moses dieth, having lived three times forty years, the last whereof he passed in the Wilderness.

Israel entreth into Canaan, having Joshua for their Leader. None of the Israelites who entred into Canaan had then attained the age of threescore years, Caleb and Joshua excepted, whom God had reserved for two antient eye-wit∣nesses of the wonders he had wrought in Egypt. See my Observations on the De∣calogue.

The government of Joshua continued seventeen years, which was the age of Joseph, Joshua's predecessor, when his brethren sold him. And there passed seventeen years from the entring of Jacob into Egypt, until the time of his death. And seventeen years Rehoboam reigned over Juda.

The year 2555.

The miraculous Solstice, for the space of one whole day, a day of Sabbath for the Sun, as he was finishing his 365 weeks of years, seven times as many years, as he numbreth days in the year. It endeth the seventh year of-years.

The Sun and the Moon do homage to one descended from Joseph. See the year 2298.

The year 2560.

It is the seventh of the Government of Joshua, and of the entry of Israel into Canaan; it is the year wherein they di∣vided the Land of Promise: They pos∣sessed it to the Captivity of Babylon for the space of 840 years, which are twelve times seventy years, as many years as there were portions, according to the number of the twelve Tribes.

And from the time they were trans∣ported into Babylon, unto the return from thence into the Land of Canaan, there passed seventy years, to fulfil the Sabbaths of the Land, 2 Chron. 36.21. This was the time of the Captivity.

And from the end of the Captivity, which ended in the year 3470, to the

death of Christ, in the year 3960, there were seven times seventy years.

Thus, they had twelve times seventy years of possession, seventy years of Captivity, and seven times seventy years from the Captivity to the Redemption: In all, twenty seventies of years.

From the same year 2560, which was the fifth after the Miraculous Solstice, to the going back of the Sun, in the year 3295, there were fifteen Jubilees, every one consisting of seven times seven years, which make in all 735 years. And from the retrogradation of the Sun, to the Captivity, which followed the years 3400, there were fifteen weeks of years, otherwise 105 years. Those fifteen weeks of years began by the fifteen years added to the life of the fifth King, viz. He∣zekia.

From the same year 2560, to the death of Christ 1400 years, which are 200 weeks of years. Then Jesus purchased us that rest, which Joshua could not give, Heb. 4.8.

From the same year 2560, when the Land of Canaan was divided into twelve portions, to the destruction of the second Temple; and of the State of the Jews, in the year 4000, there were three times twelve forties of years.

The year 2570.

Joshua dieth, having lived 110 years: His age was forty years above the seventy of the ordinary age of the Israelites, who were forty years in the Wilderness, Psal. 90.10.

Since the sentence of death was pro∣nounced against the Murmurers, in the year 2515. God doubled the age of Jo∣shua, who was then fifty five years of age, and lived fifty five more, which amount in all to 110: His life was thus divided into two moities, distinguished by that memorable Sentence of the condemnation of the other Israelites.

The year 2949.

By the supposition of an apparition, representing Saul, Satan endeavoureth to prevent God in the Miracle of the Re∣surrection of the dead; for there was none raised from the dead till a long time after.

The year 2975.

About this time, Nathan the son of David, he began the ninth Septenary of the seventy seven Generations in the Ge∣nealogy of Christ.

The year 2989.

Some do attribute to that year (which is the last but one of the Reign of David) the Pestilence which God sent; 'tis the onely time, as far as we can find in the History, Israel was afflicted with the Pestilence. That heavy Visitation touch'd no woman, nor no male under the age of twenty years.

At that time hapned the War of Ab∣solom, and that of Sheba the son of Bichri, against David. The end of his Reign and of his Life was extremely tur∣bulent.

We reckon six Civil Wars in Israel, while the Tribes were united in the same Religion, before the sin of Jeroboam: 1 That of Benjamin against the other Tribes, for the Levite's wife. 2 That of the Ephramites against Jeptha. 3 That of Abimelech against the Sichemites. 4 That of the House of Saul against David. 5 That of Absolom against David. 6 That of She∣ba against David.

The year 2990.

David dieth, being seventy years of age; not any other of all the Kings of Judea lived so long.

How came it to pass, that those Kings, whom God had established, had so short a life? That the people of God might aspire unto the Kingdom of the Messias, 'Twas necessary that the temporal King∣dom of Judah should be of a short con∣tinuance, and in the shortness thereof, God would have a great diversity, both of Kings and of Events, to be seen, and that for divers reasons. That diversity had not been so great, nor so abundant, if there had been but a small number of Kings; and there number had been very few, if every one of them had lived a long time; for three or four had filled all the time of the duration of that Kingdom. 'Twas therefore expedient, that one should soon give place unto another. And this is the reason why their lives were so short, in comparison of many other men who were their Con∣temporaries, as Barzillai, and Jehoiadah, 2 Sam. 19. 2 Chron. 24.

In that same year 2990, Solomon be∣gins his Reign; he and his race possessed the Kingdom of Juda to the year 3420, which ended in Zedekia; this was 430 years, a number of the same length of time as that which passed from the Pro∣mise to the Law.

The year 3000

Endeth the twenty fifth Period of 120 years.

The Temple was finished. They had employed one week of years in the build∣ing of it; and from the finishing thereof, it continued sixty weeks of years, to the year 3420.

That same number of sixty weeks of years, is that of fourteen times thirty. The Temple, after it was finished, con∣tinued fourteen times thirty years; the first thirty years it was owned, and fre∣quented by all the Tribes of Israel; but at the end of those thirty years, ten Tribes forsook the Temple, to worship in Dan & Bethel. The thirteen thirties which fol∣lowed the first, answer the number of the thirteen Tribes, the Tribe of Levi being therein comprehended, whom the Apo∣state Israelites had degraded.

The year 3030.

The Temple had stood thirty years, when the ten Tribes forsook it. Christ, the true Temple was thirty years of age, when he said unto the Jews, Destroy this Temple, Joh. 2.

From the ten Tribes forsaking the

Temple, the figure of Christ, to the death of Christ, the second Adam, there passed as many years as Adam had lived. See the year 930.

In that same year 3030, God pro∣nounced his sentence against a guilty man; it is the onely man, since Cain, against whom God immediately pronounced a sentence; to all others he caused it to be pronounced by some Prophet.

The year 3160, &c.

Joas King of Israel. In his time Elisha dieth, the seventh and the last who did work miracles under the Old Testa∣ment.

The year 3175, or thereabouts.

Jonah refuseth to take a journey of three daays, which was the bigness of Ninevey, Jon. 3.3. he is condemned to a prison of three days in the belly of the Whale. But from that restraint of three days, and his miraculous deliverance, God hath framed a mysterious Type, Matth. 12.40.

The year 3252.

King Hozias attempting to usurp the

Office of the Priests, is struck with a dis∣ease, the judgment whereof belonged to the Priests, viz. a Leprosie; it seizeth him on the forehead, whereas the High∣priest had Holiness written upon his forehead.

The year 3285

Endeth the ninth year of years.

The year 3295.

'Tis the tenth year of the tenth year of years, and the Sun went back ten degrees.

'Tis the end of the fifteen Jubilees, which are 735 years expired since the dividing of the land of Canaan: 'Tis the beginning of the fifty years which were added to the life of the fifteenth King, viz. Hezekia.

The year, 3302.

'Tis the seventh of the fifteenth last years of Hezekia; 'twas the 107th. Sab∣batick year to the Land of Canaan. Reckon ye from the year 2560, which was the first year of the Rest of the Land, and so from seven years unto seven.

The year 3400

Endeth the twelve seventies of years expired since the dividing of the Land of Canaan; and the year following begins the Captivity of Babylon. From thence to the last destruction of Jerusalem, in the year 4000, there passed fifteen times forty years, the last whereof doth begin at the death of Christ, and endeth at the de∣struction of the Temple.

The Captivity of Babylon began fifteen weeks of years after the retrogradation of the Sun. Those fifteen weeks of years be∣gan at the fifteen years which were added to the life of Hezekia.

The year 3471.

The miraculous Writing, which con∣tained the sentence against Belshazzar, fifty one years after his grand-father Ne∣buchadnezzar had caused the loss of the miraculous Writing that was in the Ta∣bles of the Law. The first Writing was made presently after the Israelites came out of the bondage of Egypt; and the other was made on the point of their coming from the Captivity of Babylon.

Cyrus, who could call every one of his soldiers by their names, had been named

by God a long time before, Esa. 45.3, 4.

The preservation of Daniel in the Den of the Lions, the last Miracle under the Old Testament; from that last Miracle to the closing up of the Old Testament, there were 130 years.

The return of the Captivity, under the conduct of Zorobabel, who was the forty second Generation since the division of the Tongues in Babel. See the year 1723.

The year 3473.

The interruption of the foundation of the second Temple, twelve times forty years after the foundation of the first, which had been in the year 2993.

From thence to the end of the Empire of the Grecians, who had profaned the Temple, there were 427 years, as many years as the first Temple had continued since its foundation. The Empire of the Grecians ended in the year 3900.

In this year 3473, Daniel foretold the end of the Empire of the Persians, which came to pass 127 years after, viz. in the year 3600. This Empire was com∣posed of 127 Provinces, and after that Prediction it continued 127 years, as many years as it had possessed Provinces, Esth. 1.1. Dan. 10.1.20. The last

Angel that appeared to men under the Old Testament, is he who spake unto Da∣niel, and the last words the Angels brought unto men under the Old Testament were those which were read in the third Chapter of Daniel. In the fore-going year, which was the year 3472, an Angel had also spo∣ken to the Prophet Zechary, Zech. 1.1.9, &c.

The year 3600.

This year was the conclusion of many Periods, and memorable affairs. It ended the tenth Prophetical year, to give place to the eleventh, which ended at the death of Christ, in the year 3960.

It ended the time of the Persian Em∣pire, that had continued 130 years, which were sixty years more then lasted the Em∣pire of Babylon.

It ended the History, and the Prophe∣tical Inspirations of the Old Testament. It was 130 years after the last Miracle of the Old Testament, hapned in the year 3471.

It ended the thirtieth Period of 120 years, by a contrary effect to that of the thirtieth year of Christ.

The year 3755

The Temple was purged of the abho∣minations, which Antiochus had intro∣duc'd

therein. From thence, to the de∣struction of the Temple, in the year 4000, there were 245 years, which are thirty five weeks of years, the half of seventy weeks.

The year 3848.

Here beginneth the years of the life, or of the widowhood, of Anne the Prophe∣tess, who was in the Temple, when Christ was there presented forty days after his Birth, Luk. 2.36, &c.

The year 3900.

The end of the Grecian Empire, which had continued five times sixty years, five times as long as the Empire of the Per∣sians, went in duration beyond the Em∣pire of Babylon. And from the end of the Grecian Empire to the death of Christ, there passed also sixty years.

The year 3920.

This year begun the Palsey of that man, whom Christ cured near unto the Pool of Bethesda, thirty eight years after, Joh. 5. the disease of this man was seven years before the conception of Christ. See the seventh year.

The year 3926.

The Angel appeared to Zachary, the father of John Baptist, and made the over∣ture of the New Testament.

The year 3946.

The nativity of the daughter of Jairus, who was raised from the dead twelve years after, viz. in the year 3958.

The year 3954

Beginneth the last week of the years of the sojourning of Christ upon earth; this week was divided into two halves, the second and the last containeth the three years and a half of the Ministry of Christ, and endeth at his Ascension, in the year 3960.

The year 3960.

Christ rose from the dead, gave his presence to his Disciples for the space of forty days. He gave a respite of forty years to the Jews to return to him, before he destroy'd their Temple and State. These forty years were the tenth of the 400 which had passed since the closing up

of the Old Testament; and these 400 were the tenth of the 4000 which passed from the Creation to the destruction of the second Temple.

The year 4000.

Since the Israelites took possession of the Land of Canaan, in the year 2560, until they were driven out of it, in the year 4000, there passed 1440 years.

BUT now have I gone through all all the great Abysms of the Times, and sounded so many unknown Depths, though not without great la∣bour and vexation of spirit. In this vast extent, how often hath sleep gone back from mine eyes? how often had I rolled from one gulph to another, had not God given me wings to flie over so many Precipices? To Him, who is the King of Ages; be the Honor of it.