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Untitled Article
topics . —On the census of Cyrenius , or the meaning of Luke ii . £ . —On the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks , and the first part of the chronology [ the chronology of the first part ] of the Acts of the Apostles . " Some remarks on the Author ' s opinions in this portion of his work , may properly find a place hereafter .
The first Dissertation in the second volume continues the suhject of the last Dissertation in the first volume ; and with a view , as it seems by the title , to the Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks , gives the chronology of the second portion of the Acts , beginning at the 13 th chapter . In this Dissertation , the Author gives us an investigation of the dates of the leading events
in St . Paul ' s apostolical labours , and also of his Epistles , including that to the Hebrews , occupying the first hundred pages ;—forgetful , as it appears , of the judicious observation with which he cannot but be familiar , and which is alike applicable to works of philosophy and criticism , as to poetry :
Ordiuis hoec virtus erit et venus , aut ego fallor , Ut jam none dicat , jam mine debeutia dici ; P ] eraqne differat , et presens in tempus omit tat . We are of opinion that adherence to the Roman Poet ' s canon would have reduced this work to a single volume at most . But we ought to state , that in the Author's own judgment ( Vol . I . p . xv . ) the consideration of the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks *« necessarily involved the question of the chronology of the first twelve chapters of the Acts of the Apostles "; and that the first Dissertation in the second volume " is intended to shew that the
chronology of the Acts from the 13 th chapter forwards , is not inconsistent with the order and distribution of the twelve chapters immediately preceding , as already given . " We wish the Delegates of the Clarendon Press had kindly severed the spider-like threads with which the Author has joined many of his excursive discussions to the legitimate purpose of his work . The remaining part of the second volume , together with a large portion of the third , is given to that purpose ; and though we have continually to complain of the extreme diffuseness and immethodical excursiveness of the
whole , and are of opinion that it is generally founded on erroneous positions , yet to the subject-matter we have no objection to make . Of this portion we will give the Author's own synopsis ; both as a favourable specimen of the Author's power of methodizing , and an indication of the subjects which he brings forwards and the opinions he maintains ; and also , we frankly confess , to prevent our occupying more room with those animadversions , which scarcely a few consecutive pages of this work present themselves without provoking .
" It is the object of the second Dissertation to explain and reconcile the two genealogies , on the supposition that St . Matthew ' s is the genealogy of our Lord ' s reputed father , and St . Luke ' s the genealogy of his real mother . " It is the object of the third Dissertation to establish such a personal distinction between those who are called in common the Ade \< poi of Christ , as will reconcile the Evangelical accounts , and no longer leave any difficulty on this point .
" The fourth Dissertation , which treats of the visit of the Magi , endeavours to prove that the time of this visit was thirteen months posterior to the first appearance of the star , and four months posterior to the birth of Christ ; and thence to infer that the star appeared twice , once at the Incarnation , and again at the Nativity . It is the object of the fifth-Dissertation to harmonize and arrange the particulars of the ministry of John : and , preliminary to this , to define the
Untitled Article
42 On the Chronology and Arrange \ nent of the Gospel Narratives .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1831, page 42, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2593/page/42/
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