Year.

1. ’TWas the Manner of the Jews (if the Year did not fall out right, but that it was dirty for the People to come up to Jerusalem, at the Feast of the Passover; or that their Corn was not ripe for their first Fruits) to intercalate a Month, and so to have, as it were, two Fe∣bruaries, thrusting up the Year still high∣er, March into April’s Place, April into May’s Place, &c. Whereupon it is impos∣sible for us to know when our Saviour was born, or when he dy’d.

2. The Year is either the Year of the Moon, or the Year of the Sun; there’s not above eleven Days difference. Our moveable Feasts are according to the Year of the Moon; else they should be fixt.

3. Tho’ they reckon ten Days sooner beyond Sea, yet it does not follow their Spring is sooner than ours; we keep the same time in natural things, and their ten Days sooner, and our ten Days later in those things mean the self same time: just as twelve Sous in French, are ten Pence in English.

4. The lengthening of Days is not sud∣denly perceiv’d till they are grown a pretty deal longer, because the Sun, though it be in a Circle, yet it seems for a while to go in a right Line. For take a Segment of a great Circle especially, and you shall doubt whether it be straight or no. But when that Sun is got past that Line, then you presently perceive the Days are lengthened. Thus it is in the Winter and Summer Solstice; which is in∣deed the true Reason of them.

5. The Eclipse of the Sun is, when it is new Moon; the Eclipse of the Moon when ’tis full. They say Dionysius was conver∣ted by the Eclipse that happened at our Sa∣viour’s Death, because it was neither of these, and so could not be natural.

Zelots.

1. ONE would wonder Christ should whip the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, and no body offer to resist him (considering what Opinion they had of him.) But the reason was, they had a Law, that whosoever did profane Sanctitatem Dei, aut Templi; the Holi∣ness of God, or the Temple, before ten Persons, ’twas lawful for any of them to kill him, or to do any thing this side kil∣ling him; as whipping him, or the like. And hence it was, that when one struck our Saviour before the Judge, where it was not lawful to strike (as it is not with us at this Day) he only replies; If I have spoken Evil, bear Witness of the Evil; but if Well, why smitest thou me? He says nothing against their smiting him, in case he had been guilty of speaking Evil, that is Blasphemy; and they could have prov’d it against him. They that put this Law in execution were called Zelots; but afterwards they committed many Villa∣nies.

FINIS.