us_, _Lactantius_,
_Jerome_, St. _Austin_, _Sulpicius Severus_, _Prosper_, and as many as
place the death of _Christ_ in the 15th or 16th year of _Tiberius_, make
_Christ_ to have preached but one year, or at most but two. At length
_Eusebius_ discovered four successive Passovers in the Gospel of _John_,
and thereupon set on foot an opinion that he preacht three years and an
half; and so died in the 19th year of _Tiberius_. Others afterwards,
finding the opinion that he died in the Equinox _Mar._ 25, more consonant
to the times of the _Jewish_ Passover, in the 17th and 20th years, have
placed his death in one of those two years. Neither is there any greater
certainty in the opinions about the time of his birth. The first
_Christians_ placed his baptism near the beginning of the 15th year of
_Tiberius_; and thence reckoning thirty years backwards, placed his birth
in the 43d _Julian_ year, the 42d of _Augustus_ and 28th of the _Actiac_
victory. This was the opinion which obtained in the first ages, till
_Dionysius Exiguus_, placing the baptism of _Christ_ in the 16th year of
_Tiberius_, and misinterpreting the text of _Luke_, iii. 23. as if _Jesus_
was only beginning to be 30 years old when he was baptized, invented the
vulgar account, in which his birth is placed two years later than before.
As therefore relating to these things there is no tradition worth
considering; let us lay aside all and examine what prejudices can be
gathered from records of good account.

The fifteenth year of _Tiberius_ began _Aug._ 28, _An. J.P._ 4727. So soon
as the winter was over, and the weather became warm enough, we may reckon
that _John_ began to baptize; and that before next winter his fame went
abroad, and all the people came to his baptism, and _Jesus_ among the rest.
Whence the first Passover after his baptism mentioned _John_ ii. 13. was in
the 16th year of _Tiberius_. After this feast _Jesus_ came into the land of
_Judea_, and staid there baptizing, whilst _John_ was baptizing in _AEnon_,
_John_ iii. 22, 23. But when he heard that _John_ was cast into prison, he
departed into _Galilee_, _Mat._ iii. 12. being afraid, because the
Pharisees had heard that he baptized more disciples than _John_, _John_ iv.
1. and in his journey he passed thro' _Samaria_ four months before the
harvest, _John_ iv. 35. that is, about the time of the winter Solstice. For
their harvest was between _Easter_ and _Whitsunday_, and began about a
month after the