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 vernal Equinox. Say not ye, saith he, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?  Behold I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest; meaning, that the people in the fields were ready for the Gospel, as his next words shew[1]. John therefore was imprisoned about November, in the 17th year of Tiberius; and Christ thereupon went from Judea to Cana of Galilee in December, and was received there of the Galileans, who had seen all he did at Jerusalem at the