Operis historici et chronologici libri duo -- Robert Baillie

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VirginiaHuguenot

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Operis historici et chronologici libri duo by Robert Baillie is available online in Latin here:

Internet Archive: Details: Operis historici et chronologici libri duo : in quibus historia sacra & profana compendiosè deducitur ex ipsis fontibus, a creatione mundi ad Constantinum Magnum, & quaestiones ac dubia chronologica, quae ex V. & N. Testam

David W. Hall says:

9. Robert Baillie (1602-1662), Operis Historici et Chronologici Libri Duo; In quibus Historia Sacra and Profane compendiose deducitur ex ipsis fontibus, á creatione Mundi ad Contantinum Magnum, ï¿1⁄2 Amstelodami: Apud Joannem a Someren, 1668) (ï¿1⁄2from the creation of the world to Constantine the Great). The chapter headings are of particular interest. Baillie, a leading Scottish Divine, addressed the following specific topics:

* Chapter 1: Concerning the things which happened from the creation to the flood
* Chapter 2: Containing questions and doubts about the previous chapter
* In what season of the year was the world created?
* Were the years of Moses equal to ours?
* Were the fathers following an ancient chronology?
* Is the chronology of the Hebrew text vindicated against the errors of the Greek interpretation concerning the years of the patriarchy before the flood?

Baillie affirmed: "We view the world and all its parts as created from nothing in time in the space of six days" (visum in tempore mundum omnesque mundi partes, spatio sex dierum, ex nihilo creare.) (2)

Creation at the Vernal Equinox is addressed in the second question, clearly exhibiting the Scotsmen�s view that creation occurred on a natural day in Autumn. Quae anni tempestate mundus sit creatus. "Secundo Quaeritur, quo anni tempore mundus creatus sit? Respondeo, est in confesso Solem & Lunam creata in stata aliqua & sixa parte Zodiaci, host est, vel in uno aequinoctiroum seu Verno seu Autumnali, vel in uno Solstitiorum seu hyberno seu aestivo: quanquam in circulo & motibus Palnetarum circularibus nullum vere sit principium nec finis, nec medium, nec quidquam statum and fixum, sed quod auna ratione concipitur principium, altera medium, altera finis dicis potest: tamen relatione ad certas terrae partes & incolas, praedictae quatuor Zodiaci partes recte notantur ad varios usus in humana vita ut statae & fixae .� Primo, Tempus quo arbores onerantur fructibus est Autumnus: at tempore quo creabatur Mundus, arbores onerabantur fructibus, ut ex historia lapsus in paradiso statim a creatione patet." (5)

Translation: The Second Question: in which time of the year was the world created? I reply and it is my profession that the Sun and the Moon were somehow created in determinate positions and according to the six parts of the Zodiac, that is, at one equinox or the other, the Spring or the Fall equinox, at one solstice or the other, winter or summer. Although the planets were moving circularly in many orbits, truly their origin was not at the end or the middle of those orbits, but they were determined and fixed [by God]. But these were conceived by understanding [or appearance] as having been manifest from other beginnings, middles, and ending [points of orbit]. However, [as viewed] in relation to certain parts and inhabitants of the earth, they appeared as prearranged according to the four parts of the Zodiac, straightly aligned as determined and fixed for various uses in human life . . . The first time was Autumn when the trees were bearing fruit; but the time when the world was created the trees were bearing fruit, so that from the history of the Fall in paradise as determined from creation is well known (patet).

One of the leading Scots Divine certainly thought this matter to be clear, fixed, literal, and "well known."
 
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