CHAPTER III

Of _Methuselah_.

What hath been every where opinioned by all men, and in all times, is more then paradoxical to dispute; and so that _Methuselah_ was the longest liver of all the posterity of _Adam_, we quietly believe: but that he must needs be so, is perhaps below paralogy to deny. For hereof there is no determination from the Text; wherein it is only particulared he was the longest Liver of all the Patriarchs whose age is there expressed; but that he out-lived all others, we cannot well conclude. For of those nine whose death is mentioned before the flood, the Text expresseth that _Enoch_ was the shortest Liver; who saw but three hundred sixty-five years. But to affirm from hence, none of the rest, whose age is not expressed, did die before that time, is surely an illation whereto we cannot assent.

Again, Many persons there were in those days of longevity, of whose age notwithstanding there is no account in Scripture; as of the race of _Cain_, the wives of the nine Patriarchs, with all the sons and daughters that every one begat: whereof perhaps some persons might out-live _Methuselah_; the Text intending only the masculine line of _Seth_, conduceable unto the Genealogy of our Saviour, and the antediluvian Chronology. And therefore we must not contract the lives of those which are left in silence by _Moses_; for neither is the age of _Abel_ expressed in the Scripture, yet is he conceived far elder then commonly opinioned; and if we allow the conclusion of his Epitaph as made by _Adam_, and so set down by _Salian, Posuit moerens pater, cui à filio justius positum foret, Anno ab ortu rerum 130. Ab Abele nato 129_, we shall not need to doubt. Which notwithstanding _Cajetan_ and others confirm, nor is it improbable, if we conceive that _Abel_ was born in the second year of _Adam_, and _Seth_ a year after the death of _Abel_: for so it being said, that _Adam_ was an hundred and thirty years old when he begat _Seth_, _Abel_ must perish the year before, which was one hundred twenty nine.

And if the account of _Cain_ extend unto the Deluge, it may not be improbable that some thereof exceeded any of _Seth_. Nor is it unlikely in life, riches, power and temporal blessings, they might surpass them in this world, whose lives related unto the next. For so when the seed of _Jacob_ was under affliction and captivity, that of _Ismael_ and _Esau_ flourished and grew mighty, there proceeding from the one twelve Princes, from the other no less then fourteen Dukes and eight Kings. And whereas the age of _Cain_ and his posterity is not delivered in the Text, some do salve it from the secret method of Scripture, which sometimes wholly omits, but seldom or never delivers the entire duration of wicked and faithless persons, as is observable in the history of _Esau_, and the Kings of _Israel_ and _Judah_. And therefore when mention is made that _Ismael_ lived 137 years, some conceive he adhered unto the faith of _Abraham_; for so did others who were not descended from _Jacob_; for _Job_ is thought to be an _Idumean_, and of the seed of _Esau_. [SN: _Job thought by some to be of the race of_ Esau.]

Lastly (although we rely not thereon) we will not omit that conceit urged by learned men, that _Adam_ was elder then _Methuselah_; inasmuch as he was created in the perfect age of man, which was in those days 50 or 60 years, for about that time we read that they begat children; so that if unto 930 we add 60 years, he will exceed _Methuselah_. And therefore if not in length of days, at least in old age he surpassed others; he was older then all, who was never so young as any. For though he knew old age, he was never acquainted with puberty, youth or Infancy; and so in a strict account he begat children at one year old. And if the usual compute will hold, that men are of the same age which are born within compass of the same year, _Eve_ was as old as her husband and parent _Adam_, and _Cain_ their son coetaneous unto both.

Now that conception, that no man did ever attain unto a thousand years, because none should ever be one day old in the sight of the Lord, unto whom according to that of _David_, A thousand years are but one day, doth not advantage _Methuselah_. And being deduced from a popular expression, which will not stand a _Metaphysical_ and strict examination, is not of force to divert a serious enquirer. For unto God a thousand years are no more then one moment, and in his sight _Methuselah_ lived no nearer one day then _Abel_, for all parts of time are alike unto him, unto whom none are referrible; and all things present, unto whom nothing is past or to come. And therefore, although we be measured by the Zone of time, and the flowing and continued instants thereof, do weave at last a line and circle about the eldest: yet can we not thus commensurate the sphere of _Trismegistus_; or sum up the unsuccessive and stable duration of God.