800 Years after the Flood) when 603 Thousand Israelites of above 20 Years Old (besides those of other Ages, Tribes, and Nations) were found upon an exact Survey appointed by God[1], Whereas our Table makes 12 Millions. And there would have been but 8000 in David's Time, when were found 1100 Thousand of above 20 Years Old (besides others, as aforesaid) in Israel, upon the Survey instigated by Satan[2], whereas our Table makes 32 Millions. And there would have been but a quarter of a |22| Million about the Birth of Christ, or Augustus his Time, when Rome and the Roman Empire were so great, whereas our Table makes 100 Millions. Where Note, That the Israelites in about 500 Years between their coming out of Egypt to David's Reign, increased from 603 Thousand to 1100 Thousand.
On the other hand, if we pitch upon a less Number, as 100 Years, the World would have been over-peopled 700 Years since. Wherefore, no one Number will solve the Phænomena, and therefore we have supposed several in Order to make the following Table, which we again desire Historians to Correct, according to what they find in Antiquity concerning the Number of the People in each Age and Countrey of the World.
We did (not long since) assist a worthy Divine[3], writing against some |23| Scepticks, who would have baffled our belief of the Resurrection, by saying, that the whole Globe of the
- ↑ Numbers i. 1—46. The precise number is 603,550. Petty has overlooked the later enumeration of 601,730, Numbers xxvi. 1—51.
- ↑ 1 Chronicles xxi. 1-8, 'and all Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew the sword; and Judah four hundred three score and ten thousand men that drew the sword.' The account in 2 Samuel xxiv. 1—9 gives 800000 fighting men in Israel and 500000 in Judah.
- ↑ Concerning his assistance to the worthy divine, Petty writes thus to Sir Robert Southwell:
Dublin, 20th Augt. 1681.
Dear Cosen,
Once more pay the Postage of 4 Sheets. By ye last you saw ye Quantum of my Damage; by this you shall ye Quomodo, & consequently ye Injury. Oh! that I could get some body to read my Papers.
There is a good man about this Town writing agst Atheisme, and in particular at this time answering their Cavills against ye Resurrection; Which are, That ye whole Globe of ye Earth will not afford sufficient Matter to the Bodies that must
