Miscellanies upon Various Subjects | Page 9

called the city of Rome, "Urbs AEterna", seemed to believe
that Rome could never be destroyed. But there have been great
numbers of men, that did verily believe, that it shall have an
irrecoverable over-throw. Writers have proceeded so far, as to foretell
the time of Rome's final ruin. Some said that Rome's perdition should
happen in the year of Christ 1670, they have now been decried nine
whole years: so that few take care to know what reasons moved them to
pitch upon that number.
A Lutheran historian, anno 1656, wrote thus, "Finem Jubileorum
Ecclesiasticorum omniumque temporum in Scriptura revelatorum,
desinere in Annum Christi Millesimum sexcentesimum &
septuagesimum, antehac observavit Beatus Gerhardus cum Philippo
Nicolao". But all men are not of Dr. Gerhard's opinion. Many men
believe, that some of the prophecies in the Revelations do reach far
beyond our times, and that the events of future times will unclasp and
unseal a considerable portion of the Apocalypse. One of the reasons,
that recommended the number of 1670, was because it is the sum of
410, and 1260.
Historians agree, that in the year of Christ 410, in the month of August,
Rome was trampled under foot, and her heathen inhabitants were
miserably slaughtered by the victorious army of Alaric, a Christian
King of the Goths. Paulus Diaconus saith, August the 24th was the day
of King Alaric's taking Rome. Kedrenus saith, it was August the 26th,
perhaps the army first entered the 24th, and the King followed not till
two days after.
As for the other number 1260. It is twice found in the Revelations of St.
John, ch. 11, 3. "My two witnesses shall prophesy a thousand two
hundred and sixty days." And chap. 12, 6. " Should feed the woman in

the Wilderness, a thousand two hundred and threescore days. "And it is
there expressed in another form, (42 times 30) chap. 11, 2. "The
Gentiles shall tread the holy city under foot forty and two months."
Chap. 13, 5. "Power was given to the blasphemous beast to continue
forty and two months." Chap. 12, 14. "The woman is nourished in the
Wilderness for ({Greek text: Kairon kai kaironos kai hemisu kairon}) a
season and seasons, and half a season." See Act. 1, 7. 360 and 720, and
180 are equal to 1260. So it seems every {Greek text: kaipo} hath 360
days, or twelve months at thirty days to a month. No doubt Daniel had
given occasion to this expression, chap. 7, 25. " A time, and times, and
the dividing of time." No man can ground any distinct reasoning upon
such general words. But yet it is not tied to a just number of days, (as
360) but is capable of various interpretations in several prophecies.
Daniel useth a plural in both places, and not a dual, (two times and two
seasons) nor doth John say, two seasons: but by his Numeral
Illustration, he teaches us to understand him, as if he had said, (chap.
12, 14). " For three seasons and half a season:" I say Numeral
Illustration. For I take it to be no other than an easy example (12 and 24
and 6 are 42) to direct the sons of the prophets not yet arrived to the
skill of dealing with difficult supputations of numbers not then
discoverable. As Revel. 13, 18. "Here is wisdom, let him that hath
understanding count the number of the beast."
By 1260 days, almost all the interpreters understand so many years, but
not a year of 360 days; because they find no nation that hath so short a
year. The Egyptians had a year of just 365 days; but before St. John
was born, the Romans had forced them to allow 365 1/4 as we use now
in England.
In an enquiry concerning Rome, it is fit to consider the length of a
Roman year. (I may justly say a Roman-Moyed; for no city ever had
their year's length and form of a calendar determined, settled, and
commanded with so much absolute authority as Rome had) Julius
Caesar by an edict commanded that number of 365 1/4 to be observed,
and therefore it is called a Julian year. Three Julians and an half have
days 1278 3/8, but Julian years 1378 3/8 are 1278 Julian years, and
days 136 31/32; or almost 137 days.

Almost 100 years ago, Pope Gregory the XIII by a papal bull
introduced a calendar wherein the year's length is supposed to have
days 365 97/500 Then three Gregorian years and an half have days
1278 279/800 But Gregorian years 1278 279/800 are 1278 Julian years,
and days almost 118. Wherefore instead of adding 1260, add 1278, add
137 days to the year of our Lord 410, August 26. The sum shews the