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.
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