The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Proposition 15
15. PROPOSITION The 42. moneths,Dan. 7 25. Dan. 12 7 Ap. 11, 12 Apoc, 13. a thouſand two hundred and threeſcore propheticall daies, three greate daies and a halfe, and a time, times, and a halfe a time mentioned in Daniel, & in the Reuelation, are all one date.
EVerie monethmonth among the Graecians, contained thirtie daies preciſelie,lib. de emend. temp. as witneſſeth Ioſephus Scaliger, and ſo conſequentlie, fourtie two monethes are aequall to a thouſande two hundred & threeſcore daies. Alſo, three great daies and an halfe, are aequal to them for theſe reaſons. Firſt, by reckoning, becauſe three daies and an halfe, after the propheticall manner (prooued in the firſt propoſition) is three yeares and an halfe: and then counting (after the Graecian maner) twelue moneths in the yeare, and thirtie daies in euerie monethmonth, theſe three yeares and a halfe (called in the text, three daies and a halfe) will bee fourtie two monethes, or a thouſand, two hundred and threeſcore daies juſt. Secondlie, they muſt be all one, for that in purpoſe they agree: for it is ſaid, that the Antichriſtiā beaſt,Apoc. 11.7. at his riſing, ſlew the two Witneſſes of God (which hereafter are prooued to bee the two Teſtamēts) & their dead carcaſes (or naked letter) lay three daies & an halfe, and then were they reuiued, and at that time of their reuiving, come a gret decay on the Antichriſtian citie: So that both by this text, and other good reaſons, it appeareth that theſe Witneſſes of Gods trueth, lay dead and ſilent, & their teſtimonie neither buried in our breſts, nor ingraued in our harts, during al the daies of the Antichriſt. And ſo the time of their lying dead, and the time of the Antichriſtes raigne to be all one date. Now, the time that they lay dead, is called three daies and an halfe, and the time that the Antichriſt raigned, and oppreſſed Gods Church, is called 42 moneths: wherefore, three great daies and an halfe,Apoc. 11.2 Apoc. 13.5 are all one with 42. moneths, or 1260. daies: It reſteth then, to prooue a time, times, and half a time, to be likewiſe aequall to them, which muſt needes be for theſe reaſons. Firſt, becauſe it is ſaid, (Cap. 12.6.) that the Woman (which hereafter is prooued to ſignifie the Church of Chriſt) fled into the wildernes, where ſhe was nouriſhed 1260. daies: And againe (verſe. 14) it is ſaide, that ſhee fled away in the wilderneſſe, where ſhee was nouriſhed for a time, times, and halfe a time. So then, a time, times, and halfe a time, and 1260. daies muſt bee both one. Secondlie, this time, times, and halfe a time, or three times and an halfe, correſpondent with the foreſaid three greate daies and an halfe, are aequall to 1260. daies for this cauſe. A time taken ſimplie and without figure, meaneth a yeare, as in Daniel, Nebucadnetzars ſeuen times that he remained a beaſte,Dan, 4.13 20.29 are taken for ſeuen yeares: Then three times and an halfe, are three yeares and an half, which being counted, wil make 42. moneths or 1260 daies: And ſo finallie, for concluſion, ſeeing the raigne of the Antichriſt, his blaſpheming of God, and oppreſsion of Gods Sainctes, the treading of ſpirituall Ieruſalem vnderunder feet, the prophecying of Gods witneſſe vntounto the true and viſible Church in humble maner, and their lying deade and ſilent, vntounto the outwarde, viſible pretended Church. And the flying of the Spouſe and Church of Chriſt to the wilderneſſe, and becomming inuiſible, by matters concurrent and adjunct, ſuch as apparantlie muſt at one time begin together, continue together, and end together. Therefore, moſt neceſſarilie the dates that the text attributeth to their continuance, to wit, 42. moneths, 1260. propheticall daies, three great daies and an halfe, and a time, times, and halfe a time, muſt be all one date.