A67922:1422
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol.…Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol.…
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol. 1] with an universal history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitive age to these latter times of ours, with the bloody times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions against the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperors, as now lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realm of England and Scotland. Newly revised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time again published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the help of Christ our Lord) John Fox, which desireth thee good reader to help him with thy prayer.Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.
London: printed by John Daye, 1583London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1583
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For as there is no doubt, but by the beast with seven heads, bearing the whore of Babylon, drunken with the blood of Saints, is signified the City of Rome: So in my judgement, the power of making forty two months (in the thirteen of the Apocalypse) is to be expounded,1 taking every Month for a Sabbath of years, that is, reckoning for seven years a month: so that forty and two such Sabbaths of years, being gathered together make up the years just,2 between the time of Christs death, to the last year of the persecution of Maxentius, when Constantinus fighting under the banner of Christ, overcame him, and made an end of all persecution, within the Monarchy of Rome. The number of which years,3 by plain computation come to 294. to the which 294. years, if ye add the other six years, under the persecution of Licinius in Asia, then it filleth up full the three hundred years. And so long continued the persecution of Christs people, under the heathen tyrants and Emperors of the Monarchy of Rome, according to the number of the forty two months which the beast had power to make, specified in the thirteenth of the Apocalypse. For the better explication whereof, because the matter, being of no small importance greatly appertaineth to the public utility of the Church, & least any should misdoubt me herein to follow any private interpretation of mine own, I thought good to communicate to the Reader, that, as hath been imparted to me, in opening these mystical numbers in the foresaid book of Revelation contained, by occasion as followeth.
For as there is no doubte, but by the beast with seauen heades, bearing the whoore of Babylon, dronken wyth the bloude of Saintes, is signified the Citie of Rome: So in my iudgement, the power of making fortie two moneths (in the thirteene of the Apocalips) is to bee expounded,1 taking euery Moneth for a Sabboth of yeares, that is, reckonyng for seauen yeares a moneth: so that forty and two such Sabbots of yeares, being gathered togither make vppe the yeres iust,2 betweene the time of Christes death, to the last yeare of the persecution of Maxentius, when Constantinus fyghting vnder the banner of Christ, ouercame him, and made an ende of all persecution, wythin the Monarchye of Rome. The number of which yeares,