But the full deliverance of all my chosen ones, which is figured by that other, shall be only accomplished in the day of their final resurrection: wherein all flesh shall arise from their graves, though to different and contrary ends; for some shall rise to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting confusion. XII. 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. And they, that are spiritually wise to know God and themselves, shall have meet proportion of glory, and shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; but those, which are the means to convert and save others, shall be yet more glorious, and shall shine as the stars in that firmament for ever. XII. 4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. But thou, O Daniel, keep thou these words to thyself; record them safely, but, when thou hast done, seal them up, till the determined time, when they shall be communicated to the world : at which time, many shall take pains to be informed of my truth and the state of my Church, and knowledge shall be increased. XH. 5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. Then I, Daniel, looked; and, behold, there stood two other angels by the side of the bank of the river Tygris, one on the one side, and the other on the other side. XII. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And the one of them, as desiring to look into these great mysteries, said to Christ, the great Angel of the Covenant, who was the man clothed in linen, and who stood upon the waters by Tygris all this while; How long shall it be to the end of all these wonderful events? XII. 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it should be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. And I heard Christ, the Eternal Son of God, to answer him again; who, lifting up both his hands towards heaven, the place of his throne, sware by himself, and his Eternal Father, and Blessed Spirit, that this calamity of his Church shall be but short, even for the space of only three years and some few days; after which, the true worship of God, which shall be defaced at Jerusalem, shall be restored; and at the end whereof, the hostile power of Antiochus, wherewith God's people shall have been annoyed and grievously vexed, shall be scattered and utterly defeated. XII. 8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And I, Daniel, heard, but I did not distinctly and clearly enough understand, the answer that was given: then I besought Christ, the Word of his Father, that he would be pleased to give me a more clear and full understanding of these things. XII. 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. And he said, Go thy ways, Daniel; and content thyself with so much as is already revealed unto thee: for the particularities of these prophecies are not to be fully conceived, till the time of the fulfilling of them. XII. 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. In the mean time, know, that this general affliction, which shall befal my Church, shall have different issues; for many, who are God's elect, shall be bettered thereby, and made more holy and perfect; but others again shall rather be hardened in their wickedness: and none of the wicked shall regard either the judgments or mercies of God, or take heed to these promises or threatenings; but the godly wise will lay both of them to heart, accordingly. XII. 11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand and two hundred and ninety days. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away by Antiochus Epiphanes, and that abominable army of his shall seize upon the temple and all the holds of Judea, until the time that the same Antiochus shall be forced to yield to and confirm the reformation made by Judas Maccabeus, shall be three years, seven months, and thirteen days; which shall be seven months and three days, after the banishing of that shameful idolatry of Antiochus, and the beginnings of his happy restoration of God's true worship. XII. 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Yet, even after this blessing, there is another worth your expecting, which is the death of this cruel tyrant, Epiphanes; that shall fall about two months after this later period: happy is he, therefore, that waiteth patiently upon God, and lives to see this effected, at the end of three years and about nine months, from the first erection of that his detestable idolatry. XII. 13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. But go thou thy way, and rest in peace; contenting thyself with so much, as is revealed to thee: and quietly hold that station, wherein God hath placed thee, in an humble and silent expectation of these events, till the very end of thy days. END OF THE THIRD VOLUME. C. WHITTINGHAM, Printer, Dean Street. |