Secondly, Then, there is the term allotted to him in this state of his dismission: 'Until the end be.'
Three things may be here intended in this word ' end.'
1. The end of his life : * Go thou thy ways to the end of thy life,' and days. But this we before disallowed, not con- senting that Daniel received a dismission from his employ- ment before the end of his life and pilgrimage.
2. The end of the world : ' Go thy ways to the end of the world :' till then thou shalt rest in thy grave. But neither yet doth this seem to be particularly intended in these words. The words in the close of the text do ex- pressly mention that, calling it * the end of days;' and in so few words, the same thing is not needlessly repeated : be- sides, had this expression held out the whole time of his abode in the state of rest here signified, it must have been, * Go thou thy ways, for thou shalt rest until the end be :' So that,
3. The 'end' here is to be accommodated unto the things, whereof the Holy Ghost is peculiarly dealing with Daniel ; and that is, the accomplishment of the great visions which he had received, in breaking the kingdoms of the world, and setting up the kingdom of the holy one of God : Daniel is dismissed from farther attendance in this service, he shall not see the actual accomplishment of the things mentioned, but is dismissed and laid aside unto the end of them. The word ' until,' in the Scripture, is not such a limitation of time, as to assert the contrary to what is excepted, upon its ac- complishment: 'Until the end,' doth not signify that he should not rest after the end of the things intimated, no more than it is aflirmed that Michal had children after her death, because it is said, that until her death she had none; 2 Sam. vi. 23. this then is that end that he is dismissed unto; the appointed season for the accomplishment of those glorious things which he had foreshewn.
Observation II. God oftentimes suffers not his choicest servants to see the issue and accomplishment of these glo-
462 THE LABOURING SAINT's
rious things, wherein themselves have been most eminently engaged.
Thirdly, The third thing (that we may make haste) is iiis state and condition, during the time which he lies under this dismission, in these words: ' For thou shalt rest.'
There is nothing of difficulty in these words, but what will naturally fall under consideration in the opening of the proposition which they hold out : which is,
Observation III. The condition of a dismissed saint is a condition of rest: ' Thou shalt rest until the end be.'
What this rest is, and from what, with wherein it con- sists, shall be afterward explained.
Fourthly, The last thing in the text is the utmost issue of all these dispensations, both as to his foregoing labour, and his present dismission, and following rest: 'Thou shalt stand in thy lot,' &c.
Here are two things considerable in these words.
1. The season of the accomplishment of what is here foretold, and promised unto Daniel ; and that is ' in the end of the days :' that is, when time shall be no more, when a period shall be put to the days of the world: called the last day, the great day, the day of judgment; that is the season of the ac- complishment of this promise, ' The day wherein God will judge the world, by the man whom he hath ordained.'
Observation IV. There is an appointed determinate sea- son, wherein all things and persons according to the will of God will run into their utmost issue and everlasting con- dition.
2. The thing foretold and promised, that.is, * That he should stand in his lot.'
Observation V. There is an appointed lot for every one to stand in, and measured portion, which in the end they shall receive.
Observation VI. There is an eminent lot hereafter, for men of eminent employment for God here.
I shall not be able to handle all these several truths which lie in the words; those only which are of most im- portance, and most suitable, may briefly be handled unto you. And the first is,
Observation I. There is an appointed season wherein the
DISMISSION TO REST. 463
saints of the most eminent abilities, in the most useful em- ployments, must receive their dismission.
Zech. i. 5. ' Your fathers, where are they ? and the pro- phets, do they live for ever?' Fathers and prophets have but their season, and they are not: they have their dismis- sion; so old Simeon professeth, 'Nunc Dimittis,' Luke ii. 29. Now thou givest me a dismission : they are placed of God in their station, as a centinel in his watch-tower, and they have their appointed season, and are then dismissed from their watch. The great Captain of their salvation comes, and saith, * Go thou thy ways,' thou hast faithfully dis- charged thy duty ; go now unto thy rest. Some have harder service; some have harder duty than others; some keep guard in the winter, a time of storms and temptations, trials and great pressures : others in the sunshine, the sum- mer of a more flourishing estate and condition ; yet duty they all do ; all attend in the service ; all endure some hard- ship, and have their appointed season for their dismission : and be they never so excellent at the discharging of their duty, they shall not abide one moment beyond the bounds which he hath set them, who saith to all his creatures, ' Thus far shall you go, and no farther.' Oftentimes this dismission is in the midst of their work, for which they seem to be most eminently qualified.