these dry bones live?" But, in answer to this, I say, Yes, they both can and shall live : and at the time when God, in answer to the prayers of his servants, shall be pleased to pour out his Spirit upon them, they shall not only resume the human form, but " shall live, and stand up on their feet, an exceeding great army6." " A nation shall be born in a dayf :" and, by the simple preaching of a crucified Saviour, " all the ends of the earth shall be brought to see the salvation of GodC]
Behold then,
1. What encouragement is here given to serve the Lord —
[No one need despond. There is no mountain of guilt that shall not be removed by the blood of Christ h ; nor any inveteracy of corruption that shall not be subdued by the Spirit of Christ1. Nor is there any confederacy, either of men or devils, that shall prevail to destroy the weakest saint upon the earth k. " A worm shall thresh the mountains, and make them all like the dust of the summer threshing-floor1." But some, apprehending that there is somewhat peculiar in their case, are ready to ask, " Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? Yes: thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered : for I will con- tend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children"1." Be it known to all these, for their comfort, that " greater is he that is in them, than he that is in the world";" and that " it is not by might or by power that any one is to succeed, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts0."]
2. What honour will be given to the Saviour at the last day —
[Every one, in that day, will bless himself as the most dis- tinguished monument of mercy that is to be found in heaven. When a saint looks back, and sees with what powers he has conflicted, and yet come off victorious, O ! what thanks will he render to the Captain of his salvation, through whom alone he was enabled to maintain the conflict! and what songs of praise will he pour forth to God and to the Lamb for ever ! It was in proud self-confidence that the Jebusites defied David, saying, that " except he should take away the blind and the lame, (whom, if there were no others, they supposed capable of defending their impregnable fortress against him,) he should
e Ezek. xxxvii. 1 — 10. f Isai. Ixvi. 8. s Isai. Hi. 10.
h Isai. i. 18. i 2 Cor. xii. 9. * Matt. xvi. 18.
1 Isai. xli. 14, 15. m Isai. xlix. 24,25. " 1 Johniv. 4.
0 Zech. iv. 6.