inspired Apostle gives us: " Work out," says he, " your own salvation with fear and trembling ; for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure V The man with the withered hand is a fit example for us to follow. The command given him by our Lord was, " Stretch forth thine hand." He did not indolently reply, ' I cannot;' but immediately made an effort to comply; and, in the attempt, he was strengthened to perform the deedc. So would it be with us, if, in obedience to God's word, and in dependence on his grace, we addressed ourselves to the duties which we have to perform : " our light would soon rise in obscurity, and our darkness be as the noon-day." The very exhibition of a lamp from a broken pitcher, if done in faith, should be sufficient to overcome the strongest foed.]
From God's reply to his complaining people we learn,
II. That we should expect every thing from God, as if there were no need of personal exertions —
Such was the instruction given to the Jews —
[Captives are wont to be redeemed with money. But what prospect had the Jews of being liberated from captivity on such terms as these ? They were despoiled of every thing ; and had no friend to interpose in their behalf, and to pay a ransom for them. But, says God, " Ye have sold yourselves for nought ; and ye shall be redeemed without money." Look back, and see, What did ye ever gain by all the transgressions by which ye provoked me to cast you off? Know then, that as ye never received any thing in return for your souls, so shall ye never be called upon to give any thing for the liberation of them. This was specifically promised ; and the very person who should liberate them was proclaimed by name three hun- dred years before any such person existed in the world e : and it was fulfilled at the time predicted ; yea, so literally fulfilled, that not only were they permitted to return to their native land, but means were afforded them for rebuilding their city and temple ; and the vessels which had been taken away by the Chaldean monarch, were restored to them, for the service of the sanctuary, and the worship of their Godf.
In what precise manner their future restoration shall be accomplished, we do not exactly know : but sure we are, that it shall " not be by price or reward" given to the various po- tentates who rule over them : no ; it shall be in a way not less
b Phil. ii. 12, 13. c Matt. xii. 13.
d Judg. vii. 16—21. e Isai. xliv. 28. and xlv. 13.
f 2 Cliron. xxxvi. 22, 23. and Ezra i. 2—11.