We are freed, through the aid of the Spirit, from the power of fin"-] This propofition is to be understood as extending to all believers [It is not true with refpect to the apostles only— It was exemplified in all the first converts And is experienced still by every fincere Chriftian-] The text thus explained is capable of most useful im provement II. Improve it It is replete with very important inftruction It fhews us the wretched ftate of every unregenerate man [We are all in bondage to "the law of fin and death "We are juttly fubjected to the curfes of the broken law P. We are alfo led captive by our own corrupt appetites Even St. Paul himself was in this very ftate -- Let us then humble ourfelves under a conviction of this truth-] It declares to us the only method of deliverance from that state [It was the gofpel which freed the apostle The fame will avail for every other perfon We must however "obey the gospel," and receive it as our "law of faith" We must look for its bleffings from Chrift through the Spirit In this way we may all adopt the language of the text in reference to our own happy experience-] It affords alfo abundant matter of reproof It reproves those who defpond as though there were no hope for them [Many think their guilt too great to be pardoned, and their lufts too ftrong to be fubdued— But Paul's cafe was intended to prevent fuch defponding fears Let none therefore any more complain like thofe of old — Every one may find encouragement in the power and mercy of God-] Rom. viii. 13. and vi. 14. former part. It • One hour they were full of guilt and wickedness; the next they were rejoicing in the pardon of their fins, and in the practice of all holy duties. Acts ii. 46, 47. P Gal. iii. 10. 1 Tim. i. 16. "ly iμol gŵr, in me the chief." Ifa. lix. 1. 9 Rom. vii. 9. • Ezek. xxxvii. 11. Γ It reproves alfo those who speak against an affurance of faith [It would indeed be prefumptuous in fome to profess an affurance of faith But God is defirous that all his people fhould enjoy it "— Let not any one therefore reprobate it as prefumptionLet every one rather feek the affurance expreffed in the text-] It may adminifter comfort alfo to many fincere Chrif tians [Many are yet fighting against their manifold corruptionsAnd because they obtain not a perfect deliverance, they tremble under apprehenfions of the divine wrath— But Paul himfelf bewailed bitterly his in-dwelling corruption *__ Yet that did not prevent him from rejoicing in (the partial freedom he experienced Let upright fouls take comfort from this reflection-] 1 John v, 13. * Rom. vii. 24. LXI. SOULS QUICKENED BY THE GOSPEL. Ezek. xxxvii. 11-13. Then he faid unto me, Son of man, thefe bones are the whole houfe of Ifrael: behold, they fay, Our bones are dried, and our hope is loft; we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophefy, and fay unto them, Thus faith the Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and caufe you to come out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Ifrael. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves. THE writings both of the Old and New Teftament abound with allegories But the interpretation of them is generally given by the writers themselves Many of our Lord's difcourfes were of this nature— They are admirably calculated to convey inftructionWe have a very remarkable allegory in this chapter— -The prophet fees in a vision a valley of dry bones——— He is interrogated with refpect to the poffibility of their living He He is commanded to bid them live in the name of the Lord On iffuing the proclamation he perceived a noise among the bones- The bones fhook, and came, each to its kindred boneThe finews, flesh, and fkin, then came upon them— Laftly, in answer to his prayer, life was communicated to them This allegory is then interpreted by God himself It describes the state of the Jews in Babylon, and their unexpected deliverance from it But it may be properly contidered as relating to the deliverance of God's people from the forer bondage of fin We shall take occafion from the text to confider I. The state of unregenerate men The Jews in Babylon were as unlikely to return to a state of political existence, as dry bones are to the functions of animal life They themselves utterly defpaired of fuch an event, ver. 11. Their condition fitly reprefents that of the unrege nerate The unregenerate are dead even as dry bones. [In this light they are reprefented by the apoftle aThey are deftitute of all inclination or ability to ferve God They have not a fufficiency even for the smallest good —] They not unfrequently defpair of ever obtaining deliverance pofed [Defpondency is far more common than is generally fupMany imagine, like Job, that they are given over by God Hence they exprefs them felves like the defponding Jews -] II. The means by which God delivers them from it [By the found of rams' horns he overthrew JerichoBy the ftroke of Elijah's mantle he parted the waters of Jordan So, by the preaching of his gofepl he quickens the dead-] He commands his power and grace to be proclaimed [He is an almighty, all-fufficient God He promifes pardon to all who feek it in his appointed way He offers his Spirit to renew all who call upon him He affures the believing foul that it fhall never perish f Thus he encourages the weakest and the vileft to look unto him -] In this way he accomplishes the deliverance of his people [A gradual change is made in the most obdurate finnersThere is" a great army" of whom it may be faid as of the prodigal They go forth immediately to "the promised land"-] Nor does any one remain ignorant of his benefactorThis leads us to confider III. The effects which this deliverance produces While dead in fin we imagine we muft quicken ourfelves [We know not the depth of mifery into which we are fallen We little think how great a change muft take place upon us Nor are we aware how entirely destitute we are of ftrength-] But when once we are quickened, we fee whence our deliverance came [We feel by experience the truth of Jeremiah's affertion i We fee that the apoftles themfelves were only God's inftruments Then we know God to be the Lord, the fource of every good We learn alfo to commit all our ways to him-] [God makes ufe of his ordinances for the most glorious purposes He works principally in and by them '— They who neglect them are generally left in darknessBut fincere worshippers reap the greateft benefit from them Let us never then grow weary of attending them Let us ufe them with a dependence on God for his bleffing-] 2. What care has God taken to encourage defponding finners! text" [No ftate can be worse than this reprefented in the Yet God has fhewed how he could overrule the heart of Cyrus to proclaim liberty, and of his own people to accept it He difplayed alfo his mighty power in re-eftablishing his people What then can he not do for thofe who are dead in fin? Let none fay "My hope is loft, I am cut off" Let it be remembered that the power and grace of Chrift are fufficient "— Let every one hear in faith the apofile's exhortation – -] 1 Rom. x. 17. n John xi. 25. m Ver. 2. 66 very dry." LXII. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IN FAVOUR WITH GOD. Job xxxiv. 29. When he giveth quietnefs, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? GOD orders and appoints all things throughout the univerfc Nations are not fo mighty as not to need his fuperintending care Nor are any individuals fo infignificant as to be difregarded by him The words immediately following the text fhew that the text itfelf is equally applicable to nations or to individuals The history of the Jews is a ftriking comment on them in the former view The |