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THE SECOND VISION OF EZEKIEL.
The Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel, concerning the Resurrection of the Dry Bones, which upon his Prophesying were covered with Flesh, and restored to Life.
AMongst the rest of the Visions of the Pro∣phet Ezekiel, this here represented con∣cerning the Resurrection of the dry Bones, is most fa∣mous, and much taken notice of by the Fa∣thers of the Church. The Prophet tells us, That he was carried by the Spirit of the LORD, and set down in a Valley which was full of dry Dead-mens Bones, and having made him go round the Valley, to take a full view of the vast number and condition of them; the LORD demanded of him, Whether he thought those dry Bones could be restor'd to Life again? To which the Prophet having answered, O LORD GOD thou knowest. He commanded him to Prophecy to those Bones in his Name, That they should be joyned Bone to his Bone, co∣vered with Flesh and live. No sooner had the Prophet declared this to the Bones in the Name of GOD, to whom all things are alive, and whose Power nothing can resist, but he immediately saw the execution of it; for with a great noise all the Bones came together, and were covered with Sinews, Muscles, Flesh, and Skin, but there was yet no Life in them. Wherefore the LORD again commanded the Prophet to Prophecy to the living Breath, and to command it to come from the four Winds, and to breath upon those dead Bodies, that they might live; whereupon the same Spirit, which was in the Creation breathed by GOD into the first Man, after that he had made his Body of the Earth came into these dead Bodies, and immediately they stood upon their Feet and liv'd, and were an exceeding great Army.
After that the LORD had shewed the Pro∣phet Ezekiel this wonderful Vision, that he might not be ignorant of the meaning of it, he told him, That the dry Bones which he had seen, were the whole House of Israel, who looked upon themselves (in the condition they were then in, being Captives in Babylon) as so many dry Bones, which had no hopes ever to live again, that is, to be restored to those ma∣nifold advantages they once enjoyed in their own Count••y. But GOD farther commands Ezekiel to assure them, That notwithstanding all the Discouragements which at present they did lie under, he would as miraculously re∣store and deliver them, as the Prophet had seen him miraculously restore those dry Bones to Life, contrary to all human possibility or expectation.
Now, as GOD himself here applies this Vi∣sion to the wonderful Deliverance he would one Day grant the Jews from the miserable state of Slavery and Captivity they were in, and that amongst an Idolatrous People, far from their own Country, without the comfort of those many Priviledges and Advantages they enjoyed there, above all other Nations of the World; so we may as truly apply it to the Church of GOD, which shall be as miracu∣lously delivered from her state of Deadness, Apostacy, Captivity and Bondage, wherein she is at present in Spiritual Babylon, as these dead Bones were contrary to all hopes and outward possibility joyned together Bone to his Bone, and raised to Life.
GOD also would put us in mind by this Vision. That how desperate soever the condition of Sinners may seem to be, who have been a long time habituated to Sin, and grown old in Trans∣gressions, and are thereby not only become like a dead Body, but as dry Bones; yet that he to whom all things are possible, and who calls those things that are not, as tho' they were, can raise them again to the Life of Righteousness and Holiness, and bringing them out of their Graves, regenerate them again to a New••Life. For as GOD at first brought the Soul from tht Nul∣lity of Non-existence to a state of Being; so afterwards he brings it from the Nullity and Privation of Sin, to the Essence of Grace and Holiness: And this Second Creation is much more wonderful than the First; for the former GOD accomplished with a Word, whereas the latter was the fruit of the Death, and the price of the Blood of the Son of GOD.
GOD also was willing by this Vision, to give the Prophet a Scantling of what his Omnipo∣tence will effect at the General Day of Judg∣ment, when the Dead shall arise, and receive according to what they have done in the Flesh, whether Good or Evil.