Behold, I will caufe breath to enter "into these dry bones, and they shall "live"-live for ever! O joy unutterable! glad tidings to the friends and followers of the conquering JESUS! The earth quakes—the ftone is rolled away from the door of the fepulchre-and humanity rises triumphant in the perfon of its REDEEM ER. For us, and for our Salvation, hath this God-man burft the ftrong barriers of the grave, paffed through the gates of death, and opened the chrystal portals of the World of Light. None of human kind are excepted-all are invited to follow this great Captain of their Salvation-to none is an entrance refused, but to those who wilfully and ungratefully flight the invitation, and prefer the short, fleeting, and unfatisfying pleasures of their earthly and fallen life, to the folid permanent joys of their Redeemed nature. Alas! Alas! we are all, by nature, in as bad a ftate as "the dry bones of the valley"-Nothing can deliver us from this state, or reanimate our lifeless forms, but the breath of the Almighty-the fame Power that created, can alone redeem-and this redemption can be accomplished in no other way, than the BLESSED JESUS hath exhibited to our view in his own awful procefs. We must "die unto fin, before we can live unto righteousness." A deep conviction of the folly, vanity, and guilt of our fallen nature, and a full confidence in the Allfufficiency of Redeming Love to rescue and deliver us, are the two indifpenfable requifites for this great work. The holy Heavenly Life and Spirit of the Immaculate Lamb of GOD must be revealed in our hearts: an intimate union and communion must be formed betwixt us and our Life-giving Saviour: we must dwell in CHRIST, and CHRIST in us: we 1 we must be one with CHRIST, and CHRIST with us-and then, and then only, will these “ dry bones live," and rife, and reign with their Deliverer for ever. The food of this fpiritual life, the real and only nourishment of this newrifen, heaven-born nature within us, is the Body and Blood of our dear Saviour, verily and indeed taken and received by the real Chriftian at all times, and in all places, but particularly, and, above all, in the Bleffed Sacrament of his own institution. To this heavenly banquet, therefore, let us draw nigh with faith, not trusting in our own righteousness, but in the manifold and great mercies of God in CHRIST-A fenfibility of our own weakness and unworthiness, is our best preparative for a worthy participation. The Holy, Heavenly, Healing Blood of of CHRIST, is the richest balfam for our wounded hearts! The Mafter of the feast is even now waiting to bid us welcome to his table. "The Meek “shall eat, and be fatisfied"—they shall feek, and find, and difcern the LORD'S Body there; and their fouls, revived and ftrengthened by fresh fupplies of Divine Light, and Life, and Love, shall flourish, and blossom, and bring forth fruits unto Life Eternal! DISCOURSE |