n country, and city of Jerusalem; this, I doubt not, is
the true meaning of the prophet. The charge that he gives to the dwellers
in the dust, is to express the power of God's word, whereby he not only
gives life, where death apparently had prevailed; but also, by it, he
calls things that are not, even as though they were. True it is, that the
prophet Isaiah saw not the destruction of Jerusalem, much less could he
see the restitution of it with his corporeal eyes; but he leaves this, as
it were, in testament with them--that when they were in the extremity of
all bondage, they should call to mind what the prophet of God had before
spoken.

And lest that his doctrine, and this promise of God made unto them by his
mouth, should have been forgotten, as we are ever prone and ready to
forget God's promises when we are pressed with any sorrow, God raised up
unto them, in the midst of their calamity, his prophet Ezekiel, unto whom,
among many other visions, he gave this--The hand of the Lord first led him
in a place, which was full of dry and dispersed bones. (Ezek. xxxvii.) The
question was demanded of the prophet, If these bones, being wondrous dry,
could live? The prophet answered, The knowledge thereof appertained unto
God. Charge was given unto him, that he should speak unto the dry bones,
and say, "Thus saith the Lord God to these bones, Behold, I will give you
breath, and you shall live: I will give unto you sinews, flesh, and skin,
and you shall live." And while the prophet spake as he was commanded, he
heard a voice, and he saw every bone join its fellow; he saw them covered
with flesh and skin, albeit there was no spirit of life in them. He was
commanded again to speak, and to say, "Thus saith the Lord God, Come, O
Spirit, from the four quarters, and blow on these that are slain, that
they may live." And as he prophesied, the spirit of life came; they lived,
and stood upon their feet. Then the Lord interprets what this vision
meant, saying "O son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.
Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, our hope is perished, we are
plainly cut off. But behold, saith the Lord, I will open your graves, I
will bring you forth of them, ye shall live, and come unto the land of
Israel, and ye shall know that I am the Lord."

This vision, I say, given to the prophet, and by the prophet preached to
the people, when they thought that God had utterly forgotten them,
compelled them more diligently