II. I AM
TO SHOW WHAT A REVIVAL IS.
It is the renewal of the first love of
Christians, resulting in the awakening and conversion of sinners to God. In the popular sense, a revival of religion in a community is the
arousing, quickening, and reclaiming of the more or less backslidden church and the more or less general awakening of all classes, and insuring
attention to the claims of God.
It presupposes that the church is sunk down
in a backslidden state, and
a revival consists in the return of a church from her backslidings, and in the conversion of sinners.
1. A revival always includes conviction of
sin on the part of the church. Backslidden professors* cannot wake up and begin right away in the service of God, without deep searchings of heart.
The fountains of sin need to be broken up. In a true revival, Christians are always brought under such convictions; they see their sins in such a
light, that often they find it impossible to maintain a hope of their acceptance with God. It does not always go to that extent; but there are
always, in a genuine revival, deep convictions of sin, and often cases of abandoning all hope.
2. Backslidden Christians will be brought
to repentance. A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner, the first step is a
deep repentance, a breaking down of heart, a getting down into the dust before God, with deep humility, and forsaking of sin.
3. Christians will have their faith
renewed. While they are in their backslidden state they are blind to the state of sinners. Their hearts are as hard as marble. The truths of the
Bible only appear like a dream. They admit it to be all true; their conscience and their judgment assent to it; but their faith does not see
it standing out in bold relief, in all the burning realities of eternity. But when they enter into a revival, they no longer see men as trees
walking, but they see things in that strong light which will renew the love of God in their hearts. This will lead them to labor zealously to
bring others to him. They will feel grieved that others do not love God, when they love him so much. And they will set themselves feelingly to
persuade their neighbors to give him their hearts. So their love to men will be renewed. They will be filled with a tender and burning love for
souls. They will have a longing desire for the salvation of the whole world. They will be in an agony for individuals whom they want to have
saved—their friends, relations, enemies. They will not only be urging them to give their hearts to God, but they will carry them to God in the arms
of faith, and with strong crying and tears beseech God to have mercy on them, and save their souls from endless burnings.
4. A revival breaks the power of the world
and of sin over Christians. It brings them to such vantage ground that they get a fresh impulse towards heaven. They have a new foretaste of
heaven, and new desires after union with God; and the charm of the world is broken, and the power of sin overcome.
*professors - professors of being redeemed; those who claim that they are redeemed, i. e., profess to being in such a state.
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