These words are also used to denote the conversion of sinners as well as the quickening of believers. This arises from the fact that the two events are generally (not always) coincident. Sinners, who withstand God himself, may resist the Church in her best estate ; and they are sometimes converted when the Church, as a body, is spiritually asleep. Yet such is the influence of spiritual life, and such the usual sanction given by the Holy Ghost to its loving endeavors to save men, that a real revival of the Church leads directly to the conver- sion of others. Therefore "a revival is simply an in- crease of the best desires, affections, and exertions of persons who are already pious and benevolent, such an increase as, by the blessing of Heaven, awakens in the ungodly an anxiety for their salvation. . . . When these evidences of increased engagedness in the cause of Christ are unequivocally manifested anywhere, it is too late for an impartial observer to doubt that a genuine revi- val of religion has there commenced." To understand this subject in its bearings upon the different classes to be benefited, it is necessary to have just conceptions of religion itself, the means of its attainment and revival, and the evidences by which it is distinguished. These
points, with some others necessarily involved, are indi- cated by the following propositions.
1. That all men unrenewed by the grace of God are sinners. Paul represents them as dead in trespasses and in sins, walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, having their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, ful- filling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and as by nature children of wrath.
2. This being their condition — corrupt in heart, and disobedient in practice — they need two important works effected in and for them ; namely, the pardon of all their sins, exempting them from the penalty of the law, and the reneical of their souls in righteousness, conforming them to the moral image of God, and thus fitting them to do his will from the heart here, and enjoy the holi- ness of heaven hereafter.
3. That the atonement of Christ provided for just these results, as may be seen by the following announce- ments : " If we confesss our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un- righteousness1'' (1 John i, 9). "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. vi, 11). And to show the absolute necessity of this double work, Jesus said to Nicodemus, " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John iii, 3). Re- vivals which aim at anything short of this are not revi- vals of religion in the proper sense of that word. They may arouse the fears of men and improve their habits, but they do not save in the Gospel sense, nor will their results be satisfactory to the depraved and guilty sin- ner, or to any spiritual Church.
4. Another important fact to be remembered is, that this is the work of God. He only can forgive sins, or re- new the heart. The object of a true revival is, there- fore, not to absolve sinners, but to bring them to God ; in other words, to persuade them to accept the terms of reconciliation, that he may save them. Pronouncing them converted on their avowing a " desire" or " pur- pose" to seek the Lord is unauthorized, and exceedingly dangerous. We should instruct and encourage them to wait in the way of duty till God shall do the work, when they will need no absolution from man. Many, it is to be feared, have been misled right at this point, to their eternal sorrow. They have been taught to be- lieve that religion is all their own work, a mere change of opinion or position ; that they are to convert them- selves. It is sometimes called a growth ; whereas it is first a new creation, a new life, and adoption into the family of God by his own sovereign act. Like all other acts, it must be done at some specific time— in a moment. One must be born again before he can grow. If back- slidden, he must repent and be forgiven as at the first, and have the old "joy of salvation" restored unto him.
5. When this wrork is accomplished, it will be veri- fied, first, by the Holy Spirit witnessing to the fact as it witnesses in conviction to the sinner's guilt, condemna- tion, and danger; and, secondly, by its fruits, "love, joy, peace, long suffering," etc., and aversion to former sins and associations. How does an awakened sinner know that he is a sinner? He feels that he is, and this is confirmed by the uniform conflict of his life and tem- per with the Word of God. How does a real convert know that he is converted ? Because he now feels the same as- surance in his heart that he is a Christian which he felt before that he was a sinner, and he knows that he is living a life of obedience ; whereas, before, he lived in rebellion. He can say from the heart, with Paul, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Je- sus Christ, . . . and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" (Rom. v, 1, 2) ; and, with John, " We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren" (1 John iii, 14). Converts who stop short of a joyous experience of the love of God will go limping through life, if they do not utterly fall away.