expect from God's hands the most signal interpositions in their favour. For their present dispersion is not more unfavourable than their oppression in Egypt ; nor are the manifestations of God's favour, which we look for in their behalf, more glorious than those which were vouchsafed to them at the Red Sea, and on Mount Sinai. It is not a new work which we have to solicit for them, but only a revival of the former work. And we may hope, that God will yet again, and at no distant period too, take them under his protection, and " reveal unto them more richly than ever the abundance of peace and truth."]
2. For the Christian Church —
[This is at a low ebb, and greatly needs a revival. Where are the Pentecostal effusions of the Spirit, and the simultaneous conversions of thousands unto God? In great and extensive countries, where religion once flourished, the very name of Christ is now scarcely known. And amongst those who profess to be followers of Christ, how little is there of real piety, and of vital godliness ! Whether amongst pastors or their flocks, we behold but little of that primitive simplicity, or of that entireness of devotion to God, which characterized the apostolic age. We read of " days of the Son of man ; " and those are what we want to behold amongst us. We want to see the lighting down of his arm amongst us ; and such displays of his power and glory as he gave when " he shook the room where his people were assembled, and filled them all with the Holy Ghost" and with power a. In a word, we are looking for " times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord :" and for these we should be earnestly pleading with God in prayer ; saying, with the pro- phet, " O that thou wouldest rend the heavens, and come down; that the mountains might flow down at thy presenceM" and, with David, " Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation0."]
But the petition may be offered also, II. For our own souls in particular —
Who amongst us does not need to offer it ?
[We are but too apt, all of us, to experience changes in the divine life, similar to those which take place in the natural world. There are seasons of spring and autumn, summer and winter: and such we find at times within our own souls. In early youth, our feelings are warm and our imaginations lively: and we seem as if it were not possible for us ever to decline from the ways on which we have entered. But, when we have
a Actsiv. 31—33. b Isai. lxiv. 1. c ps. ixxxv. q} 7,