Another feature in their case was, the consistency of their conduct and the beauty of their example, which produced a deep impression on the public mind, and one that was, in no small degree, favourable to the cause of the Gospel. "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved." We are here taught to consider their consistent, and cheerful, and devoted conduct, as a means of conciliating the favour of the people, and promoting the success of the Gospel itself; and their mutual concord and happy fellowship together are specially noticed as conducive to this effect. Oh! would to God that we enjoyed the same concord, and were imbued with the same spirit; and that all the sincere disciples of Christ could live together in unity; then might we hope that our faith and love, and catholic union, would produce a favourable impression on the public mind;-not that the world's enmity would be destroyed; for, notwithstanding the favour with which the primitive Church was, for a time, regarded, that enmity soon broke out in open persecution, and it is impossible to conciliate the world, until the world is itself converted : but the absence of all strife and divisions, and the prevalence of love and peace in the Church itself, would give it a favourable opportunity of directing its whole energies to the conversion of the world; while the exhibition

of all Christian graces on the part of Christ's people would make its own impression on the mind of every spectator, for thus it was at the first: "fear came upon every soul;" and they had "favour with all the people;" "and the Lord added to the Church daily

such as should be saved."

CHAPTER IX.

REVIVALS.

Acts xxi. 21.

THE greatest work that is going on in the world, is that of the conversion of sinners, and the edification of saints.

Sometimes this work proceeds slowly and silently under the stated ministry of the Word; one after another being secretly impressed with the power of divine truth, and taken under the teaching of God's Spirit, and “built up in faith, and holiness, and comfort unto eternal life." At other times, it is accomplished in a more extraordinary and remarkable way; vast numbers being brought suddenly under the power of divine truth, and exhibiting, in a striking manner, the effects of divine grace.

We have been so much accustomed to look to the more slow, and quiet, and gradual method of maintaining and extending the kingdom of Christ, that we are apt to be startled, and even to listen with some degree of incredulous surprise, when we hear of any

sudden and general work of the Spirit of God,-nay, we cease even to expect and to pray for any more remarkable, or more rapid change in the state of the Church and world, than what is usually observed under a regular ministry.

But God's ways are not as our ways, neither are his thoughts as our thoughts;" and often, in the history of his Church, has he been pleased, for wise reasons, to manifest his grace and power in a very extraordinary and remarkable manner; partly to awaken and arouse a slumbering Church; partly also, to alarm and convince gainsayers; and, most of all, to teach them at once the sovereignty and the power of that grace which they are too prone to despise.

When any real revival of the power of true religion takes place in any country, however local and temporary, provided only that some immortal souls are thereby savingly converted, we have reason to know that such an event, however it may be ridiculed by the world, is the occasion of joy to the angels in the upper sanctuary, and also of unmingled satisfaction to the Redeemer himself. If we have any thing of the same spirit, such an event will be an occasion of joy to ourselves, and is fitted, indeed, in many ways, to confirm our wavering faith, to animate our flagging zeal, to add energy to our lukewarm prayers, and strength to our languid hopes. Wherever God's power and glory are remarkably displayed, it is alike the duty and the privilege of his Church to behold and adore it; and surely, if it be " the ground of much rejoicing among the angels before the throne, it should

also engage the praises of the Christian brotherhood on earth."

The Bible speaks of " times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord"-seasons of remarkable revival which should occur long after the days of the apostles; and it records several memorable examples which occurred both under the Old and the New Testament dispensations; to which we may briefly advert, with the view of showing that such revivals are expressly recognised in the Word of God.

It is probable that, when it is said of those who lived in the days of Seth, "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord," there is an allusion to some general revival of religion which occurred before the deluge. But we have a more particular account of a very general and remarkable revival in the times of Joshua. Of the whole generation which entered with him into the promised land, we read-" The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel." But when "all that generation were gathered unto their fathers, there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord." Several circumstances are recorded in the sacred narrative, which show, that, under the ministry of Joshua, there was a very deep spirit of earnest religion among the people, and that it exerted a wide and extensive influence. The nation acted as one man, and in a spirit of