LINES Composed by a poor Woman at Worcester, who could neither read nor write. THUS saith Jesus, I will keep In safety my beloved sheep, Poor sinking soul, I will keep thee: My goodness reaches not to Thee, Soul. But, Lord, I have a deeper wound, Jesus. Of old thy evil I beheld, 1 God Yet was with love and pity fill'd; I knew how treach'rous thou would'st deal Canst Thou be wroth, and yet keep me Jesus. Let this answer thee suffice;- But if thou dost forsake thy God, Jesus. I am the Lord, thy changeless friend, Soul. But when my years on earth are pass'd, I tremble at the just decree, In death's dark hour wilt Thou keep me? My God, my God, wilt thou keep me ? Jesus. Can I forsake my heart's delight ? Then, then, my Sister, then, my spouse, When on my throne I have plac'd thee. Soul. It is enough, my Lord of love; The hills, the mountains, shall remove, But I shall still unshaken be, Thy word is pass'd,-Thou wilt keep me. REV. H. A. SIMCOE, (Penheale-press) Cornwall. THAT there have been, are, and will be revivals in religion, no reasonable man can doubt, since history, experience, and the word of God abundantly testify to the fact. Indeed, I hail it as a symptom of a revival already begun, that the people of God now, pretty generally, expect great things at the hand of the Lord, and are led to pray that the latter-day glory of the church may speedily come. I heartily rejoice when I behold these signs of the times, for it is written, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power;" and whereas I now see this willingness, I may hope the power is not far off. While I say this, I am perfectly aware that modern revivals have, in many instances, been attended with fanaticism, confusion, and extravagance; yet, so far from being discouraged at this, I can still rejoice, because I am persuaded, that even these defects have not deterred the sober-minded from seeking and expecting what the Lord has surely promised a very great revival of religion in these latter days. This being the case, I shall, H First, State what I mean by a Revival.-Secondly, Our need of it.-Thirdly, The reasons for expecting it. Fourthly, How we are to look for it. First. It is highly necessary that I should state what I mean by a revival of religion, since it has been sadly misrepresented, and brought into contempt through the extravagance and irregularity of wellmeaning, yet ignorant and fanatical men, who unintentionally (no doubt) have rather hindered than advanced the cause of true godliness. I do not then consider that a revival of religion, which consists merely in adding numbers to this or that church's members; nor in converting any number of men from one error to another; or to any set of human opinions; or even making them zealous for them; much less do I consider that a revival of religion which produces a state of noise, confusion, and tumult, as much opposed to order and decorum as it is to religion. But what I speak of, is a most sober, solemn state of people's minds; a state in which all things are done decently and in order; a state that can be accounted for, and justified, as being perfectly agreeable to the declaration of Scripture. By a revival of religion, I mean, in the first place, an increase of spiritual-mindedness and piety among those who are already converted to God; that is, a tone and temper in religion which we have not hitherto been accustomed to; or, in other words, such a plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the minds and hearts of believers, as shall lead them to far higher attainments both in doctrinal knowledge and scriptural practice. I mention this as the first symptom of a revival, because it appears to me to be the ordinary way of God's proceeding in all ages of the Church. Accordingly David prays, "O give me the comfort of thy help again: and stablish me with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways to the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee." And whenever there has been a great accession to Christ's flock in modern times, it will be found He first raised up some eminently devoted Minister, or private Christian, to be His instrument in that work. Again, by a revival of religion, I mean, a considerable increase to the Church's numbers from the ranks of the enemy; that is, we shall see a great number of men, who have been Satan's willing slaves and bondmen, emancipating from their thraldom, and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God. This is as necessary to constitute a revival as the former; for the very idea of a revival in its highest sense conveys something more to the mind, than a re-reviving persons that have been already revived. It seems to imply a speedy advance; a spring to be taken out of the ordinary way; an event to be consummated by extraordinary power, by the extraordinary operation of Him that worketh all in all. Having stated what I mean by a revival of religion, I proceed, Secondly. To shew our need of a revival.-And who is there that casts his eyes abroad on the Church, or the world, but must be convinced that in both we need it. Such is the state of believers in the present day, that I thought, at first, to lay open some of their glaring faults; but recollecting this had been done already with no unsparing hand by professed friends and open foes, my affections were led back the rather to speak to that body whom my soul loveth, in a tone |