Lecture XXII – On Revivals of Religion

What is a revival of religion—and why do they begin, flourish, or decline?

In this episode, we walk through a classic lecture that defines revival not as emotional excess or manufactured excitement, but as “times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.” The lecture explores:

• How revivals begin—often with the preacher, but sometimes with praying saints hidden from view

• The role of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility working together

• Why prayer, fasting, humility, and faithful preaching are essential

• Common reasons revivals decline—including pride, passivity, and fear of disorder

• A biblical defense of visible emotion in revival, drawn from both Old and New Testaments

• A warning against quenching the Spirit in the name of “order”

• A call for humility, faith, and perseverance until the knowledge of God fills the earth

This is a pastoral, searching, and Scripture-heavy reflection that challenges modern assumptions about revival, church growth, and spiritual vitality.

In this episode, we explore Lecture XII: On Prayer, a deeply pastoral and searching meditation on the nature, kinds, and spirit of true prayer.

The lecture defines prayer not as polished words or religious form, but as the sincere offering of the heart’s desires to God through Christ. It warns against prayer without thought or spirit, against mixing exhortation with worship, and against treating prayer as performance rather than communion.

Listeners are guided through the various kinds of prayer—ejaculatory, secret, family, social, and public—and reminded that each is both a duty and a privilege. Particular emphasis is placed on the necessity of secret and family prayer, the danger of pride in social prayer, and the importance of brevity and reverence in public prayer.

Above all, the lecture presses home the inseparable connection between the spirit of prayer and faith. God answers prayer—not formal prayer, but effectual, fervent prayer offered in faith. The episode closes with a stirring call for the Church to pray earnestly for the conversion of the world, trusting that God delights to answer the prayers of His people.

In this episode, we explore a historic lecture on the perseverance of the saints—one marked by pastoral sensitivity, theological clarity, and deep respect for those who differ.

The lecture begins by acknowledging the intensity of the debate and the sincere convictions held by Christians on both sides. It then carefully examines common arguments against final perseverance, including biblical warnings, apparent cases of apostasy, and key passages such as Ezekiel 33, John 15, and Hebrews 6.

Rather than dismissing these texts, the lecture engages them directly, arguing that none conclusively prove that a truly regenerate person is finally lost. Instead, they address discipline, loss of assurance, judgment under the law, or those who were never truly born of God.

The positive case for perseverance rests on:

• The nature of union with Christ

• Christ’s role as Advocate and High Priest

• The permanence of the new birth

• God’s covenant promises

• Clear, unambiguous Scriptural declarations

The lecture concludes by affirming that no definitive example exists of a truly regenerated person perishing eternally, and it urges humility and charity in teaching this doctrine—reminding listeners that while the doctrine matters, it is not a test of salvation.