has been renewed to us; yea, and is renewed at this very moment, if we had but eyes to see it. There are chariots of fire, and horses of fire, round about us : and it is through their incessant and effectual interposition that no enemy has been able to prevail against us. There is not one of us that is not a witness for God, in this behalf.]
2. The blessings of his grace —
[What glory was seen in the Church on the day of Pente- cost ! That out-pouring of the Spirit, by which such miracu- lous effects were instantaneously produced, and so many souls converted unto God, when was any thing like it seen, from the foundation of the world ? Such extraordinary manifestations of the Divine glory have, indeed, long since ceased in the Church : but is not God yet present with us? Yes, he is present, as he has said : " Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world." Wherever his Gospel is preached with fidelity, there may the lighting down of his arm be seen : there are sinners quickened from their death in trespasses and sins, and enabled to live unto their God in righteousness and true holi- ness. And are there none here present who can bear witness to this truth? Yes, brethren, I bless God that there are those amongst you who can bear witness that God is with his Church : and that his word is still, as formerly, the power of God unto salvation ! Nor is it only by the manifestations of his love to your souls that God is seen : he has raised up from amongst you, I trust, many who, by making their light to shine before men, constrain even the ungodly world to glorify him. His people are yet " lights shining in a dark world," and " cities set on a hill." They are still, as heretofore, " epistles of Christ, known and read of all men :" and " God is glorified in them," as he is not in the whole world besides.
How he shall be seen, admired, and glorified in them at the last day, when the whole number of his elect shall be assembled before his throne, every one shining forth in his Saviour's image, I forbear to say. But, in a measure, that time is already commenced ; and we enjoy even now, in our better moments, the dawn of that bright and blessed day.]
As an improvement of our subject, let us contem- plate,
1. What reason we have for thankfulness in the review of the past —
[As, at the rebuilding of Jerusalem, enemies arose to obstruct its progress, so, in every place where a Church is erected for the Lord, are enemies without number ready to destroy it. The same I may say respecting every soul that