spent all upon physicians of no value, and waited for relief from heaven,
help only from above; seeing, upon a serious trial of all things, nothing
else would do but Christ himself; the light of his countenance, a touch
of his garment, and help from his hand, who cured the poor woman's issue,
raised the centurion's servant, the widow's son, the ruler's daughter,
and Peter's mother: and like her they no sooner felt his power and
efficacy upon their souls, but they gave up to obey him in a testimony to
his power: and that with resigned wills and faithful hearts, through all
mockings, contradictions, confiscations, beatings, prisons, and many
other jeopardies that attended them for his blessed name's sake.

And, truly, they were very many, and very great; so that in all human
probability they must have been swallowed up quick of the proud and
boisterous waves that swelled and beat against them, but that the God of
all their tender mercies was with them in his glorious authority; so that
the hills often fled, and the mountains melted before the power that
filled them; working mightily for them, as well as in them; one ever
following the other. By which they saw plainly, to their exceeding great
confirmation and comfort, that all things were possible with him with
whom they had to do. And that the more that which God required seemed to
cross man's wisdom, and expose them to man's wrath, the more God appeared
to help and carry them through all to his glory.

Insomuch, that if ever any people could say in truth, Thou art our sun
and our shield, our rock and sanctuary; and by thee we have leaped over a
wall, and by thee we have run through a troop, and by thee we have put
the armies of the aliens to flight; these people had a right to say it.
And as God had delivered their souls of the wearisome burdens of sin and
vanity, and enriched their poverty of spirit, and satisfied their great
hunger and thirst after eternal righteousness, and filled them with the
good things of his own house, and made them stewards of his manifold
gifts; so they went forth to all quarters of these nations, to declare to
the inhabitants thereof, what God had done for them; what they had found,
and where and how they had found it, viz.--The way to peace with God:
inviting all to come and see, and taste for themselves, the truth of what
they declared unto them.

And as their testimony was to the principle of God in man, the precious
pearl and leaven o