THE PASSION OF THE HOLY MAETYRS PEKPETUA AND FELICITAS. mm m PREFACE. fF ancientillustrationsof faithwhich both testify to God's grace and tend to man's edificationare collectedin writing,so that by the perusalof them, as if by the reproductionof the facts,as well God may be honoured,as man may be strengthened; why should not new instancesbe alsocollected,thatshall be equallysuitableforboth purposes,— ifonly on the ground thatthesemodern exampleswillone day become ancientand availableforposterity,althoughintheirpresenttime theyare esteemedof lessauthority,by reasonof the presumed venera tionforantiquity? But letmen lookto it,ifthey judgethe power of the one Holy Spiritto be one,accordingto the times and seasons; sincesome thingsof laterdate must be esteemed of more account,as being nearer to the verylast times,in accordancewith the exuberanceof gracemanifested to the finalperiodsdetermined for the world. For " inthe lastdays,saiththeLord, I willpour out of my Spiritupon allflesh; and theirsonsand theirdaughtersshallprophesy. And upon my servantsand my handmaidens willI pour ont of my Spirit; and your young men shallsee visions,and your old men shalldream dreams."1 And thus we — who both acknowledge and reverence,even as we do the pro phecies,modern visionsas equally promised to us, and considerthe other powers of the Holy Spiritas an agency of the church forwhich alsoHe was sent,administeringall 1Joelii.28,29. 276