contracted spirit and notions of many of the Jews, or the false
philosophy, not entirely abandoned, of the pagan converts. We doubt not,
however, that notwithstanding these deteriorating admixtures, there may
be said to have been many--aye, a glorious multitude--who held the truth
in its primitive power, and in a large measure of primitive simplicity.
Still, when these are compared with the whole population of the countries
where the Truth was preached, the real converts must be spoken of as a
_few_, and thus was it evident that there was still an inherent
opposition in man to the restraining and purifying doctrines of the
gospel of Christ.

And when in later years, whole nations and peoples were said to become
Christians, it may well be doubted whether in such times there had not
been as great a reduction of the number of true converts of old standing,
as there was addition of this class amongst the new ones. Christianity
as professed in those days, had thrown off her simple garb, and had
decorated herself to please the corrupt taste of the people--as the sun
and other heavenly bodies were probably the earliest objects of adoration
to mankind, and were used in the first instance as striking symbols of
the light and power of the one Creator and Father, so did the professors
of Christianity, pretty early present to the people, some intermediate
objects of reverence and love, by which those who turned from the simple
affiance to the one Great Redeemer and High Priest, might find a rest
suited to their carnal, or at least imperfectly spiritual conception of
Christianity. And when the temporal church boasted of its universal sway
in Europe, and its entire unity, there were probably a smaller number of
true Christians within its pale, than existed in the midst of pagan
persecutions at the close of the apostolic age.

Let us now look at times nearer to our own, when Huss, and Luther, and