The further history of the Christian Church may appear to some to exhibit
a different view, but to us it seems not less clearly to illustrate the
same melancholy truth.
It is certain, that during the life-time of the Apostles, many by their
powerful preaching, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, were brought
to repentance and a living faith in Christ, and we know that not a few
sealed their testimony with their blood, yet the simplicity and the
purity of Christianity were soon more or less spoiled by the still
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.
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