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
Zwingle, by a power not their own, caused many rays of the glorious light
of Truth to shine upon benighted nations, and disturbed the slumbers of
the corrupted church. Great were, and still are the blessings derived
from the great struggle.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25