A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

So that this is out of doubt, that this religion, and these scriptures, have always been malignantly opposed in the world. The only question that remains is, What it is that has made this opposition? whether it be the wickedness and corruption of the world, or not, that has done this? But of this […] can be no greater doubt than of the other, if we consider how causeless this cruelty has always been, who the opposers have been, and the manner in which they have opposed. The opposition has chiefly been from Heathenism and Popery; which things certainly are evil. They are both of them very evil, and the fruits of the blindness, corruption, and wickedness of men, as the very Deists themselves confess. The light of nature shows, that the religion of Heathens, consisting in the worship of idols, and sacrificing their children to them, and in obscene and abominable rites and ceremonies, is wickedness. And the superstitions, and idolatries, and usurpations, of the church of Rome, are no less contrary to the light of nature. By this it appears, that this opposition which has been made against the church of God, has been made by wicked men. With regard to the opposition of the Jews in Christ's and the apostles times, it was in a most corrupt time of that nation▪ when the people were generally become exceeding wicked, as some ⟨p. 240⟩of the Jewish writers themselves, as Josephus and others, who lived about that time, do expressly say. That it has been mere wickedness that has made this opposition, is manifest from the manner of opposition. the extreme violence, injustice, and cruelty, with which the church of God has been […]. It seems to show the the […] of malignant in•ernal spirit• in […].

So that this is out of doubt, that this religion, and these scriptures, have always been malignantly opposed in the world. The only question that remains is, What it is that has made this opposition? whether it be the wickedness and corruption of the world, or not, that has done this? But of this 〈…〉 can be no greater doubt than of the other, if we consider how ••useless this cruelty has always been, who the opposers have been, and the manner in which they have opposed. The opposition has chiefly been from Heathenism and Popery; which things certainly are evil. They are both of them very evil, and the fruits of the blindness, corruption, and wickedness of men, as the very Deists themselves confess. The light of nature shows, that the religion of Heathens, consisting in the worship of idols, and sacrificing their children to them, and in obscene and abominable rites and ceremonies, is wickedness. And the superstitions, and idolatries, and usurpations, of the church of Rome, are no less contrary to the light of nature. By this it appears, that this opposition which has been made against the church of God, has been made by wicked men. With regard to the opposition of the Jews in Christ's and the apostles times, it was in a most corrupt time of that nation when the people were generally become exceeding wicked, as some