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

Never where there so many and so potent endeavours to destroy any thing else, as there have been to destroy the church. Other kingdoms and societies of men, which have appeared to be ten times as strong as the church of God, have been destroyed with an hundred•• part of the opposition which the church of God has me• with: which shows, that it is God who has been the protector of the church. For it is most plain, that it has not upheld itself by i• own strength. For the most part, it has been a very weak society. They have been a little flock: so they were of old. The children of Israel were but a small handful of people, in comparison of the many who often sought their overthrow. And so in Christ's time, and in the beginning of the Christian church after Christ's resurrection, they were but a remnant: whereas the whole multitude of the Jewish nation were against them. And so in the beginning of the Gentile church, they were but a small number in comparison with the Heathen, who sought their overthrow. And so in the dark times of Antichrist, before the Reformation, they were but a handful; and yet their enemies could never overthrow them. It has commonly been so, that the enemies of the church have not only had the greatest number of their side, but they have had the strength of their side in other respects. They have commonly had all the civil authority of their side. So it was in Egypt: the civil authority was of the side of the Egyptians, and the church were only their slaves, and were in their hands; and yet they could not overthrow them. So it was in the time of the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes: the authority was all on the side of the persecutors, and the church was under their dominion; and yet all their cruelty could not extirpate it. So it was afterwards in the time of the Heathen Roman government. And so it was in the time of Julian the apostate, who did his utmost to overthrow the Christian church, and to restore Heathenism. S• it has been for the most part since the rise of Antichrist: for a great many ages, the civil authority was all on the side of Antichrist, and the church seemed to be in their hands.