ried out
its injunctions in their genuine spirit, and how many were there, who
from time to time, defiled themselves by the idolatrous service of other
gods. Even when brought by a strong hand, and an outstretched arm,
attended by many palpable miracles which were wrought on their behalf,
they were seated in the "Land flowing with milk and honey," which had
been promised to their fathers; how prone were they constantly to desert
even the profession of their faith, and to serve the gods of the nations
which they were sent to destroy; yet in all these times there were a few,
and it was probably comparatively but a _few_, who had not bowed the knee
to Baal.

We have evidence of the same fact in the history of Christianity. The
beautiful example of the Saviour, and the wonderful miracles which he
performed--all for the good of man--failed to attract the high boasted
reason of the Greek, or the Roman, or to soften the obduracy of the blind
and hard Pharisaic hearted Jew: it was still the _few_ who had sympathy
with the character He exhibited, and the truths which He spoke, and who
found Him to be to their souls "the power of God unto salvation." And
even when these few were gathered together, and under the extraordinary
effusion of the Holy Spirit, many were added to them, and "the multitude
of them that believed were of one heart and one soul," they were still
comparatively but a _few_.

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 eviden