So it was with the Jews in Hezekiah's time. So again in the time of
the Maccabees. So with the old Greeks, when the great Kings of
Persia tried to enslave them. So with the old Romans, when the
Carthaginians set upon them. So it was with us English, three
hundred years ago, when for a time the whole world seemed against
us, because we alone were standing up for the Gospel and the Bible
against the Pope of Rome. Then the king of Spain, who was then as
terrible a conqueror and devourer of nations, as the Assyrians of
old, sent against us the Great Armada. Then was England in greater
danger than she had ever been before, or has been since.
And what came of it? That that dreadful danger brought out more
faith, more courage, than perhaps has ever been among us since.
That when we seemed weakest we were strongest. That while all the
nations of Europe were looking on to see us devoured up by those
Spaniards, our laws and liberties taken from us, the Popish
Inquisition set up in England, and England made a Spanish province,
what they did see was, the people of this little island rising as
one man, to fight for themselves on earth, while the tempests of God
fought for them from heaven; and all that mighty fleet of the King
of Spain routed and scattered, till not one man in a hundred ever
saw their native country again.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244