Christ rules over the wicked so that they must serve the Church. All that they do is for the purpose of the realization of the kingdom of heaven. Even Christ's rule in the brute creation and in the realm of the angels must be subservient to the final deliverance of those for whom Christ died. It is the establishment of Christ's kingdom which is the purpose of all things and the goal of Christ's universal rule. It is this principle staring point which must control our entire view of Church History.
Church History is the important history of the world.
All other history is subservient to the Church. Only when we apply, in the strictest sense, this principle, will we come to a proper understanding of the history of the Church. We must see Christ's scepter swaying in all the events of time. But we must see that this is for the realization of Christ's kingdom which the elect of God shall inherit. Principally, the reason for studying Church History is to be found in all that we have said.