' Owen published a third tract in this little volume, " Exercitationes adversus Fanaticos," in which he handled the Quakers with some severity.
2 Marsh's Michaelis, i. ch. vi. Taylor's History of the Transmission of Ancient Books; appendix.
VOL. L F
LXXVI LIFE OF DK OWEN.
self most rashly into a combat, and under a false alarm for tlie results of the erudition of the former; and the former retorted contemptu- ously upon his antagonist, as he would upon a mystic or enthusiastic devotee. The amalgamation of the two properties thus arrayed in hostile conflict, would have just made up a perfect theologian. It would have been the wisdom of the letter in alliance with the wisdom of the Spirit; instead of which I know not what was most revoltmg, — the lordly insolence of the prelate, or the outrageous violence of the Puritan. In the first place, it was illiterate in Owen, to apprehend that the integrity of the Scripture would be unsettled by the exposure, in all their magnitude and multitude, of its various readings ; but in the second place, we stand in doubt of Walton's spirit and his seri- ousness, when he groups and characterizes as the new-light men and ranting enthusiasts of these days, those sectaries, many of whom, though far behind him in the lore of theology as consisting in the knowledge of its vocables, were as far before him in acquaintance with the subject-matter of theology, as consisting of its doctrines, and of their application to the wants and the principles of our moral nature."^
About the time of his emerging from this unfortunate controversy, Owen gave to the world his work on Temptation, — another of those masterly treatises in which he " brings the doctrines of theology to bear on the wants and principles of our moral nature," and from which whole paragraphs flash upon the mind of the reader with an influence that makes him feel as if they had been written for himself alone.
In his preface to that work, Owen (no doubt reflecting his impres- sions of public events) speaks of " providential dispensations, in refer- ence to the public concernments of these nations, as perplexed and entangled, — the footsteps of God lying in the deep, where his paths are not known." And certainly the rapid and turbulent succession of changes that took place soon after the removal of Cromwell's presid- ing genius from the helm, might well fill him with deepening anxiety and alarm. These changes it is not our province minutely to trace. Kichard's feeble hand, as is well known, proved itself unfit to control the opposing elements of the state ; and a few months saw him return, not unwillingly, to the unambitious walks of private life.^ Owen has been charged with taking part in the schemes which drove Richard from the Protectorate ; but the charge proceeded upon a mere impres- sion of Dr Manton's, produced from hearing the fragment of a conver- sation, and was repeatedly and indignantly denied by Owen during his
' Institutes of Theology, i. 287 — On Scripture Criticism.
' Owen's sermon, " A Gospel Profession, the Glory of a Nation," Isa. iv. 5, was preached before Richard's Parliament. Soon after, he preached before the Long Parliament; and this was the last occasion in which he was invited to oiiiciate before such an assemblage. This sermou has not been preserved.
HIS RETIREMENT AND LAST DAYS. LXXVII
life.'' Then followed the recalling of that remnant of the Long Parlia- ment which had been dispersed by Cromwell, — a measure which Owen advised, as, on the whole, the most likely to secure the continuance of an unrestricted liberty. But the Parliament, unwilling to obey the dictation of a dominant party in the army, was once more dis- persed by force, while the army itself began to be divided into ambi- tious factions. A new danger threatened from the north. General Monk, marking the state of things in England, and especially the divided condition of the army, was making preparations to enter England. What were his designs? At one period he had befriended the Independents, but latterly he had sided with the powerful body of the Presbyterians. Would he now, then, endeavour to set up a new Protectorate, favouring the Presbyterians and oppressing other sects ? or would he throw his sword into the scale of the Royalists, and bring back the Stuarts? A deputation of Independent ministers, consisting of Caryl and others, was sent into Scotland, bearing a letter to Monk that had been written by Owen, representing to him the injustice of his entering England, and the danger to which it would expose their most precious liberties. But the deputies returned, unable to influence his movements, or even to penetrate his ultimate designs. Owen and his friends next endeavoured to arouse the army to a vi- gorous resistance of Monk, and even offered to raise .£'100,000 among the Independents for their assistance ; — but they found the army divided and dispirited ; and Monk, gradually approaching London, entered it at length, not only unresisted, but welcomed by thousands, the Long Parliament having again found courage to resume its sit- tings. In a short while the Long Parliament was finally dissolved by its own consent, and soon after the Convention Parlia-ment assembled. Monk at length threw off his hitherto impenetrable disguise, and ven- tured to introduce letters from Charles Stuart. It was voted, at his instigation, that the ancient constitution of King, Lords, and Com- mons, should be restored, and Charles invited back to the throne of his ancestors; and the great majority of the nation, weary of the years of faction and turbulence, hailed the change with joy. But in the enthusiasm of the moment, no means were taken to secure an adjust- ment of those vital questions which had been agitated between the people and the crown. The act, therefore, which restored the king,