FOR ENGLISH PROTESTANTS. 13
with sin. So that there is ground of encouragement yet remaining to apply ourselves to God. And, in truth, I will tell you the best I can think of: —
1. The large and wonderful discovery of the horrible plot, of the horrible Popish plot? laid for the ruin, destruction, and desolation of the nation, is an evidence that England is not yet, I say, utterly
forsaken of the Lord its God. It was not discovered by our rulers, from whom it was hid. It was not discovered by the severe indaga- tion and watchfulness of ministers of state from foreign intelligence, — the usual way of discovering such plots. It was not discovered by persons of authority and interest, to warrant the discovery. It was not so in a time when the nation was awake, and looked about them, and were jealous of such things; but in the deepest security. It hath admitted, — it hath met with all the endeavours of hell and men for the covering of it ; yet, through the conduct of the holy providence of God, it hath broke forth to that discovery, as that it is publicly proclaimed to all the nation. I say, with the wife of Manoah, " If God would have destroyed us, he would not have showed us this thing." If he had utterly forsaken us, he would have left us to have been swal- lowed up, when we should not have had leisure to have cried, Alas ! To me, I say, it is an evidence that England is not yet utterly forsaken.
2. That God hath stirred up some, at least, of the nobles and our rulers to follow on this discovery, to bring it forth to light, and to pursue them to condign punishment who were the contrivers, authors, abettors, and carriers on of that bloody design. I will not speak one word or syllable to their dishonour or disrespect who de- serve both honour and respect from us: but this I will say, that if I know them, or any thing of them, this is not from themselves ; this is from the clothing of the Spirit of God, and anointing to this very work, and is not from themselves, nor their own principles, nor their own inclinations, but the hand of God in them and upon them. Add hereunto the strange and wonderful quiet disposure of the magistracy of this city into the hand of persons prudent, diligent, and watchful, whom we have reason to pray for, and bless God for. And it is
1 The allusion is to the Popish Plot which Titus Oates was thought to have discovered. He was a clergyman of infamous character. Expelled from his benefice in the Church of England, he had entered the Jesuit college of St Omer. Thence he returned to England, and in 1678 lodged information before Sir Ed- mondsbury Godfrey that the Roman Catholics were busy with a scheme for burn- ing London, landing a French army in Ireland, and assassinating the king. Sir E. Godfrey, who, as justice of the peace, had received the depositions of Oates, was shortly afterwards found dead in a field near London; and it was evident that he had been murdered. Papers were found on Edward Coleman, a Roman Catholic emissary, which afforded some corroboration to the story of Oates. These facts secured universal credit at the time for the allegations of Oates. The import- ance which Dr Owen attaches to this plot must evidently be understood in the light of the prevailing and universal impression among British Protestants at the time when the sermon was delivered. — Ed.
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strengthened by the stirring np of a spirit in the common people unto an unheard-of heat and earnestness in bearing witness and tes- timony against Popery and all their abominations, in such a manner as hath not fallen out in any nation under heaven ; and this acted above and beyond their spirits and principles. These things, to me, are some evidences that England is not yet utterly forsaken of the Lord its God, though the land be full of sin.
o. I could instance in the embroilments of foreign nations abroad. At this time they are all quiet ; but who is there that doth not know that they all stand as it were on the tiptoe, looking who shall first be- gin to cut throats and kill men? Even all the nations in Europe are in this posture at this day. Though they are quiet this cold weather, yet, " Who shall begin first? who shall make the attack? and who shall de- fend?" is the talk of all Europe, — wherebysome of them may have been hindered from a public contributing to the ruin of this poor nation.
4. It is an evidence that England is not yet forsaken, in that a secret, efficacious influence of divine Providence hath preserved the body poli- tic of the nation in its being and union, when all the ligaments of law and mutual trust have been broken. There hath been such a dissolu- tion of mutual trust, and all ordinary ligaments of the politic union of a nation, that if God had not powerfully grasped the whole in his hand, we had long since been in confusion, and every man's sword had been in the side of his brother and his neighbour. But to this day we are preserved in peace, by a secret, influential power of divine wisdom and providence, — whose footsteps I would adore more and more ; which is so much the more excellent, in that it is not visible, and by outward force, but merely upon the minds of men. This is, to me, another evi- dence that England is not yet forsaken of its God, the Lord of hosts.