Upon the whole matter, the reconciliation, designed on the most plausible terms that have ever yet been proposed, is nothing but a hood'svinked defection to Rome, accumulated with a charge, on the consciences of them who shall comply therewith, of the guilt of all the miseries and blood of them by whom it will be refused.
But there are, on the other side, certain considerations that may be laid in the balance against these dangers, or the fears of them as tmto the event; and I shall briefly mention them also. For, —
1. The honour of Christ himself seems to be engaged for the pre- servation of the light and truth of the gospel where it hath been pro- fessed. And so it is, undoubtedly, unless the sins and ingratitude of the generality of them by whom it is professed do require that they be dealt withal in his severity. In that case the gloiy and honour of Christ are more engaged to remove and take away the blessing of
552 THE STATE AND FATE OF
it from any place or people, than to put forth his power for its pre- servation and continuance. Now, although it must be acknowledged that the sins of these and other protestant nations have been of a high provoking nature unto the eyes of his glory, yet it may be hoped that they have not exceeded the bounds of his patience and forbearance. And whether it be so or no, there will be a speedy dis- covery; for if, on the many intimations which he hath given them of his displeasure, his many calls to repentance mixed with threaten- ings, they will now at last return unto him from the evil of their ways, and make their repentance evident by the fruits of it, he will undoubtedly continue his presence among them and his care over them.
But if, notwithstanding all that they hear, and feel, and fear at present, notwithstanding all divine warnings and indications of his displeasure, they will go on frowardly in their own ways, unto the high dishonour of himself and his gospel, causing his name and ways to be blasphemed among the idolatrous nations, the event must be left, in the depths of infinite wisdom, with sovereign grace and mercy.
2. Notwithstanding all that profaneness and wickedness of life wherein multitudes are immersed who outwardly profess the protest- ant religion, there is a remnant in the nations where it is professed who manifest the power of it in their lives, and glorify Christ by their profession and obedience unto all his commands, walking worthy of the gospel in all holy conversation. Nor are this sort confined to any one party or peculiar way among them, but are found in the whole body or community of the protestant profession. What in- fluence these have, on many accounts, into the preservation of the light of the gospel in the places, times, and nations wherein their lot and portion is cast by divine Providence, is not here to be declared; the Scripture will give a sufficient account of it.
3. There is evidently at present a spirit of courage and Christian magnanimity come upon many, whose other circumstances render them considerable in the world, to do and suffer whatever the}^ shall lawfully be called unto for the defence of this protestant religion. This also is from God ; and if his purpose were utterly to ruin that interest, it is more suited vmto former dispensations of his providence in like cases to send weakness, faintness, cowardice, and despond- ency into the hearts of those concerned, than to give them a spirit of courage and resolution for their duty. And hereunto, also, belongs that revival of zeal for their religion and the concernments of it, which hath of late been stirred up even in the body of the people, taking occasion from the opposition made unto it, and the dangers whereunto it hath been reduced. If these things are from God, as they seem to be, they will not be so easily run down as some ima-
THE PROTESTANT RELIGIOX. 553
gine; for whatever means he Avill make use of, be they in themselves never so weak and contemptible, they shall be effectual unto the end whereunto they are designed. And therefore there is no small in- dication in them that it is in the counsel of the divine will as yet to preserve the profession of the protestaut religion, though it may be sorely shaken.
4. The strange discoveries that have been made of the plots and designs of the enemies of this religion, with the disappointment of many of them, are also a pledge of the care of God over it. Wise and considering men knew well enough that they were at work, with all diligence, craft, and industry, for the accomplishment of what they had long designed, and which for some ages they had been engaged in various contrivances to bring about ; but what they saw of the effects of their counsels they could not remove, and all the specialties of their design were hid from them. The generality of men, in the meantime, were in the highest security, — some en- joying themselves in the advantages which they hold by the profes- sion of religion, and others altogether regardless of these things. But in this state of things, the providence of God, making use of the un- paralleled confidence and precipitation of the enemies themselves, by strange and unexpected means, lays open their works of darkness, awakens the nation unto the consideration of its danger, variously disappoints their hellish plots, and puts the minds of multitudes, it may be millions, into a posture of taking care about those concern- ments of their religion Avhich they had assuredly been surprised into the loss of, had they continued in the security from which their ene- mies awakened them. And it may be well supposed that nothing but sin and the highest ingratitude can divert or stop the progress of those streams of providence whose springs were undeserved mercy and bounty. For although the wisdom, justice, and honour of the nation, in the actings of the king as supreme, of both houses of par- liament, in the judges and their legal administrations, with the piety of the church in the observation of a day of fasting and prayer with respect hereunto, be every day exposed to scorn and contempt in the papers and pamphlets of unknown persons, by decrying the plot and vilifying the discoveries [discoverers?] of it (a practice never allowed, never tolerated in any other well-ordered government, as that which would tend to its dissolution), yet all sober men have sufficient evi- dence of the hand of God in these things to make them an argu- ment of his watchful care over the protestant religion.