@LarsH You mean other than the fact that that particular ELU question itself is the top Google hit, and the rest pertain to recondite theological ramblings?

@Robusto That data hadn't been presented yet; but the fact that it is the top Google hit is at least data. However, it may only mean that this question has a greater concentration of occurrences of the phrase than elsewhere, which is true of quite a few ELU questions about obscure English phrases. As for your last clause, it's not true; see my original list of examples, which includes a murder mystery novel. Even if it were true, that wouldn't make it not English.

In what context did it appear in the novel, one wonders.

@Robusto Feel free to follow the link to "The Bishop Goes to the University".

I'm not all that interested. Your contention that the phrase is properly English fails to persuade.