CHAPTER VIII.
AN EXHORTATION TO THE AMOROUS SUBMISSION WHICH WE OWE TO THE DECREES OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.
LET us love then, Theotimus, and adore in humility of spirit
this depth of God's judgments, which, as S. Augustine says,
the holy Apostle discovers not, but admires, when he cries out:
O the depth of God's, judgments! "Who can count the sands of
the sea, and the drops of rain, or measure the depths of the
abyss," says that excellent understanding S. Gregory Nazianzen:1
"and who can sound the depth of the Divine Wisdom by which
it has created all things, and governs them as it pleases and
judges fit. For indeed it suffices that, after the example of the
Apostle, we admire it without stopping at the difficulty and
obscurity of it. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of
the knowledge of God! How ,incomprehensible are his judgments,
and how unsearchable his ways! For who hath known the mind
of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? Theotimus, the
reasons of God's will cannot be penetrated by our intelligence
till we see the face of him who reacheth from end to end mightily
and ordereth all things sweetly;2 doing all that he doth
in measure, and number, and weight;3 and to whom the Psalmist says, Lord, thou hast made all things in wisdom."4
How often does it happen that we are ignorant why and how
even the works of men are done? And therefore, says the
same holy Bishop of Nazianzus, "as the artist is not ignorant
of his art, so the things of this world are not carelessly and
unskilfully made, though we know not the reasons of them."
Entering into a clockmaker's shop, we shall sometimes find a
clock no greater than an orange, which yet has in it a hundred
or two hundred pieces, of which some serve to show the time,
others to strike the hour or give the morning alarm; we shall
see in it little wheels, some turning to the right, others to the
left, one by the top, another by the bottom; and the balance
which with measured beats keeps rising and falling on either
side. We wonder how art could join together such a number
of pieces, with so just a correspondence, not knowing what each
little piece serves for, nor why it is made so, unless the master
tell us; knowing only in general that all serve either to point
out or to strike the hour. It is reported that the good Indians
will stand whole days musing upon a clock, to hear it strike at
the times fixed, and not being able to guess how it is done, they
do not therefore say that it is without art or reason, but are
taken with love and respect towards those who regulate the
clocks, admiring them as more than men. Theotimus, we see
in this manner the universe, but specially human natures to be a
sort of clock, composed with so great a variety of actions and
movements that we cannot but be astonished at it. And we
know in general that these so diversely ordered pieces serve all,
either to point out, as on a dial-plate, God's most holy justice
or as by a bell of praise, to sound the triumphant mercy of his
goodness. But to know the particular use of every piece, how
it is ordered to the general end, or why it is so, we cannot
conceive, unless the sovereign Workman instruct us. Now he
conceals his art from us, to the end that with more reverence
we may admire it, till in heaven he shall ravish us with the
sweetness of his wisdom, where in the abundance of his love he
will discover unto us the reasons, means and motives of all that
shall have passed in the world towards our eternal salvation.
"We resemble," says yet again the great Nazianzen, "those,
who are troubled with giddiness or turning of the head. They
think that all about them is turning upside down, though it be but their brain and imagination which turn, and not the things;
so we, when we meet with any events of which the causes are
unknown to us, fancy that the world is governed without
reason, because we are ignorant of it. Let us believe then that
as God is the maker and father of all things, so he takes care of
all things by his providence, which embraces and sustains all the
machine of creatures. But especially let us believe that he
rules our affairs, (ours who know him) though our life be tossed
about in so great contrariety of accidents. Of these we know
not the reasons, to the end, perhaps, that not being able to attain
this knowledge we may admire the sovereign reason of God
which surpasses all things: for with us things easily known are
easily despised; but that which surpasses the highest powers of
our spirits by how much it is harder to be known, by so much it
excites a greater admiration in us. Truly the reasons of divine
providence were low placed if our small capacities could reach
unto them; they would be less lovable in their sweetness and
less admirable in their majesty if they were set at a less distance
from our capacity!"
Let us cry out then, Theotimus, on all occurrences, but let it
be with an entirely amorous heart towards the most wise, most
prudent, and most sweet providence of our eternal Father
O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of
God! O Saviour Jesus, Theotimus, how excessive are the
riches of the Divine goodness! His love towards us is an
incomprehensible abyss, whence he has provided for us a
rich sufficiency, or rather a rich abundance of means proper for
our salvation; and sweetly to apply them he makes use of a
sovereign wisdom, having by his infinite knowledge foreseen
and known all that was requisite to that effect. Ah! what can
we fear, nay rather, what ought not we to hope for, being the
children of a Father so rich in goodness to love and to will to
save us; who knows so well how to prepare the means suitable
for this and is so wise to apply them; so good to will, so clearsighted to ordain, and so prudent to execute ?
Let us never permit our minds to flutter with curiosity about
God's judgments, for, like little butterflies, we shall burn our wings,
and perish in this sacred flame. These judgments are incomprehensible, or, as S. Gregory Nazianaen says, inscrutable, that is,
one cannot search out and sound their motives: the means
and ways by which he executes and brings them to perfection
cannot be discerned and recognized: and, clever as we may be,
yet we shall find ourselves thrown out at every turn and lose the
scent.
For who hath known the mind, the meaning and the
intention of God?
Who hath been his counsellor, to know
his purposes and their motives?
Or who hath first given to
him? Is it not he, on the contrary, who presents us with the
benedictions of his grace to crown us with the felicity of his
glory ? Ah! Theotimus,
all things are from him, as being their
Creator; all things are
by him, as being their Governor; all
things are
in him, as being their Protector;
to him be honour
and glory for ever and ever, Amen!
5 Let us walk in peace,
Theotimus, in the way of holy love, for he that shall have
divine love in dying, after death shall enjoy love eternally.
