A treatise of the loue of God. Written in french by B. Francis de Sales Bishope and Prince of Geneua, translated into English by Miles Car priest of the English Colledge of Doway

That we must auoide all curiositie, and hum∣bly repose in Gods most wise prouidence. CHAPTER. VII.

1. MAns mind is so weake, that whem he would looke too curiously, into the cau∣ses, and reasons of God's will, he doth entangle and winde himselfe into a thousand quirks of difficulties, out of which he hath afterwards much a doe to recouere himselfe; he resembles smoake; for in mounting it is subtilised, and in being sub∣tilised, it vanisheth. In striuing to raise our dis∣courses too high in diuine things by curiositie, we vanish in our thoughtes, and in lieu of arri∣uing at the knowledge of truth, we fall in the fol∣lie of our vanitie.

2. But of all other things we are most humo∣rous, in that which concerns the diuine pro∣uidence, in the diuersitie of the meanes which he bestowes vpon vs, to draw vs to his holy loue and by it to glorie. For our temeritie vrgeth vs still to search; why God giues more meanes to one then to another; why he did not the miracles amongst the Tyrians, and Sidonians, which he did in Corozain, and Bethsaida, seeing they would haue made as good vse of them. In fine why he drawes rather one then another to his loue.

3. O THEO: my friend, neuer, no neuer, must we permit our minds to be carried away with a bla∣sting

whirlewinde, or thinke to find a better rea∣son of Gods will, then the same will, which is so∣ueraignely reasonable, yea the reason of all rea∣sons, the rule of all goodnesse, the lawe of all e∣quitie. And although the holy ghost, speaking in the holy Scripture, giues reason in diuers parts, of almost all that we can wish to know, touching that which this prouidence doth, in conducting men to holy loue, and eternall saluation; yet in diuers occasions he shewes, that he ought in no wise, renounce the respect which is due to his will, whose purpose, decree, pleasure, and resolution we are to adore; in conclusion whereof, as soue∣raigne Iudge, and soueraignely iust, it is not rea∣sonable that he should manifest his motiues, but it is sufficient, that he saie simply (and for reason) that if we ought charitably to beare so much res∣pect to the Decrees of soueraigne Courts, cōpo∣sed of corruptible Iudges of the earth, and of earth, as to beleeue that they were not made without mo∣tiue, though we know thē not? Ah Lord God with what a louing reuerence, ought we to adore the equitie of thy supreame prouidence, which is infi∣nite in iustice, and goodnesse?

4. So in a thousand places of the holy word we find the reason, why God reproued the Iewes, because, saieth S. PAVLE, and S. BARNABIE, you doe reiect the WORD of God, and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life, behould we turne to∣wards the gentils; And he that shall consider in tranquilitie of heart the IX. X. and XI. Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans, shall clearely see, that Gods will did not without reason reiect the Iewes,

neuerthelesse, this reason must not be examined by mans wit, which contrariwise is obliged to rest purely and simply in reuerencing the Diuine Decree: Admiring it with loue, as infinitly iust and vpright; and louing it with admiration, as in∣penetrable, and incomprehensible. So that the di∣uine Apostle concluds the long discourse which he had made of it. O the profunditie of the riches and wisdome of the knowledge of God, how in∣comprehensible are his iudgments and how vn∣searchable his wayes! who doth know the thougtes of our Lord, or who hath bene his Counsellour? By which exclamation he testifieth that God doth all things with great wisdome, knowledge, and reason; yet so, that not hauing entred into the di∣uine counsells, whose iudgments and designes are infinitly placed aboue our reach, we ought deuot∣ly to adore his Decrees as most iust, without sear∣ching the motiues, which he keepes to himselfe, that so he might keepe our vnderstanding at home, in respect and humilitie.

5. S. AVGVSTINE in a hundred places doth teach vs this practise; None comes to our Sauiour saieth he, if not drawen; whom he drawes and whom he drawes-not, why he he drawes him and not him, offer not to iudge vnlesse thou wilt erre; heare once and vnderstand. Art thou not drawen, praie that thou maist be drawen. Verily it is sufficient for a Christian li∣uing as yet by faith, and not seeing that which is perfect, but onely knowing in part, to know and beleeue that God deliuers none from damnation, but by his free mercy, through our Lord IESVS-CHRIST;

and that he dammes none but by his most iust Truth, through the same Lord I••SVS-CHRIST. But to know why he deliuers this partie, rather then that, let him sound who can so great a depth of his iudgemēts, but let him be ware of the preci∣pice, for these iudgements are not therefore vniust because they are hidden. But why then doth he deliuer rather this man, then that? We saie againe, ô mā who art thou that answerest God his iudgemets are incomprehensible, and his wayes vnknowen, and let vs adde this; Doe not looke into things that are aboue thee; and examine not that which is beyonde thy strength. Now he granteth not them mercy, to whom by a Truth most secrete and fur∣dest remoued from mans thoughtes, he iudgeth it not fit to communicate his fauours and mercy.

6. We see sometimes twins whereof the one is borne aliue and receiues Baptisme, the other in his birth loose his temporall life, before he be regenerated to the eternall, and consequently the one is heire of heauen, the other is depriued of the inheritance. Now why doth the diuine prouidence, follow like birthes, with so different effects? Verily it might be answe∣red that ordinarily Gods pro••idence, doth not violate the lawes of nature, so that one of these twins being strong, and the other too feeble to support the trauell of his deliuerie, he died before he could be baptised, th'other liued; while the Diuine prouidence would not stop the course of naturall things, which in this occurrence might be the reason, why the one was depriued of Bap∣ptisme. And truely this is a solide answere. But

following the aduise of diuine S. PAVLE, and S. AVGVSTINE, we ought not to busie our thoughtes in this consideration, which though it be good, yet doth it in no respect enter into comparison with many others, which God hath reserued, and will shew vs in heauen. Then saieth S. Augustine, the secreet shall end why rather the one then th'other was christned, the causes of both being equall, and why miracles were not done amongst those, who, in case they had bene done, had bene brought to repentance, and were done amongst such as were not about to beleeue. And in another place, the same Sainte, speaking of sinners, whereof God doth leaue the on in his iniquitie, raysing th'o∣ther. Now why he retaines the one and not t'o∣ther, it is not possible to comprehend it, nor law∣full to make inquests into it, syth we know it is from him, we stand, and not from him we fall: and againe; this is couered, and remoued from manes reach, at least from myne.

7. Loe, THEO: the most saintly way of Philo∣sophyzing in this behalfe, and therefore I haue all∣waies reputed the learned modestie, and most wise humilitie of the Seraphicall Doctor sainct Bona∣uenture admirable, and amiable in the discourse, which he makes of the reason why the Diuine prouidence doth ordaine the Elect to eternall life. Peraduenture, saieth he it is by a foresight of the good works which will be done by him that is drawen, in so much as they proceede in some sort from the will: but to be able to declare what good workes they are, which by their foresight moue Gods will, I know not perfectly, nor will I make in∣quisition

thervpon, there are no other reasons, then certaine conueniencies: so that we might assigne one, while it were another. Wherefore we cannot with assurance point out the true reason nor the true motiue of Gods will herein: for as S. Augustine saieth, notwithstanding that the truth of it is most certaine, yet is it so remoued from our thougts that we can speake nothing assured∣ly of it, vnlesse it be reuealed by him who knowes all things; and wheras it was not ex∣pedient for our saluation, that we should haue knowledge of these secreets; but was more pro∣fitable we should be ignorant of them, to keepe vs in humilitie, God would not reueale them, yea the holy Apostle durst not inquire of them, but testified the insufficiencie of our vnderstanding in that matter when he cried out. ô depth of the wis∣dome and knowledge of God! could one speake more saintly, THEO: of so saintly a mysterie, and indeede they are the words of a most saintly, and prudent Doctor of the Church.