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SEcond causes, of what nature soever, have no proper efficacy of their own. But,
All their power is communicated unto them by God, in consequence of those general Laws which he has establish't. Now,
All Philosophers and Divines agree, that God governs the World and takes care of all things by second causes. Therefore,
The Providence of God is Executed by general Laws.
Nevertheless his Providence is not blind and subject to chance.
For, by his infinite Wisdom he knows the con∣sequences of all possible general Laws. And,
As Searcher of Hearts, He foresees all the fu∣ture determinations of free causes. Therefore,
He proportions the means with the end; free Causes, as well as necessary, with the effects, which he intends they shall produce. There∣fore.
He combines Nature with Morality, and with Divinity, after the wisest manner that can be: So that the effects of the combination and connecti∣on of causes may be most worthy of his Wis∣dom, Goodness, and other Attributes; for God wills in particular all the good effects which he produces by general ways. Nevertheless, the im∣mutable Order of Justice, which God owes to him∣self, and his own attributes, requires or permits, that he should sometimes act by particular wills. But ordinarily, it is then only, and in those cir∣cumstances, when one only Miracle (i. e. an ef∣fect which cannot be the consequence of natural Laws) doth happily adjust a great many events and the most that can be: For his prescience being infinite, he doth not work two Miracles, when one will suffice.
So that in the Divine Providence, there is no∣thing that is not Divine, or which doth not bear the character of the Divine Attributes; for God acts according to what he is.
He is wise, his foreknowledge is infinite: Now, to establish general Laws, and to foresee that from thence a work will arise worthy of these Laws, is a mark of such a Wisdom, as hath no bounds; and to act by particular wills, is to act
as Men, who can foresee nothing: Therefore God acts by general Laws.
God is the Searcher of Hearts: Now to make use of free Causes for the execution of his designs, without determining these Causes after an invin∣cible manner, is to be the Searcher of Hearts; and it is not necessary to have this quality for the execution of his designs, if he did determine causes after an invincible manner: Therefore God ordinarily leaves J.C. Angels, and Men, to act according to their natures. He doth not com∣municate to them his power that he may destroy their liberty.
He gives them part in the glory of his work, and thereby augments his own. For leaving them to act according to their natures, and ne∣vertheless, executing by them designs worthy of himself, he makes it admirably appear that he is Searcher of Hearts. Nevertheless, the limi∣tation of Angels, the malice of Devils, and both these qualities in good and evil Men, and many other reasons, may oblige God to act sometimes by particular wills. For a limited spirit, tho perfectly united to Order, cannot foresee the con∣nection of free causes, which is necessary to bring the work of God to its perfection. So that, where Order permits, God must determine Angels by particular wills, and make even the sins of Men, and the malice of Devils, to enter into the or∣der of his Providence: And proportionably the same must be said of Jesus Christ considered as Man, and Head of the Church, and as Architect of the Eternal Temple.
God is immutable; now immutability in his Conduct, imports immutability in his nature; to change Conduct every moment, is a mark of in∣constancy. So that God must follow general Laws with respect to this attribute, if none of his o∣ther attributes do otherwise require that he cease to observe it. For God acts not but for him∣self, but for that love which he bears unto him∣self, but to Honour his attributes, both by the Divinity of his ways, and the Perfection of his work. In a word, the immutable Order of Ju∣stice, which he owes to himself, and his own per∣fections, is a Law with which he never can dis∣pence.
Thus experience teaches us, that God governs the purely Corporeal World, by the general Laws of the communications of motions. By these it is, that he makes the admirable Vicissi∣tude of Night and Day, Summer and Winter, Rain and Fair weather. By them also it is, that he covers the Earth with Fruits and Flowers, that he gives to Animals and Plants their growth and nourishment.
Experience also teaches us, that God governs Men by the general Laws of Union of Soul and Body. For by these Laws, he doth not only u∣nite the Soul to the Body, for the conservation of Life, but thereby he also diffuses it (as I may say) over all his works, and so makes it admire the beauties thereof. It is by these that he forms Societies, and makes, as I may say, but one body of all People. It is by them that he teaches Men the truths of Religion and Mo∣rality. And Lastly, by them it is that he makes
Christians, absolves Penitents, Sanctifies the E∣lect, and makes them merit all those degrees of glory, which makes up the beauty of the Hea∣venly Jerusalem. When I say, that it is by them, he doth all this; it is easily perceived that I mean they are subservient thereunto, in the Or∣der of Divine Providence: For it is cheifly by the general Laws, which give power to J.C. and the Angels, that GOD doth build his Church.
Further, Faith teaches us, that it is by general Laws that God punishes and rewards men, since Angels, who are the distributers of Temporal goods, have no efficacy of their own. It is by them that God provides for the necessities of his Elect, and resists the pernicious use which Wicked Men and Devils make of that Power, which they have to tempt, and afflict us in con∣sequence also of certain general Laws. But all Powers are submitted to that which J.C. has in consequence of the general Laws of the Or∣der of Grace; for at present, the Angels them∣selves who command others (for there is a cer∣tain subordination among them according to the most probable and received opinion) are submit∣ted to J.C. their Head and Lord. It is under him, that they labour in the building of his Tem∣ple. They do not now, as under the Law, pro∣portion Rewards to Merits. For the treasures of Grace are opened by the entrance of J.C. into the Sanctuary. For it is true, that by afflictions the Saints are purified. So that it is better, that J.C. give unto Men true goods, than that An∣gels should deliver them from their miseries;
for if good Men were not afflicted in this World, J.C. could not give them the form they must necessarily have to be placed in his building.
Lastly, further yet, it is by general Laws that God exercises his Providence over his Church, that is to say by the Laws which make the Or∣der of Grace. Laws which give unto J.C. as Man, Sovereign power in Heaven and in Earth. It is by J.C, that God hath established the dif∣ferent orders which do externally govern his Church. 'Tis by him that he spreads abroad in∣ward Grace in Souls. It is by him that he san∣ctifies his chosen people; that he will govern them in Heaven, and recompence them according to their deserts. It is by him, that he will judge the De∣vils and the Damned, and condemn them to that fire, whose eternal efficacy, shall only be the ef∣fect of general Laws, which shall be observed for ever more: By him, I say, enlightned to this end by eternal wisdom, and also subsisting in this wisdom; by him being advertised by a revelation (whose Laws are unknown) of all that which Order requires that he should know, and of all that he desires to know of what passes in the World, to bring his work to its perfection; by him lastly acting, by practical desires, by prayers, by endeavours, or actions of an infinite merit, but of a limited virtue, and proportionable to a finite and a stinted work; but by him perfect∣ly free, absolutely Master of his desires and acti∣ons, submitted only to immurable Order; the in∣violable rule of his will, as well as of his Fathers; and, if I be not deceived, very rarely determi∣ned after an invincible manner, by particular and
practical wills; to the end that he may leave to him more of the glory of his work, and make the infinite Wisdom of his Father shine more brightly, as he is the Searcher of Hearts; that glorious attribute which no spirit can compre∣hend.
Now if God acts by general Laws, it is vi∣sible, that we ought to ascribe unto occasional causes, to the limitation, the dispositions, and sometimes the malice of Creatures, all those mis∣chievous effects, which Piety, and the Idea we have of a good, wise, and just God, oblige us to say, that he rather permits, than has any design to effect.
For example, if a Woman brings forth a Mon∣ster, or a dead Child, or if she lets her Child fall, and kills it, carrying it to the Church to make it a Christian; it is because God observes the general Laws, which he hath prescribed. We ought to ascribe this dismal effect to natural or occasional causes. — Super defectum causarum se∣cundarum, says St. Thomas. God hath permitted this evil; since there is none but he can be the true cause of it, it may be said in some sence that he hath not done it; because it is not for such like effects, but for better, that he hath e∣stablished natural Laws; and, if he follow these Laws, it is because he owes this to himself, that his Conduct may be uniform and carry the cha∣racter of his Attributes. This is not, in the least, to blaspheme against the Divine Power (as some ignorantly object) but it is rather to blas∣pheme against the Divine Wisdom and Goodness
of God, to maintain, that he wills directly and positively these dismal effects.
A Man whose Arm is cut off, feels grief in his Arm: We all of us, sleeping, have a thousand thoughts in relation to objects, which are not at all before us. This is because God always acts in consequence of his Laws, and gives to the Soul, the same thoughts and the same sentiments, when there are the same motions in the brain; whe∣ther we have an Arm or no, whether objects are present, or absent. The DEVIL tempts just Men, the wicked solicite good Men to evil; Thieves and Soldiers Pillage and Massacre the in∣nocent, as well as the guilty: God permits this, this therefore ought to be attributed to the malig∣nity of occasional causes. For tho God doth often from thence draw great advantages by the Grace of J.C. since injustice it self enters into the or∣der of his providence; Ordinat peccata, says St. Augustine, yet these sad effects, considered in them∣selves, are unworthy of his goodness: There is nothing but good which he wills positively and di∣rectly.
And if he makes use of the injustice of Men, to speak as Scripture doth, it is, because it be∣comes him to obey his own Laws, which were not at first established for such effects.
In short, the greatest number of Men are dam∣ned, and yet God would save all; for he would and can hinder them from offending him.
God wills the conversion of sinners, and cer∣tainly he can give them such grace, that they shall infallibly be converted, Whence is it then that sinners dye in their sin, Infants without Bap∣tism,
whole nations in the ignorance of truths necessary to their Salvation? should we rather maintain, that God would not save all, meerly because of these things? Or rather, should we not in general seek out the reason in that which he owes to himself, to his wisdom, and his other at∣tributes? Is it not visible, or at least, is it not a sentiment agreeable with Piety, that those ru∣ful effects ought to be attributed to the simpli∣city; in a word, to the divinity of his ways, and limitation of occasional causes? For seeing that God acts by general Laws, since he makes use of his Creatures in bringing about his pur∣poses, and that he doth not communicate to them his Power, but by the establishment of his Laws, it is clear, that all this proceeds from the nature and action of occasional causes.
But why has not God established other gene∣ral Laws, or given to the finite action of J.C. an infinite Virtue?
The Reason is, he ought not; because his Wis∣dom exacts from him, that he do great works by the most simple ways, and that he proportion the action of causes to the beauty of the works.
And I fear not to say, that the Eternal Tem∣ple, which is the great design of God, and the end of all his works, is the most beautiful that can be produced by ways so simple, and so wise, as those are which God makes use of to effect it. For I am certain, that God loves Men, that he would save all; and therefore if he doth not so, it is because he loves all things in proporti∣on to their amiableness; it is because he loves his Wisdom more than his Work: 'Tis because
he does more honour to his attributes by the di∣vinity of his ways, than the Perfection of his Creatures. In a word, 'tis because he has the Reason of his Conduct in himself; for there is nothing out of God which can hinder him from executing his will. And if he should have a will absolutely to save all Men, without having respect to the simplicity of his ways; 'tis certain that he would save all, because it is certain, that there is an infinite number of means to execute all his designs, and that likewise, he can execute them by the absolute efficacy of his will, without the help of his Creatures.
I thought my self obliged to represent in few words, the Idea which I have of the Divine Provi∣dence, to the end, that it may be easily judged, whether it is not more worthy of the Wisdom of God, more agreeable to all that experience teaches more useful to answer the Objections of the Li∣bertines, better fitted to make us love God, and unite us to J.C. our Head; and Lastly, more ac∣cording to the Scripture, taking it in its full mean∣ing, than that humane providence which suppo∣ses, that God acts always by particular wills, and would only save the lesser part of mankind, and this simply and precisely because his will is so.