Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essayes: the second part, composed by the honorable Walter Montagu Esq; Abbot of Nanteul, &c.

SECT. III.

How far our inquisitiveness may pass into the reason of Gods civil Providence.

VVE are now come to the second question; out of the Church into the streets, (as I may say,) that is, into the common passage of providence, through all civil So∣cieties; where our nature stands in need of a guide more then in the other spiritual obscurities, by reason these satisfactions respect more our present and sensible consolations; and appe∣tites simply intellectual, are not incident to all capacities, but desire, referr'd to civil interests, are stirring in all apprehensi∣ons. Hence it is that the discernment of light and order in

our temporal relations and concernments, seems to the greatest part of the world the most important persuance; and conse∣quently, they are more moved with the inquiry into the reasons of civill events, then, either of naturall productions, or religi∣ous Constitutions. And surely, this intendment seems not improper; for, as, in the Church, the Congregation may better spare light, when they are assembled and seated, then in the streets, when they are busied and commercing; because, the action, in the one, is most mentall, and the being invisible to each other, indangers not much disorder; whereas, in the other, where the notions are corporeal and sensible, the want of light must needs cause all sort of offence and confusion: So when we are once seated in our Religion, a clear perception of all the parts and secrets of it is not so requisite, in regard that an acquiescence in that obscurity, is a safe posture; but, to the management and contrivance of our secular Affairs, there seems more use of a discernment of the causes and circumstances, which either promote or prejudice our ends. Wherefore our sollicitude in order to the comprehension of the reason of civil occurrences, seems not irregular; especially considering the great propension of our nature to such addresses, and the de∣light she takes in these discoveries; it imports much the giving our curiositie a sober direction towards the striking fire and kindling light in these moral obscurities of Providence; since we m••y confess with the Psalmist, Clouds and darkness are round about it.

The essential and interiour mysteries of the Deitie have a far different reason of their impenetrabilitie, from that of the exte∣riour emissions of Gods providence; for those dazel us with the excess of their splendour, and these blind us by their dimnss and obscuritie: so what is most intelligible in it self, is least in relation to us; and what of it self has the least claritie in regard of us, has the most perspicuitie. This is verified of Gods essence, and his exteriour orders; of the first, God seems to ask Job by way of remonstrating to him the incapacitie of man, De∣clare, if thou knowest where is the way where light dwelleth: And

to the second, the other part of his question seems referr'd; And as for darkness, Where is the place thereof? that thou canst bring every thing to its borders, and understand the paths of the house thereof. From whence we may derive an advertisement against presuming to pry after the reasons of Gods providence in his own tracks and paths, aspiring to give an exact account of the intent of all occurrences; which is, to seek the bringing every thing to his borders: but we are not serv'd with an inhi∣bition in point of our inquirie and investigation of some con∣gruous reason of all civil events and contingencies. For the holy Spirit gives us this warrant for a sober and reverent search into his secrets, It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter: whence we may infer, that mans intellect may remain subject to God, while it exer∣cises this royal office of conferring and negotiating with his Privie Councels. And surely though this sort of divine Coun∣cels exceeds mans full comprehension; yet in some degree it bends and accommodates it self to our capacitie: For I con∣ceive there can be no divine Order propos'd, respecting the Universe, whereof some general reason may not be rendred; as there is none likewise, whereof al the reason can be exhibited: so invisible are the upper rings of the chains of Providence, and so conspicious are the lower links thereof. Thus then the di∣vine Councels partake both these qualities of being communi∣cable, as well as inscrutable: I mean the general reasons of Gods conduct fall within our apprehension, not the assignment of special causes to all particular events. As for instance, we cannot determine why good things befal this individual per∣son, and evil that other; yet we have some light of the general causes, why crosses commonly fal upon the vertuous and happi∣ness flows upon the wicked; viz. because the first are usually to be purg'd by sufferings, and the last to be punish'd by their se∣curitie: but we cannot discern whether the one shall finally persevere in his goodness, and the other remain in his indura∣tion; nor indeed can we resolve assuredly which of the two we see afflicted and prosperous, is the worthy or the undeser∣ving

partie. The searcher of hearts delivering us this truth, Man knows not whether he be worthy of love or hatred, but all things are reserved uncertain for the time to come, because all things do equally chance to the just and impious. So that in this obscurest part of providence we meet only some flashes of light that af∣ford us a broken view of the divine Councels, whereof we must not expect a compleat manifestation.

We may consider that when the disciples (in the case of the man that was born blind) ask'd our Saviour, To whose sin they should ascribe this evil, to his own, or his parents? Christ did not disallow their judgment and attribution of this un∣happiness to some demerit, nor reprehend their enquirie after the special cause; but by his answer he enlightned the inquirers in this point of the incertaintie of their own conclusions, by declaring the cause far different from their senses, thereby to inform both them and us, that as man is not prohibited to make his rational discourse upon Gods apparent judgments; so is he not warranted to fix peremptorie determinations of the special reasons of the divine Orders. And in conformitie to this, Tertullian gives us his opinion, Because God the former of all things, contrived, ordained, and disposed nothing but by reason; there is nothing that he doth not allow to be treated and discoursed by reason: Which must be understood of such subjects as are seated within the precincts of mans reason; for humane reason hath a sphere as well as sense, beyond which it canno•• act: What is held of the pure Intelligences, the Angelical substances may serve to instruct us in the nature of our humane intellect: for as they are said not to be in any place, as bodies are, by way of being enclosed or circumscrib'd therein; but by way of being determin'd there, in such sort as they are not any where else, without their own sphere of activitie: (so that ubiquitie and immensitie is not attributed to them, though inclosure and circumscription is not proper to their natures, because it seems a kind of restraint and confinement, which is not sortable to spirits:) so may we say of humane reason, that it has a proper sphere, where it is so plac'd that it cannot exceed

that term and latitude; nevertheless we cannot complain it is bound up or constrain'd by this determination. Whence it follows that the amplitude and infranchisement of humane reason cannot be said properly to be impair'd by these limits and regulations.

This information of Christ to his disciples (that, it was not for them to know the times and the moments which the Father hath put in his own power) cannot be accounted a restraint, but ra∣ther a rectifying of their understanding. Let us therefore in particular occurrences which tempt our curiosities to assign a special cause to such effects, contain our discourse within the bounds of generals; for in the inquest of moral causes, the contrary of this rule, (which is well given in the search of na∣tural) is to be observ'd: that is, to draw as near as we can to particulars. In the study of natural reasons, indeed the more we recede from particulars, the more we commonly depart from certainties; because the course of nature being invariable, ex∣periments derived from particulars, afford most certaintie in conclusions: but the course of moral reasons to our eye, runing in no constant channel, the various effects of the same apparent causes, admit not of determin'd resolutions, to fix every singu∣lar event upon the true special motive, because we cannot dis∣cern whether the subject upon whom such events fall, be qua∣lified according to the rule whereby we judge. For who can assure that this particular person, seeming vertuous, is really what he appears? and consequently, when he is oppress'd and afflicted, how can we conclude that he suffers for such in∣tents, as (we may safely judge in general to be) those of Di∣vine Providence, in permitting the present oppression of the innocent? Many like instances are obvious, wherein we may judge rightly of the general causes of such consequences, but very erroneously of the particular, pertaining to that single occasion; whereby I may securely opine, that the more we drive at singular reasons in this part of divine Providence, the farther we depart from certaintie in our deliberations. It is therefore to such undertakers the Prophet declares this disap∣pointment

on Gods part; He makes the searchers of secrets, as if they were not, and the Judges of the earth as a vain thing.

Let us then upon this premis'd discourse, sum up these three resolutions: As to the first question, How far our reason may venture towards the smoaking Mountain of the Divine Essence, the Trinitie, and the Incarnation? The answer may fitly be taken from Gods order to Moses, Charge your reason, lest it should attempt to break through the bounds to gaze upon these My∣steries, and so perish. The method observ'd in heaven, by S. John, upon the opening of the seventh seal, may serve as a direction to us, in speculating these seal'd Mysteries, There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour: which words are easily reconcil'd to those that declare in heaven, incessant acclama∣tions of HOLY, HOLY, HOLY; if we but understand this silence to denote a profound admiration of that object, unexpressable by any exteriour sign or declaration. Where∣fore if that state of Vision affords no more then silent admira∣tion of these prime objects: can there be any question of our observing a more profound silencing our Reason, and licensing our Wonder in that conversation with these mysteries, to which our faith only gives us some obscure admission? Let us therefore determine our dutie in this point, by the example of the Apostles, even when they were eating with Christ after his resurrection, None of them durst ask him who he was, knowing that it was the Lord: so let all our speculations when they are admitted to the most familiaritie with these Mysteries, be still afraid to inquire directly what they are, remembring that they are Gods own Inscrutabilitie.

And for the second, touching the license of our search into the reasons of lower religious mysteries; to the advice I have already exhibited, I shall subjoin this proposal; viz. to ob∣serve this caution of the children of Israel, when they said to Moses, Speak thou unto us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die: that is to say, Let our Reason treat with these matters, by the mediation and intercession of the Moses's appointed by Christ to deliver out his orders, and acquiesce in

such satisfactions as they shall offer our Inquiries. And let not our private discourse affect an immediate communica∣tion with the holy spirit, in order to a satisfactorie reason of these Divine Ordinances, or presume to resolve our belief by any rational argument, independent on the mediate authoritie of the Church: Let our ratiocination in these cases be restrain∣ed by this voice of the Spouse, in the name of her Lord, What is this to thee? follow thou me.

As to the third question, respecting our knowing the ade∣quate causes of moral actions and events, we may annex this memorial, that the pressure of the disciples had no direct grant, when they urg'd Christ with, Lord shew us the Father. This was a demand of a compleat illumination in all things at once; to which Christ gives us but obscure satisfaction, in reply∣ing, He that sees me, sees the Father; for how the Father dwelt in him seems to have been their doubt, which he left still in a dark resolution. And surely the labouring to possess the direct and precise reason of all humane occurrences, is to affect an in∣trusion into the presence of the Father of lights: No, we must be contented with the light of Universal Providence, wherein the Divine Wisdome remains cover'd, as God the Father did in his Son Christ Jesus; not to be discern'd particularly in all circumstances, by the eye of our reason, no more then the Deitie was in Christ, by that of sense. Thus then, as we are allow'd to make a grand Inquest upon the general causes of civil occur∣rences; so are we not warranted to bring in our particular ver∣dict, towards a positive sentencing the special motives of sin∣gular acts of providence. Wherefore I may fitly address this sentence of the holy Spirit to the total of these questions, (which may justly temper all presumptions on the sufficiencie of humane capacitie) If any man think that he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet, as he ought to know.

Notes

• Ps. 97.2.
• Jeb 38.19.
• Prov. 25.2.
• Eccles. 9.2
• Joh 9.
• Act. 1.7.
• Isa. 40.25.
• Exod. 19.21.
• Apoc. 8.
• Apoc. 5 8.
• Joh. 29.12.
• Exod. 20.19.
• Joh. 21.22.
• Joh. 14.8.