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

SECT. II.

Whether the prosperitie of the wicked, and their advantages over the righteous in this world, question not Gods Providence.

ARE there not many who varie their judgments of Gods Providence, as some of the Jews did of Christs power in miracles; whereof having been convinc'd by one evident proof, notwithstanding they began to question it again upon his not answering their imaginations, with another testimonie? as, when they saw him resenting the death of his friend Laza∣rus; some of them, with a wonder bending towards diffidence said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind, keep this man from dying? insinuating thereby, that since he had omitted to do for a friend, what required less power then that he had ex∣ercised for a stranger, his capacitie might well be suspected. Much after this manner there may be some who have yeilded to the equitie of Gods Providence, in point of his converting

the sufferings of the vertuous into blessings: yet when they consider the prosperitie of the ungodly, and their oppressions upon the just, they may waver again in their rectified perswasi∣on, and ask, with some scruple, Whether God (who can turn the afflictions of his friends into advantages,) cannot oppose the felicities of his enemies, and debar their injustice to his ad∣herents, since this last seems the lesser prerogative? If such standers-by at the Tombs of Gods friends, will expect the sequence of these permissions, they'l find, in their designments a clear illustration, rather then any eclipse, of the Divine Providence.

Since the Devil receiv'd that notorious affront from the di∣stresses of persecuted Job, he is not forward to assault Gods friends, immediately by himself, with these batteries against their temporalities; he seldome uses his fire (shot out of his region, as Prince of the Air,) or his whirlwinds (sent from thence) to enter the hearts of the righteous, by this breach and ruine of their fortunes. Wherefore in his attempt upon the children of Israel, he imploy'd his Emissarie Balaam, to corrupt them with plenties, rather then revolt them by priva∣tions; and when the proudest spirit in person, undertook his master-piece of temptation upon Christ Jesus, he sought to work by offers, not by offences; thinking the Dominion of the world a more subtile temptation, towards pride and ambi∣tion, then the want of bread, towards murmur and dissatisfa∣ction. And since the old serpent left the most of his sting sticking in the Cross, when he bruised his head against it; he is fain to relye more upon the corrupting properties of power and profit, then the qualities of crosses and afflictions, which have much counterpoison in them against temptation. In proof whereof, we may observe, that the Devil acts commonly, by humane instruments in most of the miseries and afflictions, currant in the world; and men are not moved by the mischief, but the interest redounding to them, from the injuries and vio∣lences whereby they afflict and distress one another. By which means the tempter makes sure of his prize on the one side; for

the iniquitie of the actors, alwayes, returns him gain; though he prove for the most part, a loser, by the vertue of the pati∣ents. Insomuch that we may suppose, if the world were left to the administration of the Devil, he would not ordain so ma∣ny tribulations and sufferings, as now exercise it: temporal fe∣licitie would be more constant, and so more seducing then it is now; being discredited much by a notorious infi∣delitie.

It is the order of God, (to manifest the undervaluable scar∣citie and narrowness of this worlds treasures) to shew us few in it abounding in wealth and power, by other means then the oppression and distressing of others. It holds, as S. Augustine sayes, in civil, as well as in natural productions: the things that are overcome, pass into the qualities of those which master them, this is the order of things transitorie: if this world af∣forded fulness and satietie for every one, the vitiousness of the proud and voluptuous would want the purging qualitie upon patients, while it polutes the subject wherein it is active; if some injur'd partie were not exercis'd and purified by those iniquities and disorders. Wherefore temporal crosses and calamities are the results of Divine Providence, rather then of diabolical policie.

Upon this concession then, that sufferings are beneficial to the vertuous (which is the fundamental of our Religion, built upon the Cross) the prevailing and overpowering of the wicked proves a necessary consequence; since the Devil will not act immediately in his temporal persecutions, but by humane in∣struments; which he must likewise pay out of the spoil and prize they make by his Commission. And is not this way of making fortunes for the Devils partie, now so customarie, that methinks the wondering at it, is the greater wonder? For as ev'n little children which are bred in shops where Antiques and Vizards are made, quickly overcome fear, and soon come to play with them; conceiving their right uses, which is not to fright, but to cover and disguise, for some time: so in this great Warehouse of toyes and trifles, wherein we are brought

up; these Masques and Vizards of Divine Providence are so familiar, that ev'n the weakest minds may seem past the being tempted by them, and apprehend aright the chief designment of such figures; which is, for the present to conceal Gods judgments, not to confound mans comprehension.

I confess the first beholders of this object had a strange tem∣ptation in their infeebled nature; they who were seduc'd by the Serpent to affect the knowledge of good and evil, when they saw the great evil of death fall first upon the good, and inflicted by the hand of the wicked, had more reason to apprehend this an effect of the Serpents single power, without Gods concur∣rence; then at first they had to believe him able to make good his word of giving them a clearer sight of good & evil; they see∣ing in the death of Abel, such an evidence of the subjection of the weaker to the worser brother, might have suspected the Serpents sharing in the worlds disposure. And surely Enos, who was the first (after mans running away from Gods voice) that began to call upon the name of the Lord, might well have been allow'd to have ask'd God Jeremies question; since thou art just Lord, why do the wicked prosper? the power and felicity of the Giants in his dayes, whose strength was their law, might more pardonably have rais'd this diffidence of the divine Providence; but we who are acquainted with this order by the sequence of it in so many ages as this world contains, may, by the familiaritie, be recon∣cil'd to the aversion. But having besides supernatural lights hung out from the beginning al the way to conduct us through these passages so obscure to our nature, we are rendred unexcu∣sable in our dissatisfaction. Has not the Lamb slain from the be∣ginning of the world, opened the Book and the Seals, and shew'd us the reason of this conduct, imprinted so fairly that none can look upon it without reading it? This King of Innocence and Sufferance was to have a train, preceding him from the be∣ginning of the world, to usher him into it, who was to march in the middle of it, attended as well by those that went before, as such who follow'd him; and from Abel to himself, all his dependants suffer'd in order to his entry into that procession;

as, since the rest of his train doth and shall to the end of the world continue in that course, in conformitie to his prece∣dence. For he was to make his entrie into the world mysti∣cally, as he did literally into Jerusalem; his company that went before him were to put off their fleshly garments, and strew them in his way; and the multitude which passed both before and after him, in this self-sacrificing order, were to honour and praise him in their sufferances, Crying, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of our Lord.

Since then the Co-heirs of eternal glory with Christ, are to bring this mark of legitimation, the becoming like unto his image: how can this office be perform'd so properly as by the hand of the ungodly; such as must have both inclination to the work, as well as appetite to the pay, which is power and prosperitie? Would they (who are scandaliz'd with the fortunes of the unrighteous) have the Elect persecute and afflict one another? might not this office allotted to some of them, seem like theirs that were to lead out the Emissarie Goat, who remain'd themselves polluted for a while, by the act of purging others?

In this the wisdom of Providence is most adorable; which makes use of the uncleanness of Gods enemies, to purifie his friends. Can there be any thing conceived more admirable then for God to leave men their libertie to pervert his good∣nesses, and for him to derive other goods from their malice and perversion? And this effect results from those exer∣cises of their vertues, whereby the Grandees of the earth raise and prefer the great ones of Heaven; Upon which promise of the Holy Ghost, that the Fool shall serve the Wise man, S. Gregory asks how this is verified; since for the most part, the fools command over the other? and answers, that the fool serves the wise, ev'n while he domineers over him, since by his depression he exalts him.

Such is the force of Divine disposition, which regu∣lates all motions, that what declines from the rectitude of the first assigned order, in falling, is plac'd in another; one

mans will, as it bends and grows crooked, serves to rectifie and straiten anothers, and by this means there is no vice, in the hands of the Devils tenants, left to bring him in a clear revenue.

Therefore considering the Divine intendment in this permis∣sive contribution to the prosperitie of the wicked; I wonder no more at their outsides of wealth and glory, then I should to see an Executioner very brave, after the suffering of some great man, knowing such spoils to be his Fees; since the Devil has nothing else to give his Instruments, but such Vales as exter∣nal commodities. We need not be scandaliz'd at those sala∣ries, which God suffers to be distributed to the most unworthy, that the vertuous should not set their hearts upon them; but praise their ambition to the seeking of things that are above, not upon the earth, which are not foyl'd and discredited by any of the wickeds participation. Wherefore S. Paul presses this con∣fidence upon the over born partie, In nothing be terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

And if we will rightly examine the state of sinners, we shall conclude them most miserable, when they are allow'd to act their mischiefs: For, if it be ill to have design'd evill actions, it is worse to have been able to effect them; without which capacitie, the affection to them is more likely to languish and shrink away: so that if each of these have a single miserie in it, they are charg d with all three, whom we see willing, able, and acting their iniquities. Wherefore the holy Spirit tells us, that while the tabernacles of the Robbers abound, they provoke God boldly. When we see then a lasting prosperitie of the impious, rather then admire their station; we are taught by holy Job how to conclude of their condition, saying, I saw a fool with a firm root, and presently I cursed his beauty: knowing that the fruits of this root are but apples of Sodome; specious in colour, while they have within nothing but corruption and ashes; which the holy Spirit attests thus to us, his heart is ashes, and his hope more vile then earth: as if in the reprobate, the very first prin∣ciple of his life were already resolv'd into the last period of death.

Let then the shining fortunes of the oppressors, glorie with Herod, in their glittering outsides and coverings of their cor∣ruptions; since we may say to them, under you the moth is strew∣ed, and worms are breeding under your covering: these are truly your own cloathings; and thus did both Antiochus and He∣rod, being strip'd of those other borrow'd garments, consume and rot away in theirs. They who gaze only upon the glo∣rious robes of Tyrants, may well be dazled with their splen∣dour: we must therefore take off our eyes from their Palaces, and look upon them in the Sanctuarie; where, understanding their latter ends, we shall find they were set up, thus to be de∣luded, rather then dignifi••d. For doth not God very often ensnare powerful and presumptuous sinners with the opinion of their past successes; when they have but some such false ap∣pearance to delude them, as the Moabites had, to believe the waters the Sun shin'd upon, were the bloud of the children of Israel? Thus doth their own Sun shine frequently deceive the enemies of God, after they have been allow'd some times to prevail over his children: and that which troubles very often, and dims the eyes of Gods people, is to see the bloud of the innocent shed upon the ground like water, whilst they behold this Sun-shine of the persecuting party; which offends their eyes the most, when they look so much upon the beams, that they cannot discern the motion, wherein all their lustre is de∣clining towards an eternal darkness; the present felicitie of the ungodly dazles them so much, they consider not the transi∣tory swiftness, wherein it is passing away to irremediable mi∣serie.

Wherefore the surest course to keep our Faith in Divine Pro∣vidence, from being (as I may say) Sun-burnt and discolour'd by these irradiations of temporal glories, is to turn our thoughts to their West and Setting; where we commonly find light; only to undeceive us, in the valuableness of such transitory splendors.

And Solomons advice (given in order to our prospect upon our own conditions) is as useful in this case, to secure us from

being deceiv'd in that of others, though a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the time of dark∣ness: which, when it comes, all that is past, is reproved of vanitie. This prevision of the time of darkness (whereunto the bright∣ness and lustre of the wicked is running, ev'n as a Post that hasted by, and like a Ship that passes, which leaves no trace in the waves) will keep us steddy in the adoration of D••vine Providence: when we see those great Vessels of Pyracie, with full winds carrying out all their fails, and making prize, and sinking the little innocent Traders in this our present Sea of confu∣sions.

S. Augustine (upon this subject of the temporal advantages of the ungodly,) sayes elegantly, that Gods order concerning Ismael, was a figure of his proceeding with many Aliens to his Covenant: for he gave him great worldy gifts, when he turn'd him out of his fathers house: so does he to the single moral vertues of many graceless persons; he gratifies them with great secular presents, for being the natural issue of Reason, though he pu••s them out of his house, as not being within the Covenant of Grace. Upon this account, were the glories of the gallant Heathen assign'd to their moral vertues, which sprung from the stock of nature, and therefore deserv'd natural recompen∣ses, while th••y were excluded from supernatural rewards, as not being the conceptions of grace, whereto those promises are singly annexed.

Having thus read part of the Reasons of State, (as I may say) whereupon these Commissions of power and dominion over the vertuous, are permitted by God, and issued out by the Prince of this World to the wicked. Methinks, the innocent sufferers or spectators, have less reason to be deceiv'd in the va∣lue or wonder of the Actors prevalencies, then they themselves to be abus'd in the conceit of their own preferences: for the Actors, like common Souldiers, never consider the cause, but the libertie is given them by their employment: as we find at∣tested of that great Assyrian, of whose ambition and arrogance God was pleas'd to serve himself, in his designs; the Prophet

tells us how little he understood his Commission of purging Gods children, saying, He thinks not so, neither doth his heart esteem it so; but he imagines to destroy and cut off nations. But Gods providence rightly understood, must appear most admi∣rable, in that he suffers not the Prince of this worlds ministers to make their fortunes in his service; without obliging them to do his work, while they intend only their own designs: and by this order, S. Gregory sayes, ev'n those who perish for them∣selves, provide for the Elect. Wherefore the servants of God, when they are tempted by the eminent fortunes of the disservers of him may answer their scruples and settle their spirits with this reflection; From the beginning the work of the Lord is known unto himself.

If I have, by Gods assistance, given but light enough to the reverend and cautious seekers of God, to keep them from fal∣ling in this dark passage of his Providence, when they enter in∣to it, I have satisfied my design; for we can expect no such day-light there, as may allow us to run inconsiderately through it. The blessed souls themselves, who have suffer'd and been purg'd by this order, seem not to have a compleat, though they have a satisfactory illumination in this point, of the con∣tinuing prosperitie of the Princes of this worlds Ministers: for when they crie with a loud voice, How long Lord, thou who art holy and just, doest thou forbear to avenge our bloud on them that dwell upon the earth? were they not answer'd, that their fel∣low-servants and brethren were to be sent after them, by the same way, and by the same hands? So that it appears to the end of the world, these exercisers and purgers of the Elect, shall be imploy'd to deliver to Gods servants eternal glory, while they are allow'd themselves the smoak and vapour of se∣cular felicitie. I may therefore properly close up this satisfa∣ction I offer, with the voice of the Angel, He that hath an ear, let him hear: If any lead into captivitie, he shall goe into captivitie: If any kill with a sword he must be kill'd by a sword: here is the patience and faith of the Saints; which is to be exercis'd, in this world, till the whole Book of Providence

shall be laid open, in that day, whereof the Prophet Isaiah speaks (in order to the clearing of all suspended doubts, in this worlds administration,) When thou shalt do thy judgments in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn Justice.

Notes

• Joh. 11.37.
• Gen. 4.26.
• Rom. 8.
• Jo. 6.
• Job 12.6.
• Job 5.3
• Wisd. 15.10.
• Isa. 14.12.
• Reg. 4.3.
• Eccles. 11.
• Wisd. 5 9.
• Isa. 10.7.
• Notum a sacu∣lo.
• Apoc. 6 1••.
• Isa. 26.9.