The Eye and Wheel of Providence, Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX. Objection ſecond anſwered, in five things.
Object. IF there be a Providence, How cometh it then to paſſe that there is ſuch an ataxie and diſorder in the world? God ſeemeth not to regard the world, and the things thereof; all things ſhould be done orderly, thoſe that do well ſhould have well. On the contrary, there ſhould be no outward Idolatry, nor open Tyranny and oppreſſion, right ſhould prevail &c. For of theſe things we ſee Kings have care in their Kingdomes, Noble-men in their Countries; and all maſters in their houſes. But the Devils are permitted to tempt men, and men permitted to ſin, yea ſome to continue ſinning to deſtruction; The wicked proſper and often triumph over the good, evill men are often advanced, good men are oppreſſed; as if a Prince would advance vice and puniſh vertue, whence the frequent complaints of the Saints do ariſe. Pſa.l 73. Pſal. 74. & 75. Jerem. 13. Beſides, there are many evill, few good, the way of vice is broad and eaſie, of vertue ſtraight and hard, as if God of purpoſe would have many bad, few good, as Math. 7.13, 14. Upon this ground it was that Cato a wiſe Heathen denied the providence of God; and this argument hath not onelyonly gravelled the Ethnicks, but even divers well diſpoſed. The Argument is thus formed,
If God had a Providence, and did take care of the world, there would be no diſorder in the world: But there is great diſorder in the world: Ergo, negatur Dei providentia. For a wiſe man if he could, would not ſuffer any diſorder in his family: But God ſuffereth it in his Government when he may repreſſe it.
I deny the Minor propoſition,Reſp. 1. there is no diſorder in the government of the world, but all things are grounded and adminiſtred by a moſt prudent Councell, and in a moſt beautifull order. Some, as one ſaith, would have God make the world all of gold, as that painter who unable to pencill the beautifull Helen with ſo great diverſity of parts, and conformity of members, filled his Table with Drapery which ſeemed rich, but was little to the purpoſe.Boet. de conſol. lib. 4. It is no marvell, ſaith Boetius, that men ſhould think that ſome things happen diſorderly and at all adventures, becauſe the reaſon thereof is unknown: but though men are ignorant of the cauſe after this or that manner, yet for that it is a good God that ruleth the world, we need not doubt but that all things are well ordered. The judgment of God is not our judgment, neither are his waies ours, as the Prophet ſpeaketh; he doth it for the manifeſtation of his glory, by righteouſneſſe and mercy together; and thus we ought all admire with the Prophet thoſe things we can give no reaſon for, ſaying, How great are thy works, O Lord, in wiſdome haſt thou made them all? All things which God hath made are good in their own nature, and the evill things he permitteth make to his glory, and the good and ſalvation of his Elect, as appeareth in the ſelling of Joſeph, and in the paſſion of Chriſt.
2. To deny this were to deny the wiſdome, power and goodneſſe of God, as a Judicious Divine hath noted;Stock on Malac. For ſeeing God hath made all things that are in the world (eſpecially men) how ſhould he be wiſe if he knew not, how omnipotent if he could not, how good if he would not keep all things he hath made in a right order? Whence know we evill to be evill, but by the exiſtence of the contrary? Had there never been an enjoyment of health, we had never known what bodily ſickneſſes were? likewiſe when we ſee evils to happen in the world,Providentia eſt ratio ordinis rerum ad finem. we conclude preſently it is evill, becauſe it is againſt the order of good: now whereſoever there is order, there is neceſſarily direction and providence.
3. No men in the world are abſolutely good, and therefore can challenge no reward by debt or deſert, and for their ſufferings, the leaſt ſinne deſerveth a thouſand times more, and therefore they can complain of no wrong or injury done unto them, and many times they are, and turn to their greateſt good. Rom. 5.3. 1 Cor. 11.32. Prov. 3.12.
4. Aquinas tells us, That there would never be perfect goodneſſe in things created,Perfecta bonitas in rebus creatis nòn invenirerut, niſi eſſet ordo bonitatis. Aquin. contr. Gentes lib. 3. cap. 17. were there not ſome order and decrees in the ſame. All the grace and beauty of the world would be loſt, if the multitude and diſproportion of ſo many things were taken away, which by an admirable diſcrepance and diſcord, harmoniouſly agreeing, conſent in the good of this great All; this is Gods Table diverſified with many colours, which God will not endure ſhall be defaced.
5. For the diſproportion; Gods favour or disfavour muſt not be meaſured by theſe out ward things which come alike to all, as Solomon tells us, Eccl. 9.1, 2. the time is not yet come when every one ſhall be rewarded according to his workes, as 2 Cor. 5.10. 2 Theſ. 1.6, 7.They are at laſt overtaken by God's juſtice who would not be taken by his mercy. if we look no theſe things never ſo long with the eyes of fleſh through the ſpectacles of our own reaſon, we ſhall never find any reaſon hereof; but if with holy David, we go into God's Sanctuary, Pſal. 73.17. then we ſhall preſently have ſatisfaction, and perceive plainly, that howſoever God's actions be ſometimes ſecret; yet they be ever moſt juſt. He puniſheth his children here, that he may ſpare them for ever;Quibuidam parcit ad tempus, ut in aeternum puniat & quoſdam punit u… perpetuò parcat crudelitas parcens, & miſericordia punieris. Gregor. and ſpareth the wicked for a time, that he may puniſh them for ever. This, ſaith Gregory, is ſparing cruelty, and puniſhing mercy; as a Graſier putteth ſome Cattell into paſture knockle deep, that they may be the ſooner fat and fit for the ſhambles, and others he keepeth onelyonly in working-plight which he meaneth to reſerve for ſtore. And whereas we ſay, that the innocent are oppreſſed, and the wicked are proſperous, who knowes what God intendeth to do both with the one and the other? This Gold (ſaith St. Auguſtin) of one ſide is purified in the fornace; and on the other; that fiſh you thought happy hath already the hook in his throat.Cauſſin de provid. The decrees of Divine Providence (ſaith one) do reſemble letters written with the juice of a Limon, which never are read but by the help of fire; that day when the Judge of all the world ſhall come in flaming fire, ſhall make all manifeſt which our ſhallow wits are not now able to comprehend: Auſtin ſaith, If every ſin were now puniſhed with ſome notable judgement it might be thought nothing would be reſerved for the laſt Judgment;Si omne peccatum manifeſtâ plecteretur paenâ, nihil ultimo judicio reſervari putaretur, & ſi Deus nònc apertè puniret nulla providentia Divina crederetur. Auguſt. and if God ſhould now puniſh openly, no Divine Providence would ſcarce be believed.—Furthermore, in that a greater number periſh than are ſaved, as there be more wooden than golden veſſels; it muſt cauſe them that have made their calling and election ſure, to be thankfull for ſo excellent (and not common) benefit. If thou hear a harp ſound of divers ſtrings, and all keep one harmony, thou wilt think one ſtrikes them, though thou ſee him not: ſo it is in God's governing the diſorders of the world.