Volume I, Treatise VIII, Chapter XI

Some Examples Taken from Holy Scripture, to Help Us to Attain Perfect Confidence in God

Ir conduces much to our advantage, if, in the first place, we cast our eyes upon the custom that all the ancient patriarchs had, of always ascribing to God each event, of what nature, and by what means soever it occurred. The sons of Jacob having gone to buy corn in Egypt, Joseph, their brother, who ruled under Pharao, as yet unknown to them, ordered their sacks to be filled, and the price they paid to be secretly put therein. On their return, one of them going to refresh his beast in the inn, found his money in the mouth of the sack, and having shewn it to his brothers, they were all seized with a fright, and said, “What is this the Lord has done to us?” (Genesis 42:28) Here we must take notice, they did not say: Is not this a snare laid for us? Has not the master of the inn left this by mistake here? Shall we look upon it a charity he has done us? But they referred it all to God, and said; “What is this the Lord has done to us?” And by this they confessed, that as a leaf falls not from the tree without the permission of God, this could not happen without a most particular disposition of his providence. When Jacob caused himself afterwards to be carried into Egypt, and fell sick there, Joseph brought before him his two sons; and the holy man asking him whose they were, he answered, “These are the children God has given me in this country.” (Genesis 48:9) Jacob had made the same answer to his brother Esau; and urging him to accept the presents he offered him, said: “Accept this blessing I have brought you, and which God, the sovereign dispenser of all good has bestowed upon me.” (Genesis 33:11) He calls his present a blessing of God. Because, in reality, to bless and to do good are the same thing in God; and he refers all to God without ascribing any the least to himself. When David, incensed against Nabal, marched with his soldiers to pillage and sack the house, and Abigail met him with presents to appease him; “Blessed,” said he, “be the Lord God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me, and hinder me from shedding blood.” (1 Kings 25:32) As if he had said, You are not come of your own accord, but it is God has sent you to hinder me from sinning. It is to him I owe this favour, and his name be blessed for ever. This was the ordinary language of these great patriarchs; and ought also to be ours.

But to contemplate these miracles of providence more particularly, we are only to consider the above-mentioned history of Joseph. The hatred and envy the recital of the dreams which presaged his future greatness had excited in the hearts of his brothers, were their motives for resolving on his death; and being dissuaded by the reasons and arguments of Ruben, they sold him for a slave to some Ismaelite merchants. Now the very means they took to prevent the effect of his dreams, were those which Providence made use of to make him lord over them and all Egypt. So that when he discovered himself to his brothers, and they, seized with fear and knew not what to reply: ‘Fear not,” said he, “do not trouble and afflict yourselves for having sold me into this country. For it is for your good, that God has sent me before you into Egypt. He has sent me here, for your preservation on earth, and that you may have food whereon to live. It has not happened by your counsel, but by the will of God alone, that I am sent here.” (Genesis 45:5-8) ‘ Can we,” says he in another place, “resist the will of God? You have had a bad design against me, but God has turned it to the best, to raise me to this degree of dignity wherein you now behold me, for the preservation of many people.” (Ibid. }. 19.) Who then is there that, considering this, will not have confidence in God? Who will fear the evil designs of men, and unfortunate accidents of this world? Since nothing happens without the unchangeable order of his providence, which adjusts all things to their ends; and which turns to our good and to our glory, these very means the world made use of to persecute and destroy us. “What I have determined,” says our Lord to the Prophet Isaias, “shall remain firm and immoveable; and my will shall be executed in all things.” (Is. Ixvi. 10.) Act you as you please; nevertheless the will of God must be performed; and he will easily turn to his designs everything you do to frustrate them.

St. Chrysostom makes an apposite reflection upon another particular passage of the same story. The interpretation Joseph gave the dream of Pharao’s cup-bearer having had its effect, by the re-establishment of this officer in his former dignity, two years passed without any remembrance of Joseph, who had most earnestly desired he would be mindful of him. But do you think, says the saint, this forgetfulness was only an effect of chance, or any ingratitude in the cup-bearer? Not at all; it was an effect of the divine disposition, which would wait a more proper season and a more favourable conjuncture, to free Joseph from prison with more splendour and glory. For supposing the cup-bearer had remembered him, he might perhaps have found means to get him out in some obscure manner, and without its being known who he was. But because God would not have him come out in that manner, and had resolved to elevate him with honour, he permitted the cup-bearer to forget him for two whole years; in order that, when the time of Pharao’s dreams had come, the king should make him come forth gloriously out of prison, to be invested afterwards with the command of all Egypt. God, adds the great saint, is a most prudent artificer, who knows perfectly well how long the gold is to be in the fire, and when it must be taken out.

We have in the first book of Kings another history, where the divine Providence shines brightly even in the most minute things. Wishing to describe to Samuel the person whom he had chosen to reign over Israel, God said: “‘To-morrow, at this very same hour, I will send to you 4 man of the tribe of Benjamin; and you shall consecrate him king over the people of Israel.” (1 Kings 9:16) But let us see in what manner he sent this man, who was Saul. The asses of Cis, Saul’s father, had strayed from home, and Cis commanded his son to seek and bring them back. Saul takes a servant with him. They both seek everywhere, but to no purpose; and Saul about to return, lest his father should be in pain at his absence, the servant who accompanied him said; there was a man of God in the next city, who could inform him of what he sought. They go to find this man, who was Samuel, and being arrived in his sight; “Behold,” says our Lord, ‘‘the man I spoke to youof; it is he shall rule over my people.” (Ibid. 9:17) O incomprehensibe depth of the judgments of God! Cis sends Saul to find the asses that had broke out of their bounds, and God sends Samuel to consecrate him king. How far was Saul and his father from ever imagining he went to be anointed king? It is the same with most part of the projects parents design with respect to their children. They are often far from the ends God proposes himself; but notwithstanding he directs things so to the execution of his orders, that even such things as seem to have little or no relation thereto serve to accomplish his designs. For it was not by chance that the asses of Cis were lost, nor that Cis sent Saul to seek them; nor that they could not be found; nor that the servant who was with Saul advised him to consult the prophet. All this was decreed in this manner by providence, which availed itself of these means to send Saul to Samuel, and make Samuel anoint him king, as God had ordered. Perhaps your parents sent you for’no other end to a college or university, but for your advancement in learning, and that afterwards you may be able to fill some office, or possess some benefice. But God sent you there with another intent; and made use of your parents, to draw you to him and make you enter into religion. When St. Austin left Rome to go to Milan, where Symmachus the governor sent him, both he and the governor thought it was only to teach rhetoric. But they were both deceived; God, who had other designs, sent him to Milan, there to be converted by St. Ambrose,

Let us consider a little the different sorts of vocations, and their so many particular means, and even those sometimes so apparently remote, by which God has drawn an infinity of persons toreligion. It is a thing that will appear very surprising. For we shall oftentimes see that unless something or other had happened, and had it not been for some trifle, or some affair of no moment or consideration, we should never have been religious.

And these very things, notwithstanding how small and inconsiderable soever they seem in themselves, were the peparations and instruments God had resolved on always whereby to move you to enter religion. Let us take notice of this in short—it is a reflection which may prove very advantageous to some persons, who imagine with themselves their vocation comes not from God, because it has been brought about by things of this nature. This imagination is nothing but a mere deceit and dangerous illusion of the devil your enemy; who, envious of the state you are in, makes every effort to disturb you. For, with respect to God, it is his custom to use these means to effect his own ends: that is, for his own greater glory, and our greater good; and of this we have abundance of examples in the lives of the saints. God’s intent then terminated not at what appeared then to you, and he sent not you more than Saul to seek the asses; “for has God any care of the oxen?” (1 Corinthians 9:9) But his pleasure was that by this indirect way you should come to reign with Saul: since, “to serve God is to reign.”

When Samuel went in the name of God to reprimand Saul severely for his disobedience, in not destroying the Amalecites as God had ordered him; Saul, acknowledging his fault, and seeing the prophet upon the point of departing, would have retained him by laying hold of his cloak, to request he would intercede with God for him; and in the strife a piece of Samuel’s cloak was rent, and remained in Saul’s hand. Who would have thought but this might have happened by pure accident; and that the cloak was torn as being old and rotten, or that Saul had pulled too hard? Notwithstanding, it happened not but by a peculiar order and disposition of providence; to signify, that God had deprived Saul of his kingdom for this his sin. Wherefore Samuel seeing his cloak rent, “Understand by this,” said he, “that God has cut off and separated the kingdom of Israel from you, and has transferred it over to your neighbour, who is a better man than you are.” (1 Kings 15:28)

In the same book of Kings it is related that Saul had once surrounded David and his followers, as it were in a circle; so that David despaired of making his escape. Whilst he was in this extremity, there came a courtier to Saul, who told him the Philistines were entered with fire and sword into his dominions, pillaging and destroying all in their way. Saul, obliged to attend to what was of greater moment and concern, abandoned his enterprise; and David by this means escaped. The irruption of the Philistines was not casual and by mere chance: but it was the execution of those measures God had taken to set David at liberty. _ At another time the princes and nobility of the Philistines arranged it so with their king Achis, that he commanded David, who took refuge some time before in his court, and was then i the army with him, to return to the place assigned him for his retirement. Achis indeed had a great esteem of David’s valour and courage; and for that reason brought him along in the expedition he undertook against Saul. “But David did not please the nobles.” (Ibid. 29:6) The accusations they brought against him were not a pure effect of their jealousy and ill-will, and had more than the end they proposed themselves. It was a plan of the divine Providence; which disposed things for other ends than those of men. For David, at his return, found that the Amalecites, taking advantage of the Philistines’ absence, had poured into the country with sword in hand; and taking Siceleg, the place of David’s retirement, had led away captive all the inhabitants: “From the least to the biggest” (Ibid. 30:2):—and amongst the rest even two of his wives, and then set fire to the town. He followed them with what men he had, overtook and defeated them, and rescued the prisoners, making himself master of all the spoils and prey they had carried away. So that had not the nobles and courtiers of Achis forced him out of their army, he had never been in a possibility of executing all those achievements, And it was for this end the divine Providence, which had thus decreed from all eternity, directed their counsel to the effecting what it had before projected; although they at the same time had another design in the matter. We see also throughout the whole history of Esther, that this particular providence of God is very perspicuous and evident even in the most minute things. What means did not God use in delivering the Jews from the cruel and bloody sentence of King Assuerus? And what strange and unheard of ways did he not take to make Vasthi fall into disgrace, and raise Esther to the throne in her place, in order that being herself a Jew, she might undertake the patronage, and plead the cause of her nation P That Mardocheus should come to discover the conspiracy laid by two eunuchs against the. king’s person—that some time after the king, not being able to sleep in the night, should call for the annals of his reign, and causing them to be read before him, should wonderfully light upon the place wherein was registered the service Mardocheus had done him on this occasion—all this seems but pure accident: and nevertheless it happened not but by the especial order of Providence, which by a most hidden way, and a manner surpassing the capacity of man, disposed thus all these different means of saving his people from the danger they were in. So when Esther declared to Mardocheus, she durst not venture to go to the king, without his sending for her: “‘ Who knows,” said Mardocheus, “but you were raised to the throne for the help and protection of your people on this occasion?” (Esther 4:14)

Ecclesiastical history abounds with the like examples, which teach us to refer all to God, and receive all as sent us from his hands, for our greater good and advantage. St. Clement recounts of himself to this purpose a very remarkable passage. He says, that having been converted to the faith by St. Barnaby, at the time that Simon Magus was most vigorously opposed by the doctrine and miracles of St. Peter, he went to this prince of the apostles, gave him an account of his conversion, and desired to be amply instructed by him in matters of faith. St. Peter told him, he came very opportunely, since the day following was the very time assigned for a public dispute between him and Simon Magus; and that then he might hear what he desired. It happened at that very moment, there came two of Simon Magus’s disciples, who told St. Peter they were sent to him by their master, to acquaint him that some urgent business had occurred, and that their master desired the dispute might be put off for three days, St. Peter answered, he was content; and when they were gone, seeing this deferring the dispute had somewhat troubled St. Clement, he asked him: ‘“What is the matter with you, my son, that makes you melancholy?” I assure you, father, answered St. Clement, I am very sorry that this dispute is deferred; and could heartily wish it would be to morrow. The saint, hereupon, taking an opportunity of speaking to him on submission to Providence, said to him: Amongst the Gentiles, indeed, when things succeed not according to their desires, there may be found disquiet of mind and vexation; but for us, who are persuaded and convinced that all things are regulated and guverned by God himself, there ought to be more content of mind and resignation. Know that this has not thus happened but for your greater good. For suppose the dispute were to have been to-morrow, you would not have comprehended it so well: but after three days’ space you will be more capable to conceive it; for in this time I shall make it my business to instruct you so as to make you profit hereby.

I will conclude with the means God took to send St. Francis Xavier to the East Indies; and without all doubt it is a thing worth our serious consideration; and wherein the divine Providence signalized itself most wonderfully. St. Ignatius had named for this mission the fathers, Simon Rodriguez, and Nicholas Bobadilla; and although the former, who was then at Rome, had a quartan ague, he prepared himself, notwithstanding, to embark for Portugal, with Don Pedro Mascarenas, the ambassador, who was on the point of returning. Bobadilla was sent for, who presently set out from Calabria for Rome; and came so tired and harassed with the fatigue of his journey, and so incommoded in one of his legs, that the ambassador just departing, and not able to stay till Bobadilla could be cured, and unwilling to go without the other father that was named for the Indies, it was thought fit, in the place of Bobadilla, to substitute St. Francis Xavier, who embarked immediately and set sail with the ambassador. If we consider these things humanly speaking, this substituting of St. Xavier at so short a warning might seem to have been done by chance: however, it was not so; but it was an execution of the orders of Providence, which had from eternity designed St. Francis Xavier an apostle of the Indies. Moreover, when he and Father Simon Rodriguez were arrived in Portugal, they made so plentiful a harvest of souls, that they had been almost stopped there; and the determination came to this, that one of them were to remain, and the other to prosecute his journey. See here the design in a manner broken off, and the affair reduced to a new uncertainty. But in respect of God, there was nothing uncertain. St. Xavier at last was pitched upon and sent to the Indies; it being the will of God who had thus ordered it, for the good of innumerable souls, and his own greater honour and glory. Men, therefore, may project and purpose to themselves what they please—they may use what means they will to compass their designs: God, notwithstanding, can turn all to his own ends, and perform what conduces most to his glory, and our advancement. All these examples, and such also as experience daily furnishes us with, may serve, by the help of prayer and meditation, to imprint in our heartsa filial confidence in God: and we must not discontinue this holy exercise, till we feel this confidence firmly established within us. The more we resign ourselves into the hands of God, the more secure we are; and on the contrary, without this confidence, all things will seem troublesome, and make you lose courage; and till you have entirely purchased it, you will never find solid peace, nor true content and repose. Let us then contemplate this absolute resignation of ourselves into the hands of God, with a full confidence. “Let us commit our care to our Lord, and cast them upon him, and he will nourish us.” (Psalms 54:23) ‘ And since he takes care of us, let us cast all our troubles and solicitudes into his bosom.” (1 Peter 5:7) What! O Lord! you have loved me so tenderly, that for the love of me, you delivered yourself into the hands of the executioners, to do with you as they pleased. Is it extraordinary, then, that I should give up myself absolutely into your merciful hands, to be disposed of as you shall judge fit; since I am certain you do nothing but what is for my good? Let us accept of the offer made by our Saviour Jesus Christ to St. Catherine of Sienna. He bestowed upon her many signal graces and favours, and amongst the rest appearing once to her, “¢ My daughter,” said he, “think on me, and I will always think on you.” What a happy compact! What a blessed exchange! And what an immense gain for our souls! Nevertheless, God makes the same compact with all the world. Forget yourselves, forget the care and solicitude of what belongs to you, and lay _ aside all your own designs; and the more you cast off the remembrance of yourselves, to think and meditate of God, and to place all your confidence in him, the more care will he take of you. Who would not accept so profitable a condition? _ It is the same the spouse made to her beloved: “I think not,” says she, “but of my beloved; and aH his thoughts are also of me.” (Canticle of Canticles 7:10)

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