Chapter VI

"It is true," quoth I, "but since it is thy profession to explicate the
causes of hidden things, and to unfold the reasons which are covered
with darkness, I beseech thee vouchsafe to declare what conclusion thou
drawest from these things, for this miracle troubleth me above all
others." Then she smiling a little said: "Thou invitest me to a matter
which is most hardly found out, and can scarcely be sufficiently
declared; for it is such that, one doubt being taken away, innumerable
others, like the heads of Hydra, succeed, neither will they have any end
unless a man repress them with the most lively fire of his mind. For in
this matter are wont to be handled these questions: of the simplicity of
Providence; of the course of Fate; of sudden chances; of God's knowledge
and predestination, and of free will; which how weighty they are, thou
thyself discerneth. But because it is part of thy cure to know these
things also, though the time be short, yet we will endeavour to touch
them briefly. But if the sweetness of verse delight thee, thou must
forbear this pleasure for a while, until I propose unto thee some few
arguments." "As it pleaseth thee," quoth I.

Then taking as it were a new beginning, she discoursed in this manner:
"The generation of all things, and all the proceedings of mutable
natures, and whatsoever is moved in any sort, take their causes, order,
and forms from the stability of the Divine mind. This, placed in the
castle of its own simplicity, hath determined manifold ways for doing
things; which ways being considered in the purity of God's
understanding, are named Providence, but being referred to those things
which He moveth and disposeth, they are by the ancients called Fate. The
diversity of which will easily appear if we weigh the force of both. For
Providence is the very Divine reason itself, seated in the highest
Prince, which disposeth all things. But Fate is a disposition inherent
in changeable things, by which Providence connecteth all things in their
due order. For Providence embraceth all things together, though diverse,
though infinite; but Fate putteth every particular thing into motion
being distributed by places, forms, and time; so that this unfolding of
temporal order being united into the foresight of God's mind is
Providence, and the same uniting, being digested and unfolded in time,
is called Fate. Which although they be diverse yet the one dependeth on
the other. For fatal order proceedeth from the simplicity of Providence.
For as a workman conceiving the form of anything in his mind taketh his
work in hand, and executeth by order of time that which he had simply
and in a moment foreseen, so God by His Providence disposeth whatsoever
is to be done with simplicity and stability, and by Fate effecteth by
manifold ways and in the order of time those very things which He
disposeth. Wherefore, whether Fate be exercised by the subordination of
certain Divine spirits to Providence, or this fatal web be woven by a
soul or by the service of all nature, or by the heavenly motions of the
stars, by angelical virtue, or by diabolical industry, or by some or all
of these, that certainly is manifest that Providence is an immoveable
and simple form of those things which are to be done, and Fate a
moveable connexion and temporal order of those things which the Divine
simplicity hath disposed to be done. So that all that is under Fate is
also subject to Providence, to which also Fate itself obeyeth. But some
things which are placed under Providence are above the course of Fate.
And they are those things which nigh to the first Divinity, being stable
and fixed, exceed the order of fatal mobility. For as of orbs which turn
about the same centre, the inmost draweth nigh to the simplicity of the
midst, and is as it were the hinge of the rest, which are placed without
it, about which they are turned, and the outmost, wheeled with a greater
compass, by how much it departeth from the middle indivisibility of the
centre, is so much the more extended into larger spaces, but that which
is joined and coupled to that middle approacheth to simplicity, and
ceaseth to spread and flow abroad, in like manner that which departeth
farthest from the first mind is involved more deeply in the meshes of
Fate, and everything is so much the freer from Fate, by how much it
draweth nigh to the hinge of all things. And if it sticketh to the
stability of the Sovereign mind, free from motion, it surpasseth also
the necessity of Fate. Wherefore in what sort discourse of reason is
compared to pure understanding, that which is produced to that which is,
time to eternity, a circle to the centre, such is the course of moveable
Fate to the stable simplicity of Providence. That course moveth the
heaven and stars, tempereth the elements one with another, and
transformeth them by mutual changing. The same reneweth all rising and
dying things by like proceeding of fruits and seeds. This comprehendeth
also the actions and fortunes of men by an unloosable connexion of
causes, which since it proceeds from the principles of unmovable
Providence, the causes also must needs be immutable. For in this manner
things are best governed, if the simplicity which remaineth in the
Divine mind produceth an inflexible order of causes, and this order
restraineth with its own immutability things otherwise mutable, and
which would have a confused course. Whereof it ensueth that though all
things seem confused and disordered to you, who are not able to consider
this order, notwithstanding all things are disposed by their own proper
measure directing them to good. For there is nothing which is done for
the love of evil, even by the wicked themselves: whom, as hath been
abundantly proved, lewd error carrieth away while they are seeking after
that which is good, so far is it that order proceeding from the hinge of
the Sovereign Goodness should avert any from his first beginning.

But, thou wilt say, what more unjust confusion can there be than that
both adversity and prosperity should happen to the good, and in like
manner both desired and hateful things to the wicked? But are men so
completely wise that whomsoever they judge wicked or honest must needs
be so? How then are their censures contrary one to another, so that to
divers the same men seem worthy of reward and punishment! But let us
grant that some are able to discern the good from the evil. Can they
therefore behold, as is wont to be said of bodies, that inward
complexion of souls? For he that knoweth not the cause may marvel in
like manner why some sound bodies agree better with sweet things and
other with tart; and why some sick men are healed with gentle and some
with sharper physic. But to a physician who knoweth the manner and
temper both of health and sickness this is nothing strange. Now, what is
the health of souls but virtue? What sickness have they but vices? And
who either conserveth goodness or expelleth evils, but God the Ruler and
Governor of men's minds? Who beholding from His high turret of
providence seeth what is fitting for everyone, and applieth that which
He knoweth to be most convenient. Here ariseth that strange wonder of
fatal order, to wit that He that knoweth what is best, doth that which
the ignorant admire. For to touch briefly some few things of the divine
depth, which human reason is able to attain, he whom thou thinketh most
just and most observant of equity, seemeth otherwise in the eyes of
Providence which knoweth all. And our disciple Lucan noteth that the
cause of conquerers pleased the gods, and that of the conquered,
Cato.[158] Wherefore whatsoever thou seest done here against thy
expectation is right order in the things themselves, but a perverse
confusion in thy opinion. But let there be one so well conditioned that
God and men approve and praise him; yet perhaps he is so weak a minded
man, that if he falleth into adversity, he will forsake his innocency,
which was not able to keep him in prosperity. Wherefore God's wise
dispensation spareth him that adversity might make worse, lest he should
suffer to whom difficulties are dangerous.

There is another complete in all virtues, a saint and high to God;
Providence judgeth it a sacrilege to lay affliction on him, insomuch
that she permitteth him not to be troubled so much as with corporal
sickness. For as one that excelleth me saith 'the body of an holy man is
builded of pure ether.'[159] It happeneth often also that the chief
command is given to good men, that wickedness, which otherwise would
overflow all, may be kept down. She mixeth for others sour and sweet
according to the disposition of their souls; she troubles some lest they
should fall to dissolution by long prosperity, others are vexed with
hardships, that they may confirm the forces of their mind with the use
and exercise of patience. Some are too much afraid of that which they
are able to bear. Others make less account than there is cause of that
which they cannot endure. All these she affrayeth with afflictions that
they make trial of themselves. Many have bought the renown of this world
with a glorious death. Some, overcoming all torments, have showed by
their example that virtues cannot be conquered by miseries, which things
how well and orderly they are done, and how much to their good upon whom
they are seen to fall, there can be no doubt. For that sometime
grievous, sometime pleasant things befall in like manner the wicked,
proceedeth from the same causes. And as for adversity no man marvelleth
because all think they deserve ill. Whose punishments do both terrify
others from the like courses, and move them to amend themselves. And
their prosperity is a great argument to the good, what they ought to
judge of this happiness which they see oftentimes bestowed upon the
wicked. In which thing also is to be considered that peradventure some
have so headlong and untoward a disposition, that poverty would rather
make him worse; whose disease is cured by Providence, with giving him
store of money. Another, knowing his own guilty conscience, and
comparing his character with his own estate, is afraid lest the loss of
that should be grievous unto him, the use of which is pleasant.
Wherefore he resolveth to change his customs, and whiles he feareth to
lose his prosperity, he forsaketh wickedness. The increase of honour
undeservedly obtained hath thrown some headlong into their deserved
destruction. Others are permitted to have authority to punish others,
that they may exercise the good and punish the bad. For as there is no
league between virtuous and wicked men, so neither can the wicked agree
among themselves. Why not? Since they disagree within themselves by
reason of their vices which tear their conscience, so that they many
times do that which afterwards they wish undone. From whence that
highest Providence often worketh that wonderful miracle, that evil men
make those which are evil good. For some, considering the injustice done
them by most wicked men, inflamed with hatred of evildoers have returned
to the practice of virtue, procuring to be contrary to them whom they
hate. For it is only a divine strength to which even evil things are
good, when, by using them in due sort, it draweth some good effect out
of them. For a certain order embraceth all things, so that even that
which departeth from the order appointed to it, though it falleth into
another, yet that is order also, lest confused rashness should bear any
sway in the kingdom of Providence. 'But it is hard for me to rehearse
all this as if I were a God.'[160] For it is impossible for any man
either to comprehend by his wit or to explicate in speech all the frame
of God's work. Be it sufficient that we have seen thus much, that God,
the author of all natures, directeth and disposeth all things to
goodness, and while He endeavoureth to retain in His own likeness those
things which He hath produced, He banisheth all evil from the bounds of
His commonwealth, by the course of fatal necessity. So that if thou
considerest the disposition of Providence, thou wilt perceive that evil,
which is thought so to abound upon earth, hath no place left for it at
all. But I see that long since burdened with so weighty a question, and
wearied with my long discourse, thou expectest the delight of verses;
wherefore take a draught, that, being refreshed, thou mayest be able to
go forward.

[158] _Pharsal_. i. 126.

[159] Source unknown.

[160] Homer, _Il._ xii. 176.