4393. About the Providence of the Lord
About the Providence of the Lord I spoke at length with spirits and angels, saying that one's own wisdom is like a heap of earth scattered thinly throughout the atmosphere in comparison with the whole atmosphere, which is not visible, and the heaps are such that they fall to pieces and amount to nothing in the atmosphere. Providence is as when one walks in dark forests, the exit out of which one does not know; but upon discovering it, attributes the find to his own wisdom; whereas providence is like someone in a tower who is watching the person's vagaries, and leads him without his knowledge to the exit. The reason he attributes it to his own wisdom if he is prompted to observe something of the path, or to coincidence or chance, is that he looks at things present, not at far off goals, of which he sees nothing at all, not even seeing anything of goals in the world, still less in the other life. This was illustrated and confirmed by the angels.
That nothing whatever is achieved without the providence of the Lord, is also illustrated by various things occurring in nature that are attributed to chance, which are the result of providence, as, for example, in trade, in games, in everything else.
4393. CONCERNING THE PROVIDENCE OF THE LORD.
I discoursed largely with spirits and angels concerning the Providence of the Lord, that one's own prudence is like motes scattered thinly through the atmosphere, in comparison with the whole atmosphere, which are not visible, and are such that they fall down, and are of no account in the atmosphere. Providence is as when one walks in thick forests, the egress out of which he does not know; but when he finds it, he attributes the discovery to himself, whereas Providence meantime is as one who stands in a tower, sees the wanderings of such a man, and leads him without his knowing it to the place of egress. The reason why, in case it is given him to observe anything of the way, he attributes it either to his own prudence, or to chance, or to fortune, is, that he who looks at present things and not at ends afar off, of which he does not see the least, does not see anything at all of ends even so far as they relate to this world, much less to the other life. This was illustrated and confirmed by the angels. That there is nothing whatever without the Providence of the Lord is also illustrated by various things extant in nature which are attributed to fortune, but which are the ultimate of Providence, as, for example, in merchandize, in games, and in all other things.
4393. De Providentia Domini
De Providentia Domini multum loquutus cum spiritibus et angelis, quod propria prudentia sit sicut sparsus grumus et rarus in atmosphaera respective ad totam atmosphaeram, quam non vident, et quod grumi sint tales ut decidant, et nihili sunt in atmosphaera: se habet providentia sicut qui in sylvis opacis vadit, nec scit exitum, quem cum invenit, sibi tribuit, cum providentia sit sicut qui in turri, videt errores, et ducit, eo nesciente, ad exitum; quod is tribuit suae prudentiae, si ei datum sit observare aliquid viae, aut casui seu fortunae; causa est, qui spectat praesentia, nec fines e longinquo, quorum ne hilum videt, ne quidem quicquam videt de finibus in mundo, minus in altera vita; quod illustratum et confirmatum ab angelis: quod nihil quicquam absque providentia Domini, etiam illustratum a variis in natura exstantibus, quae tribuuntur fortunae, quae sunt ultimum providentiae; ut exempli causa in mercatura, in ludis, in caeteris omnibus.