it plain to me that
fortune is not an illusion of the mind nor a sport of nature nor
something without a cause, for this has no reality, but is visible
evidence that divine providence is over the least things in human thought
and action. As divine providence occurs in these least things which are
insignificant and trifling, why should it not in the significant and
important matters of peace and war in the world and of salvation and life
in heaven?

213. I know, however, that human prudence bears the rational faculty its
way more than divine providence does its way, for the latter does not
show itself and the former does. It can be accepted more readily that
there is only one life, namely God, and that all men are recipients of
life from Him, as we have shown many times, yet this amounts to saying
that prudence is from Him, for prudence is part of life. What man,
speaking in favor of nature and of human prudence in his reasoning, is
not speaking from the natural or external man? And what man, speaking in
favor of divine providence and of God in his reasoning, is not speaking
from the spiritual or internal man? But, "Pray, write two books," I say
to the natural man, "and fill them with plausible, likely and lifelike
reasons which in your judgment are solid ones, the one book in favor of
one's own prudence, and the other in favor of nature. Then hand them to
any angel. I know he will write down on them these few words: `All this
is appearance and fallacy.'"

XI. DIVINE PROVIDENCE LOOKS TO WHAT IS ETERNAL, AND TO THE TEMPORAL ONLY
AS THIS ACCORDS WITH THE ETERNAL

214. That divine providence looks to what is eternal and to the temporal
only so far as this makes one with the eternal, will be demonstrated in
this order:

i. The temporal has to do with distinction and wealth, thus with standing
and gain, in the world.
ii. The eternal has to do with spiritual standing and abundance, of love
and wisdom, in heaven.
iii. The temporal and the eternal are separated by man, but are united by
the Lord.
iv. The uniting of temporal and eternal is the Lord's divine providence.

215. (i) _The temporal has to do with distinction and wealth, thus with
standing and gain, in the world._ Many things are temporal, but they are
all related to distinction and wealth. By the temporal is meant all that
either perishes in time or at least comes to an end with man's life in
the world. By the eternal is meant all that does not perish or come t