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State of the question. It appears that all things are
not subject to God's governance, for, as we read in
Ecclesiastes, many things are fortuitous. Moreover, we
read, "Doth God take care for oxen?"[941] and
even of the rational creature Sacred Scripture says:
"God made man from the beginning, and left him in the
hand of his own counsel."[942]
Reply. It is of faith that all things are subject to the
divine governance. The Vatican Council declared:
"All things that He established God guards and governs
by His providence, 'reaching from end to end mightily,
and ordering all things sweetly.'"[943] "All
things are naked and open to His eyes,"[944] even
those things that are in the future by the free action of
creatures.
Proof from reason. "Just as there can be nothing that
is not created by God, so there can be nothing that is
not subject to His governance." Again, "as there is
nothing that is not ordered to the divine goodness as to
its end, so it is impossible that any being should be
outside the divine governance."
Therefore, both from the viewpoint of the supreme agent
and from the viewpoint of the ultimate end it is clear that
all things are subject to the divine governance. The
opposite opinion is rightly called "stupid," since
stupidity makes a judgment about things on the basis of the
lowest kind of cause, that is, chance, and opposes
wisdom, which judges all things on the basis of the
highest cause and the ultimate end.
Reply to first objection. Many things, indeed, happen
beyond the intention of nature and are said to happen by
chance. But in these cases chance would not exist beyond
the intention of nature if the things of nature did not
tend to an end under the divine governance. "By the very
fact that something casual is found in these things it is
demonstrated that these things are subject to the divine
rule." Moreover, nothing happens by chance or fate from
God's viewpoint; the casual takes place only in view of
other causes.
Ecclesiastes[945] does not teach the opposite. The
sacred writer also holds that many things are hidden from
us: "As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit,
nor how the bones are joined together in the womb of her
that is with child; so thou knowest not the works of
God, who is the maker of all."[946] Hence
Ecclesiastes concludes: "Let us all hear together the
conclusion of the discourse. Fear God, and keep His
commandments: for this is all man. And all things that
are done, God will bring into judgment for every error,
whether it be good or evil."[947]
Reply to second objection. When it is said that "God
does not have care for oxen," this means that He does
not care for them in the same way that He cares for
rational creatures, to whom He gives precepts, counsel,
and rewards, and whom He punishes.
Reply to third objection. The rational creature as a
secondary cause governs itself, but over and above this it
is governed by God, the first cause.
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