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.