A Divine Looking-Glass - Reason and The Right Devil

Reason and The Right Devil

Reeve takes the unusual step of condemning reason outright. There is never any tendency in his book to equate reason with the deity. Quite the contrary, he is certain there is no trace of reason in God because reason is just desire. Humans use reason, at least after the fall of Adam and Eve, because they see in it a technique, a trick, to obtain the satisfactions they feel they lack. Angels do likewise, although their desires are for pure things, not carnal ones. God lacks nothing, therefore he neither desires nor reasons. "all those men that call pure reason God's divine nature ... they shall find their imaginary reason nothing else but a dark tormenting fiery devil of burning envy in their own bodies" (1.23).

If reason, instead of guiding humankind, constantly leads it astray, upon what can we rely? The law as written into our consciences (4.50). It is conscience that determines actions, not free-will (14.39). And, by the implant of conscience in us, we can comprehend immortal and infinite things although not being immortal or infinite ourselves. For Reeve, what eventually defeats the earthly tyrant is his own bad conscience (42.33). Only God is subject to no law (4.18). Law is to be found in faith alone because the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life (5.47). Faith is entirely within the gift of God (1.29). Reeve does not explore the problem of the wide differences of experience of conscience between individuals. What scripture contains is spiritual mysteries, accessible by faith, but not by reason (6.5). The gospels were not written by the learned but by the enlightened (6.11). Those who employ reason may see but do not perceive, hear but do not understand. Reason is devilishness within. A right appreciation of the devil is to see it as the turmoil within ourselves.

Reeve displays little affinity for the mysticism which seeks oneness with an infinite majesty whilst still in this life. There is even less enthusiasm for moral reform. Instead, he advocates a realistic and fatalistic acceptance of the human condition as we find it (15.14). Questions like 'why do all my repentances lead to a craving to sin again' are just pointless self-recrimination (13.1). We are what we are and free-will is powerless to change this. "It is thou, O Lord Jesus Christ which wounds the souls of thy redeemed ones, through thy spiritual absence; and it is Thou who must heal them with thy glorious presence" (13.12). Why? Because that's the way divine love and free grace work. In heavenly affairs, points do not win prizes. Merit is merely worldly.