3d. In his ordinary providence God does not change or coerce, hut rather preserves these properties in their integrity, and this order of nature.
4th. God, however, "both in the original constitution of the ma- terial elements, in the adjustment of them in their mutual rela- tions, and in his concurrent providential control of them in action, certainly determines all results, individual and general, regular and exceptional
20. What is meant by a " material cause," and what by a ulaiv of nature" ?
The material world consists simply of a greater or less number of elements, each endowed with its own specific property or capacity of acting, and of being acted upon by all other elements respectively in a certain way. One of these bodies alone produces no effect, and therefore is no cause ; but two or more of them brought together act upon each other mutually, according to their properties and to their relative circumstances. A. material cause, therefore, is to be found in the relative properties of two or more bodies, so adjusted as to act upon each other, and the effect is the mutual change in each which results from this interaction, e. g., we have for cause the mutual chemical attraction of the oxygen of the air, and the hydrogen and carbon of the wood at a high temperature, and for effect we have the smoke and the ashes, or the elements of air and wood in new combinations after combustion.
But in order that such causes should act uniformly, these ma- terial elements must be adjusted uniformly in their mutual rela- tions. This God has done with infinite wisdom with respect to the relation of these elements, " 1st, as to their properties ; 2d, as to their quantity : 3d, as to space ; 4th, as to time/''
A " law of nature" is nothing more than a general or uniform fact ; it is only a general expression for the way in which ma- terial elements act in their mutual relations as providentially ad- justed. Instead of producing the harmonious results in nature,
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which are often superficially attributed to them, " they are them- selves the result of nicely balanced and skilfull adjustments." — M'Cosh, Divine Gov., Book II., chap. i.
21. What do the Scriptures teach as to God's providential agency in the good acts of men ?
The Scriptures attribute all that is good in man to the free grace of God, operating both providentially and spiritually, and influencing alike the body and the soul, and the outward relations of the individual.— Phil. EL, 13 ; iv., 13 ; 2 Cor. xii., 9, 10; Eph. ii., 10 ; Gal. v., 22-25.
It is to be remembered, however, that while a material cause may be analysed into the mutual interaction of two or more bodies, a human soul acts spontaneously, i. e., originates action. The soul also, in all its voluntary acts, is determined by its own prevailing dispositions and desires.
When all the good actions of men, therefore, are attributed to God, it is not meant, 1st, that he causes them, or, 2d, that he determines man to cause them, irrespectively of man's free will ; but it is meant that God so acts upon man from within spirit- ually, and from without by moral influences, as to induce the free disposition. He works in us first to will, and then to do his good pleasure.
22. What is taught in the Scriptures concerning his agency with respect to the sins of men ?
There is involved in this question the insoluble mystery, 1st, of God's permission of moral evil, and, 2d, of the nature of God's action upon the dependent spirits of men.
Turrettin sets forth the testimony of Scripture upon this sub- ject thus : —
1st. As to the beginning of the sin, (1.) God freely permits it. But this permission is neither moral, i. e., while permitting it physically, he never approves it ; nor merely negative, i. e., he does not simply concur in the result, but he positively determines that bad men shall be permitted for wise and holy ends to act according to their bad natures. — Acts xiv., 16 ; Ps. lxxxi., 12. (2.) He deserts those who sin, either by withdrawing grace abused, or by withholding additional grace. This desertion may be either
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a partial, to prove man's heart (2 Chron. xxxii., 31), or b for cor- rection, or c penal (Jer. vii., 29 ; Kom. i., 24-26). (3.) God so orders providential circumstances that the inherent wickedness of men takes the particular course of action he has determined to permit (Acts ii., 23 ; iii., 18). (4.). God delivers men to Satan, a as a tempter (2 Thess. ii., 9-11), b as a torturer (1 Cor. v., 5).
2d. As to the progress of the sin, God restrains it as to its intensity and its duration, and as to its influence upon others. This he effects both by internal influences upon the heart, and by the control of external circumstances. — Ps. lxxvi., 10.
3d. As to the end or result of the sin, God uniformly over- rules it and directs it for good. — Gen. 1., 20 ; Job i., 12 ; ii., 6-10 ; Acts iii., 13 ; iv., 27, 28.