compared with Prov. xvi. 3, 33; Luke i. 52-53; 1 Cor. xvi. 2 I.
(4.) By a class which aver his government of chance and accident (Exod. xxi, 12 13, compared with Deut xix,4 5; 1 Kings xxii, 34, 38, compared with xxi, 19; Prov. xvi, 33
(5.) By a class which proclaim his use uf noxious animals for the purposes of his government (Exod. xxiii, 28; Lev.xxvi,21 22; Deut vii, 20; Josh. xxiv, 12; Job v. 23; Jer. v, 6; EIos.ii, 18; Joel ii, 25 ; Amos iv,9; vii, 1).
(6.) By a class which affirm his righteous retri- butions (Lev. x. 1 3; xxvi. 11 39; Deut. xxv, 17 19; xxviii, 23 24; 2 Sam. iii, 39; 2 Kings ix. 30-37; xix, 25-28; 2 Chron. vi. 26-27; Job v, 13; x, 11: xxxiv, l I : Psa. xxxv, 6 8; lxxv, 6 8; Ixxxix, 30-32; xciv, 23; cvii, 33-31; Isa. v. 11 10.22 25; ix, 13 11; xiii. 11; xxviii, 15. Comp. xxix, 6 ; Jer. xxii, 21 22; Ezek. xi, 21 : xxvi, 2 21 : xxxv, 1-15; Dan. v. 18 :;t>: Amos iv; v; ( (had. 10-15; Zeph. i. 17; ii, 8 Hi: I lag. i, 10-11).
(7.i By a class which ascribe deliverances to God (Josh. xxiv. 5 11 : 2 Kings v. 1 ; Ezek. xxxiv. 12, 16, 30; xxxvi. 22 21; xxxvii. 21 23).
(8.) By a class which delate his supreme authority over men (l'sa. vii. 8; ix,8; x, 16; xxii, 28; xlvii.2.7, 8; lxxv. 7: lxxvi. 10; xevi. 10, 13; xcvii, 1; ciii, 19; exxxix. :» 10; Eccl.ix,l; [sa.x,15; xiv. 20 27: Ezek. xviii. I; Dan. iv,35; Rom.ix,19 21 1.
(9.) By a (lass which affirm his dominion over na- tional prosperity and adversity ( Exod. xvii. 14; xxiii, 25-30; Deut. vii, 13; 2 Sam. xxii. 15; Ezra v. 12; Psa, xviii, 13, 14; Isa. v, 3-30; xiii. 1. 6, 0 22; xlv. 7 ■. Jer. xxvii.2 8,12,13; xlix.00: Dan. ii, 20, 21, 25, 37, 38; v, 21; Amos iii, 6 ; Obad. 1-1: Hag. ii. 17: Zeph.i, 14-18; ii, 1-15; iii. 1 t-20; Ads xvii,26 .
(10.) By a class which declare that he sends bad laws and base rulers, stirs up adversaries, ami sends ad- versity (Judg. i\. 22. 23; 1 Kings xi. 1 1. 23; xi\. 15; 2 Kings viii, 12 ; xviii. 25; xix. 25; xxiv,20; 2 Chron. xv, 5 6; Psa, cv, 25; Isa. xxii, 17-19; xxxvii. 26, 27; Jer. xxvii, 0. 7: xxviii. 14; xlviii. II. 12; Iii."-; Lam. ii.7; Ezek. xx. 21 26; Dan. iv, 17; IIos.xiii.il; Mic. i, 12).
The teaching of the more than five hundred passages cite 1 might he confirmed, were it necessary, by nearly as many thousands more, showing with what emphasis the Scriptures proclaim the doctrine <f divine provi- dence.
II. The Doctrine Explained. 1. As Preservation, or
that by which all things are kept in being, with their several essences and faculties, and are enabled to act according to their respective natures I Heb. i.3).
2. As Gov< rum, nt. or I he control of all things in their several spheres of being and acting, and directing them to 1 he ends which he proposed to himself in their crea- tion. This government i-
(1.) Immediate; as in the direct control of the mate- rial universe by those modes of opt ration called forces of nature, such as gravitation, electricity . etc.
(2.i Mediate; as km in the vegetable world, by the laws which regulate the germination, growth, and de- cay of its organizations; (b) in the animal kingdom, by their controlling instincts; (c) in intelligent and moral creatures, bj means of motives. This last is evidently the mosl important as well as the most incomprehensi- ble field of divine providence.
I he motives which a righteous and benevolent Be- ing place- before hi- creatures can be only those « hich will directly tend to secure their holiness and happiness. Hut. as freedom of the will, in tie- sense of possible al- ternative moral action, is one of the endowments of
-neh creature-, and as preservation secures the func- tional activity of 8Uch will, whatever may result;
hence it follows that those holy motives may be disre- garded, and. in BUCh an event, moral government must be abandoned, or punitive and reformatory measures must be instituted that will originate a different class
PROVIDENCE
709
PROVIDENCE
of motives to reinforce those which have proved insuf- ficient. Hence, the system of natural evil is placed over against creature-freedom, both as a check and a correc- tive, and is in itself no arraignment of God's goodness, since it is a necessary means to a higher good. But the problem of God's concurrence in moral evil is the vexed question of the ages; yet, in point of principle, it is settled in the fact of the creation of intelligent be- ings with a capacity to sin and liability to become sin- ners. Hence the vindication of the divine character is legitimately the work of Theodicy, while the doctrine of providence need only explain God's conduct.
All moral evil consists in a wrong determination of a free will. God's purpose to preserve his creatures pledges his concurrence in such action of the will only so far as such concurrence may be necessary to enable the will to act according to its freedom. The moral character of the determination is fixed by the creature, and he alone is responsible for it. But when the choice is made, the moral character of the determination is complete; and neither the occurrence nor non-occur- rence of a resulting outward action can change, add to, or take from the moral quality of the original volition wherein the sin originated and was completed. As soon, however, as the execution cf a determination is attempted, the creature steps outside of his own inde- pendent and responsible sphere, and enters the realm of God's providence, where he assumes the control of all events. The actions of men (in distinction from their determinations), his control of the Church and of na- tions, special providences, the course of nature, and the works of grace are all included under the general term events, for which God takes the absolute responsibility. Hence it will be seen that the distinction often drawn between the permissive and active providences of God is of no practical value; and if any such distinction be allowed, it must be by confining the word "permissive" strictly to the free volitions of the will, and extending the word " active" to all events, as explained above.