I. PROVIDENCE DEFINED
II. DIFFERENT SPHERES OF PROVIDENTIAL ACTIVITY DISTINGUISHED
III. BIBLICAL PRESENTATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF PROVIDENCE
1. Divine Providence in the Old Testament Scriptures
(1) Providence in the Pentateuch
(2) The Historical Books of the Old Testament
(3) The Psalms
(4) The Wisdom Literature
(5) The Book of Job
(6) The Prophetical Writings
2. Divine Providence in the New Testament
(1) The Synoptic Gospels
(2) The Johannine Writings
(3) The Book of Ac and Other New Testament History
(4) The Pauline Epistles
(5) The Petrine Epistles, and Other New Testament Writings
3. Old Testament and New Testament Doctrines of Providence Compared
(1) The New Emphasis on the Fatherhood and Love of God
(2) The Place of Christ and the Holy Spirit in Providence
(3) The New Emphasis upon Moral and Spiritual Blessings
IV. DISCUSSION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE
1. Different Views of Providence Compared
(1) The Atheistic or Materialistic View
(2) The Pantheistic View
(3) The Deistic View
(4) The Theistic or Biblical View
(5) The Divine Immanence
2. The Divine Purpose and Final End of Providence
3. Special Providence
(1) Spiritual, Not Material, Good to Man the End Sought in Special Providence
(2) Special Providence and "Accidents"
(3) Special Providence as Related to Piety and Prayer
(4) Special Providence as Related to Human Cooperation
(5) General and Special Providence Both Equally Divine
4. Divine Providence and Human Free Will
(1) Divine Providence as Related to Willing Wills
(2) Divine Providence as Related to Sinful Free Will
5. Divine Providence as Related to Natural and Moral Evil
6. Evil Providentially Overruled for Good
7. Interpreting Providence
I. Providence Defined.
The word "provide" (from Latin providere) means etymologically "to foresee." The corresponding Greek word, pronoia, means "forethought." Forethought and foresight imply a future end, a goal and a definite purpose and plan for attaining that end. The doctrine of final ends is a doctrine of final causes, and means that that which is last in realization and attainment is first in mind and thought. The most essential attribute of rational beings is that they act with reference to an end; that they act not only with thought but with forethought. As, therefore, it is characteristic of rational beings to make preparation for every event that is foreseen or anticipated, the word "providence" has come to be used less in its original etymological meaning of foresight than to signify that preparation care and supervision which are necessary to secure a desired future result. While all rational beings exercise a providence proportioned to their powers, yet it is only when the word is used with reference to the Divine Being who is possessed of infinite knowledge and power that it takes on its real and true significance. The doctrine of divine providence, therefore, has reference to that preservation care and government which God exercises over all things that He has created in order they may accomplish the ends for which they were created.
"Providence is the most comprehensive term in the language of theology. It is the background of all the several departments of religious truth, a background mysterious in its commingled brightness and darkness. It penetrates and fills the whole compass of the relations of man with his Maker. It connects the unseen God with the visible creation, and the visible creation with the work of redemption, and redemption with personal salvation, and personal salvation with the end of all things. It carries our thoughts back to the supreme purpose which was in the beginning with God, and forward to the foreseen end and consummation of all things, while it includes between these the whole infinite variety of the dealings of God with man" (W. B. Pope, Compendium of Christian Theology, I, 456).
II. Different Spheres of Providential Activity Distinguished.
The created universe may be conveniently divided, with reference divine providence, into three departments:
first, the inanimate or physical universe, which is conserved or g