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Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

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CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY.<br />

Adam Clarke<br />

XXIX.—PROVIDENCE.<br />

THAT God has general laws by which he governs the universe, I am<br />

fully aware; I see them through universal nature: and that he has a general<br />

providence suited to those laws, I equally believe; but as all generals<br />

imply the particulars of which they are composed, so I believe God has<br />

his particular laws; and, suited to them, his particular providence, adapted<br />

to every occurrence, and applicable to all possible varieties of persons,<br />

place, and circumstance; that nothing can occur to which he cannot adapt<br />

a particular influence by which that occurrence shall be so directed, or<br />

counteracted, as to prevent the evil, and produce the necessary good.<br />

And should there be no occurrences which appear to be under the<br />

control of no particular laws, and should there be no natural means to<br />

meet such occurrences, guide their operation, or direct their malinfluence;<br />

so sovereign is he, that without laws and means, he can, by the<br />

omnific volitions of his own mind, counterwork the evil and produce the<br />

good. And this he is constantly doing, in numberless cases, in answer to<br />

prayer: and, indeed, every answer to prayer is a proof as well of this<br />

particular and especial providence, as of his innate and eternal goodness.<br />

This providence is not only general, taking in the earth and its<br />

inhabitants, en masse; giving and establishing laws by which all things<br />

shall be governed; but it is also particular; it takes in the multitudes of the<br />

isles, as well as the vast continents; the different species, as well as the<br />

genera; the individual, as well as the family. As every whole is composed<br />

of its parts, without the smallest of which it could not be whole; so all<br />

generals are composed of particulars. And by the particular providence<br />

of God, the general providence is formed: he takes care of each<br />

individual; and, therefore, he takes care of the whole. Therefore, on the<br />

particular providence of God the general providence is built. And the<br />

general providence could not exist without the particular, any more than

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