DIVINE. These are otherwise called “the ways of God,” and
denote those schemes or methods which are devised and pursued by the
wisdom and goodness of God, in order to manifest his perfections and
will to mankind, for the purpose of their instruction, discipline,
reformation, and advancement in rectitude of temper and conduct, in
order to promote their happiness. These are the grand ends of the divine
dispensations; and in their aptitude to promote these ends consist their
excellence and glory. The works or constitutions of nature are, in a
general sense, divine dispensations, by which God condescends to display
to us his being and attributes, and thus to lead us to the
acknowledgment, adoration, and love, of our Creator, Father, and
Benefactor. The sacred Scriptures reveal and record other dispensations
of divine providence, which have been directed to the promotion of the
religious principles, moral conduct, and true happiness of mankind.
These have varied in several ages of the world, and have been adapted by
the wisdom and goodness of God to the circumstances of his intelligent
and accountable creatures. In this sense the various revelations which
God has communicated to mankind at different periods, and the means he
has used, as occasion has required, for their discipline and
improvement, have been justly denominated divine dispensations.
Accordingly, we read in the works of theological writers of the various
dispensations of religion; that of the patriarchs, that of Moses, and
that of Christ, called the dispensation of grace, the perfection and
ultimate object of every other. All these were adapted to the conditions
of the human race at these several periods; all, in regular succession,
were mutually connected and rendered preparatory one to the other; and
all were subservient to the design of saving the world, and promoting
the perfection and happiness of its rational and moral inhabitants. See
COVENANT.
denote those schemes or methods which are devised and pursued by the
wisdom and goodness of God, in order to manifest his perfections and
will to mankind, for the purpose of their instruction, discipline,
reformation, and advancement in rectitude of temper and conduct, in
order to promote their happiness. These are the grand ends of the divine
dispensations; and in their aptitude to promote these ends consist their
excellence and glory. The works or constitutions of nature are, in a
general sense, divine dispensations, by which God condescends to display
to us his being and attributes, and thus to lead us to the
acknowledgment, adoration, and love, of our Creator, Father, and
Benefactor. The sacred Scriptures reveal and record other dispensations
of divine providence, which have been directed to the promotion of the
religious principles, moral conduct, and true happiness of mankind.
These have varied in several ages of the world, and have been adapted by
the wisdom and goodness of God to the circumstances of his intelligent
and accountable creatures. In this sense the various revelations which
God has communicated to mankind at different periods, and the means he
has used, as occasion has required, for their discipline and
improvement, have been justly denominated divine dispensations.
Accordingly, we read in the works of theological writers of the various
dispensations of religion; that of the patriarchs, that of Moses, and
that of Christ, called the dispensation of grace, the perfection and
ultimate object of every other. All these were adapted to the conditions
of the human race at these several periods; all, in regular succession,
were mutually connected and rendered preparatory one to the other; and
all were subservient to the design of saving the world, and promoting
the perfection and happiness of its rational and moral inhabitants. See
COVENANT.