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Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814
8. Part 1, Section 8: Of the Providence of God
God did not leave the world which he had created; but careth for it, and preserveth to all things their being and powers, and most wisely governeth and directeth all things to the best ends.
1. The providence of God, or God’s care over the world, consists in this, that he preserveth to all his creatures their being and powers; for all creatures do exist, and possess powers of action, only in consequence of God’s willing it to be so; and because this willing of God still continues: (for who will say, that any thing exists or acts in opposition to the will of God?) This will of his is active; consequently all creatures have their existence and powers continued to them by God. This preservation may be called, a continued creation of things. Otherwise, should this goodwill of God stop for a moment, in the same moment all creation would fall into non-existence. In support of this, it is written, “In him (God) we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts xvii. 28; also Matthew vi. 26, &c.
There is neither Fate nor Chance.
2. God hath established such a union among his creatures, that one is made to serve another; and thus the universe is preserved in one whole. But who could direct all these innumerable movements of things to one end, except the almighty and infinitely wise God? In this he revealeth to us the transcendency of his glory; and thus it is written: “Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Acts xiv. 17, and the whole of Psalm ciii. Hence, nothing takes place in the world from necessity or by fate, and nothing can happen by chance, that is, it cannot take place without the permission of God. Therefore, abundance and want, poverty and riches, success and disappointment, all happen as the paternal and divine counsel of infinite wisdom permits. And when we suppose, that we observe in the world any sort of disorder, this arises from our inability to penetrate into the whole connection of things, which, if we could once comprehend, we should be astonished at the infinite wisdom of God.