(_c_) Directive,—God directs the evil acts of men to ends unforeseen and unintended by the agents. When evil is in the heart and will certainly come out, God orders its flow in one direction rather than in another, so that its course can be best controlled and least harm may result. This is sometimes called overruling providence. _Gen. 50:20_—“_as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive_”; _Ps. 76:10_—“_the wrath of man shall praise thee: The residue of wrath shalt thou gird upon thee_”—put on as an ornament—clothe thyself with it for thine own glory; _Is. 10:5_—“_Ho Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in whose hand is mine indignation_”; _John 13:27_—“_What thou doest, do quickly_”—do in a particular way what is actually being done (Westcott, Bib. Com., _in loco_); _Acts 4:27, 28_—“_against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel fore-ordained to come to pass._” To this head of directive providence should probably be referred the passages with regard to Pharaoh in _Ex. 4:21_—“_I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go_”; _7:13_—“_and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened_”; _8:15_—“_he hardened his heart_”—_i. e._, Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Here the controlling agency of God did not interfere with the liberty of Pharaoh or oblige him to sin; but in judgment for his previous cruelty and impiety God withdrew the external restraints which had hitherto kept his sin within bounds, and placed him in circumstances which would have influenced to right action a well-disposed mind, but which God foresaw would lead a disposition like Pharaoh’s to the peculiar course of wickedness which he actually pursued.