Farley concedes in his first chapter that prevalently Reformed doctrines have been well attested in the 20th century by other theologians, such as Emil Brunner and Karl Barth. Brunner paid particular attention to election, saying the subject had forced itself upon the church, because 'election constitutes the centre of the Old and the New Testament'. Whilst Barth adopted a similar position, he did not hesitate to use the term "decree", stating that 'providence belongs to the execution of this decree', which finds its particular scriptural expression in the Reformed doctrine of predestination. Where Barth erred, however, was to hold that God's dealings with men are universal - it is election of mankind. In lieu of their ill-conceived attempts, Benjamin Farley sets the record straight and preserves a more biblically informed view. Farley closes the chapter by looking at the close association between creation and providence. God created the universe by His work of creation; and then He preserves and governs the created universe by His works of providence.