WCF 5.2

Westminster Confession of Faith

5.2. Of Providence

Although, in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly: yet, by the same providence, He ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.

Proof texts

Acts 2:23 — [23] this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Gen. 8:22 — [22] While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Jer. 31:35 — [35] Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar — the LORD of hosts is his name:
Exod. 21:13 with Deut. 19:5
1 Kings 22:28, 34 — [28] And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!” [34] But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”
Isa. 10:6, 7 — [6] Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. [7] But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few;

For discussion

The Assembly cited Acts 2:23 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
6 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
WSC Q11 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
WSC Q12 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q11 · WSC Q12 · WLC Q18 · WLC Q19 · WLC Q20 · HC Q26 · HC Q27 · HC Q28 · BC 3.1 · BC 3.2 · 1689 5.1 · SC60 2.1 · IAR 4.1 · IAR 4.2 · IAR 4.3 · IAR 4.4 · SHC 2.1 · SHC 2.2 · SD 5.1

Leader's notes

A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach : 1st. That as the execution of an eternal and sovereign purpose, God's providential control is in the case of every being and event certainly efficacious. 2d. That the manner in which he controls his creatures and their actions, and effects his purposes through them, is in every case perfectly consistent with the nature of the creature and of his action. 3d. That God ordinarily effects his purposes through means ; that is, through the agency of second causes subject to his control. 4th. But that he possesses, and at times at his sovereign pleasure exercises, the power of effecting his purpose immediately by the direct energy of his power. 1st. That the providential control which God…

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): Since all things were known to God from the beginning of the world, and come to pass according to the immutable counsel of his will, it necessarily follows that, in respect of the foreknowledge and decree of God, all things come to pass infallibly. But, by his providence, he orders them to fall out according to the nature of second causes. Every part of the material world has an immediate dependence on the will and power of God, in respect of every motion and operation, as well as in respect of continued existence ; but he governs the material world by certain physical laws, — commonly called the laics of nature, and in Scripture the ordinances of heaven, — and…