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SD 5.3 Of Providence
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Of Providence

Section 5.3

God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.

See also in WCF: 5.1 Compare: Of Providence
Acts 27:31, 44
[31] Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” [44] and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Isa. 55:10, 11
[10] “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [11] so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Hos. 2:21, 22
[21] “And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth, [22] and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel,
Hos. 1:7
[7] But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”
Matt. 4:4
[4] But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Job 34:20
[20] In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
Rom. 4:19, 20, 21
[19] He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. [20] No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, [21] fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
2 Kings 6:6
[6] Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float.
Dan. 3:27
[27] And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
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5.1
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Of Providence

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5.2 5.4

Chapter 5: Of Providence

God's preservation and governing of all creatures

Of Providence

Section 5.1

God the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose and govern all creatures, actions and things from the greatest even to the least by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness and mercy.

Of Providence

Section 5.2

Although in relation to the foreknowledge 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.

Of Providence

Section 5.3

God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.

Of Providence

Section 5.4

The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, in that his determinate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men (and that not by a bare permission) which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation to his own most holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God, who being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be the author or approver of sin.

Of Providence

Section 5.5

The most wise, righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.

Of Providence

Section 5.6

As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden, from them he not only withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to such objects, as their corruption makes occasions of sin; and withal gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan; whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others.

Of Providence

Section 5.7

As the providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so after a most special manner it taketh care of his Church, and disposeth all things to the good thereof.