Divine Providence LBCF

      
                                        1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith


          Chapter 5:  Of Divine Providence


          1. God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom doth
     uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest
     even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which
     they were created, according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and
     immutable counsel of his own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power,
     justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.
          (Hebrews 1:3; Job 38:11; Isaiah 46:10; Psalm 135:6; Matthew 10:29-31;
           Ephesians 1:11)


           2.  Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause,
     all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; so that there is not anything befalls
     any by chance, or without his providence; yet by the same providence he ordereth
     them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely,
     or contingently.
           (Acts 2:23; Proverbs 16:3; Genesis 8:22)


          3. God, in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work with-
     out, above, and against them at his pleasure.
           (Acts 27:31,44; Isaiah 55:10.11; Hosea 1:7; Romans 4:19-21; Daniel 3:27)


          4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so
     far manifest themselves in his providence, that his determinate counsel extendeth
     itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both 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 most holy
     ends; yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and
     not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author
     or approver of sin.
         (Romans 11:32-34; 2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1; 2 Kings 19:28; Psalm76:10;
          Genesis 1:20; Isaiah 10:6,7 12; 1 John 2:16)


          5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season
     his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions 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 other just
     and holy ends.  So that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment, for
     his glory, and their good.
          (2 Chronicles 32:25,26,31; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9; Romans 8:28)


          6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as the righteous judge, for
     former sin doth blind and harden; from them he not only withholdeth his grace,
     whereby they might have been enlightened  in their understanding, and wrought
     upon their hearts; but sometimes also withdraweth, the gifts which they had, and
     exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion 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, under those means which
     God useth for the softening of others.
          (Romans 1:24-26,28; Romans 11:7,8; Deuteronomy 29:4 Matthew 13:12; Deuteron-
     omy 2:30; 2 Kings 8:12,13; Psalm 81:11,12; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Exodus 8:15,32;
     Isaiah 6:9,10; 1 Peter 2:7,8)


          7. As the providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so after a more
     special manner it taketh care of his church, and disposeth of all things to the good thereof.
          (1 Timothy 4:10; Amos 9:8-9; Isaiah 43:3-5