Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter V

Of Providence

1
God the great Creator of all things doth uphold,97 direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things,98 from the greatest even to the least,99 by His most wise and holy providence,100 according to His infallible fore-knowledge,101 and the free and immutable counsel of His own will,102 to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.103
97
Hebrews 1:3
98
Daniel 4:34-35Psalm 135:6Acts 17:25-26Acts 17:28Job 38-41
99
Matthew 10:29-31
100
Proverbs 15:3Psalm 104:24Psalm 145:17
101
Acts 15:18Psalm 94:8-11
102
Ephesians 1:11Psalm 33:10-11
103
Isaiah 63:14Ephesians 3:10Romans 9:17Genesis 45:7Psalm 145:7
2
Although, in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly:104 yet, by the same providence, He ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.105
104
Acts 2:23
105
Genesis 8:22Isaiah 10:6-71 Kings 22:341 Kings 22:28Exodus 21:13Jeremiah 31:35Deuteronomy 19:5
3
God in His ordinary providence maketh use of means,106 yet is free to work without,107 above,108 and against them at His pleasure.109
106
Acts 27:31Acts 27:44Isaiah 55:10-11Hosea 2:21-22
107
Matthew 4:4Job 34:20Hosea 1:7
108
Romans 4:19-21
109
2 Kings 6:6Daniel 3:27
4
The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men;110 and that not by a bare permission,111 but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding,112 and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends;113 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.114
110
Acts 4:27-28Acts 2:232 Samuel 16:101 Chronicles 10:13-141 Kings 22:22-231 Chronicles 21:12 Samuel 24:1Romans 11:32-341 Chronicles 10:4
111
Acts 14:16
112
Psalm 76:102 Kings 19:28
113
Genesis 50:20Isaiah 10:6-7Isaiah 10:12
114
James 1:17Psalm 50:211 John 2:16James 1:13-14
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;115 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.116
115
2 Chronicles 32:25-262 Chronicles 32:312 Samuel 24:1
116
2 Corinthians 12:7-9Psalm 73Psalm 77:1-12Mark 14:66John 21:15-17
6
As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden,117 from them He not only withholdeth His grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts;118 but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had,119 and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin;120 and, withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan:121 whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others.122
117
Romans 1:24Romans 11:7-8Romans 1:26Romans 1:28
118
Deuteronomy 29:4
119
Matthew 13:12Matthew 25:29
120
Deuteronomy 2:302 Kings 8:12-13
121
Psalm 81:11-122 Thessalonians 2:10-12
122
Exodus 8:32Acts 28:26-27Isaiah 6:9-101 Peter 2:7-8Isaiah 8:142 Corinthians 2:15-16Exodus 8:15Exodus 7:3
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.123
123
1 Timothy 4:10Amos 9:8-9Romans 8:28Isaiah 43:3-5Isaiah 43:14