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1. God the good creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom doth 1uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the 2least, 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 3own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.
2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God the first cause, all things come to pass 4immutably and infallibly so that there is not anything befalls any 5by chance or without his providence; yet by the same providence he orders them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either 6necessarily, freely, or contingently.
3. God in his ordinary providence 7makes use of means; yet is free 8to work without, 9above, and 10against them at his pleasure.
4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence that his determinate counsel 11extends 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 12bounds, and otherwise orders, and governs, in a manifold dispensation to his most holy 13ends; yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceeds only from the creatures, and not from God; who being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or 14approver of sin.
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 heart to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts 15that 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, 16and their good.
6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous judge for former sin doth 17blind and harden; from them he not only withholds his 18grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraws 19the gifts which they had and exposes them to such 20objects as their corruptions make occasion of sin; and withal 21gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that they 22harden themselves, even under those means which God uses for the softening of others.
7. As the providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so after a most special manner it taketh care of his 23Church and disposes of all things to the good thereof.
- Hebrews 1:3; Job 38:11; Isaiah 46:10,11; Psalm 135:6 ↩︎
- Matthew 10:29,30,31 ↩︎
- Ephesians 1:11 ↩︎
- Acts 2:23 ↩︎
- Proverbs 16:33 ↩︎
- Genesis 8:22 ↩︎
- Acts 27:31,44; Isaiah 55:10,11 ↩︎
- Hosea 1:7 ↩︎
- Romans 4:19,20,21 ↩︎
- Daniel 3:27 ↩︎
- Romans 11:32,33,34; 2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1 ↩︎
- 2 Kings 19:28; Psalm 76:10 ↩︎
- Genesis 50:20; Isaiah 10:6,7,12 ↩︎
- Psalm 50:21; 1 John 2:16 ↩︎
- 2 Chronicles 32:25,26,31; 2 Samuel 24:1; 2 Corinthians 12:7,8,9 ↩︎
- Romans 8:28 ↩︎
- Romans 1:24,26,28, 11:7,8 ↩︎
- Deuteronomy 29:4 ↩︎
- Matthew 13:12 ↩︎
- Deuteronomy 2:30; 2 Kings 8:12,13 ↩︎
- Psalm 81:11,12; 2 Thessalonians 2:10,11,12 ↩︎
- Exodus 8:15,32; Isaiah 6:9,10; 1 Peter 2:7,8 ↩︎
- 1 Timothy 4:10; Amos 9:8,9; Isaiah 43:3,4,5 ↩︎