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Chap. VI. — Of God’s actual Providence.
Q. 1. What is God’s actual providence?
A. The effectual working of his3232 To this providence is to be ascribed all
the good we do enjoy, and all the afflictions we undergo. 3333 Fortune, chance,
and the like, are names without things, scarce fit to be used among
Christians, seeing Providence certainly ruleth all to appointed
ends. 3434 No free-will in man exempted either from the eternal
decree or the over-ruling providence of God. power, and almighty
act of his will, whereby he sustaineth, governeth, and disposeth of all
things, men and their actions, to the ends which he hath ordained for them.
Exod. iv. 11; Job v. 10–12, ix. 5, 6;
Ps. cxlvii. 4; Prov. xv.
3; Isa. xlv. 6,
7; John v. 17; Acts xvii.
28; Heb. i. 3.
Q. 2. How is this providence exercised towards mankind?
A. Two ways; first, apeculiarly towards his church,
or elect, in their generations, for whom are all things; secondly,
btowards all in a general manner, yet with various and divers
dispensations.
aDeut. xxxii.
10; Ps. xvii. 8; Zech. ii. 8;
Matt. xvi. 18, xix.
2, 29; 1 Pet. v. 7. bGen. ix.
5; Ps. lxxv. 6,
7; Isa. xlv. 6,
7; Matt. v. 45.
Q. 3. Wherein chiefly consists the outward providence of God towards his church?
A. In three things; — first, in acausing all3535 Though the
dispensations of God’s providence towards his people be various, yet every
issue and act of it tends to one certain end, — their good in his
glory. things to work together for their good; secondly, in
bruling and disposing of kingdoms, nations, and persons, for
their benefit; thirdly, cin avenging them of their
adversaries.
aMatt. vi.
31–33; Rom. viii. 28;
1 Tim. vi. 17; 2 Pet. i.
3. bPs. cv.
14,15; Isa. xliv. 28;
Dan. ii. 44; Rom. ix. 17.
cIsa. lx. 12; Zech. xii. 2–5; Luke xviii.
7; Rev. xvii. 14.
Q. 4. Doth God rule also in and over the sinful actions of wicked men?
A. Yea, he willingly (according3636 Almighty God knows how to bring light
out of darkness, good out of evil, the salvation of his elect out of
Judas’s treachery, the Jews’ cruelty, and Pilate’s injustice. to
his determinate counsel) suffereth them to be, for the manifestation of his
glory, and by them 476effecteth his own righteous ends.
2 Sam. xii. 11,
xvi. 10; 1 Kings xi. 31, xxii.
22; Job i. 21; Prov. xxii.
14; Isa. x. 6,
7; Ezek. xxi.
19–21; Amos vii. 17;
Acts iv. 27, 28; Rom. i. 24, ix. 22;
1 Pet. ii. 8; Rev. xvii.
17.
Q. 5. Doth the providence of God extend itself to every small thing?
A. The least grass of the field, hair of our heads, or worm of
the earth, is not exempted from his knowledge and care.
Job
xxxix.; Ps. civ. 21, cxlv. 15;
Jonah iv. 7; Matt. vi. 26–29, x. 29,
30.
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