Confession of the Christian Religion, Confession · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of prouidence and gouernment of the world.
I. The vvorld and all that is, Gen. 2.2.and is done therein, is gouerned by gods prouidence.
WE beleeue, that God, hauing created all thinges, did ſo reſt from all the workes, which he had finiſhed: that he neuertheleſſe ceaſed not or left of to care for, Wiſ. 14.3. Matt. 10.29.30.to rule, and gouerne the worlde and whatſoeuer is therein, as well ſmale thinges as great, and eſpeciallie mankinde, yea & euerie particular man: ſo that nothing can be done or may happen in the world, which is not gouerned by the diuine prouidence.
II. The Church of God to bee gouerned by a peculiar care.
But although al and eueryevery thing be ſubiect to the diuine prouidence: yet we beleeue, that the Church of god is gouerned by an eſpeciall care and meanes, and all the elect people, Rom. 8.13. Phil. 2.13. 2. Cor. 6.16.yea and all the willes and actions of the elect: ſith he calleth peculiarlie, iuſtifieth and ſanctifieth, but not all: ſith hee vvorketh in them, to vvill and performe: Act. 4.16.and ſaith that he dwelleth in them, and not in all: ſith laſtlie he leadeth them vntounto eternall life, but ſuffereth others, in his iuſt iudgements to walke in their owne pathes, and fall into eternall deſtruction: 1. Pet. 5.7.ſo that worthilie we be commaunded, peculiarlie to caſt all our care vppon god, becauſe he (peculiarlie) careth for vsus.
III. That god ordinarilie gouerneth the vvorld by ſecond cauſes.
This alſo we learne by the holie ſcriptures, though God performeth manie purpoſes of his diuine prouidence, by himſelfe, without any external helper, yea and ſometimes quite againſt ordinarie meanes: yet he executeth manie more thinges ordinarilye, by ſecond cauſes, Hoſ. 2.21.22.as well in the gouernmēt of the whole world, as of the church: ſith he himſelfe ſaieth, he vvill heare the heauens, the heauens vvill heare the earth, the earth vvill heare the corne, the corne vvill heare Iſraell.
IV. The meanes vntounto the ende, are not to bee contemned; ſith god ordereth as vvell the one as the other by his prouidence.
Whereuppon we alſo knowe, that although we are aſſured, that god hath a care ouer vsus, yet the meanes which hee hath ordained for the ſaluation both of our ſoules and bodies, are not to be contemned, nor god to be tempted: but herein we muſt followe the Apoſtle, vvho although he vvere aſſured of the ſafetie of all them which were in the ſhipp, yet as the mariners went about to eſcape awaie, he ſaide to the ſoldiors and to the captaine, vnleſſe theſe abide in the ſhippe, you cannot be ſaued. For God who ſetteth an ende vntounto each thing, he alſo hath ordained both the beginning & meanes, by which that ende is attained vntounto.
V. All thinges come to paſſe in reſpect of god neceſſarilie, in reſpect of vsus manie thinges happen caſuallie.
But ſith god by his prouidence doeth preſerue ſecond cauſes, which he vſeth in gouerning the worlde, euerie one in her proper nature, yea and is the moouer of them: and of them, ſome are ordained of their owne nature to certaine and ſure effects, & other ſome are indefinite: Wee knowe and confeſſe, that although in reſpect of God, Mat. 10.29.30. Ex. 21.13.without whoſe foreknowledge and wil nothing can happen in the world, all things are done neceſſarilie: yet in reſpect of vsus, and of the ſecond cauſes, manie things happen & come to paſſe chaū ceablie. For what can bee more chaunceable and caſuall, to a carpenter and trauailer, then if the axe fall out of his hand & kill the other? yet the Lord ſaieth that it is he which killed the trauailer. And our Lord Ieſus died willinglie, yet he ſaid, Chriſt muſt ſuffer. Luc. 24.46.Herode & Pilate of their free-will condemned Ieſus: yet the Apoſtles ſaie, Act. 4.28.they did nothing but what the hand and counſaile of God had decreed to be done.
VI. That god is not the author of ſinnes vvhichwhich are committed in the world.
And hereupon we alſo know and confeſſe, Act. 17.28.that although manie offences are committed in the world by men, god in the meane time guiding all thinges: 1. Ioh. 2.16.yet the ſame cannot bee imputed to god, nor to his prouidence: for he indeede mooueth all thinges, and miniſtreth ſtrength by his prouidence vntounto euerie one to worke, but yet he inſtilleth not that corruption to anie, whereby they worke amiſſe. As therefore the earth yeelding her ſappe aſwell to il trees as to good, yet is not to be blamed, becauſe an ill tree makes ill fruite: ſo much leſſe may god rightlie be ſaid to bee either the cauſe or the author of our ſinnes, although by the hand of his prouidence, he beareth, vpholdeth, ordereth and guideth euen the wicked. Jn him (ſaieth the Apoſtle) we liue, vve are mooued, Heb. 1.3. Act. 17.28and hauehave our beeing: namelie wee are mooued of him, ſuch as wee are; except he by his grace doe make vsus otherwiſe.
VII. The ſecret counſailes of God, in gouerning the world, are to be reuerenced, not inquired after.
Meane while the ſecrete and vvonderfull counſells of god, whereby wee ſee innumerable things to be done, and whereof we cannot giuegive or know any reaſon; the ſame we behold & adore with that reuerēce which we ought, contenting our ſelues with this aſſured knowledge, Mat. 10.29.30 Rom. 9.14namely that nothing comes to paſſe in the worlde without the will of God: and that will of god to be ſo juſt, that it is the moſt certain rule of all iuſtice: & therefore that which the Apoſtle ſaith muſt euer bee holden, Rom. 11.33O the deepenes of the riches, both of the wiſedome, & knowledge of god, how vnſearcheable are his iudgements, and his vvayes paſt finding out: Rom. 9.14 Rom. 11.36Alſo that, Is there anie iniquitie vvith God? And yet, Of him, and through him, and for him are all thinges. To him be glorie for ouer. Amen.
VIII. Errors.
Wee condemne therefore all ſcorners, and all thoſe philoſophers, which either do wholie take awaye the prouidence of god out of the worlde, or denie that humaine matters and ſmale things are regarded of god: Thoſe likewiſe, which abuſing the prouidence of God, doe contemne the meanes ordained of God, for the ſaluation of vsus, both ſoule and bodie: as alſo thoſe which woulde hauehave all thinges to come to paſſe ſo meerely neceſſarily, that they take awaye all caſualtie, and depriue men of all libertie: laſtlie thoſe which will hauehave God ſo to worke all thinges in all men, that they alſo doe blaſphemouſlie prooue him to bee foreign a iointe-worker, & an author of ſinne.