The Doctrine of Divine ProvidenceStatement on the Divine Providence from the Second London Confession of 1689
(Chapter 5, article 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.”
Second London Confession of 1689
(Chapter 5, article 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.”
(Chapter 5, article 3) – “God, in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.”
1. Although God rules and governs all things He often works through the means of second causes. For example, God has ordained the precise moment of our death, yet He has also ordained the means through which our death will occur – disease, accident, crime, etc.
2. The atonement of Christ is the perfect example. God ordained that Christ should be crucified, yet there were many second causes that were used to bring it to pass – Judas Iscariot, Pilate, the hatred of the Pharisees, etc.
3. God is free to work directly without the use of means.
