← Back to sermon library

copies of the confession to chapter 5 of Divine Providence of Divine Providence we looked at this last week we looked at paragraph one we're going to take up the rest of the paragraphs this morning and then go back to our prayer meeting and alternating schedule from the the subsequent weeks but I want to read beginning in par paragraph 1 of chapter 5 of Divine Providence God the good creator of all things sorry should probably wait and look up once in a while all right so chapter five of Divine Providence beginning in paragraph 1 God the good creator of all things and 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 forn knowledge 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 although in relation to the forn knowledge 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 order them to fall out according to the nature of second causes either necessarily freely or contingently God in his ordinary Providence maketh use of means yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure the almighty power unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his Providence that his determinate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall and all other sinful actions both of angels and men and that not by a bear permission which also he most wisely and power powerfully bounde and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends yet so as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures and not from God who being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin the most wise righteous and gracious God doth often times leave for a season his own children to to manifold Temptations and the Corruptions 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 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 and their good as for those Wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous judge for former sin doth blind and Harden from them he not only withholdeth his grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding and wrought upon in their hearts but sometimes also withdraw the gifts which they had and by it comes to pass that they Harden themselves even under those means which God useth for the softening of others 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 dispose of all things to the good thereof amen well as I said Divine Providence we looked at chapter 5 paragraph 1 last week that gives the statement of the doctrine and then paragraphs 2-7 explains the doctrine relative to various concerns in the Christian life now I just want to make this uh sort of qualification I've done this with our studies through Leviticus uh the fact that we're far removed from that time frame and the particular customs and laws that the children of Israel uh sort of were commanded in the that old Covenant setting we do the best we can in terms of you know coming to arrive at at the the truth of scripture the same with the doctrine of Divine Providence there are you know a multitude of things things that perhaps we have questions about that I certainly can't answer um I think the divines here in chapter 5 have done a good job in trying to get at the main particulars relative to the doctrine of Divine Providence but in some respects it is mysterious in terms of the Infinity of God and the finiteness of man God does reveal himself in the 31,000 plus propositions in scripture and he does inform us of many things but there are secret things that belong to God Alone as Deuteronomy 29 reminds us so as we look at this chapter again I doubt all of your questions are going to be answered but it does get at it to some degree in a most helpful way now with reference to the flow in the confession we have the the the chapter chapter one The of the Holy Scriptures it gives us the authority gives us that rule of faith and practice and then chapter two of God the Holy Trinity it's most important that we understand that the confession builds upon itself earlier chapters help us to understand later chapters and later chapters often incorporate data from earlier chapters and then we see in chapter three of God's decree that's what he has purposed according to his own immutable counsel according to his own Divine will and then we see the execution of that decree in chapters four and five how does God execute his decree God executes his decree in the works of creation and Providence so creation and Providence are the outflow or the historical application of the decree of God and then here in chapter 5 at paragraph 1 notice how it starts in in paragraph one God the good creator of all things they want us to be reminded of that truth that whatever happens in terms of God's government of the world it is God's government of the world and this God has been described or defined for us in Chapter 2 and specifically here the divines remind us that he is the good creator of all things and then as far as Providence is concerned we see it specified here very clearly in his infinite power and wisdom he does 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 forn knowledge 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 just a couple of passages to remind us of this you can turn to Psalms uh the book of Psalms specifically Psalm 115 we see verse three and then again it's repeated in Psalm 135:6 and these aren't the only places that this is maintained in this altar but a couple of good sort of sample passages notice in 1153 but our God is in heaven he does whatever he pleases and then turn to the prophet Isaiah Isaiah 49 spe uh uh 46 rather: 99-1 Isaiah 46:9 remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no other I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure calling a bird of prey from the East the man who executes my counsel from a far country indeed I have spoken it I will also bring it to pass I have purposed it I will also do it and then the Prophet Daniel Daniel 4 that instance with Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar had exalted himself he had said that he was responsible for the building of the kingdom of Babylon of course God drives him out into the field to live as a beast for a period of time and then at the end of that in uh Daniel 4:34 we read and at the end of the time I Nebuchadnezzar lifted my eyes to heaven and my understanding returned to me and I bless BL the most high and praised and honored him who lives forever for his Dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to Generation all the inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing he does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth no one can restrain his hand or say to him what have you done this isn't confined simply to the Old Testament but turned to the Book of Romans in Romans 11 where I think we not only see God in terms of go uh Divine government and Providence but we see that God is the meaning of all things in Romans 11 at verse 36 the Apostle says for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever amen and then one other passage in the New Testament Ephesians 1 specifically at verse 11 Ephesians 1:1 in him also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who work works all things according to the counsel of his will that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory so again God's Divine government it extends over all his creatures and all things and we ought to appreciate that because it is an encouragement to the people of God to realize that we're not victims of circumstance we're not victims of blind fate we're not victims of of chance or some random happenings in the universe everything that occurs to us occurs from the hand of a sovereign God the whole system in general the fortuitous events in the world the free actions of men and even the sinful actions of men are governed by God for his glory and for the good of his people so that's the doctrine stated in paragraph 1 now notice in paragraphs 2-7 we see several things addressed first Divine Providence and second causes in paragraph 2 next Divine Providence and means in paragraph 3 and then Divine Providence in the place of sin in paragraphs 4-6 and then finally Divine Providence and the church in paragraph 7 but notice with me Divine Providence and second causes and again it's here that it's difficult at times for us the finite to penetrate the mind of the infinite when we look at the world around us we see that man does have free will in fact our confession deals with free will we need to make sure we understand what free will means and what it doesn't mean and God willing will see that when we get there in chapter n but that man sins according to his own will is pretty obvious that man seeks to do good things uh is ultimately governed by God in the State of Grace but the reality is that when people do horrific things they cannot say that God made me do this or the devil made me do this this is something that that Sinners always want to do they want to blame somebody else they're just the victim of chance they're just the victim victim of circumstances it's not really me that went in and shot up that school but it was God who made me or it was the devil who made me no when we look around us we see that man does operate according to what the confession identifies here as second causes so God is the first cause and then man does engage in these second causes so notice what it says in paragraph 2 although in relation to the four knowledge and decree of God the first cause all things come to pass immutably and infallibly in other words based on who God is and based on what scriptures say we ought to conclude that everything that happens happens according to his plan and purpose and according to his decree I think that's why the confession starts where it does and I think that's why it's good in theology to start where we ought who is God when we understand who is God then we're in a better position to understand what God does because there are things that perplex the children of God when we look at a s cursed world when we look at the chaos around us and we know that God is omnipotent we know that God is omniscient we know that God has all authority and government and we wonder well why do these bad things happen again God is good to Israel to such as are upright in heart Psalm 73:1 and then he says as for me my foot nearly slipped when I looked at the prosperity of the Godless and I looked at the problems concerning the uh uh uh the prosperity of the ungodly and the hardships of the the Godless and then he comes back to that reality though that God is Sovereign he's in control and that whatever even evil things occur happen according to his purpose and plan so we need to understand that this decree that the historical application of the decree through the works of creation and Providence come to pass God is Not thwarted listen again to Nebuchadnezzar there is none who can stay his hand there is none who can ask what doest thou there's nobody who can stop the plan and purpose of God that's the emphasis in the first section here in paragraph two although in relation to the forn knowledge 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 everything that occurs everything that happens everything that that falls out in your life is according ultimately to his decree and plan but then notice it goes on to say yet by the same Providence he orders them to fall out according to the nature of second causes either necessarily freely or contingently so again some of this stuff is a bit difficult to get one's get one's mind wrapped around but know that when we establish or maintain that God is the first cause that does not remove responsibility from the second cause God does what God does and he's ordered it to fall out according to this second cause either necessarily freely or contingently think that means that God in his s sovereignty has ordered not only the end but the means to achieve the end and that means at times even includes the sinful acts of men and we saw that last week Joseph says you meant this for evil but God overruled it for good Peter in Acts 2:23 says this happened according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God but nevertheless they had Lawless hands that crucified him they were ungodly Sinners they were wretches for engaging in that act of execution or murder of the son or the Lord Of Glory but nevertheless we see God is Sovereign over the first cause and over the second cause he order orderest them to fall out according to the nature of second causes either necessarily freely or contingently Gordon Clark makes the observation God does not decree an auto wreck apart from its causes caution is the usual me cause of safety and wrecks are caused by recklessness so again it's not that there's some puzzling thing that happens in the universe you don't put on your seat belt and you fly through the window yeah that's a second cause it happens according to the first cause but the usual course of safety is to put your seat Bel on so I think what the divines are trying to caution us against is to live in a manner that well whatever's going to happen is going to happen it really doesn't matter what I do they're trying to caution us against hyper Calvinism in the realm of soteriology but sort of this approach to to life that thinks that that life is about blind fatalism well you know whatever happened is destined to happen so I'm just going to sit on my couch and just let life pass me by no God not only is the first cause but he's ordained all things relative to the second causes and we to live in light of the fact that God is Sovereign and that man himself is responsible now notice next Divine Providence in the use of means paragraph three God in his ordinary Providence makes use of means right you you don't hit your ham th with a hammer and you're not going to have a broken thumb that that's just the way life is right God in his ordinary Providence makes use of means you exercise you sleep you you eat properly and those sorts of things for the most part you're going to be physically healthy again bad things can happen there's a lot of exceptions to that but for the most part what we find in this world is that in his ordinary Providence he makes use of means I think much of Proverbs is predicated on that reality what does Solomon say concerning the way of the prous it's it's hard in other words when you rebel against God when you transgress against his law when you lack Conformity unto it your life for the most part is hard now that doesn't mean that everybody's who who's obedient is always only going to have good things again these are general principles and the statement is true God in his ordinary Providence makes use of means train up a child in the way he should go when he's old he will not depart from it does that secure necessarily the absolute conversion of every child that comes under the sway of Christian parents no it does not not necessarily but for the most part when you do train up the child in the way that he should go when he's older he he will not depart from it so again the confession here emphasizes a Biblical truth God in his ordinary Providence maketh use of means the next statement is the theological rationale for miracles yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure that's a miracle isn't that well we see when you read from Genesis to Revelation you see miracles in the Bible and they're Miracles because not everything is a miracle there's no such thing as a miracle if everything's a miracle there's no such thing as something extra special if everything's extra special and so for the most part when we read from Genesis to revelation we see that the typical way of living is to plant seeds in the ground to water them and to have Sunshine fall upon that so that food grows and so that people can eat God's Sovereign over that just like he is from Mana falling out of Heaven which is a miraculous way to take care of the needs of his people so the theological rationale for miracles God in his ordinary Providence makes use of means yet he is free to work without above and against them at is pleasure he's not constrained or restrained by something outside of him that governs him to the degree that he can only work in a particular way no Mir Les are miraculous because God at times has chosen to work without above and against them at his pleasure now thirdly in terms of this this this section notice Divine Providence in the place of sin and again this is tough stuff we don't always get all of our questions answered but I think the confession here gets at the scriptural teaching in a way that's very helpful notice with reference to the fact of sin in general in paragraph 4 it speaks concerning the doctrine of Providence and the fall of Adam the almighty power unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his Providence that his determinate counsel extends itself even to the first fall and all other sinful actions both of angels and Men God was not cut un caught unawares at the fall of Adam God didn't say wow I I can't believe they transgressed I can't believe they sinned I can't believe they jeopardized there status and their state of innocency no God is Sovereign over all things and this is what the confession acknowledges here and notice again it heaps up the Perfections of God to remind us that what we see that happens in the fall in terms of Adam and Eve isn't blind chance it's not fatalism it's not a ra haphazard occurrence by uh molecules bumping off of one another but God has his purpose and plan so it says the almighty power the unsearchable wisdom the infinite goodness of God and if we ask the simple question well why the fall of the first Adam well because it brings to pass the Redemption under the last Adam if there was no fall of Man In The Garden there would be no rede redemption or recovery of man in the the on the cross and that's probably the most basic and perhaps ultimate answer at least to some degree ultimately the answer is the glory of God why did this happen the answer is always for God's Own Glory how God gets glorified in some of these things the Bible gives us a snapshot in the life of Joseph in the life of Jesus but it doesn't always give us a snapshot in our own lives there are those unanswered questions that you and I may have well why this horrible thing why this difficult circumstances why this unfolding of Providence this way well we need to come to that place that Romans 8:28 reminds us that God causes all things to work for good brethren we we don't have to be reminded that God causes good things to work for good we don't have to be reminded that God causes us finding bags of money for good God causes all bad things to work for good to those who love God to those who are the called according to his purpose so the scripture gives us those Ultimate answers and at times nevertheless we tend to struggle because life can be hard life can be chaotic life can be difficult so the doctrine of Providence and the fall of ma man uh of Adam it says extends itself even to the first fall and all other sinful actions of the of angels and men but notice what it goes on to say and that not by a bare permission see sometimes people think well you know God just allows the devil to do what the devil does or God just allows men to do what men do how does that get God off the hook it just doesn't that is not a sufficient response to Dy try to deal with the problem of a good God and and the presence of evil to say that God allows these things when he has the power to not the power to stop the power to restrain it's better to see that the Bible says that God's decree extends to all his creatures and all their actions with the end note that his glory is achieved and they good if they're redeemed that's where the Bible brings us not to this place where we have to sort of try and defend God in an unb biblical way well he just permits it well he just allows it well he just no look at what it says and that not by a bare permission which also he most wisely and powerfully bounde and otherwise ordereth and Goth in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends so I think at times we think man centered instead of god- centered and Brethren I'm not saying you I'm saying we I have this problem you know in Spades thinking about things about me my life my itch my this my that well Brethren the Bible presents to us a very god- centered approach to things for of him and through him and to him are all things not us not Jim not you know whoever vaness dealt with this in a little book on uh an antidote I think to arminianism do you have that vaness Christoper vanet he talks about this Divine Providence and not bear permission with reference to sin he says yet as it respects God it was not possible man should stand again people hear this and they say I can't believe you'd worship that God but the god of the Bible is The God Who declares the end from the beginning The God Who no one can restrain his hand it doesn't do us any good to say well I just don't want that God well I don't like that God that's a different issue if you don't want that God or you don't like that God that's between you and that God but to say that the Bible doesn't teach it is a different story does the bible teach God's absolute sovereignty over all his creatures and all their actions yeah just a few passages that we read by way of review I'm looking at Ephesians 1:11 in him also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will whether you like that or not whether you believe it says what Calvin says it says or not you can't evade the clear teaching of scripture at this point so vaness says yet as it respects God it was not possible man should stand for in God's decree it was certain that man being left to the mutability of his own will upon Satan's tempting and God's permitting would voluntarily incline to evil therefore Adam sinned freely in respect of himself but necessarily in respect of God he acted as freely therein as if there had been no decree and yet as infallibly as if there had been no Liberty man in the fall while fulfilling the decree of God yet freely exercise the proper motions of his will again Brethren that may sound tough but I think that gets at the scriptural teaching listen again therefore Adam sinned freely in respect of himself he chose that Apple well whatever the fruit was everybody just calls it an apple he chose that fruit but he did so necessarily in respect of God he acted as freely therein as if there had been no decree when he grabs the fruit it might just as well have been there was no decree he was tempted and prevailed upon by the Devil by his wife and therefore he took and he ate but then it goes on to say and yet as infallibly in other words he does this certainly he does this infallibly as if there had been no liberty in other words it wasn't ultimately his thing it was God overruling God governing all his creatures and all their actions man in the fall while fulfilling the decree of God yet freely exercise the proper motions of his will I think that picks up paragraph 2 in a way better way than I can explain with reference to first and second causes so back to the confession notice and that not by a bear permission which also he most wisely and powerfully bounde and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends again Joseph Genesis 50:20 as well acts 2:23 and acts 427 and 28 the apostles pray they acknowledge that God is over pilate and Herod and that pilate and Herod do whatever God determined that they do but Herod and pilate are responsible Herod and pilate second cause willingly chose that and they thus sinned against God as well notice what the confession takes pains to qualify at the end of paragraph 4 yet so as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures and not from God who being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin again that's one of those theological axioms that we accept by God's grace through faith this is go just just back to Psalm 73 I mentioned this last week I think it Bears repetition Psalm 73 the psalmist a it's ascribed to Asaf here wants to show us that he had some challenges or some struggles in terms of Divine Providence when he looked at the world around him everything didn't sort of fall out the way he thought it should have again I think this is something common to the people of God but notice where he begins in verse one a Psalm of ASF truly God is good to Israel to such as are pure in heart that's an axiom that is a foundational truth an axiom is something that you find in Geometry these are settled truths from which then you go on to prove other things that present themselves as challenges in the sphere of geometry and axium is not debatable an axium is not votable an axium is not something that we can remove or get rid of it is something that is true 2 + 2al 4 is axiomatic no matter where you go in the world if you have two apples plus two apples it's always going to be four apples even if the government says it's five apples or your next door neighbor says no that's only three apples it's four apples okay that's axiomatic that is non-negotiable and I think that's why Asaf starts where he does because when he records for us his struggles with divine Providence he comes back to that axiomatic principle truly God is good to Israel to such as are pure in heart but he says as for me my feet had almost stumbled my steps had nearly slipped why I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked for there are no pangs in their death but their strength is firm they are not in trouble as other men nor are they plagued like other men you ever had that thought maybe you know this says something more about me than it does about you but I've wondered that why do Godless men it always seems to look like everything works out for them this is what asaf's saying he says therefore Pride serves as their necklace violence covers them like a garment their eyes bulge with abundance they have more than their than heart could wish they scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression they speak loftily they set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walks through the Earth therefore his people return here and Waters of a full cup are drained by them and they say how does God know and is their knowledge in the most high behold these are the ungodly who are always at ease they increase in riches surely I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence for all day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning in other words what does it pay to be righteous now again we can't look at Asaf and say I cannot believe that you're so wicked as to ever have thought that maybe you guys haven't ever had that thought again maybe it's says more about me I can enter in with ASAP but notice something concerning the divine inspiration of scripture God's Not Afraid for his people to cry out like this God is Not Afraid for his people to come to him with lament God is Not fearful of them expressing the deepest grief of their heart to him in prayer in fact Psalm 102 I love this you can keep your finger there in Psalm 103 but Psalm 102 the subscript a prayer of The Afflicted when he is is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord God never says you're never going to be afflicted God never says you're never going to be tried God never says you're never going to have any difficulties in this world God knows that God's decreed it and so as a result we bring those longings and those griefs to our god so God doesn't not only God not only says no Asaf that doesn't get included in the in the Book of Psalms it's there for the people of God now notice verse 15 in Psalm 73 if I had said I will speak thus behold I would have been untrue to the generation of your children when I thought how to answer this it was too painful for me until I went into the sanctuary of God see this was what he needed he needed the Divine perspective on the suffering of the righteous and on the ab abundance of the Godless he says until I went into the sanctuary of God you know what you know what encouraged him was a judgment see today we we emphasize God is love and God is love love Brethren definitionally God is love but God is also righteous God is also just and God has also decreed and order the day of judgment for the Vindication of his own glory and the Vindication of his people this is what encouraged Asaf in verse 17 until I went in the sanctuary of God then I understood their end surely you set them in Slippery places you cast them down to destruction oh how they are brought to Desolation as in a moment they're utterly consumed with Terrors as a dream when one awakes so Lord when you awake you shall despise their image thus my heart was grieved and I was vexed in my mind I was so foolish and ignorant I was like a beast before you nevertheless I am continually with you you uphold uh you hold me by my right hand you will guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to Glory whom have I in heaven but you and there is none upon Earth that I desire Beside You My Flesh and my heart fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever for indeed those who are far from You Shall Perish you have destroyed all those to Desert you for harlotry but it is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all your works so when it comes to who God is it is absolutely crucial that we get that understand who God is then it helps us to negotiate or navigate the what does what God does stuff not just theologically in terms of theology proper and C certain statements we find in the Bible but when we understood understand axiomatically that God is good to Israel to such as are pure in heart it's that Vantage Point by which we then survey the various non- good things that take place in our lives and in terms of the doctrine of Providence not meaning that God is the author and approver of sin you have the testimony of Moses Deuteronomy 324 the testimony of David Psalm 54 the testimony of Daniel Daniel 95-99 the testimony of habach the prophet in chapter 1:13 the testimony of James James 13 and the testimony of John in 1 john: 15 and 1 John 21:16 all of those passages tell us that God does not sin and God does not approve of sin God does not engage in a a delight over sin and then the next paragraph again Divine Providence in the place of sin notice the presence of sin and Believers this might even be a bit more of a challenge to us paragraph life the most wise righteous and gracious God doth often times leave for a season his own children to manifold Temptations and the Corruptions of their own Hearts you probably all heard me say before that the the the confession of faith gets far more practical and real than a lot of literature in the on the Christian Life you know what if you you you read a book and it says you come to this book and it says you say man I'm struggling with remaining corruption well just repent and fix it okay I know I need to repent and fix it but is there a way I can think theologically through it as well that's what the divines offer for us real help in Practical times of difficulty notice the most wise righteous and gracious God does often times now that often times is probably a bit of a challenge can it be just once in a while Lord I mean some of us may need more often times than others leave for a season his own children to manifold Temptations and the Corruptions of their own Hearts why does he do that does he do that to pick on us do we as parents do that to pick on our children you've heard the old statement I think it was probably James Dobson way back in the day tough love right if you indulge your children at every step of the way you're not helping them if you never let them eat dirt you never let them fall down you never let them make mistakes you're not helping them they've got to learn the body has to function in a way that God made it they've got to learn in terms of you know when I do activity a Bad Thing B happens there's reasons why we let our children do that that I mean we don't let them walk off the edge of cliffs I I hope we wouldn't say well you know that'll be a valuable lesson after you you hit the bottom but there are times when we as parents according to not our infinite but our finite wisdom understand that a bit of tough love is exactly what this child needs well well God's a father he knows our frame he pies us he knows that we're but dots Psalm 103 there are those seasons and those times when we need to learn lessons and you know the School of Hard Knocks more often than not is one of the best instructors that the people of God and even the non-people of God get it's through the failures it's through the trials it's through the hardships it's through the afflictions that typically we come out better on the other side and that's what I think the emphasis here is in paragraph 5 and notice it says first to chastise them for their former sins sin has its consequences Brethren you know when David sins against God V ba Sheba and UAH and that whole incident God says the sword's not going to depart from your house the the the sin's been atoned for your your your sin is cleansed in the Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus but that sword is not going to depart from your house we got the Absalom incident we've got the the various challenges that that faced David in that particular time there's a chastisement for former sins notice as well to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts that they may be humble I think that happens to the people of God we we think we've beat a sin oh I'm done I don't have that sin anymore and then what happens it comes back I I thought it was dead I thought it was gone I thought it was dead done look at what it says we we need to be humble what happens if we feel like we be to sin do we always give glory to God or do we say you know I've been pretty strong and disciplined I I've done well here there's a humbling that needs to take place and God does that God uses that again this is never meant to be taken in the sense of let's go continue in sin that Grace May abound but it answers the question why was David for several months after committing adultery and murder left alone by God well the Psalms tell us when I kept silent about my sin my bones achd there was a groaning there was a hardship there was a heartache involved with that time in his life notice it goes on to say that this is intended so that they may produce uh mortification of sin and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support uh upon himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and for other just and holy ends so ultimately it is well not ultimately we'll get to ultimately and in just a moment but there are these specific reasons why there is this remaining corruption in the lives of God's people and why it appears at times that God's just left us on our own to chasen us to demonstrate our dependence to promote in US mortification of sin and then notice that last statement it's a Romans 8:28 statement so that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment for his glory and their good now again we don't say well I'm going to go out and get get hammered and D you know drive my car and run a bunch of people over in the city square and trust that God's going to work it out for my good no that's not how we're supposed to reason that's the devil's Logic the the Christian's logic is we don't continue in sin that Grace May abound the the Christian logic is do not present your members as as instruments of unrighteousness the Christian's logic is if by the spirit you mortify the Deeds of the body then you will live that's how the Christian proceeds but the the the rationale here is accurately summarized in scripture at the point of Romans 8:28 28 all things work together for good in His Infinite Wisdom according to His Infinite goodness and His Infinite love for us whatever befalls us he works out for his glory and for our good and then notice the presence of sin in unbelievers in paragraph six as for those Wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous judge for former sin doth blind and Harden this is an act of God's justice and judgment notice as a righteous judge this blinding and hardening you can turn to the pro uh The Book of Matthew Matthew chapter 16 Matthew chapter 16 specifically verses 13 and 14 I'm sorry that's the wrong passage uh uh Matthew go back to Matthew 11 Matthew 11 notice in verse 25 this doesn't happen in a vacuum by the way this happens in the context of verses one to following and basically look back at verse 16 but to what shall I like in this generation is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their Companions and saying we played the flute for you and you did not dance we mourned to you and you did not lament for John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he has a demon the son of man came eating and drinking and they say look Glutton and a wine Biber a friend of tax collectors and sinners but wisdom is justified by her children and then he upbraids the impenitent cities of his day he says that it's going to be better for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for those cities that saw jesus' Mighty Miracles and did not repent so when you get to verse 25 we read and at that time Jesus answered and said I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things you've hidden these things well people say well that's not fair he hid these things it's absolutely positively just it is absolutely positively fair if we can use that language it's an act of God's justice it's an act of God's judgment they are not privy to these things they are not deserving of these things it is God's grace that discriminates with reference to the wise and The Prudent and with reference to the babes with the wise and prudent in their own eyes he hides gospel truth with reference to the babes he reveals gospel truth and that's what the confession is saying from them he not only withholds his grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding and rought upon in their hearts but sometimes also withdraws the gifts which they had and exposes them to such such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin Romans 1 24 26 28 what happens when the Gentiles continue to reject and rebel against God does God say well I'm going to just keep trying with you I'm going to just keep longing for you no he gives them over to a reprobate mind he gives them over to a debased mind when you see a society that is you know uh just rampant with godl godlessness and wickedness the question usually isn't is God going to judge them for that the question is more accurately has God already judged them for that the fact that there is that rampant lawlessness where in every commandment of God is rejected and despised is an evidence that God has in fact given them over and then notice whereby uh at the at the end there and with all gives them over to their own lust The Temptations of the world and the power of Satan whereby it comes to pass that they Harden themselves e even under those means which God uses for the softening of others and then the final paragraph deals with Divine Providence and the church 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 dispose of all things to the good thereof he's got absolutely comprehensive sovereignty over all his creatures and all their actions but there is the specific apple of his eye which is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ you can turn to Ephesians 1 Ephesians 1 specifically in verses 20 to 23 where we see that in reference to Christ and the mediatorial reign of his kingdom notice in Ephesians 1 at verse 20 well verse 19 Paul is praying that the people of God in Ephesus would know something of the power of God and that's what he says in verse 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come absolute comprehensive sovereignty just like Matthew 28 all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me same emphasis now notice in verse 22 and he put all things under his feet again not some things not just the Believers not just their issues but all things and then it goes on to say and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all that picks up a theme that we find in Scripture God loves his people God loves his church and in John 17 in the high Priestly prayer Jesus says verse two or in verse one father the hour has come glorify your son that your son may have may glorify you as you have given him authority over All Flesh that he should give Eternal or give eternal life to as many as you have given him so he has authority over All Flesh and he gives eternal life to Those whom God gave him out of that mass of humanity So Divine Providence extends to everything but there is this special focus upon the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ I love that love the way Hajj puts it a a hodj he says the history of redemption through all its dispensations patriarchal abrahamic Mosaic and Christian is the key to the philosophy of human history in general that's great how do we make heads or taals out of the world relative to God's plan in Christ to save his people from their sins he says the race is preserved continents and islands are settled with inhabitants nations are elevated to Empire philosophy and the Practical Arts civilization and Liberty are Advanced that the church the Lamb's bride may be perfected in all her members and adorned for her husband so the confession in this chapter ends with that high note that whatever takes place is ultimately for the glory of God and it does have specific reference to the people of God as his treasure we'll I'll pray and then if there's any questions we can deal with those Our God and father thank you for this quick survey concerning Divine Providence in the confession and we believe it accurately reflects what scripture teaches and we thank you that you have not left us alone in the world we thank you for the word of God we thank you that it gives us instruction but as well it gives us Revelation concerning who you are and it gives us the the answers to Life's biggest questions and may we always be content with the Romans 11 36 approach for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever amen and we ask this through Jesus