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Chapter 5 of Divine Providence. I'll read the chapter and then 
we'll do an overview of it. Beginning in paragraph 1, chapter 
5, 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. 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. 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 bare permission, 
which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, 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 oftentimes leave for a season His own children 
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 understandings and wrought upon in their hearts, but sometimes 
also withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to 
such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin, and withal 
gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the 
world and the power of Satan, whereby 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 disposeth of all things to 
the good thereof. Amen." Well, just to kind of 
locate this particular chapter in the larger context of the 
confession thus far, after laying the foundation of Holy Scripture 
as the beginning point for our understanding of Christian doctrine. 
The Confession then treats the doctrine of God, specifically 
who God is in Himself and how God relates to the creature. 
And then in chapter 3, it deals with the doctrine of God's decree, 
the blueprint or the plan or the purpose of God set before 
the foundation of the world wherein He would control all things for 
His glory and honor. And then the execution of that 
decree in history is through the works of creation and providence. 
And that's what we saw last time in creation, chapter 4, and this 
morning in divine providence. Sam Waldron makes this comment, 
the doctrine of providence as unfolded in this chapter is closely 
related to and rooted in the doctrine of the decree found 
in chapter 3. The decree is the blueprint or 
plan. Providence carries out the blueprint or plan by guiding 
the actual course of history. The decree takes place in eternity. Providence takes place in history. So I think that's a good statement 
concerning the relationship between the two doctrines, the blueprint 
according to God's mind and will and purpose for His creation, 
and then through creation and providence, He executes that 
decree. He executes His sovereign will. 
The Westminster Shorter Catechism echoes this. It asks, how does 
God execute His decrees? God executes His decrees in the 
works of creation and providence. As you might be able to tell, 
the word providence is directly related to the word provide. God does provide for His children. God makes provision for us. Westminster Shorter Catechism 
number 11 says that God's works of providence are His most holy, 
wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures 
and all their actions. And I think this doctrine, if 
rightly understood, provides a great deal of comfort for the 
people of God to know that their God is indeed in control of all 
things and that their God is working all instances and all 
circumstances out for the good of those who love him, those 
who are called according to his purpose. I've always been intrigued 
by that statement in Romans chapter 8 and verse 28. Paul wouldn't 
need to convince us that good things work for our good. In 
the context specifically, he's dealing with the bad things, 
the hard things, the difficult things, the trying things. the 
things that promote sorrow and misery and hardship in this lower 
world. Well, God works through those 
things for good to those who love Him, to those who are the 
called according to His purpose. We don't need to be convinced 
that God is doing good through good. We need to be convinced 
that God is doing good through the difficulties and the trials 
and the sorrows that we face. And I think this chapter, rightly 
understood, will hopefully tend to promote that idea, that concept, 
as it does set before us the biblical doctrine of providence. Now, as we look at the chapter 
itself, as is the case with most of the chapters in the Confession, 
The first paragraph gives a statement of the doctrine, it gives a definition 
or a working definition of the doctrine, and then the remaining 
paragraphs in the chapter sort of flesh those things out. So 
the overarching concern, paragraph 1, and then some specifics with 
reference to the doctrine are fleshed out in paragraphs 2 to 
7. So we'll look at the doctrine stated first of all in paragraph 
1, and then the interrelationships of divine providence in paragraphs 
2 to 7. Now as we look at paragraph 1, 
it is important to understand the identity of the one who is 
engaged in divine providence. There's a lot of people in the 
world that think that some impersonal fate controls all events, or 
all situations, or all details. I'm given to understand that 
Islam sort of operates that way. Their concept of God is almost 
more fatalistic than it is obviously Christian theistic. But when 
it says, God the good creator of all things, we don't just 
fall into chapter 5, divorced from what has gone before it. 
If you go back to chapter 2, that statement concerning of 
God in the Holy Trinity, you see the God described that does 
engage in divine providence. Notice in paragraph 1 of chapter 
2, the Lord our God is but one only living and true God, whose 
subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being and perfection, 
whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself. a most pure 
spirit, invisible, without body parts or passions, who only hath 
immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach 
unto, who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, 
every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute. So when we come to the statement 
concerning providence, we're not to forget our theology proper. The God who governs all His creatures 
and all their actions is the God described in chapter 2. He is the God of Holy Scripture, 
a God who is infinitely wise, a God who is infinitely righteous, 
a God who, as the Confession says, is most loving, gracious, 
merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving 
iniquity, transgression, and sin. Now, I simply highlight 
that to say this, very often when providence takes a negative 
turn for us, we seem to forget chapter 2. We seem to forget 
that God is good, that God is most gracious, that God is loving. There's that sort of a mindset 
that the people of God can fall into when they face some difficulty 
in providence to think that God has abandoned them, or God is 
upset with them, or God is trying to get them, or God is doing 
something in their lives that is reflective of a bent in God 
that is somehow not good. The God of chapter 2 is the God 
of chapter 5, and that's what the confession indicates. God, 
the good creator of all things. He doesn't cease being good when 
bad things happen to us. Again, I think that's elementary 
theology, and we all affirm that, but it's easier to affirm in 
the good times rather than in the bad times. But I'm suggesting 
that we must affirm it in every trial, in every situation, in 
every circumstance of our lives. God does not cease being good. It's a blessed reality. He is 
without body, parts, or passions. He isn't given to flux. There's 
no emotional highs or lows with God. He doesn't wake up on a 
Thursday morning in a bad mood and do something horrific to 
His children just to try and express His displeasure with 
that. No, the God that is described 
in Holy Scripture is the God who is working all things out 
for the good of those who love Him, those who are the called 
according to His purpose. And notice the foundation of 
his providence in his infinite power and wisdom. Again, that 
affords comfort to the Christian. We're not dealing with a novice 
when we come to the God of the Bible. We're not dealing with 
an amateur. We're not dealing with someone 
who is ill-equipped to govern all his creatures and all their 
actions. We are dealing with a God who has infinite power 
and infinite wisdom. He always knows precisely what 
is best for the government of His creatures. He always knows 
what is precisely most excellent for those who love Him and to 
those who are called according to His purpose. Note the essence 
of divine providence is spelled out in the following statement. 
He doth uphold, he upholds, he directs, he disposes, and he 
governs all creatures and things. Let's look at a few passages 
of scripture just so you know the 17th century divines weren't 
making this up. Psalm 115 in verse 3. Psalm 115 
verse 3. There's a stark contrast developed by or given by the 
psalmist here and in Psalm 135 between dead idols and the living 
and the true God. The dead idols have eyes, but 
they can't see. They have ears, but they can't 
hear. They have noses, but they can't smell. They have hands, 
but they don't handle. They have feet, but they don't 
walk. They are dead. In contrast, we serve the living 
and the true God. The psalmist starts out, verse 
1, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to your name give glory, 
because of your mercy, because of your truth. Why should the 
Gentiles say, so where is their God? But our God is in heaven. He does whatever he pleases. 
Again, I think the tendency for some is to say he does whatever 
he pleases, therefore he is arbitrary, he is capricious, he acts on 
whim, he acts with a lack of restraint. He does whatever he 
pleases, so who's to say that he won't wake up on a Thursday 
morning and do some nasty and despicable things to me? Because 
of what the psalmist says in verse 1. Because of your mercy, 
because of your truth. He never forgets who God is. 
He never divorces the doctrine of providence, the reality that 
our God is in the heavens. He does whatever He pleases. 
He never forgets the reality that God is a God of mercy. He is a God of truth. And the 
same concept in Psalm 135. Psalm 135, a very parallel psalm 
to what we find there in Psalm 113. I'm sorry, 115. Notice in Psalm 135, 6, whatever 
the Lord pleases He does in heaven and in earth, in the seas and 
in all deep places. Notice the prophet Isaiah chapter 
46, verses 9 to 11. Isaiah chapter 46, verses 9 to 
11. just illustrating and highlighting 
and demonstrating that what the Confession says concerning God's 
providence is accurate. He upholds, He directs, He disposes, 
and He governs all creatures and things. Notice in the prophet 
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. You see, the raising up of King Cyrus of Persia was according 
to the plan of God. When God raises up Cyrus, king 
of Persia, whom God calls His anointed, His Christ, His Messiah, 
when He raises up Cyrus, it is to put down Babylon. Remember 
that in this particular context Babylon was the empire that was 
enslaving the children of Israel. So God works all things according 
to the counsel of his own will. He governs, he upholds, he directs, 
he disposes. Notice in Daniel chapter 4. A 
statement concerning the fact that God's plan, God's will, 
God's purpose, God's upholding and disposing cannot be thwarted, 
cannot be stopped. The creature cannot say to him, 
what doest thou, or stay his hand. Notice what Nebuchadnezzar 
declares in Daniel 4.34, and at the end of the time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, 
lifted my eyes to heaven and my understanding returned to 
me. Isn't that interesting? When our understanding returns 
to us, we do good theology. We don't do good theology when 
our understanding is on vacation. We need our minds to do theology. We need our minds to govern the 
passions of our lives. We need our minds to take a preeminent 
position in the makeup of man. When my understanding returned 
to me and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored 
Him who lives forever, Four, 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? Notice the New Testament 
witness, Acts chapter 17. We're just doing a brief sketch. 
There's a whole host of passages that deal with this doctrine 
directly or indirectly. But in Acts 17, Paul at the Areopagus 
says in verses 25 to 28, nor is he worshipped with men's hands 
as though he needed anything, since he gives to all life, breath, 
and all things. It's good news for the creature. 
God doesn't need us. God's not dependent upon us. 
God is not tied up with or bound to the creature in a relationship 
of mutual dependence. God made according to His good 
pleasure. We exist for Him. He doesn't 
exist for us. Verse 26, And He has made from 
one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the 
earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries 
of their dwellings. How do men miss this? How do 
men miss the sovereignty of God? I don't mean just men, I mean 
women as well. But how in the world with an 
open Bible can anyone ever deny the sovereignty of God? Whether 
it comes through, declared through the doctrine of creation, or 
in this instance the doctrine of providence. But interestingly 
enough, some will affirm divine providence and the sovereignty 
of God therein, but deny God's sovereignty when it comes to 
salvation or redemption, which is a subset of providence. God 
in providence is saving His people from their sins. But it's just, 
the witness is so powerful. Verse 26, again, He has made 
from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face 
of the earth and has determined their pre-appointed times and 
the boundaries of their dwellings. You live in your house because 
God determined it thus. If you don't like it, if you 
rail against it and rage against it, ultimately you're complaining 
against the God who in His eternal counsel purposed that you would 
live in that particular house. Note the particular plan in verse 
27, so that they should seek the Lord in the hope that they 
might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from 
each one of us. And then Ephesians 1.11. This 
is something of a New Testament counterpart to what we saw in 
the prophet Isaiah. In Ephesians 1.11, again, a passage 
that ought not to be foreign to us in our understanding concerning 
things connected to salvation, but as well connected to the 
doctrine of providence. 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. He 
doesn't work some things. He doesn't just act on Sunday. The world isn't on autopilot 
for a particular time of the month, but God works all things 
according to the counsel of His will. This is why the Catechism 
says, His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing 
all His creatures and all their actions. He does this according 
to His own will, for His own glory, and for the good of those 
who love Him. Back to the confession, after 
describing essentially what providence is, it highlights the scope of 
divine providence. Not only doth He uphold, direct, 
dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest 
even to the least. So I think this is something 
else that Christians struggle with, or the people of God have 
a tendency to struggle with. God is sovereign, and God is 
over the big events of our lives, but He's really not concerned 
with the details. You know, you might have a problem, 
and it seems minor in comparison. Perhaps you don't like your house. 
Just kidding. In comparison with some other 
great events, and you think that, you know, God doesn't really 
concern himself with those sorts of things. Look at Matthew 10 
for just a moment. Matthew chapter 10. where Jesus uses the providence 
of God or appeals to the providence of God to bring comfort to his 
disciples. The context, or the broader context, 
is that Jesus is sending the disciples out, the twelve apostles, 
on a mission. They're supposed to go within 
Israel and preach the gospel concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. 
And notice in 1027, whatever I tell you in the dark, speak 
in the light, and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the 
soul. See, that's great counsel, isn't it? They're going into 
hostile territory. They're going amongst a nation 
that ultimately has rejected the very Messiah that God the 
Lord sent to them. They understand that this could 
be difficult business, and so Jesus, sort of looking ahead 
to the potential fears that might paralyze their mission, says 
to them, but do not fear, and do not fear those who kill the 
body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able 
to destroy both soul and body in hell. That's a great argument, 
isn't it? Don't fear men who can only kill 
the body, but rather fear God who's able to kill both body 
and soul in hell. But another means of encouragement 
to them with reference to not fearing for their lives is God's 
providence. Notice in verse 29. Are not two 
sparrows sold for a copper coin, and not one of them falls to 
the ground apart from your father's will? In other words, don't be 
afraid when you're going from city to city in Israel as if 
somehow God's forgotten you. If God is sovereign over the 
sparrow when it falls out of the sky, isn't he going to look 
out for his elect? Isn't he going to look out for 
his apostles? Isn't he going to accompany them on their gospel 
ministry when they're testifying concerning his blessed son? And 
then in verse 30, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 
Do not fear therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. The doctrine of providence affords 
comfort to the people of God in the great big events, but 
as well in the things that are perhaps not as big. We're not 
going to a hostile city and preaching the gospel and risking our necks, 
but we're facing a particularly difficult situation at work or 
in our families or in whatever area of life, and we think, well, 
God's over all things, but He really doesn't pay attention 
to those little things. That's not the conclusion we 
ought to draw. God calls us to trust Him in 
everything. And then after the scope is indicated, 
its purpose is given to us. Notice. 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. So it gives us this overarching 
doctrine of providence, and then as I said, it gets into some 
particular interrelationships with reference to the doctrine 
of providence. So let's just move on and look 
at those. In the first place, paragraph 2 deals with divine 
providence and second causes. Divine providence and second 
causes. You might think that with the 
sovereign God, it really doesn't matter what we do. No, God's 
not only sovereign in terms of the first cause, but He's sovereign 
over the second cause as well. Although in relation to the foreknowledge 
and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass 
immutably and infallibly. In other words, what God has 
decreed will most certainly come to pass. I think we can all agree 
with that after having just looked at chapter 5, paragraph 1, and 
those few passages of Scripture that we appealed to. All things 
come to pass immutably and infallibly, so that there is not anything 
befalls any by chance. You hear this often times, you 
know, people think they're lucky or, you know, I feel like I'm 
unlucky when I hit every red light in Chilliwack. I'm convinced they have set this 
system up to make you stop at every red light. I don't know 
if that's your experience, if it is, you know, my unluckiness 
or if the city needs to revamp the way they control these lights. 
It just perplexes me. But there are those occasions 
where I think theologically and realize I'm at the red light 
because of God. I am there because of God. There's no chance. You know, 
we talk about pot lucks. Reformed ought to have pot providence 
because there's no luck. I think a theologian once said 
or a teacher at a Bible school said something to the effect 
that God is sovereign even over luck. What? that's just maybe he had Proverbs 
16 in the mind. The lot is cast into the lap, 
but it's every decision is from the Lord. Perhaps that's how 
he was thinking there. But notice, so nothing befalls 
any by chance or without his providence. Again, comfort You're 
not governed by impersonal forces in the universe. You're not wandering 
from place to place without any restraint, without any government, 
without any disposal, without any upholding. God is always 
in control of every event and every detail of your life. It's 
a beautiful thing. So that whatever befalls us, 
it doesn't come by chance or without his providence. And then 
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. Now, each of these paragraphs 
could sustain an entire block of teaching. We're doing an overview, 
so we're not going to get too involved in all of the particulars. 
But that is an incredible statement. Yet by the same providence he 
ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, 
either necessarily, freely, or contingently." Now, take for 
a moment the understanding of Ephesians 1. God chose us in 
him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy 
and blameless. God purposed to save a great 
multitude that no man can number. God purposed to save a great 
number of people. that would indeed look to the 
Lord Jesus Christ, believe the gospel, and find everlasting 
life. So God is the first cause who 
has purposed that reality that a multitude will serve Him. God 
has also purposed the second cause, preaching the gospel as 
the means by which persons come out of darkness into marvelous 
light. 1 Corinthians 1.21, For since in the wisdom of God the 
world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through 
what? Through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. So God is not only 
determined by way of first cause, the end, but He has determined 
the means to reach that particular end. Again, we could spend time 
on this concept of necessarily, freely, or contingently, but 
suffice it to say, with Gordon Clark, that God does not decree 
an auto wreck apart from its causes. Caution is the usual 
cause of safety, and wrecks are caused by recklessness. You see, 
God typically works in a manner that is consistent with what's 
called ordinary providence, which the next paragraph is going to 
amplify just a little bit. So you see he's sovereign over 
all things, he is the first cause of all things, but as well he 
is sovereign in his providence over the second causes. When 
Peter refutes or rebukes the city of Jerusalem for their having 
murdered the Lord Jesus Christ, we see both elements at play. 
You can turn to Acts chapter 2 and verse 23. A most important 
passage, by the way, for understanding the providence of God. Acts 2.22, 
men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested 
by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through 
him in your midst, as you yourselves also know. Him being delivered 
by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. That's 
the first cause, isn't it? God is sovereign, God in His 
providence, God has purpose that Jesus would be delivered to them 
by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. Notice, 
you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death. 
You see, the second cause was an angry people that rejected 
the Messiah, that would cry out, away with him, away with him, 
crucify him. And now what persons oftentimes 
try and do is say, well, as the second cause, we're ultimately 
not responsible. You will not find that sustained 
in the scriptures. Peter holds them responsible. 
Peter calls them murderers. Peter says that they were the 
ones that crucified the Lord of Glory. They were culpable 
and responsible for doing that very deed. Again, lots to be 
said on this particular subject, but we're just doing an overview. 
See there the first and the second causes. Paragraph 3 deals with 
divine providence and means. God in his ordinary providence 
maketh use of means, to go to Gordon Clark's analogy. Typically, 
if you wear a seatbelt, you don't die in car wrecks. It's just 
the way it goes. God ordinarily uses means, doesn't 
he? Now, there are those instances 
where persons do not wear seatbelts, and they should have been killed. 
They should have been cut in a thousand pieces by the windshield. 
But they are delivered by that. Whether that's a direct miracle 
of God, I don't know. But the typical idea is that 
God in His ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free 
to work without, above, and against them at His pleasure. This is 
the theological rationale or justification or affirmation 
of miracles. God usually operates according 
to ordinary means, doesn't He? But there are instances when 
God uses miracles. He is free to do that. He is 
not bound by some other law out there that God must subject Himself 
to that He can only use ordinary means. No, the Lord God Most 
High throughout the pages of Scripture at times works miraculously. He works without means. He works 
above means. He works against means at His 
pleasure. That axe head that floated with 
reference to the prophet Elisha. We see these sorts of things 
against them at His pleasure. In Joshua 10, the Son stood still. I mean, there are some incredible 
things that the Scriptures record for us. And so the confession 
acknowledges that typically, ordinarily, that's why it's ordinary 
providence, He uses means. Yet He is free to work without, 
above, and against them at His pleasure. Now notice the paragraphs 
four to six deal with providence and the place of sin. That's 
a most appropriate topic to address, isn't it? Providence and the 
place of sin. Paragraph four deals with sin 
in general. Sin in general, 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. You'll hear that 
sometimes. Oh, did God know Adam and Eve 
were going to sin? God knows all things. God, according 
to the decree in chapter 3, has purposed all things for his own 
glory. So, of course, he was involved 
with the fall of Adam and Eve. That his determinate counsel 
extendeth itself even to the first fall. The creature didn't 
catch God by surprise in the garden. When God says, who told 
you you were naked? God is not looking for information 
for himself. God is assuming the role of the 
parent who sees the child with chocolate all over their face 
and the cookie jar open behind them. Who said you could have 
a cookie? Is the parent genuinely looking 
for information as if there was some authority out there competing 
with their authority that said, go ahead, get into the cookie 
jar. It's to indict the child, it's to rebuke the child, it's 
to expose the child. God is not caught unawares in 
Genesis 1 to 3. He doesn't react. He's not biting 
his divine fingernails saying, boy, I can't believe what they've 
done there. No, it was according to the decree 
and purpose and plan of God. His providence extends itself 
even to the first fall and all other sinful actions, both of 
angels and men. And some always say, well, why? 
Why does God allow sin? Well, first of all, He doesn't 
allow it. The Confession says, and that not by a bare permission. Not just a matter of allowing 
it, but it's according to His decree. He is upholding, He is 
disposing, He is governing, He is directing all things according 
to His good pleasure. But the question inevitably rises, 
well, why? In a world governed by a morally 
perfect God, is there sin? Well, the rest of this chapter 
explains it. There are reasons why there's 
sin. I know that may seem odd, but 
the confession gives us a whole host of that. Sin with reference 
to believers? Sin with reference to unbelievers? 
There is a purpose. There's nothing that God does 
that is purposeless. If there is sin in a world governed 
by a morally pure God, then there is a good reason for that sin. Greg Bonson, I think, sufficiently 
answers the objection, if God is good, then he must not be 
perfect, because if he was perfect and he's good, there would be 
no evil. If God is perfect, then he must 
not be good, because if he was perfect and he was good, then 
there would be no evil. Bonson points out we need to 
add another premises to that whole argument. God has a morally 
sufficient reason for the evil that exists. In other words, 
when, according to the determined plan and purpose of God, Christ 
is delivered up into the hands of that godless mob, what's the 
morally sufficient reason? The salvation of our souls. Joseph 
got this in Genesis 50, 20. He says, you meant this for evil, 
but God overruled it for good. You see, the Lord knows how to 
take the crooked thing and make something straight out of it. 
the Lord uses sin ultimately for His glory and for the good 
of His people. Now, that doesn't mean go out 
and sin because God gets more glory and you get more good. 
That's not what I'm suggesting. But under the hand of a sovereign 
God, He knows what to do in these particular situations. Notice, 
and that not by a bare permission, which also He most wisely and 
powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth, in a 
manifold dispensation to his most holy ends. Yet so as the 
sinfulness of their acts proceed 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, persons find 
a great deal of difficulty in this section of the confession. 
God is sovereign. He's the first cause. He's over 
all things, including the first of all and all subsequent occasions 
of sin. then how is it not the case that 
God isn't the approver or the author of sin? Well, brethren, 
that is in itself a subject for next time that Cam teaches on 
the confession. Just kidding. But the express 
declaration of Scripture is that God is without sin. God does 
not sin, and neither does He tempt anyone to sin, James 1.13. We have the testimony throughout 
Scripture. Moses, Deuteronomy 32.4, David, 
Psalm 5.4, Daniel, Daniel 9.5-9, Habakkuk 1.13, James 1.13, John 
the Apostle in 1 John 1.5 and 1 John 2.16. Consider, when men do something 
good, let's say you go out and do something good today. Now, 
I'm going to ask you not to think theologically for a moment, right? Because we know that when we 
do a good thing, it's because God is at work in us, both to 
will and to do according to his good pleasure. But take a pagan 
who gives some good thing to somebody that stands in need. 
That's a good thing. Does God get the credit for that? 
No. The guy that did it gets the 
credit for that. When a man goes out and sins, 
we blame God. It's just not consistent, is 
it? It's just not what we find to 
be the case. We want to blame God for everything 
and not give Him credit or glory for anything. Clark says, it 
was Abraham, not God. Where I'm quoting from Clark, 
he has a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith. It was Abraham, 
not God, who left Ur to go to Chaldea. Similarly, it was Herod 
and Pilate with the Gentiles who crucified Christ. God approved 
Abraham's act and disapproved of Pilate's, but he foreordained 
both. In particular, it says that the 
crucifixion was determined before the world was. Again, there's 
a sense, brethren, where we may not be fully able to understand 
every intricacy connected to these particular details, and 
we ought to expect that. Go back to chapter 2. What does it tell us concerning 
God, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself? whose essence cannot be comprehended 
by any but himself." Now that may have reference to the Trinitarian 
relations and how they all work with one another, but then it 
goes on later to say he's incomprehensible. There's a sense where the best 
the creature can do is the best the creature can do. We may not 
always know every particular detail, But we come to Scripture, 
we understand that God is sovereign over all things and that He is 
using even the worst things to bring about His glory and the 
good of those who love Him, those who are the called according 
to His purpose. Now note, sin and the believer. 
Why do I still sin as a Christian? I don't mean me personally. You 
probably all say, I know. But why? Notice what it says 
in paragraph 5. And this is, you know, oftentimes 
you'll hear me refer in preaching to how real the confession is. 
And I don't mean that it's printed on paper and that it's bound 
with staples and that, you know, this one actually looks like 
it came from the 17th century. It's just beautiful. But It's 
real in the sense that it describes what is true of men. It describes 
the Christian life in its vivid reality. Isn't the first section 
in paragraph 5 the reality? The most wise, righteous, and 
gracious God does oftentimes leave for a season his own children 
to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts. 
Probably that's been all of our experience. We've all suspected 
that is the case. We've gone through those times 
and those seasons where it does seem. Now, it's speaking metaphorically. God doesn't leave his children. 
God doesn't abandon his children. God doesn't say, I'm going to 
go, you know, visit China while you just deal with this corruption. 
It's metaphorical language, the idea being the felt presence 
of God isn't as real or as near as it was at one other time or 
some other time. But brethren, do Christians today 
ever voice such things? Do we ever say, boy, it feels 
like God's left me for a season to manifold temptations and the 
corruptions of our own hearts. We'd be afraid that everybody 
would say, oh, you terrible Christian. You're not living the victorious 
Christian life. This has confessional status in the Reformed heritage. This is the reality. This is 
where we find ourselves. The most wise, righteous, and 
gracious God. Again, never forget your theology 
proper. Never forget that even though 
for a time he may leave you to manifold temptations, he hasn't 
stopped being most wise, righteous, and gracious. He didn't go on 
holiday from those particular attributes and say, well now, 
I'm going to be unwise, I'm going to be unrighteous, and I'm going 
to be mean to you. No, the God described in chapter 
2 is the same God who doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children 
to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts. 
Again, we'd ask the question, why? Why would he do this? Doesn't 
he want me to be holy? Doesn't he want me to be righteous? 
Doesn't he want me to resist sexual sin? Doesn't he want me 
to not smoke crack? Doesn't he want me to not steal 
candy bars at Walmart? Doesn't he not want me to be 
engaged in tax evasion or murder or some other sorts of... Of 
course, that's the preceptive will of God. We are to live by 
that. But the decretive will of the secret things, God has 
his purposes even for the sin in your life. And the confession 
draws that out. So before you say, well, why 
is it like this? Read chapter 5, paragraph 5. I think these are some very compelling 
reasons as to why God does this. First of all, to chastise them 
for their former sins. chastise them for their former 
sins. It's almost as if God is saying, 
you want that? Go ahead. Engage in that. We parent that 
way, don't we? I mean, maybe, I don't want to 
use any illustrations, but actually I can. I think, I forget which 
kid of ours it was, and I don't think we were Christians at the 
time. And so it must have been Kelly or Brittany. Sorry to the 
girls. And one of them wanted to stay 
up late. And I think we're at the end of our rope. OK, you 
just stay up all night on your own. You want that, you go right 
ahead. Now, that lasted about 20 minutes. And then we made 
them go to bed and all that sort of thing. But you want that destructive 
pattern of life? Go ahead. Why? Because it shows 
them the folly of their choices. It shows them the wretchedness 
of the course that they have pursued. It's unfortunate, brethren, 
but a lot of us don't learn without some hard knocks. The Bible, 
the Confession are excellent teachers to be sure, but the 
school of hard knocks is a great educator as well. And a lot of 
us are so thick-headed and hard-hearted that at times God leaves us to 
these manifold temptations and corruptions, to chastise them 
for their former sins, or, notice, to discover unto them the hidden 
strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts. You might get 
to a point where you think, hey, I've got that one done. I don't 
have to pray for that anymore. I have successfully achieved 
sinless perfection, at least in that area of my life. Beware. Take heed lest you fall. You 
may find out that you're playing the whack-a-mole game, and it 
went down for a time. You're over here whacking other 
moles, and this one comes back up. God does this to show you 
at all times that you are not as holy as you like to think 
you are. We always stand in need of our God to discover unto them 
the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts. 
Those are good discoveries to make. Those are good discoveries 
to make so that we'll flee to the cross and we'll dwell near 
the cross. The hidden strength of corruption. Do you really know just how bad 
your heart is? Do you really know just how prone 
to wander and prone to leave the God you love you are? I mean, how many times do we 
sing 400? Do we actually ponder the reality? prone to wander, 
prone to leave the God we love. We all sing it, we all confirm 
it, we all affirm it, we teach and admonish one another while 
we sing it. But do we really dwell on it? 
Because I think if we did, we would pray more earnestly that 
we wouldn't do it. I know there's a propensity in 
my heart to go astray from God. I have to be prayerful that God 
will restrain me and will keep me. And deceitfulness. I mean, you know, that mole thing 
again. It's just an illustration. You 
know, the person that thinks they have successfully whacked 
the mole of sexual lust becomes proud, or becomes arrogant, or 
becomes judgmental, or becomes pharisaic to those who are still 
struggling in that particular capacity. They become self-righteous. They found out five easy tips, 
so they will never, ever again engage in those particular things. 
We tend to pride. I mean, we get a little victory 
over sin, and what happens? We give ourselves parties. We 
congratulate ourselves. We Facebook it. We tweet it. We'll use those 140 characters 
on Twitter to tell everybody the success we're making in our 
holiness. That's wretched. That is absolutely 
evil. I mean, brethren, how do we not 
get that self-righteousness or complacency in our works or a 
judgmental spirit, how come those somehow are perfectly acceptable 
in the church as long as we're not looking at porn or we're 
not visiting prostitutes or we're not stealing candy from Walmart? 
We justify the sins that we commit. And I think that what God does 
in this instance is most blessed. We need to see the hidden strength 
of corruption and the deceitfulness of our hearts. Now, notice it 
doesn't stop there. It goes on, that they may be 
humbled. You see, this is our problem. 
I was going to preach on John 3, 22 to 30 this morning, but 
I'm going to preach on that tonight. But it's a sermon on humility. And it's John the Baptist, the 
final testimony of the Baptist to the Lord Jesus Christ. And 
the mark of a truly great man is that he's humble. This is 
what the confession says. God does this that they may be 
humble. We need to be brought low. Ryle 
says it well. If we want to build high, we 
must begin low. Blessed are the poor in spirit. God opposes the proud, but he 
gives grace to who? To the humble. You see, brethren, 
this is what a view of our sin will produce in us, that they 
may be humbled. And then notice it goes on. and 
to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their 
support upon himself. What should sin or a reality 
of an understanding of our own sin produce? It ought to raise 
us to a more close and constant dependence for their support 
upon God. Every view of our sin, every 
view of our deceitfulness, every view of those things in our hearts 
ought to drive us to God in dependence upon Him. See, that's a remedial 
purpose. I kind of liken it to the words 
of the, I think it's Edgar in Proverbs 30, not ascribed to 
Solomon there. Give me neither poverty nor riches. This is what the proverb writer 
says, give me neither poverty nor riches. Why? Because if I'm 
poor, I'll be tempted to go out and steal. But if I'm rich, I 
will forget Yahweh. You see, brethren, if you only 
ever have victory in your life because you happen to be a disciplined, 
consistent, faithful being, then you may forget God. You may forget 
that you stand in need of God. The only reason you are consistent, 
the only reason you are faithful, the only reason you have a modicum 
of discipline is because God is good to you. You see, we need 
to seek our dependence upon God. And then notice, it goes on to 
say, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions 
of sin, and for other just and holy ends." You see, brethren, 
this is what a view of our sin ought to do. It ought to promote 
in us more watchfulness. What else did the Proverbs say? 
A prudent man foresees evil and does what? Runs headlong into 
it? No, a prudent man foresees evil, 
and he hides himself. That's the biblical response 
to sin and to temptation. It's not to say, well, I've got 
this, I'm strong, God showed that I can do it. No, no, we 
run and we hide. We're Joseph and Potiphar's house. 
What does Joseph do? He runs from that woman who is 
throwing herself at him. He doesn't say, well, let's have 
a Bible study, or let's discuss this, or let's, you know, try 
to pray for you in these longings. He ran from her. I think the 
mindset is probably something like this. I'm not that holy. 
I'm not that godly. And if I continue to stay here 
with this woman who day by day throws herself at me, I may succumb. But I don't want to do this great 
evil. I don't want to sin against my God. So I'm going to run. 
Isn't this Solomon's counsel to his son in Proverbs 5? Do 
not go near the door of her house. Remove your way far from her. 
I always love that. Don't go near her door. Solomon 
doesn't even say anything about going near the bed. I mean, doesn't 
say, well, if you find yourself inside of her living room, then 
don't go into her bed. Don't go into her living room. You're not that holy. You're 
not that godly. You do not have that ability. 
You need to guard your hearts. You see, the confession is telling 
us that one of the remedial ends for our sinfulness is to make 
us 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." 
Again, be careful here. Don't say, wow, I went out and 
I got hammered and I wrapped my car around a telephone pole. 
Praise be to God and doesn't that work out good for me? That's 
not the way you're supposed to abuse the doctrine of divine 
providence. You are never supposed to use 
it as a legitimization for your sinfulness. Well, I went in and, 
you know, sat on the clock tower in Chilliwack and I picked off 
a hundred people with my thirty-ought sticks. Isn't God wonderful, 
who decreed all things for His own glory? You are never supposed 
to reason that way or conclude such ungodly things. But you, 
as the people of God, need to realize that whatever befalls 
you, Whatever comes to any of His elect is by His appointment. It is for His glory. It is for 
their good. We don't live based on what the 
secret things of God are. We live based on His word, on 
His will, on the precepts and commandments that we find. We're 
not to regulate our lives according to the decree of will. We're 
not to try and regulate our lives on the secret things that belong 
to God. We're to obey scripture. We're 
to obey the commandments. We're to see them as our rule 
of life. We're to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit so that 
we may follow those things closely. But when we do sin, when we fall, 
when we have these particular things, let us see in them God 
causing all things to work for good. to those who love him, 
to those who are the called according to his purpose. So there is reasons 
why you still sin after you're born again, and the confession 
addresses that. Don't you love it when people 
say, well, nobody can give me any answers. Sure they can. They 
were codified in the 17th century. Nobody wants to read. or think 
biblically, or understand theology, or see the system here and present 
it, that the God of chapter 2 is the God of the rest of the chapters, 
and that when we come to Providence, we need to realize that whatever 
befalls His people is by His appointment for His glory, and 
they're good. Now, quickly, sin and the unbelievers 
He uses to blind and harden. He withholds grace. He withdraws 
gifts, and He gives them over. Notice in paragraph 6, 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. Remember, he's not bound to give 
anybody grace. Grace is unmerited. You can never 
say, well, that's not fair. When Jesus prays, Thank you, 
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you did hide these things 
from the wise and the prudent. I just hear people say, Well, 
that's not fair. God hid things from the wise 
and the prudent. These are wretched, godless, 
wicked people that God owes nothing to. And for Him to hide from 
the wise and the prudent is an act of His justice, an execution 
of His righteousness, and the upholding of His divine holiness. So He doesn't owe any man grace. Grace, definitionally, is unmerited 
favor. The moment you think God owes 
you something, you have crossed a line that Scripture says you 
need to come back from. So, 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 withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to 
such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin, and withal 
gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the 
world, and the power of Satan. whereby it comes to pass that 
they harden themselves even under those means which God useth for 
the softening of others." Isn't this basically what Paul says 
in Romans 1, 24, 26, 28? What happens when men don't like to 
retain the knowledge of God in their minds? God gives them over. What happens when women exchange 
the natural use for that which is unnatural and men with men 
committing indecent acts? What does God do? He gives them 
over. You see, this is an act of justice, 
an act of judgment, an act that displays to us that God is righteous 
and holy and will by no means clear the guilty. And then the 
final paragraph deals with providence and the church. As the providence 
of God doth in general reach to all creatures, certainly God 
is in the heavens, he does whatever he pleases, is comprehensive 
in its scope. He has sovereignty over birds, 
He has sovereignty over hair, He knows how many are on our 
heads. 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 disposeth of all things to the good thereof. You see this in Ephesians 1, 
God exalted Jesus, stationed Him at His right hand, gave him 
to be head over all things for the church." So generally, God's 
providence extends over all things, but specifically it has reference 
to the church. And I'll close with this quote 
from Charles Hodge, or I'm sorry, A. A. Hodge. The history of redemption 
through all its dispensations, patriarchal, Abrahamic, Mosaic, 
and Christian, is the key to the philosophy of human history 
in general. 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. 
Amen. Let us pray. Father, we thank 
you for the Word of God, and we thank you for this accurate 
summary of what the Word of God teaches here in our Confession 
of Faith. We know it's not an infallible document, we know 
it's not God-breathed, but it certainly does contain those 
things most surely believed among us. Give us grace, God, to understand 
this truth, give us grace to be comforted by it. May we see 
that you are over all things and in a special way for the 
Church. We ask that you would go with us now, that you would 
bless our time of corporate worship together, and we pray through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.