Creation and Providence

Benjamin Beddome

What is the work of creation? The work of creation is God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

Did God create the world? Yes. “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands” (Heb 1:10). And all things in it? Yes. “God…made the world and all things therein” (Act 17:24). Did He create the soul of man? Yes. “Which…formeth the spirit of man within him” (Zec 12:1). And the body of man? Yes. “In thy book all my members were written” (Psa 139:16). Did He create the highest angels? Yes. “By him were all things created…whether they be thrones,” etc. (Col 1:16). And the meanest insects? Yes. “God made…every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind” (Gen 1:25). And did omniscience¹ approve what omnipotence²wrought? Yes. “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31).

Did God need any assistance in His work? No. “Who hath prevented³ me, that I should repay him?” (Job 41:11).⁴ Did He make all things out of nothing? Yes. For the “things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb 11:3). And by His word? Yes. He said, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen 1:3). And in six days? Yes. “In six days the LORD made heaven and earth” (Exo 20:11). Did He appoint every creature its proper station and use? Yes. “Let there be lights in the firmament…and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen 1:14). Does God go on to create? No. “On the seventh day God…rested…from all his work” (Gen 2:2).

How did God create man? God created man male and female after His own image—in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness—with dominion over the creatures.

Were there any men before Adam? No. He was “the first man” (1Co 15:45). Are all men then derived from Adam? Yes. He “hath made of one blood all nations of men” (Act 17:26). And did Adam himself derive his being from God? Yes. “…which was the son of God” (Luk 3:38).

Did God create man male and female? Yes. “Male and female, created he them” (Gen 5:2). Was there a difference in the manner of their creation? Yes. “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man” (1Co 11:8). And in the order of their creation? Yes. “For Adam was first formed, then Eve” (1Ti 2:13). And in the end of their creation? Yes. “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man” (1Co 11:9).

Was man made after the image of God? Yes. “God created man in his own image” (Gen 1:27). Did that image consist in knowledge? Yes. “…which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col 3:10). And in righteousness and holiness? Yes. For the “new man…after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph 4:24). And in authority and government? Yes. For “thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psa 8:6). Was this state of man a very glorious one? Yes. “Thou…hast crowned him with glory and honour” (Psa 8:5). But was it an abiding one? No. For “man being in honour abideth not” (Psa 49:12).

What are God’s works of providence? God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.

Is God’s providence universal? Yes. “His kingdom ruleth over all” (Psa 103:19). Does it extend to all worlds? Yes. “Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth” (Psa 135:6). And to all creatures? Yes. He upholdeth “all things by the word of his power” (Heb 1:3). Does it extend to inanimate creatures? Yes. He “bind[s] the sweet influences of the Pleiades, [and] loose[s] the bands of Orion” (Job 38:31). And to the animal creation? Yes. “The stork…knoweth her appointed times” (Jer 8:7). Does it order all events relative to particular persons? Yes. Man’s “days are determined, the number of his months are with [God]” (Job 14:5). And to kingdoms and societies of men? Yes. “He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” (Dan 2:21). Doth God exercise a special providence over some places? Yes. Thus, Canaan was “a land which…God cared for” (Deu 11:12). And over some persons? Yes. He “is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1Ti 4:10). Is it a desirable thing to be interested in God’s special providence? Yes. “Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people” (Psa 106:4).

Doth God’s providence extend to all actions? Yes. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Pro 16:9). Doth it extend to all natural actions? Yes. “In him we live, and move” (Act 17:28). And to all fortuitous actions? Yes. Thus “a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness” (1Ki 22:34). And to all good actions? Yes. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD” (Psa 37:23). And to evil actions? Yes. “It was not you that sent me hither, but God” (Gen 45:8). And can God bring good out of evil? Yes. “Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good” (Gen 50:20). Are God’s providences mysterious? Yes. His “judgments are a great deep” (Psa 36:6). But are they harmonious? Yes. They “work together” (Rom 8:28).

Is preservation an act of providence? Yes. “Which holdeth our soul in life” (Psa 66:9). Did God preserve us in our infant state? Yes. “Thou art my God from my mother’s belly” (Psa 22:10). And will He preserve us in declining years? Yes. “…to hoar hairs will I carry you” (Isa 46:4). Doth He give us food? Yes. He filleth “our hearts with food and gladness” (Act 14:17). And rest? Yes. “He giveth his beloved sleep” (Psa 127:2). Doth He preserve us from threatening dangers? Yes. “He keepeth all [our] bones” (Psa 34:20). And endow us with wisdom for our several trades? Yes. Bezaleel and Aholiab were “filled…with the Spirit of God…in all manner of workmanship” (Exo 35:31). Does God’s care extend to the meanest creatures? Yes. Not a sparrow “shall fall on the ground without your Father” (Mat 10:29).

Is government also an act of providence? Yes. God “ruleth by his power for ever” (Psa 66:7). Doth God maintain the laws and ordinances of nature? Yes. Thus, we read of His “covenant of the day, and [His] covenant of the night” (Jer 33:20). But doth He sometimes suspend and act contrary to them? Yes. “So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day” (Jos 10:13). Doth He uphold all creatures in their operations? Yes. The eagle mounteth up at His command, and maketh her nest on high (Job 39:27). But can He also restrain those operations? Yes. He “shut the lions’ mouths” (Dan 6:22). Doth He exercise a peculiar government over the church? Yes. “God ruleth in Jacob” (Psa 59:13).

Is God’s government supreme? Yes. He is “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16). Is it just and rightful? Yes. “Thine is the kingdom, O LORD” (1Ch 29:11). Is it most wise? Yes. “How unsearchable are his judgments” (Rom 11:33). Is it holy? Yes. “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works” (Psa 145:17). Is it absolute and arbitrary? Yes. “Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters” (Job 33:13). Is it effectual and uncontrollable? Yes. “What his soul desireth…that he doeth” (Job 23:13).

Is God’s providential government an argument for trust and confidence? Yes. “Commit thy way unto the LORD” (Psa 37:5). And for silence and submission? Yes. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psa 46:10). And for praise and thanksgiving? Yes. “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Rev 19:6).

What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created? When God had created man, He entered a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience—forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.

Did God make man perfectly holy? Yes. “God…made man upright” (Ecc 7:29). And perfectly happy? Yes. For He “blessed them” (Gen 1:28). Did He give him a law? Yes. “The LORD God commanded the man” (Gen 2:16). And was man as God’s creature obliged to obey that law? Yes. “Remember…O…Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee” (Isa 44:21).

Was the covenant that God entered with Adam a covenant of life? Yes. For “the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them” (Gal 3:12). Was there a special command given him by way of trial? Yes. “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat” (Gen 2:17).

And was death threatened in case of disobedience? Yes. “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen 2:17). Was he under any natural necessity to break this law? No. For “of every [other] tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat” (Gen 2:16).

Was this covenant made with Adam as a public head? Yes. For he was “the figure of him that was to come” (Rom 5:14). Was Eve included in it? Yes. For “God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?” (Gen 3:13). Was this law worthy of God? Yes. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen 18:25). Is the second covenant better than the first? Yes. For Christ “is the mediator of a better covenant” (Heb 8:6).

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1. omniscience – state of having infinite knowledge; knowing everything.
2. omnipotence – state of having unlimited power; having all power.
3. prevented – gone before.
4. This appears to mean, “Who has first given Me [God] anything that I need to pay it back?”

From A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism, in the public domain.

Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795): English Baptist minister, hymn writer, and author; born in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, England, UK.