WCF 5.5-7

Chapter 5 - Of Providence (cont'd)

V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave, for a season, His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption 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;(19) 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 sundry other just and holy ends.(2o)

V. The most wise, righteous and gracious God allows His own children to experience a variety of temptations and the corruption of their own hearts. This He does to chastise them for their former sins or to reveal to them the hidden strength and deceitfulness of their own hearts in order to humble them.(19) It is also to bring them into a closer and more constant dependence upon Him for all of their needs, that they may be more watchful against all future sins. There are other just and holy ends to be achieved, though they are not always readily apparent.(20)

Mostly just slight rewording. I expanded the ending of the section in a way that, I believe, preserves the intent of the original while also making it more explicit (i.e. clearly expressing the original intent).

VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden,(21) from them He not only withholdeth His grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts;(22) but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had,(23) and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption make occasion of sin;(24) and, withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan,(25) whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others.(26)

VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God continues to blind and harden,(21) from them He not only withholds His grace by which they might have been saved(22) but also, on occasion, He withdraws the gifts they had.(23) He gives them over to their own lusts,(24) the temptations of the world and to the power of Satan.(25) In time they will harden themselves even under those conditions used by God to soften others.(26)

A fair amount of streamlining in this section, but no substantial changes.

VII. 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 all things to the good thereof.(27)

VII. While the providence of God extends over all creation, the Church is given special and particular attention so that all things work for her good.(27)

I restructed and reworded this section to make God's sovereigty a little bit more implicit. I'm sure the Divines would not disagree that God's providence is over all of creation and not just all creatures.