“We believe that the Father by the Word, that is by his Son, hath created of nothing the heaven, the earth, and all creatures, as it seemed good unto him, giving unto every creature its being, shape, form, and several offices, to serve its Creator. That he doth also still uphold and govern them by his eternal providence, and infinite power, for the service of mankind, to the end that man may serve his God. He also created the angels good, to be his messengers and to serve his elect; some of whom are fallen from that excellency, in which God created them, into everlasting perdition; and the others have, by the grace of God, remained steadfast and continued in their primitive state. The devils and evil spirits are so depraved, that they are enemies of God and every good thing, to the utmost of their power, as murderers, watching to ruin the Church and every member thereof, and by their wicked stratagems to destroy all; and are, therefore, by their own wickedness, adjudged to eternal damnation, daily expecting their horrible torments. Therefore we reject and abhor the error of the Sadducees, who deny the existence of spirits and angels: and also that of the Manichees, who assert that the devils have their origin of themselves, and that they are wicked of their own nature, without having been corrupted.”
I. The works of God in general: in this article the Confession begins to speak of the works of God. These may be distinguished as:
A. Indwelling and outgoing works:
1. The indwelling works, i.e., those that are eternally done within the divine being:
a. God is an eternally active God. He did not begin to work when He created the world.
b. Hence, we can speak of His indwelling works, His eternal activity within Himself. These are:
1) Personal: the Father generates the Son, the Son is generated by the Father, the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
2) Essential: God eternally knows and loves Himself, etc.
2. And the outgoing works: i.e., either:
a. Those works of God that have respect to existence outside of God’s being; or
b. Those works whereby beings outside of God’s being, or in distinction from His being, are actually called into existence. Hence, another distinction:
B. In eternity and in time:
1. God’s works in eternity are His counsel or decrees:
a. The decree of predestination: God’s counsel with respect to the eternal destiny of His moral creatures, men and angels, distinguished as
1) Election, and
2) Reprobation. Of this later.
2. God’s works in time:
a. In “nature”
1) Creation, and
2) In the upholding and government of all things: providence.
b. In grace: all the work of salvation in Christ.
II. The work of creation. This article speaks of: creation in general, of all creatures except man, of the angels, of the fallen angels.
A. The work of creation as such:
1. According to God’s counsel: “as it seemed good unto him”:
a. Creation may not be conceived as emanating from God’s being.
b. It is an act of His sovereign will.
2. Of the triune God:
a. Of the Father, through the Son, but also in the Spirit.
b. All the three persons of the Holy Trinity are active in the work of creation and providence.
3. As an act of omnipotent will:
a. “Of nothing,” i.e., there was nothing outside of God.
b. The calling of the things that are not as if they were.
B. The created product:
1. The whole creation as an organism:
a. All creatures as to their being, shape, form and several offices.
b. For the service of man, that man may serve his God.
2. Special mention of the angels:
a. Messengers and servants of the elect.
b. Created good.
c. Some are fallen and are depraved, others remained steadfast.