Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

But that God is our good father, ¹liberal, gentle, merciful, strong, Almighty, Lord of all, and our defender and deliverer, it is to be seen by his wonderful works. For he is the maker of heaven and earth. And in the making of Heaven and earth, he hath declared the great love that he beareth to mankind. For when as yet they were not, nether were able with deserts and good turns to provoke God to do them any good, then God first of his own mere and natural goodness, made heaven & earth, a most excellent and beautiful Palace, and gave it them to dwell in, putting under mans dominion all the Creatures of this whole world. But how great power he showed in the making of all these things, it is evident by this, that He spake the word and they were made, he commanded and they were created. Which if thou bring into parts and severally examine, what he made in those six days, in what order, with what beauty, to how great commodity of mankind, and finally how almost with no labour at all he brought them all forth, as it is at large written by Moses in the first of Genesis, thou shalt be compelled to be amazed at the goodwill and power of God. And yet by the way we must think the Creator of all things to be such an one, as by his Son, that is, by his eternal wisdom, hath created all things both visible and invisible, yea and that of nothing too: and doth moreover at this very present sustain, nourish, rule and preserve all things by his everlasting spirit, without which every thing would presently fall to ruin and come to nought. We do herein therefore confess also the providence of our eternal God, and his exceeding wise government.

But that God is oure good father, ¹liberall, gentle, mercifull, stronge, Almighty, Lorde of all, and our defender and deliuerer, it is to be séene by his wonderful works. For hée is the maker of heauen and earth. And in the making of Heauē and earth, hée hath declared the great loue that hée beareth to mankinde. For when as yet they were not, nether were able with desartes and good tournes to prouoke God to do them anye good, then God first of his owne méere and naturall goodnesse, made heauen & earth, a most excellent and beautifull Palace, and gaue it them to dwell in, putting vnder mans dominion all ye Creatures of this whole world. But how great power he shewed in the making of all these things, it is euident by this, that Hee spake the woorde and they were made, he commaunded and they were created. Which if thou bringe into partes and seuerally examine, what hée made in those sixe dayes, in what order, with what beauty, to how great commodity of mankinde, and finallye how almost wyth no labour at all hée brought them al forth, as it is at large writtē by Moses in the first of Genesis, thou shalte be compelled to be amazed at the goodwill and power of God. And yet by the waye wée muste thincke the Creatour of all thinges to be such an one, as by his sonne, that is, by his eternall wysedome, hath created al things both visible and inuisible, yea and that of nothing too: and doth moreouer at this very presēt sustaine, nourish, rule and preserue all thinges by his euerlasting spirite, wtout which euery thinge woulde presently fall to ruine and come to nought. Wée doe herein therefore confesse also the prouidence of our eternall God, and hys excéeding wyse gouernment.