The Institution of Christian Religion

¶The .xvi. Chapter. That God by his power doth monish and maintain the world, which him self hath created, and by his providence doeth govern all the parts thereof.

¶The .xvi. Chapter. That God by his power dooth monishe and mainteyne the worlde, whiche hym selfe hath created, and by his prouidence doeth gouerne al the partes therof.

But it were very fond and bare to make God a creator for a moment, which doeth nothing sins he hath ones made an end of his work. And in this point principally ought we to differ from the profane men, that the presence of the power of God may shine unto us no less in the continual state of the world, than in the first beginning of it. For though the minds of the very wicked in only beholding of the heaven & earth are compelled to rise up unto the creator, yet hath faith a certain peculiar manner by it self whereby it giveth to god •he whole praise of creation. And therefore serveth that saying of the Apostle, which we before alleged, that we do not understand but by faith, that the world was made by the word of God. For unless we pass forward even unto his providence, we do not yet rightly conceive what this meaneth ye God is the creator, how soever we do seem to comprehend it in mind, and confess it with tongue. When the sense of the flesh hath ones set before it the power of God in the very creation, it resteth there, and when it proceedeth furthest of all, it doeth nothing but weigh and consider the wisdom, power, and goodness of the workman in making such a piece of work (which things do of them selves offer and thrust them selves in sight of men whether they will or no) & a certain general doing in preserving & governing the same, upon which dependeth the power of moving. Finally it thinketh that the lively force at the beginning put into all things by God, doth suffice to sustain them. But faith ought to pierce deeper, that is to say, whom it hath learned to be the creator of all things, by and by to gather that the same is the perpetual governor & preserver of them: and that, not by stirring with an universal motion as well the whole frame of the world, as all the parts thereof, but by sustaining, cherishing & caring for, with singular providence every one of those things that he hath created even to the least sparrow. So David after he had first said that the world was created by God, by & by descendeth to the continual course of his providence. By the word of the Lord (saith he) the heavens were stablished, & all the power thereof by the spirit of his mouth.