§ 1. Preservation. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions. Providence, therefore, includes preservation and government. By preservation is meant that all things out of God owe the continu- ance of their existence, with all their properties and powers, to the will of God. This is clearly the doctrine of the Scriptures. The passages relating to this subject are very numerous. They are of different kinds. First, some assert in general terms that God does sustain all things by the word of his power, as Heb. i. 3 ; Col. i. 17, where it is said, " By Him all things consist," or continue to be. In Nehem. ix. 6, " Thou, even thou art Lord alone ; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their hosts, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is there- in, and thou preservest them all." Secondly, those which refer to the regular operations or powers of nature, which are declared to be preserved in their efficiency by the power of God. See Psalms civ. and cxlviii, throughout, and many similar passages. Thirdly, those which relate to irrational animals. And Fourthly, those which relate to rational creatures, who are said to live, move, and to have their being in God. These passages clearly teach, (1.) That the universe as a whole does not continue in being of itself It would cease to exist if unsupported by his power. (2.) That all creatures, whether plants or animals, in their several genera, spe- cies, and individuals, are continued in existence not by any inher- ent principle of life, but by the will of God. (3.) That this preservation extends not only to the substance but also to the form ; not only to the essence, but also to the qualities, properties, and powers of all created things.
The Nature of Preservation. This doctrine, thus clearly taught in the Scriptures, is so conso- nant to reason and to the religious nature of man, that it is not de-
576 PART L— THEOLOGY. [Ch. XI. — Providence.
nied among Christians. The only question is as to the nature of the divine efficiency to which the continued existence of all things is to be referred. On this subject there are three general opinions. First, That of those who assume that everything is to be referred to the original purpose of God. He created all things and deter- mmed that they should continue in being according to the laws which He impressed upon them at the beginning. There is no need, it is said, of supposing his continued intervention for their preservation. It is enough that He does not will that they should cease to be. This is the theory adopted by the Remonstrants and generally by,^Uie^_eists of modern times. According to this view, God is seated on his throne in the heavens, a mere spectator of the ■world and of its operations, exerting no direct efficiency in sustain- ing the things which He has made. Thus Limborch ^ describes preservation, as held by many, to be merely an " actus negativus .... [quo Deus] essentias, vires ac facultates rerum creatarum non vult destruere ; sed eas vigori suo per creationem indito, quoad usque ille perdurare potest relinquere." To this view it is to be objected, —
1. That it is obviously opposed to the representations of the Bible. According to the uniform and pervading teaching of the Scriptures, God is not merely a God afar off. He is not a mere spectator of the universe which He has made, but is everywhere present in his essence, knowledge, and power. To his sustaining hand the continuance of all things is constantly referred ; and if He withdraws his presence they cease to be. This is so plainly the doctrine of the Bible that it is admitted so to be by many whose philosophical views constrain them to reject the doctrine for them- selves.
2. It is inconsistent with the absolute dependence of all things on God. It supposes creatures to have within themselves a prin- ciple of life, derived originally, indeed, from God, but capable of continued being and power without his aid. The God of the Bible is everywliere declared to be the all-sustaining gi'ound of all that is, so that if not upheld by the word of his power, they would cease to be. The Scriptures expressly distinguish the power by which things were created from that by which they are continued. All things were not only created by Him, says the Apostle, but by Him all things consist. (Col. i. 17.) This language clearly teaches that the almighty power of God is as much concerned in the continued existence, as in the original creation of all things.
1 Theologia Christiana, n. xxv. 7, edit. Amsterdam, 1700, p. 134.