Chapter XX.

All Things Are Preserved By The Hand Of God.

The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.—Ezra 8:22.

As man, the noblest of the creatures, cannot subsist one moment without the help of those that are much inferior to himself; it follows, that their being, and the qualities by which they help and assist us, are entirely owing to God. Whosoever denies this, must believe that they who want not our help, must be more worthy than we, who cannot subsist without theirs.

2. But the more natural conclusion would be, that if man cannot subsist without their help, they who are so 473 much more ignoble than he, must likewise depend on some superior being for their support and preservation. But as He that supports the creatures, also supports mankind by their means, it is plain, that he can be nothing less than the Creator and Maker of all things. For nothing can preserve our being, but he that gave it, and that is God, who ordained the creatures for our sakes, and man for his own.