Exposition

Intimately connected with the doctrine of the creation of the world, is the subject of the providence of God, which is nothing else than a continuation of the creation—because the government of the world is the preservation of the things created by God. We are not to imagine, therefore, that the creation of the world is like the building of a ship, which the architect as soon as it is completed, commits to the government of some pilot ; but we must hold this as a most certain truth, that as nothing could ever have existed except by the creating power of God—so it is impossible that any thing should exist, even for a moment, without his government and preservation. It is for this reason that the scriptures often join the preservation and continual administration of all things with their creation. Hence we cannot have a full and correct knowledge of the creation unless we, at the same time, embrace the doctrine of divine providence, concerning which we must inquire particularly.

Is there any providence of God?
What is it?
What does it profit us?

The first and second of these propositions are considered under this question; the third will be considered when we come to treat the twenty-eighth question of the Catechism.