The Apostle brings an argument here to prove what he had asserted before, that God owes no man anything. He proves it from the opposition thus: the cause owes nothing to its effect, but contrarily the effect owes everything to the cause. Now God is the cause, not the effect, in respect to all things whatsoever that either are, or are done in this world. But God as a cause comes under a threefold reason or notion: 1. either as a procreating cause, from him are all things; or 2. as a conserving or directing cause, and through him or by him are all things; or 3. as a final cause, for which all things exist, and to him, or for him are all things.
In the first notion, creation is attributed to him; in the second, sustenance and governance of all things, in which the providence of God properly consists; in the third notion, perfection and conservation of all things is attributed to God in which the end and accomplishment of creation, sustenance, and governance is seen and consists.
Doctrine 1. God has a sure providence whereby he takes care for all things, and directs them to his own glory.
This is clear from the Text, in as much as all things are to be directed by him and for him.
Reason 1. Because God is the cause of things from reason and wisdom of the greatest excellence — not from any necessity of his nature, nor yet from any casualty or coaction. And in such a cause, there is always a regard to the end, and an efficacious willing of it, together with an ordering of the means for attaining that end accordingly.
Reason 2. Because if God had only made the creatures, and had no care of them afterwards, or did not direct and govern them, the work of creation would have been but idle, vain, and as if done in jest. For workmen do not usually take pains to perfect a work, and then neglect it, unless they do it from too much leisure, and sport, or pastime, which does not agree to God.
Reason 3. Unless God directed and governed all things that he created, his work would be imperfect, as not bringing it to its destinate end. It would also be subordinate to the operation or influence of something else upon it that is not the principal, as we see it is among men. For someone that makes a Ship, and does not afterwards direct and govern her in her sailing, his work about her is but imperfect and as it were in vain. His art and work is subordinate to the art of sailing, which does the other and better sort of work about that Ship.
Reason 4. Common experience teaches that there is some present and powerful wisdom everywhere that is efficacious in its workings and intentions, whereby creatures are directed in their operations. For without it, the kinds of all things could not have been preserved and propagated under the same forms and figures, parts and dispositions, through all generations. Also, without it, creatures that lack reason could not be directed to tend to some certain end unknown to themselves, and to possess certain places most convenient for them, and to seek the order and preservation of the universe or whole, rather than their own in particular. Without this providence it cannot be understood how some beasts have such instinct and as it were some beams of certain wisdom imparted to them as they have. This may be seen in ants, bees, spiders, swallows, and storks, of which Scripture itself speaks, and many other beasts which are rightly said to be born as it were with a Law, a Book, and a Lantern. With a Law which they follow and observe constantly in all their operations, and in which there is a certain art and wisdom that manifestly appears. With a Book in which they have that Law written down for them, because it is ever present with them, and indeed it is written or engraven on their souls. With a Lantern also, because at all times they so readily read in it, and perceive all those things which agree to their condition.
Use 1. Of Information: that we may have a care to solidly establish our Faith in this behalf: because providence is among the first principles of Religion, from which the glory of God mainly depends, and our affiance, patience, reverence, humility, and all the rest that belong to the real practice of religion.
Use 2. Of Direction: that we do not lean on our own or other men’s wisdom and providence, but to apply ourselves always to lay hold on the providence of God, that we may rely on it in all things.
Doctrine 2. The providence of God includes in itself not only the intention, but also the attainment of its end.
For all things are no less certainly for him, than they are either by him, or from him.
Reason 1. Because divine providence is most perfect, and therefore always attains what it intends properly. For that is the imperfection of man’s providence: that it often does not attain its end, but is hindered by some other causes.
Reason 2. Because if God did not attain his purposed end, then he would allow some change in his blessedness and happy condition; because it is more blessed to have all one’s desires and purposes fulfilled, than to fall beside some of them.
Reason 3. Because from this also would follow the diminution of God’s eternal knowledge. For no wise man proposes to attain for himself that which from the beginning he knows he shall never attain.
Use 1. Of Refutation: against those that turn divine providence into a human providence.
Use 2. Of Consolation: to all believers to whom God has promised that he will provide and see to them, so that all things at last shall turn to their good and eternal happiness.
Doctrine 3. This providence of God extends itself to all things. This is clear in the Text.
Reason 1. It is as much extended to everything in the world just as a good and wise master of a family cares (as much as it lies in him) for all things that are done in his house.
Reason 2. It is extended to everything that was created by God. For in the same manner providence follows upon creation, as the Apostle teaches that provision follows upon procreation, and seeing to children and others in the family, 1Tim 5.8.106 For God in some sort is called the Father of all things that he created.
Reason 3. He cares for all noble and great things, because the direction of such things makes his glory evident.
Reason 4. He also cares for the least and vilest things, such as the hairs on our head and the like, Mat. 10.29. Because his wisdom is infinite, these cannot escape it. Just as his being is not helped by their greatness, so he is not kept from caring for them by their littleness. Oftentimes also, very great things depend on the least things, and from vile or base things, a noble change follows, either for the better or for the worse.
Reason 5. This providence is extended not only to things that are, or must be, by necessity, but also to contingent, or voluntary things. This is because contingents are mutable, and subject to many casualties, coming from the course of many causes; and most of all, they require the governance of a superior power, so that they may be rightly ordered, lest all should run into confusion. And voluntary things are of a most noble operation, and of a higher nature than any natural things are. And therefore, most of all, they depend upon God’s care for them and over them. And these things are so cared for by God, that their nature is not thereby overthrown, but established and governed. For it is rightly said of divine providence, that though it attains to its end with strength, yet even in doing so, it disposes all things sweetly. That is, it attains its end according to the nature of all and each, so that he himself put into them in the Creation, and yet he conserves them by his providence. For there is nothing in God’s providence that brings a necessity upon anything properly so-called, but only a certaintywhich in no way withstands the nature of contingency and liberty.
Reason 6. This providence is extended not only to good things, but also to evil — nor only to evils of punishment, but also to evils of sin — because, though evil was not created by God, and in this respect it is not properly and in itself the subject of divine providence; yet because it comes from the creature of God, and of its own nature disorders the work of God, and is contrary to the order that God appointed, therefore by necessity it ought to be ordered and limited by God. Otherwise the most noble work of God, if he had no care to the contrary, would run into great disorder. And because in sin there is the greatest confusion and disorder, it is therefore most of all required here, that God exercise the power of his providence. In regard to God only, does evil have some kind of good in it — namely, as far as it is ordered by him, and turned to good.
Use 1. Of Exhortation: that we may always have our affiance firm, and immovable, and fixed on God; because if God is for us, who can be against us? — seeing that all things are directed and governed by God.
Use 2. Of Admonition: that we depend upon no creature, but upon God alone; because all things are governed by God. And then, that we learn to reverence and fear God in all things, seeing that his providence, which is to be reverenced and feared, has a hand in all things.
Excerpt from the eBook The Substance of Christian Religion by William Ames