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He rested on the seventh day from the works of creation. Yet He is still working continually and doing good every day.

I. He PRESERVETH all things

1. That He does so appears —

(1) From Scripture (Nehemiah 9:6; Hebrews 1:3; Acts 17:25-28).

(2) From reason.

(a) He is the first cause of all things, now as well as at the first, and, therefore, all other causes and things must needs depend on Him.

(b) As great power is required for preservation as for creation. No finite power can preserve all things for itself, being but a creature needs preservation. An independent creature is a contradiction.

(c) Hence should not God support us we should fall down to nothing (Job 6.).

2. How doth God preserve all things. Either —

(1) Immediately from Himself; as the angels, sun and fixed stars (Revelation 4:11).

(2) Mediately, as all other creatures in heaven and earth, by secondary causes, who with Himself concur; by —

(a) Propagation whereby all creatures, even of the shortest continuance, successively are preserved to the end of the world (Genesis 7:3; Psalm 36:6).

(b) Continuation and maintaining of individuals in giving them food (Psalm 104:27-30; Psalm 145:15, 16; Psalm 147:8, 9; Matthew 6:26); giving a blessing to it (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3, 4; Daniel 1:12-15). Inspection of —

I. All things — the stars (Psalm 147:4); the number of the sands and weight of mountains (Isaiah 11:12); the hairs of the head (Matthew 10:30; Acts 27:34).

II. Of everything that is done by mankind (Psalm 14:2; Psalm 33:13-15), particularly of thoughts (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 4:14; Psalm 139:2); hearts and affections (Proverbs 24:12; Proverbs 21:2; Ezekiel 33:31; John 5:42); words (Psalm 139:4; Matthew 12:36); actions (Revelation 2:2-9); sins (Psalm 56:8; Revelation 2:14); repentance (Psalm 16:8; Jeremiah 8:6); good works (Genesis 18:19; Matthew 25:34).

III. He RULES AND GOVERNS all things so that there is nothing falls out without His will effecting or permitting it.

1. Not only the greatest and noblest parts of creation, but the least —

(1)  The ravens, etc. (Psalm 147:9; Matthew 10:29, 30):

(2)  The oxen (1 Corinthians 9:9; Deuteronomy 25:4) much more of His ministers.

2. All natural things —

(1)  Sunrise and sunset (Matthew 5:45);

(2)  Grass (Psalm 147:8; 155:13-15);

(3)  The elements (Psalm 147:16, 17; Jeremiah 10:13; Job 37:10-12);

(4)  Fruitfulness (Deuteronomy 11:12);

(5)  The senses (Exodus 4:11);

(6)  Family increase (Genesis 30:2; Deuteronomy 10:22).

3. All such things as are contingent and accidental. So Achan (Joshua 7:16-18); Jonathan (1 Samuel 14:41, 42), etc.; Hophni and Phineas (1 Samuel 4:11; 1 Samuel 2:25); the bow drawn at a venture (1 Kings 22:34, cf. vers. 17, 28).

4. All things that are done by the free will of men which is inclined by God (Proverbs 21:1; Psalm 119:36; 1 Kings 8:58; Acts 16:14; 2 Samuel 17:14).

5. Use —

(1)  Acknowledge God in everything (James 4:13-14; Proverbs 3:6).

(2)  Pray to Him for all true grace and virtue and depend on Him alone for it.

6. Question: If God thus governs the world how comes it to pass that there is so much sin in it.

(1)  God could so have ordered it that no sin should ever have been committed.

(2)  Though He permits it He is not the cause of it (James 1:13-14).

(3)  God so orders it that good comes out of it —

(a)  By permitting one sin He sometimes punisheth another (Romans 1:21-25).

(b)  He so overrules it as to turn it to the good of the righteous (Genesis 45:7, 8; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:28).

(c)  He makes it redound to either the glory of His mercy in pardoning (Romans 9:23); or of His justice in punishing it (Proverbs 16:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

IV. He ORDERS AND DISPOSES of all things giving them to whomsoever He pleases.

1. Wealth and riches (Deuteronomy 8:18; Genesis 32:9, 10; 1 Timothy 6:17; Job 1:21; Ecclesiastes 5:18, 19; Ecclesiastes 6:1, 2).

2. Honour and preferments (1 Chronicles 29:12; Psalm 75:6, 7; 2 Samuel 12:8; 1 Kings 3:13; 1 Samuel 2:7, 8; Psalm 113:7).

3. Love and favours (Genesis 39:21; Daniel 1:9; Exodus 12:36; Exodus 3:21).

4. Health and strength of body (2 Samuel 12:15, 16).

5. Gifts and parts of mind (1 Kings 3:9-12; Exodus 35:30, 31; Exodus 36:1, 2; Exodus 31:1-6; James 1:5).

6. All true grace and virtue.

(1)  Faith (Ephesians 2:8).

(2)  Repentance (Acts 11:18; Acts 5:31).

(3)  All other graces (James 1:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 4:7).

7. Heaven and eternal life (Romans 6:23). Conclusion:

1. All these works of God are done —

(1) With infinite power; for He doth all things without trouble, and only with His word since none can resist Him (2 Chronicles 20:6; Job 9:2).

(2) With infinite wisdom; so that He directs all things to the best and His own glory (Psalm 104:24; Romans 11:33).

(3) With infinite justice and righteousness; so that He wrongs none, nor is unjust or unrighteous to any (Psalm 145:17).

(4) With infinite goodness and mercy (Psalm 145:9).

2. Use(1) Learn to think that nothing comes by chance or fortune, but acknowledge God in everything (Proverbs 3:6; Exodus 8:19).

(2) Fear nothing but God. No good can be withholden from us, and no evil can fall upon us without Him (Matthew 10:28-30).

(3) Although we ought to make use of means, yet we must put our whole confidence in God without whom the best means are unsuccessful and with whom the least are effectual (Psalm 37:3-7).

(Bp. Beveridge.)

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KJV: After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

WEB: After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.