E1P24C
Corollary — Part I
Latin
Hinc sequitur Deum non tantum esse causam ut res incipiant existere sed etiam ut in existendo perseverent sive (ut termino scholastico utar) Deum esse causam essendi rerum. Nam sive res existant sive non existant, quotiescunque ad earum essentiam attendimus, eandem nec existentiam nec durationem involvere comperimus adeoque earum essentia neque suæ existentiæ neque suæ durationis potest esse causa sed tantum Deus ad cujus solam naturam pertinet existere (per corollarium I propositionis 14).
English (Elwes 1883)
Hence it follows that God is not only the cause of things coming into existence, but also of their continuing in existence, that is, in scholastic phraseology, God is cause of the being of things (essendi rerum). For whether things exist, or do not exist, whenever we contemplate their essence, we see that it involves neither existence nor duration; consequently, it cannot be the cause of either the one or the other. God must be the sole cause, inasmuch as to him alone does existence appertain. (Prop. xiv. Coroll. i.) Q.E.D.
Modern English
From this it follows that God is the cause not only of things' beginning to exist, but also of their persisting in existence, or, to use the scholastic term, that God is the cause of the being of things. For whether things exist or do not, whenever we look at their essence we find it involves neither existence nor duration. So their essence cannot be the cause of either their existence or their duration. Only God can, since existence belongs to his nature alone (E1P14C1).