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The Mystery of Providence
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This Puritan classic, first published in the late 17th century, sets forth the biblical teaching of God and his interaction in our lives.
No detail is too small or insignificant for God; he is there, working out "all things for good". And in that promise, every believer can take comfort that God truly has a purpose for every single person and will unfold his plan, which includes every detail in our daily lives.
Chapter topics include: proofs of a special providence; the operations of providence; the duty of reflecting on the operations of providence; directions for reflecting on the dispensations of providence; motives to a due observance of providence; and the practicality of providence.
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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 57:2"I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me."The greatness of God is a glorious and unsearchable mystery. "For the Lord most high is terrible; He is a great king over all the earth" (Psalm 47:2). The condescension of the most High God to men is also a profound mystery. "Though the Lord be high, yet He respect the lowly" (Psalm 138:6). But when both these meet together, as they do in this Scripture, they make up a matchless mystery. Here we find the most high God performing all things for a poor distressed creature.CHAPTER 9: HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE PROVIDENCE OF GODGOD WILL NEVER LEAVE USThe Word of promise assures us that whatever wants or straits the saints fall into, their God will never leave them nor forsake them (Hebrews 13:5), that He "will be with them in trouble" (Psalm 91:15). Ask your own hearts, where or when was it that your God forsook you, and left you to sink and perish under your burdens? Did God abandon and cast you off in the day of trouble? It is true, there have been some plunges and difficulties you have met with, in which you could see no way of escape, but concluded you must perish in them. There have been difficulties that have staggered your faith in the promises, and made you doubt whether the fountain of all-sufficiency would let out itself for your relief; yea, such difficulties as have provoked you to murmuring and impatience, and thereby provoked the Lord to forsake you in your trouble; but yet you see He did not. He has either strengthened your back to bear, or lightened your burden, or else opened an unexpected door of escape (I Corinthians 10:13), so that the evil which you feared did not come upon you.RELIEF FROM GOD'S WORDYou read that the Word of God is the only support and relief to a gracious soul in the dark day of affliction (Psalm 119:50, 92; 2 Samuel 23:5), and that for this purpose it was written (Romans 15:4). No natural remedies can perform for us that which the Word can do. One word of God can do more than ten thousand words of men to relieve a distressed soul. If Providence has at any time directed you to such promises as either assure you that the Lord will be with you in trouble (Psalm 91:15), or that encourage you from inward peace to bear cheerfully outward burdens (John 16:33), or satisfied you of God's tenderness and moderation in His dealings with you (Isaiah 27:8), or that you shall reap blessed fruits from them (Romans 8:28), or that make clear your interest in God and His love under your afflictions (2 Sam 7:14), O what ease and relief ensues and how light is your burden compared with what it was before!GOD IS STILL FAITHFUL WHEN WE SUFFERSet the faithfulness of the Lord before you under the saddest providences. So did David, "I know, O Lord, that...in faithfulness You have afflicted me" (Psalm 119:75). This is according to His covenant faithfulness: "I will punish their transgression with the rod" (Psalm 89:32). Hence it is that the Lord will not withhold a rod when need requires it (I Peter 1:6). Nor will He forsake His people under the rod when He inflicts it (2 Corinthians 4:9). O what quietness will this breed! I see my God will not lose my heart, if a rod can prevent it. He would rather hear me groan here than howl hereafter. His love is judicious, not fond. He consults my good rather than my ease.GODLY SORROW AND HUMILITYWhen the providences of God are sad and afflictive, it is seasonable for you to exercise godly sorrow and humility of spirit. We cannot be light and vain when our Father is angry. If there is any real sense of the evil of sin which provokes God's anger, we must be heavy-hearted when God is smiting us for it. But however sad and dismal the face of Providence is, yet still maintain spiritual joy and comfort in God under all. "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17,18). This spiritual joy or comfort is nothing else but the cheerfulness of our heart in God, and the sense of our interest in Him and in His promises.WE WILL SOON BE IN HEAVENWhy should we give up our joy in God, when the change of our condition is so near? It is but a little while, and sorrows shall flee away. You shall never suffer again: "God will wipe away all tears" (Revelation 7:17). Have but a little patience, and all will be well with you. It is no small comfort to the saints that this world is the worst place that they shall ever be in; things will get better every day with them, "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Romans 13:11).WHY GOD DELAYS ANSWERING OUR PRAYERSIf Providence delays the performance of any mercy to you that you have long waited and prayed for, yet see that you do not despond, nor grow weary of waiting upon God for that reason. It pleases the Lord often to try and exercise His people this way, and make them cry: "How long, O Lord, how long?" (Psalm 13:1,2). These delays, for both spiritual and temporal reasons, are frequent, and when they befall us we are too apt to interpret them as denials, and fall into a sinful despondency of mind, though there is no cause at all for it (Psalm 31:12; Lamentations 3:8,44). It is not always that the returns of prayers are dispatched to us in the same hour they are asked of God. The Lord means to perform for us the mercies we desire, yet He will ordinarily exercise our patience to wait for them, for these reasons...GOD'S TIMING IS DIFFERENT THAN OURSIt is not the proper season for us to receive our mercies in. God does not judge as we do; we are all in haste and will have it now (Numbers 12:13). "For the Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are all they that wait for Him" (Isaiah 30:18).WAITING IS MEANT TO PRODUCE GOOD CHANGES IN OUR HEARTSGod delays because the afflictive providences have not accomplished that design upon our hearts they were sent for when we are so earnest and impatient for a change of them; and till then the rod must be not taken off (Isaiah 10:12).STILL, OUR WEARINESS PERSISTSBut though there are such weighty reasons for the stop and delay of refreshing comfortable providences, yet we cannot bear it, our hands hang down and we faint. "I am weary of my crying; my throat is dry; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God" (Psalm 69:3). For alas! We judge by sense and appearance , and do not consider that God's heart may be towards us while the hand of His providence seems to be against us. If things continue as they are, we think our prayers are lost and our hopes perished from the Lord. Much more when things grow worse and worse and our darkness and trouble increase, as usually they do just before the break of day and change of our condition, then we conclude God is angry with our prayers, as Gideon said to the angel, "Oh my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us! And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian" (Judges 6:13).WAITING PLEASES GOD, NOT USIt is a greater mercy to have a heart willing to refer all to God and be at His disposal than to enjoy immediately the the mercy we are most eager and impatient for. In that, God pleases you; in this, you please God. The glorifying of God is better than the satisfaction and pleasure of the creature.SOMETIMES OUR SIN DELAYS GOD'S ANSWERWe put the blocks into the way of mercies and then repine that they make no more haste to us. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1,2).ANSWERS TO PRAYER ARE PURE GRACE; THEY ARE UNDESERVEDConsider that the mercies you wait for are the fruits of pure grace. You do not deserve them, nor can you claim them upon any title of desert; and therefore have reason to wait for them in a patient and thankful frame.DON'T TRY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING ABOUT GOD'S WAYSDo not pry too curiously into the secrets of Providence, nor allow your shallow reason arrogantly to judge and censure its design. There are hard texts in the works as well as in the Word of God. It becomes us modestly and humbly to reverence, but not to dogmatize too boldly and positively upon them. Asaph said, "When I thought to know this, it too painful for me" (Psalm 73:16). As Calvin said, it was "useless labor." Asaph pried so far into that puzzling mystery of the afflictions of the righteous and prosperity of the wicked, until it begat envy towards them and despondency in himself (Psalm 73:3, 13), and this was all he got by summoning Providence to the bar of reason. Holy Job was guilty of this evil, and frankly ashamed of it. "Therefore I declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know" (Job 42:3). Our reason never shows itself more unreasonable than in summoning those things to the bar which transcend its sphere and capacity. Sarah laughed at the tidings of the son of promise, because reason contradicted and told her it was naturally impossible (Genesis 18: 13,14). When reason can discern no good fruits from afflictive providences, our hands hang down in sinful discouragement, saying all these things are against us (I Samuel 27:1).CHAPTER 10: THE ADVANTAGES OF MEDITATING ON PROVIDENCESWhat a transporting pleasure it is to behold great blessings and advantages to us wrought by Providence out of those very things that seemed to threaten our ruin or misery! Little did Joseph think his transportation into Egypt had been in order to his advancement there; yet he lived with joy to see it and with a thankful heart to acknowledge it (Genesis 45:5). Wait and observe, and you shall assuredly find that promise (Romans 8:28) working out its way through all providences. How many times have you been made to say as David, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted" (Psalm 119:71). Oh what a difference we have seen between our afflictions at our first meeting with them, and our parting from them! We have entertained them with sighs and tears but parted from them with joy, blessing God for them, as the happy instruments of our good. Thus our fears and sorrows are tuned into praises and songs of thanksgiving.OUR RASH AND FALSE JUDGMENT UPON THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCESWhen we see wicked ones prospering in the world, and godly men crushed and destroyed in the way of righteousness and integrity, it may tempt us to think there is no advantage by religion and all our self-denial and holiness to be little better than lost labor. Thus stood the case with good Asaph: "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world: they increase in riches" (Psalm 73:12). And what does the flesh infer from this? Why, no less than the unprofitableness of the ways of holiness: "Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency" (Psalm 73:13). This irreligious inference carnal reason was ready to draw from the dispensations of outward prosperity to wicked men; but now if we would carefully observe either the signal retributions of Providence to many of them in this world or to all of them in the world to come, O what full confirmation is this to our faith! "The Lord is known by the judgments which He executeth" (Psalm 9:16). Psalm 58 contains the characters of the most prodigious sinners, whose wickedness is aggravated by the deliberation with which it is committed (verse 2) by their habit and custom in it (verse 3) and by their incorrigibleness and persistence in it (verses 4,5). And the Providence of God is there invited to destroy their power (verse 6), and that either by a gradual and unperceived consumption of them (verses 7,8) or by a sudden and unexpected stroke (verse 9). And what shall be the effects of such providence be to the righteous? Why, it shall be a matter of joy (verse 10) and great confirmation to their faith: "Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth" (verse 11).WHY CHRISTIANS DOUBT GOD WILL BE GRACIOUS TO THEM AGAINUnbelief queries the will of God, and questions whether He will now be gracious, though He has been so formerly. After so many experiences of God's readiness to help, what doubting remains? It comes from our great unworthiness. How, says unbelief, can so sinful and vile a creature expect that ever God would do this or that for me? Yet as unworthy as I am, God has been good to me notwithstanding. His mercy appeared first to me when I was worse than I am now, both in condition and disposition; and therefore I will expect the continuance of His goodness to me, though I do not deserve it. "For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we it shall be saved by His life" (Romans 5:10).ALL OF GOD'S MERCIES COME TO US THROUGH JESUS CHRISTThe due observations of Providence will endear Jesus Christ every day more and more to your souls. Christ is the channel of grace and mercy. Through Him are all the streams of mercy that flow from God to us, and all the returns of praise from us to God (I Corinthians 3:21,22). All things are ours upon no other title but our being His.Now there are various things in Providence which exceedingly endear the Lord Jesus Christ to His people, and these are most sweet and delightful parts of all our enjoyments. The purchase of all those mercies which Providence conveys to us, is by His own blood; for not only spiritual and eternal mercies but even all our temporal ones are the acquisition of His blood. As sin forfeited all, so Christ restored all these mercies again to us by His death. Sin had so shut up the womb of mercy that had Christ not made an atonement by death it could never have brought forth one mercy to all eternity for us. It is with Him that God freely gives us all things (Romans 8:32); heaven itself, and all things needful to being us thither. So that whatever good we received from the hand of Providence, we must put it upon the score of Christ's blood. Now this is the most endearing consideration. Did Christ die that these mercies might live? Did He pay His invaluable blood to purchase these comforts that I possess? O what transcendent, matchless love was the love of Christ! It is through His poverty we are enriched (2 Corinthians 8:9). These sweet mercies that are born of Providence every day are the fruits of "the travail of His soul" (Isaiah 53:11).CHRIST IS THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD DEEDS, AND OUR INTERCESSORWhatever creature is instrumental for any good to you, it is your Lord Jesus Christ that gave the orders and commands to that creature to do it; and without it they could have done nothing for you. It is your Head in heaven that consults your peace and comfort on earth; these are the fruits of His care for you. So in the prevention and restraints of evil; it is He that bridles the wrath of devils and men; He holds the reigns in His hands (Revelation 2:10). The continuation of all your mercies and comforts, outward as well as inward, is the fruit of His intercession in heaven for you. As the offering up of the Lamb of God as a sacrifice for sin opened the door of mercy at first, so His appearing before God as a Lamb that had been slain still keeps that door of mercy open (Revelation 5:6; Hebrews 9:24). By this His intercession our peace and comforts are prolonged to us (Zechariah 1:12,13). Every sin we commit would put an end to all the mercies we possess were it not for the plea which is put in for us by Christ's intercession. "And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins" (I John 2:1,2). This stops all accusations, and procures new pardons for new sins. Hence it is "He saves to the uttermost" (Hebrews 7:25).CHRIST IS THE REASON WHY GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERSThe returns and answers of all your prayers and cries to heaven for the removing of your afflictions or supply of your needs are all procured and obtained for you by Jesus Christ. He is the master of your requests, and were it not that God had respect for Him, He would never regard your cries to Him nor return an answer of peace to you, however great your distresses might be (Revelation 8:3,4). It is the name of Christ that gives our prayers their acceptance (John 15:16); because the Father can deny Him nothing. Does God condescend to hear you in the day of trouble? Does He convince you by your own experience that your prayers have power with God and do prevail? O see how much you owe to your dear Lord Jesus Christ for this high and glorious privilege!The due observations of Providence have a marvelous efficacy to melt the heart, and make it thaw and submit before the Lord. How can a sanctified heart do less than melt into tears while it compares the mercies received with the sins committed?CHAPTER 11: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SAINTSIf, as we have seen, God performs all things for you, God is to be owned by you in all that befalls you in this world, whether it is in a way of success and comfort, or of trouble and affliction. O it is your duty to observe His hand and disposal. When God gives you comforts, it is your great evil not to observe His hand in them. Hence it was that charge against Israel: "For she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold"(Hosea 2:8). And so for afflictions, it is a great wickedness when God's hand is lifted up not to see it (Isaiah 26:11). "The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib (Isaiah 1:3); the most dull and stupid creatures know their benefactors. O look to the hand of God in all; and know that neither your comforts nor afflictions arise out of the dust, or spring up from the ground.If God performs all things for you, how great is His condescension to and care over His people! "What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him, and that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him? And that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon Him? And that Thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17,18). Such is His tender care over you that he does not withdraw His eye from you (Job 36:7). Lest any hurt you, He Himself will guard and keep you day and night (Isaiah 27:3). Should He withdraw His eye or hand one moment from you, that moment would be your ruin. Ten thousand evils watch but for such an opportunity to rush in upon you and destroy you and all your comforts. You are too dear to Him to be trusted in any hand but His own. "All His saints are in Thy hand" (Deuteronomy 33:3).If God performs all things for you, see how obliged you are to perform all duties and services for God. Like David said, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?" (Psalm 116:12)O that we would but steer our course according to those rare politics of the Bible, those divine maxims of wisdom! Fear nothing but sin. Study nothing so much as how to please God. Do not turn from your integrity under any temptation. Trust God in the way of your duty. These are sure rules to secure yourselves and your interest in all the vicissitudes of this life.CHAPTER 12: PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IN CONNECTION WITH PROVIDENCEGOD'S TIMING versus OUR TIMINGHow may a Christian be supported in waiting upon God, while Providence delays the performance of the mercies to him for which he has long prayed and waited? Now nothing can be more precise, certain and punctual than is the performance of mercy at the time and season which God has appointed, however long it is, or however many obstacles lie in the way of it. There was a time prefixed by God Himself for the performance of that promise of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt: "And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the self-same day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:41). Compare this with Acts 7:17 and there you have the ground and reason why their deliverance was not, nor could be delayed one day longer, because "the time of the promise was now come."But for the seasons which are of our own fixing and appointment, as God is not tied to them, so His providences are not governed by them; and here are our disappointments, "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble" (Jeremiah 8:15), and this is why we fret at the delays of Providence, and suspect the faithfulness of God in their performance, but His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness" (2 Peter 3:9). It is slackness if you reckon by your own rule and measure, but it is not so if you reckon and count by God's. The Lord does not compute and reckon His seasons of working by our arithmetic. You have both these rules compared, and the ground of our mistake detected in Scripture: "For the vision is yet for the appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it: because it will surely come, it will not tarry" (Habakkuk 2:3). God appoints the time; when that appointed time is come the expected mercies will not fail. But in the meantime, "though it tarry," says the prophet, "wait for it, for it will not tarry." Tarry, and not tarry, how shall this be reconciled? The meaning is, it may tarry much beyond your expectation, but not a moment beyond God's appointment.During this delay of Providence the hearts and hopes of the people of God may be very low and much discouraged. In Isaiah, you have God's faithful promise that He will comfort His people, and "will have mercy upon His afflicted" (49:13). Enough, one would think, to raise and comfort their hearts. But the mercy promised was long in coming, they waited from year to year, and still the burden pressed them and was not removed. And therefore "Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me" (verse 14); that is, it is vain to look for such a mercy. God has no regard to us; we are out of His heart and mind; He neither cares for us nor minds what becomes of us.So it was with David (never was mercy better secured to any man) that God made him a promise and delayed in the accomplishment of it that David concludes that God has forgotten him: "How long wilt Thou forget me, O Lord? for ever?" (Psalm 13:1)WE MUST HAVE FAITHIf we duly examine our own hearts about it, we shall find that these sinkings of heart are the immediate effects of unbelief. We do not depend and rely upon the Word with that trust and confidence that is due to the infallible Word of a faithful and unchangeable God. You may see the ground of this faintness in Scripture: "I had fainted unless I had believed" (Psalm 27:13). Faith is the only cordial that relieves the heart against these failings and despondencies. Abraham, "against hope", that is, against natural probability, be "believed in hope,...giving glory to God" (Romans 4:18,20). Paul said, We faint not, while we look not at the things that are seen (2 Corinthians 4:16,18), as much to say, that which keeps up our spirits is our looking off from things present and visible, and measuring all by another rule, the power and fidelity of God firmly engaged in the promises.THE ROLE OF SATANIn all these things Satan schemes against us. Hence he takes occasion to suggest hard thoughts of God, and to beat off our souls from all confidence in Him, and expectations from Him. He is the great mischief-maker between God and the saints. He reports and exploits the difficulties and fears that are in our way, and labours to weaken our hands and discourage our hearts in waiting upon God. And these suggestions gain the more credit with us, because they are confirmed and attested by sense and feeling.WHAT GOD PROMISES AND WHAT HE HAS NOT PROMISEDIt is possible God never gave you any ground for your expectations. It may be you have no promise to build your hope upon. Did God promise you prosperity and the continuance of comfortable things to you? Produce His promise, and show where he has broken it. It is not enough for you to say there are general promises in Scripture, that God will withhold no good thing (Psalm 84:11), for that promise has its limitations. It is expressly limited to such as "walk uprightly." It concerns you to examine whether you have done so, before you quarrel with Providence for non-performance of it. Do you not see so many flaws in your integrity, so many turnings aside from God, that may justify God in withholding what you look for?Besides, God never committed Himself to our outward comforts. Who bid us to expect rest, ease, delight, and the things of that kind in this world? He has never told us we shall be rich, healthy, and at ease in our habitations, but on the contrary, He has often told us we must expect troubles in this world (John 16:33), and that we must "through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). All that He stands bound to us by promise for us is to be with us in trouble (Psalm 91:15), and to supply our real and absolute needs. "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them" (Isaiah 41:17); and to sanctify all these providences to our good at last. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).WAIT ON GOD BECAUSE HE WAITED ON USScripture declares, "Blessed are all they that wait for Him" (Psalm 30:18), and "None of those who wait for thee shall be ashamed" (Psalm 25:3), and "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31). Isn't "waiting" all that God expects from you for the mercies He bestows upon you? You know you have not deserved the least of them from His hands. You expect them, not as a recompense, but as a free favor. If so, then certainly the least you can do it wait upon His pleasure for them.How long has God waited for you to comply with His commands? You have made God wait long for your reformation and obedience; and therefore you have no reason to think it much if God makes you wait long for your consolation. We have our "how longs," and has not God His? We cry, "How long wilt Thou forget me, O Lord? For ever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?" (Psalm 13:1,2) But surely we should not think these things long, when we consider how long the Lord has exercised His patience towards us. We have made Him say, How long, How long? Our unbelief has made Him cry, "How long shall Thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?" (Jeremiah 4:14) Our impure natures and ways have made Him cry, "How long will it be ere they attain to innocency?" Hosea 8:5) If God waits for you with so much patience for your duties, well may you wait upon Him for His mercies.Sad and afflictive providences come from the love of God, when they come either to prevent some sin we are falling into, or recover us out of a remiss, supine, and careless frame of spirit. The wisdom of God is much seen in the choice of His rods. It is not any kind of trouble that will work upon and purge every sin; but when God chooses for us such afflictions as, like medicine, are suited to the disease the soul labours under, this speaks divine care and love. Thus we may observe that it is usual with God to smite us in those very comforts which stole away too much of the love and delight of our souls from God, and to cross us in those things from which we raised up too great expectations of comfort. These providences show the jealousy of God over us, and His care to prevent far worse evils by these sad but needful strokes. And so for the degree of our troubles, sanctified strokes are ordinarily fitted by the wisdom of God to the strength and ability of our inherent grace. "In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: He stayeth His rough wind in the day of the east wind" (Isaiah 27:8). It is an allusion to a physician, who exactly weighs and measures all the ingredients which he mingles in a potion for his sick patient, that it may be proportionate to his strength, and no more. And so much the next words intimate: "By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged" (verse 9).It is a good sign that our troubles are sanctified to us when they turn our hearts against sin, and not against God. Sanctified afflictions are cleansers, they pull down the pride, refine earthliness, and purge out the vanity of the spirit. "Behold I have refined thee but not with silver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48:10). How many Christians can bear witness to this truth! After some sharp affliction has been upon them, how is the earthliness of their hearts purged! They see no beauty, taste no more relish in the world than in the white of an egg. O how serious, humble and heavenly are they, till the impressions made upon them by afflictions are worn off, and their deceitful lusts have again entangled them! And this is the reason why we are so often under the discipline of the rod. Let a Christian, says a late writer, be but two or three years without an affliction, and he is almost good for nothing. He cannot pray, nor meditate, nor discourse at that rate he was wont to do; but when a new affliction comes, now he can find his tongue, and come to his knees again, and live at another rate.
I don't know when I last worked so hard in order to read a book, but I also don't remember when I've been so deeply affected and blessed by a book. Flavel's command of Scripture, and his ability to give practical biblical examples of so many of his points, is beyond compare. Because I was reading it on Kindle, I actually outlined some of the chapters so I could follow his lengthy list of main points. But doing so helped me see the big picture, as well as the practical applications. If you are willing to work at it, you will finish this book loving and knowing God more than when you started. Even if you only read the first and last chapters, it is worth it. But don't expect to read this book and come away unchanged. I'm hoping the effects this book have had on me never wear off.
Tim Challies blog site invited his readers (and has done previously) to read a classics Christian book together, reading 1 chapter per week. He would post a summary of and post their comments on his blog each Thursday, and each one in the group could read his comments, and also post their comments, or respond to the comments of others concerning the book. The book chosen, The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel was an excellent choice. I was introduced to this prolific writer, and dedicated Puritan through the reading of this book. We often overlook providence in our lives, but yet for the Christian it touches everything we do. Without the providence of God we who are children of God would not be justified by Christ, sanctified, and one day glorified. He is involved with ever facet of our lives: family, temptation, tribulations, etc... I highly recommend this book, and if you are able to, read it with another person willing to discuss it together, or a small group. I thank God for Tim Challies and his ministry.You can also check out our ministry which trusts in the providence of God www.soulfishingministries.orgPhil <><
How great is our God that not only gives us life and shows us loving kindness all our days but His providence watches over us.Troubles, trials, and tribulations are gifts from God. They bring us back to Him. Flavel probes some of the depths of providence and your thinking.
I wish I had read this in high school or college but then again, God's providence was at work with the timing such that I could really appreciate this book. Have you been discouraged? You might not even know it but surely there are times when you feel like your prayers won't be answered. This is a book about meeting God and getting to know Him. They seem to be written as a series of sermons on this one topic. This is not complicated writing but it isn't modern. Compared to some contemporary writing on the same topic, this book is profound and hit me over and over with THE WORD OF GOD: not just one or two per chapter but over and over and over again. Isn't that what we need? The refreshing fountain of life. It also encourages you to journal, as a testimony to yourself and to future generations of God's goodness. I thought of all the people I know who have suffered and yet have shared a wonderful testimony about "the peace that passes understanding." I'm certainly glad that they shared that testimony. Isn't it good to know that you have testimonies to share too if you but look and meditate? This was loaned to me by an older woman in the faith whom I greatly respect (a comfort to her when her daughter had cancer) and I promptly bought multiple copies. (She also loaned me Elisabeth Elliot's tape series on suffering, which is also good.) I think this should be required reading. What a help to the charge to "be transformed by the renewing of your minds." I cannot speak highly enough about this book. I plan to reread it every year or so to be reminded of the mighty hand of Providence: a great comfort in these last days.
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