The Mystery Of Providence

by John Flavel

when a man does not abhor sin because of the intrinsic filth, but only because of the troublesome consequences and effects. But

The design and aim of these afflictive providences is to purge and cleanse believers from that pollution into which temptations have plunged them.

Thus, in Haggai 1:9, the people’s hearts were intently set upon prosperous providences, full harvests and great increase; while in the meantime no regard was had to the worship of God and the things of His house; therefore Providence blasts their hopes and brings them to little.

Before I pass from this, I cannot but make a pause, and desire you with me to stand in holy amazement and wonder at the dealings of God with such poor worms as we are.

His condescensions to His own clay are astonishing.

When the holiest men have addressed Him, see with what humility and deep adoration they have spoken of Him and to Him! ‘Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts’

The blood that runs in our veins is as much tainted as theirs in hell.

And now let us consider and marvel that ever this great and blessed God should be so much concerned, as you have heard He is in all His providences, about such vile, despicable worms as we are! He does not need us, but is perfectly blessed and happy in Himself without us. We can add nothing to Him: ‘Can a man be profitable unto God?’ (Job 22:2).

How ancient, how free, and how astonishing is this act of grace!

It is a fountain from which do stream forth spiritual and temporal, ordinary and extraordinary, public and personal mercies, mercies without number.

This is our duty because God has expressly commanded it, and called His people to make the most serious reflections upon His works, whether of mercy or judgment.

So for mercies, God calls us to consider and review them.

if you do not reflect upon that signal providence, my righteousness will be covered, and your unrighteousness uncovered.

To be careless and unobservant is very displeasing to God, and so much appears by that

Without due observation of the works of Providence no praise can be rendered to God for any of them.

If these are forgotten or not considered, the hands of faith hang down.

For in all providences, especially in some, He comes near to us.

These visitations of God preserve our spirits

men can never order their addresses to God in prayer, suitable to their conditions, without due observation of His providences

If we are not fully aware of what the lord is doing in our life, how are we to praise him for his good works

Labour to get as full and thorough a recognition as you are able of the providences of God concerning you from first to last.

The more in which we work and serve and follow in the spiritual disciplines the more we will get to see the gifts of providencd

If one star is so beautiful to behold, what is a constellation! Let your reflections therefore upon the acts and workings of Providence for you be full, extensively and intensively.

Do not let your thoughts swim like feathers upon the surface of the waters, but sink like lead to the bottom.

So you may look upon some providences once and again, and see little or nothing in them; but look ‘seven times’, that is, meditate often upon them, and you will see their increasing glory, like that increasing cloud.

That it is timed so opportunely, and occurs just when needed, makes it a thousandfold more considerable to you than the same mercy would have been at another time.

Sometimes God makes use of instruments for good to His people, who designed nothing but evil and mischief to them. Thus Joseph’s brethren were instrumental to his advancement in that very thing in which they designed his ruin (Genesis 50:20)

O this is enough to sweeten the bitterest providence to us, that we know it shall turn to our salvation (Philippians 1:19).

Prayer honours Providence, and Providence honours prayer.

This is a clear truth that all providences have relation to the written Word.

‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end’ (Psalm 73:17).

It tells that the way of holiness and obedience is the wisest way.

The Word tells you that your departure from the way of integrity and simplicity, to make use of sinful policies, shall never profit you (1 Samuel 12:21; Proverbs 3:5).

Certainly God has cursed all the ways of sin; and whoever find they thrive with them, His people shall not.

the true way to prosperity is to keep close to the rule of the Word, and that the true reason why men cannot prosper is their forsaking that rule

But it is not so with those whom the Lord loves. Their sinful shifts shall never thrive with them.

The Word prohibits your trust and confidence in the creature, even the greatest and most powerful among creatures

Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it; so that we find the readiest course to be rid of our comforts is to set our hearts inordinately or immoderately upon them. For our God is a jealous God, and will not part with His glory to another.

Hence it is that so many graves are opened for the burying of our idols out of our sight.

it is God’s usual way to visit the sins of His people with rods of affliction, and this in mercy to their souls.

The written Word tells us that the best way to gain inward peace and tranquillity of mind under puzzling and disturbing troubles is to commit ourselves and our case to the Lord (Psalm