Monday, February 13, 2012

Flavel: "tools of all sorts in the shop of Providence"


I'm reading John Flavel's The Mystery of Providence (orig. 1678; Banner 1963).  Here's one choice nugget:
Even in viewing the accurate structure of the body of a man, the figure, position, and mutual relationships of the several members and vessels has convinced some, and is sufficient to convince all, that it is the work of divine wisdom and power; in like manner, if the admirable adaptation of the means and instruments employed for mercy to the people of God are carefully considered, who can but confess that there are some tools of all sorts and sizes in the shop of Providence, so there is a most skillful hand that uses them, and that they could no more produce such effects of themselves than the axe, saw, or chisel can carve or cut a rough log into a beautiful figure without the hand of a skillful artificer (p. 32).

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