Who is Vergerius?

Mike Leake

In John Flavel’s The Mystery of Providence he tells of the remarkable conversion of a cardinal named Vergerius. Who is this man? And what are the surrounding details to his conversion? It is helpful to distinguish Peter Paul Vergerius the Younger (or subject) with his namesake of a century prior. Our Vergerius was born in approximately 1498. It looks as if he was in line to become the pope’s ambassador to Germany. But it appears that the Lord took hold of Vergerius and he became converted by the very thing he attempted to refute. A more detailed account of his conversion is given here:

Vergerius convertedCopied from
THE GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY By Alexander Chalmers, F.S.A.

Review of Mark Dever–The Gospel and Personal Evangelism

Mike Leake 4 Comments

Author: Mark Dever

Pages: 124 pages

Publisher: Crossway

Price: 7.49 USD

Genre: Evangelism/Missions

Quick Summary:

On the back cover J.I. Packer sums up this book the best when he says, “For most of us, personal evangelism is the reverse of easy, and so it becomes a task we evade. Mark Dever writes to shake us up about this, clearing our heads as to just what evangelizing involves and motivating our hearts to go to it realistically and responsibly. This is a word in season that will surely do a great deal of good”.

Dever’s aim in this book is to “connect some of the dots in our thinking”. He does this by asking 7 basic questions: Why Don’t We Evangelize? What is the Gospel? Who Should Evangelize? How Should We Evangelize? What Isn’t Evangelism? What Should We Do After We Evangelize? Why Should We Evangelize? All of these questions serve as the frame for the book. Dever then closes by considering the sovereignty of God in evangelism. Each chapter is concise yet packs a punch.

The greatest book that I have read on evangelism is, by far, Will Metzger’s Tell the Truth. Dever adds little to that work. However it also does not detract from the central message of Metzger’s work. Both exalt the supremacy of God and the ultimate God-centeredness that must mark biblical evangelism. Dever’s book will be appreciated because it is more concise and a little easier read (though Metzger’s is not difficult). One of the easiest ways to sell a book, especially in the Reformed community, is to put the name Mark Dever on it. Because of his growing popularity this important message will find itself in churches than Metzger’s would. Therefore, it is a helpful addition to the corpus of books on evangelism.

What I Liked:

If Dever adds anything to Metzger’s work it would be in the first chapter. He goes much more in depth in his considerations of why we do not evangelize. The reader will be motivated and at the same time unable to hide behind any of our typical paltry excuses. Dever also shines in telling us what evangelism is not. It is a much needed, and hopefully welcome, rebuke to consider the fact that results are not to be confused with evangelism. The concluding chapter might be an offense to some (those not of the “Calvinistic” persuasion), but Dever does a wonderful job, as did J.I. Packer before him, of showing that the sovereignty of God should motivate rather than hinder the cause of evangelism. That is a much appreciated truth. Another positive throughout the book is Dever’s storytelling ability. It keeps the book light-hearted and yet pointed at the same time.

What I Disliked:

My biggest criticism of Dever’s work is that it adds little to the discussion. However, this is a very unfair comment. Dever’s intent is not to be a pioneer. He does not intend to write a landmark work like Metzger’s Tell the Truth. Dever’s aim, as it appears, is to make simple what men like Metzger labored to communicate. Therefore, he succeeds. I personally would rather read Metzger, so I must honestly say in that regard that I got very little out of this work personally. However, I am able to see it’s great value as a launching pad within the church.

Should You Buy It:

I suppose I should ask, what is your intent? If you want an excellent quick read that is going to still pack a weighty theological punch, then buy this. If you want a more detailed exposition and a deep explanation of what the gospel is, along with a compare and contrast of a God-centered and man-centered gospel, then by all means get Metzger’s work. If you desire to start a small group study with your church—buy Metzger for the leader and work through Dever as a church. All in all, I would heartily recommend this book; but especially for new believers.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Mystery of Providence Chapter 2

Mike Leake

Now that Flavel has convinced us of the providential care of God, he will now attempt to show us the “most remarkable performances of Providence.” This chapter mainly concerns itself with the providential care of God in our birth and upbringing. He gives three of these remarkable performances of Providence:

  1. In our formation and protection in the womb.
  2. The place and time of our birth
  3. The designation of the stock and family out of which we should spring and rise

Flavel does a wonderful job in this chapter of helping us appreciate all of those things that we take for granted. Even such natural things as eye sight, walking, hearing, etc. that we take for granted, Flavel helps us see that they are indeed blessings. “If you have low thoughts of this mercy, ask the blind, the deaf, the lame and the dumb, the value and worth of those mercies, and they will tell you.”

Wherever you are, whatever parents you have had, whatever lot you have been given is yours by the providence of God. Are you born in the luxuries of America (which Flavel said was “savegery” in his day)? You could have been born in a bush tribe of Africa, not knowing where your next meal would come from. Do you have eye sight? You could have easily been prevented from reading this very statement. All of these are mercies given to us by the gracious providence of God.

Discussion:

As I read through this chapter I wondered how it would be received by those that are not as blessed as I. How would a starving child in Africa receive a copy of Flavel’s work? Even if he had to have it read to him. What then would be his view of providence? Could he look at his situation and bless God that it were not worse? Could the deaf man read this with joy? What do you think?

On page 46, Flavel notes that we could have just as well have been miscarried. In that discussion he says this, “Had this been your case…supposing your salvation, yet you had been unservicable to God in the world…” This causes me to ask a question. What was the Puritan view of infancy? Did they believe that an infant that died was granted salvation? Did it depend upon their parents? Why does Flavel say, “supposing your salvation” (Of course the you is referring to a miscarried baby)?

Stories Flavel Uses:

Who is Galeacius?
Augustine and Monica

Augustine and Monica

Mike Leake

In John Flavel’s Mystery of Providence he makes mention of Augustine and Monica (p.54). If our readers are familiar with Augustine they will probably also be familiar with his mother Monica. She was a strong Christian woman that continuously pleaded with the Lord for the soul of her son. Much can be read about his conversion and many attribute that in part to his mother’s intercession. One such poet, Charles Tennyson Turner (Lord Alfred Tennyson’s elder brother), has captured this sentiment:

Augustine and Monica
Copied From Collected Sonnets, Old and New By Charles Tennyson Turner, James Spedding