Who is Galeacius?

In John Flavel’s Mystery of Providence he makes mention of a Galeacius (p.52). Galeacius was of noble birth and was converted out of “Popery”. John Calvin tells the story in his commentary on Corinthians (p.11-14):

“I may say much rather than Jacob — Few and evil have my days been; yet in these few days of mine something have I seen, more have I read, more have I heard; yet never saw I, heard I, or read I any example (all things laid together) more nearly seconding the examples of Moses than this of the most renowned Marquesse Galeacius. Moses was the adopted son of a king’s daughter; Galeacius the natural son and heir apparent to a Marquesse; Moses a courtier in the court of Pharoah, Galeacius in the court of the emperor Charles the Fifth; Moses by adoption a kin to a Queen, Galeacius by marriage to a Duke, by blood son to a Marquesse, nephew to a Pope; Moses in possibility of a kingdom, he in possession of a Marquesdome; Moses in his youth brought up in the heathenism of Egypt, Galeacius schooled in the superstition of Popery; Moses at last saw the truth and embraced it, so did Galeacius; Moses openly fell from the heathenism of Egypt, so did Galeacius from the superstition of Popery. But all this is nothing to that which they both suffered for their conscience. What Moses suffered Saint Paul tells us — ‘Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter, and chose rather to suffer adversities with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.’ Nay, Moses had rather be a base brick maker amongst the oppressed Israelites, being true Christians, than to be the son of a king’s daughter in the court of Pharaoh amongst idolaters. In like case noble Galeacius, when he was come to years and knowledge of Christ, refused to be called son and heir to a Marquesse, cup-bearer to an Emperor, nephew to a Pope, and chose rather to suffer affliction, persecution, banishment, loss of lands, livings, wife, children, honors and preferments, than to enjoy the sinful pleasures of Italy for a season, esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the honors of a Marquesdome without Christ, and therefore, seeing he must either want Christ or want them, he despoiled himself of all these to gain Christ. So excellent was the fact of Moses, and so heroical, that the Holy Ghost vouchsafes it remembrance both in the Old and New Testament, that so the Church in all ages might know it and admire it, and doth chronicle it in the epistle to the Hebrews almost two thousand years after it was done. If God himself did so to Moses, shall not God’s Church be careful to commend to posterity this second Moses, whose love to Christ Jesus was so zealous, and so inflamed by the heavenly fire of God’s Spirit, that no earthly temptations could either quench or abate it; but to win Christ, and to enjoy Him in the liberty of His Word and Sacraments, he delicately contemned the honors and pleasures of the Marquesdome of Vicum — Vicum, one of the paradises of Naples, Naples, the paradise of Italy — Italy of Europe — Europe of the earth; yet all these paradises were nothing to him in comparison of attaining the celestial paradise, there to live with Jesus Christ….”

On his refusing to do so, “sentence was passed against him, and he was deprived of all the property which he inherited from his mother.” “In the following year… an offer was made to him in the name of his uncle now Pope Paul IV. that, he should have a protection against the Inquisition, provided he would take up his residence within the Venetian States; a proposal to which neither his safety nor the dictates of his conscience would permit him to accede.” He went repeatedly to Italy, and had interviews with his aged father, but was refused the privilege of seeing his wife and family, until about six years after he had quitted Naples. His wife, Victoria, then wrote to him, earnestly requesting an interview with him, and fixing the place of meeting. This she did on two different occasions, but in both instances, on his arrival at the appointed place, after a fatiguing and dangerous journey, he had the disappointment of finding that she did not make her appearance. At length, impatient of delay, he went once more to Italy, and at his father’s house had an interview with Victoria, when he entreated her to accompany him to Geneva, “promising that no restraint should be laid on her conscience, and that she should be at liberty to practice her religion under his roof. After many protestations of affection, she finally replied, that she could not reside out of Italy, nor in a place where any other religion than that of the Church of Rome was professed, and farther, that she could not live with him as her husband so long as he was infected with heresy.” The scene at their final parting was peculiarly tender. “Bursting into tears, and embracing her husband, Victoria besought him not to leave her a widow, and her babies fatherless. The children joined in the entreaties of their mother, and the eldest daughter, a fine girl of thirteen, grasping his knees, refused to part with him. How he disengaged himself, he knew not; for the first thing which brought him to recollection was the noise made by the sailors on reaching the opposite shore of the Gulf.” (of Venice.) “He used often to relate to his intimate friends, that the parting scene continued long to haunt his mind; and that not only in dreams, but also in reveries into which he fell during the day; he thought he heard the angry voice of his father, saw Victoria in tears, and felt his daughter dragging at his heels.” (HT: CCEL)

Flavel Plugs Our Website

In John Flavel’s Method of Grace he says this, “How humble and lowly in spirit should you be under your great advancement. It is true, God that magnified you greatly by this union; but yet do not boast. You bear not the root, but the root you. You shine, but with a borrowed light”.

Flavel points to the foundation of this website. One, that because of our union with Christ we have all the light, that such men as Edwards, Spurgeon, McCheyne, Paul, Peter, etc. have. Their light is also borrowed. Two, it serves to humble us. Any light which we might bring forth does not come from us. We are never the source of light. Therefore, we must always make certain that Jesus Christ is the only boast. Thus leading to my mandate:

“So live and so study and so serve and so preach and so write that Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen God, be the only boast of this generation”. Quoted from Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper.

The Mystery of Providence Chapter 1

In the first chapter, Flavel concerns himself with piling evidence upon us in the hopes that all will surrender to the truth that the lives of saints are directed by the provedential care of God. He does this by asking eight questions (of which I will paraphrase):

  1. Why is it that so often the natural course of things is changed to make way for the mercies and deliverances of the people of God?
  2. Why does it seem that the affairs of the saints are so ordered as to put them in a place of benefit?
  3. Why is it that powerful forces cannot destroy the church, yet it is held up by such weak things?
  4. How do you explain such radical conversions?
  5. Why is good to God’s people rewarded and evil, likewise, retributed?
  6. If all of this is accidental, how do you account for there explanation in Scripture?
  7. Why does it seem that quite frequently things come through “just in the nick of time”?
  8. How would you explain things happening in answer to prayers? Can you really say that it is just coincidental given all of the evidence to the contrary?

Discussion:

At first I was a little disappointed in this chapter. Then, I began reflecting upon the mounting evidence that Flavel is giving us and it stunned me. It is seldom that I view every action in view of providence. But if Flavel is correct, and I believe he is, then we should see every moment as a divine appointment. Certainly, some will be “less significant” than others, but appointments, nonetheless.

If Flavel is correct in saying, “how succesful have weak and contemptible means been made for the good of the Church!”, why do we often esteem the best of men at the expense of those that are “weak and contemptible”? Is it possible that the church should be less triumphalistic?

At the end of the chapter Flavel comments that he will not labor any longer to give us stories of providence because, “most Christians have a stock of experience of their own”. What are some of your stories? When have you seen God’s providence? Do you remember a time when God came through in the “nick of time”?

Stories Flavel Uses:

On Polycarp’s Martyrdom
The Agitated Mr. Dod Prevents a Suicide
The Radical Reformers Ravage Holland
Who is Du Moulin?

A Remarkable Story in the Life of Mr. Dod

On page 40 of The Mystery of Providence, John Flavel makes mention of a Mr. Dod. The story is told that he was agitated and moved to visit a neighbor. Upon his arrival he learned the man was about to hang himself. Here is the account:

Mr. Dod Saves a ManFrom
The Christian’s penny magazine, and friend of the people [ed. by J. Campbell … By Congregational union of England and Wales

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