Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 6
by John Flavel (1628–1691)
[Here, we continue our reprint of excerpts from John Flavel’s book Navigation Spiritualized.
John Flavel was a 17th century minister in the seaside town of Dartmouth, England. A
good many of his parishioners made their living on the sea, and so Mr. Flavel wrote
Navigation Spiritualized, a book which draws parallels between things of the sea and
spiritual things.]
On Preparing for Future Danger
Seamen foresee a danger, and prepare;
Yet few of greater dangers are aware.
OBSERVATION.
How watchful and quick-sighted are seamen to prevent dangers! If the wind die
away and then fresh up southerly, or if they see the sky hazy, they provide for a
storm; if by the prospective-glass they know a pirate at a great distance, they clear
the gun-room, prepare for fight, and bear up, if able to deal with him; if not, they
keep close by the wind, make all the sail they can, and bear away. If they suppose
themselves (by their reckoning) near land, how often do they sound? And if upon a
coast with which they are unacquainted, how careful are they to get a pilot that
knows, and is acquainted with it?
APPLICATION.
Thus watchful and suspicious ought we to be in spiritual concernments. We should
study, and be acquainted with Satan's wiles and policy. The apostle takes it for
granted, that Christians are not ignorant of his devices (see II Cor. 2:11). "The
serpent's eye," as one saith, "would do well in the dove's head." The devil is a
cunning pirate, he puts out false colours, and ordinarily comes up to the Christian
in the disguise of a friend.
O the manifold depths and stratagems of Satan to destroy souls! Though he have no
wisdom to do himself good, yet he hath policy enough to do us mischief. He lies in
ambush behind our lawful comforts and employments; yet, for the generality of
men, how supine and careless are they, suspecting no danger? Their souls, like
Laish dwell carelessly, their senses unguarded; O what an easy prize, and conquest,
doth the devil make of them!
Indeed, if it were with us as with Adam in innocency, or as it was with Christ in the
days of His flesh (who by reason of that overflowing fullness of grace that dwelt in
Him, the purity of His person, and the hypostatical union, was secured from the
danger of all temptations) the case then were otherwise; but we have a traitor
within (see James 1:14,15), as well as a tempter without: "Our adversary the devil
goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:8). And, like
the beasts of the forest, poor souls lie down before him, and become his prey. All
the sagacity, wit, policy, and foresight of some men, is summoned in to serve their
bodies, and secure their fleshly enjoyments.
REFLECTION.
Lord! how doth the care, wisdom, and vigilance of men in temporal and external
things, condemn my carelessness in the deep and dear concernments of my
precious soul! What care and labour is there to secure a perishing life, liberty, or
treasure! When was I thus solicitous for my soul, though its value be inestimable,
and its danger far greater! Self-preservation is one of the deepest principles in
nature. There is not the poorest fly, or worm, but will shun danger, if it can: yet I
am so far from shunning those dangers to which my soul lies continually exposed,
that I often run it upon temptations, and voluntarily expose it to its enemies. I see
Lord how watchful, jealous, and laborious thy people are; what prayers, tears, and
groans, searching of heart, mortification of lusts, guarding of senses; and all
accounted too little by them. Have not I a soul to save or lose eternally, as well as
they? Yet I cannot deny one fleshly lust, nor withstand one temptation. O how I am
convinced and condemned, not only by other's care and vigilence, but my own too,
in lesser and lower matters!
-------------------------
This article is taken from:
Flavel,
John.
The
Whole
Works
of
John
Flavel
,
Vol.
V.
London:
W.
Baynes
&
Son,
1820
(originally published c. 1675).
A PDF file of this book can be downloaded, free of charge, at:
http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com/comp_set_section.html
© 1994-2018, Scott Sperling
Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 6
by John Flavel (1628–1691)
[Here, we continue our reprint of excerpts from John
Flavel’s book Navigation Spiritualized. John Flavel was a
17th century minister in the seaside town of Dartmouth,
England. A good many of his parishioners made their living
on the sea, and so Mr. Flavel wrote Navigation
Spiritualized, a book which draws parallels between things
of the sea and spiritual things.]
On Preparing for Future Danger
Seamen foresee a danger, and prepare;
Yet few of greater dangers are aware.
OBSERVATION.
How watchful and quick-sighted are seamen to
prevent dangers! If the wind die away and then fresh
up southerly, or if they see the sky hazy, they provide
for a storm; if by the prospective-glass they know a
pirate at a great distance, they clear the gun-room,
prepare for fight, and bear up, if able to deal with him;
if not, they keep close by the wind, make all the sail
they can, and bear away. If they suppose themselves
(by their reckoning) near land, how often do they
sound? And if upon a coast with which they are
unacquainted, how careful are they to get a pilot that
knows, and is acquainted with it?
APPLICATION.
Thus watchful and suspicious ought we to be in
spiritual concernments. We should study, and be
acquainted with Satan's wiles and policy. The apostle
takes it for granted, that Christians are not ignorant of
his devices (see II Cor. 2:11). "The serpent's eye," as one
saith, "would do well in the dove's head." The devil is a
cunning pirate, he puts out false colours, and
ordinarily comes up to the Christian in the disguise of
a friend.
O the manifold depths and stratagems of Satan to
destroy souls! Though he have no wisdom to do
himself good, yet he hath policy enough to do us
mischief. He lies in ambush behind our lawful
comforts and employments; yet, for the generality of
men, how supine and careless are they, suspecting no
danger? Their souls, like Laish dwell carelessly, their
senses unguarded; O what an easy prize, and
conquest, doth the devil make of them!
Indeed, if it were with us as with Adam in innocency,
or as it was with Christ in the days of His flesh (who
by reason of that overflowing fullness of grace that
dwelt in Him, the purity of His person, and the
hypostatical union, was secured from the danger of all
temptations) the case then were otherwise; but we
have a traitor within (see James 1:14,15), as well as a
tempter without: "Our adversary the devil goes about
as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I
Pet. 5:8). And, like the beasts of the forest, poor souls
lie down before him, and become his prey. All the
sagacity, wit, policy, and foresight of some men, is
summoned in to serve their bodies, and secure their
fleshly enjoyments.
REFLECTION.
Lord! how doth the care, wisdom, and vigilance of
men in temporal and external things, condemn my
carelessness in the deep and dear concernments of my
precious soul! What care and labour is there to secure a
perishing life, liberty, or treasure! When was I thus
solicitous for my soul, though its value be inestimable,
and its danger far greater! Self-preservation is one of
the deepest principles in nature. There is not the
poorest fly, or worm, but will shun danger, if it can:
yet I am so far from shunning those dangers to which
my soul lies continually exposed, that I often run it
upon temptations, and voluntarily expose it to its
enemies. I see Lord how watchful, jealous, and
laborious thy people are; what prayers, tears, and
groans, searching of heart, mortification of lusts,
guarding of senses; and all accounted too little by
them. Have not I a soul to save or lose eternally, as
well as they? Yet I cannot deny one fleshly lust, nor
withstand one temptation. O how I am convinced and
condemned, not only by other's care and vigilence, but
my own too, in lesser and lower matters!
-------------------------
This article is taken from:
Flavel,
John.
The
Whole
Works
of
John
Flavel
,
Vol.
V.
London:
W.
Baynes
&
Son,
1820
(originally
published c. 1675).
A
PDF
file
of
this
book
can
be
downloaded,
free
of
charge, at:
h
t
t
p
:
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/
w
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ction.html
