Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 12
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.]
Concerning What We Live For
What dangers run they for little gains.
Who, for their souls, would ne'er take half the pains!
Observation.
How exceeding solicitous and adventurous are seamen for a small portion of the
world? How prodigal of strength and life for it? They will run to the ends of the
earth, engage in a thousand dangers, upon the hopes and probability of getting a
small estate. Per mare, per terras, per mille pericula currunt. Hopes of gain make them
willing to adventure their liberty, yea, their life, and encourage them to endure
heat, cold, and hunger, and a thousand straits and difficulties, to which they are
frequently exposed.
Application.
How hot and eager are men's affections after the world and how remiss and cold
towards things eternal! They are careful, and troubled about many things; but
seldom mind the great and necessary matter (see Luke 10:40). They can rise early,
go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness; but when did they so deny
themselves for their poor souls? Their heads are full of designs and projects to get
or advance an estate: "We will go into such a city, continue there a year, and buy
and sell, and get gain" (James 4:13). This is the master-design which engrosseth all
their time, studies, and contrivances. The will hath passed a decree for it, the heart
and affections are fully let out to it, "they will be rich" (I Tim. 4:9). This decree of
the will, the Spirit of God takes deep notice of; and indeed it is the clearest and
fullest discovery of a man's portion and condition: for look what is highest in the
estimation, first and last in the thoughts, and upon which we spend our time and
strength with delight; certainly, that is our treasure (see Matt. 4:20,21). The heads
and hearts of saints are full of solicitous cares and fears about their spiritual
condition; the great design they drive on, to which all other things are but things
by-the-by, is to make sure their calling and election. This is the weight and bias of
their spirit; if their hearts stray and wander after any other thing, this reduces them
again.
Reflection.
Lord, this hath been my manner from my youth, may the carnal-minded man say. I
have been labouring for the meat that perisheth; disquieting myself in vain, full of
designs and projects for the world, and unwearied in my endeavours to compass an
earthly treasure; yet therein I have either been checked and disappointed by
Providence, or if I have obtained, yet I am no sooner come to enjoy that content and
comfort I promised myself in it, but I am ready to leave it all, to be stripped out of it
by death, and in that day all my thoughts perish: But, in the mean time, what have I
done for my soul? When did I ever break a night's sleep, or deny and pinch myself
for it? Ah! fool that I am! to nourish and pamper a vile body, which must shortly lie
under the clods, and become a loathsome carcase: and, in the mean time, neglect
and undo my poor soul, which partakes of the nature of angels, and must live
forever. I have kept others vineyards, but mine own vineyard I have not kept. I
have been a perpetual drudge and slave to the world; in a worse condition hath my
soul been, than others that are condemned to the mines. Lord, change my treasure,
and change my heart: O let it suffice that I have been thus long labouring in the fire
for very vanity: now gather up my heart and affections in thyself, and let my great
design now be to secure a special interest in thy blessed self, that I may once say,
"To me to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21).
-------------------------
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. 12
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.]
Concerning What We Live For
What dangers run they for little gains.
Who, for their souls, would ne'er take half the pains!
Observation.
How exceeding solicitous and adventurous are seamen
for a small portion of the world? How prodigal of
strength and life for it? They will run to the ends of the
earth, engage in a thousand dangers, upon the hopes
and probability of getting a small estate. Per mare, per
terras, per mille pericula currunt. Hopes of gain make
them willing to adventure their liberty, yea, their life,
and encourage them to endure heat, cold, and hunger,
and a thousand straits and difficulties, to which they
are frequently exposed.
Application.
How hot and eager are men's affections after the world
and how remiss and cold towards things eternal! They
are careful, and troubled about many things; but
seldom mind the great and necessary matter (see Luke
10:40). They can rise early, go to bed late, and eat the
bread of carefulness; but when did they so deny
themselves for their poor souls? Their heads are full of
designs and projects to get or advance an estate: "We
will go into such a city, continue there a year, and
buy and sell, and get gain" (James 4:13). This is the
master-design which engrosseth all their time, studies,
and contrivances. The will hath passed a decree for it,
the heart and affections are fully let out to it, "they will
be rich" (I Tim. 4:9). This decree of the will, the Spirit
of God takes deep notice of; and indeed it is the
clearest and fullest discovery of a man's portion and
condition: for look what is highest in the estimation,
first and last in the thoughts, and upon which we
spend our time and strength with delight; certainly,
that is our treasure (see Matt. 4:20,21). The heads and
hearts of saints are full of solicitous cares and fears
about their spiritual condition; the great design they
drive on, to which all other things are but things by-
the-by, is to make sure their calling and election. This
is the weight and bias of their spirit; if their hearts
stray and wander after any other thing, this reduces
them again.
Reflection.
Lord, this hath been my manner from my youth, may
the carnal-minded man say. I have been labouring for
the meat that perisheth; disquieting myself in vain, full
of designs and projects for the world, and unwearied
in my endeavours to compass an earthly treasure; yet
therein I have either been checked and disappointed
by Providence, or if I have obtained, yet I am no
sooner come to enjoy that content and comfort I
promised myself in it, but I am ready to leave it all, to
be stripped out of it by death, and in that day all my
thoughts perish: But, in the mean time, what have I
done for my soul? When did I ever break a night's
sleep, or deny and pinch myself for it? Ah! fool that I
am! to nourish and pamper a vile body, which must
shortly lie under the clods, and become a loathsome
carcase: and, in the mean time, neglect and undo my
poor soul, which partakes of the nature of angels, and
must live forever. I have kept others vineyards, but
mine own vineyard I have not kept. I have been a
perpetual drudge and slave to the world; in a worse
condition hath my soul been, than others that are
condemned to the mines. Lord, change my treasure,
and change my heart: O let it suffice that I have been
thus long labouring in the fire for very vanity: now
gather up my heart and affections in thyself, and let
my great design now be to secure a special interest in
thy blessed self, that I may once say, "To me to live is
Christ" (Phil. 1:21).
-------------------------
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
w
w
.
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ction.html
