The Righteous Man's Refuge

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Wayne

Tempus faciendi, Domine.
Precious truths for times like these.

Josh recently pointed us to a short work by Flavel, which in turn led me to two other of Flavel's works, and the latter of these is proving to be a special blessing in the reading of it. I'd also like to take up Josh's practice of "sundry quotations" and share here in this thread some number of extended quotes from this treatise. Among other things, and quite beside the rich truths conveyed, I'm impressed yet again with Flavel's writing. His prose at times seems entirely poetic in its force. I hope that by serving up some small portions, you may be tempted to take up and read the whole of this rich work. The basic theme was a favorite among the Puritans, but so far as I've seen, Flavel treats it best.

THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S REFUGE, by John Flavel [Works, vol. 3, pp. 323ff.]

Isaiah 26:20. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee : hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over-past.

Chapter I., Wherein the literal and real importance of the text is considered, the doctrine propounded, and the method of the following discourse stated.

Section. I.
Man being a prudent and prospecting creature, can never be satisfied with present safety, except he may also see himself well secured against future dangers. Upon all appearance of trouble, it is natural for him to seek a refuge, that he may be able to shun what he is loath to suffer, and survive those calamities which will ruin the defenceless and exposed multitude. Natural men seek refuge in natural things. “The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit,” (Prov. 26:11) Hypocrites make lies their refuge, and under falsehood do they hide themselves, Isa. 28:25, not doubting but they shall stand dry and safe, when the over-flowing flood lays all others under water. But,

Godly men make God himself their hiding place, to Him they have still betaken themselves in all ages, as often as calamities have befallen the world, Psalm 46:1. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” As chickens run under the wings of the hen for safety when the kite hovers over them, so do they fly to their God for sanctuary, Psalm 56:3. “At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee;” q. d. Lord, if a storm of trouble at any time overtake me, I will make bold to come under thy roof for shelter; and indeed not so bold as welcome : it is no presumption in them after so gracious an invitation from their God, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers.”

My friends, a sound of trouble is in our ears, the clouds gather and blacken upon us more and more : Distress of nations with perplexity seems to be near, our day hastens to an end, and the shadows of the night are stretching forth upon us. What greater service therefore can I do for your souls, than by the light of this Scripture (as with a candle in my hand) to lead you to your chambers, and show you your lodgings in the attributes and promises of God, before I take my leave of you, and bid you good night.

This chapter contains a lovely song fitted for the lips of God's Israel, notwithstanding their sad captivity; for their God was with them in Babylon, and cheered their hearts there with many promises of deliverance, and in the mystical sense it relates to the New Testament churches, of whose troubles, protections, and deliverances, the Jews in Babylon were a type.

. . . you have in that promise (Isa. 26:20) a sure ground of deliverance at last, so in the interim here is a gracious invitation into a place of security for the present, Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers. In which invitation four things call for our close attention.

1. The form of the invitation, including in it the qualified subject, Come, my people. God's own peculiar people, who have chosen God for their protection, and resigned up themselves sincerely to Him in the covenant, are the persons here invited, the same which He before called the righteous nation that kept the truth, verse 2. He means those that remained faithful to God, as many of them did in Babylon, witness their sorrow for Zion, Psalm 137, per totum; and their solemn appeal to God, that their hearts were not turned back, nor had their steps declined though they were sore broken in the place of dragons, and covered with the shadow of death, Psalm 44: 18-20. These are the people invited to the chambers of security. And the form of invitation is full of tender compassion : Come, my people ; like a tender father who sees a storm coming upon his children in the fields, and takes them by the hand saying, Come away, my dear children, hasten home with me, lest the storm over-take you; or as the Lord said to Noah before the deluge, Come thou and all thy house into the ark, and God shut him in, Gen. 7: 1, 16. This is the form of invitation, Come, my people.
 
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