Judge In Thyself (John Flavel)

From Navigation Spiritualized; or, A New Compass for Seamen by John Flavel

Judge in thyself, O Christian! Is it meet
To set thy heart on what beasts set their feet?
’Tis no hyperbole, if you be told,
You dig for dross with mattocks made of gold.
Affections are too costly to bestow
Upon the fair-faced nothings here below.
The eagle scorns to fall down from on high
(The proverb saith) to catch the silly fly.
And can a Christian leave the face of God,
T’ embrace th’ earth, or doat upon a clod?
Can earthly things thy heart so strangely move,
To tempt it down from the delights above—
And now to court the world, at such a time,
When God is laying judgment to the line?
’Tis just like him that doth his cabin sweep
And trim, when all is sinking in the deep;
Or like the silly bird that to her nest
Doth carry straws, and never is at rest,
Till it be feather’d well, but doth not see
The axe beneath, that’s hewing down the tree.
If on a thorn thy heart itself repose
With such delight, what if it were a rose?
Admire, O saint, the wisdom of thy God,
Who of the self-same tree doth make a rod,
Lest thou shouldst surfeit on forbidden fruit,
And live not like a saint, but like a brute.

John Flavel (1627-1691) was an English author and minister significant in the Puritan movement. Removed from his church after the Act of Uniformity (1661), he continued to preach in defiance of the law. A prolific writer, he is best known for his books, including ‘The Mystery of Providence’, ‘All Things Made New’, and ‘Preparation for Suffering’.

In place of comments, I would love to hear from you personally. Please reach out to me via the Contact Page to share your thoughts and perspectives on this post!

Enjoying this content? Subscribe to receive it directly in your email, once a week.