by John Flavel
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
A Treatise Upon the Attributes of God, As They are Opened in His Promises and Providences for the Security of His People in the Storms of Public Calamities
In a world unraveling with turmoil, where judgments loom on the horizon and the hearts of men fail them for fear, The Righteous Man’s Refuge is a timeless beacon for the weary soul. Penned by the deeply pastoral and theologically rich pen of John Flavel, this treatise stands as one of the most soul-fortifying works in Puritan literature—a spiritual shelter built not on sentiment but on the unshakable attributes of God Himself.
Drawing from the powerful imagery of 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 overpast”—Flavel crafts a sanctuary of doctrine, comfort, and exhortation for Christians living in distressing times. This is not a manual for escape, but a call to refuge in the Almighty: a bold reminder that when the floods of divine judgment rise, the people of God are summoned not to panic, but to hide themselves in the strongholds of His promises.
With surgical pastoral insight, Flavel opens the chambers of God’s own nature—His wisdom, faithfulness, unchangeableness, and covenant love—as sure resting places for the righteous. These are not abstract theological concepts but practical sanctuaries, constructed by the hand of the Spirit for our peace in calamity. He writes to a church on the brink, to Christians threatened by persecution, upheaval, and spiritual lethargy, urging them to seek divine shelter before the storm breaks in full.
Key themes include:
The biblical basis for expecting national judgments and the spiritual call to prepare;
The Christian's rightful fear—not of the sword of man, but of a holy God whose hand is lifted in discipline;
The spiritual discipline of entering the "chambers" of God's attributes by faith;
How believers are to distinguish themselves from the world not merely by doctrine, but by holy trembling and active refuge-taking;
And a call to examine our interest in Christ lest outward darkness meet with inward uncertainty.
This work is especially needed today. In an age of political instability, cultural decline, and moral confusion, Flavel’s voice calls out across the centuries with urgent relevance: Make God your hiding place before the flood arrives. Here is theology at its most pastoral—rich with conviction, serious in tone, and overflowing with gospel comfort for those who truly fear the Lord.
If you are looking to understand how to live in fearful times without being overcome by fear, how to walk in assurance when the world totters, and how to find peace that is not rooted in circumstances but in God’s immutable character, The Righteous Man’s Refuge is your guide.
Reader, this is not a book to browse. It is a door to enter. A chamber of safety. A refuge built by the wisdom of God for such a time as this.
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Table of Contents
The Epistle to the Reader
Chapter I: The Text Considered
Chapter II: Times and Seasons Appointed by God for the Pouring out of His Indignation Upon the World
Chapter III: God's Own People Ought to be Suitably Affected with those Judgments that Befal the Nation
Chapter IV: God Hath a Special and Peculiar Care of His Own People in theDays of His Indignation
Chapter V: God Usually Premonisheth the World, Especially His Own People, of His Judgments Before they Befal Them
Chapter VI: God's Attributes, Promises, and Providences, are Prepared for the Security of his People
Chapter VII: Divine Wisdom, as a Second Chamber of Security to the Saints in Difficult Times
Chapter VIII: Divine Faithfulness, as a Third Chamber of Security to the People of God, in Times of Distress and Danger
Chapter IX: The Unchangeableness of God, as a Fourth Chamber of Refuge and Rest in Times of Trouble
Chapter X: The Care of God for His People in Times of Trouble, as the Fifth Chamber of Rest to Believers
Chapter XI: The Love of God, as a Resting-Place to Believing Souls in Evil Times
Chapter XII: Consectaries