27 April 1650 A.D. Rev. John Flavel, English Presbyterian, takes a parish in Diptford, on the Avon, England.
27
April 1650 A.D. Rev. John Flavel, English Presbyterian, takes a
parish in Diptford, on the Avon, England.
Wikipedia offers a few leads to
other sources.
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John
Flavel
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Born
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c.1627
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Died
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1691
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Nationality
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English
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Alma mater
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Occupation
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pastor, author
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Contents
Life
Flavel, the eldest son of the Rev.
Richard Flavel, described as ‘a painful and eminent minister,’ who was
incumbent successively of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Hasler and Willersey, Gloucestershire (from which last living he was ejected
in 1662), was born in or about 1627 at Bromsgrove.[1]
Having received his early education at
the schools of the neighbourhood, he entered University College, Oxford, at an early age, and gained a good reputation for talent and diligence.[1]
On 27 April 1650, he was sent by ‘the
standing committee of Devon’ to Diptford, a parish on the Avon, five miles from Totnes, where the minister, Mr. Walplate, had become infirm. On 17 Oct. 1650,
after examination and the preaching of a ‘trial sermon,’ he was ordained Mr.
Walplate's assistant by the classis at Salisbury. He continued to minister at Diptford for about six years, succeeding the senior minister when he died, and
endearing himself greatly to the people, not only by his earnestness, but by
his easy dealings with them in the matter of tithes.[1]
In 1656 he removed to Dartmouth, though the Diptford emoluments were much greater. On
the passing of the Act of Uniformity (1662) he was ejected, but continued to
preach in private until the Five Mile Act
drove him from Dartmouth. He kept as near it, however, as possible, removing to
Slapton, five miles off, and there
preached twice each Sunday to all who came, among whom were many of his old
parishioners. On the granting of the indulgence of 1671 he returned to
Dartmouth, and continued to officiate there even after the liberty to do so was
withdrawn. In the end he found himself obliged to remove to London, traveling
by sea and narrowly escaping shipwreck in a storm, which is said to have ceased
in answer to his prayers. Finding that he would be safer at Dartmouth he
returned there, and met with his people nightly in his own house, until in
1687, on the relaxation of the penal laws, they built a meeting-house for him.
Just before his death he acted as moderator at a meeting of dissenting
ministers held at Topsham. He died suddenly of
paralysis at Exeter on 26 June 1691, and was buried in Dartmouth churchyard.
Wood bitterly comments on the violence of his dissent.[1]
Family
Flavel was four times married: first to Jane Randal; secondly, to Elizabeth Morries; thirdly, to Ann Downe; and, lastly, to a daughter of the Rev. George Jeffries.[1]
There is a portrait of him in Dr.
Williams's library, London.[1]
Written works
He was a voluminous and popular author. There is a
play of fine fancy in some of them, such as the ‘Husbandry Spiritualised.’ All
display vigorous diction and strong evangelical sentiments.
They comprise:- ‘Husbandry Spiritualised,’ Lond.
1669.
- ‘Navigation Spiritualised,’ Lond.
1664.
- ‘The Fountain of Life Opened, or a
Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory, containing
forty-two sermons,’ Lond. 1672.
- ‘A Saint indeed,’ Lond. 1668.
- ‘A Token for Mourners,’ Lond. 1674.
- ‘The Seaman's Companion,’ Lond.
1676.
- ‘Divine Conduct, or the Mystery of
Providence Opened,’ Lond. 1678, 1814, 1822.
- ‘The Touchstone of Sincerity,’
Lond. 1679.
- ‘The Method of Grace in the Gospel
Redemption,’ Lond. 1680.
- ‘A Practical Treatise of Fear,
wherein the various Kinds, Uses, Causes, Effects, and Remedies thereof are
distinctly opened and prescribed,' Lond. 1682.
- 'The Righteous Man's Refuge,' Lond.
1682.
- 'Preparations for Sufferings, or
the Best Work in the Worst Times,' Lond. 1682.
- 'England's Duty under the present
Gospel Liberty,' Lond. 1689.
- 'Mount Pisgah, or a Thanksgiving
Sermon for England's Delivery from Popery,' Lond. 1689.
- 'Sacramental Meditations upon
divers select places of Scripture,' Lond. 1679.
- 'The Reasonableness of Personal
Reformation and the Necessity of Conversion,' Lond. 1691.
- 'An Exposition of the Assembly's
Catechism,' Lond. 1692.
- 'Pneumatologia, a Treatise of the
Soul of Man,' Lond. 1685.
- 'Planelogia, a succinct and
seasonable Discourse of the Occasions, Causes, Nature, Rise, Growth, and
Remedies of Mental Errors.' * 'Vindiciarum Vindex, or a Refutation of the
weak and impertinent Rejoinder of Mr. Philip Carey' (a leading anabaptist
in Dartmouth). 1691.
- 'Gospel Unity recommended to the
Churches of Christ.'
- ' A Faithful and Succinct Account
of some late and wonderful Sea Deliverances.' 1679.
- 'Antipharmacum Saluberrimum, or a
serious and seasonable Caveat to all the Saints in this Hour of
Temptation.' 1664.
- ' Tydings from Rome, or England's
Alarm.' 1667.
- ' A pathetic and serious Dissuasive
from the horrid and detestable Sins of Drunkenness, Swearing, Uncleanness,
Forgetfulness of Mercies, Violation of Promises, and Atheistic Contempt of
Death.' 1677
- 'The Balm of the Covenant applied
to the Bleeding Wounds of afflicted Saints.' 1688
- 'Vindiciæ Legis et Fœderis.'
- 'A Familiar Conference between a
Minister and a doubting Christian concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper.'
- 'A Table or Scheme of the Sins and Duties of Believers.' 1679.
Editions of Flavel's writings appeared more
than 720 times from 1664 to the present day.
References
Attribution
This
article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Hamilton, Thomas
(1889). "Flavel, John
(1630?-1691)". In Stephen, Leslie. Dictionary of
National Biography 19.
London: Smith, Elder & Co.
External
links
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- The Life of the late Rev. Mr. John Flavel, minister of Dartmouth
- Flavel, John (c. 1630-1691)
- John Flavel — brief biography and
further links
- Sermons by John Flavel and others in the Reformed Tradition
- The Mystery of Providence text
- Chapter by Chapter Summary of The Mystery of Providence
- On Keeping the Heart (John Flavel)
This
article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Cousin, John William (1910). A
Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons. Wikisource
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