100+ John Flavel Quotes | InspiringQuotes.us

source: - John Flavel (1671). “The Fountain of Life Opened, Or, A Display of Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory: Containing 42 Sermons on Various Texts ...”, p.13

Topics: Ocean, Profound, Shadow, Christian Science

To see a man humble under prosperity is one of the greatest rarities in the world.

source: - John Flavel (1801). “A Treatise on the Keeping of the Heart”, p.38

Topics: Christian, Humble, Men

One word of God can do more than ten thousand words of men to relieve a distressed soul.

source: - John Flavel (1677). “Divine Conduct and Saint Indeed”, p.134

Topics: Men, Soul, Thousand

Providence is like a curious piece of tapestry made of a thousand shreds, which, single, appear useless, but put together, they represent a beautiful history to the eye.

Topics: Beautiful, Eye, Together

You may look upon some providences once and again, and see little or nothing in them, but look "seven times," that is, meditate often upon them, and you will see their increasing glory, like that increasing cloud (1 Kings 18:44).

Topics: Kings, Clouds, Looks

Christ [is] the very essence of all delights and pleasures, the very soul and substance of them. As all the rivers are gathered into the ocean, which is congregation or meeting-place of all waters in the world: so Christ is that ocean in which all true delights and pleasures meet. . . .

source: - John Flavel (1699). “The Method of Grace in Bringing Home the Eternal Redemption ... Being the Second Part of Gospel Redemption: Wherein the Great Mystery of Our Union and Communion with Christ is Opened and Applied ...”, p.238

Topics: Ocean, Essence, Rivers

All the tears of a penitent sinner, should he shed as many as there have been fallen drops of rain since the creation, cannot wash away one sin.Â The everlasting burnings in hell cannot purifyÂ the flaming conscience from the least sin.

Topics: Rain, Tears, Burning, Burning In Hell

I look upon every good man, as a good book, lent by its owner for another to read, and transcribe the excellent notions and golden passages that are in it for his own benefit, that they may return with him when the owner shall call for the book again: but in case this excellent book shall be thrown into a corner and no use made of it, it justly provokes the owner to take it away in displeasure. --Funeral of John Upton, Esq

Topics: Book, Men, Funeral, Displeasure

What is a child, but a piece of the parent enrapt up in another skin? And yet our dearest children are but as strangers to us, in comparison of the unspeakable dearness that was between the Father and Christ. Now, that he should ever be content to part with a Son, and such an only One, is such a manifestation of love, as will be admired to all eternity.

Topics: Children, Father, Son, Unspeakable

Did Christ finish His work for us? Then there can be no doubt but He will also finish His work in us.

source: - John Flavel (1836). “The Fountain of Life Opened; Or, A Display of Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory. 1671”, p.351

Topics: Doubt, Christ, Spiritual Transformation

No doctrine is more excellent, or necessary to be preached and studied, than Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

source: - John Flavel (2014). “Fountain of Life: 1671”

Topics: Jesus, Doctrine, Christ

I think it is not very difficult to discern by the duties and converses of Christians, what frames their spirits are under. Take a Christian in a good frame, and how serious, heavenly, and profitable, will his converses and duties be! what a lovely companion is he during the continuance of it!

Topics: Christian, Thinking, Lovely, Profitable, Converses

It is the duty of the saints, especially in times of straights, to reflect upon the performances of Providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives.

Topics: Saint, States, Stage

Surely if He would not spare His own Son one stroke, one tear, one groan, one sigh, one circumstance of misery, it can never be imagined that ever He should, after this, deny or withhold from His people, for whose sakes all this was suffered, any mercies, any comforts, any privilege, spiritual or temporal, which is good for them.

Topics: Spiritual, Son, People

Guilt is to danger, what fire is to gunpowder; a man need not fear to walk among many barrels of powder, if he have no fire about him.

Topics: Men, Fire, Guilt

Christ bounds and terminates the vast desires of the soul; He is the very Sabbath of the soul.

Topics: Soul, Desire, Christ

Scripture knows no other way to glory, but Christ put on and applied by faith.

Topics: Way, Scripture, Christ

All the dark, intricate, puzzling providences at which we were sometimes so offended...we shall [one day] see to be to us, as the difficult passage through the wilderness was to Israel, "the right way to the city of habitation".

Topics: Dark, Cities, Israel

Whatever be the ground of one's distress, it should drive him to, not from God.

Topics: Should, Distress

To keep the heart then, is carefully to preserve it from sin which disorders it; and maintain that spiritual and gracious frame, which fits it for a life of communion with God.

Topics: Spiritual, Heart, Sin

Christian! thou knowest thou carriest gunpowder about thee. Desire them that carry fire to keep at a distance. It is a dangerous crisis when a proud heart meets with flattering lips.

Topics: Christian, Distance, Heart

A saving, though an immethodical knowledge of Christ, will bring us to heaven, John 17: 2, but a regular and methodical, as well as a saving knowledge of him, will bring heaven into us, Col. 2: 2, 3.

Topics: Heaven, Saving, Christ, Methodical

Lord, here is my body; I am very grateful for it; I neglected nothing that belonged to its contents and welfare; but as for my soul, that is lost and cast away forever. I took little care and thought about it.

Topics: Grateful, Forever, Soul, Cast Away

O my soul, I am now addressing myself to the greatest work that ever a creature was employed about - I am going into the solemn presence of God about business of everlasting importance!

Topics: Soul, Importance, Everlasting

What, at Peace with the Father, and at War with the (His) Children! It cannot be.

Topics: Christian, Children, Father

Ah, did we but rightly understand what the demerit of sin is, we would rather admire the bounty of God than complain of the straithandedness of Providence. And if we did but consider that there lies upon God no obligation of justice or gratitud to reward any of our duties, it would cure our murmurs (Gen. 32:10).

Topics: Lying, Justice, Rewards, Bounty

It is the great support and solace of the saints in all the distresses that befall them here, that there is a wise Spirit sitting in all the wheels of motion, and governing the most eccentric creatures and their most pernicious designs to blessed and happy issues.

Topics: Wise, Blessed, Issues

God's unspotted faithfulness never failed any soul that durst trust himself in its arms.

Topics: Soul, Arms, Faithfulness

It is a common thing for men to benumb their own arms, and make them as dead and useless by leaning too much upon them: so it is in a moral as well as a natural way: all the prudence and pains in the world avail nothing without God. So saith the Psalmist, in Psalm cxxvii. 2.

Topics: Pain, Work, Men, Common Things

Brethren, it is easier to declaim against a thousand sins of others, than to mortify one sin in ourselves.

Topics: Sin, Easier, Thousand

Jesus Christ is in every way sufficient to the vast desires of the soul.

Topics: Jesus, Soul, Desire

Oh sirs, deal with sin as sin, and speak of heaven and hell as they are, and not as if you were in jest.

Topics: Heaven, Speak, Sin

Grace makes the promise and providence the payment.

Topics: Grace, Promise, Payment

[Providences] often puzzle and entangle our thoughts, but bring them to the Word, and your duty will be quickly manifested. "Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end" (Ps. 73:17). And not only their end, but his own duty, to be quiet in an afflicted condition and not envy their prosperity.

source: - John flavel, Rev Terry Kulakowski (2017). “The Mystery of Providence”, p.142, Lulu.com

Topics: Envy, Sanctuary, Quiet

When the world smiles upon us, and we have got a warm nest, how do we prophesy of rest and peace in those acquisitions, thinking with good Baruch, great things for ourselves, but Providence by a particular or general calamity overturns our plans (Jer. 45:4,5), and all this to turn our hearts from the creature to God.

Topics: Heart, Thinking, Nests, Rest And Peace

That which begins not with prayer, seldom winds up with comfort.

Topics: Prayer, Wind, Comfort, Christian Prayer

Look around in the world, and you may see some in every place who are objects of pity, bereaved by sad accidents of all the comforts of life, while in the meantime Providence has tenderly preserved you.

Topics: Comfort, Looks, World

Christ is so in love with holiness, that at the price of His blood He will buy it for us.

Topics: Blood, Holiness, Christ

Providence so orders the case, that faith and prayer come between our wants and supplies, and the goodness of God may be the more magnified in our eyes thereby.

Topics: Prayer, Eye, Order

The more afflictions you have been under, the more assistance you have had for this life of holiness.

source: - John Flavel (1799). “Whole Works of the Rev. Mr. John Flavel”, p.555

Topics: Grace, Affliction, Holiness

When God gives you comforts, it is your great evil not to observe His hand in them.

Topics: Hands, Evil, Giving

Jesus, our head, is already in heaven; and if the head be above water, the body cannot drown.

source: - John Flavel, Rev Terry Kulakowski (2015). “THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE OPENED UP”, p.161, Lulu.com

Topics: Jesus, Water, Heaven

The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.

Topics: Life, Suffering, Dying

The Providence of God is like Hebrew words-it can be read only backwards.

Topics: Hebrew, Providence, Backwards

If you neglect to instruct children in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No; if you will not teach them to pray, he will to curse, swear, and lie; if ground be uncultivated, weeds will spring.

source: - John Flavel (1840). “Divine Conduct: Or, The Mystery of Providence, Wherein the Being and Efficacy of Providence are Asserted and Vindicated ... and the Proper Course of Improving All Providences Pointed Out”, p.58

Topics: Love, Family, Weed

As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low.

Topics: Firsts, Lows, Forsaken, Presbyterians

They that know God will be humble. They that know themselves cannot be proud.

source: - John Flavel (1996). “The Method of Grace: How the Holy Spirit Works”, p.399, Hartland Publications

Topics: Christian, Humble, Proud

The heart of a Christian, like the moon, commonly suffers an eclipse when it is at the full, and that by the interposition of the earth.

Topics: Christian, Heart, Moon

Some providences, like Hebrew letters, must be read backwards.

Topics: Letters, Hebrew, Providence

If God has given you but a small portion of the world, yet if you are godly He has promised never to forsake you (Heb. 13:5). Providence has ordered that condition for you which is really best for your eternal good. If you had more of the world than you have, your heads and hearts might not be able to manage it to your advantage.

Topics: Heart, Godly, Able, Head And Heart

Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it; so that we find the readiest course to be rid of our comforts is to set our hearts inordinately upon them.

source: - John flavel, Rev Terry Kulakowski (2017). “The Mystery of Providence”, p.145, Lulu.com

Topics: Christian, Heart, Blessing, Chastisement, Idolized

The opening of your hearts to receive the Lord Jesus Christ is not a work done by any power of your own, but the arm of the Lord is revealed therein.

Topics: Jesus, Heart, Done

Regeneration expresses those supernatural, divine, new qualities imparted by the Spirit to the soul, which are the principle of all holy action.

Topics: Soul, Quality, Principles, Regeneration

No repentance, obedience, self-denial, prayers, tears, reformation or ordinances, without the new creation, avail any thing to the salvation of thy soul.

Topics: Prayer, Self, Soul

We acknowledge no righteousness but what the obedience and satisfaction of Christ yields us. His blood, not our faith; his satisfaction, not our believing it, is the matter of our justification before God.

Topics: Believe, Yield, Blood

As the blood of Christ is the fountain of all merit, so the Spirit of Christ is the fountain of all spiritual life; and until he quicken us and infuse the principle of the divine life into our souls, we can put forth no hand, or vital act of faith, to lay hold upon Jesus Christ.

source: - John Flavel (1701). “The whole works of the Reverend Mr. John Flavel: ... to which are added alphabetical tables of the texts of scripture explained, and indexes of the principal matters contained in both volumes”, p.279

Topics: Spiritual, Jesus, Blood, Divine Life, Spiritual Life

The Spirit must therefore first take hold of us before we can live in Christ, and when he doth so, then we are enabled to exert that vital act of faith, whereby we receive Christ.

Topics: Firsts, Spirit, Christ

Let all Arminians know: we have as high an esteem for faith as any men in the world, but yet we will not rob Christ to clothe faith.

Topics: Men, World, Christ

That soul is dead to which the Spirit of Christ is not given in the work of regeneration; and all its works are dead works.

Topics: Soul, Spirit, Christ, Regeneration

Christ's resurrection is the ground-work of our hope. And the new birth is our title or evidence of our interest in it.

Topics: Titles, Birth, Resurrection

A hot iron, though blunt, will pierce sooner than a cold one, though sharper.

Topics: Iron, Hot, Cold

Afflictions have the same use and end to our souls, that frosty weather hath upon those clothes that are laid and bleaching, they alter the hue and make them white.

Topics: Weather, White, Clothes, Bleaching

It would much conduce to the settlement of your heart, to consider that by fretting and discontent you do yourself more injury than all your afflictions could do. Your own discontent is that which arms your troubles with a sting; you make your burden heavy by struggling under it. Did you but lie quietly under the hand of God, your condition would be much more easy than it is.

Topics: Lying, Struggle, Heart, Settlement

Providence is wiser than you, and you may be confident it has suited all things better to your eternal good than you could do had you been left to your own option.

Topics: May, Be Confident, Providence

Turn in upon yourselves, get into your closets, and now resolve to dwell there. You have been strangers to this work too long; you have kept other vineyards too long; you have trifled about the borders of religion too long. Will you now resolve to look better to your hearts? Will you hate and come out of the crowds of business and clamors of the world and retire yourselves more than you have done? Oh, that this day you would resolve upon it!

Topics: Hate, Heart, Long

How often has providence convinced its observers, upon a sober recollection of the events of their lives, that if the Lord had left them to their own counsels they had as often been their own tormentors, if not executioners!

Topics: Events, Sober, Lord

Where there is no want, there is usually much wantonness.

Topics: Want, Wealth

If time be a ring of gold, opportunity is the rich diamond that gives it both its value and glory.

Topics: Opportunity, Giving, Gold

Tell me, you vain professor, when did you shed a tear for the deadness, hardness, unbelief, or earthliness of your heart? Do you think that such an easy religion can save you? If so, we may invert Christ's words and say, 'Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to life, and may there be that go in there.'

Topics: Heart, Thinking, Tears, Invert

When our needs are permitted to grow to an extremity, and all visible hopes fail, then to have relief given wonderfully enhances the price of such a mercy

Topics: Relief, Needs, Failing, Extremity

For the infinite glorious Creator of all things, to become a creature, is a mystery exceeding all human understanding.

Topics: Understanding, Mystery, Infinite

Observed duties maintain our credit; but secret duties maintain our life.

Topics: Secret, Credit, Duty

Look to it, my dear friends, that none of you be found Christless at your appearance before him. Those that continue Christless now, will be left speechless then. God forbid that you that have heard so much of Christ, and you that have professed so much of Christ, should at last fall into a worse condition than those that never heard the name of Christ.

source: - "THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE OPENED UP".

Topics: Fall, Names, Looks, Dear Friend

He is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wounded; and whatever a soul can desire is found in Him.

source: - John Flavel (1770). “The whole works of the Reverend Mr. John Flavel ...”, p.322

Topics: Healing, Water, Soul

He feels all our sorrows, needs, and burdens as his own. That is why it is said that the sufferings of believers are called the sufferings of Christ.

Topics: Suffering, Sorrow, Needs

Affliction is a pill, which, being wrapt up in patience and quiet submission, may be easily swallowed; but discontent chews the pill, and so embitters the soul.

Topics: Soul, Suffering, Affliction

We are not distinguished from brutes by our senses, but by our understanding.

Topics: Understanding, Distinguished, Brutes

The soul of man, like the bird in the shell, is still growing or ripening in sin or grace, till at last the shell breaks by death, and the soul flies away to the piece it is prepared for, and where it must abide forever.

Topics: Men, Bird, Forever, Ripening

My soul is of more value than ten thousand worlds.

source: - John Flavel (1698). “Pneumatologia: A Treatise of the Soul of Man: Wherein the Divine Original, Excellent and Immortal Nature of the Soul are Opened ...”, p.42

Topics: Soul, World, Thousand

And now let us consider and marvel that ever this great and blessed God should be so much concerned, as you have heard He is in all His providences, about such vile, despicable worms as we are! He does not need us, but is perfectly blessed and happy in Himself without us. We can add nothing to Him.

source: - "The Mystery of Providence".

Topics: Christian, Blessed, Doe, Despicable

Christian, thou knowest thou carriest Gunpowder about thee, desire those that carry Fire to keep at a Distance from thee; 'tis a dangerous Crisis when a proud Heart meets with flattering Lips.

source: - "The Whole Works of the Reverend Mr. John Flavel".

Topics: Christian, Distance, Heart

Christ comes with kingly power, to rescue sinners, as a prey from the mouth of the terrible one.

source: - John Flavel (1996). “The Method of Grace: How the Holy Spirit Works”, p.211, Hartland Publications

Topics: Mouths, Christ, Prey

The Lord's supper is memorative, and so it has the nature and use of a pledge or token of love, left by a dying to a dear surviving friend.

Topics: Dying, Use, Lord's Supper

Creatures, like pictures, are fairest at a certain distance, but it is not so with Christ; the nearer the soul approaches Him, and the longer it lives in the enjoyhment of Him, still the sweeter and more desirable He becomes.

Topics: Distance, Soul, Christ

Christ and his benefits go inseparably and undividedly... Many would willingly receive his privileges, who will not receive his person; but it cannot be; if we will have one, we must take the other too: Yea, we must accept his person first, and then his benefits: as it is in the marriage covenant, so it is here.

source: - John Flavel (1740). “The Whole Works of the Reverend Mr. John Flavel ... To which are Added, Alphabetical Tables of the Texts of Scripture Explained; and Indexes of Principal Matters Contained in the Whole”, p.237

Topics: Benefits, Covenant, Firsts

The soul of the poorest child is of equal dignity with the soul of Adam.

source: - John Flavel (1698). “A treatise of the soul of man: wherein the divine original, excellent and immortal nature of the soul are opened; its love and inclination to the body, with the necessity of its separation from it, considered and improved; the existence, operations, and states of separated souls, both in heaven and hell, immediately after death, asserted, discussed, and variously applied; divers knotty and difficult questions about departed souls both philosophical, and theological, stated and determined; the invaluable preciousness of human souls, and the various artifices of Satan (their professed enemy) to destroy them, discovered; and the great duty and interest of all men, seasonably and heartily to comply with the most great and gracious design of the Father, Son, and Spirit, for the salvation of their souls, argued and pressed”, p.35

Topics: Children, Soul, Dignity