PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Whole Works of John Flavel — Volume 1
Flavel, John, 1630?-1691 · 283,724 words · 235 reading sections
Section 1
BX 8915 .F58 1820 v. 1 Flavel, John, 16307-1691 The whole works of John Flavel REV. MR. JOHN FLAVEL, LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT DARTMOUTH, DEVON. AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE WHOLE. PRINTED FOR W. BAYNES AND SON, 23 & 54, PATERNOSTER-ROW? WAUCH AND INNES, EDINBURGH, AND M. KE…
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That which made them more pressing and earnest with Mr. Flavel* was this ; at a provincial synod in that county, Mr. Flavel, though but a young man, was voted into the chair as moderator, where he opened the assembly with a most devout and pertinent prayer ; he examined the candidates who offered themselves to their tr…
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In those times Mr. Flavel being at Exeter, was invited to preach by many good people of that city, who for safety chose a wood about three miles from the city to be the place of their assembly, where they were broke up by their enemies by that time the sermon was well begun, Mr. Flavel, by the care of the people, made …
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Mr. Jenkins, abovementioned, dying in prison, his people gave Mr. Flavel a call to the pastoral office among them, and Mr. Reeve's people did the like. Mr. Flavel communicated these calls unto his flock, and kept a day of prayer with them to beg direction of God in this important affair ; he was graciously pleased to a…
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" 6. Lastly, To the end I may be successful in this work, I have " laboured all along carefully to distinguish betwixt such sins as are *■ grounds of doubting, and such as are only grounds of humiliation ; " knowing that not every evil is a ground of doubting, though all, " even the smallest infirmities, administer mat…
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than play-books. The gentleman read the title, and glancing upon several pages here and there, broke out into these and such other ex- pressions, What a damnable Fanatic was he who made this book ? Mr. Boulter begged of him to buy and read it, and told him he had no cause to censure it so bitterly ; at last he bought i…
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We shall conclude with a character of Mr. Flavel. He was a man of a middle stature, and full of life and activity : he was very thought- ful, and when not discoursing or reading, much taken up in medi- tation, which made him digest his notions well. He was ready to learn from every body, and as free to communicate what…
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For my own part, I have given in my name to him long since ; wo to me, if I have not given in my heart also; for, should I de- ceive myself in so deep a point as that, how would my profession as a Christian, my calling as a minister, yea, these very sermons now in your hands, rise in judgment to condemn me? which God f…
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And as it serves to render the mind more judicious, so it causes the memory to be more tenacious, and retentive of truths. The chain of truth is easily held in the memory, when one truth links in another ; but the loosing of a link endangers the scattering of the whole chain. We use to say, order is the mother of memor…
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1. To readers in general, according as their different states and conditions may be ; there are six things earnestly to be requested of them. (1.) If you be yet strangers to Christ, let these things begin, and beget your first accquaintance with him. I assure thee, reader, it was a principal part of the design thereof…
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(6.) Lastly, Art thou one that hast through mercy at last attain- ed assurance, or good hope, through grace, of thy interest in Christ? Rejoice then in thy present mercy, and long ardently to be with thine own Christ in his glory. There be many things dis- persed through this treatise, of Christ, to animate such joy, a…
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Besides, prayer is a part of natural worship, and the vilest among men are bound to pray, else the neglect of it were none of their sin. O let not a duty, upon which so many and great bless- ings hang, fall to the ground, upon such silly (not to say wicked) pretences to shift it off. Remember, death will shortly break …
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"t Ou gzwa ra s/osva/ rt £v v/xiv,-— I did not judge it equitable to know with marked regard any thing among you. — He does not condemn all other knowledge except when it rivals the knowledge of Christ, #c. SERM. t THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. S5 Christ. This, therefore, I resolve to make the scope and end of my ministry, a…
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(2.) The knowledge of Christ is fundamental to all duties ; the duties, as well as the graces of all Christians, are all founded in the knowledge of Christ. Must a Christian believe? That he can never do without the knowledge of Christ : faith is so much depend- ent on his knowledge, that it is denominated by it, Isa. …
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3. Other knowledge, though you should attain the highest de- gree of it, would never bring you to heaven, being defective and lame both in the integrity of parts, the principal thing, viz. Christ, being wanting ; and in the purity of its nature : for the knowing Heathens grew vain in their imaginations, Rom. i. 21. and…
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higher and sweeter relish than any created enjoyment thou ever tastedst in this world? O then separate, devote, and wholly give thyself, thy time, thy strength to this most sweet transcendent Study. Lastly ) Let me close the whole with a double caution ; one to ourselves, who by our callings and professions are the mi…
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Secondly, Take heed that you rest not satisfied with that know- ledge of Christ you have attained, but grow on towards perfection. It is the pride and ignorance of many professors, when they have got a few raw and indigested notions, to swell with self-conceit of their excellent attainments. And it is the sin, even of …
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f Hieron. Quern approbat, i. e. Whom my soul approves. Pagninus & Mont anus, Complacuit aninuz mea, i. e. One that highly delights my soul. The Septuagint, Qusnt suscepit anima mea} i. e. Whom my soul takes or wraps up. «ERM. II. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. '45 can express : but then not only to appear in true flesh, but a…
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(4.) Consider the constancy of this delight ; it was from everlast- ing, as in verse 23. and from eternity ; it never suffered one mo- ment's interruption. The overflowing fountain of God's delight and love never stopped its course, never ebbed ; but as he speaks in the text, " I was daily his delight, rejoicing always…
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From one wonder let our souls turn to another, for they are now in the midst of wonders : adore, and be for ever astonished at the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners ; that ever he should consent to leave such a bosom, and the ineffable delights that were there, for such poor worms as we are. O the heights, depths, l…
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Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death : and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. JlN this chapter, the gospel seems to be epitomized…
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Now, to open this great point, we will here consider, (1.) The persons transacting one with another. (2.) The business transact- ed. (3.) The quality and manner of the transaction, which is federal. (4.) The articles to which they agree. (5.) How each person performs his engagement to the other. And, Lastly, The antiqu…
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* I, -whose power is boundless and infinite, will so befriend and support theet that all thy enemies shall not be able to hurt thee. Marlot, on th.is place. SERM. III. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 51 bring it to an happy issue, Isa. liii. 10. " He shall see his seed, he " shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord…
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Use 1. The first use that offers itself to us from hence, is the abun- dant security that God hath given the elect for their salvation , and that not only in respect of the covenant of grace made with them, but also of this covenant of redemption made with Christ for them ; which in- deed is the foundation of the coven…
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Son. Content, Father, let it be so ; charge it all upon me, I am able to discharge it : and though it prove a kind of undoing to me, though it impoverish all my riches, empty all my treasures, (for so indeed it did, 2 Cor. viii. 9. " Though he was rich, yet for our " sakes he became poor1') yet I am content to undertak…
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Lord delivered Christ, and that is the [World.] This must re- spect the elect of God in the world, such as do, or shall actually believe, as it is exigetically expressed in the next words, " That " whosoever believes in him should not perish :" Those whom he calls the world in that, he stiles believers in this expressi…
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(4.) God's giving of Christ, implies his application of him, with ^all the purchase of his blood, and settling all this upon us, as an inheritance and portion, John vi. 32, 33. " My Father giveth you " the true bread from heaven ; for the bread of God is he which " cometh down from heaven, and giveth light to the world…
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Corollary 1. Learn hence, The exceeding preciousness of souls, and at what a high rate God values tliem, that he will give his Son, hitt only Son out of his bosom, as a ransomfor them. Surely this speaks their preciousness : God would not have parted with such a Son for small matters : all the world could not redeem th…
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that mind, think you, when death and judgment shall have tho- roughly awakened you ! Oh, no : Then a thousand worlds for a Christ ! as it is storied of our crooked-backed Itichard, when he lost the field, and was in great danger by his enemies that pressed upon him ; Oh now, (said he) a kingdom for a horse ! Or think y…
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3. The assumption itself, sXsi/sro, he was made ; not fiiit, he was, (as Socinus would render it, designing thereby to overthrow the existence of Christ's glorified body now in heaven) but factus est, it was made, i. e. he took or assumed the true human nature (cal- led flesh,-)* for the reason before rendered) into th…
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* Reason (saith one) can never shew itself more reasonable, than in ceasing to reason about things which are above reason. Whatsoever is concealed from us, that we are not to pry into. But we are not to overlook what is plain and mani- fest. Prosper, 76 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, SERM. V, union ; but though believers are …
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Doubt. If you ask how the union remained betwixt them, when Christ's human soul and body were separated from each other upon the cross ? Is not death the dissolution of the union betwixt soul and body ? Resolution. True, the natural union betwixt his soul and body was dissolved by death for a time, but this hypostatic…
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As Priest, had he not been man, he could have shed no blood ; and if not God, it had been no adequate value for us, * Heb. iL 17. Acts iii. 28. As King, had he not been man, he had been an heterogeneous, and so no fit head for us. And if not God, he could neither rule nor defend his body the Church. These then were t…
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it, in quo prceoccupabo Dominum ? Conscience sees God arming himself with wrath, to avenge himself for sin ; cries out, Oh, how shall I prevent him; if he would accept the fruit of m\ ho- dy, (those dear pledges of nature,) for the sin of my soul, he should have them. But now we see God coming down in flesh, and so int…
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This scripture is a part of Christ's excellent reply to a self-ended generation, who followed him, not for any spiritual excellencies that they saw in him, or soul-advantages they expected by him, but for bread. Instead of making his service their meat and drink, they only served him, that they might eat and drink. Sel…
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for us. * I have power (saith he) to lay down my life; this " commandment have I received of my Father,"" John x. 18. And upon that account, his offering up of his blood is, by the apostle, stiled an act of obedience, as it is, Phil. ii. 8. " He became f* obedient unto death." He also called him to intercede for us ; H…
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2. He was sealed, not only by solemn designation, but also super* eminent and unparalleled sanct'ification. He was anointed, as well as appointed to it. The Lord filled him with the Spirit, and that without measure, to qualify him for this service. So Isa. lxi, 1, % 3. " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he ha…
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Inf. 1. Hence we infer the unreasonableness of infidelity, and how little rejecters of Christ can have to pretend for their so doing. You see he hath opened his commission in the gospel, shewn the world his Father s hand and seal to it, given as ample satisfaction as reason itself could desire, or expect ; yet even his…
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Inf. 4. Hence be convinced of the great efficacy that is in all gos~ pel ordinances duly administered : For Christ having received full commission from his Father, and by virtue thereof having instituted and appointed these ordinances in the church, all the power in hea- ven is engaged to make them good, to back and se…
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f The meaning then is this, I sanctify myself, i. e. for their sakes I die, that they by my death may be filled with the Spirit of holiness, and may become holy vessels of God, bjr the Spirit of <?od revealed. Marlorat, on this place. SE11M. VII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 97 love with holiness, that at the price of his b…
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were for you, to confirm your faith. When he raised up Laza- rus, John xi. 42. " Because of the people which stand by, I said " it, that they might believe that thou hadst sent me." While he lived on earth, he lived as one wholly set apart for us : and when he died, he died for us, Gal. iii. 13. " he was made a curse *…
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Inference 1. If Jesus Christ did wholly set himself apart for be- lievers, how reasonable is it that believers should consecrate and set themselves apart wholly for Christ ? Is he all for us, and shall we be nothing for him ? What he was, he was for you ? Whatever he did, was done for you ; and all that he suffered, wa…
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And as it was their great sin, so God declared his just indigna- tion against it, in those sore strokes inflicted for it. As they dis» 104 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. VII. cerned not the Lord's body, so neither did the Lord discern their bodies from others in the judgments that were inflicted. And, as one well observ…
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fjB'REAT and long preparations bespeak the solemnity and greatness of the work for which they are designed ; A man that had but seen the heaps of gold, silver and brass, which Da- vid amassed in his time, for the building of the temple, might easily conclude before one stone of it was laid, that it would be a magnifice…
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and God. The former some call his .substantial, the latter his energetical, or operative mediation : Though I rather conceive that which is called his substantial mediation, is but the aptitude of his person to execute the mediatorial function ; and that it doth not constitute two kinds of mediation. His being a middle…
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And to such I would say, as J Tertullian to Marcion, whom ha calls the murderer of truth, " spare the only hope of the whole <w world, O thou who destroyest the most necessary glory of our u faith V All that we hope for is but a phantasm without this. Peace of conscience can be rationally settled on no other founda- ti…
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* All the intercourse and communion between the gods and men is by means of demi-gods. Pint. T Ovo/xa srsgov, other name, i. e. other power, or authority of any whatever. By name, the thing itself is understood, even Christ himself; UVO rov Zgaimf, under heaven, i. e. any where ; for heaven is not here opposed to eart…
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Inf. 3. If Jesus Christ be the only Mediator of reconciliation betwixt God and men ; then reconciled souls should thankfully as* cribe all the peace, favours, and comforts they have from God, to their Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever }^ou have had free admission, and sweet entertainment with God in the more public ordinance…
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% Oh, if I could be a bridge over the water for my Lord Jesus to walk upon, and keep his feet dry ! Oh, if my poor bit of heaven could go between my Lord and blasphemy and dishonour ! said another worthy. SERM. IX, THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 119 ing to John xvii. 6. " I have manifested thy name to the men " thou gavest me…
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He is anointed to preach good tidings to the meek, and sent to bind up the broken hearted, Isa. lxi. 1. When he came to preach the gospel among the people, then was this scripture fulfilled, Matt. xi. 27. " Yea, all things are delivered him of his Father ; so " as no man knoweth whom the Father is, but the Son, and he …
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1. Our great Prophet hath revealed unto men the will of God variously ; not holding one even and constant tenor in the mani- festations of the Father's will, but as the apostle speaks, ^oXv/mpu^ jttti Tokvloorru;, at sundry times, and in divers manners, Heb. i. 1. Sometimes he taught the church immediately, and in his …
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Inference 1. If Jesus Christ, who is now passed into the heavens, be the great Prophet and Teacher of the church ; hence we may justly infer the continual necessity of a standing ministry of the church : for by his ministers he now teacheth us, and to that intent hath fixed them in the church, by a firm constitution, t…
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Inf. 4. If Christ be the great Prophet and teacher of the church, We may thence discern and judge of doctrines, and it may serve us as a test to try them by. For such as Christ is, such are the doc- trines that flow from him : every error pretends to derive itself from him ; but as Christ was holy, humble, heavenly, me…
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5. Jesus Christ teas a minister that lived up to his doctrine : Ms life and doctrine harmonised in all things. He pressed to holiness in his doctrine, and was the great pattern of holiness in his life, Matt. xi. 28. " Learn of me, I am meek and lowly." And such his ministers desire to approve themselves, Phil. iv. 9. "…
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One of the great miseries under which lapsed nature labours^ is spiritual blindness. * Jesus Christ brings that eye-salve which only can cure it; Rev. iii. 18. " I counsel thee to buy of me eye- " salve, that thou mayest sec " Those to whom the Spirit hath applied it, can say, as it is 1 John v. 20. " We know that the …
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And indeed if you search into the reason of it, you will be sa- tisfied, that the choicest of means can do nothing upon the heart, until Christ by his Spirit open it, because ordinances work not as natural causes do : for then the effect would always follow unless miraculously hindered ; and it would be equally wonderf…
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3. And it is a growing light, like the light of the morning which " shines more and more unto the perfect day," Prov, iv. 18. When the Spirit first opens the understanding, he doth not give it at once a full sight of all truths, or a full sense of the power, sweetness and goodness of any truth ; but the soul in the use…
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1. God the Father hath put him into this office, for the cure of such as you be, Isa. xlix. 6. (i I will give thee for a light to the 6i Gentiles, that thou may est be my salvation to the end of the " earth." This may furnish you with an argument to plead for a cure. Why do you not go to God, and say, Lord, didst thou …
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Inf. 5. Lastly, How are they obliged to love, serve, and honour Je- sus Christ, whom he hath enlightened with the saving knowledge of himself? O that with hands and hearts lifted up to heaven, ye would adore the free grace of Jesus Christ to your souls ? How many round about you have their eyes closed, and their hearts…
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and that eternally. In all the sacrifices, from Adam to Christ, this was still preached to the world, that there was a fearful breach betwixt God and man ; and even so, that justice required our blood should be shed. And the fire flaming on the altar, which wrholly burnt up the sacrifice, was a lively emblem of that fi…
1,278 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition from Internet Archive OCR; OCR may contain recognition errors. Included as historical Christian writing, not Scripture.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.