PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Whole Works of John Flavel — Volume 1
Flavel, John, 1630?-1691 · 283,724 words · 235 reading sections
Section 61
(1.) From the nature of sin, which deserves that the sinner should suffer for it. Penal evil, in a course of justice, follows moral evil. Sin and sorrow ought to go together ; betwixt these is a necessary connection, Rom. vi. 13. " The wages of sin is death." (2.) The veracity of God requires it The word is gone out o…
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Corollary 1. This shews, in the first place, the incomparable ex- cellency of the reformed Christian religion above all other religions, known to, or professed in the world. What other religions seek, the Christian religion only finds, even a solid foundation for true peace and settlement of conscience. While the Jews …
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of remission and peace. As there is the grace and love of God for an efficient and impulsive cause, and the death of Christ our sacrifice, the meritorious cause ; so of necessity there must be faith, the in- strumental cause. And these con-causes do all sweetly meet in their influences, and activities, in our remission…
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My present business is to open and apply the oblation of Christ ; the efficacy and excellency whereof is excellently illustrated, by a comparison with all other oblations, in the precedent context, and with a singular encomium commended to us in these words, from the singularity of it * It is but one offering ; one not…
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soul, but by opposing his once offering of both body and soul, to these many sacri- fices, which, by the law of Moses, were offered up, not once, but frequently. Parker dc descensu, lib. 111. p. 146. f That alone can have the nature of punishment, which is inflicted by a judge according to law ; but it is not agreeabl…
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Hence arose the delight and pleasure God had in it ;. this made him take pleasure in bruising him, Isa. liii. 10. God smelled a sa- vour of rest in this sacrifice. The meaning is, that as men are offended with a stench, and their stomachs rise at it, and on the contrary delighted with sweet odours and fragrancies ; so …
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The obligation of sin is perfectly abolished by the virtue of this sacrifice. When Christ became our sacrifice, he both bare, and bare away our sins. First, They were laid upon him, then ex- piated by him: so much is imported in that word, Heb. ix. 2& " Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many *." To bear, the …
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w noceht, but like a green and fruitful tree, full of all delectable " fruits of holiness , yet if the fire of his indignation thus seize " upon me, what will be your condition, that are both barren " and guilty, void of all good fruit, and full of all unrighteousness," and so like dry seary wood, are fitted as fuel to…
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This second part, or branch of his priesthood, was typified by the High-priest's entering with the blood of the sacrifice and sweet incense into the holy place : Lev. xvi. 12, 13, 14. " And he shall " take the censer full of burning coals of fire, from off the altar " before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incens…
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And yet, though God hath for ever shut up and barred this way to all the children of men, telling us that no man shall ever have access to him in his own name, as Christ the Prince had ; how do some, notwithstanding, strive to force open the Prince's gate*? So do they, that found the intercession of saints upon their o…
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* a faithful High-priest, in things pertaining to God,"" Heb. ii. 17. He assures us we may safely trust our concerns with him, John xiv. 9. " In my Father s house are many mansions ; if it " were not so, I would have told you ;" q. d, Do you think I could deceive you ? men may cheat you, but I will not ; your own heart…
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Use 1. Doth Christ live for ever in heaven to present his blood to God in the way of intercession for believers ? How sad then is their case ', that have no interest in Chrisfs blood; but instead of pleading for them, it cries to God against them, as the despisers and abusers of it ! Every unbeliever despises it : The …
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jSERM. XIII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, 175 of intercession, which he lives there to perform : Horn. viii. 34, 35. " Who is he that condemneth. It is Christ that died; yea, " rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, *' who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us *' from the love of C…
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2. We have here the way and manner in and by which this is done ; and that is by a full price paid down, and that price paid in the room of the sinner *, both making up a complete and full satisfaction. He pays a full price, every way adequate and propor- tionable to the wrong. So much this word, -/j/xag tfyyooatfev, w…
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book of God ; as " an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,"" i. e. one in lieu of another. Just as those whom the Greeks called ■avr^v^joi} men that exchanged their lives, or gave life for life, staking down their own to deliver another's, as Philumene did for Aristides. And so the poet Virgil speaks ; Sijratrem Pollu…
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then be redeemed from the curse, according to justice ; so the apostle argues, Rom. iii. 25, 56. " Whom God hath set forth to " be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his " righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the " forbearance of God ; to declare, I say, at this time, his r…
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Sol. Pardon could not be an act of pure grace, if God received satisfaction from us ; but if he pardon us upon the satisfaction re- ceived from Christ, though it be of debt to him, it is of grace to us : for it was grace to admit a Surety to satisfy, more grace to provide him, and most of all to apply his satisfaction …
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Inf. 4. If Christ by dying, hath made full satisfaction, then God is no loser in pardoning the greatest qf sinners, that believe in Jesus ; and consequently his justice can he no bar to their justifi- cation and salvation. He is just to forgive us our sins, 1 John i. 9- What an argument is here for a poor believer to p…
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" For this end, or cause, he is the Mediator of the New Testa- " ment; that, by means of death, lor the redemption of the u transgressions that were under the first Testament, they which " are called, might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance,1' Pleb. ix. 15. We will here, First, See what Christ paid. Secon…
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Secondly, This inlieritance is so large, that it cannot be surveved by creatures ; nor can the boundaries and limits thereof be des- cribed, for it comprehends all things ; 1 Cor. iii. 22 J. " All is w yours, ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Rev. xxi. 7. " He that overcomes shall inherit all things.r> And yet I d…
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The subjective glory and happiness is the attemperation and suiting of the soul and body to God. This is begun in sanctifica- tion, and perfected in glorification. It consists in removing from both all that is indecent, and inconsistent with a state of such com- plete glory and happiness, and in superinducting and clot…
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Infer. 2. With what weaned affections should the people of God walk up and down this world, content to live, and willing' to die f For things present are theirs if they live, and things to come are theirs if they die. Paul expresses himself in a frame of holy in- differency, Phil. i. 23. " Which to chuse I know not." M…
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TT E now come to the Regal office, by which our glorious Me- diator executes and discharge th the undertaken design of our redemption. Had he not, as our Prophet, opened the way of life and salvation to the children of men, they could never have known it ; and if they had clearly known it, except, as their Priest, SER…
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tains a throne in the hearts of men, and that is by conquest * : for though the souls of the elect are his by donation, and right of re- demption ; the Father gave them to him, and he died for them ; •yet Satan hath the first possession : and so it fares with Christ, as it did with Abraham, to whom God gave the land of…
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the . ' impliant entrance of Christ into the soul, we may say, as the Psalmist rhetorically speaks concerning the triumphant entrance of Israel into Canaan, Psal. cxiv. 5, 6. " The mountains skipped << like rams, and the little hills like lambs ; what aileth thee, O " thou sea, that thou fleddest ? Thou Jordan, that th…
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5. As a king he rewards their obedience, and encourages their sin- cere service. Though all they do for Christ be duty, yet he hath united their comfort with their duty ; ?« this I had, because I kept " thy precepts," Psal. cxix. 5(i. They are engaged to take this encouragement with them to every duty, that he whom the…
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6. And lastly, everlasting salvation is the privilege of all over whom Christ reigns. Prince and Saviour are joined together, Acts v. 31. He that can say, " thou shalt guide me with thy coun- 44 sels," may add what follows, " and afterwards bring me to glo- 46 ry," Psal. lxxiii. 24. Indeed, the kingdom of grace doth bu…
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4. With whom do you delightfully associate yourselves ? Who are your chosen companions f You may see to whom you belong by the company you join yourselves to. What do the subjects of Christ among the slaves of Satan? If the subjects of one kingdom be in another king's dominion, they love to be together with their own c…
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The first chapter of Ezekiel contains an admirable scheme or draught of providence. There you see how all the wheels, i. e. the motions and revolutions here on earth, are guided by the spirit that is in them. And, ver. 26. it is all run up into the supreme cause ; there you find one like the Son of man, which is Jesus …
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yond it cannot, go. Rev. ii. 10. " Fear none of these things that " ye shall suffer ; behold, the devil shall cast some of you into " prison, and ye shall have tribulation ten days." They would have cast them into their graves, but it shall only be into prisons: They would have stretched out their hands, upon them all …
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2. Christ's providential working is not only most pure and holy, but also most wise and judicious. Ezek. i. 20. " The wheels are " full of eyes :" They are not moved by a blind impetus *, but in deep counsel and wisdom. And, indeed, the wisdom of Providence manifests itself principally in the choice of such states for …
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Inf. 2. Hath God left the government of the whole world in the hands of Christ, and trusted him over all ? Then do you aho leave all your particular concerns in the hands of Christ too, and know that the infinite wisdom and love, which rules the world, manages every thing that relates to you. It is in a good hand, and …
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Inf. 5. Lastly, Eye Christ in all the events of providence ; see his hand in all that befals you, whether it be evil or good. " The M works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have " pleasure therein,11 Psal. cxi. 2. How much good might we get, by observation of the good or evil that befals us throughou…
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He that intends to build high, lays the foundation deep and low. Christ must have a distinct glory in heaven, transcending that of angels and men, (for the saints will know him from all others bv his glory, as the sun is known from the lesser stars.) And, as" he must be exalted infinitely above them, so he must first, …
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For the sun to fall from its sphere, and be degraded into £ wandering atom ; for an angel to be turned out of heaven, and be converted into a silly fly or worm, had been no such great abase- ment ; for they were but creatures before, and so they would abide still, though in an inferior order or species of creatures. Th…
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4. And yet more, by this his incarnation he was greatly hum- bled, inasmuch as this so vailed, clouded, and disguised him, that during the time he lived here, he looked not like himself, as God ; but as a poor, sorry, contemptible sinner, in the eyes of the world ; they scorned him. This fellow said, Matth. xxvi. 61. H…
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ployed about, as if it were too mean and base, should come and take it out of his hand ; and when he has done it, should say, doth your Lord and Master think it not beneath him to do it ; and is it beneath you ? I remember it is an excellent saying that * Ber- nard hath upon the nativity of Christ : saith he, " What mo…
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1. By frequent and delightful speaking of him, and for him. When Paul had once mentioned his name, he knows not how to part with it, but repeats it no less than ten times in the compass of ten verses, in 1 Cor. i. It was Lambert's motto, " None but Christ, " none but Christ." It is said of Johannes Milius, that after h…
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1. In that hereby he obliged himself to keep the whole law *, though he was the Law-maker ; Gal. v. 3. " For I testify again to " every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole " law." The apostle's meaning is, he is a debtor in regard of duty, because he that thinks himself bound to keep one part o…
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Thirdly, Our Lord Jesus Christ was yet more humbled in his life, by that poverty and outward meanness which all along attend- ed his condition : he lived poor and low all his days, so speaks the apostle, 2 Cor. viii. 9. " Though he was rich, yet for our sakes t* he became poor ;"" so poor, that he was never owner of a …
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Fifthly, Our blessed Lord Jesus was yet more humbled in his life than all this* and that by his own Sympathy with others, under all the burdens that made him groan. For he, much more than Paul, could say, who is afflicted, and I burn not f He lived all his time as it were in an hospital among the sick and wounded. And …
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Inf. 2. From the early flight of Christ into Egypt, we infer, That the greatest innocency and piety cannot exempt from persecu- tion and injury. Who more innocent than Christ Q And who more persecuted ? The world is the world still. " I have given them thy " word, and the world hath hated them," John xvii. 14. The worl…
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Sol. This is a different case. True, it is so, and must be so, or else it had signified nothing to your relief. For had Christ been internally defiled, he had not been a fit Mediator for you; nor could you have had any benefit, either by his temptations, or suf- ferings for you. But he being tempted, and yet still esca…
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*ERM. XX. THE FOUXTAIX OF LIFE. 547 ther ; the institution of a commemorative sign, to perpetuate and refresh the memory of his death in the hearts of his people, till he come again. And his pouring out his soul to God, by prayer in the garden ; which was the posture he cho^e to be found in, when they should apprehend…
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1. The mercy of preservation, both from sin and danger : so in the text ; " Keep, through thine own name, those whom thou hast " given me :" which is explained, ver. 15. "I pray not that thou " shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep " them from the evil.11 We, in ours, and the saints that are …
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Arg. 3. And yet, to make all fast and sure, he adds, in the be- ginning of this verse 11. a third argument, in these words, k* And now I am no more in the world.11 Where Ave must consi- der the sense of it, as a proposition, and the force of it, as an ar- gument. This proposition, " I am no more in the world," is not t…
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2. He was now entering upon his intercession-work in heaven, and he was desirous in this prayer to give us a specimen, or sam- ple, of that part of his work, before he left us ; that by this we might understand what he would do for us, when he should be out of sight. For this being his last prayer on earth, it shews us…
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ther ; as if Christ did not present our pleas and arguments, as well as simple desires to God ; as if the choicest part of our prayers must be kept backj because Christ presents our prayers to God. No, no, Christ's pleading is one thing, ours another : " * His and " ours are not opposed, but subordinate ;" his pleading…
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Surely believers are dear to Jesus Christ ; and good reason, for he hath paid dear for them : let his dying language, this last fare- well, speak for him, how he prized them. The Lord's portion " is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance," Deut. xxxii. 9* " they are a peculiar treasure to him, above all the pe…
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4. Lastly take notice of the use, design, and end of this institu- tion. E/g rqv s/inv umpvyttv, in remembrance, or for a memorial of me. O there is much in this ; Christ knew how apt our base hearts would be to lose him, amidst such a throng of sensible objects as we here converse with ; and how much that forgetfulnes…
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3. This remembrance of Christ includes suitable impressions made upon the affections, by such a sight and remembrance of him : and therein lies the nature of that precious thing which we call communion with God. Various representations of Christ are made at his table. Sometimes the soul there calls to mind the infinite…
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1. This is a special mark of the care and love of Christ, in as much as hereby he hath made abundant provision for the confir- mation and establishment of the faith of his people to the end of the world. For this being an evident proof that the New Testa- ment is in its full force, (Matth. xxvi. 28. " This is the cup o…
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Inf. 2. Hence also we infer, that sacrament-seasons are heart- melting seasons ; because therein the most affecting and heart-melt- ing recognitions and representations of Christ are made. As the gospel offers him to the ear, in the most sweet, affecting sounds of grace ; so the sacrament to the eye, in the most pleasi…
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Inf. 4. Lastly we infer ; Though all other things do, yet Chiist neither doth, nor can grow stale. Here is an ordinance to preserve his remembrance fresh to the end of the world. The blood of Christ doth never dry up. The beauty of this rose of Sharon is never lost or withered. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for…
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Now, Christ went not into this garden to hide, or shelter him- self from his enemies. No, that was not his end ; for if so, it had been the most improper place he could have chosen, it being the accustomed place where he was wont to pray, and a place well known to Judas, who was now coming to seek him, as you may see, …
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What ! did he now repent of his engagement ? Was all he said before but a flourish, before he saw the enemy ? Doth he now begin to wish to be disengaged, and that he had never undertaken such a work? Is that the meaning of it? No, no, Christ never repented of his engagement to the Father, never was willing to let the b…
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4. And lastly, It was a prayer accompanied with a strange and wonderful agony : so saith verse 44. " and being in an agony, he " prayed more earnestly ; and his sweat was it were great drops " of blood falling down to the ground." Now he was red indeed in his apparel, as one that trod the wine-press. "It was not a " fa…
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To go to God when tbou art full of sorrow, when thy heart is ready to burst within thee, as it was with Christ in this clay of his trouble ; and say, Father, thus and thus the case stands with thy poor child ; and so and so it is with me ; I will not go up and down complaining from one creature to another, it is to no …
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Ah, what is divine wrath, that Christ staggered when the cup came to him ! Could not he bear, and dost thou think to bear it ? Did Christ sweat clots of blood at it, and dost thou make light of it ? Poor wretch, if it staggered him, it will confound thee. If it made him groan, it will make thee howl, and that eternally…
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Look, as Joseph was betrayed and sold by his brethren ; David by Achitophel, his old friend; Samson by Delilah, that lay in his bosom; so Christ by Judas, one of the twelve; a man, his friend, his familiar, that had been so long conversant with him : he that by profession had lifted up his hand to Christ, now by treaso…
1,254 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.