PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Whole Works of John Flavel — Volume 6
Flavel, John, 1630?-1691 · 329,010 words · 268 reading sections
Section 181
Christ returns his doubtful language upon himself, ver. 23. " If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that bclieveth :" q. d. Dost thou doubt of my ability to heal thy child ? Question rather thy own ability to believe, for his cure. If he be not healed, the cause will not be in my inability, but in thine…
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Fourthly, His weak faith made him hunger and thirst after greater measures of it : Help my unbelief; i. e. Lord, cure it, that I may believe with more strong and steady acts of faith ; that I may not question thy power any more, or say. If thou canst do any thing? Why thus it will be with you, if vou be true believers …
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Thirdly^ The remains of unbelief give advantage and success to Satan's temptations upon us. Doth he at any time affright and scare us from our duty, or draw and entice us to the commission of sin, or darken and cloud our condition, and fill us with inward fears and horror, without cause .^ All this he doth, by the medi…
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Sixthly, It is but a little while, before this, with all other diseases bred by it in thy soul, shall be perfectly healed ; sanctification is a cure begun ; glorification is a cure performed and completed : The former hath destroyed the dominion, the latter will destroy the ex- istence of it in thy soul : When you come…
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3. This was necessary to magnify and commend the love of Jesus Christ to us, for whom he gave himself That he came into the world to die for us, is a mercy of the first magnitude, but that he came in love to our souls, and underwent all his sufferings with such willing- ness for our sakes, this heightens it above all a…
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Thirdly^ The glory which would redound to him from his re- deeming ones to all eternity ; for it will be the everlasting pleasant employment of the saints in heaven, to be ascribing glory, praise, and honour, to the Redeemer : " To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings …
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Doct. That the sufferings of Christ arc exceedingly powerful, to melt believers'' hearts into godly sorrow. The eye of faith is a precious eye ; and according to its various aspects upon Christ, it produceth various effects upon the hearts of men. Eyeing Christ as our complete righteousness ; so it pacifies and quiets…
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We are generally full of complaints, how hard, how dead and stupid our hearts are ; we are often putting such cases as these, how- shall I get a heart broken for sin.? How shall I raise my dead heart in duty ? Why this is the way, no expedient in all the world like this ; look upon him whom thou hast pierced ; it is th…
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Thirdly^ Meat and drink must undergo an alteration, and lose its own form, before it actually nourishes the body. The corn is ground to pieces in the mill, before it be made bread to nourish us. And Christ must be ground betwixt the upper and nether millstone of the wrath of God, and malice of men, to be made bread for…
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Firsty To come to this table with sharp and hungry appetites. Have you ever tasted, That the Lord is gracious? And do you not hunger and thirst, to taste it again ? Surely, " Where the carcase is, thither will the eagles be gathered ;" Matth. xxiv. 28. There is a twofold appetite ; a dainty, and an hungry appetite. Bew…
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By jealousy, we must understand her fears and suspicions of coming short of Christ and his love ; q. d. What if after all I should be deceived ? What if Jesus Christ do not love me with a special love ? O these fears and suspicions are intolerable torments to her; she cannot bear them : they arc cruel as the grave ; in…
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(1.) The corruptions that remain, and daily work in the best hearts ; these are evermore puzzling and fearing the poor soul, with fears and doubts about its condition. Grace teacheth men due seve- rity to themselves ; and fear of their own deceitfulness, makes them think no hearts are like their hearts ; especially whi…
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Direction IV. In a word ; pour out thy soul to God, in hearty de~ sires, for a sealed and clear interest in his love this day : Tell him, it is mercy thou valuest above life ; thy favour is better than life^ Ps. Ixiii. 3. Tell him, thou art not able to live with the jealousies and sus- picions of his love ; thou art bu…
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having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.' It it true, his condition is altered ; he is no more in this world conversing with his people, as he did once in the days ofhlsjlesh : He is now at the right-hand of God, in the highest glory ; but yet his heart is the same that ever it was, for l…
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Minister.'] ' I shall be very glad to contribute any thing for re- moving those scruples which may disturb you upon that account ; therefore, pray go on.' Christian.] Sir, I have heard many sermons, and read several discourses, which do much urge and declare the necessity of commu- nicating in this blessed ordinance ;…
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to will, or to do what is pleasing in his eyes ; having a great con- trariety in my heart to the way of salvation proposed in the gospel of Christ. Minister.] ' And have you taken up strong resolutions, that, by the help of God, and the assistance of his blessed Spirit, you will endeavour to persevere in the faith and…
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Minister.] ' Bread and wine, and no other, Luke xxii. 19, 20. And all communicants are to receive both of them, notwithstanding the bold and sacrilegious practice of the Papists, who give the people the bread, or wafer only, none but the priest receiving both the bread and the wine. And this without any sound reason, o…
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Minister.] ' I am indeed of the opinion, that the want of right un- derstanding this scripture, has been a stumbling-block to many, and so I shall endeavour briefly to explain it. The apostle here truly re- presents, and very much aggravates the danger of unworthy receiving this holy sacrament : but he does not deter t…
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JL WO of the greatest, faithfullest, and most intimate friends in the world, reason and conscience, command me here, in their names, courteously to salute and invite you in. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. 471 They earnestly desire three or four hours serious and private con- ference with you, about some very important pe…
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§ 2. The light of reason was at first the bright lamp or candle of the Lord, till sin, like a thief, melted it down to snuff; whereby (comparatively speaking) it becomes a poor glimmering light in the best of men, and almost quite extinguished in some men. Fallen man is become less than himself, and will never act like…
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Now, whatever unthinking men dream, to me it is evident, that when kingdoms and commonwealths are overflowed with unrestrain- ed vice and immoralities ; when cursing and swearing becomes the common language, drunkenness and adultery the common practiceof the inhabitants ; God will either sweep away the filth of those n…
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Conscience is as plain and positive with them, that they must either return, or perish. The scripture confirms the testimonies of both, by telling them plainly, That the end of these things is death ; liom. vi. 21 . It is downright folly and madness, by the vote of the whole ration- al and sober world, for any man to c…
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If profaneness were once found the general odium of the people, and a bar to all preferments, it might be hoped, things would quickly al- ter for the better. It was an ancient custom among the heathens, (as learned and excellent Mr. Hale of Eaton, out of Chrysostom observes) That if a man offered himself to contend in …
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§ 1. Ouch is the degeneracy and deep corruption of some men's natures, by ill education, base company, and long custom in sin ; that abandoning and casting away the bonds and restraints of right reason, as well as religion, they give the full scope and liberty to their lusts and passions, reckoning their chief happines…
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Second!?/, Nor will reason hesitate at all upon this particular, That there are degrees of goodness found among pleasures and delights ; some are better than others. Every life is not alike pleasant and happy. To deny this, is to make the most despicable worm, or fly, equally happy with the most excellent creature upon…
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486 THE REASONABLEXESS OF PERSONAL REFOUMATlOlf. and bodies. Their light and their lusts are struggling together. Sin and conscience are combating one with another ; the one to destroy, the other to save the man. Darest thou join with thy lusts against thy lifjht, and think not to be brought in as a party and confeder…
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Augustus prohibited the common use of his name, lest it should gi'ow too cheap and vile, by the common and needless using of it. The name of iVIercurius Trismegistus was very sparingly used, because of the great reverence the people had for him. The very Heathens were afraid to pronounce the name of their great god, De…
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I am persuaded, that if the bars of the bottomless pit were broken up, and devils should ascend in human shapes, none among them would be found hastening upon themselves the fulness and complete- ness of their misery, as you do. It is a truth, though a strange one, that it is much easier to find, than imagine men upon …
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§ 6. To begin with the first plea. You say, you would not swear as you do, could you gain credit to your words without it. Weigh this question in the upright balance of thine own reason, whether any wise or sober man in the world, will find himself ever the more obli- ged to believe what you say, by the addition of bla…
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It is virtue which raises and ennobles families at first ; for omnis sanguis concolor^ all human blood is derived from, and equally taint- ed by Adam. Nobler, and baser blood, is an after-difference, made by virtue and vice among men. And as virtue first ennobled, and raised some families above others, so it will still…
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For if debauchery be both asserted and allowed tobethe true badge of gentility, then your own reason will infer, that all the ancient epi- thets of gentility ought thereupon to be altered. And would those gentlemen, think you, take it well, to have the titles, and epithets of ingenious, worthy, honourable, and noble, c…
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Say not, I make my own reason the rule and standard of you re, or other men's. For I argue here (as I have done all along before) upon the common topics and maxims of reason, generally allowed all the world over by mankind. If a practice be evil, the oftener it is repeated, the more still it is aggravated. To be plain…
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§ 2. The case so standing betwixt the soul and body, the wisdom or folly of the soul is plainly discovered in its way and manner of go- verning the body,'as the love and prudence of an husband is in the governing of his wife, or the master in ordering the affairs of his house; or the neat breeding of a man, in the come…
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" Oh, my soul ! I have cause to lament the day that ever I was maiTied to such a sottish fool as thou art, who are destitute both of wisdom and love to rule and govern me. I may justly resume Job's lan.entation upon thy account, and say with him ; " Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night wherein it vvas s…
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1. A strong and vigorous constitution will be readily acknowledged to }ye so great an external blessing and mercy, that no man of sound intellects ought to do any thing to destroy it ; but is obliged to use all proper methods for the preservation of it. If therefore temper- ance shall be found to preserve it, and exces…
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Whatever cares or troubles providence involves any good man in, in the honest and painful pursuit of his civil calling, he may in a great measure relieve his burdened spirit under them, by the com- fortable testimony of his own conscience, and his free addresses to God in prayer. These will sweetly support him under hi…
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Besides, I must tell you, that in all such drunken meetings, the devil comes to drive his bargain with you, as well as your other cus- tomers. He bids for your souls, and offers you such pleasures as you there find in exchange for them, and is content to make your dying day the time of your delivering them into his pos…
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God envies not any true, rational, and proper pleasure to men or vi'omen ; when he bounds them in by his command, within the al- lowance whereof, sufficient provision is made for the benefit and de- light of propagation. And though it be all men's duty to tremble at the awful solemnity, yet it would be any man's sin to…
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5. In a word, continence, or lawful marriage, exposes not the soul to the eternal wrath of God, as uncleanness doth ; 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. This sin does not only shut a man out of his own house, and the hearts of good men, but out of heaven itself, without thorough re- pentance and reformation. § 4. The case standing thu…
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There are lawful remedies enough, sufficient, with God's blessing, to keep you from such a necessity to sin ; such as temperance, and more abstemiousness in meats and drinks ; avoiding lascivious books, play-houses, and filthy company ; laborious diligence in your lawful callings, and fervent prayer, for mortifving and…
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This natural quality of soclableness is diversly improved. Some- times sinfully, in wicked combinations to do mischief; like the herd- ing together of wolves and tygers ; such was the consideration of Simeon and Levi, brethren in iniquity ; Gen. xlix. 56. Sometimes it is improved civilly, for the more orderly and prosp…
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Reason tells the husbandman, it is time to mow and reap his corn, when it is full ripe. And it may convince you, that God's time of reaping down a sinful people is near, when their sins are grown to such full maturity as this : " Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe ; come, get ye down, for the press is full, …
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• 4. And as for those few whom you thus blemish for their indecent tones and gestures ; what if those tones you speak of, amount to no more but natural defects, and unavoidable infirmities, which they would, but cannot help ? Do they for this, and no worse than this, deserve to be censured, and condemned for hypocrites…
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For I take it to be past denial or doubt, that some of each denomina- tion have been, are, or may be guilty of seditious practices. Some hypocrites will lurk among those vast bodies of people, under the most strict and watchful government ; but God forbid their guilt should affect the whole body, under whose names they…
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Such a seasonable and becoming sense as this, were in itself sufii- cient to cool a wise man's heats, if penal lav/s were left standing in their full force and vigour ; But when the wisdom and reason of the state shall plainly discern both the usefulness and necessity of liberty, and thereupon take away (as they have n…
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The greatness of his patience shews his almighty power, Rom ix. 22. Nahum i. 3. but his willingness to pass by all the wrongs you have done him, and to be at peace with you, discovers the immense riches of his grace. Tit. iii. 3, 1. That God should be so quick in the executions of his wrath upon your companions in sin…
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2. Nor do thy sins exceed the ability and power of the meritorious cause of remission, namely, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ ; for that blood is the blood of God, Acts xx. 28. He is the Lamb of God, whose blood is sufficient to take away the sins of the world, John i. 29. There is but one sin in the world exempt f…
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Who more fierce and vile, before conversion, than Paul, who was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious? 1 Tim. i. 13. and who, among all the servants of Christ, loved or laboured for him more than he ? How did he rather fly, than travel up and down the world, in a flame of zeal for Christ ? As you have been ring- le…
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JL OU have heard, that conversion does not consist in these exter- nal things ; at your eternal peril be it, if you trust in them : But true conversion is the turning of the whole man to God, Acts xxvi. 18. it is nothing less, than the total change of the inward temper and frame of the heart, and the external course of…
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And this is the change I am here pressing you. to ; and until this change be made, you cannot find yourselves within the compass of any covenant-promise, Eph. ii. 12. but if you will turn to Heb. xii. 14. you may, the very next minute, find yourselves barred out of heaven by a scripture threatening. Let no man, therefo…
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the ministry ; thou that hast indined my heart to make this attempf, and encouraged me with hope, that it shall not be in vain to all them that read it, if it must be so to some ; I beseech thee, lay the hand of thy Spirit upon the heart and hand of thy servant ; strengthen and guide him in drawing the bow of the gospe…
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Supposition 2. Suppose yourselves now to be at the jndgrilent seat of God, where you know you must be immediately after death ; or, that you did behold the process, and awful solemnity of the ge- neral judgment of the great day ! both which appearances are indis- putably sure, and certain, Heb. ix. 27. 2 Cor. v. 10. Su…
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1. In praises and prayers for the king, whom God hath set over us. Your prayers and praises reflect more glory upon the crown than all the jewels and sparkling stones with which it shines: And so I am per- suaded our king will account it ; according to Zech. xii. 5. " The governors of Judah shall say in their hearts, T…
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Answer. They may be so stiled in a double respect : (1.) Because Christ is formed in every believer, he is (in a spiritual A COROIJAT ION-SERMON, PREACHED AT DARTMOUTH. 549 Sense) conceived and formed in their souls, as the child is formed in its mothers womb. So the apostle speaks, Gal. iv. 19. " My little children…
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So it is, when Christ is crowned King over the soul ; his right is asserted, andtheir consent demanded by his ambassadors; thebeliever manifests his hearty consent, Psalm ex. 3. " Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.'' And over all that are made truly wilUng to receive him, he reigns, and invests them w…
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(1.) It is not the privilege of every subject, no, nor of one amono* many thousands, to see the king who is crowned over them, to hear his voice, or give their explicit consent in his presence; but every sub- ject in Christ's kingdom doth see Christ by the eye of faith. John vi. 40. " He that seeth the Son, and believe…
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Inference 1. Be informed from hence, what is the true cause and reason of Satan's rage and spite against the gospel, and the most pain- ful, able, and successful preachers of it in the world. The great de- sign of the gospel, and of all that sincerel}^ preach it, is to win and persuade Satan's subjects to forsake his c…
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Inference 4. Be hjformed hence, of the dreadful and damning- nature of the sin of unhclief: a sin that questions, yea, denies^ Chrisfs right to rule over the soul ; blinds the mind, hardens the heart, stiffens the ivill, and makes the soul obstinate and inJleJcibU to all the gracious tenders of Christ in the gospel. 5…
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peace in your own consciences, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3. The deliciousnes^ of peace you never yet tasted, who are strangers to Christ ; nor ever shal], till you consent to be his, Rev. ii. 17. This shall be your support, amidst all the confusions and distractions, hurries and tumults, of this restless and unquiet world, Mic. v.…
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that vou heard the hallelujahs of the palm-bearing multitude, or the shrieks of damned cast-aways; would it be so indifferent a thing to you, whether you obey Christ's call, or no ? Believe it, these are no devised fables, but do really exist, whether you mind them or not. And why should you not suppose, and forethink …
1,336 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.