John Flavel

There is no doctrine more excellent in itself or more necessary to be preached & studied, than the doctrine of Christ, and him crucified. JF

Christian, you say your heart is dead, and do you wonder that it is, so long as you keep it not with the fountain of life? If your body had been dieted as your soul has, that would have been dead too.

It grieves me to see how many Christians there are who live at a poor, low rate, both of service and comfort, and who go up and down dejected and complaining. But how can they expect it should be otherwise, while they live so carelessly?

Without the Holy Spirit, no resolutions, vows, abstinences, or any or all external endeavours, can ever avail to the mortification of one sin. #newyear #resolutions #vows #2025

Though an upright soul may fall into sin, yet he is restless in that condition, like a bone out of joint, and that shows he is not one of sin’s servants. On the contrary, if a man is engaged in the external duties of religion and is restless there, his heart is not in it.

Though the upright soul may be drawn to sin, yet he cannot reflect upon his sin without shame and sorrow, which plainly shows it to be an involuntary surprise. So Peter wept bitterly (Matt. 26:75), and David mourned for his sin heartily.

The upright ones troubles are incurable by creature comforts. It is not the removing some outward pressures and inconveniencies that can remove their burden. Nothing but pardon, peace, and witnessed reconciliation can quiet the gracious heart.

Though a sincere Christian falls into sin and commits evil, yet he proceeds not from evil to evil as the ungodly do (Jer. 9:3) but makes his fall into one sin a caution to prevent another. It is not so with the servants of sin. One sin leaves them more disposed to another sin.

The upright ones troubles for sin are more private and silent troubles than others are. Their sore runs in the night, as it is in Psalm 77:2. When all is done it is God and your soul alone that must whisper out the matter.

A sincere Christian may be drawn to sin, yet he would be glad with all his heart to be rid of sin. It would be more to him than thousands of gold and silver, that he might grieve and offend God no more.

Do I make the approbation of God or the applause of men the very end and main design of my religious performances, accord to 1 Thessalonians 2:4 and Colossians 3:23?

Is it the reproach and shame that attends sin at present and the danger and misery that will follow it hereafter that restrains me from the commission of it? Or is it the fear of God in my soul and the hatred I bear to sin?

Can I truly and heartily rejoice to see God’s work carried on in the world and His glory promoted by other hands, though I have no share in the credit and honor of it, as Paul did (Phil. 1:18)?

Are you contented to embrace all fatherly corrections from God for the killing of the remainders of sin in you? If you will be for Christ, you must submit to Christ’s method: It is in vain to say, “If I can travel to heaven without meeting a storm in the way, I am willing to go”.

If you will be Christ’s, you must submit to all those means Christ has appointed for the mortification of your corruptions, be they ever so hard: rebukes from God, rebukes from men, by afflictions, and by the Word, for the mortification of sin.

Can you say, Christians, that you are willing to have your mistakes directed by God or men, your corruptions discovered, anything that helps to the pulling up the roots of corruption?

If you will be for Christ, and be His, you must embrace all pains, watchings, and laborings after holiness to the end of your days: holiness will cost a Christian an abundance of labor, but this you must do, or you cannot be Christians. #AMEN #SDG #faithnotworks

(2 Cor. 7:1) Here’s the work of a Christian, cleansing work, and perfecting work in the fear of God, to the end of our lives…. He that is contented with these terms is surely Christ’s as ever was any soul.

God will shortly put a blessed end to all troubles, cares, and watchings. The time is coming when your heart will be as you would have it, when you will be discharged of cares, fears, and sorrows and never cry out, “Oh my hard, my proud, my vain, my earthly heart” anymore.

Lord, when shall your blessed day come? How long? How long? Holy and true; my soul waits for Thee…. #SDG #secondcoming

The souls of the elect are His by donation and right of redemption, the Father gave them to Him, and He died for them—yet Satan had the first possession; and so…Christ must fight His way into the soul, though He have right to enter as into His dearly purchased possession.