John Flavel
John Flavel
John Flavelwas an English Presbyterian clergyman, puritan, and author...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionClergyman
secret credit duty
Observed duties maintain our credit; but secret duties maintain our life.
men world 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.
lying struggle heart
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.
understanding mystery infinite
For the infinite glorious Creator of all things, to become a creature, is a mystery exceeding all human understanding.
envy sanctuary quiet
[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.
heart thinking world
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.
hands giving evil
When God gives you comforts, it is your great evil not to observe His hand in them.
soul arms faithfulness
God's unspotted faithfulness never failed any soul that durst trust himself in its arms.
jesus soul desire
Jesus Christ is in every way sufficient to the vast desires of the soul.
hate heart long
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!
soul suffering pills
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.
evil people advancement
Sometimes God makes use of instruments for good to His people, who designed nothing but evil and mischief to them. Thus Joseph's brethren were instrumental to his advancement in that very thing in which they designed his ruin (Gen. 50:20).
beautiful eye together
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.
want wealth
Where there is no want, there is usually much wantonness.