John Flavel's quotes

'He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him freely give us all things?' (Rom. 8:32). How is it imaginable that God should withhold, after this, spirituals or temporals, from his people? How shall he not call them effectually, justify them freely, sanctify them thoroughly, and glorify them eternally? How shall he not clothe them, feed them, protect and deliver them? Surely if he would not spare his own Son one stroke, one tear, one groan, one sigh, one circumstance of misery, it can never be imagined that ever he should, after this, deny or withhold from his people, for whose sakes all this was suffered, any mercies, any comforts, any privilege, spiritual or temporal, which is good for them.

As God did not at first choose you because you were high, so he will not forsake you because you are low.

Man's extremity is God's opportunity.

If Christ's death satisfied God for our sins, how unparalleled is the love of God to poor sinners! If Christ, by dying, has made full satisfaction, then God can consistently pardon the greatest of sinners that believe in Jesus.

Were it not a piece of strange madness, when the enemy is at the walls, and the town every moment in danger of being stormed, the bullets flying thick about the streets, for within to be sitting still and consulting, whether a musket would carry further than a trunk. Truly, such folly, such madness, is it to employ ourselves about needless discourse about the world or superficial things, when our inestimable souls are continually in danger of being surprised and slain.

If therefore, in doubtful cases, you would discover God's will, govern yourselves in your search after it by these rules: 1. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts; be really afraid of offending Him. 2. Study the Word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less. 3. Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practice. 4. Pray for illumination and direction in the way that you should go. 5. And this being done, follow Providence as far as it agrees with the Word, and no farther.

The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.

What a mercy was it to us to have parents that prayed for us before they had us, as well as in our infancy when we could not pray for ourselves!

The soul is the life of the body, faith is the life of the soul. Christ is the life of faith.

By entertaining of strange persons, men sometimes entertain angels unawares: but by entertaining of strange doctrines, many have entertained devils unaware.

By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil; by the fear of man they run themselves into evil.