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Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it so that we find the readiest course to be rid of our comforts is to set our hearts inordinately upon them.

John Flavel

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John Flavel
Age: 61 †
Born: 1630
Born: January 1
Died: 1691
Died: June 26
Author
Cleric
Theologian
John Flavell
Johan Flavel
Johannes Flavel
Made
Broken
Chastisement
Time
Loved
Comforts
Courses
Leaned
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Whatsoever
Upon
Vanity
Christian
Hearts
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Inordinately
Heart
Comfort
Idolized

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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!
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Christ [is] the very essence of all delights and pleasures, the very soul and substance of them. As all the rivers are gathered into the ocean, which is congregation or meeting-place of all waters in the world: so Christ is that ocean in which all true delights and pleasures meet. . . .
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As the blood of Christ is the fountain of all merit, so the Spirit of Christ is the fountain of all spiritual life and until he quicken us and infuse the principle of the divine life into our souls, we can put forth no hand, or vital act of faith, to lay hold upon Jesus Christ.
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Whatever be the ground of one's distress, it should drive him to, not from God.
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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.
John Flavel
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The carnal person fears man, not God. The strong Christian fears God, not man. The weak Christian fears man too much, and God too little.
John Flavel
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Scripture knows no other way to glory, but Christ put on and applied by faith.
John Flavel
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Oh sirs, deal with sin as sin, and speak of heaven and hell as they are, and not as if you were in jest.
John Flavel
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The Spirit must therefore first take hold of us before we can live in Christ, and when he doth so, then we are enabled to exert that vital act of faith, whereby we receive Christ.
John Flavel
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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.
John Flavel
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If you neglect to instruct children in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No if you will not teach them to pray, he will to curse, swear, and lie if ground be uncultivated, weeds will spring.
John Flavel
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Creatures, like pictures, are fairest at a certain distance, but it is not so with Christ the nearer the soul approaches Him, and the longer it lives in the enjoyhment of Him, still the sweeter and more desirable He becomes.
John Flavel
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When God gives you comforts, it is your great evil not to observe His hand in them.
John Flavel
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The Lord's supper is memorative, and so it has the nature and use of a pledge or token of love, left by a dying to a dear surviving friend.
John Flavel
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That which begins not with prayer, seldom winds up with comfort.
John Flavel
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It is the duty of the saints, especially in times of straights, to reflect upon the performances of Providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives.
John Flavel
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Afflictions have the same use and end to our souls, that frosty weather hath upon those clothes that are laid and bleaching, they alter the hue and make them white.
John Flavel
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Guilt is to danger, what fire is to gunpowder a man need not fear to walk among many barrels of powder, if he have no fire about him.
John Flavel
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There is no grace more excellent than faith no sin more execrable and abominable then unbelief. Faith is the saving grace and unbelief the damning sin. (Mark 16:16) ... Before Christ can be received, the heart must be emptied and opened: but men's heart's are full of self-righteousn ess and vain confidence (Rom 10:3).
John Flavel
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Brethren, it is easier to declaim against a thousand sins of others, than to mortify one sin in ourselves.
John Flavel