Quote

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.

John Flavel

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

John Flavel
Age: 61 †
Born: 1630
Born: January 1
Died: 1691
Died: June 26
Author
Cleric
Theologian
John Flavell
Johan Flavel
Johannes Flavel
Single
Providence
Eye
Represent
History
Appear
Beautiful
Useless
Together
Curious
Made
Piece
Like
Thousand
Shreds
Pieces
Tapestry

More quotes by John Flavel

Image
Tell me, you vain professor, when did you shed a tear for the deadness, hardness, unbelief, or earthliness of your heart? Do you think that such an easy religion can save you? If so, we may invert Christ's words and say, 'Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to life, and may there be that go in there.'
John Flavel
Image
That which begins not with prayer, seldom winds up with comfort.
John Flavel
Image
Scripture knows no other way to glory, but Christ put on and applied by faith.
John Flavel
Image
It is a common thing for men to benumb their own arms, and make them as dead and useless by leaning too much upon them: so it is in a moral as well as a natural way: all the prudence and pains in the world avail nothing without God. So saith the Psalmist, in Psalm cxxvii. 2.
John Flavel
Image
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
Image
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.
John Flavel
Image
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
Image
I think it is not very difficult to discern by the duties and converses of Christians, what frames their spirits are under. Take a Christian in a good frame, and how serious, heavenly, and profitable, will his converses and duties be! what a lovely companion is he during the continuance of it!
John Flavel
Image
Whatever be the ground of one's distress, it should drive him to, not from God.
John Flavel
Image
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
Image
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
Image
Where there is no want, there is usually much wantonness.
John Flavel
Image
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.
John Flavel
Image
One word of God can do more than ten thousand words of men to relieve a distressed soul.
John Flavel
Image
Brethren, it is easier to declaim against a thousand sins of others, than to mortify one sin in ourselves.
John Flavel
Image
Ah, did we but rightly understand what the demerit of sin is, we would rather admire the bounty of God than complain of the straithandedness of Providence. And if we did but consider that there lies upon God no obligation of justice or gratitud to reward any of our duties, it would cure our murmurs (Gen. 32:10).
John Flavel
Image
We must not think that faith itself is the soul's rest it is only the means of it. We cannot find rest in any work or duty of our own, but we may find it in Christ, whom faith apprehends for justification and salvation.
John Flavel
Image
And now let us consider and marvel that ever this great and blessed God should be so much concerned, as you have heard He is in all His providences, about such vile, despicable worms as we are! He does not need us, but is perfectly blessed and happy in Himself without us. We can add nothing to Him.
John Flavel
Image
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
Image
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