Quote

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

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
Must
Hold
Faith
Exert
Christ
Enabled
Spirit
Whereby
Live
Doth
Firsts
Vital
First
Receive
Take
Therefore

More quotes by John Flavel

Image
We acknowledge no righteousness but what the obedience and satisfaction of Christ yields us. His blood, not our faith his satisfaction, not our believing it, is the matter of our justification before God.
John Flavel
Image
That which begins not with prayer, seldom winds up with comfort.
John Flavel
Image
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).
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
Christ comes with kingly power, to rescue sinners, as a prey from the mouth of the terrible one.
John Flavel
Image
Observed duties maintain our credit but secret duties maintain our life.
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
Christian, thou knowest thou carriest Gunpowder about thee, desire those that carry Fire to keep at a Distance from thee 'tis a dangerous Crisis when a proud Heart meets with flattering Lips.
John Flavel
Image
When God gives you comforts, it is your great evil not to observe His hand in them.
John Flavel
Image
Christ bounds and terminates the vast desires of the soul He is the very Sabbath of the soul.
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
Christ and his benefits go inseparably and undividedly... Many would willingly receive his privileges, who will not receive his person but it cannot be if we will have one, we must take the other too: Yea, we must accept his person first, and then his benefits: as it is in the marriage covenant, so it is here.
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
To see a man humble under prosperity is one of the greatest rarities in the world.
John Flavel
Image
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
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
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
Image
The heart of a Christian, like the moon, commonly suffers an eclipse when it is at the full, and that by the interposition of the earth.
John Flavel
Image
God's unspotted faithfulness never failed any soul that durst trust himself in its arms.
John Flavel
Image
All the dark, intricate, puzzling providences at which we were sometimes so offended...we shall [one day] see to be to us, as the difficult passage through the wilderness was to Israel, the right way to the city of habitation.
John Flavel