The apostle Paul often taught young converts to the Christian faith that ‘we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God’ (Acts 14:22). For first-century Christians suffering for Christ was an inevitable accompaniment to a life of serious discipleship.

In many parts of the world little has changed since those early days. But in the West, Christians have long enjoyed a period of unusual rest from such troubles. However, there are ominous signs that change is on the way. Suffering ‘for righteousness’ sake’ may once again mark the lives of faithful Christians in the West.

In this exposition of Paul’s words, ‘For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus’ (Acts 21:13), John Flavel shows us how vital and excellent a thing it is to prepare ourselves for the onset of sufferings.

‘The cup of sufferings is a very bitter cup, and it is but needful that we provide somewhat to sweeten it…’ — JOHN FLAVEL

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Numerous stories are told from John Flavel’s life of how people just ‘happened to meet him’ and yet came away deeply thankful to God, full of resolve to walk with Christ as a result. The same is true of encounters made with Flavel’s writings.

Flavel spent almost his entire ministry in a busy town serving working people. He believed that the gospel impacts and shapes every thought, every feeling, every ambition, emotion, desire, success, tragedy and joy. Christ makes all things new for the believer, and teaches us to follow him with confidence, until that day when he truly renews all things. To read Flavel is to catch and to be changed by the same vision.

Selected and Edited by Lewis Allen.

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‘To read the work of a Puritan doctor of the soul is to enter a rich world of spiritual theology to feed the mind, heart-searching analysis to probe the conscience, Christ-centred grace to transform the heart, and wise counsel to direct the life. This series of Pocket Puritans provides all this in miniature, but also in abundance.’– SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Book Description

C. H. Spurgeon said of Richard Sibbes, ‘He scatters pearls and diamonds with both hands’, and the same could be said of another well-known Puritan John Flavel. Flavel’s writings are full of pearls and diamonds. Here is one example: ‘Christ is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wounded, and whatever a soul can desire is found in him.’ This little book is full of thought-provoking quotations drawn from Flavel’s writings. Most focus on Jesus Christ, but they also include topics such as providence, conversion, suffering, heaven, and glory.

Selection

To read a choice selection of quotations from None but Jesus see this Banner article.

Reviews

• Review by Terry Delaney
• Review by Alan Hill

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In 1674, two years after his second wife’s death, John Flavel published A Token for Mourners. In it he meditates on the words of Luke 7:13: ‘And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, ‘Weep not.’ From this verse the author helps the reader to think about grief, distinguishing ‘moderate’ sorrow from ‘immoderate’. He spells out what is appropriate for a Christian mourner and what is not. This book is full of Scripture, counsel, warning, and wisdom gained from prayerful reflection on the personal experience of affliction in loss and grief.

A best-seller for more than 150 years in both Britain and America, this little book gave much comfort to generations of Christian parents who suffered the heart-breaking experience of the loss of children.

Now republished as Facing Grief: Counsel for Mourners, this attractive new edition makes Flavel’s Token accessible once again in the form in which it knew such popularity – a small book, just the right size for carrying, and reading slowly, with meditation, reflection and prayer.

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Review

• Review by Shane Lems

The post Facing Grief appeared first on Banner of Truth UK.

‘It is a wonderful book, the Banner serves us all by keeping it in print. Flavel does a wonderful job of helping you to meditate on how God’s sovereign kindness is seen even in the strangest circumstances… he knew suffering himself, and he was faithful.’ — MARK DEVER

Book Description

First published in 1678, this little work is based on the words ‘God that performeth all things for me’ (Psalm 57:2). It shows us how providence works for us in every stage and experience of our lives. The book is richly illustrated from the lives of believers and from the author’s wide reading in church history. There are avenues of spiritual knowledge and experience opened to the Christian in this work which he probably never knew existed.

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Reviews

• Review by Brian Garrard

The post The Mystery of Providence appeared first on Banner of Truth UK.

Book Description

The repeated editions of Flavel’s Works bear their own witness to his popularity. His complete works had long been unobtainable until we reprinted them in 1968. His six volumes are in themselves a library of the best Puritan divinity and a set will be a life-long treasure to those who possess it. He is one of that small number of evangelical writers who can by their lucidity and simplicity help those at the beginning of the Christian life and at the same time be a strong companion to those who near its end.

Sinclair Ferguson on The Works of John Flavel

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‘To read the work of a Puritan doctor of the soul is to enter a rich world of spiritual theology to feed the mind, heart-searching analysis to probe the conscience, Christ-centred grace to transform the heart, and wise counsel to direct the life. This series of Pocket Puritans provides all this in miniature, but also in abundance.’– SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Book Description

Often considered a modern phenomenon, binge drinking is in fact an age-old problem. John Flavel, a Puritan minister in the naval port of Dartmouth, England, pulls no punches as he confronts the sin of drunkenness head on. Flavel’s treatment is a highly relevant exposé of the soul-destroying evils of this ‘detestable sin’.

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‘To read the work of a Puritan doctor of the soul is to enter a rich world of spiritual theology to feed the mind, heart-searching analysis to probe the conscience, Christ-centred grace to transform the heart, and wise counsel to direct the life. This series of Pocket Puritans provides all this in miniature, but also in abundance.’– SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Book Description

John Flavel faithfully and powerfully applies the warnings of Scripture against sexual immorality. He exposes both its truly horrid nature and frightening consequences, before giving sound advice on how to avoid the snares of sexual sin, and how to escape if ensnared. From Flavel’s The Harlot’s Face in the Scripture-Glass.

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‘To read the work of a Puritan doctor of the soul is to enter a rich world of spiritual theology to feed the mind, heart-searching analysis to probe the conscience, Christ-centred grace to transform the heart, and wise counsel to direct the life. This series of Pocket Puritans provides all this in miniature, but also in abundance.’– SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Book Description

The ancients believed that there were as many sins of the tongue as letters in the alphabet, while the Apostle James described the tongue as ‘a world of iniquity’. The Puritan preacher, John Flavel, was often grieved by the language used by professing Christians. Here he warns against several forms of sinful speech and points to the Spirit’s ‘excellent way to season our words, and keep them sweet and sound… (Col. 4:6).’

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