Keeping the Heart: How to Maintain Your Love for God

Related Media

Listen to Sinclair Ferguson’s lecture on the preaching of John Flavel.
Requires a free account at Westminster Theological Seminary

Publisher’s Description

This is John Flavel’s classic work on union and fellowship with God. In a comprehensive and helpful manner Flavel helps us understand better what ‘keeping the heart’ means. He tells us why we should take this commission seriously and speaks about there being particular times when we need to be especially wary of being distracted from our goal. He then shows how we can go on to develop a greater ability in keeping our hearts in tune with God. His advice is timeless, sensitive and profound.

The heart of man is his worst part before it is regenerated, and the foundation and the best afterward; it is the seat of principles, and the foundation of actions. The eye of God is, and eye of the Christian ought to be, principally set upon it. The greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart to God; and the greatest difficulty after conversation is to keep the heart with God. – John Flavel

Includes an Introduction by J. I. Packer

112 Pages
Published July 2012

About the Author

John Flavel (1627-1691) was an English Puritan who became a non-conformist after the ‘Great Ejection’ of 1662. It was 10 years before he was licensed to preach again, and then only in his own home. His writings, when collected in the 19th century, filled 6 volumes. Flavel’s writings are known for their practical nature. He was instrumental in promoting the ‘Happy Union’ of Presbyterians and Congregationalists.