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John Flavel in the 5th Volume of his Works begins on Page 437 and continues to Page 494 in relating 12 Cases in which a Christian may keep his own heart under many different situations – In our previous two Sessions we have looked at Cases 1 and 2 – Case 1 – How a Christian may keep his heart from pride and carnal security, under the smiles of providence, and constancy of creature-comforts. And Case 2 – How a Christian under great afflictions may keep his heart from repining, or desponding under the hand of God? Under this 2nd Case he gives us nine special helps. (We have only looked at one so far.) The 1st Help – That by these cross providences, God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love upon the souls of His people, and He orders all these afflictions as means sanctified to that end. Now tonight we will look at Help # 2. Help # 2 – Though God hath reserved to Himself a liberty of afflicting His people, yet he hath tied up His own hands by promise never to take away His lovingkindness from them.

John Flavel in the 5th Volume of his Works begins on Page 437 and continues to Page 494 in relating 12 Cases in which a Christian may keep his own heart under many different situations – Last time we looked at Case # 1 – How a Christian may keep his heart from pride and carnal security, under the smiles of providence, and constancy of creature-comforts. Now we will look at Case # 2, which is this – How a Christian under great afflictions may keep his heart from repining, or desponding under the hand of God? He gives us nine special helps. (We will only look at the 1st.) The 1st Help – That by these cross providences, God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love upon the souls of His people, and orders all these afflictions as means sanctified to that end.

John Flavel goes on now to relate, from P. 437-494, 12 Cases in which he opens us for us how a Christian may keep his own heart under many different situations – Case 1. How a Christian may keep his heart from pride and carnal security, under the smiles of providence, and constancy of creature-comforts. And here he gives 7 Choice Helps under this first Case, to secure the heart from the dangerous snares of prosperity. 1st Choice Help – To consider the dangerous ensnaring temptations attending a pleasant and prosperous condition; few yea, very few of those that live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world escape everlasting perdition. 2nd Choice help. It may keep us yet more humble and watchful in prosperity, if we consider that among Christians many have been much the worse for it.

We have been looking at the truth of why Christians should make this the great business of their life; their learning to keep their heart with all diligence. The reason for this is given in the text itself – It is out of the heart that spring all the issues of life. All the matters of spiritual importance; everything related to trusting and obeying God. We have looked at 5 of the 6 reasons that John Flavel gives in his book by the same name: 1) That our keeping our heart is to God's glory. 2) That it establishes the sincerity of our profession. 3) – That the beauty of our walk with Christ arises from the heavenly frame and holy order of our spirits. 4) – That the comfort of our souls does much depend upon the keeping of our hearts; for he that is negligent in attending to his own heart is ordinarily a great stranger to assurance and the sweet comforts flowing from it. And 5th – It is upon the improvement of our graces that the keeping of our heart depends. Now, this evening, we will look at the 6th reason of why we should make this the great business of our life.

The sermon presents a powerful, multifaceted call to holy living, grounded in the believer's profound obligations derived from divine grace, personal conviction, and spiritual realities. It argues that Christians are uniquely bound to purity not only by God's redemptive work and the indwelling Spirit, but also by their own clear illumination, public profession of faith, repeated prayers, self-imposed moral judgments, and the spiritual well-being of their fellow believers. The preacher emphasizes that believers are supernaturally equipped with a new nature, exemplary models in Christ and the saints, constant divine assistance through the Holy Spirit, and even afflictions designed to restrain sin and purify the soul. Furthermore, the practical holiness of believers serves vital purposes: winning souls to Christ, restoring the honor of religion, encouraging faithful ministers, intimidating enemies, and ultimately condemning the ungodly in the final judgment. The sermon concludes with a solemn exhortation to live in accordance with these truths, warning that failure to do so renders all spiritual knowledge and redemption meaningless, and urging the listener to ensure that their life bears witness to a genuine, transformative encounter with Christ. This sermon was created with an artificial voice for the "Audiobook Initiative" on SermonAudio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at [email protected] and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners.

The sermon centers on the doctrine that Jesus Christ, exalted in heaven, is divinely appointed to judge both the living and the dead, a pivotal aspect of His sovereign glory and final triumph. Grounded in Scripture, it affirms the certainty, universality, and finality of this judgment, emphasizing its solemn nature as a day of exact, public, and irreversible reckoning where every secret deed and thought will be exposed. The preacher underscores that this judgment is not only a terrifying prospect for the unrepentant but a profound source of security and hope for believers, whose justification and union with Christ ensure their acquittal. The sermon calls all listeners to urgent self-examination, urging them to live holy, watchful, and faithful lives in light of this coming day, motivated by the deep obligations of divine love, Christ's atoning sacrifice, and the indwelling Holy Spirit's sanctifying work. This sermon was created with an artificial voice for the "Audiobook Initiative" on SermonAudio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at [email protected] and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners.

The sermon centers on Christ's exaltation at God's right hand as the climactic fulfillment of His redemptive work, emphasizing that His sitting down signifies the completion of His atonement, divine approval, and sovereign authority over all creation. Drawing from Hebrews, Psalm 110, and other Scripture, it unfolds the profound theological significance of Christ's session—highlighting His honor, power, nearness to God, and triumph over enemies, which establishes His supremacy in both heaven and earth. The passage underscores that Christ's exaltation not only glorifies His humanity but also secures the believer's future hope, as they are united with Him in heavenly places and will one day reign with Him. It calls for reverent worship, faithful endurance in suffering, and diligent service, reminding believers that rest is not found in this life but in the completion of God's work, just as Christ rested after finishing His mission. Ultimately, the sermon presents Christ's session as a source of comfort, assurance, and holy motivation for the Christian life. This sermon was created with an artificial voice for the "Audiobook Initiative" on SermonAudio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at [email protected] and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners.

The sermon centers on the theological significance of Christ's ascension as the pivotal second step in His exaltation, emphasizing that His departure was not a loss but a necessary act of divine provision for humanity. Drawing from John 20:17, it unfolds the ascension as a triumphant, public, and purposeful event—Christ ascending as forerunner, intercessor, and source of spiritual gifts—thereby securing salvation, enabling the Holy Spirit's outpouring, and opening heaven for believers. The sermon underscores that Christ ascended by His own divine power, not merely as a human, but as the Head of the Church, fulfilling prophecy, establishing His intercession, and preparing a place for His people. It calls believers to live with heavenly-mindedness, to value the Spirit's work, and to pursue holiness, knowing that Christ's ascension is both a promise of future glory and a present source of comfort, strength, and spiritual empowerment. This sermon was created with an artificial voice for the "Audiobook Initiative" on SermonAudio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at [email protected] and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners.