The Works of John Flavel

When it comes to Puritan literature, John Flavel may very well be my favorite. Flavel has a way of writing that just connects with me. His works are timeless, valuable, and devotional. If you’ve never read anything from him, I highly recommend checking out The Mystery of Providence. If you have read him and love him then I highly recommend grabbing the six volume set of his writings! I am glad to once again be partnering with Westminster Books to bring you a review of the six volume Works of John Flavel. 

I have wanted this set for some time, but when it goes out of stock then it typically takes awhile for Banner of Truth to print it again. That’s why I recommend heading to Westminster Books right now and grabbing yours because these cherished works only come around every once in a while. Let’s take a closer look at what you get.

This is a six volume set. I think the dust jackets could use a cover refresh, but underneath the books themselves are very attractive. They’re a grey cloth over board with a reddish orange background and gold writing on the spine. They look phenomenal sitting beside each other.

On the inside cover both in the front and back you get a list of what’s contained in each volume. I find this to be super helpful because you can grab any book in the set and immediately have a directory of what you’re looking for. This is much better than having one book that contains this information. 

The works included are as follows:

Volume 1    The Life of John Flavel. 
The Fountain of Life: A Display of Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory.   

Volume 2    The Method of Grace in the Gospel Redemption.   
Pneumatologia: A Treatise of the Soul of Man.   

Volume 3    Pneumatologia: A Treatise of the Soul of Man (continued).   
A Practical Treatise on Fear: Its Varieties, Uses, Causes, Effects and Remedies.   
The Righteous Man’s Refuge.   
The Occasions, Causes, Nature, Rise, Growth and Remedies of Mental Errors.   
Appendices.   
Gospel Unity Recommended to the Churches of Christ.   

Volume 4    England’s Duty under the Present Gospel Liberty (1689).   
An Appendix to the Foregoing Treatise.   
Mount Pisgah: A Sermon preached at the Public Thanksgiving, February 14, 1688-9, for England’s Delivery from Popery, etc. (Including an Epistle Dedicatory).   
Divine Conduct or the Mystery of Providence: A Treatise upon Psalm 57.2.   
A Narrative of some late and wonderful Sea Deliverances.   
Antipharmacum Saluberrimum : A Serious and Seasonable Caveat to all the Saints in This Hour of Temptation.   
Tidings from Rome or England’s Alarm.   

Volume 5    Husbandry Spiritualized: The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.   
Navigation Spiritualized: A New Compass for Seamen.   
A Caution to Seamen: A Dissuasive against Several Horrid and Detestable Sins.   
The Seamen’s Companion: Six Sermons on the Mysteries of Providence as relating to Seamen; and the Sins, Dangers, Duties and Troubles of Seamen.   
A Saint Indeed, or The Great Work of a Christian Explained and Applied.   
The Touchstone of Sincerity, or The Signs of Grace and the Symptoms of Hypocrisy.
A Token for Mourners.   

Volume 6    Preparation for Suffering, or the Best Work in the Worst Times.   
The Balm of the Covenant Applied to the Bleeding Wounds of Afflicted Saints: II Samuel 23.5.   
A Sermon Preached at the Funeral of John Upton, of Lupton (Devon): II Chronicles 35.24-5.   
An Exposition of the (Westminster) Assembly’s Shorter Catechism.   
Vindiciae Legis et Foederis, or A Reply to M, Philip Cary’s Solemn Call in which He Contends Against the Right of Believers’ Infants to Baptism.   
Twelve Sacramental Meditations.   
A Familiar Conference between a Minister and a Doubting Christian Concerning the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.   
A Hymn upon Romans 5. 6-11.   
The Reasonableness of Personal Reformation and the Necessity of Conversion.   
A Coronation Sermon.   
The Character of an Evangelical Pastor drawn by Christ.   
A Two-column Table of the Sins and Duties attaching to Church Membership.   
Index of Texts.   
Index of Subjects.

As you can see, you get a wealth of content in these volumes. The richness of the works far outweigh their cost and this is a set you’ll come back to again and again.

I love the cream colored paper in these volumes as well as the font size. These books are highly readable to have so much content in each one. My one critique with these is the printing. At times it seems the ink runs out and certain words become lighter. The ink is a bit inconsistent and at times even disappears. There certainly is a bit of room for improvement there.

Nevertheless, you are certain to want this set. Flavel’s works will enrich you. They are devotional and challenging. You will certainly grow in your walk with the Lord by reading Flavel. I highly recommend you head to Westminster Books and order your set before they disappear again!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this set from Westminster Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.