Christ Humbled yet Exalted

John Flavel shows Christ as our fountain of true joy: secured for his people by his humiliation and his exaltation. By humiliation, Flavel means the incarnation - Christ’s birth, ministry, and death - by exaltation he means the four stages of resurrection, ascension, intercession, and His return in judgment.

Flavel shows this twofold act (humiliation and exaltation) is the foundation of our joy because through them Christ has removed our debt and secured our inheritance. “The believer knows,” says Flavel, “that however sweet his communion with Christ is in this world, yet that communion he will have with Christ in heaven will far excel it.”

Table of Contents:

1. Christ’s Humiliation
2. A Humble Life
3. A Prayer of Commendation
4. A Commemorative Sign
5. Christ’s Agony
6. The Nature of Christ’s Death
7. A Lonely Death
8. A Lowly Death
9. A Prayer for Forgiveness
10. A Promise of Salvation
11. A Cry of Forsakenness
12. A Cry of Anguish
13. The Completion of Christ’s Work
14. Christ’s Burial
15. The Blessed Ends of Christ’s Humiliation
16. Christ’s Exaltation
17. Christ’s Resurrection
18. Christ’s Ascension
19. Christ’s Present Session
20. Christ’s Triumphant Return

Author

JOHN FLAVEL (1628–1691) 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.

Endorsement

“For years I’ve benefited from the writings of John Flavel and the Puritans, and I’ve often done that through the labors of Stephen Yuille. In this volume, Yuille takes us to Flavel, who guides us on a Christological journey that addresses some of our most pressing theological issues today: a Christology that begins in eternity past in the covenant of redemption; ministry set within the biblical framework of prophet, priest, and king; and the example of Christ’s humiliation that results in His exaltation and ours. Yuille’s hope for us is that we digest Flavel’s sermons and ‘get them deeply fixed upon [our souls] by the Spirit of the Lord, turning them into life and power’ within us.” — Adam Embry, author and editor of An Honest, Well Experienced Heart: The Piety of John Flavel