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Sinful Speech
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).
- GenresTheology
91 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2009
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About the author
John Flavel
333 books89 followers"John Flavel (c.1627–1691) was an English Presbyterian clergyman, puritan, and author.
Flavel, the eldest son of the Rev. Richard Flavel, described as 'a painful and eminent minister,' who was incumbent successively of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Hasler and Willersey, Gloucestershire (from which last living he was ejected in 1662), was born in or about 1627 at Bromsgrove.
Having received his early education at the schools of the neighbourhood, he entered University College, Oxford, at an early age, and gained a good reputation for talent and diligence.
On 27 April 1650, he was sent by 'the standing committee of Devon' to Diptford, a parish on the Avon, five miles from Totnes, where the minister, Mr. Walplate, had become infirm. On 17 October 1650, after examination and the preaching of a 'trial sermon,' he was ordained Mr. Walplate's assistant by the classis at Salisbury. He continued to minister at Diptford for about six years, succeeding the senior minister when he died, and endearing himself greatly to the people, not only by his earnestness, but by his easy dealings with them in the matter of tithes.
In 1656 he removed to Dartmouth, though the Diptford emoluments were much greater. On the passing of the Act of Uniformity (1662) he was ejected, but continued to preach in private until the Five Mile Act drove him from Dartmouth. He kept as near it, however, as possible, removing to Slapton, five miles off, and there preached twice each Sunday to all who came, among whom were many of his old parishioners. On the granting of the indulgence of 1671 he returned to Dartmouth, and continued to officiate there even after the liberty to do so was withdrawn. In the end he found himself obliged to remove to London, travelling by sea and narrowly escaping shipwreck in a storm, which is said to have ceased in answer to his prayers. Finding that he would be safer at Dartmouth he returned there, and met with his people nightly in his own house, until in 1687, on the relaxation of the penal laws, they built a meeting-house for him. Just before his death he acted as moderator at a meeting of dissenting ministers held at Topsham. He died suddenly of paralysis at Exeter on 26 June 1691, and was buried in Dartmouth churchyard. Wood bitterly comments on the violence of his dissent."
-- Wikipedia
Flavel, the eldest son of the Rev. Richard Flavel, described as 'a painful and eminent minister,' who was incumbent successively of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Hasler and Willersey, Gloucestershire (from which last living he was ejected in 1662), was born in or about 1627 at Bromsgrove.
Having received his early education at the schools of the neighbourhood, he entered University College, Oxford, at an early age, and gained a good reputation for talent and diligence.
On 27 April 1650, he was sent by 'the standing committee of Devon' to Diptford, a parish on the Avon, five miles from Totnes, where the minister, Mr. Walplate, had become infirm. On 17 October 1650, after examination and the preaching of a 'trial sermon,' he was ordained Mr. Walplate's assistant by the classis at Salisbury. He continued to minister at Diptford for about six years, succeeding the senior minister when he died, and endearing himself greatly to the people, not only by his earnestness, but by his easy dealings with them in the matter of tithes.
In 1656 he removed to Dartmouth, though the Diptford emoluments were much greater. On the passing of the Act of Uniformity (1662) he was ejected, but continued to preach in private until the Five Mile Act drove him from Dartmouth. He kept as near it, however, as possible, removing to Slapton, five miles off, and there preached twice each Sunday to all who came, among whom were many of his old parishioners. On the granting of the indulgence of 1671 he returned to Dartmouth, and continued to officiate there even after the liberty to do so was withdrawn. In the end he found himself obliged to remove to London, travelling by sea and narrowly escaping shipwreck in a storm, which is said to have ceased in answer to his prayers. Finding that he would be safer at Dartmouth he returned there, and met with his people nightly in his own house, until in 1687, on the relaxation of the penal laws, they built a meeting-house for him. Just before his death he acted as moderator at a meeting of dissenting ministers held at Topsham. He died suddenly of paralysis at Exeter on 26 June 1691, and was buried in Dartmouth churchyard. Wood bitterly comments on the violence of his dissent."
-- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 30, 2013
The words that come out of our mouths reveal our character. As such, blasphemy, coarse joking, and all other kinds of sinful speech must have no place in a Christian life. In the brief entry of the Pocket Puritan series, two of Flavel’s sermons on speech are presented. They both contain Flavel’s trademark reliance on Scripture and logical argumentation, and remind us that words do carry weight; we must be ever mindful of what we say.
January 5, 2022
This book is an excellent brief read (I read mine on a 2.5 hour flight). It is a combination of two works by Flavel on the concept of sinful speech. Like most Puritan writings, it is thorough, transcends time, and is extremely convicting. Like the other Pocket Puritans that I have read, this is one useful for pastors to keep at hand for sermon preparation and counseling. My chief critique is that this one area that has shifted slightly since the Puritans so that the application might be different. Profanity and vulgarity in the seventeenth century seemed to focused in different areas, so his work may not cover every modern base as well as it could. However, his exposition can still be adapted to modern problems of language based off of the same source texts.
July 26, 2021
What’s interesting is how little atheists have changed in the last 300+ years.
Flavel, a Puritan preacher who died in 1691, writes: “If there be a God, (which they scarce believe) they are resolved, audaciously to provoke him to give them a convincing evidence of his being.”
This is not unlike atheists today.
What’s also interesting is how little human nature changes. Man’s reaction to God is still the same.
Anyway, this is an excellent book on sinful speech. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” our Lord and Messiah taught his disciples. All speech is evidence of what’s inside the person.
I highly recommend.
Flavel, a Puritan preacher who died in 1691, writes: “If there be a God, (which they scarce believe) they are resolved, audaciously to provoke him to give them a convincing evidence of his being.”
This is not unlike atheists today.
What’s also interesting is how little human nature changes. Man’s reaction to God is still the same.
Anyway, this is an excellent book on sinful speech. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” our Lord and Messiah taught his disciples. All speech is evidence of what’s inside the person.
I highly recommend.
October 4, 2022
A little tough to understand what exactly he was writing against, not due to language, but due to cultural differences between then and now. It is actually fairly readable, as Puritan works go. It helped nurture in me a greater fear of sinning, even if less to do with the sins he was writing against. That can't be a bad effect.
February 12, 2025
Thought provoking
January 1, 2026
Great teaching. Writing was difficult for me though.
April 2, 2012
Really good stuff from John Flavel. Packs a lot of bunch for such a small booklet!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews