Keeping the Heart
Keeping the Heart emerged from John Flavel's pastoral concern for the spiritual struggles of his Puritan congregation in seventeenth-century England. Written during a period when Reformed believers faced both external persecution and internal spiritual warfare, this treatise addresses the fundamental challenge of maintaining spiritual vigilance in a world that constantly threatens to draw the heart away from God. Flavel, an ejected minister who continued preaching despite legal prohibition, wrote from intimate familiarity with the trials his readers faced.
The work centers on Proverbs 4:23 — "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" — developing a comprehensive theology and practice of heart-keeping. Flavel defines the heart as the seat of the soul's activity and demonstrates why guarding it requires constant, methodical attention. He systematically addresses how to keep the heart in various circumstances: in prosperity and adversity, in times of spiritual dryness and seasons of revival, in the face of temptation and during periods of service. Throughout, he emphasizes that heart-keeping is both a divine work requiring God's grace and a human responsibility demanding disciplined effort. The treatise provides practical directions for self-examination, prayer, and the cultivation of spiritual affections, always grounding technique in Reformed theology's understanding of human nature and divine sovereignty.
Keeping the Heart has remained influential because it addresses the perennial Christian struggle with divided affections and spiritual inconsistency. Flavel's psychological insight into the heart's tendency toward drift and his practical wisdom for maintaining spiritual focus have spoken across centuries to believers seeking authentic spiritual life. The work's enduring appeal lies in its combination of doctrinal precision with pastoral warmth, offering both theological foundation and practical guidance for the Christian's inner life.
Who should read this: Christians seeking deeper understanding of spiritual formation and practical guidance for maintaining consistent spiritual focus will find Flavel's wisdom invaluable. Those uncomfortable with intensive self-examination or Reformed theological frameworks may find the work demanding.