EXTRACTS

Now in the end of this chapter (John 13) you come to another great trouble, the unfaithfulness of Peter. Not one of us with any conscience but must own with sorrow that we have at times lowered our flag in the presence of opposers; that is, we shrink from opposition. Thus Peter denied the Lord, and yet there was no one he loved so much. Peter was like Isaac with his wife, he did not give up his affection, but he denied his relationship. To deny your relationship to Christ is unfaithfulness. When you are socially at home with people, even your own relations, your danger is that you morally deny your relationship to Christ, because you accommodate yourselves to your company; the beginning of every failure is in social intimacy with company morally below you. “Evil communications corrupt good manners”.

The more spiritual a man is, the more he seeks company spiritually above him, because he wants to be helped on. When he wants to be loose, he seeks company spiritually below him.

J. B. Stoney (Vol. 7, p.404)

Here (Colossians 2: 2) I get the understanding of the mystery of God … It is not the way we are accustomed to understand the word ‘mystery’, as a thing not to be found out; but it is a thing only known by revelation—it is not known save to the initiated. It is that which by divine revelation and teaching we know, and it brings us into a totally new world.

J. N. Darby (‘Collected Writings’. Vol. 31, p.222)

Published by F. C. Mutton, 22 Christchurch Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4QY, England Printed by Crystal Stationery, 24 High Street, Billericay, Essex, CM12 9BQ, (T) (02774) 50661