EXTRACTS

Some complain that there is no love! If I personally have any complaint to make, it is that there is too much! So that the recipient is apt to be damaged by the superabundance lavished upon him, and come to think something of himself. Mr. Raven said at Weston, ‘The best service you can render me is not to make much of me’.

C. A. Coates (‘Letters’ p.233)

Be mercilessly true to yourself; and have everything out with God; none will ever treat you so tenderly as He.

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Let nothing come between my soul and God. Keep nothing back from God—tell Him everything, as if He knew nothing about it.

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We have a four-fold strength; the Holy Spirit, the word of God, the throne of grace, a pair of knees. Make use of them.

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Dig into the word, and meditate upon it. Use your spare moments in the street—anywhere—

for meditation. Learn to abstract yourself.

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Spiritual thinking is what we need; we must work it into our souls. God will reward you. “He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread”, Proverbs.28: 19. Only that which you appropriate benefits you (see Proverbs 12: 27).

Christianity is conformative, not reformative. We belong to an entirely new thing; every particle of power comes from Christ in glory.

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Our difficulties should be food for faith not material for failure. Convert every difficulty into prayer.

(J. Macdonald, from ministry in London, 1896–7)

But what is important is, not the brethren, but the truth they have ... God could set them aside, and spread His truth by others—would, I believe, though full of gracious patience, if they be not faithful. Their place is to remain in obscurity

and devotedness, not to think of brethren (it is always wrong to think of ourselves save to judge ourselves) but of souls, in Christ’s name and love, and of His glory and truth only ...

But if attention is drawn, and it is, to the truth they possess through grace, their responsibility is very greatly increased. If more general and persevering devotedness is not found in them, they would be a stumbling-block against the truth. Unworldliness, non-conformity to the world, self-denial, abnegation in love to others, is what is called for, for love is the end of the charge committed out of a pure heart. Let them walk in love, in the truth, humble, lowly, unworldly, and all for Christ, as little, and content to be little, as when they began, and God will bless them. If not, their candlestick may go ...

J. N. Darby (“Letters” (2nd Ed.) Vol. 2, p.408; letter dated 8 April 1875) A justified person is one against whom there is no charge, but in reconciliation I am retained before God for His pleasure. Justification exonerates you, but reconciliation detains you for God. He keeps you for His pleasure. The believer is thus available to God; he is suitable for any place that it may please God that he should fill, or any function he should exercise.

J. Taylor (N.S. Vol. 18, p.132)

 

Published by F. C. Mutton, 22 Christchurch Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4QY, England Printed by C. Ellis, Billericay, Essex, England