steward_ of the Lord
with reference to his income. The child of God has been bought with the
precious blood of the Lord Jesus, and is altogether his property, with
all that he possesses, his bodily strength, his mental strength, his
ability of every kind, his trade, business, art, or profession, his
property, etc.; for it is written, "Ye are not your own; for ye are
bought with a price." 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. The proceeds of our calling are
therefore not our own in the sense of using them as our natural heart
wishes us to do, whether to spend them on the gratification of our
pride, or our love of pleasure, or sensual indulgences, or to lay by the
money for ourselves or our children, or use it in any way as we
_naturally_ like, but we have to stand before our Lord and Master, whose
_stewards_ we are, to seek to ascertain his will, how he will have us
use the proceeds of our calling.

But is this indeed the spirit in which children of God generally are
engaged in their calling? It is but too well known that it is not the
case! Can we then wonder at it, that even God's own dear children should
so often be found greatly in difficulty with regard to their calling,
and be found so often complaining about stagnation or competition in
trade, and the difficulties of the times, though there have been given
to them such precious promises as, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you;"
or, "Let your conversation (disposition or turn of mind) be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath
said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. xiii. 5. Is it
not obvious enough that when our heavenly Father sees that we his
children do or would use the proceeds of our calling, _as our natural
mind_ would desire, that he either cannot at all intrust us with means,
or will be obliged to decrease them? No wise and really affectionate
mother will permit her infant to play with a razor, or with fire,
however much the child may desire to have them; and so the love and
wisdom of our heavenly Father will not, cannot, intrust us with
pecuniary means, _except it be in the way of chastisement, or to show us
finally their utter vanity_, if he sees that we do not desire to possess
them as _stewards_ for him, in order that we may spend them as he may
point out to us by his Holy Spirit, through his word.

In connection with this subject, I give a few hints t