my Narrative, which
I published at Stuttgart. When I had proceeded a considerable way in
preparing it for the press, I found especial help from God, in being
directed through a kind brother, whom I had known eight years before
at Stuttgart, to a paper manufacturer, from whom I could buy the
paper for 4,000 copies on advantageous terms, and also to a very
honourable and promise-keeping printer. The printer engaged to print
two sheets a week and kept his word to the end, so that as long as
six weeks before my departure, I was able to say that, if the Lord
would, I should depart on the 26th of February, and on that very day
I was able to depart. Important as it was, for many reasons, that I
should return to my service in Bristol when I did, I cannot but see
the hand of God in directing me to so honourable a person as the
printer was, in whom also, I trust, is somewhat of the fear of God.--
It has been often mentioned to me in various places, that brethren in
business do not sufficiently attend to the keeping of promises, and I
cannot therefore but entreat all who love our Lord Jesus, and who are
engaged in a trade or business, to seek for His sake not to make any
promises, except they have every reason to believe they shall be able
to fulfil them, and therefore carefully to weigh all the
circumstances, before making any engagement, lest they should fail in
its accomplishment. It is even in these little ordinary affairs of
life that we may either bring much honour or dishonour to the Lord;
and these are the things which every unbeliever can take notice of.
Why should it be so often said, and sometimes with a measure of
ground, or even much ground: "Believers are bad servants, bad
tradesmen, bad masters?" Surely it ought not to be true that we, who
have power with God to obtain by prayer and faith all needful grace,
wisdom and shill, should be bad servants, bad tradesmen, bad masters.

When now the Narrative was nearly printed, I had to look out for a
bookseller who would undertake the sale of the book on commission. My
reason for this was, not the money which might thus be obtained, for
truly glad should I have been to have given away all the 4,000 copies
at once, had I known of suitable opportunities; but in order that by
means of the book-trade the Narrative might be circulated even a
thousand miles off or more, where I had no opportunity of reaching.
Here now it was again that I met with difficulty, as I had done step