nd not for our
own sake. How great the difference between acting according to the
word of God, and according to our own natural desires, or the customs
of the world, will be plain, I trust, by the following case. Suppose
I were engaged in some useful trade. Suppose I had the certain human
prospect, that within the next three months my labour would bring me
in nothing, for certain reasons connected with the state of
mercantile affairs. As a man of the world I should say, I shall not
work at all, because my labour will not be paid; but as a Christian,
who desires to act according to God's Holy word, I ought to say: My
trade is useful to society, and I will work notwithstanding all human
prospects, because the Lord Jesus has commanded me to labour; from
Him and not from my trade I expect my wages. In addition to this the
Christian ought also to say, Idleness is a dreadful snare of the
devil, he has especial opportunity to get an advantage over the
children of God when they are unoccupied; and, therefore, I will work
though I have no human prospect of obtaining payment for my labour,
but shall get only the cost price of the material, and shall have to
give my work for nothing. Moreover the Christian ought to say, Though
according to human probability I shall have to labour for nothing
during the next three months, yet I will work, because the Lord may
speedily alter the state of things, contrary to all human
expectation; but whether He be pleased to do so or not, I labour
because I am the Lord's, bought by His precious blood, and He
commands me to labour.--But there are motives still lower than to be
engaged in our earthly calling merely that we may earn the means of
obtaining the necessaries of life, why even Christians, true children
of God, may be engaged in their calling, such as: to obtain a certain
sum of money, and then to retire from business and to live upon the
interest; or, to provide something for old age; or, to obtain a
certain amount of property, without intending to give up business. If
it be unscriptural to be engaged in our calling, merely, even for the
sake of earning the means for procuring the necessaries of life for
ourselves and family, how much more unbecoming that a child of God
should be engaged in his calling for the sake of any of the last
mentioned reasons.--This second point, then, Why do I carry on this
business? Why am I engaged in this trade or profession? ought first
to be settled in the fe