enter upon business often without any capital at all,
or with too little. If a believer has no capital at all, or only a
very small capital, in comparison with what his business requires,
then, ought he not to say this to himself: "If it were my heavenly
Father's will that I should enter upon business on my own account,
then would He not somehow or other have intrusted me with the needful
means? And since He has not, is it not a plain indication that, for
the present, I should remain a journeyman, (or shopman, or clerk, as
the case may be)?" In a variety of ways the means might come. For
instance, a legacy might be left to him, or money might be given to
him by a brother in the Lord for that very purpose, or a brother or
sister might propose to the individual to lend him money, yet so that
if he were unable to pay it again, they would not consider him their
debtor, or in many other ways God might intrust him with means But if
in some such way the Lord did not remove the hinderance, and the
brother would still go into business, he would, through the bill
system and other things connected with the want of capital, not only
bring great distress into his mind, and subject himself to the
possibility of at last being unable to pay his creditors, whereby
dishonour would be brought upon the name of the Lord, but he likewise
could not be surprised (as he went into business contrary to the will
of God, since He pointed out to him that he was not to do so for want
of means,) if he should find that he cannot get on, and that the
blessing of God manifestly is wanting. In such a case as this, if it
can be done, the retracing our steps is the best thing we can do; but
often this cannot be done, as others are involved in the matter, and
then we have to make acknowledgment of our sin, and seek God's
merciful help to bring us into a right position. 10, But suppose all
these nine previous points were attended to, and we neglected to seek
God's blessing upon our calling, we need still not be surprised if we
met with difficulty upon difficulty, and could not get on at all. It
is not enough that we seek God's help for that which manifestly is of
a spiritual character; but we should seek His help and blessing by
prayer and supplication for all our ordinary concerns in life, and if
we neglect doing so, we shall surely suffer for the neglect. "Trust
in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways ackn