with God, the next point to be settled is: "Why do I carry on this
business, or why am I engaged in this trade or profession?" In most
instances, so far as my experience goes, which I have gathered in my
service among the saints during the last fifty-one years and a half,
I believe the answer would be: "I am engaged in my earthly calling,
that I may earn the means of obtaining the necessaries of life for
myself and family." Here is the chief error from which almost all the
rest of the errors, which are entertained by children of God,
relative to their calling, spring. It is no right and Scriptural
motive, to be engaged in a trade, or business, or profession, merely
in order to earn the means for the obtaining of the necessaries of
life for ourselves and family; but us should work, because it is the
Lords will concerning us. This is plain from the following passages;
I Thess. iv. 11, 12; II Thess. iii. 10-12; Eph. iv. 28. It is quite
true that, in general, the Lord provides the necessaries of life by
means of our ordinary calling; but that that is not THE REASON why we
should work, is plain enough from the consideration, that if our
possessing the necessaries of life depended upon our ability of
working, we could never have freedom from anxiety, for we should
always have to say to ourselves, and what shall I do when I am too
old to work I or when by reason of sickness I am unable to earn my
bread? But if on the other hand, we are engaged in our earthly
calling, because it is the will of time Lord concerning us that we
should work, and that thus labouring we may provide for our families
and also be able to support the weak, the sick, the aged, and the
needy, then we have good and scriptural reason to say to ourselves:
should it please the Lord to lay me on a bed of sickness, or keep me
otherwise by reason of infirmity or old age, or want of employment,
from earning my bread by means of the labour of my hands, or my
business, or my profession, He will yet provide for me. Because we
who believe are servants of Jesus Christ, who has bought us with His
own precious blood, and are not our own, and because this our
precious Lord and Master has commanded us to work, therefore we work;
and in doing so our Lord will provide for us; but whether in this way
or any other way, He is sure to provide for us; for we labour in
obedience to Him; and if even a just earthly master give wages to his
servants, the Lord will surely see to it that we have our wages, if
in obedience to Him we are engaged in our calling, and 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 Gods 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 Lords, 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 fear of God and according to the revealed will
of God; and if we cannot say in honesty of heart, I do carry on my
business, I am engaged in my trade, or art, or profession, as a
servant of Jesus Christ, whose I am, because He has bought me with
His precious blood, and He has commanded me to work, and therefore I
work: I say, if we cannot say this in honesty of heart, but must
confess that we work on account of lower motives such as, that we may
earn our bread, or on account of still lower motives, and such which
are altogether unbecoming a child of God, who is not of the world but
of God, such as, to obtain a certain sum of money in order to be able
to live on the interest without having to work; or, to provide
something for old age; or, to obtain a certain amount of property
without intending to give up business: if these are our motives for
being engaged in our calling, I say, can we be surprised that we meet
with great difficulties in our business, and that the Lord in His
abounding love to us, His erring children, does not allow us to
succeed? But suppose this second point is scripturally settled, and
we can honestly say that, because we are servants of Jesus Christ, we
are occupied as we are--we have further to consider: 3, Whether we
carry on our business, or are engaged in our trade, art, or
profession as stewards of the Lord. To the child of God it ought not
to be enough that he is in a calling in which he can abide with God,
nor that he is engaged in his calling, because it is the will of his
Lord and Master that he should work, but he should consider himself
in his trade, business, art, or profession, only as the 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, &c.; for it is written: "Ye are not your
own; for ye are bought with a price." I 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 the 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 Gods 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 connexion with this subject, I give a few hints
to the believing reader on three passages of the word of God. In I
Cor. xvi. 2, we find it written to the brethren at Corinth, "Upon the
first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as
God has prospered him." A contribution for the poor saints in Judea
was to be made, and the brethren at Corinth were exhorted to put by
every Lords day, according to the measure of success which the Lord
had been pleased to grant them in their calling during the week. Now,
ought not the saints in our day also to act according to this word!
There is no passage in the word of God, why we should not do so, and
it is altogether in accordance with our pilgrim character, not only
once or twice, or four times a year to see how much we can afford to
give to the poor saints, or to the work of God in any way, but to
seek to settle it weekly. If, it be said, I cannot ascertain how much
I have gained in the course of the week by my business, and therefore
I cannot give accordingly; my reply is this, Seek, dear brethren, as
much as possible to bring your business upon such a footing, as that
you may be able, as nearly as possible, to settle how much you have
earned in your calling in the course of the week; but suppose you
should be unable to settle it exactly to the shilling or pound, yet
you will know pretty well how it has been with you during the week,
and therefore, according to your best knowledge, contribute on the
coming Lords day towards the necessities of the poor saints, and
towards the work of God, as He, after your having sought His
guidance, may lead you. Perhaps you say, the weeks are so unlike; in
one week I may earn three or even ten times as much as in another
week, and if I give according to my earnings from my calling during a
very good week, then how are such weeks, when I earn scarcely any
thing, or how are the bad debts to be met? How shall I do when
sickness befalls my family, or when other trials productive of
expense come upon me, if I do not make provision for such seasons? My
reply is, 1, I do not find in the whole New Testament one single
passage in which either directly or indirectly exhortations are given
to provide against deadness in business, bad debts and sickness, by
laying up money. 2, Often the Lord is obliged to allow deadness in
business, or bad debts, or sickness in our family, or other trials,
which increase our expenses, to befall us, because we do not, as His
stewards, act according to stewardship, but as if we were owners of
what we have, forgetting that the time has not yet come when we shall
enter upon our possessions and He does so in order that, by these
losses and expenses, our property which we have collected may be
decreased, lest we should altogether set our hearts again upon
earthly things, and forget God entirely. His love is so great, that
He will not let His children quietly go their own way when they have
forsaken Him; but if His loving admonitions by His Holy Spirit are
disregarded, He is obliged in fatherly love to chastise them. A
striking illustration of what I have said we have in the case of
Israel nationally. The commandment to them was, to leave their land
uncultivated in the seventh year, in order that it might rest; and
the Lord promised to make up for this deficiency by His abundant
blessing resting upon the sixth year. However, Israel acted not
according to this commandment, no doubt saying in the unbelief of
their hearts, as the Lord had foretold, "What shall we eat in the
seventh year? Behold we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase."
Leviticus xxv. But what did the Lord do? He was determined the land
should have rest, and as the Israelites did not willingly give it, He
sent them for seventy years into captivity, in order that thus the
land might have rest. See Leviticus xxvi. 33-35. Beloved brethren in
the Lord, let us take heed so to walk as that the Lord may not be
obliged, by chastisement to take a part of our earthly possessions
from us in the way of bad debts, sickness, decrease of business, or
the like, because we would not own our position as stewards, but act
as owners, and keep for ourselves the means with which the Lord had
intrusted us, not for the gratification of our own carnal mind, but
for the sake of using them in His service and to His praise. It might
also be said by a brother whose earnings are small, should I also
give according to my earnings? They are already so small, that my
wife can only with the greatest difficulty manage to make them
sufficient for the family. My reply is: Have you ever considered, my
brother, that the very reason, why the Lord is obliged to let your
earnings remain so small, may be the fact of your spending every
thing upon yourselves, and that if He were to give you more, you
would only use it to increase your own family comfort, instead of
looking about to see who among the brethren are sick, or who have no
work at all, that you might help them, or how you might assist the
work of God at home and abroad? There is a great temptation for a
brother whose earnings are small, to put off the responsibility of
assisting the needy and sick saints, or helping on the work of God,
and to lay it upon the few rich brethren and sisters with whom he is
associated in fellowship, and thus rob his own soul!--It might be
asked, How much shall I give of my income? The tenth part, or the
fifth part, or the third part, or one-half, or more? My reply is, God
lays down no rule, concerning this point. What we do we should do
cheerfully and not of necessity. But if even Jacob with the first
dawning of spiritual light (Genesis xxviii. 22) promised to God the
tenth of all He should give to him, how much ought we believers in
the Lord Jesus to do for Him; we, whose calling is a heavenly one,
and who know distinctly that we are children of God, and joint heirs
with the Lord Jesus! Yet do all the children of God give even the
tenth part of what the Lord gives them?
That would be two shillings per week for the brother who earns 1l.,
and 4s. to him who earns 2l., and 2l. per week to him whose income is
20l. per week.
In connexion with I Cor. xvi. 2, I would mention two other portions:
1. "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly: and he that
soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully." II Cor. ix. 6. It
is certain that we children of God are so abundantly blessed in
Jesus, by the grace of God, that we ought to need no stimulus to good
works. The forgiveness of our sins, the having been made for ever the
children of God, the having before us the Fathers house as our home:
these blessings ought to be sufficient motives to constrain us in
love and gratitude to serve God abundantly all the days of our life,
and cheerfully also to give up, as He may call for it, that with
which He has intrusted us of the things of this world. But whilst
this is the case, the Lord nevertheless holds out to us in His Holy
Word motives why we should serve Him, deny ourselves, use our
property for Him, etc.; and the last mentioned passage is one of that
kind. The verse is true, both with reference to the life that is now
and that which is to come. If we have been sparingly using our
property for Him, there will have been little treasure laid up in
heaven, and therefore a small amount of capital will be found in the
world to come, so far as it regards reaping. Again, we shall reap
bountifully if we seek to be rich towards God, by abundantly using
our means for Him, whether in ministering to the necessities of the
poor saints, or using otherwise our pecuniary means for His work.
Dear brethren, these things are realities! Shortly, very shortly,
will come the reaping time, and then will be the question, whether we
shall reap sparingly or bountifully.--But while this passage refers to
the life hereafter, it also refers to the life that now is. Just as
now the love of Christ constrains us to communicate of that with
which the Lord intrusts us, so will be the present reaping, both with
regard to spiritual and temporal things. Should there be found
therefore in a brother the want of entering into his position as
being merely a steward for the Lord in his calling, and should he
give no heed to the admonitions of the Holy Ghost to communicate to
those who are in need, or to help the work of God; then, can such a
brother be surprised that he meets with great difficulties in his
calling, and that he cannot get on? This is according to the Lords
word. He is sowing sparingly, and he therefore reaps sparingly. But
should the love of Christ constrain a brother, out of the earnings of
his calling to sow bountifully, he will even in this life reap
bountifully, both with regard to blessings in his soul and with
regard to temporal things. Consider in connexion with this the
following passage, which, though taken from the Book of Proverbs, is
not of a Jewish character, but true concerning believers under the
present dispensation also: "There is that scattereth, and yet
increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
tendeth to poverty. The liberal son shall be made fat: and he that
watereth shall be watered also himself." Prov. xi. 24, 25.--In
connexion with 1 Cor. xvi. 2, I would also direct my brethren in the
Lord to the promise made in Luke vi. 38, "Give and it shall be given
unto you: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and
running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." This
refers evidently to the present dispensation, and evidently in its
primary meaning to temporal things. Now let any one, constrained by
the love of Jesus, act according to this passage; let him on the
first day of the week communicate as the Lord has prospered him, and
he will see that the Lord will act according to what is contained in
this verse. If pride constrain us to give, if self-righteousness make
us liberal, if natural feeling induce us to communicate, or if we
give whilst we are in a state of insolvency, not possessing more
perhaps than ten shillings in the pound were our creditors to come
upon us; then we cannot expect to have this verse fulfilled in our
experience: nor should we give at any time for the sake of receiving
again from others, according to this verse; but if indeed the love of
Christ constrain us to communicate according to the ability which the
Lord gives us, then we shall have this verse fulfilled in our
experience, though this was not the motive that induced us to give.
Somehow or other the Lord will abundantly repay us through the
instrumentality of our fellow men what we are doing for His poor
saints, or in any way for His work, and we shall find that in the end
we are not losers, even with reference to temporal things, whilst we
communicate liberally of the things of this life with which the Lord
has intrusted us.--Here it might be remarked: but if it be so, that
even in this life, and with regard to temporal things it is true,
that "To him that gives shall be given, good measure, pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over," and that "He which soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully," then in the end the most
liberal persons would be exceedingly rich. Concerning this remark we
have to keep in mind, that the moment persons were to begin to give
for the sake of receiving more back again from the Lord, through the
instrumentality of their fellow men, than they have given; or the
moment persons wished to alter their way, and no more go on sowing
bountifully, but sparingly, in order to increase their possessions,
whilst God is allowing them to reap bountifully, the river of Gods
bounty toward them would no longer continue to flow. God had supplied
them abundantly with means, because He saw them act as stewards for
Him. He had intrusted them with a little which they used for Him, and
He therefore intrusted them with more; and if they had continued to
use the much also for Him, He would have still more abundantly used
them as instruments to scatter abroad His bounties. The child of God
must be willing to be a channel through which Gods bounties flow,
both with regard to temporal and spiritual things. This channel is
narrow and shallow at first, it may be; yet there is room for some of
the waters of Gods bounty to pass through. And if we cheerfully
yield ourselves as channels, for this purpose, then the channel
becomes wider and deeper, and the waters of the bounty of God can
pass through more abundantly. Without a figure it is thus: At first
we may be only instrumental in communicating 5l. or 10l. or 20l. or
50l. or 100l. or 200l. per year, but afterwards double as much; and
if we are still more faithful in our stewardship, after a year or two
four times as much, afterwards perhaps eight times as much, at last
perhaps twenty times or fifty times as much. We cannot limit the
extent to which God may use us as instruments in communicating
blessing, both temporal and spiritual, if we are willing to yield
ourselves as instruments to the living God, and are content to be
only instruments, and to give Him all the glory. But with regard to
temporal things it will be thus, that if indeed we walk according to
the mind of God in these things, whilst more and more we become
instruments of blessing to others, we shall not seek to enrich
ourselves, but be content when the last day of another year finds us
still in the body, to possess no more than on the last day of the
previous year, or even considerably less, whilst we have been,
however, in the course of the year the instruments of communicating
largely to others, through the means with which the Lord had
intrusted us. As to my own soul, by the grace of God it would be a
burden to me to find, that, however much my income in the course of a
year might have been, I was increasing in earthly possession; for it
would be a plain proof to me, that I had not been acting as steward
for God, and had not been yielding myself as a channel for the waters
of Gods bounty to pass through. I also cannot but bear my testimony
here, that in whatever feeble measure God has enabled me to act
according to these truths for the last fifty-one years and a half, I
have found it to be profitable, most profitable to my own soul; and
as to temporal things, I never was a loser in doing so, but I have
most abundantly found the truth in II Cor. ix. 6, and Luke vi. 38,
and Prov. xi. 24, 25, verified in my own experience. I only have to
regret that I have acted so little according to what I have now been
stating; but my godly purpose is, by the help of God, to spend the
remainder of my days in practising these truths more than ever, and I
am sure, that, when I am brought to the close of my earthly
pilgrimage, either in death, or by the appearing of our Lord Jesus, I
shall not have the least regret in having done so; and I know that
should I leave my dear child behind, the Lord will abundantly provide
for her, and prove that there has been a better provision made for
her than her father could have made, if he had sought to insure his
life or lay up money for her.
Before leaving this part of the subject, I mention to the believing
reader, that I know instance upon instance, in which what I have been
saying has been verified, but I will only mention the following:--I
knew many years ago a brother as the manager of a large manufactory.
Whilst in this capacity he was liberal, and giving away considerably
out of his rather considerable salary. The Lord repaid this to him;
for the principals of the establishment, well knowing his value to
their house of business, gave him now and then whilst he thus was
liberally using his means for the Lord, very large presents in money.
In process of time, however, this brother thought it right to begin
business on his own account, in a very small way. He still continued
to be liberal, according to his means, and God prospered him, and
prospered him so, that now, whilst I am writing, his manufactory is
as large as the one which he formerly managed, or even larger, though
that was a very considerable one. And sure I am, that, if this
brother shall be kept by God from setting his heart upon earthly
things, and from seeking more and more to increase his earthly
riches, but shall delight himself in being used as a steward by God,
cheerfully communicating to the need of Gods poor children, or to
His work in other ways, and doing so not sparingly, but bountifully,
the Lord will intrust him more and more with means; if otherwise, if
he shut up his hands, seek his own, wish to obtain sufficient
property that he may be able to live on his interest, then, what he
has to expect is, that God will shut up His hands, he will meet with
heavy losses, or there will be an alteration in his affairs for the
worse, or the like.--I also mention two other cases, to show that the
Lord increases our ability of communicating temporal blessings to
others, if we distribute according to the means with which He has
intrusted us, though we should not be in a trade or business, or
profession.--I know a brother who many years ago saw it right not only
to spend his interest for the Lord, but also the principal, as the
Lord might point out to him opportunities. His desire was not, as
indeed it ought never to be, to get rid of his money as fast as
possible, yet he considered himself a steward for the Lord, and was
therefore willing, as his Lord and Master might point it out to him,
to spend his means. When this brother came to this determination, he
possessed about twenty thousand pounds sterling. According to the
light and grace, which the Lord had been pleased to give he
afterwards acted, spending the money for the Lord, in larger or
smaller sums, as opportunities were pointed out to him by the Lord.
Thus the sum more and more decreased, whilst the brother steadily
pursued his course, serving the Lord with his property, and spending
his time and ability also for the Lord, in service of one kind or
another among His children. At last the twenty thousand pounds were
almost entirely spent, when at that very time the father of this
brother died, whereby he came into the possession of an income of
several thousand pounds a year. It gives joy to my heart to be able
to add, that this brother still pursues his godly course, living in
the most simple way, and giving away perhaps ten times as much as he
spends on himself or family. Here you see, dear reader, that this
brother, using faithfully for the Lord what he had been intrusted
with at first, was made steward over more; for he has now more than
one-third as much in a year coming in, as he at first possessed
altogether.--I mention another instance: I know a brother to whom the
Lord has given a liberal heart, and who bountifully gave of that over
which the Lord had set him as steward. The Lord seeing this,
intrusted him with still more, for through family circumstances he
came into the possession of many thousand pounds, in addition to the
considerable property he possessed before. I have the joy of being
able to add also concerning this brother, that the Lord continues to
give him grace to use his property as a steward for God, and that he
has not been permitted to set his heart upon his riches, through the
very considerable increase of his property, but that he continues to
live as the steward of the Lord, and not as the owner of all this
wealth.--And now, dear reader, when the brethren to whom I have been
referring are brought to the close of their earthly pilgrimage, will
they have one moments regret that they have used their property for
the Lord? Will it be the least particle of uneasiness to their minds,
or will their children be the worse for it? Oh no! The only regret
they will have concerning this matter will be, that they did not
serve the Lord still more abundantly with their property. Dear
reader, let us each in our measure act in the same spirit. Money is
really worth no more than as it is used according to the mind of the
Lord; and life is worth no more than as it is spent in the service of
the Lord.