asked the Lord still further
for help, and, behold, this morning's post brought me a post-office
order for two pounds from Stafford, of which one pound seven shillings
sixpence is for the orphans. Thus we have three pounds one shilling
sixpence, which is quite enough for this day.

Admire with me, my dear reader, if you know the Lord, his seasonable
help. Why does this post-office order not come a few days sooner or
later? Because the Lord would help us by means of it, and therefore
influences the donor just then, and not sooner nor later, to send it.
Surely, all who know the Lord, and who have no interest in disowning it,
cannot but see his hand in a remarkable manner in this work. Nor will
the godly and simple-minded reader say, "There is no difference between
this way of proceeding, on the one hand, and going from individual to
individual, asking them for means, on the other hand; for the writing of
the Reports is just the same thing." My dear reader, there is a great
difference. Suppose that we are in need. Suppose that our poverty lasts
for some weeks, or even some months, together. Is there not, in that
case, a difference between asking the Lord only from day to day,
without speaking to any human being not connected directly with the work
about our poverty, on the one hand, and writing letters or making
personal application to benevolent individuals for assistance, on the
other hand? Truly, there is a great difference between these two modes.
I do not mean to say that it would be acting against the precepts of the
Lord to seek for help in his work by personal and individual application
to _believers_ (though it would be in direct opposition to his will to
apply to _unbelievers_, 2 Cor. vi. 14-18); but _I_ act in the way in
which I do for the benefit of the church at large, cheerfully bearing
the trials, and sometimes the deep trials, connected with this life of
faith (which however brings along with it also its precious joys), if by
any means a part at least of my fellow-believers might be led to see the
reality of dealing with God only, and that there is such a thing as the
child of God having power with God by prayer and faith. That the Lord
should use for so glorious a service one so vile, so unfaithful, so
altogether unworthy of the least notice as I am, I can only ascribe to
the riches of his condescending _grace_, in which he takes up the most
unlikely instruments, that the honor may be _manifestly_ his.