desire of their hearts, but sent leanness into their
souls. Should any brother have fallen into this error, the first thing
he has to do, when the Lord has instructed him concerning this point, is
to make confession of sin, and, as far as it can be done, to retrace his
steps in this particular. If this cannot be done, then to cast himself
upon the mercy of God in Christ Jesus.

5. Of the same character is, to seek to attract the attention of the
world by "boasting advertisements," such as "no one manufactures so good
an article," "no one sells this article so cheap," "we sell the best
article in the city," etc. Suppose these statements were quite correct,
yet they are unbecoming for a child of God, who has the living God to
care for him and to provide for him, and therefore needs not to make use
of such boasting, whereby he may seek to insure custom to himself and
keep it from others. The law of love is, "Whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matt. vii. 12. Now what do I
wish in this particular that others should do to me, but that they
should not seek to keep away persons from dealing with me; but if I use
such like expressions in my advertisements, as have been mentioned, what
do they imply but that I wish all people should come to me, and deal
with me? If, however, already under the old covenant it was said, "Thou
shalt not covet," how much more sinful and altogether unbecoming is it
for us children of God, who are in fellowship with the Father and the
Son, to make use of such means in order to insure to ourselves pecuniary
advantages. But, however much the Lord may allow a man of the world to
prosper in using such means, they are only hindrances to the child of
God to getting on in his calling, because the Lord sees that they are
substituted instead of trust in himself; and should the Lord for a
season allow his child apparently to be benefited by them, it will only
be for his chastisement and connected with leanness in his soul.
Therefore, my brethren in the Lord, I beseech you to put away all these
things out of your calling, lest you should be hindering instead of
furthering your real welfare.

6. Likewise of a similar character is the following point, which God may
suffer to be a real hindrance to his children in their calling; it is,
To seek the very best, and therefore the most expensive, situations
which can be had in a town or city. Now, I do by no means intend to say,
that