the kings of the earth,' is by us, as we witness for Him. And so,
though we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, the
saints in the past who have witnessed for God, and been witnessed to by
Him, we have to turn away from them, and 'look off' from all others,
'unto Jesus.' And we may, like the first of the noble army of martyrs,
see the heavens opened, and Jesus 'standing'--started to His feet, to
see and to help Stephen--'at the right hand of God.'

Brethren, let us listen to His witness, let us accept it, setting to our
seals that God is true. Then let us try to echo it back by word, and to
attest our confession by our conduct, and then we may comfort ourselves
with the great word, 'He that confesseth Me before men, Him will I also
confess before My Father which is in Heaven.'

THE CONDUCT THAT SECURES THE REAL LIFE

'Laying up in store for themselves a good
foundation against the time to come, that they may
lay hold on eternal life.'--1 TIM. vi. 19.

In the first flush of the sense of brotherhood, the Church of Jerusalem
tried the experiment of having all things in common. It was not a
success, it was soon abandoned, it never spread. In the later history of
the Church, and especially in these last Pauline letters, we see clearly
that distinctions of pecuniary position were very definitely marked
amongst the believers. There were 'rich men' in the churches of which
Timothy had charge. No doubt they were rich after a very modest fashion,
for Paul's standard of opulence is not likely to have been a very high
one, seeing that he himself ministered with his own hands to his
necessities, and had only one cloak to keep him warm in winter time. But
great or small as were the resources of these men, they were rich in
comparison with some of their brethren. The words of my text are the
close of the very plain things which Paul commands Timothy to tell them.
He assures them that if they will be rich in good works, and ready to
distribute, they will lay up for themselves a good 'foundation against
the time to come.'

The teaching in the text is, of course, a great deal wider than any
specific application of it. It is very remarkable, especially as coming
from Paul. 'Lay up a good foundation'--has he not said, 'Other
foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ'? 'That they may lay hold on eternal life'--has he not said, 'The
_gift_ of God is