be a sad stumbling block to the unbeliever to see
a professed believer in the Lord Jesus acting in this particular just
like himself. Consider this, dear brethren in the Lord, should this
remark apply to you.--I have more than once had the following passage
quoted to me as a proof that parents ought to lay up money for their
children, or husbands for their wives: "But if any provide not for
his own, and especially for those of his own house (or kindred), he
hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." 1 Tim. v. 8. It
is, however, concerning this verse, only needful, in childlike
simplicity to read the connexion from verse 3 to 5, and it will be
obvious that the meaning is this, that whilst the poor widows of the
church are to be cared for by the church, yet if any such needy
believing widow had children or grandchildren (not nephews), these
children or grandchildren should provide for the widow, that the
church might not be charged; but that, if a believer's child or
grandchild, in such a case did not do so, such a one did not act
according to the obligations laid upon him by his holy faith, and was
worse than an unbeliever. Not a word, then, is there in this passage
to favour the laying up treasures upon earth for our children, or our
wives. 3, Our Lord says concerning the earth, that it is a place
"where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through
and steal." All that is of the earth, and in any way connected with
it, is subject to corruption, to change, to dissolution. There is no
reality, or substance, in any thing else but in heavenly things.
Often the careful amassing of earthly possessions ends in losing them
in a moment by fire, by robbery, by a change of mercantile concerns,
by loss of work, etc.; but suppose all this were not the case, still,
yet a little while, and thy soul shall be required of thee; or, yet a
little while, and the Lord Jesus will return; and what profit shalt
thou then have, dear reader, if thou hast carefully sought to
increase thy earthly possessions? My brother, if there were one
particle of real benefit to be derived from it, would not He, whose
love to us has been proved to the uttermost, have wished that you and
I should have it? If, in the least degree, it could tend to the
increase of our peace, or joy in the Holy Ghost, or heavenly-mindedness,
He, who laid down His life for us, would have commanded us,
to "LAY UP treasure upon earth." 4, Our Lord, however, d