Lawgiver, and not only so, but it must be done from a regard to the authority, and with a desire to promote the glory, of God. The righteousness or goodness of the Pharisees was of a very different character. Even their religious duties, actions in themselves good, were entirely vitiated, and converted into actions totally unacceptable in the sight of God, by the unhallowed nature of the ruling motive from which they were performed. They were done from no other, no higher motive than to be seen and applauded of men. This was the principle of action with an ancient Pharisee as it is with a modern formalist, even in the worship of his God. Hence it was regarded as an essential part of the action, that it should be done before men. Jesus had no doubt in this very discourse enjoined upon his people the important duty of openly avowing in their whole words and actions the high and holy principles by which they were actuated. "Let your light," says He, "so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." And yet even in these very words now quoted, the perfect harmony and consistency of the two commands may be observed. The desire of the child of God is, that his works may be seen in order that his Father may be glorified. It is only, therefore, when he entertains a reasonable prospect that such will be the result of his actions that he will even seek to do them openly. The ultimate, the

only aim of the Pharisee on the other hand, is to be seen of men. His heart is set upon the honour that cometh from man and not upon that which cometh from God only.

To shew, therefore, the utter vanity and worthlessness of the desire of human applause as the ruling motive for the performance of actions in themselves good, Jesus anticipates the judgment-day, the day of final retribution. Man's actions will then be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. Every action, whether good or bad, will be traced back to its origin, to the secret spiritual motive from which it has sprung. And the Redeemer warns the Pharisee of the result of a righteousness which arose from no other motive than to be approved of men, 66 ye have no reward of your Father which is heaven." This was an explicit announcement from Him to whom all judgment hath been committed. "We shall all stand before the

How solemn the warn"Take heed." He would

judgment seat of Christ." ing then from His lips : urge upon every one to mark well the state of his heart, to scrutinize the motives from which even his good actions are performed, and, above all, to be often realizing the judgment-day.

Our Lord sets before His people, in this passage, the prospect of a future reward, and a reward dependent, in some way or other, on the character of their works. They are to beware of improper motives in

the performance of duty, otherwise they may miss their reward. The question then arises, What is the precise place which the doctrine of rewards occupies in the Christian system? Man has plainly forfeited all title to reward; nay, he has become liable to punishment; but we are taught in the sacred Scriptures, that a title to acceptance with God, and a reward from Him, have been purchased by Christ for all His people. The only right then which any man possesses to a reward, is founded on the imputation of Christ's righteousness to him, as the only righteousness which can possibly merit a reward. Still, no sooner has a believer's title to a reward been made good, on the ground of Christ's righteousness, than it becomes a question which the principles of eternal equity alone can determine-What is the amount of the reward which each individual believer shall receive? Hence these remarkable words, "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love." "Thou renderest to Observe, it is not

every man according to his work." on account of his work: this were to make our works the ground of our title to an eternal inheritance. The doctrine of Scripture is, that we receive a reward, not on account of our works, but according to our works. Our works are not the ground on which we receive the reward, but they are the standard or measure according to which that reward is bestowed. Hence, in various passages, we find this doctrine distinctly held

forth-"He that giveth to a disciple a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple shall not lose his reward." His reward for what? Plainly for that individual action. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.' In the heavenly firmament there are various degrees of splendour; for "one star differeth from another star in glory," and this glory is proportioned to the progress which believers have made in holiness during the course of their earthly career.

On these principles the warning of Jesus, in the verse before us, has a peculiar force. Every good work, every deed of righteousness must be done with diligence, with alacrity and zeal, and besides, the motive from which it flows must be carefully guarded; for an improper or unscriptural motive may vitiate even an otherwise good action; so vitiate it, that although it may receive the applause of men here, it may altogether miss its expected reward hereafter.

This doctrine is illustrated by our Lord, in the first instance, by a reference to the duty of almsgiving.

SECTION 1.-ALMSGIVING,

MAT. VI. 2-4,

V. 2. "Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do

M

not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." Almsgiving is a duty which is frequently inculcated throughout both the Old and the New Testaments. We may select a few passages for the purpose of showing how much higher the position which this duty occupies in the Word of God, than it does in the estimation of many amongst ourselves. Deut. xv. 7-11, "If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates, in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thine hand, from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy