on our own works and attainments; and
so, though they may in the abstract profess a belief in it because it
is in Scripture, they shrink from applying it in their own cases or in
those of others. Now, nothing can justify such a course. We have no
right to discard a motive held up for our adoption and guidance in
Scripture. And that this is so held up, who that knows his Bible can
for a moment doubt? Think of that saying of our Lord about the cup of
cold water just quoted,--think of the series of sayings of which it is
the end--"He _that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a
righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward_," etc. Think,
again, of that series of commands, to do our alms, our prayers, our
abstinences, in secret, each ending with--"_and thy Father which seeth
in secret shall reward thee openly_." Think, again, of the parable of
the labourers in the vineyard, where the great final blessing at the
hand of the Lord is throughout represented to us as reward, or
rather--for so the word used properly means--wages for work done. And
it is in vain in this case to try to escape from the cogency of our
Lord's sayings by alleging that the doctrines of the Cross were not
manifested till after His death and glorification. For if this were
so, then the apostles themselves had never learned those doctrines.
For the apostles constantly and persistently set before us the aiming
at the Christian reward as their own motive, and as that which ought
to be ours. Hear St. Paul saying that, if he preached the gospel as
matter of duty only, it was the stewardship committed to him; but if
freely and without pay, a reward, or wages, would be due to him. Hear
him again, in expectation of his departure, glorying in the certainty
of his reward: "_I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give
me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love His
appearing_." Listen to St. John, whom we are accustomed to regard as
the most lofty and heavenly of all the apostles in his thoughts and
motives. What does he say to his well-beloved Gaius? "_Look to
yourselves, that we lose not the things which we have wrought, but
that we receive the full reward_." Listen, again, to the writer of the
Epistle to the Hebrews, that apostolic man, eloquent and mighty in the
Scriptures, and hear him desc