HOMILY VIII.

(1)

PHIL. ii. 12-16.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ.

THE admonitions, which we give, ought to be accompanied with commendations, for thus they become even welcome, when we refer those, whom we admonish, to that measure of zeal which they have themselves exhibited; as Paul, for instance, did here; and observe with what singular discretion; Wherefore, my beloved, he says; he did not say simply be obedient,' not until he had first commended them in these words, as ye have always obeyed; i. e. ' it is not other men, but your own selves, whom I bid you take example by,' and why, much more in my absence? Ye seemed perhaps at that time to be doing every thing out of respect to me, and from a principle of shame, but that is no longer so; if then ye make it evident that ye now strive more earnestly, it is also made evident that neither then was it done out of consideration to me, but for God's sake.' Tell me, what wouldest thou?

Fear of God needful. How to learn it.

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not that ye give heed to me, but that ye work out your own Hoм. salvation with fear and trembling; for it is impossible for VIII. one, who lives devoid of fear, to set forth any high or commanding example; and he said not merely with fear, but he added, and with trembling, which is an excessive degree of fear, as he was desirous to make them take the better heed. Such fear had Paul: and therefore he said, I fear lest having 1 Cor.9, preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. For if 27. without the aid of fear temporal things can never be achieved, how much less spiritual matters; for I desire to know, who ever learnt his letters without fear? who ever became a proficient in any art, without fear? But if, when the devil does not lie in the way, where indolence is the only obstacle, so much of fear is necessary merely in order that we may master that indolence which is natural to us; where there is so fierce a war, so great hindrances, how can we by any possibility be saved without fear?

12.

And how may this fear be produced? If we but consider that God is every where present, that He heareth all things, that He seeth all things, not only whatsoever is done and said, but also all that is in the heart, and in the depth of the soul, for He is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heb. 4, heart, if we so dispose ourselves, we shall not do or say or imagine aught that is evil. For, tell me, if thou hadst to stand constantly near the person of a ruler, wouldest not thou stand there with fear? and how standing in God's presence, dost thou laugh and throw thyself back, and not conceive fear and dread? Let it never be that thou despisest His longsuffering; for it is to bring thee to repentance that He is longsuffering; and when thou doest aught, never allow thyself to do it, without being sensible that God is present in all things, for He is present. So then whether eating, or preparing to sleep, or giving way to passion, or robbing another, or whatever thou art about, consider that God is standing by, and thou wilt never be led into laughter, never be inflamed with rage. If this be thy thought continually, thou wilt continually be in fear and trembling, forasmuch as thou art standing beside the King. The builder, though he be experienced, though he be perfectly master of his art, yet stands with fear and trembling, lest he fall down

12.

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Fear and encouragement from God's working. PHIL. from the building. Thou too hast believed, thou hast per2,12-16. formed many good deeds, thou hast mounted high: secure thyself, be in fear as thou standest, and keep a wary eye, lest Eph. 6, thou fall thence. For manifold are the spiritual sorts of wickedPs.2,11. ness which aim to cast thee down. Serve the Lord with fear, he says, and rejoice unto Him with trembling. And how is rejoicing compatible with trembling? Yet this, be assured, is the only rejoicing; for when we perform some good work, and such as beseemeth those who do any thing with trembling, then only do we rejoice. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: he says not,' work,' but work out, i. e. with much earnestness, with much diligence; but as he had said, with fear and trembling, and had thrown them into anxiety, see how he relieves their alarm: for what does he say? It is God that worketh in you. Fear not because I said, with fear and trembling. I said it not with this view, that thou shouldest give up in despair, that thou shouldest suppose virtue to be somewhat difficult to be attained, but that thou mightest be led to follow after it, and not spend thyself in vain pursuits; if this be the case, God will work all things. Do thou be bold; for it is God that worketh in you. If then He worketh, it is our part to bring a mind ever resolute, clenched and unrelaxed. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do. If He does Himself work in us to will, how dost thou exhort us? for if He works Himself even the will, the words, which you speak to us, have no meaning, that ye have obeyed; for we have not obeyed; it is without meaning that thou sayest, with fear and trembling; for the whole is of God.' It was not for this that I said to you, for He worketh in you both to will and to do, but my object was to relieve your anxiety. If thou wilt, in that case He will work in thee to will.' Be not affrighted, or wearied; both the hearty desire and the accomplishment are a gift from Him: for where we have the will, thenceforward He will increase our will. For instance, I desire to do some good work: He has wrought the good work itself, and by means of it He has wrought also the will. Or he says this in the excess of his piety, as when he declares that our welldoings are gifts of grace.

a

* So B. Edd. 'he.'

Good will given in good works.

Satan's arts. 93

VIII.

(2.)

As then, when he calls these gifts, he does not put us out Hoм. of the pale of free will, but accords this to us, so when he says, 'to work in us to will,' he does not deprive us of free will, but he shews that by actually doing right we greatly increase our heartiness in willing. For as doing comes of doing, so of not doing comes not doing. Hast thou given an alms? Thou art the more incited to give; but hast thou refused to give? thou art become so much the more disinclined. Hast thou practised temperance for one day? Thou hast an incitement for the next likewise. Hast thou indulged to excess? Thou hast increased the inclination to self-indulgence. When the man cometh (into the depth of vice), then Prov. cometh also contempt. As, then, when a man decends into 18, 3. the depth of iniquity, he turns a despiser; so whosoever enters the depth of godliness, quickens his exertions. For as the one runs riot in despair, so the second, under a sense of the multitude of good things, exerts himself the more, fearing lest he should lose the whole. According to His good pleasure, he says, that is, for love's sake,' for the sake of pleasing Him; to the end that we may do that which is acceptable to Him; that the things may be done according to His will. Here he shews, and makes it a ground of confidence, that He is sure to work in us, for it is His will that we live as He desires we should, and if He desires it, He Himself both worketh in us to this end, and will certainly accomplish it; for it is His will that we live aright. Seest thou, how he does not deprive us of free will?

d

Do all things without murmurings and disputings. The devil, when he finds that he has no power to withdraw us from doing right, goes about to spoil our reward by other means. For he has taken occasion to insinuate pride or vain-glory, or if not this, then murmuring, or, if none of these, misgivings. Now then see how Paul sweeps away all these. He said on the subject of humility all that he did say, to overthrow pride; he spoke of vain-glory to pull down vanity; and elsewhere too he says, not as in my presence

b These words are added by LXX, understanding cometh,' as cometh

far.'

6

• This clause, πρὸς δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸς

gy, is difficult. Old Lat. seems to have used vayu, making the sense, ' and thus far Himself instructs us.'

d So Ben. and B. Sav. t. ' wishes.'

2,12-16.

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St. Paul only threatens in strong cases.

PHIL. only, but here he speaks of murmuring and disputing. But why, I want to know, when in the case of the Corinthians he was engaged in uprooting this evil tendency, did he remind them of the Israelites, but here has said nothing of the sort, but simply charged them? Because in that case the mischief was already done, for which reason there was need of a more severe stroke and a sharper rebuke; but here he is giving admonitions to prevent its being done. Severe measures then were not called for in order to secure those that had not yet been guilty; as in leading them to humility he did not subjoin Luke16, the instance in the Gospel, wherein the proud were punished, 2318, but laid the charge as from God's lips; and he addresses them as free, as children of pure birth, not as servants; for in the practice of virtue a rightminded and generous person is influenced by those who have done well, but one of bad principles is not led by these, but by the example of such as receive punishment; the one by the consideration of honour, the other of chastisement. Wherefore also writing

14?

16.

12,

21.

to the Hebrews, he said, bringing forward the example of Heb.12, Esau, Who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright; and Heb.10, again, if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure 38. in him. And among the Corinthians were many who had 2 Cor. been guilty of fornication. Therefore he said, And lest when I come again my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many that have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness which they have committed. That ye may be blameless and harmless; i. e. irreproachable, unsullied; for murmuring occasions no slight stain. And what means without disputing? Is it good, or not good?' Do not question, he says, though it be trouble, or labour, or any thing else whatHe did not say,' that ye be not punished,' notwithstanding that punishment is reserved for the thing; and this he made evident in the Epistle to the Corinthians; but here he said nothing of the sort; but he says, That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine like lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ. Observest thou that he is instructing these not to murmur? So that murmur

ever.