HOMILY VIII.] HOMILIES ON PHILIPPIANS. 219 HOMILY VIII PHILIPPIANS ii. 12-16. " So then, my beloved, even 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 work^th in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings : that ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and per verse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory 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 ; " So then, my beloved," he says ; he did not say simply " be obedient," not until he had first commended them in these words, " even as ye have always obeyed " ; i.e. " it is not other men, but your own selves, whom I bid you take example by." " Not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence." 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 earn estly, 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? " not that ye give heed to me, but that ye work out your own salvation with fear and tremb ling " ; for it is impossible for one, who lives devoid of fear, to set forth any high or com manding example ; and he said not merely "with fear," but "and with trembling," which is an excessive degree of fear. Such fear had Paul : and therefore he said, I fear " lest having preached to others, I myself should be rejected." (i Cor. ix. 27.) For if 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 has become 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 hin drances, how can we by any possibility be saved without fear? And how may this fear be produced ? Ifwe | but consider that God is everywhere present, heareth all things, 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 " quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart " (Heb. iv. 12), if we so dis pose ourselves, we shall not do or say or imagine aught that is evil. 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 patient endurance, for it is to bring thee to repentance that He is longsuffering. Whenever thou eatest, consider that God is present, for He is present ; whenever thou art preparing to sleep, or giving way to passion, if thou art rob bing another, or indulging in luxury, or whatever thou art about, thou wilt never fall 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 architect, though he be experienced, though he be perfectly mas ter of his art, yet stands with " fear and trem bling," lest he fall down from the building. Thou too hast believed, thou hast performed many good deeds, thou hast mounted high : secure thyself, be in fear as thou standest, and keep a wary eye, lest thou fall thence. For manifold are the spiritual sorts of wickedness which aim to cast thee down. (Eph. vi. 12.) "Serve the Lord with fear," he says, "and rejoice unto Him with trembling." (Ps. ii. n.) And how is re joicing 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 anything " with trembling," then only do we rejoice. " Work out your own sal vation with fear and trembling " : he says not " work," but " work out," i.e. with much earnest ness, with much diligence ; but as he had said, " with fear and trembling," see how he relieves their anxiety: 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