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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 worketh 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 perverse
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 everything 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? "not that ye give heed to me, but that ye '
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling'"; for it is
impossible for one, who lives devoid of fear, to set forth any high or
commanding 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." (1 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 hindrances, how can we by any
possibility be saved without fear? And how may this fear be produced?
If we 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 dispose 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 robbing 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 master of his art,
yet stands with "fear and trembling," 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.) "Sense the Lord with fear," he says, "and
rejoice unto Him with trembling." (Ps. ii. 11.) 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 anything "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,"
see how he relieves their anxiety: for what does he say? "It is God
that worketh in you." Fear not because 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 work." "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 it is He that worketh
in you both to will and to work," but my object was to relieve your
anxiety. If thou wilt, in that case He will "work in thee to
will." Be not affrighted, thou art not-worsted; 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 well-doings are gifts of grace.
As then, when he calls these gifts, he does not put us out of the
pale of free will, but accords to us free will, so when he says, "to
work in us to will," he does not deprive us of free will, but he
shows 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.
Hast thou refused to give? thou art become so much the more
disinclined. Hast thou practiced 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 a
wicked man cometh into the depth of vice, then he despises."
(Prov. xviii. 3.) As, then, when a man cometh into the depth
of iniquity, he turns a despiser; so when he cometh into the depth of
goodness, he 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. "For His good pleasure," he says, that is, "for love's
sake," for the sake of pleasing Him; to the end that what is
acceptable to Him may take place; that things may take place according
to His will. Here he shows, 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?
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings." The devil, when
he finds that he has no power to withdraw us from doing right, wishes
to spoil our reward by other means. For he has taken occasion to
insinuate pride or vainglory, or if none of these things, then
murmuring, or, if not this, 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 vainglory, that is, "not
as in my presence only"; he here 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 the instance in the Gospel, wherein the proud were
punished, but laid the charge as from God's lips (Luke xvi. 237
xviii. 14?); 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 do well, but one of bad
principles by those who do not do well; the one by the consideration of
honor, the other of punishment. Wherefore also writing to the
Hebrews, he said, bringing forward the example of Esau, "Who for
one mess of meat sold his own birthright" (Heb. xii. 16); and
again, "if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him."
(Heb. x. 38.) And among the Corinthians were many who had been
guilty of fornication. Therefore he said, "Lest when I come again
my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many that
have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness, and
fornication, and lasciviousness which they committed. (2 Cor.
xii. 21.) That ye may be blameless," says he, "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 dispute, he says, though it be trouble, or
labor, or any thing else whatever. He did not say, "that ye be not
punished," for 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,
children of God without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse 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." Observest thou that he is instructing these not
to murmur? So that murmuring is left for unprincipled and graceless
slaves. For tell me, what manner of son is that, who murmurs at the
very time that he is employed in the affairs of his father and is
working for his own benefit? Consider he says, that you are laboring
for yourself, that it is for yourself that you are laying up; it is
for those to murmur, when others profit by their labors, others reap
the fruit, while they bear the burden; but he that is gathering for
himself, why should he murmur? Because his wealth does not increase?
But it is not so. Why does he murmur who acts of free-will, and not
by constraint? It is better to do nothing than to do it with
murmuring, for even the very thing itself is spoilt. And do you not
remark that in our own families we are continually saying this; "it
were better for these things never to be done, than to have them done
with murmuring"? and we had often rather be deprived of the services
some one owes us, than submit to the inconvenience of his murmuring.
For murmuring is intolerable, most intolerable; it borders upon
blasphemy. Otherwise why had those men to pay a penalty so severe?
It is a proof of ingratitude; the murmurer is ungrateful to God, but
whoso is ungrateful to God does thereby become a blasphemer. Now
there were at that time, if ever, uninterrupted troubles, and dangers
without cessation: there was no pause, no remission: innumerable were
the horrors, which pressed upon them from all quarters; but now we
have profound peace, a perfect calm.
Wherefore then murmur? Because thou art poor? Yet think of Job.
Or because sickness is thy lot? What then if, with the consciousness
of as many excellencies and as high attainments as that holy man, thou
hadst been so afflicted? Again reflect on him, how that for a long
time he never ceased to breed worms, sitting upon a dunghill and
scraping his sores; for the account says that " (after a long time
had passed,) then said his wife unto him, How long wilt thou
persist, saying, Yet a little while I bide in expectation? Speak
some word against the Lord, and die." (Job ii. 9, LXX.)
But your child is dead? What then if thou hadst lost all thy
children, and that by an evil fate, as he did? For ye know, ye know
well, that it is no slight alleviation to take our place beside the
sick man, to close the mouth, to shut the eyes, to stroke the beard,
to hear the last accents; but that just man Was vouchsafed none of
these consolations, they all being overwhelmed at once. And what do
I say? Hadst thou, thine own self, been bidden to slay and offer up
thine own son, and to see the body consumed, like that blessed
Patriarch, what then wouldst thou have felt whilst erecting the
altar, laying on the wood, binding the child? But there are some who
revile thee? What then would be thy feelings did thy friends, come to
administer consolation to thee, speak like Job's? For, as it is,
innumerable are our sins, and we deserve to be reproached; but in that
case he who was true, just, godly, who kept himself from every evil
deed, heard the contrary of those laid to his charge by his friends.
What then, tell me, if thou hadst heard thy wife exclaiming in
accents of reproach; "I am a vagabond and a servant, wandering from
place to place, and from house to house, waiting until the sun goes
down, that I may rest from the woes that encompass me." (Job ii.
9, LXX.) Why dost thou speak so, O foolish woman? for is
thine husband to blame for these things? Nay, but the devil.
"Speak a word against God," she says, "and die";--and if
thereupon the stricken man had cursed and died, how wouldest thou be
the better?--No disease you can name is worse than that of his,
though you name ten thousand.
It was so grievous, that he could no longer be in the house and under
cover; such, that all men gave him up. For if he had not been
irrecoverably gone, he would never have taken his seat without the
city, a more pitiable object than those afflicted with leprosy; for
these are both admitted into houses, and they do herd together; but he
passing the night in the open air, was naked upon a dunghill, and
could not even bear a garment upon his body. How so?
Perhaps there would only have been an addition to his pangs. For "I
melt the clods of the earth," he says, "while I scrape off my
sore." (Job vii. 5, LXX.) His flesh bred sores and worms in
him, and that continually. Seest thou how each one of us sickens at
the hearing of these things? but if they are intolerable to hear, is
the sight of them more tolerable? and if the sight of them is
intolerable, how much more intolerable to undergo them? And yet that
righteous man did undergo them, not for two or three days, but for a
long while, and he did not sin, not even with his lips. What disease
can you describe to me like this, so exquisitely painful? for was not
this worse than blindness? "I look on my food," he says, "as a
fetid mass." (Job vi. 7.) And not only this, but that which
affords cessation to others, night and sleep, brought no alleviation
to him, nay, were worse than any torture. Hear his words: "Why
dost thou scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions? If it
be morning, I say, When will it be evening?" (Job vii. 14,
4), and he murmured not. And there was not only this; but
reputation in the eyes of the world was added; for they forthwith
concluded him to be guilty of endless crimes, judging from all that he
suffered. And accordingly this is the consideration, which his
friends urged upon him; "Know therefore that God exacteth less of
thee than thine iniquities deserve." (Job xi. 6.) Wherefore he
himself said, "But now they that are younger than I have me in
derision, whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my
flock." (Job xxx. 1.) And was not this worse than many deaths?
Yet though assaulted on all sides by a flood like this, when there
raged around him a fearful storm, clouds, rain, lightnings, whirling
winds, and waterspouts, he remained himself unmoved, seated as it
were in the midst of this surge, thus awful and overwhelming, as in a
perfect calm, and no murmur escaped him; and this before the gift of
grace, before that aught was declared concerning a resurrection,
before aught concerning hell and punishment and vengeance. Yet we,
who hear both Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists speaking to us,
and have innumerable examples set before us, and have been taught the
tidings of a Resurrection, yet harbor discontent, though no man can
say that such a fate as this has been his own. For if one has lost
money, yet not all that great number of sons and daughters, or if he
has, perchance it was that he had sinned; but for him, he lost them
suddenly, in the midst of his sacrifices, in the midst of the service
which he was rendering to God. And if any man has at one blow lost
property to the same amount, which can never be, yet he has not had
the further affliction of a sore all over his body, he has not scraped
the humors that covered him; or if this likewise has been his fate,
yet he has not had men to upbraid and reproach him, which is above all
things calculated to wound the feelings, more than the calamities we
suffer. For if when we have persons to cheer and console us in our
misfortunes, and to hold out to us fair prospects, we yet despond,
consider what it was to have men upbraiding him. If the words, "I
looked for some to have pity, but there was no man, and for
comforters, but I found none" (Ps. lxix. 20), describe
intolerable misery, how great an aggravation to find revilers instead
of comforters! "Miserable comforters are ye all" (Job xvi. 2),
he says. If we did but revolve these subjects continually in our
minds, if we well weighed them, no ills of this present time could
ever have force to disturb our peace, when we turned our eyes to that
athlete, that soul of adamant, that spirit impenetrable as brass.
For as though he had borne about him a body of brass or stone, he met
all events with a noble and constant spirit.
Taking these things to heart, let us do everything "without murmuring
and disputing." Is it some good work that thou hast before thee, and
dost thou murmur? wherefore? art thou then forced? for that there are
many about you who force you to murmur, I know well, says he. This
he intimated by saying, "in the midst of a crooked and perverse
generation"; but it is this that deserves admiration, that we admit
no such feeling when under galling provocation. For the stars too give
light in the night, they shine in the dark, and receive no blemish to
their own beauty, yea they even shine the brighter; but when light
returns, they no longer shine so. Thus thou too dost appear with the
greater lustre, whilst thou holdest straight in the midst of the
crooked. This it is which deserves our admiration, the being
"blameless "; for that they might not urge this plea, he himself set
it down by anticipation. What means "holding fast the word of
life"? i.e. "being destined to live, being of those that are
gaining salvation." Observe how immediately he subjoins the rewards,
which are in reserve. Lights [i.e. luminaries], he says, retain
the principle of light; so do ye the principle of life. What means
"the word of life"?
Having the seed of life, i.e. having pledges of life, holding life
itself, i.e. "having in yourselves the seed of life," this is what
he calls "the word of life." Consequently the rest are all dead,
for by these words he signified as much; for otherwise those others
likewise would have held "the word of life." "That I may have
whereof to glory," he says; what is this? I too participate in your
good deeds, he says. So great is your virtue, as not only to save
yourselves, but to render me illustrious. Strange kind of
"boasting," thou blessed Paul! Thou art scourged, driven about,
reviled for our sakes: therefore he adds," in the day of Christ,
that I did not run," he says, "in vain, nor labored in vain,"
but I always have a right to glory, he means, that I did not run in
vain.
"Yea, and if I am offered." He said not, "and if I die
even," nor did he when writing to Timothy, for there, too, he has
made use of the same expression, "For I am already being offered."
(2 Tim. iv. 6.) He is both consoling them about his own death,
and instructing them to bear gladly the death that is for Christ's
sake. I am become, he says, as it were a libation and a sacrifice.
O blessed soul! His bringing them to God he calls a sacrifice. It
is much better to present a soul than to present oxen. "If, then,
over and above this offering," he says, "I add myself, my death as
a libation, I rejoice." For this he implies, when he says,
"Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service, I joy
and rejoice with you all; and in the same manner do ye also joy and
rejoice with me." Why dost thou rejoice with them? Seest thou that
he shows that it is their duty to rejoice? On the one hand then, I
rejoice in being made a libation; on the other, I rejoice with you,
in having presented a sacrifice; "and in the same manner do ye also
joy and rejoice with me," that I am offered up; "rejoice with me,
"who rejoice in myself." So that the death of the just is no subject
for tears, but for joy. If they rejoice, we should rejoice with
them. For it is misplaced for us to weep, while they rejoice.
"But," it is urged, "we long for our wonted intercourse." This
is a mere pretext and excuse; and that it is so, mark what he
enjoins: "Rejoice with me, and joy." Dost thou miss thy wonted
intercourse?
If thou wert thyself destined to remain here, there would be reason in
what thou sayest; but if after a brief space thou wilt overtake him who
has departed, what is that intercourse which thou dost seek? for it is
only when he is forever severed from him that a man misses the society
of another, but if he will go the same way that thou wilt go, what is
the intercourse which thou longest for? Why do we not bewail all that
are upon foreign travel? Do we not just a little, and cease after the
first or the second day? If thou longest for thy wonted intercourse
with him, weep so far only. "It is no evil that I suffer," says
he, "but I even rejoice in going to Christ, and do ye not
rejoice." "Rejoice with me." Let us too rejoice when we see a
righteous man dying, and yet more even when any of the desperately
wicked; for the first is going to receive the reward of his labors,
but the other has abated somewhat from the score of his sins. But it
is said, perhaps he might have altered, had he lived. Yet God would
never have taken him away, if there had been really a prospect of an
alteration. For why should not He who orders all events for our
salvation, allow him the opportunity, who gave promise of pleasing
Him? If He leaves those, who never alter, much more those that
do.
Let then the sharpness of our sorrow be everywhere cut away, let the
voice of lamentation cease. Let us thank God under all events: let
us do all things without murmuring; let us be cheerful, and let us
become pleasing to Him in all things, that we may also attain the good
things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ, with whom,
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