A commentary of M. John Calvin upon the Epistle to the PhilippiansA commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine vppon the Epistle to the Philippians

12 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. 13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure, 14. Do all things without murmurings and reasonings. 15 That ye may be such of whom no man can complain, and the sincere sons of god without rebuke in the mids of a naughty & crooked generation, among whom, shine ye as lights in the world. 16 Holding forth the word of life, unto my glory, until the day of christ▪ that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

12 Wherefore my beloued, as ye haue alwaies obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, worke out your owne saluation with feare and trembling. 13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe, of his good pleasure, 14. Doe al things without murmurings and reasonings. 15 That ye may be such of whome no man can complaine, and the sincere sōs of god without rebuke in the mids of a naughty & crooked generation, among whome, shine ye as lyghtes in the world. 16 Holding forth the word of life, vnto my glory, vntill the day of christ▪ that I haue not run in vaine, neither labored in vain.

12. Wherefore. He shutteth up all that last exhortation with a general sentence, that they should humble themselves under the hand of the Lord: for that will easily bring to pass the laying away all fierceness they shall be gentle & courteous among themselves. This only is a fit reason whereby the wit of man may learn to wax gentle, when by comparing with god, he searcheth into himself, who pleased himself severally in his own devises. As ye have always obeyed He praiseth their former obedience, that he might the more encourage them to go forward. But because it is the property of hypocrites to approve themselves to the eye, but when they are out ⟨p. 40⟩of sight, to favour them selves with more liberty, as it were the cause of their reverence and fear being removed. He admonisheth them that they would not only show themselves obedient to the eye, but also that they obey him being absent, and that so much the more: for if he were present, he might prick them forward, and enforce them with daily admonitions. Now therefore it is needful that while their coū sailor is away, they would be careful for them selves with fear and trembling. In this he would have the Philippians to testify and approve their obedience, that they might be lowly and humble. This moreover is the fountain of humility to acknowledge how miserable we are, and needy of all goodness unto the which he calleth them in this sentence: for whence cometh pride but from security, which blind confidence bringeth forth, whiles we please our selves, and are rather puffed up with a confidence of our own virtue, than stay up on the grace of God? The contrary unto vice is fear, to the which he exhorteth them: but although in the text exhortation be before doctrine: yet in order it is after, because from thence it is drawn, I will therefore begin with doctrine. It is God that worketh in us. This is the true engine to destroy all loftiness: this is the sword to kill all pride when we hear that we are nothing at all, and can do nothing, but by the alone grace of God (I understand supernatural grace) which proceedeth from the spirit of regeneration: For in as much as we are men, in God we are, we live and are moved: but here Paul rather disputeth of another kind of moving, than of that universal. Let us see now what he attributeth unto god, what he leaveth unto us.