Nearly every one is familiar with the above words from Philippians 2:12. Not a few quote it as if it applied to unbelievers, and use it therefore as an exhortation to them to look after the salvation of their souls. By examination, however, it is easy to see who are the persons addressed. In the first verse of the epistle, we read, "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi." He is thus speaking to the saved people in Philippi; not to the unsaved.

In Ephesians 2:8, 9, the same apostle says:'' For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God:not of works, lest my man should boast."

Notice, not of works; and in Philippians he says, work out your own salvation. Do they not conflict? By no means-God's word cannot conflict with or contradict itself. To say the Bible contradicts itself is infidelity! and alas for the rapid strides in that direction through the falling away from that simple faith which alone gets a right comprehension of the word of God! In Ephesians 2:, we are taught how we are saved-by grace, through faith:not of works. Our works have nothing to do with it-we are saved by grace, and grace alone.

In Philippians, we – the saved ones-are taught that there are snares and circumstances which await us in our path through life, of which we need to beware. Paul as a father among his children had helped his beloved Philippians out of those snares, and thus saved them from their evil ends. Now he was away from them, and he warns them to be no less obedient in his absence than they had been in his presence; nay, rather more so on account of his absence, since they must now look out for themselves -ever remembering that it was God who, by His Spirit, was working in them the willing and the doing of His good pleasure.

The fact that what the apostle had taught them was the "good pleasure" of God Himself was surely enough to call for "fear and trembling" lest they disobeyed it in any part. It was not the slavish fear of perishing which false teaching would make it; for the Saviour says of His sheep, "they shall never perish ;" but it was that holy fear and trembling produced in the soul by the Infinite Love which has saved us, lest we should grieve it. M. M.