the Lord helping me this morning
I'll direct your prayerful attention to Philippians chapter 2 verses
12 to 13 verses 12 and 13 of Philippians chapter 2 the chapter
that we read wherefore my beloved as you 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. Having considered on previous
occasions verses 5 to 11 of this chapter, I thought it would be
good to continue this morning and to follow on to these next
two verses. Wherefore, my beloved, as you
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 it's evident that the Apostle Paul
had a great affection for the believers at Philippi my beloved
he calls them in our text this morning my beloved and see how
he speaks to them in chapter one Verse three, I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you
all, making requests with joy for your fellowship in the gospel
from the first day until now. And in verse eight of that chapter,
for God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels
of Jesus Christ. again in the fourth chapter in
the last chapter of this epistle he calls them my dearly beloved
my dearly beloved twice in verse one therefore my dearly beloved
and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my
dearly beloved the apostle loved them and he loved them because of
the love that he had for the Lord Jesus Christ and because
the Lord himself had loved them and had begotten them through
his gospel and everyone that loveth him that begat loveth
him also that is begotten of him this is a mark of new life
in Christ Jesus is it not again John says there in his epistle
first epistle We know that we have passed from death unto life
because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother
abideth in death. Now, concerning the city of Philippi,
we know that it was the chief city of that part of Macedonia
and a colony as we read in Acts chapter 16. It was called Philippi after
Philip II of Macedon, King Philip II. He was the father of Alexander
the Great. And he built the city, the city
of Philippi, and he fortified it. But you know, it was God
who beautified it by establishing a church there. In the book of
Acts we read of how the Apostle Paul had been directed in a vision
to preach the gospel there. It's interesting to read the
account there in Acts chapter 16. For we see there the sovereignty
of God even over when and where the gospel is to be preached. Acts 16 verse 6. Now when they
had gone through throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and
were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after
they had come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the
spirit suffered them not. And they, passing by Mysia, came
down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. there stood
a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia,
and help us. And after he had seen the vision,
immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly
gathering, that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel
unto them. We'll see the sovereignty of
God even over when and where the gospel is to be preached.
His sovereign, of course, even over with regards to those who
hear the gospel the fact that you are here this morning is
no accident well we read there in that chapter
of how Paul and his companions eventually came to Philippi and
we read of the conversion of Lydia and of the Philippian jailer
and of their families, their households And it was from these
small beginnings that the Church of Philippi was established and
built up. And so we see why the Apostle
had such a great affection for this Church. Wherefore, my beloved,
he says. Wherefore, my beloved. In this
second chapter of his epistle, Paul is exalting the believers
there in Philippi, to persevere in the faith and to persevere
in their obedience to the gospel wherefore my beloved as ye have
always obeyed not as in my presence only but how much more in my
absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling now note
this there is such a thing as the obedience of faith and obedience
to the faith those two phrases we read in Paul's epistle to
the Romans the obedience of faith and obedience to the faith and of the Romans Paul writes
for your obedience is come abroad unto all men and Peter is in
agreement with Paul of course He writes of the elect, according
to the full knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ. And again he says, what shall
be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? There
is such a thing as the obedience of faith, and obedience to the
faith. Well, the Apostle here commends
the obedience of the Philippians, and he urges them to continue
in their obedience to the Gospel now that he was absent from them,
now being a prisoner at Rome. Wherefore, my beloved, as you
have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much
more in my absence. And he says, much more in my
absence, that it might be evident that there was a real work of
God within them, that it might be evident that they were not
hypocrites, merely obeying the gospel when the apostle was present
with them. For it is God which worketh in
you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Now, before
we more carefully consider the words of our text, we should
also note the word wherefore. The word wherefore refers us
back to what Paul had been saying previously in this chapter. He
had been exalting the Philippians to unity in the faith, to fortitude
and patience in suffering, to brotherly love and to humility. And he had set before them the
perfect example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself
of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and
was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven
and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father. You see how the apostle, in order
to enforce his arguments, his exhortations, he always points
the believers to the gospel. Never to the law, to the gospel. 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. Salvation is the great subject
of these two verses. And I would suggest three headings
this morning to help us in our consideration of this portion
of God's holy and inspired word. Firstly, salvation worked for. Secondly, salvation worked in.
And then thirdly, salvation worked out. Well, may the Lord help
us then as we consider this portion of holy scripture. 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 firstly then let us
consider salvation worked for salvation worked for now salvation of course is not
something that can be worked for that is at least by us we
cannot earn or merit salvation for by grace are ye saved through
faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works as any man should
boast. There can be no boasting in the
presence of God. God only will be glorified. If
a man can be saved by his works, then there is a cause for rejoicing
in one's own works. The glory is taken away from
God, you see. And this is the testimony of
the whole of the Scriptures. Salvation is of the Lord, says
Jonah. In the Psalms, for God is my
King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. In
the New Testament, not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Men cannot work
for their own salvation. It's an impossibility. Why so? Well, because we have sinned
and we are sinners. We sinned in Adam. And we are
sinners in our own selves, being the sinful descendants of a sinner,
Adam. And what can a sinner do but
sin? All that proceeds from us is
sin. The psalmist says, The wicked
are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they
be born, speaking lies. And that very same thing is written
even of the people of God. For I knew that thou wouldest
deal very treacherously and was called a transgressor from the
womb. All a transgressor can do is
transgress. All a sinner can do is sin. Isaiah says again, but we are
all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags. The word there, filthy rags,
in the Hebrew actually means a menstruous cloth. all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags so not our sins our righteousnesses filthy rags and
we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind
have taken us away oh yes we are unclean being fallen in Adam
and all our best works our supposed righteousnesses are unclean in
the sight of a holy God But what if I do this or that?
Surely the Lord will have mercy on me if I give my goods to the
poor, if I help the poor people, if I, you know, go to church. The Lord will have mercy on me
if I do this, if I do that, if I say my prayers. All our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags. Do you think that God's pardon
could be purchased by your feeble doings? By the imperfect works
of an imperfect creature? By the impure deeds of an impure
creature? Do you think that God is a judge
that can be bought off and bribed that he should not punish you
for your manifold transgressions and for your mighty sins? Supposing you could work some
great work to placate the wrath of God as if that were possible.
Are you now able to cease from sinning? Can the Ethiopian change his
skin or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good that
are accustomed to do evil. It is an utter impossibility
for a sinner to work salvation for himself. but hear the good news and that
of course is the meaning of the word gospel good news there is
one who has worked salvation for sinners and that one is the
person of the only begotten Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ
and this he did when he who is God was manifest in the flesh
when he who is equal with God made himself of no reputation
and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the
likeness of men when he who is the creator came as a man a sinless
man being born of a virgin the man Christ Jesus he was made
of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under
the law Being made under the law, he perfectly kept that holy
law of God in its entirety. He left nothing undone that had
to be done. He went about doing good. He
did no sin. Neither was guile felt in his
mouth. and it is His perfect law-keeping, Christ's perfect
keeping of the law in our nature, which is the only acceptable
righteousness before God. There is no other righteousness
which will stand in the sight of a holy God, Christ's righteousness
only. The Lord is well-pleased for
His righteousness' sake, says Isaiah, or He is Jehovah's sake. Can you? the Lord our righteousness
says Jeremiah the Lord Jesus Christ has not only worked salvation
for his people by the perfect keeping of the law on their behalf
but he's also worked salvation for his people by enduring the
just punishment of the law for their transgressions and for
their sins yes he died the just for the unjust that is he died
in their place in their stead and being found in fashion as
a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even
the death of the cross Isaiah says but he was wounded for our
transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement
of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed
all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his
own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all
and again for the transgression of my people was he stricken
the blessed Lord Jesus was able to say in prayer to the Father,
I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the work
which Thou gavest me to do. The work of the Lord Jesus Christ
was to live and to die for His people. The work of the Lord
Jesus Christ was to keep the law for His people and then to
offer up Himself as the innocent sacrifice for their sins. The
work of the Lord Jesus Christ is full and final and finished. complete atonement thou hast
made and to the utmost farthing paid whate'er thy people owed
how then can wrath on me take place if sheltered in thy righteousness
and sprinkled with thy blood?" Oh, this is salvation worked
for and what a work it is! Salvation wrought by the dear
Lamb of God and this shall be the never-ending theme of heaven's
eternal praises after this I beheld John says in the revelation and
lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations
and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before
the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands and
cried with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth
upon the throne and unto the Lamb yes the Lamb is all the
glory in Emmanuel's land for He has saved us He has worked
salvation for His people there is then a salvation worked for
God's people and there is secondly a salvation worked in God's people
and this we see here in the words of our text for it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure the
salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ has worked for his people
must be worked in his people the atonement must be received
And I use the word received consciously and deliberately, not accept
it. We never read of sinners accepting
Jesus in the word of God. Sinners receive Christ. It's
completely different. yes the atonement must be received
as we see in Romans chapter 5 and not only so but we also joy in
God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received
the atonement it pleases God to reveal his son not only to
his people but in his people you know that Paul was a pattern
believer he writes to Timothy how be it for this cause I obtained
mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering
for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life
everlasting." He was, as it were, a pattern believer, and writing
to the Galatians he says, "...but when it pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal
his Son in me," to reveal his Son in me, there was the revealing
of Christ in him and as it was the case with the pattern believer
so it must be the case of all them which shall believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ to life everlasting there must and there will be
the revealing of Christ inwardly that is in the heart and in the
very soul of the sinner in another place Paul speaks
of the gospel as the mystery of God which hath been hid from
ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints,
to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope
of glory." Christ in you, the hope of glory. And the Lord Jesus,
speaking of the kingdom of God, says, Behold, the kingdom of
God is within you, Paul writes to the Thessalonians
in chapter 1 here, being confident of this very thing, that he which
has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ. The Lord works salvation in the
hearts of his people and he does it by his Spirit. It is only
when sinners are born again, born anew, born from above, that
they really begin to see themselves as sinners and as transgressors
of the law of God. Before that, you might as well
talk to your blue-in-the-face to a sinner dead in trespasses
and sins about the things of God. I remember, I used to try
to bear a witness at my place of work. I remember one lad saying
to me, well, you don't have to bother about your sins. Why do
you bother about sin? But when you're born again, Ah,
then you begin to think about your sins and you think about
your accountability before God and how you will stand in the
day of judgement and you will begin to think about eternity
and where you will spend eternity. Will it be in heaven or in hell? Paul speaks of the gospel as
that mystery now manifest. It's Christ within you. Jesus
speaks of it as the Kingdom of God within you. Paul speaks of it here in Philippians
as that good work in you. The Lord God works salvation
in the hearts of his people. He does it by his Spirit and
when they are born again they really do begin to see themselves
as transgressors. And it's only in the new birth
that sinners are made to see the utter futility of their own
works. They begin to see that their
own righteousnesses, as it were, can stand them in no stead before
God, that they will not avail on the day of judgment. It is only in the new birth that
sinners, transgressors are brought to see and to feel that in their
first birth they really are an unclean thing and that all their righteousnesses
are indeed filthy rags. It's only when a sinner is born
again of the Spirit of God that he begins to feel the need for
salvation and for deliverance. Have you been brought to that?
for the gospel is for sinners it's for sinners sensible sinners
they used to speak of in the old days the old particular baptist
sinners made sensible of their sins it's only by the quickening grace
of God the Holy Ghost that the sinner is made to flee to Christ
that he might receive the Atonement, that he might receive salvation
in and from Him who is the Saviour, and who alone is the Saviour.
For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do,
according to His good pleasure." Now see the folly of our modern-day
Calvinists. We might call them neo-Calvinists
or pseudo-Calvinists, who speak of offers of grace and offers
of salvation. You know, even Calvin is against
them. He says, and I quote, "...we
see that the entire praise is ascribed to God, and that what
sophists teach us is frivolous, that grace is offered to us and
placed, as it were, in the midst of us, that we may embrace it
if we choose." Why, even Calvin are against
these moderate Calvinists, so-called. we know that none are willing
to come to Christ unless the Lord makes them willing thy people
shall be willing in the day of thy power we read in the Psalms
in Psalm 110 and so it is here for his God
which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure it is the Lord who makes his
people willing to come to Christ to be saved by him, to receive
salvation from him and he bids all such willing sinners to come
now if you are willing to come to Christ it is because God has
worked in you both to will and to do and he bids all those who
are thus made willing to come and the spirit and the bride
say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is
a thirst come and whosoever will let him take The water of life,
freely. No payment is to be made, no
good works are required. Take it freely. It's freely given,
not freely offered, freely given. you see the Lord works in the
hearts of his people the will and the willingness to come and
he issues the invitation for them to come and it is the Lord
who actually causes them to come too he works in them you see
both to will and to do and so the Lord Jesus says in John chapter
6 no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me
draw him In the Psalms we read, Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto
thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. The Lord works in the
blessed subjects of his grace, the objects of his choice, both
to will and to do of his good pleasure. Unlike Isaac, what's
him? Why was I made to hear his voice
and enter while there's room, when thousands make a wretched
choice and rather starve than come? T'was the same love that
spread the feast that sweetly forced us in. Else we had still
refused to taste and perished in our sin. The whole of our salvation is
to be ascribed to God alone. the beginning of our salvation,
the end of our salvation, and everything between. It is of
His good pleasure. Of His good pleasure. We see then salvation worked
for. This is that work which Christ
has done for His people. We see salvation worked in. This
is the almighty and efficacious work of the Spirit of God in
the hearts of God's elect. and in the third place we see
salvation worked out it is worked out in the life and in the experience
of the believer wherefore my beloved as ye have also 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 the
fact that it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do
is an encouragement for us to work out our own salvation work out your own salvation for
it is God which worketh in you the fact that God has worked
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and made us willing to embrace
Christ by a true and living faith and to submit to him as king
and as the captain of our salvation, that he should rule over us and
reign in us by his spirit and by his word. This is surely an
encouragement for us to walk in obedience to all his holy
commands and precepts, the precepts of his gospel. For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. This
is what Paul is dealing with here, the matter of the believer's
obedience to the gospel of Christ. 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. The working out of our own salvation
is our obedience to the gospel. Where there is a salvation worked
in, there will inevitably be a salvation worked out. and isn't this the same as the
Lord tells us in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter
5 verse 14 ye are the light of the world a city that is set
on a hill cannot be hid Neither do men light a candle, and put
it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all
that are in the house. Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven." This is working out our own salvation.
And we note this, that Paul doesn't merely say work out your salvation,
it's not work out your salvation, it's work out your own salvation.
Work out your own salvation. Salvation is a very personal
thing. The Lord Jesus Christ died for particular individuals,
for particular persons on the cross, which is why we speak
of particular redemption. We are particular Baptists, we're
not general Baptists. General Baptists believe that
Jesus died for everyone. We believe that in a particular atonement,
a definite atonement, Christ died for individuals. and the
Holy Spirit works in the hearts of those individuals in the hearts
of all those for whom Christ has died the Lord has personal
dealings with every individual member of his mystical body the
church they are his dear elect he chose their persons before
the foundation of the world in our 13th article of faith It
says, He, that is, the Father, did make a covenant of grace
and peace with the Son and with the Holy Ghost on behalf of those
persons thus chosen, and that in this covenant the Son was
appointed a Saviour, and all spiritual blessings provided
for the elect, and also that their persons, with all the grace
and glory designed for them, were put into the hands of the
Son as their covenant head, and made His care and charge. Yes,
the Lord Jesus Christ knows the names of all those for whom he
stood as surety. As our great high priest, our
names are written on his breast. As the shepherd and bishop of
their souls, he knows the names of every one of his sheep. He knows them and he calls them
by name, that is, personally and individually. Salvation is
a personal thing. And so Paul says here, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling. And many times
we have throughout the scriptures, especially in the book of Psalms,
the expression, my salvation, my salvation. Can you say with the prophet
Isaiah, behold, God is my salvation. i will trust and not be afraid
for the lord jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become
my salvation can you pray like the psalmist
in psalm 25 show me thy ways oh lord teach me thy paths lead
me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the god of my salvation for thou art the God of my salvation
on thee do I wait all the day surely the words your own salvation
suggest that this salvation is something very precious it's
your own salvation it's something very precious and it's to be
handled with the utmost care This is why Paul says here, under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling. With fear and trembling. This
is the pearl of great price. It is the eternal salvation of
your never-dying soul. Yes, it is an eternal salvation.
Handle it very carefully then, with fear and trembling. And he's then on a warning here
against indolence and lethargy and fatalism. Peter says, and
beside this giving all diligence, mark the word diligence, and
giving, and beside this giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue. and to virtue, knowledge, and
to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and
to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness, charity, that's love. For if these things
be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar
off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Wherefore, the rather, brethren, give diligence..." Ah, there's
that word again, diligence. "...give diligence to make your
calling and election sure. For if ye do these things, ye
shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ." You see, where Paul says, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling, Peter says, give
diligence to make your calling and election sure. We see then, in the words of
our text this morning, how the Holy Spirit, speaking by the
mouth of the Apostle Paul, puts down all pride and presumption
in us. Pride is put down. for we are
taught that we are saved by none of our own works or doings or
deeds but only by the grace and mercy of God in choosing us in
Christ and by that salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ has
worked for us and which the Holy Spirit has worked in us pride
is put down for it's not of us presumption is put down too for our salvation is to be worked
out with fear and trembling. What do we know of this fear
and trembling? Now I don't often quote Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, but I thought that this was quite
good. He said, one of the best tests
of assurance is that we know something about fear and trembling. One of the best tests of assurance
is that we know something about fear and trembling. I think that's
true. If we know nothing of fear and trembling, then perhaps all
we have is mere presumption, not a true and living faith.
But many can say that, Christians. It's easy to say you're a Christian. To say that you have faith, to
be a professor rather than a possessor of grace. It's easy, you can
fool others, you can fool the pastor, you can fool your fellow
church members but you can't fool God. Do we have real faith? A living
faith? Or is it just presumption? Presumption
is put down because we see here that our salvation, our real
salvation is worked out with fear and trembling. Paul writing to the Hebrews says
let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entering into
his rest any of you should seem to come short of it. Paul knew something about this
fear and trembling But I keep under my body and bring it into
subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to
others, I myself should be a castaway. And Paul is there putting himself
forward as as an example for believers to follow. in 1 Corinthians
9 verse 24 he says know ye that they which run in a race run
all but one receiveth the prize so run that ye may obtain and
every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things
now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth
the air, but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection,
lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway. What do we know of this fear
and trembling? It is by this fear and trembling
that we cleave and keep close to our God. the Lord says by
Jeremiah the prophet and I will make an everlasting covenant
with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good
but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart
from me it's as if we are children being
carried by our parents along a very narrow ridge on either
side a dangerous precipice in our fear and in our trembling
we cleave to him in whose arms alone we are safe and who only
is able to carry us through to safety the eternal God is thy
refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms it is to the man that trembles
at God's word it is to the man who is dependent upon God's grace
to sustain him, to keep him that the Lord is pleased to look And
but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and
of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." Well, in conclusion, let us ever
remember that salvation can only be worked out when grace is worked
in, and when grace is at work within us. Jesus said, He that
abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit,
for without me ye can do nothing. We are ever dependent upon the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. From me is thy fruit found, he
says in Hosea. May the Lord then be pleased
to Bless his word to us. May he be pleased to work in
each of our hearts by his spirit, that we might indeed be enabled
by divine power and grace to work out our salvation, our own
salvation, with fear and trembling, that we might indeed be enabled
to walk in the path of obedience, the obedience of faith. The Lord
bless his word to us each. 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. Amen.