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{The Application
Application for the Godly
Directions for Carrying On a Constant Holy Course of Life
Put Yourselves in Upright Condition
Pursue Peace}
“Let your reasonableness342 be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5–7 ESV). So that it may appear in your outward conduct of life, maintain tranquility and serenity of mind, and let all be quiet and in a due and equal composure within you. Let there be no noises or tumults, but as much as possible, let there be a constant quietude and calm on your spirits. Moderate your cares, fears, and passions. Say to your spirits, when they begin to swell, what Christ said to the wind and waters: “Peace, be still.” Get the command of all things inside of you and keep them under constant discipline. Be anxious for nothing, fear nothing, and be impatient at nothing. Thus, whatever happens outside of you, you may be able to say with the apostle, “None of these things move me” (Acts 20:24).343 Do not be like those weak bodies whose health changes with the weather. Be able to bear whatever changes happen from around you without any perturbations or perplexing emotions. “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19 NASB). Christians, if you can just keep an even temperament, whatever happens, you may keep your way and hold on to your course, whatever happens. A heart out of quiet will put your whole person out of course. If you can be quiet and patient, you may be anything and do anything that God will have you be or do. Let your fears, passions, or impatience loose, and where might they carry you? When you should be denying yourselves, you will be fending for yourselves apart from Christ. When you should be following Christ, you will be running from Christ. When you should be working out your salvation, all your care will be taken up in how to save your skin whole. Let these principles be well learned and you will have nothing to do but attend to your work and run the race that God has set before you.
342The word that is translated “reasonableness” in this verse as quoted from the ESV is ἐπιεικὲς [epiaykes], an adjective that Alleine and the KJV translate as “moderation,” the NASB as “gentle spirit,” the HCSB as “graciousness,” and the NKJV as “gentleness.” The NKJV also has as a footnote, “or graciousness or forbearance.” Its noun form means “gentle,” “kind,” and “forbearing.” It has connotations of “equitable,” “right,” and “fitting.” All of these concepts apply mainly to interpersonal relationships. Alleine titled this subchapter as “Be Moderate.” But Alleine’s prose clearly indicates that he is primarily using “moderate” more broadly, in the sense of lack of intensity or extremes. As a verb, it means to damp down, bring under control, calm, or make less vigorous. The editor thus translates the title from “Be Moderate” to “Pursue Peace,” in reference to that fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22; Hebrews 12:11). Philippians 4:6 commands us to not be anxious, that is, to be at peace, and bring the matter to God. Verse 7 promises us a resultant peace and protection from God. By this means, we are greatly helped to obey the command of verse 5 to be at peace with others by being reasonable, gentle, forbearing, and so on. With this foundation, Alleine will shortly exhort us in a forthcoming subchapter to be peaceable with other people.
343The context is: “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:22–24 NKJV, emphasis added). However, there is a textual variant in which the first part of verse 24 begins with, “But I do not account my life of any value” (ESV), instead of, “But none of these things move me.” The KJV translates similarly to the NKJV, while the NASB, NIV, and HCSB translate similarly to the ESV.
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