By the grace of God
It could not be that he should ever reach this, except by the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord, or by the grace of God, another expression of nearly the same meaning. By the grace of God is sometimes to be understood that free love, that unmerited mercy, by which I, a sinner, through the merits of Christ, am now reconciled to God. But in this place it rather means that power of God the Holy Ghost which works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
As soon as ever the grace of God in the former sense, his pardoning love, is shown to our soul, the grace of God in the latter sense, the power of his Spirit, takes place in it. And now we can perform, through God, what was impossible for man. Now we can set our manner of life right. We can do all things in the light and power of that love, through Christ who strengthens us. We now have the testimony of our conscience, which we could never have by fleshly wisdom, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we live our manner of life in the world.
1771 text
15. It could not be that ever he should attain to this, but by the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord: or by the grace of God; another expression of nearly the same import. By the grace of God is sometimes to be understood, that free love, that unmerited mercy, by which I a sinner, thro’ the merits of Christ, am now reconciled to God. But in this place it rather means, that power of God the Holy Ghost, which worketh in us both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. As soon as ever the grace of God, in the former sense, his pardoning love is manifested to our soul, the grace of God, in the latter sense, the power of his Spirit, takes place therein. And now we can perform, thro’ God, what to man was impossible. Now we can order our conversation aright. We can do all things in the light and power of that love, thro’ Christ which strengtheneth us. We now have the testimony of our conscience, which we could never have by fleshly wisdom, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in the world.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 12 in the 1771 Works. Second Corinthians 1:12.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.