The testimony of our conscience
Such is the voice of every true believer in Christ, so long as he abides in faith and love. The one who follows me, says our Lord, does not walk in darkness (John 8:12). And while he has the light, he rejoices in it. As he has received the Lord Jesus Christ, so he walks in him. And while he walks in him, the apostle's exhortation takes hold in his soul day by day: Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice (Philippians 4:4).
But so that we do not build our house upon the sand, lest when the rains come down, and the winds blow, and the floods rise and beat upon it, it fall, and great is the fall of it, I intend in the following discourse to show what the nature and ground of a Christian's joy are. We know, in general, that it is that happy peace, that calm satisfaction of spirit, which arises from such a testimony of his conscience as the apostle describes here. But to understand this more thoroughly, we must weigh all his words. From that it will easily appear both what we are to understand by conscience, and what by the testimony of it, and also how the one who has this testimony rejoices evermore.
1771 text
This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.
1. SUCH is the voice of every true believer in Christ, so long as he abides in faith and love. He that followeth me, saith our Lord, walketh not in darkness: And while he hath the light, he rejoiceth therein. As he hath received the Lord Jesus Christ, so he walketh in him. And while he walketh in him, the exhortation of the apostle takes place in his soul day by day, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.
2. But that we may not build our house upon the sand, (lest when the rains descend, and the winds blow, and the floods arise and beat upon it, it fall, and great be the fall thereof) I intend, in the following discourse, to shew, what is the nature and ground of a Christian’s joy. We know, in general, It is that happy peace, that calm satisfaction of spirit, which arises from such a testimony of his conscience, as is here described by the apostle. But in order to understand this the more throughly, it will be requisite to weigh all his words: whence will easily appear, both what we are to understand by conscience, and what, by the testimony thereof; and also, how he that hath this testimony rejoiceth evermore.
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.