A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

First,¹ Is the Pardoning Grace of God thus free? Take heed then, that you do not abuse, or turn it into Wantonness. Shall we continue in sin, because God so freely pardons sin, God forbid? Who would ever make such a cursed Inference as this, that ever had the least sense or touch of Divine Love upon his Heart. Every one loves to have his Ears tickled with this soft sweet downy Doctrine of God's free Grace and Love; and when they hear it, they stretch themselves upon it, and lull themselves fast asleep in sin. But what says the wise Man, Prov. 25.27. It is not good to eat much honey. No, there is no such dangerous Surfeit, as upon the sweet and luscious Truths of the Gospel. This Honey leaves a deadly sting in Men that abuse it to encourage themselves in sin. It is such disingenuity to argue from freeness of pardon, to freedom in sinning, ⟨p. 42⟩that I dare say, That no Heart that ever had a pardon sealed to it by the Witness of the Spirit of God, but utterly abhors it. What therefore to provoke God, because he is ready to forgive? What to multiply sin, because God is ready to pardon? What is this, but to spurn at those Bowels of Mercy that yearn towards us, and even to strike at God with that Golden Sceptre that he holds out to us, as a Token of Love and Peace: Certainly they who thus argue, and who thus act, never knew what a sweet and powerful Attractiveness there is in the sense of pardoning Grace and Love, to win over the Heart, from the practice of those sins that God hath forgot to punish.

First,¹ Is the Pardoning Grace of God thus free? Take heed then, that you do not abuse, or turn it into Wantonness. Shall we continue in sin, because God so freely pardons sin, God forbid? Who would ever make such a cursed Inference as this, that ever had the least sense or touch of Divine Love upon his Heart. Every one loves to have his Ears tickled with this soft sweet downy Doctrine of God's free Grace and Love; and when they hear it, they stretch themselves upon it, and lull themselves fast asleep in sin. But what says the wise Man, Prov. 25.27