Love to Christ, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Ten Arguments that prove the Neceſſity of this Love to Chriſt, for the avoiding of the Curſe.
DOTH it need any further proof than the Text it ſelf? what other conſtruction can you make of it? If you believe that this is the Word of God, and that God's Word is true, how can you queſtion, whether a Non-Lover of Chriſt ſhall be a curſed Wretch at the coming of the Lord? but you love not Chriſt, and yet you hope, to be bleſſed when he comes; you have no ſincere love to him, and yet perſwade your ſelves your Condition is good for the preſent, and ſhall eſcape the Curſe hereafter. What! againſt the plain Aſſertions of the Word of God? Will not you only bear me down, that you ſhall be bleſſed; but will you alſo bear down Paul; nay, and God himſelf too, that it is well with you now, and ſhall go well with you at the coming of the Lord, and after that for ever? Miſerable men! that have no other hopes that they ſhall eſcape the Curſe, but that God ſhould not be true, and his Word ſhould not be true, and all his Servants that come and preach to them in his Name, and warn them of this Curſe, do not deliver the very truth unto them: But whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, I will proceed to evidence this truth to you by theſe following Arguments.
Arg. 1. He that loves not Chriſt, is not in Chriſt; he that is not in Chriſt, is in his ſins; he that is in his ſins is accurſed, therefore he that loves not Chriſt, is accurſed: And being found ſo when he comes, ſhall be curſed at his coming. He that hath no ſincere love to Chriſt, hath ſtill his old Heart, and his old Love remaining in him; and he that hath his old Heart, is not in Chriſt: 2 Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature; old things are paſt away; behold, all things are become new.
Can you be in Chriſt, and not the love of Chriſt be in you? Can you be in Chriſt, and your heart turn away from Chriſt? Can you be in Chriſt, while your heart is ſet againſt Chriſt? and is not your heart againſt him, while you have no love for him? can there be any Union, where there is no liking Affection? doth not hatred keep at the greateſt diſtance, and maintain the wideſt ſeparation?
If you be not in Chriſt, can you bring forth any Fruit pleaſing unto God? Joh. 15.4. — As the branch cannot bear fruit of it ſelf, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me: And if you bring forth no fruit, ſhall you not be caſt into the fire? Joh. 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he is caſt forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and caſt them into the fire, and they are burnt: And are you ſuch as ſhall be caſt into the fire, and flames of Hell, and are you not in a curſed, dangerous, and miſerable Condition? Can a bad Tree bring forth good Fruit? and if it do not, is it not for the fire? Mat. 3.10. And now alſo the ax is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down, and caſt into the fire. Hath not the rain of heavenly Doctrine dropped upon you, and yet do you bring forth any thing but Briars and Thorns, when you have no love to Chriſt? and are you not then rejected, and your end to be burned? and is then the Curſe far from you? Heb. 6.7. The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dreſſed, receiveth bleſſing from God; 8. But that which beareth thorns and briars, is rejected, and is nigh unto curſing, whoſe end is to be burned: and when you come to that end, will you not then acknowledge your ſelves to be Anathema?
Arg. 2. He that loveth not Chriſt, is under the curſes of the Law; therefore he that loveth not Chriſt, is accurſed: For if all the Curſes of the Law lighting and abiding upon a man, will prove a man an accurſed man, the man that hath no ſincere love to Chriſt, muſt be the man. For tho the Law as a Covenant be not in force, ſo that we are not to ſeek Salvation by it; yet the penalty and threatnings of the Law are in full power againſt that man that ſubmitteth not to Chriſt, according to the Covenant of Grace; for though Chriſt was made a Curſe to redeem us from the Curſe, yet thoſe only have the ſaving Benefits of that Redemption, that have ſound-Faith in, and unfeigned ſincere love to Jeſus Chriſt. If by the Law you would eſcape the Curſe threatned by the Law, you muſt do every thing contained in the Law. Gal. 3.10. —Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them: You cannot do any one thing required in the Law, as preſcribed by the Law, and yet ſo ſlight Chriſt, that you will not ſo much as love him, and ſtill think you are exempted from the Curſe of the Law. God will convince you to the contrary; and except you haſten to love Chriſt before you die, the Flames of Hell will convince you to the contrary; but it would be your ſafer way now by the Word of God to be convinced to the contrary.
Arg. 3. He that loveth not Jeſus Chriſt ſincerely, is under condemnation by the Goſpel; Therefore he that loveth not Chriſt, is accurſed. The Goſpel taken for the whole Doctrine of Chriſt, hath its terrible tidings, as well as comfortable; Threatnings as well as Promiſes; a Sentence of Damnation, as well as of Abſolution; and more dreadful and intolerable than thoſe of the Law: And to whom do they belong, and upon whom ſhall they be inflicted, if not upon the Contemners of the Meſſage of the Goſpel? and who contemn the Goſpel-meſſage more than they, that will not be perſuaded to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt?
Doth not the Goſpel ſet forth Chriſt in his Excellency and Beauty to you? Doth it not declare what he hath ſuffered for you? Doth it not tell you what he hath purchaſed for you, and will beſtow upon you? and is not all this to gain your Love, to win your Hearts and Affections to Chriſt? yet after all you ſlight him, and for his Love, and for his Sufferings, you will not ſo much as love him. Conſider ſeriouſly what Chriſt ſaith concerning ſuch: John 3.19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds were evil. If the Law condemn you, you might have recourſe to the Goſpel; but if the Goſpel condemn you, whither will you go for ſuccour?
Arg. 4. There is no way ordained by God for Final-Non-Lovers of Chriſt… to eſcape the puniſhment of Sin, and the Torments of Hell; therefore ſuch are in an accurſed damnable Condition. When man had broken the Covenant of Works, God ſent his Son to die, and ſatisfy for the breach of that Covenant, ſo that Salvation is not impoſſible; and the eſcaping of the threatned Curſe, is not impoſſible: And though you have ſinned againſt the Goſpel by not loving of Chriſt hitherto; yet Chriſt hath ſo far ſatisfied for ſins againſt the Goſpel, that upon your acceptance of Chriſt, you might have Remiſſion and Salvation: but if you die without Love to Chriſt, and Faith in him, Chriſt did not ſatisfy for that Sin, nor die for the expiating of the final violation of the Covenant of Grace, or for the final-non-performance of the Conditions thereof: So that you ſin againſt the very remedy prepared to help Sinners out of their Miſery; and can you be ſaved that finally refuſe the Saviour? Can you eſcape the Curſe, that to the laſt gaſp reject the only Remedy; for beſides this there is no other. Heb. 10.26. For if we ſin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin: 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, that ſhall devour the Adverſaries. 28. He that deſpiſed Moſes's law, died without mercy, under two or three witneſſes. 29. Of how much ſorer puniſhment, ſuppoſe ye, ſhall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was ſanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done deſpight to the ſpirit of grace.
Arg. 5. He that hath no love to Chriſt, hath no faith in Chriſt; he that hath no faith in Chriſt, is condemned; he that is condemned, is in a miſerable curſed condition; therefore he that doth not love Chriſt, is ſo. Sound Faith, and ſincere Love, are inſeparable Graces. Thoſe that are Non-Lovers of Chriſt, are Unbelievers, and Unbelievers are condemned men. Joh. 3.18. he that believeth on him, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, becauſe he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Oh pity your Children, your Parents, your Friends and Neighbours, that love not Chriſt; for being deſtitute of Love, they are void of that Faith that is a condition of Salvation; and being void of that, are condemned Perſons.
Arg. 6. Thoſe that have not ſincere love to Chriſt, are in the ſame condition in which they were born; and you all ſay that is an accurſed damnable condition; For by nature all are children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. and Children of wrath are curſed Children. Some are ſo ignorant, as to ſay, they have loved Chriſt ever ſince they were born, as if they were born with love in their hearts to Chriſt; whereas love to Chriſt is not in us by the Firſt Birth, but by the Second; not by the Natural, but by the Spiritual Birth. Our State by Nature is a State of bitterneſs and bonds; as bitter as gaul, Act. 8.23. And while you are in a State of Nature, the World hath your Love, and Sin hath your Love, therefore Chriſt is not the Object of it; for the World and Chriſt, Sin and Chriſt, cannot at the ſame time, by the ſame man, be ſuperlatively loved: It muſt then be granted that you were born without love to Chriſt; and being in the ſame condition in which you were born, you have lived hitherto without love to Chriſt; and add but a third, that you die without love to Chriſt, and then the next moment after death you will ſee, and ſay, your Condition is accurſed.
Arg. 7. Deceivers in the Worſhip of God are accurſed; thoſe that come to pray, and hear, and not love Chriſt, are ſuch Deceivers. All ſuch mens Religious Duties and Services are done in deceit and hypocriſy; they are Deceivers of themſelves, Deceivers of other men, and go about to deceive God himſelf. What is to play the Hypocrite, if this be not? to give God your Words, but not your Hearts? what is deceitful dealing if this be not, to give God and Chriſt outward Service, and deny him your Love? to do the outward Action, and withhold from him the inward Affection? would you be paid what is owing to you in ſuch Coyn? in that which hath the colour and reſemblance of Gold, but underneath is baſe Metal? Would you not cry out of ſuch a one as a Deceiver? and is this a fault in men to you? and is it no fault in you to God? are you ready to curſe ſuch a man, and will not God curſe you? Read Mal. 1.14. But curſed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and ſacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: For I am a great King, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. You bring him ſome cold Prayers, have you not an Heart to give him? you bring him ſome outward Expreſſions, have not you inwards Affections to bring him? you offer him Words, and deny him your Love. Are theſe curſed Doings? and yet not you, the Doers of them, accurſed?
Arg. 8. Robbers and Thieves are accurſed; Non-Lovers of Chriſt are Robbers and Thieves. For whoſe are you? God's, or your own? Whoſe by right are your Hearts? the World's, or Chriſt's? Who ſhould have your Love as due, to whom doth it belong, to the World, or Vanity; to Self, or to Chriſt? that which you purchaſe, do not you call your own? that which you pay dear for, is it not your own? and would it not be robbery in another, without your Conſent, to keep it from you? Hath not Chriſt bought you with a price given for you, more than you are worth? He made your Hearts to love him, and when you defaced them, and ſinned away the love of God, did not Chriſt buy you? hath not he paid dear to have your Love? might you ſet your Love upon what you pleaſe? might you place it upon what Object you liſt? for are not you, Body and Soul, Chriſt's by purchaſe? 1 Cor. 6.19. What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghoſt, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20. For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your ſpirit, which are God's. Is it not a robbing of Chriſt, to deny him his own? and is not he that is a Robber of God, and Chriſt, a curſed Wretch? If thou ſhouldeſt rob thy Father, or Mother, or a Stranger, wouldſt thou not be accounted a vile Tranſgreſſor? how comes it to paſs, that thou robbeſt God, and Chriſt, and makes no matter of it? but God doth. Mal. 3.8. Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me: But ye ſay, wherein have we robbed thee? in tithes and offerings. 9. Ye are curſed with a curſe, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. They are ſaid to rob God in Tithes and Offerings; and you, in your Hearts and Affections. And what is the taking away of Tithes, to the taking away of the Heart, and love thereof: and yet God curſed them with a Curſe, that is, certainly accurſed them; how then wilt thou eſcape? God might charge thee, that thou haſt played the Thief with him, and haſt ſtoln away thy Love from him; and haſt gone and pawned it for a little Silver, or a filthy Luſt; and yet haſt no mind, nor ſerious thought for to get it redeemed, or fetched out of pawn.
Arg. 9. Thoſe that love not Chriſt, are ſpiritual Adulterers, and go a whoring from God. Do not you profeſs to be married to Chriſt? what! and give your love to the World, to Pleaſures, to the Strumpet Sin? Is that a chaſt Woman that loveth another man more than her own Husband? to love other things more than God, and Chriſt, is called in Scripture, a going a Whoring from God. Hoſ. 4.12. A playing the harlot. Jer. 3.1. Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers. — Committing adultery, verſ. 8. and are Adulterers. Jam. 4.4. Ye adulterers and adultereſſes, know ye not that the friendſhip of this world is enmity with God? Whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. A Lover of the World is an Enemy of God; and are not thoſe that God taketh for his Enemies, in a bad and miſerable condition, and will be worſe when the Lord comes.
Some pleaſe themſelves with this as an Evidence of their good Condition, and hope of Salvation, that they are neither Whores, nor Thieves; but ſuch as love not Chriſt above all, in a Spiritual and Scriptural Senſe, are both. Such a one is a Thief in robbing God of that Love that is his due; and guilty of ſpiritual Whoredom, in loving other things more than Chriſt; and if you think to eſcape the Curſe, continuing in ſuch Sins, when the Lord comes, and you tried at his Bar, ſhall find you were wonderfully miſtaken, and meet with a Curſe, when you expected a Bleſſing.
Arg. 10. Such as ſhall be commanded to depart from Chriſt, and be driven from his glorious preſence, are accurſed: Final Non-Lovers of Chriſt ſhall be commanded to depart from Chriſt, and be driven from his glorious preſence. Your Heart that loves not Chriſt, is not towards God and Chriſt; and when he comes, his Heart ſhall not be towards you: your Heart is alienated from Chriſt, and then Chriſt's Heart ſhall be alienated from you: While you will not love, you ſay in your hearts to Chriſt, depart from us; and Chriſt will ſay to you, depart ye from me. As he that truſteth in the Creature, his heart departeth from God; ſo he that loveth the Creature more than God, his heart departeth from God; and he whoſe heart departeth from God, either by truſting to, or loving of the Creature more than God, is accurſed. Jer. 17.5. Thus ſaith the Lord, Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arm, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord. And when Chriſt ſhall command you to depart from him, you ſhall find your ſelves in a curſed condition, Matth. 25.40. Such as do not love the Lord Jeſus, do not obey the Goſpel, for the Goſpel commands your Love; and they that do not obey the Goſpel at Chriſt's coming, ſhall be ſeparated from him; and they that ſhall be ſeparated from him then, ſhall find and feel themſelves accurſed. 2 Theſſ. 1.7. —When the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels; 8. In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. 9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Are you yet convinced of your deplorable Condition by reaſon of the want of love to Jeſus Chriſt? Do you not ſee the Curſe of God hangs over your Soul? Can you reply to this proof, or deny it? or will you ſtill hold to your old Concluſion, that you ſhall not be thus accurſed; like to what is recorded, Deut. 29.19. And it ſhall come to paſs, when he heareth the words of this curſe, that he bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenneſe to thirſt. Behold, a man bleſſing himſelf, whom the Lord declared accurſed! But what then? Is the Curſe the further from him, or the Bleſſing nearer to him? Read on Verſe 20. The Lord will not ſpare him; but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealouſie, ſhall ſmoak ageinſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this hook ſhall lie upon him: and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven: 21. And the Lord ſhall ſeparate him unto evil, out of all the Tribes of Iſrael, according to all the curſes of the Covenant, that are written in this book of the Law. It is but a poor ſhift to Iull your Conſciences aſleep with groundleſs hopes of eſcaping the Curſe, contrary to the expreſs word of God, who will not ſuffer one tittle of it to fall to the ground, though in the accompliſhment and fulfilling of it millions of Sinners fall into Hell. The Curſe then being certainly to fall upon the Final-Non-Lovers of Chriſt, the third thing in order follows, to open to you what kind of Curſe it ſhall be, to be Anathema when Maran-atha, accurſed when the Lord ſhall come.