Love to Christ, necessary to escape the curse at his coming by Tho. Doolittle ...

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 Condi∣tion is good for the present, and shall escape the Curse hereafter. What! against the plain Asser∣tions 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 Argu∣ments.

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 ac∣cursed: 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 Affe∣ction? doth not hatred keep at the greatest di∣stance, 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 drop∣ped 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 ac∣cursed 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 Be∣nefits 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 con∣trary; but it would be your safer way now by the Word of God to be convinced to the con∣trary.

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 be∣long, 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 Ex∣cellency 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 af∣ter all you slight him, and for his Love, and for his Sufferings, you will not so much as love him. Con∣sider 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 con∣demn 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 esca∣ping 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 sa∣tisfied 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-perfor∣mance 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 fi∣nally 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 count∣ed 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 Unbe∣lievers, 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 Ob∣ject of it; for the World and Christ, Sin and Christ,

cannot at the same time, by the same man, be su∣perlatively 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 accur∣sed; 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 hypo∣crisy; they are Deceivers of themselves, Deceivers of other men, and go about to deceive God him∣self. 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 cur∣sed 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 ano∣ther, 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 rob∣bing 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 rob∣best 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 accur∣sed 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 fil∣thy 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 A∣dulterers, 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 Strum∣pet 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 Scrip∣ture, a going a Whoring from God. Hos. 4.12. A playing the harlot. Jer. 3.1. Thou hast played the har∣lot 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 mi∣serable condition, and will be worse when the Lord comes.

Some please themselves with this as an Evidence of their good Condition, and hope of Salva∣tion, 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 es∣cape 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 ac∣cursed: Final Non-Lovers of Christ shall be command∣ed to depart from Christ, and be driven from his glori∣ous 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 trust∣ing 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 Con∣dition 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 Conclu∣sion, 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 him∣self, 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 esca∣ping 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 fulfil∣ling 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, ac∣cursed when the Lord shall come.