Love to Christ, necessary to escape the curse at his coming

CHAP. VII. Under the first Use we might learn these Lessons, or deduce these Ten Corollaries.

CHAP. VII. Ʋnder the first Ʋse we might learn these Lessons, or deduce these Ten Corollaries.

I. GOD only hath power to curse any of his Creatures; He that made us can only really and effectually make us a Blessing, or a Curse. Sin might meritoriously subject us to the Curse, but God only can inflict all the Curse that Sin doth deserve. Wicked men might wish others accursed, and do; but their wishing them to be so, doth not make them so: By cursing others, they might sooner bring a Curse upon themselves, than upon those whom they do curse; let them beware of this, that cannot speak of some persons, but with a Curse in their mouths; Psal. 109.17. As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. 18. As he clothed himself with cursing, like as with a garment; so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. That Cursings as well as Blessings belong to God, Balaam himself did teach. Numb. 23.7. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaak the King of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the East, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come defy Israel. 8. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?

I. GOD only hath power to curse any of his Creatures; He that made us can only really and effectually make us a Blessing, or a Curse. Sin might meritoriously subject us to the Curse, but God only can inflict all the Curse that Sin doth deserve. Wicked men might wish others accursed, and do; but their wishing them to be so, doth not make them so: By cursing others, they might sooner bring a Curse upon themselves, than upon those whom they do curse; let them beware of this, that cannot speak of some persons, but with a Curse in their mouths;