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

and so the People perish for want of knowledge, under the sound of profoundest knowledge, shall have little thanks from such People at the Judgment-day; and what Reward he shall have from Christ, when he comes to take an account of Ministers for preaching, and People for hearing, let him take into his serious thoughts, and learn of Learned Paul, who hath left a pattern of the wisest Preaching, 2 Cor. 4.5. For we preach not our selves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and our selves your servants for Jesus sake, lest not preaching Jesus the Lord, but himself, as if he were more than a Servant, and Jesus not Lord, he find, when Preaching and Hearing are ended and cease, Maran-atha, and Anathema, be joined together.

VIII. Must they be cursed that love not Christ? then know, that outward Prosperity and this Curse are consistent. A man might be a prospering man in this World, and cursed in this World, and in the World to come.

Do you see many, whose Lives declare they have no sincere love to Christ in their Hearts, thrive and abound in outward Enjoyments? not love Christ, and yet are strong: not love Christ, and yet are rich: not love Christ, and yet be in honour: What then? Might not a man in health be a cursed man? nay, the more strength he hath, the more able he is to do the Devil Service, and so his strength is a curse unto him. The more he enjoyeth of the World, the more he hath to love, and the more he loves it; and so his Enjoyments are a curse unto him, when they keep him from placing his love upon Jesus Christ. Have you not read, that mens Blessings are cursed; Mal. 2.2. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts; I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. God threatens to curse wicked mens Blessings; I will curse your blessings. I will! that is not to do now, I have cursed them already.