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

Many are apt to call the proud happy; Mal. 3.15. The Rich, though bad, are thought by many to be blessed: a great mistake! all men might see their outward Blessings, but all have not eyes to behold the inward Curses that lie under those outward Blessings. Is it not a Curse to have Riches without Grace? to have our Portion and Blessings, and all in this Life? to prosper in the World, and to be every moment in danger of Hell? do you look upon it to be such happiness to have all for the Body, and nothing for the Soul? to have Earth, and nothing of ⟨p. 92⟩Heaven, and nothing to show for them? You read of some that have their Portion in this life on Earth, Psal. 17.14. and you might read that their Portion on Earth is a cursed Portion, Job 24.18. and was it not so with the Rich man spoken of in the Gospel? that on Earth had his purple robes, and fine linen, and sumptuous costly dishes every day. O happy man! but stay till you hear the end: He died, and whither then? to Hell. Where is now your happy man? and what is his condition there? what, there he finds more pain, than on Earth pleasure: there he feels more torment and terror, than all his days on Earth had pleasure and delight; Luk. 16.25. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Remember! that vexeth, not easeth: in thy life-time; but that was but for the time of life, which then was short and sweet; but this Life where now I am, more properly called Death than Life, is long and bitter: receivest thy good things; but amongst them all hadst not a good God, a good Conscience, nor one good Fruit of the Spirit; no, not so much as love to Christ; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented; he is blessed, and thou art cursed: he is happy, and thou art miserable. Behold the change! the world's blessed man, is now the cursed man: and he that was the miserable man in the esteem of the World, is now the blessed man.

Many are apt to call the proud happy;