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

X. Do you love Christ, and never care if he never come again? Nay, you could be glad you might never leave this World, if you might have your pleasures and enjoyments in it; but that Christ should come to you by Death, or at Judgment, you have no desire, but sorrow at the thoughts thereof. Doth that Woman love her Husband that is gone a Journey, and the tidings of his coming back is sorrowful News unto her? The loving of the coming of Christ, is a character of such as shall be crowned when he comes. 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but ⟨p. 141⟩unto all them also that love his appearing. And the Spouse that was inflamed with Love, concludeth that Song of Love with this Request, Cant. 8.14. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices. And when in the last words (save one verse) of all the Book of God, Christ promiseth his last and speedy coming; the Church that loveth Christ, catcheth the promise out of his mouth, and turns it into a Prayer. Rev. 22.20. He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. But your heart saith rather, Oh not so, Lord Jesus; great love in the mean time in your heart. Yet one that truly loveth Christ might be sometimes filled with fear at the thoughts of Christs coming, not because he doth not love and desire it, but because he thinks he is not prepared for his coming, lest Christ should find him unfitted and unready at his coming, to enter with him into his glory; but while he doth defer his coming, the loving Soul is hasting in his preparations for it: As a Woman that is told her Suitor is coming, is greatly troubled, not because he is coming, but because she fears he might come before she he adorned as she doth desire.

X. Do you love Christ, and never care if he never come again? Nay, you could be glad you might never leave this World, if you might have your pleasures and enjoyments in it; but that Christ should come to you by Death, or at Judgment, you have no desire, but sorrow at the thoughts thereof. Doth that Woman love her Husband that is gone a Journey, and the tidings of his coming back is sorrowful News unto her? The loving of the coming of Christ, is a character of such as shall be crowned when he comes.