Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

The creditor in this World by the Laws of the Realm may choose, whether he will have his debtors person seized on, or his goods, and chattels: But not so here, this writ is executed against his person, and goods, and all that belongs unto him. So that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. If this be the condition of a wicked man, that his very blessings be curses, what a woeful case is it! There's nothing till he be reconciled to Christ, but hath a curse at the end of it.

The creditor in this World by the Laws of the Realm may choose, whether he will have his debtors person seized on, or his goods, and chattels: But not so here, this writ is executed against his person, and goods, and all that belongs unto him. So that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. If this be the condition of a wicked man, that his very blessings be curses, what a woful case is it! There's nothing till he be reconciled to Christ, but hath a curse at the end of it.

Consider that one place in the Prophecy of Malachi, where the very blessings are accursed: not only when God sends on him the itch, or botch, or scab, or sword, but in blessings, cap. 2.2. he's accursed. If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, saith the Lord, I will even send a curse upon you. But how? See how this curse is threatened: I will curse your very blessings, yea I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart. Mark, is it not a great blessing that God yet affords the Word, that we yet enjoy it; but if we come to hear but formally, to hear it only, and lay it not to heart, God curseth this blessing, yea I have cursed it already, saith the Lord. When thou prayest in hypocrisy, thy prayer is a curse to thee. If thou receive the Sacrament unworthily, the cup of blessing is a cup of poison, a cup of cursing to thee. Stay not therefore one hour longer quietly in this cursed condition, but fly unto Christ for life and blessing: run to this City of refuge, for otherwise there is a curse at the end of every outward thing, that thou enjoyest. I have cursed these blessings already. It is as sure, as if already passed on thee. What a woeful thing then is it (think you) to be liable to the curse of God!