03. Chapter 3.

Chapter 3. Ten Arguments that prove the Necessity of this love to Christ, for the avoiding of the Curse.

"If any man does not love the Lord Jesus Christ — let him be Anathema! Maranatha." 1Co 16:22 Does it need any further proof than the text itself? What other construction can you make of it? If you believe that this is the word of God, and that God’s word is true — then how can you question whether a non-lover of Christ shall be a cursed wretch at the coming of the Lord? But you do not love Christ — and yet you hope to be blessed when he comes! You have no sincere love to him — and yet persuade yourselves your condition is good for the present, and shall escape the curse hereafter!

What! against the plain assertions of the word of God? Will you disbelieve Paul, nay, and God himself also — that it is well with you now, and shall go well with you at the coming of the Lord?

You will be miserable men forever — who have no other hopes that they shall escape the curse, but that God should be a blatant liar; and his word should be a pack of lies; and all his servants who come and preach to you in his name, and warn you of this curse — only tell you blatant lies? But whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, I will proceed to evidence this truth to you by these following arguments.

Argument 1.

He who does not love Christ — is not in Christ.

He who is not in Christ — is in his sins.

He who is in his sins is accursed — therefore he who does not love Christ, is accursed; and being found so when he comes, shall be cursed at his coming. He who has no sincere love to Christ — has still his old heart and his old love remaining in him. He who has his old heart — is not in Christ: "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new!" 2Co 5:17. Can you be in Christ — and have not the love of Christ in you? Can you be in Christ — and your heart turn away from Christ? Can you be in Christ — while your heart is set against Christ? Is not your heart set against him, while you have no love for him? Can there be any union, where there is no love and affection? Does not hatred keep at the greatest distance, and maintain the widest separation?

If you are not in Christ — can you bring forth any fruit pleasing unto God? "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine — no more can you, unless you abide in me." John 15:4. And if you bring forth no fruit — shall you not be cast into the fire? "If a man abides not in me — he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned!" John 15:6. Are you such as shall be cast into the fire, and flames of Hell — and are you not in a cursed, dangerous, and miserable condition? Can a bad tree bring forth good fruit? If it does not bring forth good fruit — is it not fuel for the fires of Hell? "And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire!" Mat 3:10. Has not the rain of heavenly doctrine dropped upon you — and yet you bring forth anything but briars and thorns, when you have no love to Christ? And are you not then rejected, and your final end be to be burned? And is then the curse far from you? "Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed, receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned!" Heb 6:7-8. And when you come to that end — will you not then acknowledge yourselves to be anathema — cursed by God?

Argument 2. He who does not love Christ sincerely, is under the curses of the law. Therefore he who does not love Christ, is accursed. For if all the curses of the law lighting and abiding upon a man, will prove a man an accursed man — then the man who has no sincere love to Christ, must be that man! For though the law as a covenant is not in force, so that we are not to seek salvation by it; yet the penalty and threatenings of the law are in full power against the man who does not submit to Christ, according to the covenant of grace. For though Christ was made a curse to redeem us from the curse — yet those only have the saving benefits of that redemption, who have found faith in, and sincere love to, Jesus Christ.

If by the law you would escape the curse threatened by the law — you must do everything contained in the law: "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ’Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law." Gal 3:10-11.

You cannot do any one thing required in the law, as prescribed by the law — and yet you so slight Christ, that you will not so much as love him. Yet you still think that you are exempted from the curse of the law. God will convince you to the contrary; and unless you hasten to love Christ before you die — the flames of Hell will convince you to the contrary! It would be your safer way now by the word of God, to be convinced to the contrary.

Argument 3. He who does not love Jesus Christ sincerely, is under condemnation by the gospel. Therefore he who does not love Christ is accursed. The gospel, taken for the whole doctrine of Christ, has its terrible tidings — as well as comforting tidings. The gospel has threatenings — as well as promises. The gospel ha a sentence of damnation — as well as of absolution — and more dreadful and intolerable than those of the law! And to whom do they belong, and upon whom shall they be inflicted — if not upon the despisers of the message of the gospel; and who despise the gospel-message more than those who will not be persuaded to love the Lord Jesus Christ? Does not the gospel set forth Christ in his excellency and beauty to sinners? Does it not declare what he has suffered for sinners? Does it not tell you what he has purchased for sinners, and will bestow upon sinners? And is not all this to gain your love, to win your hearts and affections to Christ? Yet after all, you slight him — and for his love, and for his sufferings — you will not so much as love him.

Consider seriously what Christ says concerning such: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil!" John 3:19. If the law condemns you — you might have recourse to the gospel. But if the gospel condemns you — where will you go for support?

Argument 4. There is no way ordained by God, for non-lovers of Christ to escape the punishment of sin, and the torments of Hell. Therefore such are in an accursed damnable condition. When man had broken the covenant of works, God sent his Son to die, and satisfy for the breach of that covenant, so that salvation is not impossible — and the escaping of the threatened curse, is not impossible. And though you have sinned against the gospel by not loving Christ hitherto — yet Christ has so far satisfied for sins against the gospel, that upon your acceptance of Christ, you might have remission of sin and salvation. But you sin against the very remedy prepared to help sinners out of their misery. Can you be saved, who finally refuse the Savior? Can you escape the curse, who to the last gasp reject the only remedy? For besides this, there is no other.

"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left — but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Heb 10:26-29.

Argument 5. He who has no love to Christ, has no faith in Christ. He who has no faith in Christ, is condemned. He who is condemned, is in a miserable cursed condition! Therefore he who does not love Christ, is in a miserable cursed condition!

Sound faith and sincere love are inseparable graces. Those who are non-lovers of Christ, are unbelievers — and unbelievers are condemned men: "Whoever believes in him is not condemned — but whoever does not believe stands condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." John 3:18.

O pity your children, your parents, your friends, and neighbors — who do not love Christ; for, being destitute of love to Christ — they are void of that faith which is a condition of salvation; and, being void of faith — they are condemned people.

Argument 6. Those who have not sincere love to Christ, are in the same condition in which they were born — which an accursed damnable condition; for by nature all are "children of wrath!" — and children of wrath are cursed children. Some are so ignorant, as to say, they have loved Christ ever since they were born, as if they were born with love in their hearts to Christ. Whereas love to Christ is not in us by the first birth — but by the second birth; not by the natural birth — but by the spiritual birth. Our state by nature is a state of bitterness and bonds — as bitter as gall! Acts 8:23. And while you are in a state of nature, the world has your love, and sin has your love — therefore Christ is not the object of it; for the world and Christ, sin and Christ, cannot at the same time, by the same man, be superlatively loved.

It must then be granted, that you were born without love to Christ — and, being in the same condition in which you were born, you have lived hitherto without love to Christ; and if you die without love to Christ — then the next moment after death, your condition is accursed.

Argument 7. Deceivers in the worship of God are accursed; those who come to pray and hear, and not love Christ — are such deceivers. All such men’s religious duties and services are done in deceit and hypocrisy — they are deceivers of themselves, deceivers of other men, and go about to deceive God himself. What is it to play the hypocrite, if not this — to give God your words, but not your hearts. What is deceitful dealing, if not this — to give God and Christ outward service, and deny him your heart’s love? To do the outward action — and withhold from him the inward affection? Would you be paid what is owed to you in such coin — in that which has the color and resemblance of gold, but underneath is base metal? Would you not cry out of such a one as a deceiver? Is this a fault in men to you — and is it no fault in you to God? Are you ready to curse such a man — and will not God curse you? "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it — but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations!" Mal 1:14

You bring him some cold prayers — and you do not have a heart to give him. You bring him some outward expressions of worship — and you do not have inward affections to bring him. You offer him your words — and deny him your love. These are cursed doings — and you, the doers of them, are accursed!

Argument 8. Robbers and thieves are accursed — and non-lovers of Christ are robbers and thieves. For whose are you? God’s — or your own? Whose by right are your hearts? The world’s — or Christ’s? Who should have your love as due, to whom does it belong — to the world, to vanity, to self — or to Christ? That which you purchase — do not you call your own? That which you pay for — is it not your own? Would it not be robbery in another, without your consent, to keep it from you? Has not Christ bought you with a price given for you, more than you are worth? He made your hearts to love him, and when you defaced them, and sinned away the love of God — did not Christ buy you? Has not he paid dearly to have your love? Might you set your love upon whatever you please? Are not you, body and soul — Christ’s by purchase? "You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1Co 6:19-20. Is it not a robbing of Christ, to deny him his own? And is not he who is a robber of God and Christ — a cursed wretch?

If you should rob your father, or mother, or a stranger — would you not ne accounted a vile transgressor? How can you rob God, and Christ — and make no matter of it? But God does. "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ’How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — because you are robbing me!" Mal 3:8-9. They are said to rob God in tithes and offerings — and you rob God in your hearts and affections. And what is the robbing of tithes — to the robbing of the heart, and love thereof? Yet God cursed them with a curse, that is, certainly accursed them — how then will you escape? God might charge you, that you have played the thief with him, and have stolen away your love from him; and have gone and pawned it for a little money, or a filthy lust; and yet you have no mind, nor serious thought to get it redeemed, or fetched your love out of pawn.

Argument 9. Those who do not love Christ, are spiritual adulterers, and go a whoring from God. Do not you profess to be married to Christ? What! and give your love to the world, to pleasures, to the strumpet sin? Is that a chaste woman who loves another man more than her own husband? To love other things more than God and Christ, is called in scripture, "a going a whoring from God;" "a playing the harlot;" "You have played the harlot with many lovers," "committing adultery." "You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that the friendship of this world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God!" Jas 4:4. A lover of the world is an enemy of God; and are not those whom God marks as his enemies, in a bad and miserable condition, and will be worse when the Lord comes?

Some please themselves with this as an evidence of their good condition, and hope of salvation — that they are neither harlots nor thieves. But such as do not love Christ above all, in a spiritual and scriptural sense, are both harlots and thieves. Such a one is a thief, in robbing God of that love which is his due. He is guilty of spiritual whoredom, in loving other things more than Christ. If you think to escape the curse, continuing in such sins, when the Lord comes, and you are tried at his bar — you shall find you were greatly mistaken, and meet with a curse, when you expected a blessing!

Argument 10. Such as shall be commanded to depart from Christ, and be driven from his glorious presence — are accursed. Non-lovers of Christ shall be commanded to depart from Christ, and be driven from his glorious presence. Your heart that does not love Christ — it is not towards God and Christ. And when he comes — his heart shall not be towards you! Your heart is alienated from Christ — and then Christ’s heart shall be alienated from you. While you will not love him, you say in your hearts to Christ, "Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways!" Job 21:14. And Christ will say to you, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!" Mat 25:41. As he who trusts in the creature — his heart departs from God; so he who loves the creature more than God — his heart departs from God. He whose heart departs from God, either by trusting to, or loving of the creature more than God, is accursed: "Thus says the Lord, Cursed be the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord!" Jer 17:5. And when Christ shall command you to depart from him — you shall find yourselves in a cursed condition!

Such as do not love the Lord Jesus, do not obey the gospel, for the gospel commands your love. Those who do not obey the gospel, at Christ’s coming shall be separated from him; and those who shall be separated from him then — shall find and feel themselves accursed, "This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." 2Th 1:7-10 Are you not yet convinced of your deplorable condition by reason of the lack of love to Jesus Christ? Do you not see that the curse of God hangs over your soul? Can you give a suitable reply to this, or deny it? Or will you still hold to your old conclusion, that you shall not be thus accursed — like to what is recorded, "And it shall come to pass, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying: I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst," Deu 29:19. Behold a man blessing himself — whom the Lord declared accursed! But what then? Is the curse the further from him — or the blessing nearer to him? Read on: "The LORD will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under Heaven. The LORD will single him out for disaster, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this Book of the Law!" Deu 29:20-21

It is but a poor shift to lull your consciences asleep with groundless hopes of escaping the curse, contrary to the express word of God, who will not allow one tittle of it to fall to the ground — even though, in the accomplishment and fulfillment of it, millions of sinners fall into Hell. The curse then being certainly to fall upon the final non-lovers of Christ — the third thing in order follows — to open to you what kind of curse it shall be, to be Anathema when Maranatha — cursed when the Lord shall come.