1Besides that we do believe, we might know by the Judgements valuing, the wills choosing, and the affections loving Christ above all. 1 Pet. 2.7. To you that believe he is precious; Christ is an honour to the believer, and Christ is most prized and valued by the believer: And cannot a man know what he prizeth most? what he valueth, and esteemeth most? what his understanding doth dictate to him, to be chosen above all? and whether his will doth choose according to the dictates of the understanding? and the affections, love, and desire, are upon the wing to enjoy what the will doth make choice of? and grief filleth the heart when he cannot obtain it? could not Ahab know that he prized Naboths Vineyard, when he grieved because he could not get it? and all that he had was lessened, by the want of what he prized so much? so doth the soul cry out, riches is nothing without Christ; and honour and friends, cannot remove the grief of his heart, till Christ comes in to his heart, and manifests himself there; cannot he know it, by his care to get, by his fear to lose, by his determining what to do, in case he must lose that which he prizeth most, or all other things besides? he will part with all though very desirable, as a mariner will cast away his richest goods in a tempest, to save his life;* which think you doth he prize most? a woman if her house be on fire, suffers all her pewter to be consumed in the flames, so that she may but save her child, is it not apparent which she valueth most? all shall go that thou mayest keep Christ, if thou prize him most. This is known by the delight of the heart in the enjoyment of that which a man valueth most in the want of other things; thou canst delight in Christ, in poverty, affliction, in the midst of troubles in the world.
1Besides that wee do beleeve, wee might know by the Judgements valuing, the wills chusing, and the affections loving Christ above all. 1 Pet. 2.7. To you that beleeve hee is precious; Christ is an honour to the beleever, and Christ is most prized and valued by the beleever: And cannot a man know what hee prizeth most? what hee valueth, and esteemeth most? what his understanding doth dictate to him, to bee chosen above all? and whether his will doth choose according to the dictates of the understanding? and the affections, love, and desire, are upon the wing to enjoy what the will doth make choice of? and grief filleth the heart when hee cannot obtain it? could not Ahab know that hee prized Naboths Vineyard, when hee greived because hee could not get it? and all that hee had was lessened, by the want of what hee prized so much? so doth the soul cry out, riches is nothing without Christ; and honour and friends, cannot remove the grief of his heart, till Christ comes in to his heart, and manifests himself there; cannot hee know it, by his care to get, by his fear to lose, by his determining what to do, in case hee must lose that which hee prizeth most, or all other things besides? hee will part with all though very desirable, as a marriner will cast away his richest goods in a tempest, to save his life;* which think you doth hee prize most? a woman if her house bee on fire, suffers all her pewter to bee consumed in the flames, so that shee may but save her childe, is it not apparent which shee valueth most? all shall go that thou mayest keep Christ, if thou prize him most. This is known by the delight of the heart in the enjoyment of that which a man valueth most in the want of other things; thou canst delight in Christ, in poverty, affliction, in the midst of troubles in the world.
- 1A note of true Faith. [Greek or Hebrew] for [Greek or Hebrew]. Fiscat. in Loc.A note of true Faith. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 for 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Fiscat. in Loc.
- *As Aristippus •ast his gold into the Sea, saying, satius est, ut, haec per Aristippum, quam propter haec pereat A•istippus, it is better these things perish by Aristippus, than Aristippus by these things.
