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

Fifthly, This Love to Christ includes highest Valuation of him, greatest estimation, which is appreciating Love; for can we love him, and not prize him? Or can we love him most, and not prize him most? Or do you use to despise a thing or person, and yet love him? To have mean, low, and undervaluing thoughts of one, and yet love him more than another whom you do more highly esteem and value? Doth not the Worldling that loves his Money more than other things, value it above other things? Doth not the Ambitious person, that loves his Honour and his Credit more than other things, stand upon it, and esteem it more than other things? And will it not be so with him that loveth Christ? Or is not he a Cursed man that valueth any thing above Christ, and esteems it more than Christ? As Christ is precious to him that doth Believe, 1 Pet. 2.7. so he is to him that Loves. Pearls are valued but as Pebbles, and Diamonds as Dirt, and Diadems as Dung, by a man that loveth Christ, when they stand in competition for our Love ⟨p. 29⟩with Christ. In the practical judgment of a sincere Lover of Christ, Christ cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir, with the precious Onyx, or the Sapphire; the Gold and the Chrystal cannot equal him, and he would not exchange him for Jewels of fine Gold: With him no mention shall be made of Coral, or of Pearl; for the Worth of Christ is above Rubies: The Topaz of Ethiopia doth not equal him, neither shall the purest Gold, or the most refined Silver be weighed in the balance of his judgment, to be preferred before Christ: For to him he is more precious than Rubies: And all the things the heart of man can desire besides him, are not to be compared with him: For Christ is that Treasure hid in a field, which when this Lover hath found, for joy thereof he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. He is that goodly Pearl of great Price, which when found, all shall be left, or lost, and parted with, that this might be obtained,