, 288 Afforance is Sera' 2. . cdICere fed to obtain, by the word that the Holy Ghoul: ufeth , fearch tryal, as God tried Abraham , Gen. 22. t. That his love to God, and fear of God appeared. Prove as the Gold-fmith doth his Mertals in the Fire, or by the Touch -gone ; becaufe he bids us prove it not fo much by argument, as experience, for fo the word is ufed, d.ule 14, I'9. He went to prove his Oxen : and forafmuch as we mull prove our {elves to be in Chrilf, we mutt not leave it uncertain for plat s un- certain after tryal, is s:ot proved. A note of true Betides that we do believe , we might know by the julgme is va_ fa t i. lu;n the wills chtiling, and the affeflions loving C'hrt/ above all, I Pet. 2. N u', for ?írn- g 7 Toyota that believe he is precious ; Chritt is an honour to the Belie - pifcat. i t Loc. ver, and Christ is molt prized and valued by the Believer : And can. not a min know what he prizeth molt ? What he valueth and ettee- meth molt ? what his underitanding doth did+ to to him, to be cho. fen above all ? and whether his will doth chufe according to the di- (Slates of the undert+anding ? and theaffeo`}ions, love, and defire, are upon the wing to enjoy what the will doth make choice of ? and grief filleth the heart when he cannot obtain it ? Could notAhab know that he prized Naboths Vineyard, when he grieved becaufe he could not get it ? and all rh.it he had was leffened, by the want of what he prized fo much ? So doth the foul cry our, Riches is nothing without Chrifc ; and Honour and Friends cannot remove the grief of his heart, till Chrilf comes in to his heart, and manifells himfelf there ; cannot he know it , by his care to get , by his fear to lofe, by his determining what to do , in cafe he muff lofe that which he prizeth molt , or all other things betides ? he will part withal, though very defirea- As Arislipus ble, as a Marriner will call away his riche++ Goods in a Tempel +, to tact his gold fave his life ; * which think you doth he prize molt r A woman if into the sea, her bode beon fire, fullers all her Pewter to be confumed in the faying friers 13ames.fo that fhe may but fave her childe,is it not apparent which fhe eft, ut, hæc Y Ar:ftippuve, valueth moll ? All 11-all go that thou mayell keep Chritt, if thou prize pain propter him moll. This is known by the delight of the heart in the enjoy - Hecpmat A i- mentof that which a man valueth molt in the want of other rhinos ; itippiss,7t is bet- t, ter thefe things thou cant+ delight in Ghent , in poverty , at ii Lion, in the midtÏ of peri£hby A;i n troubles in the world. flippus, than So likewife for love ; is it not poff ble for a man to know that he A,i(rippas by loverh Christ above all ? how elfe could Peter when asked three thefe things. times by Chrilf, whether beloved him, anfwer three times, that he did love him , and did appeal to Chriti that knew his heart , that he fpake truly becaufe he knew he loved him fincerely, and this is obferva-
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