7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.



Ver. 7. Loss for Christ] Christ is to be sought and bought at any hand, at any rate. This is to play the wise merchant, Mat_13:44-46. {See Trapp on "Mat_13:44"} {See Trapp on "Mat_13:45"} {See Trapp on "Mat_13:46"} Esteem we Christ, as the people did David, 2Sa_18:3, more worth than ten thousand; as Naomi did Ruth, better than seven sons, Rth_4:15; as Pharaoh did Joseph, There is none so wise and worthy as thou, said he, Gen_41:39. Let burning, hanging, all the torments of hell befall me, tantummodo ut Iesum nansciscar, so that I may get my Jesus, said Ignatius. None but Christ, none but Christ, said Lambert, lifting up such hands as he had, and his fingers’ ends flaming. We cannot buy this gold too dear. Paul is well content to part with a sky full of stars for one Sun of righteousness. Nazianzen put this price upon his Athenian learning (wherein he was very famous), that he had something of value to part with for Christ. So did Galeacius Caraeciolus abandon all to enjoy the pure ordinances of Christ at Geneva. See that famous epistle written to him by Mr Calvin, prefixed before his Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians.