11. In the heart of the carnal, Christ sits last; in the heart of the just, first. — Because in the heart of the reprobate the actions of the flesh are in the first place, and the actions of the soul in the later, in their thoughts, beyond doubt, Christ sits not first but last. But all the elect, because they think on those things which are eternal above all, and dispose with later care, and as least, whatever temporal things there be — to whom too it is said by the teaching voice of Truth: 'Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you' (Matt. 6:33) — in their heart the Lord sits first. Where fittingly it is prefixed: 'If I had a mind to go to them.' For because, as it is written (Eph. 1:5), he worketh all things according to the counsel of his will;
not according to our merit, but because he himself so wills, the Lord illumines us by his visitation. And so both he comes when he wills, and when he has come, he sits first, because both his coming into our heart is gratuitous, and the desire of longing for him, in our thought, is not equal to other desires. There follows: