But yet there is something more in it then this, in this worship of Christ in our minds: We honour, or worship Christ in our minds, when we make him the chiefest, and esteem nothing more worthy to be known, then to know the Lord Jesus Christ, John 17.3. This is life eternal to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent: Now when the soul esteems nothing more worth the knowing then Jesus Christ, this is an honouring of him, 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined not to know any thing among you, save Christ and him crucified, and Phil. 3 7, 8, 9, 10. He looks at all things as loss, and dross, and dung that he might be found in Christ, not having his ⟨p. 9⟩own righteousness, but might know the power and virtue of his resurrection; This is that which the Apostle did prize in his Judgment as more honourable, and comfortable, then any thing under the Sun, and this was an evident sign that Paul had Christ; for this is an ordinary experiment in nature, no man hath any blessing,1 but he would know the worth of it; if a man have a Farm or a yoke of Oxen, he will prove them, Luke 14.19. a man will know aforehand if he can, but when he hath it then he will prove it, and truly so is it with every one that hath the Lord Jesus, he is desirous to prove Christ, he would know by experience, what the virtue and power of his death is, how it pardons his sin, and mortifies his corruptions, and he would know the power of his resurrection: strengthening and quickening grace in him, and the power of Christs ascension,2 ascending into the presence of his Father, and sitting at the right hand of God to rule all Creatures in heaven and in earth, for the Churches good, and subduing our enemies, and bringing us to glory in the end. A man that hath Jesus Christ, he is inquisitive to know all the virtue that is in Christ, & he thinks in his mind, there is nothing better worth the knowings, then to know and feel the virtue and power of Christ Jesus in his heart: And this is the first part of the worship of Christ, though we be yet doubtful whether we have Christ or no; Yet it is an evidence to the soul, that thou hast him; because thou dost worship him, and so highly prize him in thy mind, and if thou couldest but know him, and thy part in him, this is the chiefest comfort thou canst pitch thy mind upon;
But yet there is something more in it then this, in this worship of Christ in our minds: We honour, or worship Christ in our minds, when we make him the cheifest, and esteem nothing more worthy to be knowne, then to know the Lord Jesus Christ, John 17.3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent: Now when the soul esteemes nothing more worth the knowing then Jesus Christ, this is an honouring of him, 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined not to know any thing among you, save Christ and him crucified, and Phil. 3 7, 8, 9, 10. He lookes at all things as losse, and drosse, and dung that he might be found in Christ, not having his ⟨p. 9⟩owne righteousnesse, but might know the power and vertue of his resurrection; This is that which the Apostle did prize in his Judgment as more honourable, and comfortable, then any thing under the Sun, and this was an evident signe that Paul had Christ; for this is an ordinary experiment in nature, no man hath any blessing,1 but he would know the worth of it; if a man have a Farme or a yoak of Oxen, he will prove them, Luke 14.19. a man will know aforehand if he can, but when he hath it then he will prove it, and truely so is it with every one that hath the Lord Jesus, he is desirous to prove Christ, he would know by experience, what the vertue and power of his death is, how it pardons his sin, and mortifies his corruptions, and he would know the power of his resurrection: strengthening and quickning grace in him, and the power of Christs ascension,2 assending into the presence of his Father, and sitting at the right hand of God to rule all Creatures in heaven and in earth, for the Churches good, and subduing our enemies, and bringing us to glory in the end. A man that hath Jesus Christ, he is inquisitive to know all the vertue that is in Christ, & he thinks in his mind, there is nothing better worth the knowings, then to know and feel the vertue and power of Christ Jesus in his heart: And this is the first part of the worship of Christ, though we be yet doubtfull whether we have Christ or no; Yet it is an evidence to the soul, that thou hast him; because thou dost worship him, and so highly prize him in thy minde, and if thou couldest but know him, and thy part in him, this is the chiefest comfort thou canst pitch thy minde upon;
- 1Naturally men desire to know the worth of blessings.
- 2He that hath Christ is inquisitive to know all the virtue that is in Christ.He that hath Christ is inquisitive to know all the vertue that is in Christ.
