world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. John, 17:11. CHAPTER XXI.-SECOND PREPARATIVE ACT OF CHRIST FOR HIS The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same man- ner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Cor. 11: 23-25. CHAPTER XXII.-THIRD PREPARATIVE ACT OF CHRIST FOR HIS OWN DEATH. AGONY IN THE GARDEN. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be will- ing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke, 32:41-44. CHAPTER XXIII-FIRST PREPARATIVE FOR CHRIST'S DEATH ON HIS ENEMIES' PART. TREASON OF JUDAS. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast. And forth- And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified and the voices of them, and of the CHAPTER XXV.-CHRIST'S ADDRESS TO THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not 261 CHAPTER I. THE EXCELLENCY OF THE SUBJECT. "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."-1 Cor. 2:2. The former verse contains an apology for the plain and familiar manner of the apostle's preaching, which was "not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom :" he studied not to gratify their curiosity with rhetorical strains, or philosophical niceties; for he says, "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." "I determined not to know." The meaning is not, that he despised or contemned all other knowledge; but so far only as it might stand in competition with, or opposition to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As if he had said, "It is my stated, settled judgment; not a hasty, inconsiderate censure, but the result of my most serious inquiries. After I have well weighed the case, viewed it exactly on every side, balanced all advantages and disadvantages, pondered all things that are fit to come into consideration about it; this is the issue and final determination, that all other knowledge, how profitable, how pleasant soever, is not worthy to be named in comparison with the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This, therefore, I resolve to make the scope and end of my ministry, and the end regulates the means; such pedantic toys and airy notions as injudicious ears af fect, would rather obstruct than promote my grand design among you; therefore, wholly waving that way, I applied myself to a plain, popular, unaffected dialect, fitted rather to pierce the heart and convince the conscience, than to please the fancy. "I determined not to know any thing,'-to study nothing myself, to teach nothing to you, but 'Jesus Christ.' Christ shall be the centre to which all the lines of my ministry shall be drawn. I have spoken and written of many other subjects in my sermons and epistles, but it is all as consequent upon preaching and making known Jesus Christ: of all the subjects in the world, this is the sweetest; if there be any thing, on this side heaven, worthy our time and studies, this is it." Thus he magnifies his doctrine, from the excellency of its subject, accounting all other doctrines but airy things, compared with this. "Jesus Christ and him crucified." This topic he singled out from all the rest of the excellent truths of Christ, on which to spend the main strength of his ministry: Christ as crucified: and the rather, because hereby he would obviate the vulgar prejudice raised against him upon the account of his cross; for Christ crucified was "to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness." 1 Cor. 1:23. This also best suited his end, to draw them on to Christ; as Christ above all other subjects, so Christ crucified above all things in Christ. The manner in which he discoursed on this transcendent subject to them, is also remarkable; he not only preached Christ crucified, but he preached him assiduously and plainly. He preached Christ frequently; "and whenever he preached of Christ crucified, he preached him in a crucified style." This is the sum of the words; to let them know that his spirit was intent upon this subject, as if he neither knew nor cared to speak of any other. All his sermons were so full of Christ, that his hearers might have thought he was acquainted with no other doctrine. Hence, No doctrine is more excellent, or necessary to be preached and studied, than Jesus Christ, und him crucified. All other knowledge, how much soever it be magnified in the world, is, and ought to be, esteemed but dross, in comparison with the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Phil. 3:8. "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2:3. Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the sun, that he thought he was born only to behold it: much more should a christian judge himself born only to behold and delight in the glory of the Lord Jesus. I. Consider the excellency of the knowledge of Christ in itself. 1. It is the very marrow and kernel of all the Scriptures; the scope and centre of all divine revelations. The ceremonial law is full of Christ, and all the Gospel is full of Christ: the blessed lines of both Testaments meet in him; and how they both harmonize, and sweetly concentre in Jesus Christ, it is the chief scope of the excellent epistle to the Hebrews to unfold; for we may call that epistle the sweet harmony of both Testaments. This argues the unspeakable excellency of this doctrine, the knowledge whereof must needs, therefore, be a key to unlock the greatest part of the sacred Scriptures. For it is in the understanding of Scripture, much as in the knowledge of logic and philosophy: if a scholar once come to understand the foundation-principle, upon which, as upon its hinge, the controversy turns, the true knowledge of that principle shall carry him through the whole controversy, and furnish him with a solution to every argument. Even so the right knowledge of Jesus Christ, like a clue, leads you through the whole labyrinth of the Scriptures. |