Looking Unto Jesus, Book 6 · Chapter 3 · Section 1
SECT. I. Of knowing Jeſus as carrying on the great work of our ſalvation in his death.
1. LEt us know Jeſus, carrying on the great work of our Salvation during his ſufferings and death. This is the high point which Paul was ever ſtudying on, and preaching on, and pondering on; For I determined not to know any thing among you, 1 Cor. 2.2.ſave Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified. Chriſt crucified is the rareſt piece of knowledge in the world; the perſon of Chriſt is a matter of high ſpeculation, but Chriſt further conſidered, as cloathed with his garments of blood, is that knowledge which eſpecially Paul purſues; he eſteems not, reckons not, determines not to make any profeſſion of any other ſcience or doctrine than the moſt neceſſary, and only ſaving knowledge of Chriſt crucified. O my ſoul, how many dayes, and months, and years, haſt thou ſpent to attain ſome little meaſure of knowledge in the Arts, and Tongues, and Sciences? and yet what a poor skill haſt thou attained in reſpect of the many thouſands of them that knew nothing at all of Jeſus Chriſt? and what if thou hadſt reached out to a greater proficiency? couldſt thou have dived into the ſecrets of Nature, couldſt thou have excelled the wiſdom of all the children of the Eaſt country, and all the wiſdom of Egypt, 1 Kings 4.33.and the wiſdom of Solomon, who ſpake of beaſts, of fowls, of fiſhes, of all trees from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even to the hyſſop that ſpringeth out of the wall, yet without the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt crucified (Chriſt ſuffering, bleeding, and dying) all this had been nothing, ſee Eccleſ. 1.18. only that knowledge is worth the having which refers to Chriſt; and above all that is the rareſt piece of Chriſt's humiliation, which holds him forth ſuffering for us, and ſo freeing us from hell ſufferings. Come then, and ſpend thy time for the future more fruitfully in reading, learning, knowing, this one neceſſary thing. Study Chriſt crucified in every piece and part; O the precious truths, and precious diſcoveries that a ſtudying head and heart would hammer out here! much hath been ſaid, but a thouſand-thouſand times more might yet be ſaid; we have given but a little ſcantling of that which Chriſt endured; Volumes might be written till they were piled as high as heaven; and yet all would not ſerve to make out the full diſcoveries of Jeſus's ſufferings. Study therefore, and ſtudy more, but be ſure thy ſtudy and thy knowledge be rather practical than ſpeculative; do not meerly beat thy brains to learn the hiſtory of Chriſt's death, but the efficacy, vertue, and merit of it; know what thou knoweſt in reference to thy ſelf, as if Jeſus had been all the while carrying on the buſineſs of thy ſouls ſalvation; as if thou hadſt ſtood by, and Chriſt had ſpoke to thee, as ſometimes to the women, Weep not for me, but for thy ſelf; thy ſins cauſed my ſufferings, and my ſufferings were for the abolition of thy ſins.