None but Christ, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The opening of the words, and the Doctrine gathered and explained.
I Deſired &c. Saint Paul having preached plainly among the learned Corinthians, and not with the inticing words of mans wiſdome, or excellency of ſpeech, as verſe the firſt: aforeign in wiſdom of wo…ds, 1 Cor. 1. 17. Pom. patica eloquentia, Hier. Oſtentatione grandiloquentiae, Pareus. Facundi… dicendi. Theod.They began to ſlight him as unlearned, and his preaching as good honeſt dry matter; but in this verſe he gives the reaſon; You (ſaith he) preach your ſelves, but I preach Jeſus Chriſt; you preach for oſtentation to get applauſe from men, but I preach for edification to bring ſoules to Chriſt; And hence it is that you preach with puff…d up eloquence, high flowne phraſts and …welling words of vanity, but I preach in the plaine evidence of the ſpirit, becauſe I deſired to know nothing among you, &c.
In the words there are three parts; firſt, the object of Pauls deſire; Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified. 2. The act, to know Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified. 3. Pauls deſi…e and reſolution: I determined to know nothing among you but Jeſus Chriſt and him crucifi…d.
I deſired] foreign eximium duxi, ſo Pet. Martyr, and Calvin reads it: that is, I eſteemed no other knowledge excellent, nor my ſelfe worthy eſtimation for any other knowledge.bNon …o nomine, praeſtant… me duxi. Pet. Mar.
To know nothing but Jeſus Chriſt,] Not that Paul contemned all other knowledg and humane learning in Arts and Sciences wherein himſelfe was ſo accompliſht, being the great Doctor of the Gentiles, and could ſpeak tongues more then they all; but ſo farre as it ſtood in competition, oppoſition, or compariſon of the knowledge of Chriſt and winning ſoules unto him.
Among you] Even you though otherwiſe learned Corinthians, yet you have not ſufficiently learned Chriſt.
And him crucified] That is, ſuffering upon the Croſſe, and dying for us; As if he ſhould ſay; I know preaching of Chriſt crucified is to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſſe, but to us that are ſaved, the power of God and wiſdome of God, 1 Cor. 1. 18. As if he ſhould have ſaid, all knowledge is excellent, of all knowledge, the knowledge of Chriſt is more excellent; of all knowledge of Chriſt, the knowledge of Chriſt crucified is moſt excellēt, moſt ſweet moſt comfortable. God forbid ſaith S. Paul, that I ſhould rejoyce in any thing, but in the Croſſe of Chriſt; why in the Croſſe of Chriſt rather then in his Crown; in Chriſt crucified, rather then glorified?
Certainly, 1. becauſe it argues greater love in Chriſt to be crucified, then to be glorified for us. 2. Becauſe though hee makes application as glorified, yet he made ſatisfaction as crucified.
Thus you have ſeen the meaning of the words, from whence diverſe concluſions might be gathered, yet I will inſiſt onelyonly upon one, which I conceive cheifly intended by the holy Ghoſt.
Doct. The great leſſon which every▪ one ought eſpecially to ſtudy and learne, is, to know Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified.
This indeed ſeemes an old leſſon, yet it alwayes brings forth new fruit cSemper novū ſit, quod ſemper reficit animum, Nec unquam patietnr veteraſcere quod ſemper nos facit fructificare.; who can be weary of preaching, or learning Chriſt? Dulce nomen Chriſti, ſweet is the name of Chriſt, at leaſt to every Chriſtian that hath his part in him.
Secondly, it ſeemes a plaine leſſon which every body almoſt knowes already, fit to be taught children, whom we aske what is Jeſus Chriſt? But it is ſuch a leſſon as would beſeeme the greateſt Angel in heaven ſtill to learne, and indeed which the very Angels ſtill deſire to ſtudy and look into, 1 Pet. 2. 12. and are ſtudying to this day.
It was the deſire and ſtudy of Paul ſtill to know Chriſt, Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him; Did not Paul know Chriſt already? yes ſurely, farre better then we; yet he would faine know him better, and ſee more into the love of Chriſt which is ſo unſpeakable, as if the holy Ghoſt wanted words to expreſſe it, John 3. 16. God ſo loved the world, ſo; how? ſo that no heart can conceive, nor songue can utter; It is beyond expreſſion.
In Epheſ. 3. 18. 19. It was Pauls prayer for the Epheſians that they might comprehend with all Saints, the height, length, breadth, and depth of the love of Chriſt, all which dimenſions ſet forth unto us the wonderfull greatneſſe of his love; The height, for it reacheth as high as heaven; the depth, for it goes downe as low as hell; the hreadth, for it extends to all the world; the length, for it continueth to all eternity dBullin▪ in …oc.. And to know the love of Chriſt, yet it paſſeth knowledge eforeign, ſuper eminentem charitatem Hier. Aug. Theod. Eraſm.. As if he ſhould ſay, we may ſtudy this leſſon all our lives, and yet never perfectly learn it; ſtrive and indeavor to know it wee may, but we ſhall never fully know it, nor fathom the bottome of it. Exuperat omnem ſcientiam, Theophil. And what was Peters laſt exhortation to the Saints, to whom he wrote, but that they ſhould grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt? As if this were the chiefe leſſon they were to learn, according to my text, I deſired to know nothing among you, &c. Wherein two things are to be conſidered, 1. What knowledg of Chriſt it is that is to be ſtudied of us▪ 2. Why the knowledge of Chriſt and him crucified is ſpecially to be ſtudied of us.
For the firſt, we are to ſtudy to know Chriſt with a fourfold knowledge, with
the knowledg of
1. Speculation or Contemplation.
2. Particular application
3. Love and affection.
4. Ʋertuall operation.
1. With the knowledge of Speculation in three particulars, viz. to know
Chriſt in his
1. Incarnation.
2. Crucifixion.
3. Satisfaction.