Holy Fathers have evolved in detail, may be adduced to show a the congruity of the Saviour's having suffered the death of the cross, rather than any other; but enough that the faithful be in formed by the pastor, that that species of death, because confessedly the most ignominious and humiliating, was chosen by the Saviour, as most consonant, and best suited to the plan of redemption; for not only amongst the Gentiles was the death of the cross deemed execrable and loaded with disgrace and infamy, but also amongst the Jews; for in the law of Moses, the man is pronounced " accursed, who hangeth on a tree." [1]
But the historical part of this Article, which has been narrated by the Holy Evangelists with the most minute exactness, is not to be omitted by the pastor; in order that the faithful may be familiarly acquainted with, at least, the principle heads of this mystery, which are of more immediate necessity to confirm the truth of our faith. For on this Article, as on a sort of foundation, rest the religion and faith of Christians, and on this foundation, when once laid, the superstructure rises with perfect security. If any other truth of Christianity presents difficulties to the mind of man, the mystery of the cross must, assuredly, be considered to present still greater difficulties. We can scarcely be brought to think that our salvation depends on the cross, and on him, who for us, was fastened to its wood. But in this, as the apostle says, we may admire the supreme wisdom of divine providence; "for seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God: it pleaseth God by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe." [2] We are not, therefore, to be surprised, that the Prophets, before the coming of Christ, and the apostles after his death and resurrection, laboured so industriously to convince mankind that lie was the Redeemer of the world, and to bring them under the power and obedience of him who was crucified.
Knowing, therefore, that nothing is so far above the reach of human reason as the mystery of the cross, Almighty God, immediately from the fall of Adam, ceased not, both by figures and by the oracles of the Prophets, to signify the death by which his Son was to die. Not to dwell on these figures, Abel who fell a victim to the envy of his brother, [3] Isaac who was commanded to be offered in sacrifice, [4] the lamb immolated by the Jews on their departure from Egypt, [5] and also the brazen serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert, [6] were all figures of the passion and death of Christ the Lord. That this event was foretold by many Prophets, is a fact too well known to require developement here. Not to speak of David, whose Psalms embrace the principal mysteries of redemption, [7] the oracles of Isaias are so clear and graphic, [8] that he may be said rather to have recorded a past, than predicted a future event. [9]
