The Sorrows of the Cross

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881. Excerpt: ... THE SORROWS OF THE CROSS. SERMON I. And Jesus going up to Jerusalem look the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and thd Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again.--Matthew Xx. 17-19. This passage seems to contain the first direct notice which we have on record about that particular mode of death which was inflicted upon our Saviour. In the commencement of His ministry, He had said to the Jews, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (John ii. 19). But the words were figurative, not understood at the time, nor did they define how that temple of His Body was to be destroyed. Afterwards he had announced His coming death in words which incited S. Peter to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee (Matt. xvi. 22)5 so instinctively did the followers of Jesus shrink from the notion that He was to finish His mission by a violent death. The grave rebuke in which our Lord replies to His warm-hearted but misjudging Apostle is followed, indeed, by a saying which might or might not have furnished at the time a hint as to the particular mode of His death, clear as His words appear to us after the event. Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (ver. 24). The first distinct mention made by Jesus of the cross, will be found in His charge to the Apostles, when the original Apostolic commission was given to them: And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me (...