The verity of Christian faith written by Hierome Savanorola [sic] of Ferrara.

CHAP. XI. The same Verity proved out of the intrinsecall effects of Christian life.

I Have hitherto proved to the pow∣er of my mean ability the Verity of Christian Faith by Arguments

drawn out of both the internall and externall causes of a Christian life, now therefore I judge it fit to prove the same by descending to the ef∣fects of it; one of the principall effects, and immediately subsequent in that is, the peace and quiet of mind, the joy and liberty of the soul: for besides those examples which we reade and hear of our Authours and Predecessours, it is plainly seen in our age, that true Christians are not mo∣ved by the brushes and storms of persecution, but do persevere more immoveable in the Faith and Con∣fession of Christ then before, and even glory in their tribulations and sufferings: we are to search therefore whence these effects proceed, and how it happens that the more they follow Christ in the perfection of their lives, they attain unto the greater liberty and serenity of mind.

Christians themselves affirm this to be the reason of it, because (say they) this blisse of man consisting onely in our knowledge and con∣templation of Divine objects, it is manifest that the desire and appetite of man cannot be bounded or limit∣ed by any ultimate and last end, which is not God himself: The qui∣et (therefore) and peace of mind that Christians possesse cannot proceed from any other thing, then that they have prefixt unto themselves that last end which of all others is the true one; whence if you should ask all Christians, what was their supreme end to which they aim at, question∣less all would answer, that it was Al∣mighty God; and therefore esteem∣ing all worldly things as nothing in comparison of God, and hoping af∣ter their transitory life to obtain and enjoy him, they contemne and set at naught whatever the world con∣tains.

Hence it is, that being bereft and despoil'd of their worldly goods, they are not contristated; when care∣lesse of their lives, they offer them∣selves to death, that they may ob∣tain Almighty God, their onely and supreme good: and as God is every where by his Essence, Presence, and Power, so is he in them also parti∣cularly by love and contemplation as the thing beloved is said to be in the party that loves. Now when the thing beloved is present, the mind of him that loves is delighted, and rejoyceth; and therefore Chri∣stians who live virtuously are ex∣tremely delighted with the presence of Almighty God, whom they in∣ternally do perceive as present. And because God is an infinite Power, when they experience his savours, slighting all other things, they fear nothing; and in this manner being armed with great liberty and confi∣dence,

they are not drawn from their purposes and resolves neither by fair means, nor by any terrours whatso∣ever. But a man not being able by his naturall forces by reason of the sensuall impediments and weaknesse of his understanding to arrive unto this serenity and liberty of mind, we must necessarily (say they) confesse that this tranquillity and peace of mind is bestowed upon us as a most supernaturall and divine gift, by virtue of which Almighty God and our eternall blisse is daily before our eyes.

That that is the true cause of peace, joy, and liberty of mind in the Christians it is plain, our soul being one of the same, and having all its powers radicated in the essence of it, as often as it is wholly imploy∣ed in the intense operation of some one power, it cannot use the service of another but very remisly; for ex∣ample,

If one be in an intense con∣templation, he is not expedite in the use of the other powers of his soul; and if one be in great pain, he is not at the same time fit for contemplati∣on; if therefore Christians were decei∣ved by their Faith as by a vain cre∣dulity, no virtue of their superiour cause would affist them to confirm so great an errour, and so they would be left onely to their naturall perfections, nay, even those would be much impair'd by so great a de∣privation of Verity; how therefore could they so inviolably preserve so great a peace, joy, and liberty of mind amongst so many calamities and oppressions, especially so uni∣versally retain it, as not onely a few, but innumerable do? For the Philo∣sophers vaunt of one or two at most which they pretend amongst them to have had this peace, quiet, and joy of mind; but we can produce

infinite of both sexes which in all parts of the world have possessed the tranquillity and liberty of mind in most excessive tribulations and torments, and this onely by invo∣cating, praising, and glorifying Christ crucified. Moreover, we have found by the experience of our ancestours, and our own, that this peace, joy, and liberty of mind is augmented by the increase of Faith, and sanctimony of a Christian life, which certainly would not be so, un∣lesse there was expected by Faith, Hope, and the true Profession of them, a true and solid good; for as a man profits more in the righteous∣nesse of life, so is he brought more into the knowledge and professi∣on of the truth and good which he seeks by eschewing the contraries, and therefore if Christians had not found a solid good in the perfection of their lives, their joy would not

be increased by it, but rather decrease as they should find themselves de∣ceived in it.

This is very well confirmed out of the life of the religious, for to omit examples of past Ages (which I cannot comprise in this short Trea∣tise) we daily see innumerable both men and women do betake them∣selves to strict Cloisters out of the desire of a more perfect life, forsa∣king their parents, kindred, friends, riches, and all pleasures together with their own liberty to live with strangers and externs, to whom they become so subject and obedient, that as for exteriour subsisting and facul∣ties they enjoy none, but those which by the command of their superiours are permitted them, as precisely ne∣cessary for their livelihood, and those to be changed and substracted as things though common to all, yet uncertain to every one in particular;

but as for the corporall perfections, they keep the chastity of their mind and body most incorrupted and en∣tire, subduing their carnall and sen∣suall appetites, by watching, fasting, abstinence, and other mortifications. And as for the perfections of the mind, of which liberty is the chief, they renounce of their own accord all the use of it with a perpetuall and most strict obligation, conforming themselves wholly to the will and disposition of their superiours. Thus having forsaken all the goods which mortalls are wont to call theirs, to rejoyce in, and be delighted with, all these who aspire to this perfection live so contented and joyful, that one would think they had even the abun∣dance of all pleasures and delights, and by daily profiting in this way they become more full of tranquil∣lity and alacrity, rejoycing and tri∣umphing onely in the praises of

Christ crucified; and if one should ask why they did so, they all unani∣mously would answer, that all their joy and delight is placed in Christ Jesus, and in those things which have dependance of him.

First therefore I say that no man can with reason suspect that this should proceed out of folly, seeing it hath been the continuall practice not onely of humble and simple men, but of innumerable eminent Saints and Doctours who would easily by reason of their wisdome and sanctity discern the errour and folly of it, if it were vain and erroneous, for de∣ceit and errour cannot any long time consist with wisdome and virtue; such men striving to attain unto the heighth of perfections, there being none greater then that which they aim at (to wit) a Christian religious life, of which that state is accounted the highest and supreme degree, cer∣tainly

there are none more apt then they to receive celestiall illuminati∣on. If therefore the Faith were not true, questionlesse the vanity and deceit of it in many Ages, in so great a concourse of people of all condi∣tions, especially by such wise and virtuous men had ere this been de∣tected, nor had such men been able in so holy a servitude to preserve so great a peace and tranquillity of mind, and perpetually to take such comfort and joy in it. The contrary of which is manifest, for these are they who by their words and expe∣rience have confirmed, and do con∣firm it by their Writings, and as be∣ing set free, and onely subject to the graces and favours of Almighty God, do enjoy a most perfect peace and tranquillity of mind, and there∣fore all kind of deceit is farre distant from the Faith of Christ.

Every cause moved by its own

goodnesse, which it seeks to extend and communicate, doth, as much as it may possible, direct its effect to its proper end, especially, when the effect is disposed for it, to which the more it approacheth, the more it is delighted and doth acquiesce in it. Now God is supremely good, and a most liberall and bountifull dis∣penser of his own goodnesse, and therefore he directs all his effects, which are well disposed, to their proper and deserved ends, that they may take up their final rest in them. Now there being no more intense disposition for the end of man then that of most approved and religious men, he will questionlesse direct them unto their wished end in which they obtain their desired rest in the enjoying their end; but these by their daily progresse are more con∣firmed in the orthodox Faith, re∣joycing in Christ Jesus, do bend

their whole endeavours in gaining him alone, setting all other things at naught. Whence it appears, that there is no errour or falsity in this Faith, otherwise, by the Divine di∣rection, by forsaking more and more this false delight of mind, they would be directed to their true and wished for end and tranquillity.

All joy is grounded in some love or other, for love is the first act of the will or rationall appetite; from which the other acts have their in∣flunce. The joy therefore and ju∣bilee of mind, which doth most un∣feignedly appear in the countenances of those men, not consisting in any transitory, fading, or naturall per∣fection of the soul, and all of them affirming with one voyce and com∣mon consent, that it proceeds from the love of Christ crucified, cannot be grounded in any errour or vain affection because, the more uprightly

and holily such men did live, the more it would decay in them; for (as I have said) if the Faith of Christ were false, they would daily more apparantly perceive, that in their preposterous affections they were wholly deceived, and thence they would become more heavy and sorrowfull, but the sincerity of their deportments, the chearfulnesse of their countenances, that refulgent kind of sanctity in their exteriour, for which they are in such reverence and veneration of all men, shew it to be farre otherwise, whilst we may see them alwayes in all events more pleasant, content and joyfull.