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

CHAP. IX. Christian Faith proved true out of their use of Prayer and Con∣templation.

AS Faith and the reading holy Scriptures, Auscultation, and

Meditation is the principall cause of a Christian life, so Prayer is its principall nourishment where it hath its growth and perfection: for by long experience we have found in our Religion, that all those who profit in our Religion, and have ar∣rived to the highest degrees of san∣ctity have attained it by frequent and continuall Prayer; and we have observed, that they have taken such gust and complacence in it, that they have despised all other humane de∣lights as vile, abject, and unworthy of them. Nor doth this happen one∣ly to the most eminent and learned sort of those which flourish in san∣ctity but it is commonly found in the simple and ignorant, as well men as women, and even in all those who have learned to leade a Christi∣an life. By this effect therefore we may prove the Verity of out Faith.

Almighty God being a pure Act, the first Verity, and an infinite Light, the nearer a man makes his approach unto him, the more abundartly doth he partake this Purity, Verity, and Light; But man doth not make his approach unto Almighty God by corporall paces, but by the purity of life, elevation of mind, and con∣templation of Verity: Seeing there∣fore that there can be no life more candid and more sincere, then that of Christians; and that then the mind of man is most pure, when it is wrapt up in a soaring and exta∣ticall contemplation of the Divine perfections, it follows, that man is most possessed of this Verity and Light, as he is in the very act of prayer and contemplation: and see∣ing that we find by experience, that Christians as they encrease in the fervour of Devotion and frequency of Prayer, are more and more con∣firmed

in their Faith, and inflamed with the love of Christ, and profit in virtue we must confesse that the Faith, Verity, and Light of Chri∣stian Religion is Divine. Our un∣derstanding affecting Verity as its proper perfection, and abhorring Falsity as its greatest enemy; man is in nothing so disposed for the enter∣taining of Verity and rejecting of contraries as in the very act of Pray∣er and Contemplation; by which he doth most stedfastly and ardently embrace the documents of Faith, which therefore cannot be erro∣neous.

Moreover, all Christians in their Prayers to Almighty God, do be∣seech him to grant that for the which they pray, by the merits of Christ; for in the end of every prayer they most commonly adde some such form, Through Jesus Christ our Lord: or, Through Christ our

Lord and yet they obtain admira∣ble and incredible graces from him; which if any should not believe, yet certainly they must grant that which by daily experience is manifest, that they obtain that which they princi∣pally seek after, the righteousnesse of a virtuous life, the quiet and joy∣fulnesse of mind; so as they preferre the pious tears of Devotion farre before any delights and pleasures of the world. Now certainly if Christ were not he whom our Faith pro∣claims him to be, they could not in so great a serenity of mind, and at so near a distance of so great a light be environed and buried in so great a darknesse; nor would Almighty God permit them to be so grosly deceived, or at least, if they were obstinate in an errour, he would not grant their petitions.

Again, every cause disposing its matter for the producing its effect,

after it hath introduced its last dis∣position, immediately produces it, nor would it dispose the matter un∣lesse it meant to Introduce the form; nor any cause of motion would pro∣duce it, if it intended not some end of the motion produced; but a just man unlesse he were invited and drawn on by Almighty God, who is the first cause of all things, could not elevate his mind unto him by prayer. Blisse therefore being the end of prayer and a virtuous life, Almighty God would not induce man unto those means of prayer and virtue, unlesse he intended to make him finally blessed. If therefore Christians makig progresse in vir∣tue and prayers become more groun∣ded and settled in their Faith and Contemplation of Christ, their Faith cannot be but from Almighty God, by which he leades men unto blisse.

Every cause grants (as I may say) unto its effect what it asks; the ef∣fect asks of its cause its due and proper perfections, which then it is said to exact, when it is rightly dis∣posed: for then the cause, if not otherwise hindred, delaies not the execution of the effect, infusing that quantity of perfection into it, which the degree of disposition doth exact; which immediate execution pro∣ceeds out of its facility and good∣nesse which of its nature is desirous to communicate it self. Almighty God therefore being the most sove∣reign good, questionlesse will more then other causes which have not so great goodnesse grant the petitions to this effect especially unto those which are best disposed for the re∣ceiving his favours as are Christians, chiefly when they are in the act of Prayer and Contemplation; but Christians ask nothing more then the

light of truth, according to that of the Psalmist, Ill umina oculos meos nè unquam obdormiam in morte: Enlighten my eyes that I never sleep in death. And therefore Almighty God never denies them their request; but Christians the more they pray, the more they are confirmed in their Faith, therefore this our discourse is of greater force.

Further, if Christ were not God, to professe himself so would be the most supreme degree of blasphemy and detestation that could be. Now if Christians do pray to God the Father through Christ, whom they believe to be of the same nature with the Father and the holy Ghost, how doth Almighty God permit them in so great an errour arising out of ignorance and simplicity, and doth not draw them out of it, knowing that they serve him with their whole affection, and humbly beg of him

the knowledge of truth? or if their obstinacy be in fault, why doth he leave so great a wickednesse and treason against his Divine Majesty unrevenged? or why doth he (as we see him) favour this errour and impiety? whilst bestowing so many and great gifts on them he question∣lesse grants them that which they ask at his hands.

Our soul (as I have said) doth chiefly delight in Verity, and is di∣sturbed, perplexed and confounded with Falsity, in which it can take no rest; if therefore the Faith of Christ were false, there would be no impo∣sture so absurd and pestilent as it; for how should innumerable men, especially just and wise-men, so im∣ploy themselves in the contemplati∣on of Christ crucified, that for this alone they should despise all humane affairs, and should not onely most willingly suffer want of sustenance,

labours, heats and cold, contume∣lies, threats, buffets, p••isons, and most cruel racks, and torments, nay, death it self, but if they be without them, do wish to undergo them: duly we may say, the finger of God is here.