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savonarola, Girolamo, 1452-
1498.

The triumph of the cross

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2022 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library

https://archive.org/details/triumphofcrossbyO00savo

THE

TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS.

THE

TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS.

JEROME PAVONAROLA.

Cransf{ated from the Zatin,

WITH NOTES AND A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH,

Wr ia ERAN RS. EEL. PR Gis:

Author of ‘‘ English Monasticism,” &c.

London:
Poe eR AN Des. TO U GH TD ONs
27. PATE RNOSTER? ROW.

MDCCCLXVIII.

BRE RACE:

HIS little book was written by its author for the sceptics

of his day; but we are convinced that no doubter

of our own times could honestly read it through without

feeling uneasy about the solidity of some of the foundations
of his doubt.

The very conception of such a work as this—a rational
defence of Christianity, conducted without appeal to authority
or tradition—by a Dominican monk of the middle ages, is
in itself a marvel.

But the execution of the work, its rigid adherence to its
first principle, its freedom from all sectarian spirit, from all
scholastic quibblings, its close consecutive reasoning, its
earnestness, convince us that its author was a man far in
advance of his age.

In point of style it might have been written yesterday
amongst us, and by one of our greatest intellects.

The translator feels justified therefore in bringing this
valuable work before the English public for the first time.

He has searched in vain for any trace of an English

vi PREFACE.

translation, and can only find that an abbreviated edition,
about one-third of the volume, was brought out in Puritan
times, dedicated to the “scoffers and scorners of the Gospel

”

in these days;” an edition long extinct.

_— This translation has been made from a valuable copy,
printed with all the abbreviations peculiar to Savonarola’s
manuscript, found in the Archives of Sion College.

We repeat that this book is free from all sectarian feeling
or prejudice, and is therefore more adapted to the present
time, when many questions are mooted whose solution may
be found in it by a patient perusal.

It only endeavours to demonstrate those fundamental
principles of a true religion, of which an instinctive notion
is implanted in the human mind, the basis of its yearning
after and its strongest impulse towards a revelation: a
demonstration eminently calculated to lead men from the
dark wilderness of speculative doubt, to the fuller light of
Revealed Truth.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY.
PAGE
Biographical Sketch of Savonarola, 1452—1493 vig Xa
Savonarola’s Works . xliv
Lives, &c., of Savonarola dae SAV
BOOK I.
INTRODUCTION.
CHAP.

I. On the mode of proceeding in this work 4

II. Concerning the Triumph of the Cross, whence the
proofs of the Faith are drawn ... 6
III. Universally admitted principles Io
IV. Reply to objections against the foregoing precedents 13
V. Method of procedure ... 17
(V1. That there is a God 19

| VII. God is neither a body, nor form of body, nor any-
| thing composite ... bee bet oes oe

VIII. That God is sovereignly perfect and good; sania
powerful, omnipresent, immutable, and eternal 24
| IX. That God is one 27

Vill CONTENTS.

CHAP, PAGE

X. That God is supremely intelligent; that He has a
perfect knowledge of all things; that He does
not act from necessity, but from free will : gee
XI. That God extends His Providence over all things... a2
XII. Concerning the end to which Divine Providence
conducts man” 4... ap aoe Wi er
XIII, That the end of man is not the present life... he
XIV. That the human soulisimmortal ... ae bee he

BO. aad
PREAMBLE.
I. There is a true Religion oa oe 43 sete
II. There are two sorts of worship of God ee Sc

¥ III. There is no life so excellent as the Christian life iy
IV. There is no end more excellent than that which

the Christian life assigns... ee ore se eee
7 VY. There is no means more convenient than Chris-

tianity to lead to blessedness_... oe oid GT
Y VI. Religion conducts men to blessedness ys oni OF

* VII. The Christian Faith is true, because it is the cause

of a perfect life... ee oe bes Pe 8 7

VIII. That the Christian Doctrine, the object of our Faith,
comes from God ... i iS 4 i ae

IX. The truth of the Faith proved by the prayer and
contemplation of Christians ... ry oa)

X. Truth of the Faith proved by the exterior worship
of Christians ose ose eee ove w- 83

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

Vids

CONTENTS. ix
vce all AST RIA i Giabg Gi a ea
The Truth of the Faith demonstrated by the in-
trinsic effects of the Christian life 88
The Truth of the Faith proved by the exterior
effects of the Christian life 93
The Truth of the Faith proved by the hantatle
works of Christ, and first by His power 98
The Truth of the Faith proved by the wisdom of
Christ Fe YOO
The Truth of the Faith heer nee the Re ease of
Christ : tan BEG
The Truth of the Faith Lee ae on the
power, the wisdom, and the goodness of Christ 126
B.O-OiKee DET:
PREAMBLE.
Introductory ... mens
On Doctrines which are above the intelligence of
man ie Ae Sad is " poe h35
The Christian Religion affirms nothing contrary
to reason on the mystery of the Trinity 137
That the Christian Faith affirms nothing upon
Creation that is impossible or contrary to
reason . 144

That the Christian Faith affirms nothing impos-
sible or contrary to reason, upon the sanctifi-

cation of the reasonable creature

. 147

XI.

XII,
XITI,
XIV.

XV.

Il.

CONTENTS.

That the Christian Religion speaks reasonably
upon the punishment of the damned...
That the Doctrine of the Incarnation presents
nothing impossible and unreasonable
That the Birth and Life of our Lord Jesus Christ
contain nothing impossible or contrary to
reason * eae |
The Dogma of Original Sin has in it nothing im-
possible or contrary to reason...
It is not without reason that we believe the Pas-
sion and other mysteries of the humanity of
the Son of God, and all the decrees of the
Church concerning Faith
That the Christian Religion wisely lays down two
principles of Charity as the foundation of the

moral life... ae ay sae sre ECO
That the Morality of the Church is the most excellent 172
The Judicial Law of the Church is infinitely wise... 177
The Sacraments of the Church have been wisely

instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ ... Ps
Solution of objections against the Sacrament of

the Eucharist «LBS

BAO 1.3
PREAMBLE.

No Religion other than the Christian is true... 193

That the Religions invented by philosophers are
incomplete, and full of errors ...

PAGE

Piha

- 153

- 157

-» 159

. 164

» 195

CONTENTS. Xi

III]. The traditions of the astrologers are vain and
superstitious ... Ae 48 ee mee 205
IV. That Idolatry is the vainest of errors... “ira TO
V. False faith and error of the Jews—Refutation ... 223
VI. That the doctrine of the heretics is false, evil,
perverse, and corrupt ... Ate is oe 3%
VII. The sect of the Mahometans is altogether un-
reasonable dus hy “ee ify Sea 7
VIII. The Christian Religion is true in every point— }
Its stability py mee A ms Wey 26
IX. Epilogue and conclusion ... ah paetitne eset as

yi
‘
a

& PS

SAVONAROLA.

1452—14098.

AVONAROLA was born at Ferrara, 21st September,
1452. His grandfather Michele was body-physician
to Nicolo d’Este.

From this old man Savonarola received his first instruc-
tion, which, as he was destined to succeed the grandfather,
partook of kindred subjects. His father’s name was Nicolo,
and his mother, Helena, was a daughter of the house of
Buonaccorsi, of Mantua. Like nearly all great men,
Savonarola had a good and noble mother, and in after
years he said that he could never forget her. She was a
living influence upon him all his life, and some of his most
tender and affectionate letters are those addressed to her.

His first studies under his grandfather, Michele, consisted
of grammar, and the elements of Latin. At the age of ten
years he was sent to a public school in his native town, with
a view to his succeeding his grandfather as a physician.
During this period of his youth his favourite studies were

ate BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

the works of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, especially the
latter. In one of his sermons, delivered in after years
(1499), he alludes to his fondness for the great Dominican.
“When I was in the world I held him in the greatest reve-
rence. I have always kept to his teaching ; and whenever I
wish to feel small, I read him, and it happens always that
he appears to me a giant, and I to myself a dwarf.”

He pursued his medical studies for some time, as we
learn from Fra Benedetto, a contemporary biographer ; but
he was destined for other things. 7

A dislike for his profession soon manifested itself: his
soul was full of higher thoughts. Some of his early poetry,
now extant, gives us the best idea of the state of his mind
at this period. Most youths are guilty of rhyming, but the
early effusions of Savonarola were directed to a strange
mistress—the Church. Already in his youth he appreciated
the condition of things in the Church of his times. He
speaks in these verses of decaying virtue, of the spread of
sceptical philosophy, of the head of the Church (Rome)
being so prostrated that it might be said it had abandoned
its high mission. ‘‘Where are the precious stones,” he asks,
‘“‘where the pure diamonds, the bright lamps, the sapphires,
the white robes, and white roses of the Church?” He alle
gorises her as a mother leading him as her son to the altar,
weeping and wailing over her griefs, and pointing out to
him the destruction of her house.

We trace in these verses the ground tone of Savonarola’s
future existence. Whilst still in his father’s house, a cir-
cumstance occurred which altered his whole career. A fair

SAVONAROLA. XV

daughter of the house of Strozzi, in Florence, who was then
living in the neighbourhood of Savonarola’s house at Ferrara,
attracted his attention, and the future monk played, for the
first and last time in his life, the part of the lover. He was,
however, repelled with such scorn by the haughty young
lady, that he retired to his beloved studies, and became
more and more contemplative and retired.

His disgust for the world increased, and on St. George
the Martyr’s day, 23rd April, 1475, in his 23rd year, when
all Ferrara was gay with the festival, he secretly left his
father’s house, wandered to Bologna, and knocked at the
door of the Dominican cloister, into which he was received
asa novice. His love for St. Thomas Aquinas manifested
itself in this choice of the Dominican order.

The anguish of his mother at his unexpected departure
was only partially allayed, when a letter came addressed
from the monastery to his father. 7

In this letter Savonarola describes his growing desire for
retirement from the world of sin, and the strong impulse he
felt in his heart to devote himself and ‘‘all his days to my
dear Lord Jesus Christ.” He consoled his parents by telling
them they should be thankful that their son, only twenty-
two years old, so loved his Lord as to leave the world for
His sake. ‘‘Either you love me, or you love me not. If
you love me, remember I have two parts, body and soul ;
which do you love, my body or my soul? You cannot say
the body, for then you would notlove me rightly ; but if you
say the soul, why then do you not seek its welfare? Think
not that my heart is hardened, that I can part from you.

xvi BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

I have suffered much since I left the world, when I thought
of my poor deserted father ; and now I beg you, as a brave
man, to console my dear mother. Give me, both of you,
your blessing, as I shall for ever pray for your souls.”

During his residence in this cloister, into which he entered
at first only as a lay brother, he devoted his time to his
studies. After a year of probation he became a monk, 1476.
His principal studies were in natural philosophy and meta-
physics; these subjects he taught, as ordered by his superior,
but his own private reading was directed to his favourite
books, Cassian’s Collations, the Lives of the Fathers, Augus-
tine’s Meditations, and, above all, the Scriptures, his most
favourite study through life.

During the fourteen years he spent in this way, he was
frequently sent to different cities in Lombardy to act as a
reader, or to preach. In 1486 he was travelling through
Lombardy. He appears to have stayed some time at Brescia,
where, in 1490, he received orders to preach the Fast at
Genoa. In the middle of January he walked on foot to
Pavia, and thence to Genoa, where he spent March and
April. From this city he returned to Florence.*

From Pavia he wrote a celebrated letter to his mother,
too long to quote here.f He told her that, in his love for
Jesus, he had been working for Him “in different cities, so
that I might not only save my own soul, but the souls of

others.”

* Bohringer ‘‘ Die Kirche Christi und ihre Zeugen oder die Kirchengeschichte in
Biographien. Hieron. Savon.” Zurich, 1857.
+ Bohringer 1. c. p. 760, or the English translation of ‘‘ Villari Vita de Savon.”

SAVONAROLA. XVil

From his Compendium, we learn that he spent four years
of his time at St. Mark’s Convent, in Florence, but did not
attract much notice ; but when he reached the age of thirty-
seven years, 1490, he was recalled to Florence, and entered
once more the walls of the Convent of St. Mark in that city,
destined to be immortalised by being the scene of his future
career.

We must here, in a few words, endeavour to trace out the
state of things at Florence when Savonarola settled there.

The city of Florence, in the fifteenth century, was one of
the wonders of Italy. From a small town, lying obscurely
yet beautifully in the valley of the Arno, it had grown into
a mighty principality—a principality based upon commerce.
Its merchants had accumulated so much wealth that they
became lords of the soil, therefore an aristocracy, and out
of their number sprung the well-known family of the Di
Medici, who became the rulers. At the time of Savonarola,
Florence possessed nearly a thousand fortified positions, and
the rich lands stretching for miles along the valley of the
Arno belonged to her citizens.

Its government was democratical ; a splendid palace had
been built, called the Palace of the People, in which the
popular council of 300 men, consisting of the Signor and
Gonfaloniere, assembled with their President, to conduct
the affairs of the State.

Florence also was the great banking place of Europe.
Kings, Princes, Popes, deposited their wealth in the rich
banks of Florence; and amongst the most distinguished
bankers at the end of the fourteenth century was Giovanni

XV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

di Medici, whose generous use of his wealth won him the
favour of the people, and by this means he attained to almost
supreme power in the State. His son, Cosmo, carried out
his father’s plans, and, although no monarchial form was
given to the government, yet he was virtually a king, Be-
fore attaining this position, however, his enemies had pre-
vailed against him so far as to procure his banishment; but
it only tended to increase his power, for he was soon re-
called, and entered Florence in triumph. He was a great
patron of learning, and helped on the revival of letters just
then taking place in Italy. Whatever may be the judgment
of history upon the Medici, we must always be grateful to
them for their lavish encouragement of learning. Nicoli, a
wealthy Florentine, had collected several manuscripts, which
he left, with a legacy, to found a public library at St. Mark’s;
by his instigation, also, Cosmo laid the foundation of that
great library from which so many treasures have issued—the
Medicean Library of Florence.

In the year 1453, the Turks took Constantinople, and
many learned Greeks fled to Italy, some to Florence; the
result was that an expedition of savans was sent by the —
Medici to Greece, to search for MSS. for the new library, .
and every returning ship laden with the wealth of ancient
literature was welcomed as atriumph. During his life, also,
an academy was founded in Florence, called the “ Platonic
Academy,” where the band of scholars then living there
met and discussed philosophical questions in the true
Platonic style and manner. Florence strove to revive
Athens, Their speculations are lost, but the work they did

SAVONAROLA. XIX

in classical philology, in the reproduction and correction of
classical texts, can never be too highly estimated. Cosmo
died in 1464, and was succeeded by his son, Pietro, and
after his short reign came the well-known Lorenzo di Medici,
whose learning, manners, and high culture, gained for him
the title of Magnificent. Though his life was spent in
luxury and elegance, yet his services to literature were of
the greatest importance. Under him the Medicean Library,
then called from his name the “ Laurentian Library,” flou-
rished, He also encouraged Platonic discussions amongst
the great scholars, who were engaged by him in the restora-
tion of classical texts. At the Platonic Academy he him-
self would discuss the great philosophical questions there
revived, and so powerful was the impetus given to classical
literature, and more especially to the revival of Greek life
and history, that Florence became a second Athens, and
only wanted the statues of the gods to make it complete.
Some fears of this appear to have been entertained; and we
hear a solemn but stirring voice coming from the cloister-
garden of St. Marks, from Savonarola, the new and strange
monk who had settled there—burning words upon the state
of things in Florence in 1490.

He began his career as a reader and lecturer, and his
lectures, though only intended for novices, drew a large
audience. He then lectured in the garden of the cloister,
under a large rosebush, where many intellectual men came
from the city to hear him. At length he began to preach
in the Church of St. Mark’s, and his subject was the Apoca-
lypse, out of which he predicted the restoration of the Church

08 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

in Italy, which he declared God would bring about by a
severe visitation. Its influence upon his hearers was over-
powering ; there was no room in the church for the brethren;
his fame spread abroad, and he was next appointed to preach
the sermons in the cathedral. This was really his first public
appearance in Florence, and it caused a great sensation.
Amid the luxurious, esthetic, semi-pagan life of Florence,
in the ears of the rich citizens, the licentious youth, the
learned Platonists, he denounced the revival of paganism,
the corruptions of the Church, the ignorance and consequent
slavery of the people, and declared that God would visit
Italy with some terrible punishment, and that zt would soon
come. He spoke severe words about the priests, declared
“——~ to the people that the Scriptures were the only guides to
salvation ; that salvation did not come from external works,
,-7—as the Church taught, but from faith in Christ, from giving
‘ up the heart to Him, and if He forgave sin, there was no
-—~need for any other absolution.

Scarcely had he been a year in Florence when he was
made prior of the monastery. There was a custom in vogue,
a relic of the old times, for every new prior to go to the
king or ruler and ask his favour. This homage was then
due to Lorenzo di Medici, but Savonarola declared he would
never submit to it, saying—‘‘ From whom have I received
my office, from God or Lorenzo? Let us pray for grace to

the Highest.”*
Lorenzo passed over this slight, being anxious to acquire

Burlamacchi ‘‘ Vita Sav.”

SAVONAROLA. na

the friendship of one whom he clearly saw would exert great
influence over the Florentines. :
Burlamachi, his contemporary biographer, tells us oN
Lorenzo tried all kinds of plans to win the friendship of
Savonarola: he attended the church of St. Mark ; listened
to his sermons; gave large sums of money to him for the
poor; loitered in the garden to attract his attention—but
with little success. Savonarola treated him with respect,
gave his money away to the poor, but avoided him and de-
nounced him. Another plan was tried: five distinguished
men waited on Savonarola, and begged him to spare such
elevated persons in his sermons, to treat more of gene-
ralities, and not to foretell the future. They received a pro-
phetic answer. “Go tell your master, Lorenzo, to repent
of his sins, or God will punish him and his. Does he
threaten me with banishment? Well, I am but a stranger,
and he is the first citizen in Florence, but let him know that
I shall remain, avd he must soon depart |” ae
What happened shortly after caused the people to begin
to regard Savonarola as a prophet, and won him that ter-
rible fame which caused his downfall In April, 1492,
Lorenzo the Magnificent lay on his death-bed, at his beau-
tiful villa Careggi, and in his remorse he sent for Savonarola
to give him the consolations of religion, and to absolve him
from his sins, believing that no other priest’s blessing would
be so effectual as that of this holy man. According to Pico
di Mirandola, Savonarola spoke kindly to Lorenzo, who
requested his absolution, but the monk paused for a few
moments, and suggested three stipulations: first, that he

XXII BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

must have firm faith in Christ, and God would forgive him.
“T believe,” said Lorenzo. Then, added Savonarola, as a
second condition, that he was to restore what he had un-
justly acquired, and Lorenzo replied that he would charge
his estate with it. .Then came the third stipulation. ‘ Give
Florence back her freedom,” said Savonarola; but the dying
man turned away in silence, and Savonarola departed. yh
Lorenzo died on the 8th April, 1492, and from that time
Savonarola becomes more prominent.
/ He directed his exertions to the accomplishment of three
objects—the reformation of his monastery, the reformation
\ of the Florentine State, and the reformation of the Church.
ans changed the whole character of his monastery, placed
himself at the head of a new company, of which he became
the vicar-general, restored the old simplicity of living, ordered
all new comers to be enjoined to live purely, to devote
themselves to study and preaching. Like a wise reformer,
he began with his own house.

Then he proceeded to State matters, and in this step we
come to the problem of his life—was he a prophet ora
fanatic? Let the facts speak for themselves. Lorenzo was
succeeded by his son Pietro, who was vastly inferior to his
father in learning and statesmanship. His only idea appears
to have been a desire to unite Florence and Naples into one
principality ; this created for him many enemies, and men
began to fancy that the great house of Medici would ter-
minate with him. So, it appears, thought Savonarola, and
announced the fact at first privately amongst his friends ; in
a short time, however, he began to prophecy their downfall

SAVONAROLA. XXill

publicly. During the years 1492 and 1494, he was actively
engaged in preaching. In Advent of the former year, he
began his thirteen sermons upon Noah’s Ark. In 1493 he
preached the Lent sermons at Bologna, and upon his return
he began preaching in the cathedral. In these sermons he
predicted the approaching fall of the State to the astonish-
ment of all his hearers, who had not the slightest appre-
hension of danger: ‘‘ The Lord has declared that His sword
shall come upon the land swiftly and soon.” ‘This was the
burden of a sermon preached on Advent Sunday, 1492.
At the close of 1493, and as the new year approached, he
spoke out more plainly and definitely. He declared that
one should come over the Alps who was called, like Cyrus,
of whom Jeremiah wrote; and he should, sword in hand,
wreak vengeance upon the tyrants of Italy. He predicted
that their counsels would be turned to their destruction, and
he implored those who were religious to spend their time in
prayer and meditation, and they would be saved body and
soul; but to the wicked he declared that their souls would
be scourged with rods out of their bodies, and sent into the
eternal fire.

His preaching had always exerted a marvellous influence
upon people, as we shall hereafter note, but they could not
understand the cause of these predictions. ‘The city was at
' peace; gay and joyous as usual, and no fear was entertained ;
but towards the end of the year came the fulfilment.
Charles VIII., King of France, called into Italy by Duke
Ludovico of Milan, came over the Alps with an immense
army, took Naples, and advanced on Florence. The ex-

XXIV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

pulsion of the Medici from Florence soon followed. Pietro,
being captured, signed an agreement to deliver up all his
strongholds to Charles VII1., and to pay him two hundred
thousand ducats. The utmost indignation seized the Flo-
rentines when they_heard of this treaty. The Signori sent
heralds to Charles, to negociate for milder terms, and their
chief was Savonarola, who addressed the king like a prophet,
begged him to take pity on Italy, and save her. His words
had the desired effect. Charles made more easy terms, and
left it to the Florentine people to settle their own State. |

In the meantime Pietro returned, but he found Florence
in the greatest excitement—the royal palace was closed ;
stones were thrown at him; he summoned his guards, but
the people took to arms, and he was compelled to fly to his
brothers Giovanniand Giuliano. The Signori declared them
to be traitors, and set a price upon their heads. Their
palace and its treasures fell into the hands of the people.

The friends of the Medici, however, were not all extinct;
and as a discussion arose which was likely to lead to a
struggle, Savonarola summoned the people to meet under
the dome of St. Mark. When they were assembled, he
addressed them upon the future State; he first explained to
them the three forms of government—Monarchy, Aristocracy,
and Democracy—and suggested the latter as most adapted
to the Florentines, whom he designated as the most spiritual,
keen-witted, energetic people of Italy. Such a people could
not be governed by an alien, even if his rule were just and

upright. What he wanted, he said, was not a mere empty

popular government, but one of which God should be the

SAVONAROLA. XXV

head, and its pillars Christian living and the peace of the
citizens. God’s own Word was to be its book of laws, and
love to Him the soul of the State. Love to God, he said,
would produce love to the neighbour, and therefore he trusted
that, in the midst of the struggle of parties, they would forget
old enmities, and agree together in loving concord, which
would make them strong within and safe without.

In fact, the formation of the new State fell upon Savona-
rola, for the people looked up to him asan inspired prophet.
He proposed that 3,200 citizens should form themselves into
a general council. Then they drew lots for a third part,
who for six months were to act together as an executive
body and represent the general council, another one-third
for the next three months, and so on; so that every citizen
had his turn in the council every eighteen months. They
ultimately found it convenient to reduce the number to
eighty—in fact, Savonarola’s Democracy was rapidly becom-
ing oligarchic. Each of these eighty representatives was to
be forty years of age; they voted with black and white
beans, six being a legal majority.

But the Chief of the State was to be Christ: He was to be
the new monarch.

His next step was to induce them to proclaim a general
amnesty, in which he succeeded only through vigorously
preaching to them that forgiveness was sweeter than ven-
geance—that freedom and peace were more loving than
strife and hatred. Had it not been for the magic of his
eloquence, his great influence over the minds of the people,
the streets of Florence would have been deluged with blood.

xxvi BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

Whatever we may think of his Theocracy, we must give him
this credit—that with an excited populace just freed from
tyranny, whom he might have used for the basest purposes,
he forgot himself, and only thought of turning their hearts
to mercy.

At this time the jealousy of the Franciscans began to
manifest itself; they hated him and his popularity; they
were afraid that their beloved St. Francis would be eclipsed
by St. Dominic, if this zealous monk were not subdued.
They began by declaring that a man of God never interferes
in worldly matters, but Savonarola cited the example of
Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament; they were
silenced, but not convinced, for we shall see that ultimately
the hatred of the Franciscan for the Dominican was, if not
the real cause, one of the principal causes of Savonarola’s
downfall.

He was now at the height of his power; his voice ruled
the State; he is the only instance in Europe of a monk
openly heading a republic. The people regarded him as
something more than human: they knew of his nights spent
in prayer; of his long fasts; of his unbounded charity, that
every ducat that came to him—and now they came by thou-
sands—he scattered amongst the poorat once. The influence
of his preaching has been graphically sketched by his bio-
graphers. When he ascended the pulpit there was a dead
silence, and every eye was fixed upon him. He spoke out
boldly, and freely denounced the heathenism then prevalent
in the State, the growing love of heathen philosophy, and
revival of heathen art and literature; he denounced blas-

—s.- *

SAVONAROLA. XXVlli

phemers and tyrants, the sensual youth of the city and their
open vice. They tell us that he spoke readily, expressively,
and clearly, in a strong musical voice, which could be heard
by the most distant listener; that it sounded like a trumpet;
his diction was pure and noble, and his physiognomy, when
he warmed to his subject, was the ‘‘living expression” of
what he said. In the heat of his eloquence, when speaking
of the Saviour’s love and suffering, he would seize the crucifix
which lay by his side and kiss it. After the expulsion of the
Medici, he caused to be painted over the cross in the chancel,
“Jesus Christ, the King of the city of Florence.” Few
preachers ever exerted such influence upon the minds of
crowds, such a vitalizing influence; he changed the whole
character of Florentine society. Libertines abandoned their
vices; the theatres and taverns were empty ; there was no
card playing, nor dice throwing; the love of fasting grew so
general, that meat could not be sold; the city of Florence
was God’s city, and its government a Theocracy.’ There was
a custom in Florence, during Carnival time, for the children
to go from house to house and bid people give up their
cherished pleasures; and so great was the enthusiasm at
this period that people gave up their cards, their dice and
backgammon boards, the ladies their perfumed waters, veils,
paint pots, false hair, musical instruments, harps, lutes, licen-
tious tales, especially those of Boccaccio, dream books,
romances, and popular songs. All this booty was gathered
together in a heap in the market place, the people assembled,
the Signori took their places, and children clothed in white,
with olive branches on their heads, received from them the

XXVill BIOGRAPHICAL SKEIT CAYO

burning torches, and set fire to the pile amid the blast of
trumpets and chant of psalms, which were continued till the

whole was consumed.

ae also occupied the attention of Savonarola ; he
endeavoured to give it an earnest, moral, and religious
character, to withdraw the youth of the State from the pursuit
of sensuous pleasures. To this end, he charged the mothers,
as they valued their own souls, to look after their children ;
induced the Government to banish from the schools all such
poets as Ovid and Catullus, but to retain Homer and
Virgil; above all, the Scriptures were to be read. He also
preached to the children, and so filled them with his own
enthusiasm that they used to draw his face on their books,
and run to each other, exclaiming, ‘‘This is our brother!
see, that is our brother!” He had an especial place made
for them in the church, and always watched to see them
come in first, when he received them with smiles. Over
them, asa superintendent, he appointed his friend Domenico,
who organised them into a band, the conditions of member-
ship being to avoid masquerades, theatres, dances, and the
reading of frivolous and injurious books, to go to church
regularly, to take the sacrament, and keep God’s command-
ments. f# He did not neglect the poor, he gathered money
together for them alone; he preached for them, begged for
them from house to house; all money that flowed in to
him he divided immediately, and during his life he was the
poorest man in Florence. He banished the Jews who
extorted money from them, and built three houses of loan
where they might borrow money without interest.

SAVONAROLA. XXIX

His fame had now reached other countries; foreigners
visited Florence solely for the purpose of seeing and hearing
him. The Sultan of Turkey allowed his sermons to be
translated and circulated in his dominions. But in the midst
of his prosperity his enemies were not idle: as he progressed
their jealousy increased: his preaching displeased them,
terrified them, and amongst these the most bitter and
virulent were the young sons of the upper classes, they called
his followers ‘“‘howlers” (Piagnoni), and so raged against
him that they gained the name, now immortalised in history,
of the Arrabiati (the furies): this party was increased by
the old friends of the Medici, who called him a rebel and
leader of the lower classes. Dolfo Spini, a young man of
position and wealth, commanded this party, and used every
effort to destroy the reputation of Savonarola, to incite the
people against him, and to ruin him. They bore the name
of “ Compagnacci ;” they wrote satires about the Piagnoni;
they circulated slanders about the monk who was making Flo-
rence the laughing-stock of Europe: but Savonarola went on
his way indifferent to the signs already manifesting themselves
amongst his countrymen, ever most sensitive to ridicule.

He also strove to reform the Church: he delineated the

aera,

Apostolic Church as a model upon which he would build
up that of Florence. ‘She was poor,” he said, ‘but
, beautiful in her poverty: she had no earthly wealth then,
| nor a number of ceremonies, and none of the vain glories

) of the present, but was rich in lowliness and love.”* He
\

* In another of his sermons, speaking of the Church in Apostolical times, he said,
‘*In those days they had a golden priest and wooden vessels, but now we have golden
vessels and a wooden priest.”

XXX BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

attributed the ruin of the Church to the neglect of the
Scriptures ; through this, he said, they had brought darkness
upon themselves, and allowed the prince of darkness to
conquer them. ‘They had, therefore, fallen into Judaism,
for the Old Testament was full of ceremonies, which had
been abrogated by Christ; but in these days, he said, they
had added so many commentaries and interpolations of
- their own to the simple commands of Christ to love God
and our neighbour, that they had brought it into the same
degenerate condition as the Jews had brought the law of
Moses at the time of Christ. “Thus,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ we
have wandered from the New Testament to the Old, and
the only thing to be done now is to bring the Church back
to the New once more.”

By this time, the intelligence of his doings, and the gist
of his preaching and writing, which had been carefully trans-
mitted to Rome by his enemies, began to attract the
attention of the Pope, Alexander VI., who tried what had
frequently proved an infallible remedy, and offered Savonarola
a Cardinal’s hat, which he at once refused. He was then
invited to Rome, but thought it prudent to excuse himself.
When the controversy between him and the Pope appeared
to approach a crisis, Savonarola took a step which somewhat
hurried the catastrophe. He wrote to the Kings of France
and Spain, and the Emperor of Germany, to call a General
Council to take into consideration the Reform of the Church.
One of these letters reached the Pope, through a spy of
Duke Ludovico Moro, of Milan, whom Savonarola had
denounced. ‘The result was the issue of a Breve (October,

SAVONAROLA. XXXI

1496) which forbad him to preach. The Pope then ordered
the Congregation of St. Mark to be broken up and amalga-
mated with another. For a time Savonarola, at the advice
of his friends, remained quiet; but at this last step, to break
up the institution he had established, he was aroused to
action. He denounced Rome as the source of all the
poison which was undermining the constitution of the
Church; declared that its evil fame stunk in men’s nostrils.
The Pope then applied to the Signori to deliver up this
enemy of the Church, but to no purpose. The Franciscans
were ordered .to preach against him, but they made no
impression. ‘Then came the last thunderbolt: a Bann was
issued (2th May, 1497,) which was announced by the
Franciscans. During the time of his suspension and his
excommunication, many things happened which tended to
his downfall, although his friends gathered round him: the
rapid change of ministry brought in turn friends of the
Medici to the helm; they introduced the young Compagnacci
into the Council, and gradually his enemies were increasing
_ in the Government to a strong party.

One of the reproaches made against him by this party
was his friendship with Charles VIII., of France, who had
promised to do much for Florence, but had done nothing
but weaken her. Pietro di Medici made an effort to enter
Florence, but the influence of Savonarola was still strong
enough to prevent him. Other circumstances happened
which encouraged his enemies to denounce him as a traitor,
and a conspiracy was formed amongst the friends of the
Medici, at whose head was Bernardo del Nero, an old man

XXxil BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

of seventy-five ; their object was to recall the exiled family.
His enemies broke out with more fury; nothing could
restrain the Arrabiati; they broke into the church, tore
down the inscription he had placed over the cross, and
substituted the head of an ass. When he was preaching
the morning service on Psalm vil, about the Power of
Faith, they raised a tumult in the church; one of the
Arrabiati broke off an almsbox and threw it in the air as a
signal, when a rush was made at Savonarola. A general
struggle ensued, the monks closed round Savonarola, and
‘carried him through his enemies in triumph to St. Mark,
shouting “ Long live Christ our King.”

Another unfortunate circumstance was the approach of
the Pest, then raging in Italy; it attacked Florence; the
people looked to their prophet, and, like the Jews, cried out
fora miracle. ‘Do not fear,” he said; ‘‘cast not away
your trust in God ; it is His proving time ; arouse yourselves,
and help your sick brethren.” But the people died, and
poverty followed the Pest; no miracle was wrought, and
many began to waver in their faith, and to fall off from
Savonarola.

His enemies seized the opportunity with avidity; they
declared they were the friends of the Church, fighting under
the Pope’s authority, and to defend his right against the
aggressor; that their cause was a sacred one, and to
help them Alexander threatened the whole city with an
Interdict.

At this crisis one of the most extraordinary instances of
fanaticism arose which, though brought about by the zeal of

SAVONAROLA. XXXHi

his friends, hurried his fate. One of his strongest supporters,
Domenico da Pescia, a member of the Dominican order,
opened a controversy with a Franciscan about the work of
Savonarola. The enmity of the Franciscans was aroused—
it became a party cry; the two orders were pitted against
each other; the honour of each was involved in the dispute,
and, in the heat of the debate, the Franciscans suggested
the settlement of the controversy by a fiery ordeal.
Domenico eagerly accepted the challenge —“ Rather an angel
fall from heaven than Savonarola lie,” he cried. When the
news of this terrible proposition was brought to Savonarola,,
he at once expressed his displeasure, and decided against it;
but it was too late—the enthusiasm of the people was
enkindled : they cried out for the proof—St. Francis against
St. Dominic; and the proof, in spite of all Savonarola’s
remonstrances, was decided upon.* The champions were,
Domenico for Savonarola, and Giuliano Rondinelli for the
Franciscans.

The 7th of April, 1498, was fixed for this most extra-
ordinary scene, which can scarcely be equalled in the whole
history of human enthusiasm. In the Market-place of
Florence two scaffolds were erected, of forty feet in length,
each being saturated with oil and pitch. Between the two
scaffolds was a narrow passage, and the monks were to walk
through after the whole mass had been ignited, the survivor
to be pronounced the victor.

The scaffolds were surrounded by soldiers, all the Signori
were present, the roofs of the houses were crowded with

* Quetif II, 451-510. Pico di Mirand, p. 64. Burlam, p. 108.
c

XXXIV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

people, and various speculations were made as to the
result.

At length the brethren of St. Mark appeared, marching
in procession, singing the 68th Psalm, with Savonarola at
their head. The Franciscan champion had not appeared,
but Domenico, who was eager to enter the fire, stood ready.
A suggestion was made by the director of the ordeal, Pietro
degli Alberti, who was an enemy of Savonarola, that
Domenico should take off the robe of his order, as it might
have been enchanted by Savonarola. When he had changed
his dress, then they demanded that he should lay aside the
crucifix, which he did, and said that he should like to carry
the Host instead; but the Franciscans objected, lest it
should be destroyed; a controversy ensued, which resulted
in the decision that the Host would not be destroyed,
though the friar would be burned up entirely. 7

During this theological combat, which was raised by the
Franciscans to gain time, as their champion had not yet
appeared, an order was suddenly issued by the Signori that
the ordeal should not take place, and a sudden shower of rain
separated the parties.

Upon this, Savonarola demanded an escort, for when the
people heard that there was to be no ordeal, they turned
upon him, and accused him as the cause of their disappoint-
ment; they expected him to insist upon the trial, and
awaited some miracle on his part to crush his enemies, so
that their disappointment was the greater, and they followed
the escort, shouting and reproaching him as a false prophet.
“Scoundrel, throw away the Sacrament,” they cried; but

SAVONAROLA. XXXV

Savonarola retained it firmly, and it was only by doing so
that they were prevented from attacking him.

The next morning Savonarola preached a short sermon
at St. Mark, at the conclusion of which he presented himself
to God as an offering, and declared that he was ready to
die for his sheep. In the evening, at vespers, the strife
broke out; the Compagnacci marched to the church, and
began the attack at first by throwing stones inside; upon
this the gates were closed, and those who were inside, in-
cluding with the monks many citizens who had come to the
service, debated as to what was best to do. Domenico da
Pescia, the friend of Savonarola, who in fact had begun the
fatal controversy with the Franciscans, suggested that they
should defend themselves and meet violence with violence;
but Savonarola refused, and replied, ‘‘My son, take the
cross, not arms; that is my will.” They then joined in
prayer together.

But outside the church the tumult increased; night came
on, and an order was issued by the Signori that all the laity
should leave the church within an hour, that no citizen
should join the strife, that the brethren should lay down .
their arms, and that Savonarola should be banished from
Florence, which he should leave within twelve hours. Some
of the citizens availed themselves of the safe conduct
offered to them, and left the church; others, however,
decided upon remaining to defend it. The strife went on
until midnight, when a band of men was sent from the
Signori, demanding the presence of Savonarola, Domenico
da Pescia, and another follower, Sylvester Maruth, before

XXXVI BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

RMN oe aan SE UR pT
their bar. Savonarola delivered himself up at once, em-
braced his brethren, and bid them farewell; a strong band
of soldiers was left behind to protect the convent and
~ monks, and Savonarola was escorted from the church with
his hands tied behind him. It was midnight when the
strong escort issued from the church with their victim, they
were accompanied by persons carrying torches, lanterns,
and arms. A raging mob closed around them, and raised a
shout of execration. Benedetto says, ‘‘I know not whether
hell itself could raise such a cry as arose that night when
they took him before the Signori. I wanted to follow him
to go with him, but the raging crowd drove me back, and so
I stood alone in the street, and was compelled to see how
they illused the shepherd of my soul.”

So great was the violence of the crowd that those who
escorted Savonarola were compelled to fight their way
through. The Compagnacci pressed through them, and
struck and kicked Savonarola several times, saying, ‘‘ Pro-
phesy who struck thee.” At length they managed to reach
the palace, when, as he passed through the narrow gate, he
received one more severe kick behind, and a cry followed
him, ‘‘That is the seat of thy prophesying.”*

The Signori at once sent a courier to Rome with the
news of the capture of Savonarola. The Pope replied by
issuing four Breves, in which he congratulated the Signor
upon their success, granted absolution to all who were slain
in the fighting, and sent the permission they had begged of
him to submit their victim to torture,

* Burlamacchi.

SAVONAROLA. | XXXVii

The Signori then demanded of Savonarola a recantation
of all he had taught and preached, and a declaration that
he was a false prophet. As he refused, they stretched him
seven times during the week upon the rack ; and Savonarola,
who was of slender frame, in the height of sufferings, cried
out, “ Lord, take my spint!” and at last, when worn out by
suffering, he agreed to confess, and did so; but as soon as
he had rested he withdrew his recantation, declared it was
of no avail, as it was wrung from him by torture, and con-
firmed all he had taught or preached.

On the 17th of April they finished their investigation,
and Savonarola was relieved of his tortures, not before one
of his arms had been nearly torn from his body.

Not only was Florence against him—the city which had
so flattered him, for whom he had laboured, and to whom
he had given freedom—but his own cloister brethren began
to think of their safety. Their master was in prison; he,
and they through him, were excommunicated; popular
feeling was against them, and they decided at once upon
deserting their chief and offering their submission to the
Pope. On the 21st of April they sent a letter of apology
to Rome, deprecating all their master had done, and
begging his Holiness to appoint a proctor over them, to
grant them absolution, and receive them back into the
Church. By the 14th of May they received a reply from
the Pope, announcing the glad tidings that the general of
their order should pronounce their absolution on his next
visit to Florence. .

We have no means of ascertaining whether Savonarola

XXXVIl1 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

Ap Get is) eh ee eS eee

had any knowledge of this desertion. During the time
between his trial and his execution he employed himself in
writing his celebrated exposition of the Miserere (Psalm lie }y
which begins, ‘‘O, wretched man that I am, deprived of all
help, who have offended both heaven and earth! Where
shall I escape to? Where turn myself? To whom shall I
flee? Who will take mercy upon me? To thee, thou true
God, do I turn in my mourning and sorrow, for Thou alone
art my hope. Thou art mercy itself, but what am I but
misery and wretchedness. The abyss of my misery calleth
to the abyss of Thy mercy, and as the one is greater than
the other, may Thy mercy absorb my misery! Have
mercy upon me, O Lord, according to Thy loving-kindness,
according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, not
according to the mercy of men, which is small, but accord-
ing to Thy mercy, which is immeasurable, inconceivable,
boundless, and which surpasses all sin! Have mercy upon
me, O God, not according to Thy smaller mercy, for small
is Thy mercy when Thou relievest man from bodily suffer-
ing, but great is Thy mercy when Thou forgivest sins, and
by Thy grace raisest him up from the depths of the world.
Justify me, O God, by Thy grace, for by his own merit and
works can no man be justified. I have become wretched and
humbled, do thou strengthen me, O Lord, with Thy Holy
Spirit, that in the excess of my terror and torment I may
not desert Christ.”

This beautiful Commentary, after the death of Savonarola,
ran through thirteen editions, and was widely read. Its
fame was still more increased when Luther brought out an

SAVONAROLA. | xxix

edition of it in Gerfmany, with a preface, in which he
confesses that Savonarola had been the precursor of his
doctrine. ‘‘ Although,” he says, “some theological mud
still adhered to the feet of that holy man he nevertheless
maintained justification by faith alone, and he was burned
by the Pope. But lo! he lives in blessedness, and Christ
has canonised him.”*

On the 22nd of May, 1498, it was announced to the three
prisoners, Savonarola, Domenico, and Maruffi, that they
were to be executed early the next morning. Savonarola
received the announcement peacefully, and with resignation.
So also did Domenico, but Maruffi was very much depressed.
Domenico asked what mode of death was to be adopted,
and when he was informed that they would be led out to
the place of execution, and there be first hanged and then
burnt, he demanded to be burnt alive. In the evening
Savonarola expressed a wish to see his companions for one
hour ; it was granted: they were led out of their cells, with
chains round their feet, and brought together in a room in
the palace. Savonarola gave proofs of the greatest resig-
nation. ‘To Domenico, who longed for the fire, he said,
*“Knowest thou not that it is not permitted to a man to
choose the mode of his own death, but it is our duty only to
take with joy the death which God may provide for us. Who
knows if thou couldst undergo the death thou desirest, which
depends not upon our strength but the grace of God: man
should never tempt God.” In a similar manner he reproved

* Cited in Villari ‘‘ Vita di Savon.” Lib. iv. cap. ro.

xl BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

Maruffi, who was anxious to declare his innocence before
the people previous to his execution. ‘Thou shouldst keep
thy peace like Christ, who, though innocent, yet would not
declare his innocence even on the cross.”

Both submitted, kneeled at his feet, and implored his
blessing.

As soon as the morning of the 23rd dawned, the three,
after they had partaken of the Sacrament, which had been
first taken by Savonarola, and then by him administered to
his brethren, were led out of the prison, and conveyed to
the place of execution. When they had descended the great
steps of the palace, Savonarola spoke a few words of en-
couragement and consolation to Maruffi. ‘We shall soon
be there where we can sing with David—‘ Behold how good
and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.’”
Then they were stripped of all their clothes, even to their
woollen shirt, and were compelled to put on ecclesiastical
vestments, of which they were afterwards to be deprived
publicly.

There were three tribunals erected in the square. On
the first, next the door of the palace, stood the bishop of
Vasona, with his attendants, who had to carry out the
ecclesiastical degradation according to the Pope’s com-
mand. On the second were the papal commissioners ; on
the third were the chosen eight of the guard.

The condemned were taken to the first tribunal, where,
according to custom, they were deprived of all their priestly
decorations, during which ceremony, the bishop taking
Savonarola by the hand, said, “Thus I exclude thee from

Se a ee

SAVONAROLA. xli

the militant and triumphant Church.” ‘From the Church
militant thou mayst,” exclaimed Savonarola, in a loud, firm
voice, “but from the Church triumphant thou canst not.” *

They were then led to the second tribunal, where the
papal emissaries read the sentence to them, which con-
demned them as heretics, schismatics, and contemners of
the holy chair, and ordered them to be delivered up to the
secular arm. Before going to the third tribunal the assist-
ants begged Savonarola to eat and drink something to
strengthen him, but he merely replied, ‘‘ Wherefore since I
am now to depart this life?” Another told him not to
doubt, but to trust to the many good works he had done,
and he replied, “A sinful man has no need of earthly praise
and honour—there is no time in this life for glory.” A third
asked him if he would die firmly and peacefully. ‘‘ My
Saviour,” he replied, “though innocent, willingly died for
my sins, and should I not willingly give up this poor body
out of love to Him?”

At the third tribunal the sentence of death was read to
them, and they were then handed over to the hangman.
The scaffold was erected in the middle of the square, at
the height of a man. In its midst was raised a stake,
twenty ells high, with a cross-beam ; beneath it were all the
materials for burning. As the brethren mounted the scaffold
evil boys pricked them through the crevices with pointed
sticks. At the foot of the gallows they all kneeled, each
one before his crucifix. Maruffi first mounted the ladder

* Burlamacchi ‘ Pico di Mirand and Benedetto.”

xl BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

in silence, though, according to Nardi, he was heard to
mutter, ‘‘ Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.” He
was at once despatched.

Domenico followed, and was hanged on the other side of
the cross-beam, and then followed Savonarola, who had seer
the execution of both. The middle was reserved for him.
He still prayed for faith as he mounted, and then, says
Burlamacchi, he opened his eyes, and took a last look at the
immense mass of people—the ungrateful people under him.
“‘ Now is the time, O Savonarola,” they cried, “for a miracle.”
The hangman jibed at him as he fulfilled his office, but
Savonarola made no reply. In his last moments his hand
was seen raised, as if to bless the people.

The fire was kindled, and soon mounted fiercely, but a
strong wind setting in blew the flames away from the bodies,
so that for a long time they remained unconsumed. This
struck terror into the people, who ceased mocking, and
fled, regarding this circumstance as the miracle they had
demanded.

So terminated the life of this remarkable man. Nearly
four hundred years have passed away, and Italy is at last
arousing herself to commemorate his death.

We have carefully avoided in this brief sketch of his life
any attempt to prove that he was a herald of Protestantism.
Though Luther admitted that he taught, as he certainly did,
the doctrine of Justification by Faith; and though he decried
the abuses which were then prevalent in the Church, yet
he was true to that Church itself; he believed in the efficacy
of praying to saints; held relics in high estimation; and

SAVONAROLA. xl

declared that Christ Himself had ordered that His mother
should be worshipped: So that the effort made by some of
the German biographers, more especially Meyer, who artis-
tically concocts a complete system of Protestant dogmatics
from his works appears to be injudicious; and we must
come to the only reasonable conclusion, that though he is
now claimed both by Catholics and Protestants, he lived
and died in that Church in which he was reared, and which
he would not have destroyed but purified.

ON Ur

SAVONAROLA’S WORKS.

. Triumphus Crucis seu de Fidei Christiane Veritate. Lib. iv.

script.1497. Venet.1517. Paris, 1524. Venet. 1540. Lug.
Bat. 1633.

. De Simplicitate Vitze Christiane. Lib. v. Florent. 1496.

Venet. 1507.. ‘Colon: 1550. “Paris, 1511. Lug @ Batons
Gratianopoli, 1667.

. Contra Astrologiam Divinatricem. Lib. iii. Florent. 1581.

Venet. 1586 (first published in Italian. Florent. 1495.)

. Expositio Quadruplex in Orationem Domini. Lug. 1536.

Ingolst. 1543. Venet. 1538. Lug. Bat. 1653. Gratianop.
1669.

. Expositio Salutationis Angelicee Ave Maria. Venet. 1588.
. De Humilitate Tractatus. Ital. Venet. 1528. Paris, 1617.
. De Amore Christi. Ital. Florent. 1529. Venet. 1588. Paris

1617.

. De Vita Viduali. Ital. Florent. 1495. Paris, 1617.

g. Lamentatio Christi Sponsze adv. Pseudo -Apostolos ’ sive

Exhortatio ad fideles ut precentur Dominum Deum pro
renovatione ecclesia. Venet. 1537. Paris, 1674.

SAVONAROLA’S WORKS. xlv

i0.

ee
ae
kee
14.
ES)

16.
GR
Bo:
19.
20.
a1,

Dialogi VII. Spiritus et anime interlocutorum. Genue,
1536. Venet. 1537. Lug. Bat. 1633. Gratianop. 1668.

Dialogi III. Rationis et sensus interloc. Venet. 15 37.

De Oratione. Lib. ii. Venet. 1538.

Regulz X. Orandi tribulationis tempore. Venet. 1538.

Regulze bene vivendi ad discipulos suos. Venet. 1538.

Regulze vivendi Christiane (written in prison, 1498). Florent.
1498.

Expositio Decalogi. Florent. 1495. Venet. 1538.

De sacrificio Missee. Venet. 1538. Paris, 1617.

Epistola de frequenti communione. Florent. 1496.

De Beneficio Christi in Christianos. Paris, 1610.

De modo bene vivendi et tendendi in Deum. Venet. 1538.

Epistola ad Nicolaum Patrem de suscepto a se Domini-
canorum habitu. Venet. 1547.

. De perfectione status religiosi. Florent.1495. Venet. 1538.
. Regula de discreto et ordinato modo vivendi in Religione.

Venet. 1538.

. Epistolee ad Fratres S. Marci. Venet. 1538.
. De lectione spirituali. Venet. 1538.
. Oratio quum morti addictus ad sacrum Christi Corpus.

Florent. 1498.

. Tractatus graduum ascendendi ad perfectionem vite spiri-

tualis.* Scrip. 1497. Florent.1497. Venet.1539. Italic,
MeMeL ETS 77:

. Oratio seu Meditatio in Psalmum Diligam te Domine.

Venet. 1537.

. Tractatus de mysterio crucis. Venet. 1537. |
. Expositio in Psalm xxxi. In te Domine speravi (composed

shortly before death). Venet. 1507.

. Meditatio in Psalm: Miserere mei Deus (written in prison).

Venet. 1540.

. Meditatio in Psalm Ixxx: Qui regis Israel. Lug. Bat. 1635.
. Expositio sive Meditationes in plures Psalmos. Paris.

1524.

xlvi ~ SAVONAROLA’S WORKS.

34. Meditationes quaeedam. Paris, 1538.

35. Manuale Confessionum. Venet. 1543.

36. Eruditorium Confessorum. Paris, 1517. Venet. 1543 Lug.
Bat. 1640.

37. Recollectorium Rudimentorum Theologiz. Venet. 1543.

38. Sermones XXX. de tempore et sanctis anno 1495 habiti.
Florent. 1496. Venet. 1517.

39. Conciones Quadragesimales XLVIII. anno 1496 habite.

Florent. in Ital., 1497. Venet. 1514.
Conciones XXIX. in Ruth et Michezam. Ital. Florent.
1497. 4to. Venet. 1513. Latiné Salmantice, 1556.

41. Conciones XLIX. in Ezechielem et unicus in Psalm vii.
Ital Wenet ney:

42. Conciones XXII. in Exodum et Psalmos. Ital. Florent.
1498. Venet.21520x15 40.

43. Conciones XIII. per Adventum et alia xlvi. per Quadra-
gesimam super arcam Noe. Venet. 1536.

44. Conciones XXIII. super Aggzeum Prophetam et Psalmos.
Ital.,. 1544.

45. Conciones XLVII.in Job. Ital. Venet. 1545.

46. Epistola quaedam Apologetice. Ital. Florent.1497. Ato.

Venet 1537.

47. Epistola ad quendam N. Fratrem adversus sententiam ex-
communicationis contra se nuper injuste latam. Ital et
Latin. Florent. 1497.

48. Sermones XL. in Amos et XX. in Zechariam Prophetam.
Veneto ids

49. Sermo in vigilia nativitatis Domini. Ital. Paris, 1517.
Ingolst. 1556. Gratianop. 1519.

50. Alia ejusdem Argumenti. Ital. Venet. 1548.

51. Sermones XXV. in Psalm Ixxii.: Quam bonus Deus Israel_
TtaleV cnet oe.

52. Sermones quamplurimi in Psalmos. Ital. Venet. 1500,
4 vols.

53. De Amore divino concio. Senis. 1543.

a
9

LIVES, &c., OF SAVONAROLA. xlvii

54. Sermones XIX. in primam Epistolam S. Joannis aliosq.
Scripture locos. Ital. Venet. 1556.

55. Oraculum seu prophetia de renovatione Ecclesiz. Ital.
Venet. 1560.

56. Meditationes seu Conciones in Cantica et alia Scripture
loca Venet. 1566.

57. Conciones brevicule ix. in Threnos Jeremiz. Ibid.

58. Brevis Expositio in librum Esther. Ibid.

59. Compendium totius Philosophiz tam naturalis quam mo-
‘ralis. Lib xv. Venet. 1542. Wittembergeze, 1596.

60. Opus de divisione, ordine et utilitate omnium scientiarum.
Lib. iv. Venet. 1542.

61. Compendium Logices. Lib. x. Venet. 1542. 8vo.

62. Margarita Philosophica seu rationalis et moralis Philosophize
Principia. Basil, 1535.

63. De Veritate Prophetica. Lib. ix. Florent. 1497. 4to. Venet.

1548.

64. Compendium Revelationum. Paris, 1496 et 1674, una cum
Vit. Sav.

65. Sermo Apologeticus in Psalm vii.: Domine Deus meus in
te speravi. Folosz, 1612.

iveiow &c (OR SAVONAROLA.

Pico di Mirandola. Burlamacchi. 'Fra Benedetto, Vulnera
Diligentis. Lorenzo Violz, Giornata. Nara, Storia di
Firenze. Quetif.

Hase Kari, Neue Propheten. Leipz. 1860. |

Meyer, K. F., Girol. Savonarola aus handscrift. Quellen dar-
gestellt. Ber. 1836.

Bohringer, Kirchengeschichte in Biographien. Th.II. Zurich,

1843.

xlviii LIVES, &¢, OF SAVONAROLA.

Rudelbach, A. G., Hier. Savonarola und seine Zeit. Hamb.

1835.

Rapp, G., Erweckliche Schriften v. Hieron. Savonarola. Stutt.
1839.

Seibert, C. G., Savonarola der Reformator v. Florenz. Barm.
1858.

Villart, La Storia “di Savonarola e dei suoi tempi. Firenze.
1825. 6 vols.

Horner Leon. Translation of the above. 2 vols. Longmans,
1863. The best and most authentic biography.

Perrens, F. T., Jerome Savonarole sa vie ses Pred ses
ecrits. 2 vols. Paris and Turin, 1853. ;

Savonarola, G., and the Reformation in Italy, 15th Century.
1z2mo. Lond. 1843.

Che Criumph of the Cross.

RIP
BOOK I.

INTRODUCTION.

UNDERTAKE to defend the glorious triumph of the
Cross against the impious volubility of the sophists
and wise men of the world. ‘The enterprise is bold and
beyond my strength, but I hope God will aid me in a
work, in these days, so useful to His glory; for although it
may seem superfluous to reproduce the proofs of the faith
so happily founded and established by the innumerable
miracles of our Lord, by the literary monuments of the
Fathers and Doctors of the Church, yet many men are so
deeply plunged in the mire of vice that they do not see the
light of truth, that they regard heavenly things as ridiculous,
and despise Divine marvels as absurd dreams. We, inflamed
by zeal for the house of God, will exert ourselves to rouse
these souls slumbering in the shadow of death, and recall to

their memory the authentic deeds of the past.
Although it may not be possible to demonstrate the faith

2 BOOK FIRST.

by the causes and principles of nature, however, its mani-
fested effects will furnish us with proofs so solid that every
sensible man will be compelled to admit them.

But the faith does not depend upon proofs; for, says the
Apostle, faith is a gift which God bestows on man through
erace alone, lest any one should boast. We will, therefore,
only bring forward these proofs to confirm those who
hesitate, and to dispose them to receive the supernatural
gift of faith, and at the same time to arm the faithful against
the assaults of impiety, and to prevent the impious from
undertaking anything against souls so simple whom it would
be wicked to deceive. And as to what is said that faith
has no merit when it is demonstrated by human reason, it
does not follow that we here derogate from the mystery of
grace, for this adage only refers to men who to believe will -
be vanquished by the arms of reason alone; but those are
to be praised who by virtue of the Divine gift, having
already embraced the faith of Jesus Christ, still seek for
solid reasons to assure themselves in it, and to confirm
their brethren.

The prince of apostles exhorts to do this when he
says, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope which is in you.”

Therefore, as we wish in this book to proceed only by
reasonings, we shall invoke no authority, but act as if it were
only necessary to believe our own reason and experience;
for all men are compelled, under pain of folly, to consent to
natural reason. |

PEEL RALSS Ta OL LiL CROSS. 3

As we address ourselves to the learned of the times, who
generally disdain familiar language destitute of ornament,
we shall on their account abandon for a little our usual
simplicity.

4 | BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER
ON THE MODE OF PROCEEDING IN THIS WORK.

T is necessary that we should attain to the knowledge of

invisible things by means of visible, for all our know- |
ledge commences with the senses, and the senses only
apprehend external accidents; but the intellect by its
subtlety penetrates to the very substance of things, whence
it elevates itself to the knowledge of that which is immaterial
and invisible: for while man seeks the substance and pro-
priety, order, causes, and movement of visible things, he is
led by induction to the knowledge of invisible things, and
even raises himself to God; so that by the accidents, the
movements, and the exterior operations of man we arrive
at a knowledge of our own soul. This is the reason why
the philosophers in contemplating the universe, that is the
heavens, their ornaments and the influence of the stars,
the properties, action, and mixture of elements, the varieties,
the movements, and the passions of composite beings, and og
in fine, the admirable order, the grandeur, and the beauty a |
of this visible world, elevated their regard still higher to at
seek invisible things; and, having found them, they en- Re
deavoured to penetrate into their nature and properties; and |
now as they have learnt that nature is the work of God, and »
that through the creation we may.arrive at a knowledge of —

LHe TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS: 5

the power and glory of a Creator-—so we wish to show that
the works which the Church has done, and which are per-
ceived by the senses and reason, are Divine works, and that
by them we can learn the majesty and glory of the invisible
Jesus Christ. Also as these philosophers have collected
and put before our eyes all the things which God has
created in the universe, we must present in a tableau all
that Christ has done in the world; and as the philosophers
were constrained by the marvels of nature to recognise that
God is the first cause of all created beings, and that nature
is the work of an infallible intelligence, that is a Divine—so
do we find from the admirable works of the Church that
the same Jesus Christ crucified is the first cause of these
works, and that His operations are the operations of a God
who cannot be deceived.

However, we do not say that our faith is born out of these
reasons so proposed, and that the Christian soul is impelled
towards belief by the virtue of argumentation, for then faith’
would be no more than human opinion; but we believe,
thanks to the power of that light which God has super-
naturally infused into us, and reason only serves to confirm
that belief, that to preserve this Divine gift is not idleness,
but gravity and wisdom.

In order to present to the eyes of men a grand synthesis
of the works of the Church in the present and the past, we
describe them under the figure of a triumphal chariot, having
some kind of similitude with the universe.

5 BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER) I.

CONCERNING THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS—-WHENCE THE
PROOFS OF THE FAITH ARE DRAWN.

S the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of God are

infinite, the contemplation of a single creature can
only give us an imperfect idea of Him. So the philosophers
arrived at a knowledge of God through contemplating the
order of the universe ; but this order results not from one
thing, but from innumerable things, which they could easily
embrace at one view, since all beings in creation are
dependent upon one another, and are united together by
a natural tie. In the same manner, an isolated view of one
of the works of Jesus Christ cannot give us instantly the
intelligence of His virtue and wisdom, but if we offer to view
all His works at once, and the effects they have produced,
to draw not one proof but many, every intellect will be
compelled to recognise that the Christ crucified is the true
God; for if a single proof will not suffice, all the proofs
united will have the power to convince every man who is
not foolishly obstinate.

But because the past and present works of Christ do not
offer themselves easily to the view, like objects of nature,
which are linked together in admirable order under the
vault of heaven, it has seemed good to present them under

LALOUERIOM Bi: OLELEIS CROSS. 7

the image of a triumphant chariot, in order to render them
palpable to the most vulgar mind, and that we may contem-
plate them not only one after another, but in their harmonious
whole.

Let us represent to ourselves, first, a chariot with four wheels,
and upon this chariot Christ borne in triumph, crowned with
thorns, and showing, after. having conquered the pains of
death, the sacred wounds of his pale and bleeding body: the
arms, with which he has subdued the world and led captivity
captive. Let there shine on his head a triple sun, repre-
senting the Holy Trinity: let that radiant globe shed’ an
ineffable splendour over Christ and His Church: let Christ
bear in His left hand His cross and all the instruments of
His passion, and press with His right hand the books of the
Old and New Testament. Let the apostles and preachers
march immediately before the chariot, as if they were draw-
ing it, preceded by patriarchs, prophets, and an innumerable
crowd of Old Testament saints : let a crowd also of martyrs,
of all conditions and of both sexes, surround that triumphal
chariot, and around them all the holy doctors with their
books open in their hands, followed by an immense number
of every rank and nation—Jews, Greeks, Latins, bar-
barians, learned and ignorant, of every age, applauding the
triumph of Christ. And outside this triumphal band let
there be seen the enemies of Christ, who with all their
strength persecute the Church: the emperors, kings, princes,
and the mighty of this age: the sages, the philosophers, the
heretics, and the wicked of all nations and tongues, slaves
and free, men and women ; and near this crowd let there be

8 BOOK FIRST. .

the relics and idols of the gods reversed and destroyed ; the
heretical books delivered up to the flames, their impious dog-
mas confounded, and their false worship reduced to nothing.

This chariot thus represented before us will be, so to
speak, a universe whence we shall draw a new philosophy.

For the first cause, and for things invisible, to the know-
ledge of which the philosophers were compelled to attain
by means of visible things, we place, in fact, upon the head
of Christ the radiant globe which represents the Trinity,
which we confess to be the sovereign God and the Christ
(invisible to us) dominating over the whole, and surrounded
by the homage of a chorus of angels and saints.

All these visible beings whom we have placed on the
chariot and about the chariot, will conduct us to the know-
lege and the science of these invisible beings.

And just as the philosophers establish, after God, the
heavens as the principal generating cause of all, we will
place, after God, the Cross and the suffering of Christ as
principal cause of the grace bestowed on the Church and of
our salvation. After the heavens come the elements (of
nature), and that is why after the Cross and suffering come
the sacraments of the Church. And in the same manner as
the elements draw all their virtue from heaven, so the
» sacraments draw all their virtue from the suffering of Christ.
After the elementary principles in the constitution of the
universe, come all the seeds, all the germs, and all the
particular agents of propagation; and so, in the same
manner, in our Triumph of the Cross, we place as seed the
evangelical teaching and the example of the holy. As to

THEVTRIUMPH, OF THE, CROSS. >

particular agents, they are apostles, patriarchs, martyrs, and
doctors, who during their lives have, in Christ, regenerated
the whole universe, and by whose merits and example the
Church becomes daily fecund in renowned and _ fruitful
works. Then in this material world come the effects
which in our work are represented by that immense multi-
tude of men, of every condition, converted to Christ by the
example and exhortation of holy men whose lives have
been pious and pure.

Seeing that in Nature every movement passes from one
contrary to another, so that the generation of one being is
but the corruption of another, and that in every act of
generation, opposing principles are necessary with the triumph
of the stronger principle over the weaker,* therefore we
have placed around our chariot all the enemies of Christ
and the Church, and we have represented the Christ as a
valiant captain, triumphant over His enemies, and putting
them and their errors to flight. Also, as the philosophers,
having the universe before their eyes, and considering its
phenomena, have been ravished with admiration, and seized
with an ardour to know, and have arrived step by step from
effects to the cause, from inferior things to superior, and, in
fine, have attained to the notion even of invisible natures,
and of the majesty of God—so also we arrive gradually to
a knowledge of the Divinity of Christ, and of the invisible
marvels which are in Him, by carefully studying His.
symbolical image, and the triumph of His past and present
effects and all their causes.

* Aristot. ‘De Generat. et Corrupt.”

10 | BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER ‘III.
UNIVERSALLY ADMITTED PRINCIPLES.*

: O proceed with order in our reasoning, it is necessary
: to know that those who discuss ought always to be
agreed upon certain points. Without that mutual accord,
discussion would be impossible. Now the points upon
which those who discuss accord, are those things which all
men recognise and admit as true, or those things whose
truth is attested by the testimony of the senses, by induction,
or those to which we adhere at once by virtue of our
internal light and active intelligence. It is necessary then
to admit, as the base of our reasoning, certain principles con-
stantly and universally recognised and admitted. For if these
principles be denied, we cannot enter upon any discussion,
because we cannot discuss with those who deny principles.
When the physicist pre-supposes a moving principle, he
could not enter into discussion with anyone who, like Zeno,
would deny all movement. Let it then at once be granted
that Jesus Christ was crucified by the Jews, and that He is
recognised and adored as a God by the greater portion of
all nations. ‘That is a fact admitted not only by Christians

* See a chapter in ‘‘ Delitzsch Biblical Psychology” on the “ Zvervlasting Postu-
lates,” “System der Biblischen Psychologie.’ Leipzic, 1866. And Clark “Theol.
Lib.’’ for translation.

WTO LALO OL Ide CKOS'S, II

but even by infidels. It is a fact confessed from generation
to generation by heretics, Jews, Mahomedans—proclaimed
in all the languages of the Gentiles and barbarians, and
confirmed by all the books which are published in great
numbers upon Christ and His Church.

There is scarcely any region in the world where one will
“not meet some monument of Christian Churches, and one
will scarcely find any place in the universe where Jesus
Christ is not already or has not been formerly adored ; or,
at least, where they do not know that He is adored by the
Christians as a true God, just as even the infidels call Him
“the God of the Christians.”

It would then be a folly to deny this fact, which the
constant tradition of word, writings, and monuments attests.

It is recognised also that the apostles have preached the
Cross, and that before them the prophets and patriarchs of
the Hebrew people, as afterwards the martyrs and holy
doctors of the Church, and an infinite multitude of monks,
confessors, clerks, religious and secular men, have invariably
confessed Jesus Christ.

Equally notorious is it that tyrants, philosophers, orators,
and the wicked in great number, have waged against the
Church and Faith a cruel and bloody warfare: it is not the
less certain that since the preaching of the Cross, idols have
been overturned and the errors of the world vanquished and
dissipated ;* that the Roman Emperors bowed their heads

* On the Fall of Paganism, see Tzschirner ‘‘ Fall'des Heidenthums.’’ In the
West—Beignot ‘‘ Histoire de la Destruction du Paganisme en Occident.” In the
East—Chastel ‘ Histoire de la Destruction du Paganisme en Orient.’’

12 OOK tL Ls 2.

to the authority of the Galilean fishermen; and that an
innumerable army of heretics, with their books and other
impious dogmas, have been reduced to non-entity.

All these facts, and others similar to them, which will
present themselves to us in this treatise, need not be demon-
strated. We shall admit them as true and indubitable, just
as we admit the existence of natural objects which we see
with our eyes, and first principles which have no need of
being proved, because they are immediately perceived by
the light of reason, and dominate in us constantly. We
therefore reason in this way: a man of sound mind can-
not deny what is evident to all. Now, not only Christian
people who occupy a considerable portion of the globe, but
a great part of other people, although they may be in error,
hold as unquestionable all that we have said, and accord
to the principal number of these facts their veneration.
The Mahomedans, who are a numerous people, and
amongst whom exist certain proofs in favour of our faith,
attest firmly that the Christ has reigned amongst them,
and that He performed great miracles; and not only
do they not blaspheme, but venerate Him; so that if it
be the mark of a fool to deny what is evident, what we,
so to speak, may touch with the finger, it is no less insensate
to deny the facts which we have alleged; for it would be
necessary in such case to flee from all truth, and resist
foolishly and imprudently the light of evidence.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 13

CHAPTER IV.
REPLY TO OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE FOREGOING PRECEDENTS.

T will perhaps be objected—If these things be true, how
is it that no pagan historian has mentioned them in his
works? Is it not astonishing that all these writers, who
have carefully described the wars of kings and the actions
of great men, have entirely omitted the work of Christ—the
grandest, most admirable, and most celebrated in the
universe ? |
But the fact has been confirmed by the greater number of
the contradictors, and their attacks have rather proved than
refuted it, so that we shall reply to this that it is false to say
that no pagan writer has celebrated the works of Christ.
On the contrary, the wisest and most grave of them, after
having seriously studied and examined into those works,
have become converted to the Christian faith, and have
defended it in their books of an innumerable number now
scattered over the world.* If any one should object to this,
that these books were written after their conversion, and
therefore are open to suspicion, we point out that the very
fact of their conversion attests the truth of our faith, since

* Amongst the noted pagan converts were Clemens Alexand.; Cyprian, of Carthage;
Dionysius, of Alexandria; Gregory Thaumaturgus ; Hilary; Justyn Martyr; Minu-
-cius Felix ; Tertullian.

14 “MNBOOK FIRST.

not only did they celebrate in their writings the praises and
the works of Jesus Christ and His Church, but quitting their
idols they pressed forward to follow their Divine Saviour,
and shed their blood for their love of Him. For it is not
only Christians, nourished in the faith from their cradles,
who have defended the Christian truth, but a great number
of men, wise and illustrious, of different nations, who em-
braced it in the maturity of their age. If the unbelieving
and proud, who saw the miracles of Christ without receiving
the faith, did not take the trouble to write on the works of
Christ, but strove to destroy the memory of our Divine
Saviour, what is there to be astonished at in it? But those
who, converted to baptism, have served and defended the
faith by their preaching, their writings, and their good works,
and have suffered for it the most horrible tortures, have
given a much greater impetus to the truth than they would
have done had they, while remaining in paganism, written
thousands of books upon it. Besides, I find a double cause
of silence—namely, the providence of God and the blindness
of man; for we believe that God imparts all movement to
spiritual as well as corporeal things, and that He governs all
by His providence, as we shall presently prove. | It is be-
cause no one could be moved to write unless God moves
him, seeing that the second cause can do nothing unless moved
by the first. Then to this first question, why God did not
move the writers of paganism to describe the works of
Christ and His disciples, I reply, because God, doing every-
thing in order, uses means suitable to the production of His
works. Now the works of Christ and the Church are pure

SATII OMPICOP TALE. CKhOSS., 15

and Divine (as we shall presently prove), and the pagans.
were profane and impious; so that it was not suitable that
God should make use of them to write His works. And,
besides, Christ being the truth, and His mission in the
world having for its end to render testimony to the truth, it
would not have been suitable that men—licentious, full of
lies, such as the poets and orators of the Gentiles—should
touch that immaculate truth—they who in their verses and
their discourse offer to their princes false praise, and some-
times elevate to the skies the most unworthy men. They
would have filled their books with falsehood, and corrupted
with impurity the source of truth.

As to the Gentile orators, they used a purely natural elo-
quence, and had for an object rather the glory of speech
than the triumph of truth. Now the works of Christ being
supernatural, as we shall prove, it was not fitting that such
men, whose intellects were guided only by natural light,
should treat on questions above that light.

That was the result of their blindness. Sin, in fact,
renders men blind. The pagans, whose hearts were filled
with sin, inflated with pride and vain glory, therefore dark
and insensate, could in no way comprehend the grandeur of
God; they remarked neither the miracles by which sight
was restored to the blind, and life to the dead, neither the
other prodigies of Christ ; or, if they did remark them, they
thought nothing of them. This is the reason why they did
not consign them to their writings, but despised them as
deeds of superstition.

The Christians, detesting the worship of idols, and en-

16 BOOK FIRST.

deavouring to persuade princes and peoples to abolish them,
incurred the hatred of the poets and orators, who from their
infancy applied their intellect to the praises of these false
gods, and to enlarge upon their fables. These poets
feared they should lose their credit and the fruit of their
labours, therefore they made themselves agreeable to the
tyrants who often persecuted the Christians.’ That is another
reason why they have said nothing of the wonderful works
of Christ, or have turned them into ridicule.

In fine, the orators and poets, and all the wise men of
that time, employed their energies in flattering the princes
and men in authority, to procure benefits and gifts from
them ; they elevated them, and, to debase their enemies,
they did not hesitate to employ falsehood ;. but these impious
means would have procured them neither credit nor riches
among the Christians, who were lovers of truth and poverty.
Let no one, then, be astonished at the silence which such
men have maintained about the works of Christ. When
the Church, however, came into possession of a temporal
empire, there was no want of writers eager to celebrate in
their works, often with falsehood, the praises of princes and
prelates. Now truth has no need of such defenders ; it is
therefore more fortunate that unworthy authors and frivolous
witnesses like these have left the Christian truth intact, and
not meddled with it.

Lit AL OME TT. Of a HE’ CROSS. Py

CHAPTER. V.
METHOD OF PROCEDURE.

S, therefore, the invisible things of God are known by

the visible,* we must understand that there are certain
invisible things of God which can be apprehended by his
visible works, through the means of the natural virtue and
force of the human understanding. To this consciousness
even the philosophers attained, who admitted that there
was a God, that there was only one God, and that He existed
independent of all conditions, and other similar truths.
But it is also necessary to know that there are certain in-
visible things of God which cannot be brought out nor
found by any process of human reason; and certainly no
one will doubt that there are in God infinite secrets and
knowledge, which surpass human reason, especially when
_we perceive amongst men, who by nature are equal (the great
philosophers), that they comprehend certain subtle truths, to
the knowledge of which the intellect of the ignorant cannot
attain. Now God being infinitely superior to men, there
are necessarily in Him secrets which no created reason can
penetrate or sound; and as in things of sense, in which we
are daily experimenting our ignorance of a great number of

* Peter Lombard.—‘‘ Sentent,” lib. I., dist. 1, c, 2—zo.

Fay) BOOK FIRST.

their properties, convinces us of the imperfection of our
science, how much more palpable then should our imper-
fection be to us, when the question is about God, since
visible effects which lead up to Him are not only in equal
accordance with the first cause, but infinitely removed from it.

Therefore we call those truths superhuman which we
know only by faith, such as the Triune God, that God be-
came man, and other similar truths, incognisable by natural
effects or mere reason.

Also, we may make ourselves more certain of these things
by the supernatural effects of faith, for in the same manner
as the observation of natural effects leads us to certain know-
ledge of God, and enables us to apprehend the truth of such
propositions as that God exists, that He is One and Infinite,
without enabling us to know Him as He is, nor to demon-
strate to us His substance, so by observation of supernatural
effects, we shall become more certain of such propositions
that God is Triune, the Son of God is man, without being
able at the same time to comprehend what in itself is the
Trinity or the Incarnation.

Now, inasmuch as grace always presupposes nature, we
shall treat in the first place of the invisible things of God
which can be investigated and known by means of natural

effects, and we shall treat in the second place of those which

are in a manner perceived by the means of supernatural’

effects. And we shall treat of the first summarily, because
the philosophers and learned Christian doctors have written
so profusely upon the subject, that there can be no room
for doubt.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 19

CHART ERGO I:
THAT THERE IS A GOD.

T is then first necessary to prove that there is a God.

But as it is also necessary to conform to the common
usage in the name we apply to things, and as here we have to
name the subject of which we are about to treat, the first
question is to ascertain what men understand by the word
God.

Now it is certain that all understand by that appellation
something sovereignly excellent, which some call the Prime
Mover, others the First Cause, and the First Principle, and
others the Supreme Good and the First Truth. Granted, then,
that we understand by the word God the Prime Mover, the
First Cause, First Principle, Supreme Good, or First Truth, or
any other term, it is manifest that, even by the demon-
strations of the philosophers, we are compelled to confess
the existence of God. We shall present in an abridged
form, according to the order we have established in this
treatise, some of these demonstrations.

I. We perceive, by means of the senses, that in this world
there are certain things in motion. Now everything that
moves is necessarily moved by another, nothing being at the
same time under the same relation in actuality and poten-
tiality ; but it is impossible to mount from the finite to the

Car

sys . BOOK FIRST.

infinite, from the being which is in motion to him who moves
it, because if so there would be no intermediate movers
receiving their motion from the first ; necessarily, then, we
arrive at a First Mover, and this First Mover we call God.

II. The argument is the same for the Efficient First Cause.
We find, in fact, in the things which come within the range
of our senses, an order of efficient causes. Now amongst
them there is no one, nor could there be, which is to itself
its own efficient cause, for in that case it must have pre-
existed, whichis absurd. As, therefore, it is here impossible
to mount to the infinite, because subsidiary causes only act
by virtue of the first, it is necessary to admit an Efficient
First Cause, which by common consent is called God.

III. Besides, amongst beings there are some more or
less good, and this diversity can only ensue in proportion as
they approach more or less to the Supreme Good, or Supreme
Truth, or the Absolute Being. It is necessary, then, that
there’ should be a Being supremely good, true, and great, and
Him also we call God.

IV. In addition, we observe that even beings deprived of
knowledge advance towards a certain end. For they always,
or at least most ordinarily, advance in the same manner, by
suitable means, and arrive at their end. Manifestly, there-
fore, this cannot be by hazard, but by an intelligent pro-
vision which directs them, and this Intelligence we call God.

V. And, also, there is no natural propensity which can
be deprived of its object—a fact perceivable to anyone
who studies nature animate or inanimate. Now all men
have a natural propensity to believe that there exists a Being

CAPO TRIOMPiN OF, LAE CROSS. ai

who rules the universe, and whom they call God. The proof
of the fact is that no one has ever yet succeeded in firmly
establishing the conviction that there is 70 God. No nation,
however barbarous, has yet appeared who has not recognised
the existence of a God. In all times and places humanity
has preserved that belief, and what is in all times and places
the universal belief, is the result of a natural and therefore
infallible propensity.

Besides, is it not from the unreflecting movements of the
soul that nature draws her propensities? Well, then, the
proof that the consciousness of a God is natural, is that in
perils and misfortunes, when all human succour fails us, we
instinctively turn to the heavens, as the effect turns toward
its cause. The belief in a First Principle of things, in a
Sovereign Moderator of the world, is natural to us. ‘There
is then a God.

22 | BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER VII.

GOD IS NEITHER A BODY, NOR FORM OF BODY, NOR ANY-
THING COMPOSITE.

HAT God is neither a body, nor the form of a body,
nor anything composite, but that He is an independent
existence, is what no philosopher doubts. For every body,
the philosophers prove imparts no more motion than what
it receives. If then God were a body He could not be the
first unmoved power Nor would He be the most noble of
beings, for it is evident that what is spirit is more noble
than what is body.

God is not the form of body, for that which has its being
by itself is more noble than that which has it by another.
Now every form of body exists in another being as in a
subject which bears it; therefore God the most noble Being,
that is the first cause of being, cannot be the form of body.

Besides the form of a body is not itself that entirety com-
posed of the substance and the form; it is only the principle
of it. The whole is that which is neither the form alone,
nor the matter alone, but something more perfect than
matter and form taken separately, the whole being more
perfect than the part. If then God were a corporeal form,
He could not be the most perfect being—there would be
something more perfect than He.

THE ARIGM PE OF LAE CROSS. 2°

And again, that which enters into the composition of a
whole is neither the first agent, nor an agent by itself. In
fact it is not the hand which acts, but the man by means of
the hand. If then God were a form of body He would not
be First Agent, and by Himself consequently He would not
be the First Cause. Now, though God enters as part in
the composition of every whole, He is not therefore a com-
posite, but an independent existence. In God, in fine, there
is no distinction between the being and the form, otherwise
God would be a Being by participation, and not by essence;
and then there would be a Being anterior to Him, every
entity by participation being dependent upon that which
exists by essence. God then being the first entity upon
whom all depends, all that is in Him is there as essence, that
is, is not distinct from His essence. It follows, therefore,
that God is an independent Being. In the same way every
composite, being posterior to that which composes it, and
in dependence upon it, and having necessarily a cause (since
all things specifically diverse only form a whole by one
cause), 1t would follow that God would be neither the First
being, nor the First Efficient Cause, which has been already
shown to be absurd.

24 ) BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER - VII

THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGNLY PERFECT AND GOOD, INFINITELY
POWERFUL, OMNIPRESENT, IMMUTABLE, AND ETERNAL, |

F then we confess as a fact that God is necessarily an
independent Being, we must also, compelled to it as we
are by the most powerful reasons, confess that He is a
perfect Being—sovereignly good, infinitely powerful, omni-
present, immutable, eternal. The evidence forces us to
acknowledge that if God be an independent Being He is
a perfect Being, and sovereignly good. For a being existing
by itself contains every perfection of being, as that which is
heat in itself essentially contains every perfection of heat.
God therefore existing independently, and by Himself, can-
not want any perfection of Being. Now all perfections
relate to that of being because a thing is perfect only by the
being which it contains. Hence it results that all goodness
and perfection are in God.

It follows, therefore, that God is infinite in being and in
power. In fact the infinite is that which has no bounds.
Now every form considered in itself suits many objects, and
under this relation is infinite; considered on the con-
trary as being united to matter it determines itself, and
under this relation is finite. But. God, who exists inde-
pendently, who subsists by Himself without the need of

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. ——8

matter could not be finite. He is then sovereignly formal
and infinite.

Now that which is sovereignly formal is Being itself. And
as that which is the active principle of a thing is only so by
the quality of actual being and perfect being (for that which
is passive is so by defect and imperfection), God having an
independent existence, a perfect Being must possess the
active principle and infinite power.

Nothing in Him is passive, everything active.

From this principle it follows further that God is entirely
indivisible. Every active cause is conjoined to the object
on which it acts, for it is necessary that the motor and the
being which is moved should be united. God then being
the first universal cause of all existence a necessary entity,
every thing which is, proceeds from Him, as the effect pro-
ceeds from the cause, just as combustion proceeds from
fire.

Now God being the universal cause, not only potentially
but actually, is omnipresent not only from the first moment of
creation but in the whole course of the duration of created
being. And as the Being who is the form of that which
exists, He is also its most intimate reality.

He is immutable and eternal, for an independent
existence cannot be subject to any change. That which
changes is potential, all moyement being the transition of
potentiality into actuality, as the philosophers have proved.*

He is then eternal, or He would not be immutable, and

* Aristotle in his ‘‘ Physics and Metaphysics” builds up his theory of creation
upon this principle of elevation of matter from potential to actual being.

26 BOOK FIRST.

there would be in Him a passive force, so that He would
be no longer an independent existence.

Besides, if God be not eternal He would have a com-
mencement, or an end, or at once a commencement and
an end. Now if He had a beginning, far from demg God
he would fave come from God, and be no independent.
existence. If He had an end He would be mortal, and
would be capable of being annihilated ; He would not have
infinite power, but a power would dominate over Him
greater than His own, and capable of destroying Him.

Didlee LLU PLT OR OLE CROSS. 27

CHAPTER IX.
TILA DakG OD, eT St, ON Bs

T is certain, according to the same principles, that God is
one. ‘That which is singularly itself is not commu-
nicable. Now God is supremely Himself; He is His own
nature, an independent existence: therefore He is by nature
what He is—that is to say, by His own nature—God. His
nature then is incommunicable; there cannot be many
Gods.

Besides, God contains, as we have shown, all perfection.
If there had been many Gods they would have been dif-
ferent, and the perfection of one would make the imperfection
of the other; the rivalry and dissension of all the Gods.
Complete absolute perfection is attributable to one only.
There cannot then be many Gods.

All the beings we see are well ordered—the one to the
other, and lend each other a mutual succour. Now, things
being distinct amongst them, how could they have been able
to form themselves into a harmonious whole, if they had
not been co-ordained by a unique principle? (for one sole
disposer is preferable to many). ‘There is then a first and
unique principle of universal order, and that principle is
God.

The proof of this is latent in nature itself. For example,

—- =. 7 ——

28 BOOK FIRST.

the bees by an admirable government are ruled by one of
their number alone. Amongst men, art imitating nature,
government always resumes itself into the action of one
individual ; and no government can last if it do not so
resume itself in one form or another into the supreme arbi-

God. fae

EHR LRIUMEIE OR LHL, CROSS. 29

CHAPTER X.

THAT GOD IS SUPREMELY INTELLIGENT—THAT HE HAS A
PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS—THAT HE DOES
NOT ACT FROM NECESSITY BUT FROM FREE WILL.

FTER what we have said, it is manifest that God is

supremely intelligent—that He has a perfect know-
ledge of things—that He does not act from necessity but
by intelligence and will. In nature itself do we not see
that intelligent beings have greater compass than non-
intelligent beings? In fact, non-intelligent beings have
nothing but their forms, but intelligent beings are adapted
to investing their form in strange matter; for the image of
a known object is in the subject who knows. That which
is material thus limiting the form, the immateriality of a
being proves its intelligence. For the same reason intel-
ligence is by virtue of immateriality. Whence plants from
their materiality know nothing, whilst the intellect knows
because it perceives immaterial phenomena, and for a more
powerful reason the spirit knows because it can extend
itself still more into the realm of matter. God then being
in the highest degree of immateriality is also at the highest
degree of knowledge, and we must confess that He only
knows all things perfectly.

30 BOOK: FIRST.

But since God is a supremely simple and independent
Being, we cannot say of Him that He knows by receiving
into Himself the image of external objects like our senses
and intelligence.* He is to Himself His own intelligence
and wisdom, and all that He knows He knows by Himself,
and not by the idea. Now if knowledge be in the pro-
portion of immateriality, God is at the highest degree of
knowledge, because He is at the highest degree of immate-
riality. It follows then that He knows Himself perfectly—
that He has a complete comprehension of His power—still
further, that He is Himself knowledge and wisdom.

And because knowing the virtue of a certain person is to
know all the objects to which that virtue extends, so God,
whose virtue extends over all things, knows all things by
knowing Himself. He sees in Himself all that is not Him-
self; He sees in His own essence the type, the exemplar of
all, for all nature participates in the perfection of God, and
exists only‘as an effect of that participation.| God then,
who knows Himself perfectly, knows all the forms under
which beings can participate in His perfection; and thus
He knows all the modes of being now in existence, or
possible to be created.

What folly then to maintain, as some of the philosophers
did, that God well knows superior things, but only knows
inferior things in general, and confusedly. This is the
height of ridicule, because we must then say that man

* Aristot. “‘ De Anima,” IIJ., cap. -3,
+ This is Plato’s theory of creation, worked out in the Timzeus, as distinct from
that of Aristotle.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 31
(et Sk Rel GALS ean ale SS a gh an hae RT
knows that of which God is ignorant. Man knows distinctly
and singularly inferior things. How then can we dare to
say that God only knows them generally and confusedly ?

Do we not see in nature that the more virtue a being has
the greater is its capacity and penetration? Therefore the
Divine Intelligence, which is supremely perfect, must pene-
trate all things even to their lowest depth.

This is why we say that God acts freely, and not from
necessity. Every intelligence and every natural force acts
towards an end; but, natural force being blind, knows
neither the means nor the end; it is therefore the intel-
ligence which must reveal them to it. Therefore the
principle of intelligent and voluntary action precedes the
principle of necessary action. Now nothing precedes God,
for He is the first agent, and consequently acts from intel-
ligence and free will.

Besides, every necessary agent unless opposed always acts
in the same manner, because it acts according to what it is.
If then God acted by nature or by necessity, as He contains
all perfection of being, He would produce something in-
determinate infinite in being, which is repugnant.

And, once more, effects precede their causes according to
the mode by which they pre-exist in them, for every agent
produces its like. Now God is all intelligent, and conse-
quently the effects which He produces pre-exist in Him
according to the intelligence, and proceed from Him by
intelligence—that is to say, proceed from intelligence deter-
mined by will.

32 | BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER XI.

THAT GOD EXTENDS HIS PROVIDENCE OVER ALL THINGS.

FTER all we have said, who can doubt that God
extends His Providence not only over the entire
realm of nature, but over every being, even the smallest.

Providence, in fact, is that Reason which co-ordains.

things to their end. Now, God being the First Cause, has a
greater influence upon the effect produced than the second

cause. Consequently, as God acts in all things by intelli-

gence and will, and not by necessity of nature; as He is the
Sovereign Wisdom to which belongs the well ordering and
disposing of all beings, it is evident that God does nothing
that is not well ordained. ‘

God has, therefore, in Himself that supreme wisdom
which co-ordains things to their end; there is then in God
a universal providence.

From observing the admirable order which reigns in.nature,
the philosophers have well comprehended that it would be
senseless to deny a Divine providence.

Nevertheless, the moral order, in which an apparent con-
fusion prevails, has offered them more than one difficulty.
However, a serious and just reflection suffices to the com-
prehension of the fact that man, being the chief end of
creation, it would be foolish to say that God would occupy

Dili nd OMe te OP LILI CROSS. 33

Himself less with him than with nature itself. The more
noble and great a thing is the more it participates in that
order which forms the perfection of the whole.

If, then, even natural things in their operations fall under
the providential law which rules them, how much more
reason is there for such a law over man and his acts.

Besides, the closer the connection between a thing and
its end, the closer is its connection with the law which co-
ordains it to that end. Now, men and their operations are
co-ordained by God in a closer manner than the operations
of the other beings of nature; therefore, the providential
law affects man and his works in a much closer manner
than it does other orders of nature.

Further, the government of providence proceeds from
that love which God bears, as First Cause, towards the
things He has created, and which are dependent upon
Him.

Consequently, He governs with so much more vigilant
providence as His love is greater. Now, He loves man
more than all the rest of creation, as is proved by the
blessings He has conferred upon him; consequently,
His providence broods over him with the greater atten-
tion.

In the same manner as effects lead us to the knowledge
of their causes, and God being the First Cause of all, the
second causes coming from the first, we can judge of the
love which He bears towards man, his creature, by the love
which causes in general have for their effects, for they lead
them to their ends by their whole energy and by the most

BOOK FIRST.
LS SL RA ANMeD SAY SU Rae NAGANO SAAS
convenient means, God, therefore, extends His Providence
over all humanity and human affairs.

Besides, how could God not provide for all human affairs
—He who acts in everything from intelligence and will?
Would it be from inability? But He is infinitely powerful.
Would it be from ignorance? But He knows everything.
Would it be from indifference? But He is supremely good;
and He who is good will not despise His work: a good
cause never despises His effects. How can one call that
government good which occupies itself with inferior matters
to the neglect of what is more excellent ?

God, the most excellent cause, supremely surpasses all
things in goodness. Even amongst men, are not those the
better who occupy themselves most assiduously in the
interests of humanity? How then can God neglect them ?

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 35
eee

CHAPTER XII.

CONCERNING THE END TO WHICH DIVINE PROVIDENCE
CONDUCTS MAN.

S it belongs to Providence to direct everything to

its end by convenient means, and as all things have
not the same end, it is necessary that it should employ
different means to cause each being to attain to its proper
end. Beings deprived of reason, God conducts to their end
by a natural inclination, which proceeds in ee manner
that they are rather moved than self-moving.

But man, who has free will, participates, to a certain
degree, in the action of Divine providence, and therefore is
conducted towards his end by God in such a way as that
he, co-operating with God, conducts himself, directing his
actions towards that desirable goal which has been marked
out for him.

It belongs then to man to ascertain with care what is
this latter end to which Divine providence has destined his
reasonable soul; to discover the most suitable means by
which he may in the surest manner, according to the dispo-
sition of God, arrive at that end, and to order himself and
everything concerning him with a view to that end.

This is the reason why the philosophers have been com-

36 | BOOK FIRST.

pelled to search out this final end. And as nature proceeds
gradually from less perfect to more perfect, they have
successively advanced in the discovery of the truth. The
most ancient of them have spoken very imperfectly upon this
subject ; those who followed, adding their light to that of
their predecessors, have more closely approached the truth;
and thus it is that the most excellent philosophers have
established upon solid reasons that the end of human life is
the contemplation of Divine things.* This, indeed, is the
only and proper occupation of man; it is the only one
which is ordained to his proper end, which should be desired
for itself, and which, without confounding, unites God to
man. Man is more apt to engage by himself in this duty
because he has less means of seeking in it the aid of exter-
nal things.

To this end, also, everything which has man for its ob-
ject tends. In fact, in order that this contemplation may be
perfect, the health of the body is necessary, towards which
the entire economy of human life is directed : here should
also be peace, and that calm in the passions which we
obtain by prudence and other moral virtues; there should
be exterior security, which is procured by the laws of the
civil order. Thus, then, according to these philosophers,
everything in nature and society has for its end this Divine
contemplation.

This being so, let us confess that the Divine providence
has conducted man by the exercise of moral virtues in order

* See Plato I. Alcibiades, in which he says we should behold ourselves always in
the Deity—the light alone capable of giving us a knowledge of the truth.

RHE LRLUALE EE OPTI EY GROSS. 37

that by these virtues, arriving at the contemplation of the
Supreme Being, he might be perfect and happy.

But as God conducts all beings by their proper laws, and
as the interior law of man is His free will, God conducts
him only by liberty; and, if man will not oppose his liberty
to the action of God, he will most certainly arrive at the
consummation of life by the most suitable means.

38 BOOK FIRST.

CHAPTER XIII.
THAT THE END OF MAN IS NOT THE PRESENT LIFE.

OUBTLESS, it will appear difficult to every attentive
mind to believe that man can in this life attain to
such beatitude. In fact, that which renders us perfectly
happy is not a feeble and obscure contemplation of God, but
a contemplation full and luminous to the extent of our
capacity, for this contemplation of God is our final end,
Now, this contemplation demands the supreme effort of
human thought. It is but little we can do here below, for
the soul acquires knowledge on earth only by sensible
phenomena and through the medium of corporeal organs ;
and a great number of men are so obtuse, organised in so
unfavourable a manner, that they can scarcely comprehend
the most simple truths. Others are distracted by domestic
cares, by the necessities of life, from this study of truth,
which demands the entire man. Divine contemplation
requires a perfect nature, a life exempt from external occu-
pations, so that there are very few men who can find here
that repose so necessary to attain to their end.
Besides, should we find a few capable of doing so, what
studies would not be necessary to them to arrive at such a
pure contemplation P

THECIRICH HI ORTH E (CROSS: 39

Only knowing things spiritual by things sensible, we must
acquire a considerable amount of preliminary knowledge.
For this reason, and as a last resource, the philosophers
recommended and taught metaphysics, which has God for
its object and all that concerns Him; and they did so prin-
cipally for this reason, that the study of that science requires
purity of heart, and an entire repose of the passions. In
fine, it is only by this calm of the passions and the quietude
of the senses, that the soul can become prudent by care and
time, and few there are who arrive at such perfection. This,
the reason why many departing from this life quite young,
and others never applying themselves to the exercise of
virtue and the contemplation of God, it is true to say, that
scarcely any one man attains to happiness below.

A more thorough examination of this truth will convince
us that there are very few who arrive at the knowledge and
contemplation of Divine things. Man, from the weakness
of his mind, is deceived in a thousand ways, even in the
order of nature. Often it is the senses, the sources of our
knowledge, which lead us into error. Often it is the
imagination, which induces clouds over the intelligence, so
that it appears difficult to many to believe that there are
spiritual substances. At other times it is the judgment
which is false and deceives us. We often take as a demon-
stration what is only probability, and, after all, perhaps an
empty sophism. ;

Certainly, the different opinions of the best minds on
a multitude of questions fully attest this fact. In their turn,
also, the passions of the soul, vicious habits, the various

40 BOOK FIRST.

natural propensities of man, alienate him from his object,
and how much more from knowledge of Divine things ?

Consequently, there are few men who can become happy.
But is not this a contradiction? For happiness is the final
end of man, and, therefore, proper to all. If, then, there is
no other happiness here than this, infants, young people,
nearly the whole human race, will never attain to it.

Let us pursue still more attentively the study of this
capital point, and we shall see that the true happiness of
man cannot be on this earth. For supreme happiness does
not admit of an. admixture of pains and troubles. Happi-
ness, being by itself the sufficient good, once we possess it
there is nothing else to be desired. But in this life who can
be so satisfied as to desire nothing, to be exempt from all
misfortune, and sheltered from all trouble ? Alas! human
nature is, on the contrary, subjected to a thousand reverses
and losses of all kinds. How often does a single misfortune
utterly destroy an apparent felicity? Recall to your mind
the history of Priam, and consult the lessons of your own
experience.

But, if one could attain to such a beatitude, would all
men then have real happiness? No; for happiness being
the final aim of man it involves perfect repose of heart
Now, all men desire to know; and this desire, inspired by
nature, will slumber only when they shall reach the Bios:
mination of full and entire knowledge.

What an infinity of things are there, even in nature, that
we desire to know, of which the human intellect can never
gain a complete knowledge! This is attested by that multi-

on nt ne ee, a

THIS TRICMEE Oe LAE CROSS. 4I

tude of sages and philosophers, who, from the origin of the
world, have attempted to penetrate into the mysteries of
nature; and if they have learned some things they are still
ignorant of a greater number. They all agree that the
greatest amount of knowledge we possess is surpassed by
our ignorance. They say they do not yet know the ulti-
mate difference of things, and to define them they are
obliged to name their accidents. If, then, our intelligence
is obscure when the question is about natural things, how
can it elevate itself to the contemplation of supernatural
things? What is permitted us by God to know here, is
narrow and uncertain. Our desire finds no repose in such
feeble light. What do I say? the more the light increases
so much more increases the desire: it is the law of all
natural movement to become more violent as it approaches
its end. Thus, the heart is borne towards God so much
the more swiftly as we advance in knowledge of the perfect
being. We shall then never repose, since here we can
never attain to supreme contemplation. ‘“‘ Our eye,” says
the philosopher, ‘‘is as little open to the luminous revela-
tions of nature as that of the owl to the brilliancy of the
sun.”

After all, he who would attain to that degree of knowledge,
to that high contemplation of God, and who, after long and
numerous labours, should find the repose of his soul, could
he be called happy? No, for he would soon have to die.
All men have naturally a desire for that which endures for
ever. They will immortalise themselves by their race and
their works. Now as to the wise man, if there be no other

42 | BOOK FIRST.

life, could he help being sorry at death? No, for he must
hate that which is an evil, and what greater evil is there than
the privation of that incomparable and blessed life which he
has so ardently desired, the consoling thought of which is
the sole occupation of the sage? But the wisest man cannot
‘escape the thought of death, for he has reason, and is not,
like animals, devoid of foresight; consequently, it is impos-
sible to call him happy who, after having pursued happiness
with all his strength, foresees its irreparable loss without
knowing the hour or the circumstances of that loss. Let us
conclude, then, that without the belief in a future life there
is nothing more wretched and sad than man. What! shall
all other beings attain to their end, and man, arrested by a
thousand obstacles, in spite of his cares, his efforts, never
arrive at it?-—or, after having obtained the prize of his
exertions, his time, his watching, shall he lose it without
remedy? Down with a doctrine which assigns such a fate
to the noblest creation of God!

, ‘
es ag
ren oe Pe ne.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 43

CHAD TE RPA EVs
THAT THE HUMAN SOUL IS IMMORTAL.

HAT we have just said compels us to confess the

existence of another life, and the immortality of the
soul. In fact, Providence conducts everything to its end..
Now, the end of man not being on earth, it is necessary to
admit another life, where we shall find the happiness He
has provided.

Another reason of this truth is, that the proper work of
man—that is, comprehension, extending from things material
to things immaterial and universal—proves that there is in
him an incorruptible, immaterial principle. Upon this point
there have been many opinions, but, certainly, short of
admitting that this incorruptible principle is the soul, and
that the soul is the form of man,* we cannot escape a
crowd of errors which ensue.+

In fact, that which signifies man is reason and intelli-
gence. If, then, the spiritual substance be not the form of

* Aristot. ‘De Anima,” lib. II. cap. I. sec. 6.

+ Thales thought the soul was fire; the Pythagoreans, a number, and an emanation
from the central fire; Heraclitus, that its excellence was its freedom from aqueous
particles; Leucippus, a mass of round atoms; Democritus, globular atoms of fire ;
Empedocles, thought it a union of the four elements ; and Critias placed its seat in the
blood. See the Introduction to Aristotle’s ‘‘De Anima,” where all the previous.
opinions are enumerated and refuted.

oe MOAB O OKG LTRS

man, why is it that he is distinguished by intelligence and
wisdom ? for every being is distinguished by its form. It is
necessary, then, to give to man another form from which he
derives his existence. Now, if this new form given to man
be not intelligence and reason, will he differ from animals?

Besides, the operations of the animating principle have the
same relation with the soul which exists between secondary
acts and the first act. Now, the first act precedes the second,
just, as for example, to know a thing precedes the act of
considering it. Every being who accomplishes deeds,
manifests a living principle, and, at the same time, and by
those deeds, proves that he has a soul, which is, as regards
his actions, as the first act to the second; for the soul is the
principle of life and its operations. But man has an opera-
tion peculiar to him, and which elevates him, by its
excellence, above all the lower animals. This peculiar opera-
tion of man is to comprehend and reason. ‘Then we must
establish some principle of this operation, which must be
the form of the man, and which must stand in relation
to his intelligence and reason as the the first act to the
second.

Besides, every being which moves itself is compounded of
a mover and a subject put in motion. Now man moves
himself like other animals. The prime mover in man, then,
being intelligence and will, it is necessary to admit that
man is composed of a spiritual substance, which is his form,
and a body, which is his matter.*

* Savonarola uses the word form in the same sense as Aristotle, whose theory of
creation was the elevation of abstract matter (vAn) into form (cidos), mediated by

eS Sa or LU Ue

ey a

DILTGRI TIGA eA OL hii fo’ CROSS: 45,

In the same way, if the spiritual substance which we call soul
be not the form of the body, we do not know how an infant
can be called a man, since an infant does not yet accomplish
intellectual operations. We do not see how we can say
that a man comprehends, unless he is composed of a soul
and body ; for actions belong to personality, ‘To compre-
hend, therefore, and to reason, would not be operations
peculiar to man, but to another intelligence having a distinct
existence from him, or, at least, to say with Plato, that is
not, in fact, composed of a soul and body, but is only a
soul joined to a body, as a motor to the object put in
motion—a theory which is false, as can be proved by the
errors arising out of it. First, man would not be endowed
with sensibility—even after the separation of the soul from
the body, the body and its parts would be of the same
species as before; for the motor, in separating itself from
what it moves, does not change its species. Further, the
body of the man would not then live through the intelligent
soul, and man would not be generated by the union of an
intelligent soul with a body; for the object moved is
engendered by the action of the mover. Whence then
would be the generation of manif the soul is not engendered,
and if the body which is engendered be not man? Where
is the paternity? Where is the filiation? These absurd
consequences, and other similar, must singularly embarrass
those who will not admit that the soul is the form of the

four causes—the formal, the material, the efficient, and the final. When Savonarola
thus speaks of the form of a man, he means that formative principle which makes of
flesh and blood, the matter—a man. This principle he goes on to show is the soul,
which is thus the form of the man.

46 | BOOK FIRST.

man. Now, since the resolution of objections is knowledge
of the truth, and since those who admit the intelligent soul
as the form of man resolve all the difficulties which oppose
them, it is clear that they are right; for in itself it is not
repugnant to reason that the intelligent soul should be the
form of the body, and yet in its highest capacity should be
separate from the body, that is, from bodily organs. For
the soul being the highest of natural forms, and the most
noble of immaterial forms, it is not surprising that it should
be, to a certain degree, supreme—on the one side united,
and on the other separated. This is what has been called
by many the knot of the world, the tie which in nature
binds things superior to things inferior.

That being so, let us conclude that the soul is immortal
and incorruptible ; for every spiritual substance is incorrup-
tible. In fact, all perfection must be in proportion to its
principle. Now the principle of the perfection of man is
something incorruptible and universal ; for the perfection of
man is to comprehend. As, then, the faculty of compre-
hension is the property of the universal and incorruptible,
let us conclude that the intelligent soul is incorruptible.

Besides, the perfection of the soul consists in a certain
separation from the body. ‘The more it rises to the imma-
terial and incorruptible, the more it perfects itself Now it
would be absurd to pretend that by elevating itself it
corrupted itself’ Can a thing, in fact, corrupt itself by
perfecting itself, or tend at one time to perfection and
corruption ?

It is vain to say that the perfection of the soul consists in

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 47

being separated from the body in the relation of action, but
that under the relation of being, it on the contrary corrupts
itself in separating from it ; for operation denotes substance,
and being acts according to what it is, and the operation
which is proper to it descends from the nature which
belongs to it.

The operation of a being cannot then perfect itself inde-
pendently of its substance. If the operation of man, as
man, draws its perfection from its separation from the body,
it follows that spiritual substance cannot corrupt itself by
separating itself from the body.

Such is the innate conviction of all men: they universally
admit the immortality of the soul. No one can deny this
without deceiving himself, and everyone makes it an object
of ceaseless investigation. All are naturally inclined
towards it, and all desire the most complete instruction
concerning it. The greatest philosophers have discoursed
upon this subject; the poets have treated it in their
verses ; wise men and the vulgar have written about it.
Unless, therefore, God and nature act in vain, this desire,
this inclination, these pre-occupations, are they not proofs
of the truth? The soul, then, is immortal. The desire
of happiness, and the fear out of which that desire arises,
are given to us by God to lead us to immortality—the
term of our happiness. Therefore, as those who deny
that the soul is the form of the man involve themselves
into the most inextricable difficulties, so those who deny
that it is immortal cannot resolve the objections they
create. Besides, as we have said, it is difficult, or, rather,

pen MOrnBOOR MTR ST:

impossible, if the soul be not immortal to comprehend how
man is an animal—reasonable, endowed with free will, and
subject to troubles; what is his end, how he can be an
object of the cares of Providence, and many other things, to:
mention which would be useless.

What remains now to be said is above human reason; and
this is why we have terminated our first book, and compel
ourselves to collect all our powers to treat with mote
sublimity the verities of the faith; for where reason
terminates there faith begins. In establishing faith we put
the immortality of the soul still further beyond doubt. |

BOOK IL.

PREAMBLE.

Nia having treated in the preceding book as much
as necessary to our object, upon the truths of the
order of nature, we have now to treat. of supernatural truths,
for the purpose of demonstrating, by reason and faith, the
truth of the Christian religion. And because we know
present things more easily than future, and that faith in the
past is more easily lost than faith in the present, we shall
establish, as the base of our reasoning, the daily doings which
we see Christians perform in the Church, and which being
manifest cannot be doubted by any one. I do not here
speak of evil Christians who, in one sense, are not in the
Church; I speak of the actions of the good, of those who
are Christians not only in name but in deed. Then we
shall apply to the actions of Christ Himself, known to all,
the truths we have preliminarily established ; and the present
will serve as a sort of foundation for the past.

Now as the principal effect which He accomplishes is

BORG - BOOK SECOND.

justice and perfect innocence of life, our Lord having said,
“Tam come that they might have life,” we shall prove first,
that the faith of Christ is true, by arguments drawn from
the life of Christians. Secondly, we shall treat of the causes
of that so excellent life. Thirdly, of the effects. These
three questions embrace nearly all that the Church militant
accomplishes on earth.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 51

CHAPTER GE

THERE IS A TRUE RELIGION.

LL that we have said hitherto leads us to this con-
clusion, that there is a true religion. True religion in
fact is the legitimate worship which we render to God as to
the Principal and Universal Moderator of all beings. For
every effect renders a certain worship to the cause from
which it proceeds when turning itself towards it, as if invok-
ing it, it submits itself to its empire and renders itself like to
its perfection. But what is this other than a certain tribute
of honour to arrive at a higher degree of excellence? God
then being the Universal Cause whence the world and every
good thing proceed, it is natural that man should turn
towards God, invoke Him, submit to His authority, and as
far as in him lies become like Him, and be perfected by
Him—that is to say, should render Him worship.

Now a natural tendency cannot be altogether vain. It is,
therefore, necessary to conclude that there must be amongst
men a true religion. Let us add, that man, borne naturally
towards honouring God as every effect is borne towards its
cause, is not in this feeling of which he is conscious, like to
other beings of nature, because he acts from reason and free
will, and directs himself. But if he could deceive himself

EY 2

52 ~ BOOK SECOND.

Sawa cileeb on ke lee bent ys Tah fy ean baht NMI de er
in such a matter so far as to render it impossible to find the
legitimate worship due to God, what would become of
providence? It would not occupy itself in that case with
what is most important, most necessary—with what con-
ducts a man to his end. But this is impossible to admit, as
we have already shown.

The diversity of worship in all times serves to establish
the fact that worship is natural to man. That which all
men have done everywhere and always, must be in nature.
If, then, every worship is vain, what becomes of the power
of natural inclination ? does it serve to lead man to his end?
and still what becomes of providence if it takes a greater
care of inanimate beings than of man endowed with reason
and intelligence ?

Besides, every cause transfuses into its effect as much as
possible of its goodness and perfection. It endeavours in
every way, according to the capacity of the effect, to draw it
to itself and to render it like itself God, consequently, who
is supremely good, who is the universal First Cause, proposes,
without doubt, the perfection of man, in favour of whom
He has established all the good things of nature. But the
perfection of man, consisting in love of God and submission
to His authority, it follows that there must be a true religion.

_ ee ee

LTHE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 53
eee ae Pan eee gre a pe bene UE RT

CHAPTER II.

THERE ARE TWO SORTS OF WORSHIP OF GOD.

OD may be honoured by men in two ways—by the
G soul and by the body. This is why we must establish
the fact that there are two modes of worship, the one interior
and the other exterior. The interior worship is that which
we render to God by the operation of the spirit and the
will. The exterior worship consists of signs of religion
given by the body—ceremonies and sacrifices. Now, as
matter is perfected by form, it is indubitable that the
exterior worship refers to the interior, and is subordinate
to it.

The true interior worship is the rectitude and perfection
of the life of the interior man, by which God is honoured
above all. Every cause, in fact, is honoured by the effect it
produces ; now there is no effect more noble than man,
whose perfection will honour God in the proportion of its
greatness, so that this perfection itself being in the propor-
tion of the sanctity of life, it follows that the principal
honour rendered to God is the good and perfect, life of a
man. Consequently, the true integral worship of God con-
sists in the life and acts of the perfect man, and in the
offering up to God of that life and its acts.

54 BOOK SECOND.

It is not for himself alone that man renders to God homage
and adoration, it is also that he may obtain the goodness
and all the blessings that are made for him. Therefore the
two modes of worship are a means and a disposition to
obtain those blessings, for every agent implies the disposition
of its subject. Therefore, as man is evidently better dis-
posed by a holy life than by sacrifices to obtain happiness

from God, and all blessings, z¢ follows that the true worship

consists in holiness of life.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 5

CHAPTER III.

THAT THERE IS NO LIFE SO EXCELLENT AS THE CHRISTIAN
LIFE.

ifs is impossible ever to imagine or to find a more holy
and better life than that of the Christian. Let us
examine the various forms of life.

Among living beings those who have only a vegetative
soul like plants are of the lowest degree.* Animal life has
many degrees, one being more perfect than another; the
more capable animals are of sensible cognizance, the more
perfect is their life. But the intellectual cognizance sur-
passing that of the senses, men have a more perfect life than
animals. Amongst men also there are different degrees of
life, for we prefer those who take reason for their guide to
those who only follow sense, because by doing the latter
and following desire a man becomes so much the more like
the brute, whereas he becomes the more like a man when
he opposes himself to the concupiscent appetite. For the
life of man being above that of beasts, without doubt,

* Aristotle in the ‘‘De Anima,” I. cap. 1, defines the soul of the plant to be simply
nutritive, that of animals nutritive and sensitive, that of man nutritive, sensitive,
and cognitive. The plant is nourished, but neither feels nor thinks: the animal is
nourished and feels, but does not think ; man unites these two characteristics, but is
elevated above nature by the possession of a thinking soul.

56 | BOOK SECOND.

CP thatch, oe BESTE ik CU OME AS Se
amongst men those are best and most perfect who conduct
themselves according to the laws of reason, and their excel-
lence varies again according to the degree of their wisdom.
The perfection of the soul depending upon the knowledge

and love of spiritual things, above all things, of God, the.

soul will be perfect in proportion as it elevates itself to a
higher degree in knowledge of spiritual and divine things.
Now the Christian life has for its end to tend towards God
at the exclusion of the whole spiritual or corporeal creature,

to transfuse itself, so to speak, in Him, and to become with ©

Him one and the same spirit. This is the final end and
principle of man. There is no life, then, more perfect than

that of the Christian.
And besides, the rectitude of the life of man—as man—is

estimated according to the degree of reason, which is the

rule of it. The life of a man will be worthy in proportion
to its conformation to right reason. ‘This is why true
Christians, who do nothing contrary to the rules of the
wisest reason, lead a more excellent life than other men.

And, further, the rectitude of life has for its end to con-
duct men to the contemplation of Divine perfection, and to
lead them to that sublime end, which demands a great
purity of spirit: a Being subject to passions is not apt for
the exercise of contemplation. Therefore, we shall find no
other kind of life which renders a man more pure and more
free than the Christian life—which surpasses all others in
excellence and dignity.

|
;

BERRI Mis OP LITE CROSS. 57

CHAPTER. LY:

THERE IS NO END MORE EXCELLENT THAN THAT WHICH THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE ASSIGNS.

UT in order to demonstrate more clearly that there is

no better life than this of the Christian, we shall prove

that the two things requisite for an excellent life, namely,

the perfect end and the perfect means, belong to the

Christian life. Let us commence by what concerns the end;

we shall then speak of the means, and we shall prove that

they are admirably proportioned to the end towards which
they tend.

There are two kinds of ends—the one called jzs cujus,
which is the thing itself towards which one tends, and the
other called jimis guo, which is the enjoyment of the thing
desired.

Now God—the greatest Being, the most perfect—is the
end towards which the Christian life tends, and in which it
reposes in a complete happiness. All the acts of a Christian
life tend to that. Could there be a more excellent end?
Faith proposes to itself as an end the vision of God and the
enjoyment of God, not in His creation, but in Himself, in
His proper essence. Can we conceive of a more perfect
act. Man united to God by the intuitive vision, and the

58 BOOK SECOND.

full and entire joy is consummated in perfection. There is
nothing more sublime than that end, for there is nothing
more sublime than God.

Now it is not less evident, from the most solid reasons,
that the happiness of man consists in the clear vision of
God. In fact, we have proved that here man cannot be
happy. However, as the contemplation of truth is the con-
dition of his happiness, it is therefore necessary that this
contemplation must take place, follow on, in another life. But
how in the other life can this contemplation be anything else
than the clear vision of God? If it were otherwise, would the
desire of man be appeased? Man would then know perfectly
or imperfectly the effects of material and immaterial sub-
stances. In the same manner he would not know God buy
imperfectly, and then as that which is imperfect tends to
become perfect, the soul, hungry after knowledge, would have
no repose. This is proved by the incessant labour with which
any one pursues a truth which he would make clear.

In the first case, knowing perfectly the effects, he would
wish to know also the cause, for men naturally desire to
know. But to know is to know the cause.* What nature
demands is invincible, and every movement being more
violent towards the end than at the beginning, man

* Aristotle says that to know a thing, ro Ort, as a mere existence, is a lower kind
of knowledge than to know it, to Ov’ O7t—the cause of its being. ‘‘ Therefore,” he
adds, ‘‘ we think that those who know first principles are more to be estimated than
the hand-workers, because they know the causes of created things; but the hand-
workers do things like inanimate beings, just as five burns. Inanimate beings per-
form their acts from a certain nature, and the hand-workers through habit, so that
those who know first principles are not wiser as regards the practical, but from their
knowledge of causes.’’—See ‘‘ Metaphysics, Lib. I., cap. 1.”

a es ee eee ee

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 59

will be more eager to know the cause when he knows
better the effects. How then will the desire of our
hearts be gratifie dif we have not a clear view of God?
Nothing finite can fill the capacity of our soul—our spirit
always goes beyond the finite. Conceive of a finite line or
a finite number—it is always possible to add mentally to that
line and number. In that is the reason of the mathematical
infinity in lines or numbers. Now every substance, with
the exception of that of God being finite, our intelligence
cannot be satisfied as long as it has not attained to God
himself, who is an independent and infinite existence.
Reason does not allow of the application of any other end
to man than that which faith teaches, namely the clear view
of the Divine essence, and it is more apparent than daylight
that God is the final end and supreme rest of the soul. For
every natural movement tends towards a final end, in which
it reposes when it arrives there. As then, besides God, no
other being can satisfy the desire of the human heart; we
justly say that we shall only enjoy perfect repose when we
arrive at our end and see God face to face.*

Then we shall have nothing more to desire, for there is
nothing above God. The desire of beings inferior to Him
will not torment us, for there is no proportion between the
finite and the infinite, and we cannot find in the effect a
perfection which cannot be more perfectly found in the first
cause. Besides, our intelligence, perfected by the supreme

* See a beautiful tractate upon this subject in Bonaventura, opp. vol. iv., called
‘‘Ttinerarium mentis in Deum.” The Germans, who overlook nothing, have a
translation of it, edited by Luttenback, ‘‘Weg des Geistes zu Gott,” 1336,

60 . BOOK SECOND.

intelligible, can easily comprehend other intelligibles,
towards which it tends naturally; for although the sensible
corrupts the sense, yet the supreme intelligible perfects the
intelligence.

Therefore God, who 1s infinite and above all substance,
cannot be perceived in the clear vision of His being by the
force of human intelligence. A new disposition is necessary
to arrive at that view which the theologians call the light of
glory, which God gives by infusion to every purified soul, to
make it capable of the intuitive vision; for God always gives
the means to arrive at the end, and that is why by His own
strength He elevates man, who could not attain to it by his
own force, to his Divine Being.

In fact, the natural light of the intelligence not being
proportioned to the intuitive vision of God, cannot attain
to it by itself ‘The help necessary is the light of glory;
then how true and how reasonable is our faith in its teach-
ings on the end _ of life; how it resolves all the difficulties
which embarrassed the philosophers who wished to con-
tradict it.

Let us conclude, consequently, that it is impossible to

imagine or to find, either as term or as tendency, a more
noble end for man than this which is preached by the
Christian religion and pursued by Christians.

LAL TRIOMPEH OF, THE CROSS. 61

CHARTER WV:

THERE IS NO MEANS MORE CONVENIENT THAN CHRIS-
TIANITY TO LEAD TO BLESSEDNESS.

T will be equally easy to us to prove there is no better
method more adapted to conduct man to the end which
we have established, than that which forms the faith of
Christianity. For, in the first place, it is not doubtful that
some measure is necessary to conduct man to blessedness,
God and nature not acting by chance, for everything which
did not arrive at an end would be created by chance. In
vain would a being have the power of motion, if it had not
the members capable of receiving the impulsion of that
interior force. Therefore men, having by nature a desire
of happiness, will be uselessly consumed by this desire, if
they are not provided with means necessary to its realisation.
There must, then, be some means by which man can attain
to the vision of God. This means, the Christians call purity
of heart and Divine grace, which being supernaturally in-
fused, perfects souls in every kind of virtue.

No one will contest that purity of heart is a means of
arriving at the contemplation of the first truth, for the means
and the end should be proportionate. Knowledge of God
exacts a great application of the mind, God being the

62 | BOOK SECOND.

supreme intelligible, and the purest being, the most elevated
above all sensible beings. ‘To arrive at the contemplation
of God, then, there is a necessity for an extreme purity of
soul, a complete distraction from sensible things and external
embarrassments; for what is pure is so only by virtue of
being detached from an inferior nature. This is why our
intelligence, being distinct from every corporeal organ, and
our soul being a rational substance, the more completely it
separates itself from corporeal things, and attaches itself to
spiritual, the more pure it becomes.

Now all that the philosophers have taught about purity of
heart, virtues, and good manners, the Christian religion not
only teaches and prescribes, but, in addition, it gives us the
most perfect principles for living holily, and maintaining our
heart in perfect purity. Natural morality, in fact, cannot be
a sufficient means to conduct man to his end. Everything
which surpasses the natural limits of a being can come to
that being only by a gift exterior and superior to it, just as
water does not rise above its level but by certain hydraulic
means. This is the reason why everyone endowed with
intelligence only comprehends according to the grade of his
intelligence, and therefore as the force of a created mind is
not able to arrive at the intuitive vision of God, there is a
necessity to that force for Divine assistance, which will ope-
rate in it a sufficient purity. The purity of life, taught by
philosophers, is insufficient to lead man to the Divine blessed-
ness. Christians, then, are nght in establishing that the
grace of God, as well as natural virtues, is necessary to us,
for they know that God has not made us defectively by this

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 63

necessity, but that He will give us all that is indispensable to
arrive at our goal, and the end to which all our desires tend.
We have no intention to dwell longer here upon this point ;
the limits of our work do not permit it, and besides we have
already spoken in detail upon the subject in our book “On
the Simplicity of the Christian Life,” in which we have shown
the life of the Christian does not result from natural love,
nor imagination, nor reason alone, nor from the influence
of the stars, nor from a spiritual creation, but from the grace
of God ; that is to say, a supernatural gift accorded by in-
Aicion. Let anyone, then, who desires to know more, read
this book we have cited, and he will understand that the
Christian life is the most perfect means to conduct man to
his end, whence it follows that the Christian life is in every
‘way the best and most perfect.

64 BOOK SECOND.

CHAP TRG 1:
RELIGION CONDUCTS MEN TO BLESSEDNESS.

F, then, as we have proved, there must be amongst men

a true religion, which consists in rectitude of life, we are

compelled to admit that the Christian religion, which in this.

point is above all others, is that true religion, and renders to
God a perfect exterior and interior worship.

The exterior worship of the Christian religion produces,
or rather signifies, the interior worship. Now, if the interior
worship in Christianity be true, manifestly the exterior wor-
ship, which is its expression, produces or signifies the truth.
The exterior worship is, then, legitimate and true, only by
the necessary correspondence which it has with the in-
terior worship.

The honour we render to God, as much by reason of the
excellence of His supreme being as by reason of the happi-
ness we demand of Him, constitutes in Christianity the true
worship of God, and promises to Christians the, realisation
of that blessedness which they expect and to which they hope
to attain. Therefore, whoever lives in a Christian manner,
and perseveres to the end, may fearlessly promise himself
this blessedness. Besides, the Divine providence, which
conducts everything to its end by proper means, has removed
all cause of doubt that Christians may attain to this blessed-

a a “

ee So a

Se a,

THEA TRIOCMPH OF THE CROSS: 65

ness, since there is no other means so perfectly in relation
to this blessedness as the Christian life.

Further, if God be just, to doubt which is impious, Christ-
ians who observe the commandments of God cannot perish.
God, the universal cause of everything, whose action leads
everything to its end, will give that blessedness to some
men, or will give it to none. Now, it would be absurd to
say He will give it to none; in that case, why was man
created? If, on the contrary, he gives it to some, the
Christians, who as we have seen are the most perfect, will
have a part in that recompense. If Christians, who by
their piety, their religion, are the most perfect men of all
others, be disinherited from the blessedness to which they
aspire, no one else need pretend to it. By the religion they
profess, Christians are more in the way of arriving to that
goal, whence it issues that the Christian religion is preferable
to all others. If, then, Christians in such a religion be
frustrated in their hopes, the blessedness itself could have
no existence, but must be regarded as a fable and a false-
hood ; for in nature every agent, if it meet no obstacle,
gives form to the matter upon which it acts, when that
matter is conveniently disposed. Now the end and ultimate
orm of the perfect life is blessedness, to which no life is
better ordered than that of the Christian.

If, then, this blessedness be not accorded to the Christian
life, which is so well adapted to such an end, there can be
no blessedness for man, for, as we have proved, it is im-
possible to conceive for man any other blessedness than
what we have established. Consequently, human life would

66 — BOOK SECOND.

have no final end. Now the end being the rule of every-
thing which is in relation to it, it would follow that man
must be delivered up to disorder and uncertainty—must be
the most wretched of all beings, subjected to the caprices of
chance, and deprived of all providential aid.

But it would be absurd to maintain such conclusions, for
the Christian life (and that is what we had to prove) tends
most certainly by true religion towards blessedness.

-—

LHE TRIGMPH OF THE CROSS. 67

‘CHAPTER VII.

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS TRUE, BECAUSE IT IS THE CAUSE
OF A PERFECT LIFE.

F'TER having demonstrated the truth of the Christian

religion, by the excellence of the life Christians lead,

we approach the causes of that life, to draw from them a
new proof. a

Now, the first cause of this life is faith in Jesus Christ
crucified, formed by charity; that is to say, acting by love |
according to the word of Scripture, “‘ the justification of God
is by faith in Jesus Christ to all those who believe on Him, 5
and without faith it is impossible to please God.”

We call a formed faith that by which, in loving Jesus
Christ above all things, we believe that He is true God and
true man ; that He is the Son of God, a sole God with the
Father and Holy Ghost, and personally distinct from these
two persons. Faith in Christ, joined to love, is, then,
the cause of that Christian life of which we speak. This is
proved by the experience of every day, and can be denied
by no one. In fact, a Christian advances in virtue in pro-
portion as he progresses in faith, and he recoils from the ,
way of virtue in proportion as he recoils from faith. “Fis
progress and delay in virtue indicate equally his progress and

F 2

68 BOOK SECOND.

delay in faith; these two things respond to each other ne-
cessarily. To love virtue is to love faith animated by charity,
and to love such a faith is to love virtue. Such an effect,
which produces itself in the Christian life, and which, since
the time of our Lord, has lasted to these days, should excite
our admiration, and cause us to reflect ; just as the natural
effects held the philosophers in admiration, and impelled
them to deliver themselves up to the study of causes.

In the first place, then, the effect cannot be more perfect
than its cause. If, therefore, the rectitude of the Christian
life, which is better than all, depend upon the faith of
Christ, it is impossible that this same faith cannot be true.
And if it be true, Christ is God, as the Christians confess,
and His religion is true.

In the second place, good cannot come from evil, nor
falsehood from truth; for evil in that it is evil; and false-
hood in that it is falsehood, are nothing positive. If, then,
the faith of Christ were false, and if the love of Christ were
evil, certainly the Christian life, which is good, could not
depend upon it.

Thirdly, if the faith be false, it would be a still greater
error ; for to say that a crucified man is God, is madness in
the extreme, if that be not true. The Christian life being
very perfect, how then could it depend upon such a false-
hood? -Does not moral good come from truth, and every |
error in the action and the will, has it not as a principle a
vice of the intelligence

Fourthly, the more a nature is disposed, the more it is
capable of receiving a perfect form. Now, the form and per-

PHENTRICOMP AR Oba TITE CROSS, 69

fection of our intelligence is truth, and the disposition of the
intelligence to receive the truth is purity of heart ; whence
it follows, that the more a man is disengaged from terrestrial
passions, the more apt he is to receive the truth and reject
error. But we have proved that this disposition is in no
degree equal to that of the Christians ; if, then, their faith
be a lie, they would discover it as easily as others. How-
ever, they say nothing of the sort; on the contrary, in pro-
portion as they advance in holiness, they confess their faith
with greater energy, and their progress in the faith is always
followed by a corresponding progress in the way of virtue.
Therefore, their faith cannot be false.

Besides, God is the first mover and prime cause in spiritual
things, as He is in things corporeal. It is, then, He who
moves human intelligence towards the truth.

Now, it is evident that God imparts the light of truth,
as regards salvation, to men especially who by the holiness
of their lives are the more disposed to receive it, as are
Christians, who, if they erred in the faith, would have no
privilege of grace, but would remain abandoned to the
seductions of error, which is contrary to the providence of
God.

Is not the end, then, the reason of the things which per-
tain to it? Those who deceive themselves us to the end,
deceive themselves also as to the means, for the end is in
practice what the principle is in speculation. Now, Christ-
ians not having deceived themselves as to the means, as is
proved by their perfect life, it follows that they are none the
more deceived about the end. ‘Their end, as they unani-

/ a

7° _ BOOK SECOND.

mously confess, is Christ. They force themselves to become
like unto Christ, in order that they may one day arrive at
the possession of their end (Christ). We must, then, con-
clude with them that Christ crucified is God.

Besides, God proceeds in all things with order; this is
why, in all that He does, He wisely governs inferior things
by superior, and produces by the most noble causes the
most elevated effects—the cause always being more perfect
than its effect. Now, in the order of humanity, there is no
effect more noble than the Christian life. This noble effect
comes, then, from the most noble cause. Now we know
that this effect comes from Christ, and we must therefore
confess that Christ is the most noble cause.

Still more. Second causes are the instruments of the first
cause. As, then, the Christian life has Christ for its cause,
we must confess that Christ crucified is the instrument of
the first cause in the production of that effect ; so noble the
perfection of the Christian. Now, if Christ were not God,
as He is so proclaimed, He would be the most criminal, the
vilest of men, and God (which is absurd) would have used
the most unworthy instrument to produce the most noble
life. In the same way, then, the more an effect becomes
like its cause, the more it acquires perfection, because the
perfection of the effect is in proportion to its similarity with
the cause. Now, a Christian becomes the most holy and
divine as he follows more closely the traces of Christ, and
as he imitates more perfectly His life. Would this be so if
Christ were not God, and His faith not true?

In fine, we know the cause from the effects. Now the

ee ee ee ee

SE eee eee ee

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 71

philosophers, after having laboured a long time in teaching
us the art of good living, have only succeeded in a few
points, after so many efforts. They have not, even in the
greater number of their disciples, succeeded in producing
the virtues with which Christianity practically and at once
inspires even women and children.

It is so, because no comparison can be instituted between
morality and religion, or Christianity and philosophy. And,
in fine, what can be more admirable than to see men, tar-
nished by all kinds of vices, at length truly converted to

Christ crucified, and, at once becoming new men, pass
immediately from pride to humility and gentleness—from
avarice to liberality—from immorality to the purest life, and
the most chaste ; in a word, to practice all the virtues in the
place of their contrary vices, and to repair and compensate,
by their abandonment of wealth, the injustices they have
committed? Has philosophy ever accomplished such a
result? It then necessarily follows that Christ is the prin
cipal cause, the instrumental cause, and the certain remedy
of manners and of life.

oa BOOK SECOND.

CHAPTER VIII.

THAT THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH,
COMES FROM GOD.

HE reading and meditation of Holy Scripture are the
causes of the Christian life, and the foundations of our
religion. ‘The truth contained in the Scripture is the object
of our faith. After the reasons we have established relative
to the faith of Christ, we ought now to place those which
come from the Scriptures.

We know, in the first place, that it is impossible to fore-
tell future contingencies, whether by way of experience or
by way of doctrine. Hence, even the most illustrious of
the philosophers attributed that knowledge to God alone.

For God, being eternal, embraces all things in His
eternity, and everything is displayed naked before His eyes.
On the contrary, man can only know future contingencies by
a Divine revelation.

Now the Holy Scripture in all its pages, and principally in
the Old Testament, has predicted not only in general, but
also in particular, a crowd of contingent events depending
upon the free will of man—events which should take place,
not after one or ten years, but a hundred, a thousand years,
and even three or four thousand years—events which
have happened among the Hebrews, deeds accomplished

wee ee

THE TRIO ID OPN PAE. CROSS. 73

by Christ and His Church, the issue of which interested
nearly every nation: the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians,
Medes, Greeks, Romans, and other peoples. Now these
predictions being made a long time before the events have
been literally accomplished, the Holy Scripture, which con-
tains them, is not then the work of human genius and
industry, but the work of God. The predictions which
have not yet been accomplished draw their truth from the
accomplishment of others, whence we may conclude that
God, with a sovereign goodness, extends His providence
over all men and things in this world.

It belongs only to God, as we have observed, to foresee
future events. It is not, therefore, in the power of man,
however foreseeing and sagacious he may be, to disclose or
ordain in advance the different actions, wars, and deeds
of different great men and peoples, in such a manner that
his prediction may be the sign of the event.

God alone has the power to signify with certainty the
future by the present. Now we see in the sacred literature
that the whole of the New Testament has been prefigured
in the Old. It is not possible to say that it is an interpreta-
tion invented by the Christians,** and arranged according to
pleasure ; for it would have been impossible, without the
aid of an intelligent prevision, to establish in the two
Testaments such an agreement of words, deeds, authors,
and of different times. This agreement is no work of
hazard, for we remark in it nothing clashing or strange; on

* Paulus, De Wette, Strauss, Bunsen, Hase, Baur, Schwegler, Renan, and even
Schenkel, with others of the more modern school of rationalism, assert this.

74 BOOK SECOND.

the contrary, everything is admirably bound together. What.
is obscure in one place is cleared by another, so that the:

Holy Scripture in its whole serves as a commentary on each
of its parts. Perhaps this may not be apparent to the eyes:
of those less familiar with the Scriptures; but learned and
pious men, who study them diligently, have found in them a.
pure source of truth; and sweet effusions of grace. Let all
those who desire to know the truth, read the Holy Scriptures.
with piety, with humility, and purity of heart, and they will
certainly join with us in this opinion.

After what we have said, it becomes clear that the alle-
gorical interpretation is the only one adapted to the Holy

/ Scriptures. We mean, by allegorical interpretation, not that

_ fabulous interpretation which the poets use (for we also

74 “explain parables without drawing any allegory from them).

| / The sense, parabolic and literal, is that which results not
from the words themselves, but from the sense expressed by
the words. The allegorical sense contains three things :
first, the literal sense; second, the thing signified by the
letter; third, the belief insinuated by the facts. Now it
follows from this, that such a contexture can be the work of
no human art, and that God alone can be its author, by His
infinite providence and His infallible wisdom.

In the same manner, the mode of language and develop-
ment of Holy Scripture is something so original, that it is
constantly inimitable to even the wisest and most worthy
Christians. The inspiration of one and the same spirit
could only have given to so many different authors the same
form of discourse. For, in spite of the difference of time, of

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 75,

education, and of genius, the style of Scripture is always the
same, which could only come from God.

This is what is also proved by the effects ; for the virtue
of the cause is known by the effect. Now there is not upon
earth a more noble effect than the Christian life, which, as
we have shown in our work on the “Simplicity of the
Christian Life,” does not result from a natural cause, but
from the pure and gratuitous kindness of God. Now, as
the doctrine contained in the Holy Scriptures is the principal
instrument of the Christian life, it is manifest that this
doctrine is not from man, but from God. Experience also
proves that human doctrines have been unable to regulate
men’s lives.

Before the diffusion of the light of Holy Scripture, humanity
was plunged into a night of obscurity; but after the preach-
ing of the apostles, after the thunder and lightning of their
words, intelligencies were illuminated with the serene
splendours of truth and virtue.

But, as one may be tempted to deny the past, let us pass
on to the, so to speak, domestic proofs. This kind of proof
has always given us more light, joy, and unction.

So from the moment when the preachers of our time,
abandoning these means, had recourse to philosophy and
the art of rhetoric, they had not so many auditors, nor were
they so faithful as in olden times, when, using the holy
Scriptures with a simple and familiar language, the preachers
marvellously spread light and love among the people.*

OR le ADL B TRE Te CRS ly TRU RO eee CO Mee SA Ty ATES
* See an admirable history of the various modes of preaching in the supplementary
volume to Herzog’s ‘‘ Real Encyklopiidie fur Protestantische Theologie und Kirche,’

76 BOOK SECOND.

The faithful were so happy that, in adversity as well as in
prosperity, they expressed their contentment by the singing
of hymns and canticles.

~ God is my witness, that whenever I have felt inclined to
employ in my sermons the subtleties of philosophy and the
fine discourses of human wisdom, in order to convey to the
pretended sages and fine spirits of this age some knowledge
of the profundity of the Divine Word, I have observed in
‘my audience signs of impatience and weariness, not only
amongst the ignorant but even amongst educated men, who
only lent a distracted attention to my words. But on every
occasion when, on the contrary, I had recourse to the
majesty of the Holy Scriptures, either interpreting their
sense or reciting the deeds they contain, they all listened
with a marvellous attention, and remained before me motion-
less as statues.

Now I have gained this experience, that, by putting aside
tiresome questions and explaining in their stead the Holy
Scriptures, the faithful have at all times been enlightened
and charmed ; and that, after having recognised the truth
and felt compunction in their hearts, they have reformed
their manners and become better. And now they can no
longer support any other kind of reading or discourse, and
renouncing the vanities of the age, they become almost
divine. This is what also happened in the early periods,
when Christianity flourished everywhere, and this is what

under the word ‘ Predigt.” ‘The pre-scholastic preaching was very simple, but in the
times of Scholasticism the sermons took a philosophic turn, and abounded with cita-
tions from Aristotle,

eee : ‘ oe ded is

oa oe

—_— |. ==

ie >

DIMA RIGN Ed OFLU, CROSS; 77

we still see amongst us, in the effects of which we are
witnesses.

Such is the doctrine which is said to be “‘sharper than a
two-edged sword ;” which has illuminated the whole world
with virtue; which has overturned the worship of demons
and the sacrilegious oracles of idols ; and which, putting to
flight innumerable errors, has worked marvels. But we
shall hereafter return to this important point.

Let us add now, that our intelligence is so much the
more capable of seizing the truth, in proportion as it is the
more pure. Hence it comes that the best and purest spirits
among men have not only exalted this doctrine in their
writings, but have borne witness in its favour by their
preaching, their life, and their manners, and frequently have
not feared to defend it at the peril of their lives. Certainly
they would not have acted in this way if they had not been
so struck with its evidence, as if, as we say, they had
touched it with their finger.

In the same manner, truth is always in accord with truth ;
but in the false, allis discord. But every other doctrine, far
from opposing ours, only lends it help. The most in-
structed and experienced scientific men have constantly
shown that there is no other philosophy which repudiates it,
but that, on the contrary, all philosophy agrees with it with
an admirable justice.

This is why it is praiseworthy to Christians to study the
sciences, which would not be so if they were likely to injure
the faith, We only object to those studies corrupted by
superstition ; such, for example, as the art of divination, and

78 | - BOOK SECOND.

other arts, useless or injurious, which have always been
denounced by the philosophers, and should not be reckoned
amongst the sciences.

If any point of philosophy appear to contradict us, our
theologians resolve such difficulties so easily, that it becomes

evident that philosophy is the servant of theology ; for the
easy solution of difficulties is also an evidence in favour of
truth.*

Another peculiarity of truth is to shine the more brilliantly
the more fiercely it is attacked, provided always that it be
well defended. Intelligence has, in fact, truth for its object,
towards which it inclines as towards its proper perfection.
The more the truth shines, the more it will be loved;
and it is shown in all its brilliancy when it is bravely
contested, for in the fight it always comes uppermost in
victory.

The Christian doctrine, after having been powerfully
combated by philosophers and tyrants, has remained invin-
cible ; the innumerable works of Christians have produced
faith, and, consequently, it comes from God. If not, would
it have been able to survive unconquered the assaults of its
numerous and powerful enemies ?

* This notion is repudiated with scorn by some of the modern school, though
Kant, Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, and even Comte endeavoured to philosophise
“Christianity.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 79

rr Lee bx

‘THE TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED BY THE PRAYER AND
CONTEMPLATION OF CHRISTIANS.

N the same manner as faith, the reading of the Scrip-

ures, the hearing and meditation of the Word, are the

principles of the Christian life, so is prayer the aliment of
that life, the source of its growth and perfection.

A long experience has proved that men engaged in
praying without ceasing, arrive at a supreme degree of
holiness, and that all those who make progress in virtue
pray frequently ; that by assiduous prayer they fix their will
upon. God, and all things in this world appear to them
empty and despicable.

Now this perfection, the result of prayer, is not only
attained by the wise and learned, but the poor and simple
attain to it, as well as all those who live in a Christian
manner, and it is easy to draw from this a proof in favour
of our faith.

First, God being an independent existence, the infinite
light, the nearer we approach Him, the more we participate
in His purity, truth, and light.

Now, it is not corporeally that we approach God, but by
holiness of life, by mental elevation, by contemplation of

80 _ BOOK SECOND.

the truth; thus the Christian life, which is the purest and
most innocent of all, elevates him who practises it, by
prayer and contemplation, to God himself. This religion is
divine, it is light and truth, since it makes Christians pro-
gress in virtue, confirms them in the faith and love of
Christ, in proportion as they advance and fortify themselves
by the exercise of prayer.

Therefore, intelligence by nature aspires to truth as to its
perfection, repudiates error as its evil; now, no interior
disposition is more calculated to gain for a good man the
communications of truth, and to withdraw him from error,
than prayer and contemplation ; it is, in fact, in prayer that
the true Christian receives those favours. Hence it follows
that the faith cannot be false.

Besides, Christians in their prayers addressing God
through Jesus Christ, adding at the end of their prayers,
‘for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ obtain from God
singular favours of grace.

Also, without doubt, God accords to them the principal
end of their demand; that is, that purity of life which we see
reflected in them, and with it gentleness of spint, true
peace, which they prefer to all the joys and pleasures of this
world. But if Jesus Christ were not God, as their faith
teaches, they would be plunged into the darkness of error, in
spite of the vicinity and serenity of light which illuminates
them. Would God permit such an error, and not listen to
their prayer nor communicate to them the truth ?

Further, every cause, when it disposes a matter to receive
a form, gives to that matter, as far as it is capable of

th i

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 81

receiving it, the form most fitting ; but if not so, it would
not dispose even matter, any more than a motor would put
anything in motion, without a definite end.

Thus the just man cannot be elevated, so as to render
God the homage of his prayers, if God, who is the universal
cause, does not elevate him.

Beatitude being the end of prayer, the term of a perfect
life, God would not lead any one to pray and to live well if
_he did not conduct him at the same time to blessedness.
Now, since a Christian advances in the faith of Christ in
proportion as he advances in prayer and _ holiness, it
follows that that faith can only come from God, and that it
is the road by which God conducts man to blessedness.

Further, every cause listens (if we may so express it) to
its effect ; and the demand, the prayer of the effect, is the
intimate desire of its proper perfection—a desire which it
expresses in some sort by the disposition which is in it
relatively to its cause.

Now, the cause does not delay to answer its effect,
and to give it the perfection of which it is capable—a per-
fection which comes from the cause, as from a source,
because good is diffusive of itself

Now God, who is the supreme good, will, more than any
other cause, listen to His effects—that is, to those who are
disposed to receive His favours, as are the Christians who
pray to Him and contemplate Him. He will grant them
what they demand, and the knowledge of the truth.

Now, Christians confirm themselves in their faith as they
pray more incessantly ; this is also an additional proof.

82 BOOK SECOND.
JOS SS ee eee

Besides, if Christ be not God, to believe and confess
Him to be God would bea supreme impiety and blasphemy.
Since Christians pray to God the Father through Chmist,
whom they believe to be the same nature with the Father
and Holy Spirit, how could God not draw them from such
an error which, in that case, could only arise from their
simplicity ? and how could he not come to the succour of
those who pray to Him and seek Him with all their heart?
If, on the contrary, their error is culpable, how can He help
punishing them for their crime of /ese-mazeste ; or, at least,
why should He make Himself their accomplice, by accord-
ing them the favours they demand of Him? In fine, our
soul, as we have said, rejoices in the truth, and is afflicted
with falsehood, in which it can find no repose.

Now, if the faith of Christ be false, there is no more
absurd and dangerous delusion ; for that faith is the cause
of the wisest and most just men despising the wealth of the
world for the sake of Christ crucified, bearing for His sake
privation, labour, suffering, contempt, threats, strokes,
prison—in fact, all torments, even to death, and wishing for
these proofs. Certainly the finger of God is there !

AHIR IRIOUMEH OLE THE CROSS. 33

CHAPTER X.

TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED BY THE EXTERIOR WORSHIP
OF CHRISTIANS.

i have already shown, by the principal causes of the
Christian life, which are faith, the Holy Scriptures,
and prayer—the source, nourishment, growth, and perfection
of faith—that our religion is true and exempt from all error.
These causes are interior; and therefore it is that we now
pass on to speak of the exterior causes of faith, which are
the complement of the preceding, and comprise the sacra-
ments and ceremonies which accompany them, and every-
thing which composes the exterior worship of the Christian
religion. Not to dwell upon each point in detail, we shall
include them all in one body, formed of different members.
For all ceremonies accord with sacraments, and the sacra-
ments all accord with the Eucharist, which contains and
resumes, in a certain manner, all that we have to say.

Now, whoever observes particularly the prescriptions of
exterior worship, retires from them with an increased devo-
tion and sanctity. In fact, since the origin of our religion
even to present times, it is proved, both by the testimony
and example of the ancients and contemporaries, as well as
by the experience of every day, that all those who have

$4 BOOK SECOND.

piously and faithfully practised that worship, who worthily
regard and receive the sacraments and divine mysteries,
acquire a perfection which they had not before, and become
more holy and divine; but those who, on the contrary,
without faith and without religion, accustom themselves to
treat holy things familiarly, become worse than other men.
This is what we see principally, without appealing to the
past, in the priests and clerks of our own times : if they are
good, there is no one better; if they are bad, they surpass
all men in wickedness.

The good, purified from all unruly affection for temporal
things, attach themselves to God alone, for the love of whom
they are ready to suffer death. The evil, absorbed in pride,
envy, avarice, and all other vices, arrive at such an excess of
impiety that they cannot amend themselves ; and admoni-
tions, reprimands, exhortations, instead of correcting them,
make them worse. This being so, how is it that two contrary
effects should result from the same sacraments. and
ceremonies? It is no contradiction that two contrary effects
should result from the same cause, when there are in the
subject contrary dispositions. In fact, the heat of the sun
hardens the earth and yet melts ice. A tree planted in the
earth produces, under the influence of the sky, flowers and
fruit; and if it be torn up, then, under the same influence,
it withers and dies. Consequently the two opposite effects
of the sacraments do not result from a chimerical or vain
cause ; but they issue necessarily from the different and even
opposite manner with which men use holy things in the
worship they render to God. If the exterior worship of the

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 85

Christian religion did not depend upon God, if it did not
contain Divine virtue and truth, necessary to form a first
instrumental cause, it could never produce, maintain, and
consummate that excellent effect—Christian holiness. or
it ts by itself that it acts in this way, since the Christian Life,
which ts wholly spiritual and partly intellectual, could never be
produced by material causes. Of what avail, in fact, for the
perfection of the soul are water, oil, balm, incense, bread,
wine, altars, and other things of that kind, if they were not
instruments of a superior cause? or rather, if these sacred ,
rites were merely a falsehood of man or demon, a super-“
stitious rite, how could they be the source of such a holy life?

Some one may perhaps object that this worship, of which
we speak, is not the cause of the perfection ; that it merely
exercises the virtues and faith of men who believe it to be
divine ; that these men, forcing themselves to fly from vice
and to practise good works, are sustained by the imaginary
belief that they have in this worship, and that by the exercise
it imposes upon them they advance more and more. But
we reply to this objection by asking, how is it that men, who
apply themselves to the rules of probity and moral discipline,
without having recourse to the sacraments, come short of
this perfection? If the exterior worship were useless and
false, the more one avoided it the more perfect he would
become ; the priests, by treating it without respect, would
become better instead of worse ; but this is contrary to our
daily experience.

And besides, as God is the sovereign truth, the more we
approach Him the more we are inundated with His light, and

86 BOOK SECOND. |
SELLS AT Nee DM en Na CERN TER
the more we depart from Him we are enveloped in a greater
darkness and error. But do we not know that pious
Christians, who devotedly frequent the holy mysteries,
receive from that Divine worship such an abundance of joy,
that they are ravished beyond themselves. We see their
faces, resplendent with the rays of holiness, acquire traits the
most amiable and worthy of veneration.

Formerly, doubtless, these marvellous effects were more
frequent than to-day. Still in our time we know of men
who experience them; men, not only amongst the simple,
but amongst the wise and learned. Whence comes this’
ecstasy? Whence this meditation so full of charms? Whence
this fervour, ardent as fire—these sighs and tears—these hymns
and canticles, the sweet music of the Church, which escapes
from the heart like a jubilation? Certainly, if the worship
do not come from God, if it be untrue, where shall we find
such mingled delights and falsehoods? For it is all figura-
tive and symbolical; if it were not so, then the mysteries,
the sacraments, the temples, the altars, the insignia, the
vestments, all the pomp of ceremonies, the chanting of
psalms, and the whole service, would be but a vain labour.
But this worship is instituted in honour of Jesus Christ.
If, then, it be full of falsehoods, the wise and clear-sighted
Christian would not be ravished in contemplation, and
filled with celestial delights, by meditation on the sacraments
and Divine things.

For falsehood, as we have said, is adapted to obscure the
intelligence, and to render it uncertain in its ways, and to
alienate it from God. Then, as the contrary effect proves,

LHEDTRICGMP AH OFS THE CROSS: 87
this worship is true, and filled with Divine graces. This is
what the order and sense of the ecclesiastical ceremonies
prove ; what is revealed by them is not the spirit of man,
but the Spirit of God; all is wise, and nothing vain; each
thing expresses the mystery contained in it. Therefore,
unless a man has a perverse spirit, and eyes obscured by
the most dense darkness, he must be compelled to acknow-
ledge that this marvellous worship comes not from man,

but God.

88 BOOK SECOND.

CHAPTER XI.

THE TRUTH OF THE FAITH DEMONSTRATED BY THE IN-
TRINSIC EFFECTS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

E have, as far as our feeble intellect permits, proved
the truth of the Christian faith, by reasons drawn
from causes interior and exterior of the Christian life. It is
now time to pass on to the reasons based upon the effects
of that life. 3 |
One of the principal effects of the Christian life is peace, .
joy of spirit, and liberty of heart. For, besides the examples
of our fathers, which we read or hear recounted, we have in
our days, under our eyes, true Christians, whom the tempests
and revolutions of this world do not move; who, on the
contrary, glory in tribulation, and remain firm and stable in
the confession of the faith of Christ. It is necessary, then,
for us to seek out the source of these effects, to explain how
it happens that the more one is attached to Jesus Christ by
holiness, the more the soul progresses in liberty and serenity.
After the Christians themselves, what is the cause of these
effects? They say it is this:—‘“ That the blessedness of
man consisting entirely in the knowledge and contemplation
of God, it is impossible that the desire of man can repose, as
in a final end, in anything beneath God.” Consequently

THE TRIVUMPA OF THE CROSS: 89

the peace and tranquility of mind which they enjoy can only
arise from their having founded their life on God, who is
their true end. Ask the Christians what is their end, and
they will reply, God.

This is the reason why, counting for nothing the things
of this world in comparison with God, and hoping after this
life to enjoy God, they despise everything in the world and
estimate it at no value. They are no longer sad at the loss
of temporal things, for not valuing their present life they
long for death to possess God, the only and supreme good.
"And because God is present everywhere by essence,
presence, and power, He is also in them by their love and
contemplation, of which He is the object, just as what is
loved is in that which loves. Now, when the object loved
is present, the soul of him who loves delights and rejoices.
This is what makes Christians experience an extreme joy at
being united to God, of whose presence in them they are
conscious; and because God is infinitely powerful from
the moment when they feel that He is propitious to them,
they count all the rest as nothing. ‘Thus protected by a
great liberty and a great confidence, neither caresses nor
menaces can turn them from their end. But as man, by
reason of temporal things—his great obstacle—and by
reason of the feebleness of his intelligence, cannot by the
mere force of nature arrive at such a degree of peace and
liberty, it is necessary, they say, to attribute the cause to a
celestial gift gratuitously conferred upon us, by virtue of
which, God and the blessedness He has promised us are
ever present.

90 BOOK SECOND.

That such, in fact, is the cause of the peace, the joy, and
liberty which the faithful possess; and the proof is in the
unity of soul, whose powers are all founded on its essence
in such a manner, that when one of its powers is occupied,
all are, and cannot be distracted elsewhere. For example,
if you are engaged in contemplation, you must leave the
other powers in repose; and if you were absorbed by a
great sorrow, you could no longer contemplate. Christians
are not, therefore, deceived by a false faith, since a power
superior to them confirms them in that faith ; otherwise they
would remain in a mere state of nature, or rather their
great error would invalidate their nature. Then how, in
the midst of the greatest calamities, of persecutions, of
bodily pains, could they maintain inviolably their peace of
soul, their joy, and liberty? This would be the case not
among a few, but an infinite number of Christians. The
philosophers can only mention one or two instances of such
firmness; but we can oppose to them thousands of both
sexes in every part of the world, who, in the most dreadful
torments, have not lost their peace and liberty of heart,
having for their succour nothing but the invocation and
praise of Christ crucified.

Besides, by the experience of our fathers, and by our own,
we have proved that the increase of faith and holiness
among Christians was, at the same time for them, an
increase of peace, joy, and liberty. Would it have been so
if there had not been for their faith and hope, in a word as
an end of their religion, a certain good? For the more we
advance in holiness so much the more progress do we

LHE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS: gt

make in the knowledge and practice of truth and well-
doing, and in the avoidance of their contraries. Con-
sequently, if Christians did not find the true good in the
progress of their holy life, neither would they find any
progression of their joy; that would decrease in proportion
as they found themselves the victims of error.

Still further: every cause, by the goodness which impels
it to spread itself abroad, directs its effect towards the desired
end. The more the effect approaches the cause, the
greater is its repose and delight. Now, God, who is the
sovereign good, who deals out His kindness with a lavish
hand, directs towards their end all those who turn to Him,
in order to procure the repose they wish. This is why the
religious life—being the conversion of a man to God—is
supreme union, in which are to be found true peace and
joy. So that the faithful become stronger in the faith, in
proportion as they persevere in their holiness and rejoicing
in Christ, repose themselves in Him, despising all the rest
to gain Him alone.

The Christian faith, then, is exempt from all error, or the
faithful would not arrive at that true peace, which is the
object of their desire.

In fine, every joy has for its foundation love—for love is
the first act of the sense and the will, and the source of other
acts. Now the joy of the faithful which beams on their
countenances, arising not from the source of natural and
perishable love and from the things of this world, but solely
from the love of Jesus Christ, cannot be founded upon error
and falsehood, for it would decrease in proportion to their

92 BOOK SECOND.

holiness, for they would soon perceive that they were the
victims of a fatal error, and would fall into a mortal sadness.
But their holy lives, their joyous faith, their looks, radiant
with the beauty of their souls, all demonstrate to us that it
is not so; that they love the truth because they have
happiness.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 93

—_— hae a toy, Faw

CHAPTER XIT.

THE TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED BY THE EXTERIOR
EFFECTS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,

NOTHER effect of the Christian life is that which
L manifests itself in the exterior of the Christian man in
his manners, in his character, which exhale something
divine: whence it happens that many are forced to respect
Christians, and in some sort to render them worship.

Often their aspect, venerable by its divinity, has caused
the most haughty anger to cease. This is what we read of
Attila, the powerful and cruel King of the Huns. This
man, whom neither the carnage he had made,. nor the
batallions of the enemy could restrain, was decided by the
single prayer of Pope Leo to quit Italy. Attila, contrary to
his custom, and to the great surprise of his own people,
appeared by this retreat to obey more the order of a superior
than a sentiment of veneration. The same is told of Totila,
King of the Goths. This cruel conqueror, after devastating
the world, could not endure the aspect of a poor monk.
Scarcely had he seen St. Benedict than he prostrated his face
to the earth, and only got up when bid and assisted. The
Emperor Theodosius, returning to Milan from the massacre of
Thessalonica, was arrested at the entrance of the temple by

94 BOOK SECOND.

the authority of St. Ambrose, who reproached him with his
crimes, and made him expiate them by a salutary penitence.

But the day would finish before I could recite all the
illustrious examples of history.

But what is the use of proving what we see every day. It
happens, commonly, that the most proud and criminal men
all at once change.their manner and language in the presence
of the saints, and through compunction of heart completely
reform their life. For it is the Spirit of God which gives to
young men the grace which seduces, and to old the majesty
which touches.

The cause of this effect is the supernatural beauty of the
soul: it is the grace of God decorating the intelligence, the
will, and the other faculties of the soul. The soul acting power-
fully on the senses by the imagination, transforms the eyes
and visage: now it enflames them, now it abates them : the
visage is thus the mirror of the soul—sadness and joy are
reflected upon it alternately. Our soul makes use of the
body as an instrument: we see upon it the imprint of its
passions, especially on the face and in the eyes. The
proud have an arrogant look, cruel men a false one. Light-
mess of character is manifested in the mobility of the lips
and the body; sensuality betrays itself in its languishing
eyes.* It is said that certain sorcerers fascinate and entrap
infants by a single look. In fine, the habitudes of the soul,
good or bad, especially when they are inveterate, betray
themselves forcibly on the countenance. ‘This is the reason

* Almost verbally from an unfinished Tractate in Aristotle’s Works, ‘De
Physiognomia,’ supposed by some to be spurious,

ice ees ee

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 95

why, as every agent produces its like, and every effect is the
expression of its cause, the exterior dignity of Christians,
their honest and venerable aspect, can only have as a cause
an interior beauty of soul and integrity of life. Such is the
power of that exterior, that it serves more than any other to
the conversion of sinners, as experience proves. The
examples of pious Christians, simple and poor servants of
the Lord, have more efficacy over men than the discourses
of philosophers and orators, or even than miracles. We
have often seen learned and spiritual men command the
most favourable attention by their fine discourses ; but the
life of those men did not correspond with their words; they
have been without profit to the Church, and have had no
other result than the praises accorded to their eloquence
and wisdom. How many miracles in ancient and modern
times are there which have served but little in the correction
of manners! Men have run to see them, but have not
returned better; on the contrary, we know and have seen
that many men, as well ignorant and simple as wise and
learned, have been converted to Ged by the sole example of
the life of Christians. Many drawn to God by the per-
fume of holiness and a good fame, despising the attractions
and pleasures of the world, have taken refuge from them in
the purity of a new life.

After this, it is manifest that Christians have in them a
certain virtue which produces all these admirable effects ;
for the body acts not by itself on the spirit. The proof of
this is that certain bodies, especially formal, like celestial
bodies, undergo no corporeal action. ‘This is the reason

96 BOOK SECOND.

why the heavens do not suffer by the action of fire which
is in its vicinity. For a greater reason, consequently, the
spirit by itself is not accessible to the action of the body.
As, then, the exterior effects of the Christian life are cor-
poreal, they cannot by themselves act upon the soul to
carry it towards the good, without a certain virtue of which
they are the instruments. Now in a Christian of approved
virtue, that virtue whence issues a perfect life, an exterior
beauty and holy example is the immaculate faith and love
of Jesus Christ crucified. In proportion as that love aug-
ments, the exterior beauty augments also, and becomes
more efficacious in the conversion of souls. Therefore this
faith which acts by love cannot be deceptive, for falsehood
has no virtue capable of penetrating hearts.

Further: truth is more powerful than error. Now no
remedy has yet been found more efficacious than the
Christian life ; as even the philosophers and other men con-
cede those whose doctrines and examples have never won
but a few disciples to good living, whilst the Christian life is
every day the source of innumerable conversions and the
most pure virtues. How, then, could such a perfection
flourish on the dead trunk of error.. Otherwise, men would
be led to the correction of their manners by the doctrine
and example of philosophers, rather than by the lives of
Christians, which really does not happen.

And once more, God being the first mover, without whom
nothing can be moved, and His virtue conducting every-
thing with wisdom, He manifests in the most noble effects
the most noble causes. Now, after the interior exhortations

Life? RIOMEE OR NTHE: CROSS: 97

and inspirations, God, to excite men to the practice of a
Christian life, makes an especial use of the illustrious
examples of the faithful to produce men like Him, in the
same way as the heat of the sun and man are the generative
principle of man. Then we must necessarily confess that a
perfect Christian becomes the most noble cause, and the
better instrument to produce the effect of which we speak.
Therefore the virtue which co-operates with God is not a
falsehood, but a supreme truth. Now this virtue is faith
animated by charity. Faith, then, is true.

98 BOOK SECOND.

CHAPTER XIII.

TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED BY THE ADMIRABLE WORKS
OF CHRIST, AND FIRST BY HIS POWER.

E have already proved the truth of the Christian
religion by the effects which are daily manifested
in the Church. |

Now, although it would be easy for us to still further con-
firm its truth by other arguments, yet, for the sake of brevity,
we will pass on to reasons drawn from effects which have
been produced in the past, and by the consent of the entire
world are authentic.

In the same manner as the philosophers have sought the
causes of things out of the effects they have seen, we pro-
pose also, as an effect of religion, the triumph of Christ,
which we have already described, and we will examine as
minutely as the subject requires into the causes of that
effect. And just as the philosophers, contemplating nature,
have apprehended from the admirable order and perfection
which reign in the universe that there is a God who is the
universal cause, the most puissant cause, the wisest, the
most perfect, the first cause, first principle, and first mover
of things ; so, in the contemplation of the triumph of Christ
crucified, we will show that Christ has been and is much

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 99

more, than any comparison can express, superior to all the
gods of other religions, more powerful and more productive
of good works than all those divinities, and that His wisdom
and goodness are infinitely above everything, whence it will
be manifest that Christ is the great God, the Lord and King,
great above all gods.

Let us commence by His power, and recall to the mind,
as we have to the sight, the triumph of the Cross.

Now see how we shall argue: either the crucified Jesus
of Nazareth, whom the Christians adore, is the true God and
first universal cause, or he is not the true God. If we agree
to the first hypothesis, all discussion is finished, because then
the Christian doctrine and faith are true; if, on the con-
trary, we hold to the second hypothesis, it follows that Jesus
of Nazareth was a man the most proud, the most criminal,
since being a man and mortal he wished to pass for a God,
and to be so adored by all ; so consequently he was a liar,
or else it would follow he must have been a fool to undertake
such and so great a work. For what could be more mad,
more contrary to reason, more ridiculous, than the attempt
of a man, who pretends to raise himself against the Divine
Majesty, with no other help than abjection and misery—no
other weapon than an uncultivated speech—no other hope
than an infamous death ?

What an idea! to wish to deprive God of His adorers,
and to establish a new form of belief amongst men, the
powerful, the wise, as well as the simple and ignorant. To
wish to reverse all other religions, to give a new career to
the world, to change everything, and to cause himself to be

Fez

100 BOOK SECOND. '
Pa MIT WR AUC OE ae LOO) ee
worshipped as a God by a subjugated humanity. ‘To wish
this not only during his lifetime, but to wish it to continue
after his death—after an ignominious death! To promise
to himself adoration and love, to exact from. man, as a tes-
~timony, the most invincible attachment, a love even to
death, and, if necessary, death in the most terrible torments !

What an idea, we say, if such a one were no God!

Whoever you may be, I put youthis question. Ifa mortal
promised to do everything—if he had conceived such an
idea, and began with you first, what would you say? Would
you not suspect such a person to be foolish ? Would you not
simply laugh at such follies? If, then, Jesus of Nazareth is
not God, how is that, without any help, this sacrilegious
seducer has prevailed against the laws of his country, against
princes, against wise men, against the whole universe in
opposition to him, against the powers of heaven and hell,
in fine, against God Himself, even so far as to make himself
equal to God, to receive honours due only to the Divinity,
and to fulfil with an infinite success, in spite of difficulties,
and the contradictions generated by long centuries, all the
prophecies. Why then, O Jews, why did your God, who
governs and rules the world, permit such a great and impious
crime? And you, Gentiles, I summon you as a testimony.
Why did your God not extinguish this rival? How was it that
this despised man, who was nailed to an infamous cross, died
and was buried, has left after him a force, a virtue, capable of
generating so many and so great prodigies? Whoever, I
will not say among men, but among those who have passed
for gods, can be compared with him? The angers, the

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. IOI

sacrileges, the incestuous loves of the gods of paganism—are
not they crimes even in the eyes of their worshippers ?
Note, also, from this what imprudence it was on the part
of the pagans to compare Apollonius, of Tyana, with Christ:
who could compare with Him Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato,
and other princes of philosophy ; or amongst the great kings
and captains, Alexander and Cesar? No one of them ever
called himself God; no one of them has done anything
which can be compared to the least miracle of Christ. What
has Mahomet done, that clever and plotting Arab chief?
Even he never claimed Divinity, but, enlisting in his service
the power of the sword, riches, and pleasure, he has won
over a mass of barbarous people. Mahomet himself paid
homage to Christ, and did not pretend to claim for himself
a supernatural power. But such did and such was Jesus
Christ. No one has ever, like Him, proposed to men things
so difficult to effect and to believe ; for He has taught the
doctrine of a God, One and Three at the same time, One in
substance, Three in person—viz., the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost. He has demanded that men should believe
in Him as the only Son of God, equal to the Father and
Holy Ghost, and at the same time they should believe that
He was born of the Virgin Mary ; He wished also that the
cross, hitherto an instrument of ignominy, should become
an object of veneration, and the sign of our salvation. In
His last supper He has ordered us to believe that a little

* For a complete examination into these comparisons, often made still by sceptics,
and also foran exposition of their defects, see Baur, ‘‘Das Christliche, des Platonismas,
oder Socrates, und Christus,” and ‘‘ Apollonius von Tyana und Christus.” Baur has
substantiated the reproach of Savonarola. ‘

102 BOOK SECOND.

bread and wine represent His body and blood, and that we
should take it as a nourishment, a heavenly viaticum, as a
gage of our life. We ought also to believe, according to
His teaching, that no one can enter into the kingdom of
heaven unless he be reborn of water and the Holy Ghost.
We must add, also, an entire faith, without any mixture of
doubt in the Holy Scriptures, to which we must neither add,
nor from which deduct anything, notwithstanding the many
difficulties the human intellect may encounter.

Now all these beliefs are the express condition of salva-
tion. But it is not enough to believe with a firm and con-
stant faith ; we must love the invisible things, and despise
those of earth; we must bear all kinds of persecution, for,
says Jesus, “ye shall possess your souls in patience.” Now
Jesus Christ has not promised to His people in this world
riches, honours, dignities ; far from that, he has predicted
for them all sorts of contradictions, poverty, ignominy, per-
secution, insults, strokes, exile, prison, combats, sufferings ;
and, as the reward of these generous sufferings, He has
promised to give us blessedness, but a blessedness far above
our conception, a glorification in heaven with angels, the
resurrection of the body; a felicity, in fine, which eye has
not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart ot
man to conceive.

And yet all this which Jesus desired He has obtained,
in spite of the opposition of the whole universe. For an
infinite number of men of every race and condition have so
thoroughly adopted the faith which He preached, and at-
tached themselves to it with so much affection, that they

Lie ERT OEIC OLATITE: CROSS. 103

have preferred to lose life itself than lose this faith. Kings
also, and princes, have bowed their heads, and submitted
themselves to the yoke of Christ, and obeyed His humblest
ministers.

Let us summon up before our eyes this Christ, poor and
of ill repute, the son of a carpenter, and ask Him what are
His designs, and He will reply—

“T have resolved, poor and despised as you see Me, to
submit the world to My laws. I will that men regard Me
as really and truly God—God with the Father and Holy
Ghost, and that they adore Me as such; I wish that they
venerate that cross upon which I am to die an ignominious
death, and that they should always be devoted to the
offering of My body and blood, wnder the appearance of
bread and wine.” ‘This is what Jesus of Nazareth would
say if we could interrogate Him ; and would we not regard
such thoughts and ideas in that poor artisan deserving only
of pity?

If, in spite of your pity, He continues—

‘J wish not only that men should firmly believe what I
have said, but that My creed may oblige them to live in
justice and purity. I wish that, in view of the benefits I
haye promised them, they will despise terrestrial things, and,
in proof of their ardent love for Me, will suffer privation,
thirst, hunger, labour, disappointment, torments, death the
most cruel: that they should be eager to suffer, and prefer
it to denying My teaching in a single point.”

And if He would still add—‘I will accomplish all this
in spite of the opposition of the world; I must contend with

104. BOOK SECOND.

kings and princes, with all the worship and religion of false:
gods, with the powers of hell, and I will carry off the palm
of triumph”—would you not still deride Him?

But if you were to ask Him what inspired Him with this.
confidence, what were the arms He intended to use, and He
were to reply—‘“‘I have only My word and that of My dis-
ciples, and because eloquence has always had a certain
influence I decline it, lest any one should say I had used it
as an instrument. My disciples and I speak without art,
our discourses are simple and precise”—would you not regard
that as additional folly?

But if He should continue: “I know that a prodigious.
number of men will suffer death, that there will be an
increase of martyrs as the number of believers increase, and
that My faith will be propagated to the ends of the earth,
and the sceptre of My preaching shall be handed down from
age to age in a continued line of successors, and shall never
cease,”—would you not call this fanaticism and folly ?”

But Jesus would still add: “An immense number of
books will be written by wise and learned men for the

propagation, exaltation, and defence of my teaching 3.

people shall venerate my priests, whose ministry shall
accomplish everything; in fine, I will complete all these
marvels as I have predicted, My arms shall be invincible
and I shall conquer in the struggle; the universe shall

recognise My laws, and never in the long course of centuries.

shall anyone prevail against the religion I have founded.”
Certainly, the work whose success is so firmly promised

would appear impossible to man, to nature, and even to:

LH ECT RIOMP He OFTHE CROSS. 105

heaven, and possible only to God. Yet, since we see this
work is now accomplished, manifestly it must come from
God, and the faith of Christ is Divine. Neither the magi,
nor the philosophers, nor Mahomet, nor the most powerful
kings, nor the gods of the nations have done anything
equal to this. Then let the enemies of Christ blush and
be silent.

Will anyone venture to say this is the result of chance?
It was a matter of prophecy long centuries before its advent ;
the most ancient monuments, the most faithful amongst the
Jews and Gentiles believed in it. It can be found written,
that God not only revealed these events, but revealed them
with the promise that they should one day be accomplished.
Besides, as in nature there are necessary causes, and causes
simply indifferent, so, in the order of reason relatively to the
intelligence, there are causes which compel the reason to
give its acquiescence unhesitatingly, and this is called
demonstration ; and there are causes also, which are called
dialectical proofs, because they only incline the reason to
that which is proposed, but do not constrain it.

Some of these latter are so weak as to only give a slight
probability. In the mathematics, the least elevated as
regards truth, demonstrations abound. In natural sciences,
which are a degree superior, they are more rare. In things
still higher in the moral order, they are almost deficient. It
is so because our minds are so weak that it ignores the
distinctive qualities of things; whence it comes that phi-
losophers, being unable to give any positive definition,
distinguished things by their accidents. So that the essence

106 BOOK *SZCONG,

of a thing, or its definition, being the means of its demon-
stration, it follows that in the moral order there are few
rigorous demonstrations. Hence arises the difficulty for a
man to confirm his mind in the scientific knowledge of
things natural and things moral; more difficult still in things
metaphysical; and most difficult in the reunion of the two
orders of the intellect and the heart, the intelligence and
love, when the question arises about fleeing from vice and
practising virtue, for the senses combat the reason, and the
will follows it with difficulty. But the highest point of the
difficulty consists in so harmonising the intelligence and
the heart, the mind and the will,* that there shall ensue
from such union abundant fruits of virtue, and that these
fruits shall last through life. Amongst philosophers what

do we see? As many opinions as masters, the greater

number of them not practising what they teach, and,
perhaps, not one to be found amongst them who has per-
severed in well-doing, and remained without blemish to the
end of his career. If there should be one we should regard
him as a miraculous exception.

If the greatest philosophers have not been able to estab-
lish the human intelligence on solid bases as to those truths
which reason proclaim, such as the existence of God,
providence, good and evil, the practice of the one ‘and the
abandonment of the other, and similar truths; if they
have not been able to reconcile the will with the mind for
the accomplishment of good, nor to prevent their continual

* See Harless’ ‘‘ Christliche Ethik,” II. Absch. sec. 25, on the ‘‘ Erleuchtung des
Erkenntniss,” and the ‘‘ Heiligung des Willens.”

° ‘ —
SS

Pi LRM E HM OnE T HE CROSS. 107

Opposition, how much more has been their failure in the
supernatural order of things? But the disciples of Christ,
by the single virtue of preaching, have so united the mind
and heart of an infinite number of men, they have so bound
them, as it were, with nails of iron, to the higher and
supernatural truths to which no demonstration and no
human reason can attain alone, that these men have
regarded earthly things as a vile dung-heap for the sake of
the kingdom of heaven, have preserved their faith pure, and,
in spite of flattery and menace, have persevered in their
knowledge. By what virtue did these simple fishermen,
these unlettered men, produce such marvellous effects ?
Certainly not by human virtue, but by Divine. The ineffect-
ual attempts of the philosophers, indicate the supreme effort
of nature. ‘The apostles, therefore, had recourse to another
power. How, consequently, if the faith of Christ were
false, could these poor fishermen have done so much, and,
above all, could have contended so long against such
enemies ?

And still, if Christ and His apostles have thus, as we
have shown, effectively attracted the universe to Divine
love, it certainly cannot be through the power of their word
alone. Wise and learned men would not have been over-
come by their uncultivated speech. Miracles were then
necessary to confirm their words. We know these miracles
did take place. Their number and their power surpassed
human strength and the resources of nature. God alone
could have been their. Author, for He alone can operate
real miracles. Now He cannot in any way testify to error ;

108 BOOK SECOND.

He speaks only for truth. If, then, these miracles were:
done in favour of the Christian faith, that faith is true.

Would you deny the miracles? Then all the world is
compelled to admit a far greater miracle than any you
deny ; for the prodigious effects operated by Christ in the
world, those which we have already stated, could He have
done them without a miracle, poor as He was, and with no
other help than His humble ignorant disciples ?

Whether these miracles were or were not done, one thing is
certain, that the works of Christ have converted the world,
and have infinitely surpassed the power of all false gods.
Now the principal cause amongst all causes is that which is
the most efficient ; like the true God amongst all gods, it is
He who prevails against all. Such therefore is Christ, as is.
proved by His invincible triumph.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 109

CHAPTER XIV.

THE TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED BY THE WISDOM
OF CHRIST.

: E'T us demonstrate, now, that the wisdom of Christ has
been superior in everything.

The first effect of wisdom is to produce order and
-good disposition in matters, and to draw from the end itself,
' to which all things tend, the rule which governs them ; for
a thing is well ordered when it is well co-ordained to its
end. The end of an individual is his well-being. Hence,
in the arts, we give the name of “wise” men to those who
co-ordain to the end the means of which they dispose.

In architecture, for example, we do not give the name of
‘wise’ to those workmen who prepare the cement, the
‘stones, and the materials ; but we call him wise alone whose
spirit has conceived and furnished the plan, the supreme
form of the edifice. However, this name of “ wise men”
does not, properly speaking, apply to those who only
occupy themselves with this or that art in particular, because
they have in view only particular ends, and not the
universal end, which is that of life. He then, to speak
rigorously, merits the name of wise man, who, considering
-only the supreme and final end of human life, co-ordains

110 BOOK SECOND.

the most convenient means to that end, and directs towards.
it all its works.

Now, Jesus of Nazareth, with His disciples and His.
faithful servants, has alone shown us, in an efficacious
manner, by His teaching, the true end of life, the true
means of arriving at that end, and He alone has perfectly
realised His plan and:attained the object which he proposed
to Himself. There is not, in fact there never could be, an
end more excellent and perfect than that of the Christian
life. It is then evident that no one of the false gods, nor
among the philosophers, has there been a “wise man” so
wise as He.

Besides, ability to teach is a proof that one knows.

Now, no one in the world has taught men so perfect a
science, nor has taught them so easily as Christ.

The doctrine of the philosophers is obscure; one can
only comprehend it after long labour ; it is frequently full of
errors and difficulties ; the masters themselves have often
been in doubt and uncertainty about the most important
points, as we before remarked, when we were speaking of
the Divine providence and the end of life. But after the
coming of Christ, our wise Master ‘and Saviour, the world
became so well instructed, and so quickly, upon God, His
providence, His goodness, the immortality of the soul, the
end of life, and the blessedness of man, the means of
attaining these things, and many other truths, that amongst
the Christians, the very children and the faithful of both
sexes, of the most common intelligence, understood all these
subjects more clearly than did the greatest philosophers,

SS ee

ie i eS

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. III

with all their genius and long studies; and, what is still
more, they remained firm and constant in the doctrine
which had been revealed to them, and knew how to defend
and keep it intact in spite of punishment and death.

Besides, the virtue of a cause is the greater as it extends
further and acts more quickly. The more powerful the
wisdom of a being is, the more efficacy it has to change and
cure our want of wisdom. Certainly it is no difficult
matter to make men wise and virtuous who are endowed
with a tractable character and penetrating mind, since they
are already prepared for wisdom by nature ; that which is
difficult, that which surpasses human strength, is to convert
to wisdom and virtue the insensate, children, ignorant
people, men and women enslaved by sin, harlots, and great
criminals.

Now Jesus, our Master, by only one of His graces, has
changed the condition of an infinite number of learned and
ignorant ; He has smitten their hearts with compunction,
and they have been converted ; and this marvel is accom-
plished still in our days. What man or what god has ever
done that? The wisdom and doctrine of Christ are
superior to every other wisdom and doctrine.

In the same manner nature is, in its operations, deter-
mined by a particular effect ; one conceives that, in natural
things, it may be easy to produce an effect by the means of
nature alone: for example, every reasonable creature may
burn down a house by means of fire; that is not difficult ;
but it would not be the same if one wanted to burn down a.
house with ice. The sign, then, of an omnipotent virtue is

T1I2 | BOOK SECOND.

to produce natural effects without a natural cause, or with a
contrary cause, or at least a cause inefficient to the pro-
posed effect.

This is the reason why, to teach wisdom by natural and
ordinary means, as the philosophers did, and in a manner
proportioned to the intelligence of man, is not a marvellous
thing ; but by the folly of the age, that is to say, by the
means which the world calls foolish, to teach all men and
make them love the highest and most ineffable wisdom,
to convert into instruments of wisdom the most despicable
means in the world—that is not only difficult but Divine.
Well, then, behold the Cross! that infamous gibbet; see
the spitting, the buffets, the blows, the torments which
Christ suffered in His death, and say if there is anything
more insensate and vile than that! But after the death of
Christ, behold, all this folly and shame became for the entire
world a cause of Divine wisdom : faith teaches it ; experi-
ence proves it.

There was, then, in Jesus a Divine wisdom which no one
else than he had possessed, and of which the world had
never before heard.

This is not all. Wisdom, having for its object Divine
things, that wisdom will be the most excellent which will
the better instruct men in Divine things.

But no wisdom has succeeded better in this way than
that of Christ ; therefore, this is to be preferred before all
‘others.

That it is so we have the proofs in the writings of the
wise men who lived before Christ. Compare these writings

= = >
ar J
ee ee hei

Mite! RMR OPM E CROSS. 113

with those of Christians, and you will find that philosophers
and’ other authors scarcely teach us anything. In fact,
Christianity has served considerably to augment and perfect
philosophy. Christianity has so spread the knowledge of
God, that we now find the faithful better instructed on
certain points than the prophets themselves. After the
preaching of the Apostles, men, knowing their errors, were so
ashamed and took so much trouble to purify themselves of
them, that we might compare them to unfortunates, plunged
all night in the mud, hurrying in the morning to wash
themselves and cause the dirt, which covered and disfigured
them, to disappear. Certain philosophers and certain poets,
blushing for the idols and for the ridiculous, shameful fables
of paganism, at the moment when the light of Christ came
to illuminate them, were compelled to prop up falsehood
by falsehood, and sought to establish an_ allegorical
meaning in their fables. They understood that without
this means they would not be able to hide nor excuse
to the eyes of men the turpitude and crimes of their
gods.

But another prerogative of the wise man is to know and
to be able to teach not only every truth, but the most
arduous. Now, no one has ever proposed, upon the subject
of God, such difficult doctrines, nor taught them with such
ease as Christ. He has taught them not merely to a few
disciples, but to the entire world. Christians also know
how to defend them against their enemies with such a
victorious facility, that the study of their books and their
arguments ought to produce in the reader the conviction

Rey T

114 BOOK SECOND.

Et ok ES ON re
that the wisdom of Christians is incomparable, immortal
and unique. }

What has not been done against this wisdom! After
the syllogisms of the sages came the cruelties of the perse-
cutors, contempt, menace, the sword, and combat to the death.
But Christian wisdom, remaining invincible, triumphed
over all. Ah! if the princes and kings had persecuted the
philosophers in that manner, what would have become of
philosophy? The disciples would have denied, without
doubt, even their first principles. But Christ, who proposed
to man supernatural truths, humanly inconceivable, has
defended his doctrine against the sword and the astute
wisdom of the philosophers and false gods, and by doing
so has acquired for it a new and invincible force.

Take another argument : either the Christian faith is true
or it is false. If you say it is true, we shall agree ; but if
you say it is false, I can still prove to you that Christ was the
wisest and most clever man, since he has discovered truths
so high, so arduous, and has been able to persuade men of
them so completely, that they have guarded them inviolable
against all attack and all reason, human and divine. The
Christian doctors, in fact, understood philosophy perfectly.
They show that the faith, though supernatural, is not
opposed to reason; on the contrary, that all sciences
render homage to faith. They do not, like certain ignorant
and superstitious minds, reject philosophy nor any real
science; but, on the contrary, regard everything that is
good and true as their own property, and vindicate it, in the
name of right, against its unjust possessors.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 115
oS Jo CEG ek al ll al td OR nad CS
Now, who could be so wise, so able to protect a lie
against the reasons of so many philosophers and sages, and
to show that such lie was in accord with all philosophy ?
Without doubt truth accords with truth, but with the false all
is dissonance. If, then, the philosophers have had so much
trouble to protect the truth against their adversaries, and to
keep it intact, how much less would they be able to main-
tain the untrue, which is in itself so weak, against such clever
and powerful attacks. Then, suppose that the Christian
faith is false, it is necessary to conclude that Christ has
been the most sagacious and the wisest man—He who by a
teaching above human researches, and in every way
sublime, has gained men by an invincible attraction, and
taught them by a sort of sacred inspiration to lead upon
earth a holy and happy life.

But as that which is in contradiction and combat cannot
live in concord, and as it is impossible that falsehood can
accord with true philosophy, and that by opposite means
men may be conducted to moral rectitude, it is necessary
to admit that the Christian faith and doctrine are true,
and that Christ supersedes in wisdom all men and all
- gods.

This, too, is the reason why men, the most instructed in
every kind of science, and most recommendable by virtue,
have embraced the Christian religion as the source of the
most perfect wisdom ; have exalted it by their praises, their
writings, their deeds ; have dilated upon it, and finally have
sealed it with the testimony of their blood. Certainly such
men would not have suffered these labours, these combats

116 | BOOK SECOND.

for the faith, if they had not clearly known that it comes
from God.

In the same manner also the virtue of the wise is shown
above all in this—that it conducts its disciples to the
extreme and sovereign perfection of all sciences by the
shortest road. Now this is what Christ alone can
Gown in’ fact, every science is either rational or real.
Rational science comprises logic, rhetoric, poetry—all
things which have reason for its object, and whose end is to
convince reason by different proofs and _ exhortations.
Now, this is the object to which Christ, without difficulty,
has conducted His disciples. See the proof. Simple
fishermen, formerly gross and ignorant, and a crowd of
men without intelligence, after having received instruction
in the Gospel, have efficaciously persuaded the entire
universe, and converted it; a thing which neither the
power of arms nor any other efforts of human wisdom
could have done. ;

As to the science which we call real, it is divided into
practical and speculative. Practical, is morality itself, and
Christ taught it with such facility and promptitude, that the
philosophers, as we have said, can add nothing to it.
Speculative, is the abstraction of all matter sensible or
intelligible, and constitutes that Divine knowledge in which
Christ has been so superior to all, that we cannot establish
any comparison between Him and the wise men of whom
He is the Prince. As to the mathematical science, as it
has no connection with salvation, the Christian doctrine does
not occupy itself with it, so to say, at all; and if a rule

LHE TRIGMPH OF THE GROSS. 117

could be found in it which would be available in the service
of life, for its perfection or blessedness, Christianity would
at once appropriate it asa right. As to natural philosophy,
Christianity conducts us, in a thousand ways, easily and
graciously to the end to which it proposes. Natural
things are not our supreme end; they are only a means
of arriving there. Now, the Christian teaching conducts
us to that end with a full and happy security, for it teaches
us to see, in all natural things as in a mirror, the admirable
image, all beautiful, of the invisible perfections of the
Divinity. Then Jesus Christ has been excellently wise ;
he has, in fact, conducted the entire world to the consum-
mate perfection of all sciences.

In fine, the joys of spirit surpass the joys of sense. Now,
the joys of spirit consist especially in the knowledge of
truth, and they are so much the greater as that knowledge
is more complete. Then where can be found a greater
wisdom, and, moreover, a greater mental joy? This is
why the sign of the sovereign wisdom of Christ is the
sovereign joy which Christians experience in meditating
upon and contemplating it.

There is up to now nothing greater. The number of those
who contemplate in Christianity the first truth, who have
renounced all the pleasures, the favours of these times, and
gone into the deserts, is infinite. They have made in this
contemplation such progress, that they are no longer men,
but angels and demi-gods upon earth. Ravished out of
sense, they not only desire nothing terrestrial, but they
pay no attention to worldly things ; lost in the truth, they

118 BOOK SECOND.

are sufficient to themselves as angels or gods. Now they —
are, by that, a living proof that Jesus Christ is the
veritable wisdom of the Eternal Father, which wisdom
could alone accomplish such great things.

PHIRTD RIG PIL OF NLAE CROSS. 119

CHAPTER XV.

THE TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED BY THE GOODNESS OF
CHRIST.

E have shown that Jesus of Nazareth has surpassed

in power‘and wisdom all men and all false gods,
so that if it is necessary to give the name of God to someone,
it is to Jesus Christ we must give it. It now remains to
us to speak of His goodness, and to confirm our arguments
by proving that He is the supreme good, and the end of
human life. Let us note, at first, that all human actions
tend towards one end. Human actions in themselves
proceed from the free will of men, who differ in this from
beings deprived of reason. Now the object of the will is the
supreme good and the end. But as regards the end it is
impossible to reckon indefinitely ; we must admit one end.
It is impossible that two things can by themselves be the
end, for beyond the end there is nothing more to desire.
The end therefore completes all desire, and leaves nothing
more to be desired beyond it, or concerning it ; there must
therefore be to all men a final end. But we must know
that though all men do not formally agree upon this latter
end, yet they agree upon it materially, for the idea of an
end makes human happiness. All men wish to be happy,

120 : BOOK SECOND.

but all do not place happiness as their end. We have
already proved that the end of man is the first truth, and
first cause—that is to say, God. Now if we demonstrate that
Jesus Christ is this final end, we shall have proved that he
is the first truth, first cause, the true God, and supreme
good, which is according to reason and the final end.

To comprehend this more clearly, we must consider that
when a nature is ordained to something as its final end, it
cannot be turned aside by the interposition of another
nature which impedes the tendency of the first. Thus
heavy things tend downwards, and towards the centre, in
proportion to their weight. However, the bird by its
flight tends upwards, because being an animal it has an
active force, which, by the movement of its wings, permits
it to raise itself in the air, although by its weight it naturally
tends downwards. Similarly, if an inert body contains a
great quantity of air and fire, which are in the atmosphere,
it will fall only slowly. If, on the contrary, it does not
contain them, it will fall rapicly in proportion to its unmixed
nature. Man then is composed of two substances, spirit
and matter, soul and body, and it ensues that in spite of the
natural tendency of spirit and will towards God, that in
consequence of the mixture of the inferior portion, the
passions necessary to the functions of sense trouble, and
frequently draw him farther away than his nature demands ;
and though a man cannot be drawn away in this manner by
force, he is however drawn by the desire of disorderly things,
and the intelligence being abused, either by error, or by
concupiscence, deceives the will. If then we wish to

LAP LIRI GML OP RL LITLE CROSS. 121

ascertain in what consists the end of man in its veritable
essence, we must search for it in the powerful tendency of
that love and that ardent desire which is in him. Now the
nature of man being composed of two parts, sensitive and
reasonable, we shall not take any notice of those who live
in the manner of beasts, but of those only who, using their
reason, merit the title of men. Forif I wish to experiment
on the laws of weight, I should not use a bird which is
capable of flying. but some purely heavy body. Now we
proved above that there is no life more pure than the
Christian ; that there are no men who live so much in
accordance with the laws of reason as the Christians ; it
is necessary, then, that from the love and desire of these
men, rather than from the love or desire of others, we
should draw the notion of the true final end. All good
Christians tend unanimously, by the most ardent love,
towards Jesus Christ crucified, as toward their final end,
and regard for his sake everything else as vile and worthless,
therefore Jesus Christ is the final end, the true God and
the supreme good.

Besides, the final end is the full and entire perfection of
the man ; this is why the proximity of the final end is the
measure of perfection. Now there is only one in the world,
Jesus Christ, to whom man has been able to approach
with so much profit and perfection. We speak here of a
spiritual approximation, and the closest; this is, the more
the Christian loves Jesus Christ the more perfect he will
become. It is then evident that Christ is the end of human
life.

122 | BOOK SECOND.

Let us add that there is nothing in us more natural than
the desire for this end, where in fact we repose immoveably.
The final end is, in the practical order, what first principles
are in speculation ; and in the same manner as first principles
are graven by nature in us, so we bear in our soul the
desire of the final end, which subsists there immutably.
The sign then that 4 man has attained his end is when he
so attaches himself to anything, according to the laws of
reason, purified from vice, that to guard this thing he
attaches himself to it with a contempt for everything else,
and will not abandon it at the price of his life. But although
men sometimes choose particular ends, we never, or scarcely
ever, see them (except Christians) choose death rather than
abandon the end they have chosen. Other men suffer
everything to preserve life: man will give his all to lengthen
his days; but Christians, on the contrary, think only on
Christ; they regard life as nothing; they abandon all for
him, not only with tranquility of spirit, but with joy. Then
if Christ be not the supreme good, the wisest men would
take care not to sacrifice for him life—that treasure more
precious than all ; they would never immolate it to an error—
to the greatest error possible.

In the same manner, beings of the same species have the
same end, in which they reunite; as for example, beings
endowed with weight tend to the centre. Then Jesus
Christ must be the final end of man, for nothing in the world
has ever formed such a powerful centre of union as He: *

* Heyel ‘‘ Phil der Geschichte Einleit ;” or, Bohn ‘‘ Philosophical.”—Library Edit.,
p.zts5. ‘‘ Ehrenfeuchter Entwicklungsgeschichte der Menschheit”’ cap. xi., ‘‘ Christus
und der Weltgeschichte.”’

q
4

ae eee ee

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 123

for those who believe in Him tend towards Him, and are
united in their tendency as all the terrestrial molecules are
united, and form a mass, which from all sides tends to one
centre.

It is from this cause that Christians have but one heart
and soul in Christ, towards whom they tend, and the more
progress they make in the faith the more tightly are the
bonds of charity drawn, which bind them together. Now
if Christ was merely a man, if the faith were only an impious
falsehood, such an effect could never have resulted among
so great a number of men of every race and condition.
What is united by falsehood is soon separated, and men
could never have settled, fortified, and extended such an
edifice upon a lying and false foundation. In the same
manner, the more spiritual joys approximate to the final end
the greater they are, and the joy which the Christian draws
from faith in Christ surpasses all the joys of sense. The
proof of it is first in the constancy of martyrs. We read
that an infinite number of martyrs have gone to execution
as to a wedding feast, joyous and gay, leaping with delight
in the midst of torments, and singing songs to God.
Could this have been so if an immense happiness in the
love of Jesus Christ had not caused them to forget their
bodily pain, and protected them against all fear.

The same thing is also proved by the erudition of men of
science, skilled in all forms of learning, who, having drunk
freely at the pure fountain of Holy Scripture, and tasted
the sweetness of Christ, have abandoned their sciences, and
only found happiness in His teaching. Inseparably attached

124 BOOK SECOND.

a eT Be a OS
to Jesus Christ, they have afterwards regarded the eloquence
of orators as insipid. And it is the same in this age, as I
myself can bear witness; and it simply proves that the
delights which flow from faith, and the contemplation of
Christ crucified, excel all others, for their source is in the
universal and supreme good; and if we observe carefully, they
increase in proportion to our approximation to Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, let us unite in a single reason the properties
of the final end: all individuals of one species, as we have
said, are ordained to the same end, and all men reunite in
the idea of the final end, to which all men are tending who
take reason as their guide, and have a pure heart, and where
they shall ultimately be united.

Now all these things, which are the conditions of supreme
good, man has never found elsewhere than in Jesus Christ:
therefore Christ is God and the supreme good.

But what is the use of dwelling so long upon things which
are self-manifest. Since the good is naturally diffusive, the
supreme good naturally extends itself, But there is no
good which has extended so completely and universally as
that which is in Christ Jesus ; for after the coming of Christ,
after the promulgation of His Gospel, the entire world came
out of obscurity, purified from the profound darkness of
error and vice, and was renewed in youth by the grace of
virtue and holiness ; and the faithful found in this change
such great blessings, that they felt their existence was a perfect
happiness. In fact, if there be any happiness here below,
the Christians alone possess it, as we have endeavoured to
prove in our work on ‘“‘ The Simplicity of the Christian life.”

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 125

Finally, the incomparable clemency and mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ prove the exuberance of His goodness.
Not only did he never refuse or delay pardon to sinners
who appealed to him, however great were their sins, but
whenever they appeared before Him he never failed to give
them some precious gift; and in fact, such is our experience,
if we alienate ourselves from Him, we are deprived of the
sweetness of a pure life, we plunge into sin, we are tormented
by inquietude, until at length, when we return to Him,
we return also to our primitive peace and joy, just as if we
had been cured of the inextinguishable thirst of an ardent
fever.

£265 at BOOK SECOND.

CHAPTERUXVI.

THE TRUTH OF THE FAITH PROVED ALTOGETHER BY THE
POWER, THE WISDOM, AND THE GOODNESS OF CHRIST.

N order the better to comprehend what we have said
about the power and goodness of Christ, we shall
gather it up in a sort of epilogue.

We say, then, that if Christ be not God, as He declared
Himself, we must regard Him as the proudest, the most
insensate of men. If, on the contrary, it is His disciples
who have invented the tale, how is it that such a falsehood
could be the source of a power, a wisdom, and a goodness
which nothing equals?

Yes, if Jesus Christ bé not God, I know not who we can call
God. God without doubt rules and conserves the things of

this world by convenient means ; and as we have proved.

that there is no other means of conducting souls to blessed-
ness than Christ, I see not how we can escape the
alternative, either to confess that Christ is the only means
of the blessedness given of God to the human race, or to
say that the providence and justice of God do not exist,
that all is ruled by chance and destiny, and, in fact, there
is no God, which are falsehoods, and therefore we are
compelled to admit what we wish to prove.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 127

Besides, if there be in the world a true religion, as it is
impossible to doubt after what we have said, evidently
this quality belongs to the Christian religion. No other is
founded upon such solid reasons, and if Christianity be
false, no other religion can be true.

In the same manner we know that no other religion has
been persecuted in all times like the Christian religion.
Other religions (or more justly they may be called fraudu-
lent superstitions) have had no need of opposition to
extinguish them, the weakness of the principle from which
they proceeded is the cause of their death ; but Christianity,
like pure gold, is purified in the fire of persecution, whence
it always issues brighter and clearer. Could it have sub-
sisted if it had been false, or if any other religion were
true ?

Let us add, that it is manifest that Christianity has never
been persecuted or contradicted by the just and honourable,
but, on the contrary, has constantly received from them
veneration and worship, whilst it has always been the butt
of the impious and sacrilegious and those of the devil, who
is their father; and that all who have persecuted Christ-
ianity, or the ministers of Jesus Christ, have been of that
iniquitous race, as we still see in our days. But this has not
been so with other religions. Shall we, then, by rejecting
Christianity, become imitators of those wretches rather
than of virtuous men.

There has never been any other religion to which a man
has been converted at the detriment of riches, pleasures,
and honours, which Christians renounce in their baptismal

128 BOOK SECOND.

vows, since they profess to be called to contumely,
abstinence, poverty, suffering, and, if need be, death.

Without the light of an evident truth, which penetrates
the heart, no one not demented would oblige himself by
such promises. |

Therefore, by these and other similar reasons, we are
compelled to believe that the admirable faith of Christ is
true.

If a single argument, or only two or three proofs will
not force your assent, all the proofs we have given, united
together, will have no more power than mathematical
demonstrations, or the resurrection of the dead, to bring
conviction.

But if the Christian religion be true, he must repel all
other religions as false, for it teaches that out of its bosom
there is no salvation. And in that, it is reasonable, because
our salvation, consisting in the vision of God to which no
one can attain without a supernatural gift, it is impossible
also for any one to attain to salvation, the Holy Scrip-
ture telling us that without faith it is impossible to please
God. |

Consequently, there is no room for excuses for those who
are in countries where the light of Christian faith docs not
shine ; for anyone taking the natural light of reason as his
guide, which deceives no one, will turn with a pure heart
and intention towards the Father and common Artizan of
all things, whose virtue is manifested everywhere in the
admirable order of creation, who also succours the
necessities of all creatures, and will. ask of Him grace to

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 129

know the truth, he will never be frustrated in his prayer;
but, whether by an interior inspiration, like Job, or by
the ministry of angels, as the centurion Cornelius, or by
an apostle, as the Eunuch, he will obtain the light necessary
to salvation.

BOOK III.

PREAMBLE.

E have clearly demonstrated the truth of our holy
religion, as well by past events as by the present
deeds of the Church. Now as it is not sufficient merely to
construct an edifice, but we must also defend it against all
attacks, it remains, then, to reply to the enemies of our faith,
by pointing out that it contains nothing impossible, nothing
unreasonable, for although it believes and teaches many
super-rational things which are consistent with Divine power,
it admits nothing contrary to reason ; but still more, since
the mysteries of religion surpass by far the force of human
intelligence, it is very reasonable to admit them.

But, to proceed with order, we shall speak first of the
articles of faith, which are the very foundation of religion ;
we shall then expose the order and reason of the moral pre-
cepts; in the third place, we shall demonstrate the reason
of the laws which religion uses in its judgments ; and, in

.
-

LITER LIT OMPH COR THE CROSS. 131

conclusion, we shall explain the sense of the symbols and
ceremonies of the Church.

Although excellent doctors have treated all these ques-
tions in an elegant, abundant, and complete manner, yet this
third book will not appear useless, because it is evidently a
necessary consequence of the two others, and because the
teachings of our masters are sown here and there in long
and learned writings; we have, therefore, collected and
abridged them in this little book, and placed them within
the reach of a great number of intellects, wishing thus to be
useful not only to educated Christians, but also to those
who have only a feeble knowledge of letters, and to infidels
even, who may also be attracted by the brevity of the book.

132 BOOK THIRD.

CHAPTER I.

VEN by the weakness of our own intelligence we can
comprehend that in God all is infinite, for everything
reveals His power in its supreme effort ; therefore we can
know the force of human intelligence by the works of the
greatest philosophers, since all the world avows that their
intellect has made a supreme effort.

However, itis certain (as the philosophers themselves inge-
nuously recognise) that the greatest among them have only a
feeble, uncertain, and laborious knowledge of the things of
nature; then if all the power of the human mind has not been
able to know perfectly what is the domain of man, so much
the less will it be able to attain to a perfect knowledge of the
celestial essence, still less to the knowledge of Him who is
infinitely above all. Besides, if we see amongst men some
with a spirit so obtuse that they can never comprehend
certain truths which other men comprehend, can we be
astonished that celestial beings, whose natures are higher
than ours, understand many truths to which the force of our
comprehension cannot attain? What shall we then say of
the Divine intelligence, who in His inaccessible light, infi-
nitely surpasses all intelligence? Causes reveal themselves
by their effects ; however, when the causes are eminently
superior to their effects, the effects only give an imperfect

“ik. siete

eee aii Oley Lit CROSS: 133

knowledge of their causes. ‘Then, since God, as a cause, is
infinitely superior to all His effects, which are also imper-
fectly known to us, it follows clearly, that by virtue of
natural light we can have but a feeble knowledge of God,
almost none. It is easy to demonstrate that God might
make an infinite number of things which we cannot com-
prehend. In fact, all our knowledge commences with the
sensation, and it develops itself in us only by means of
things sensible, for our mind is so necessarily bound to the
natural order, that it can consider nothing out of that order.
Everything that our mind thinks is represented by the images
of natural things, for it can see nothing without the phan-
toms of the imagination. But God is an independent
existence and infinite power ; He is not bound to the order
of nature, however excellent that order may be, for it’ is
senseless to affirm that God can do nothing that we are not
able to comprehend, especially when in the creation He has
made many things which are an impenetrable mystery to us,
like those which belong to the spiritual nature.

Formerly the Divine goodness revealed to many men the
Divine mysteries which human reason cannot penetrate.
He made also many supernatural things, that man, who is
co-ordinated to a supercelestial end, should know and thus be
able to reach evento Him. Mainly by this revelation, which
has permitted him to see a few rays of that eternal sun, of
which he cannot comprehend all the splendour, man has
comprehended his end, and the means to attain to it. He
knows his own infirmity and misery by considering the
incommensurable abyss of the Divine Majesty. From this

134 BOOK THIRD.

revelation he has drawn great knowledge of God, and
greater joys; therefore, what our religion orders us to be-
lieve is neither ridiculous nor absurd, although our reason
cannot comprehend it; but they rather are absurd and
ridiculous who, for disbelieving, have no other motive than
their own blindness.

Let them read and meditate this book with a desire to
learn, and not to cavil; they will then know that religion
proposes nothing impossible or contrary to reason. But to
make it more clear, we will descend from the general to the
particular. . }

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———— — ss el lo

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 135

CHAPTER ILI.

ON DOCTRINES WHICH ARE ABOVE THE INTELLIGENCE OF
MAN.

HERE are dogmas relating to the Divinity of Christ ;
others relating to His humanity.

Of the dogmas relating to the Divinity, the first concerns
the Divine unity, for all confess that there is but one God,
and that is the first principle of the doctrine of the Church—
a principle which an enlightened reason, not less than faith
itself, compels us to admit, as we have. shown in the first
book of this work.

The second article concerns the unity in the Trinity, and
these two articles or principles relate to the Divine essence.
The others relate entirely to the works of Gad, in the order
of nature, of grace, and of glory ; for we affirm that God
created the world—that is to say, that He created everything.
We believe that God sanctifies the reasonable creature by
the means of supernatural gifts, to draw it to Himself ; and we
confess that those who have been sanctified in this world are,
after their death, glorified in heaven, where they enjoy eternal
plessedness. The sixth article promises us the resurrection of
the flesh, and we have the sweet hope that we shall all rise and
take up our bodies as a vestment of glory and immortality.

136 BOOK THIRD. .

As regards the immortal glory of Christ, we believe that
Christ is the true God and true man, Son of God, and of
the Virgin Mary, who conceived Him by the operation of
the Holy Spirit, preserving her virginal purity. We confess,
also, that He suffered for us; that He died and was buried ;
that He descended into hell to deliver from their prison
the souls of our fathers, and, after breaking the chains of
original sin, to conduct them triumphantly to eternal glory.
We say that He rose from the dead, that He ascended into

heaven, and sat Himself on the right hand of the Father

Almighty ; that one day He shall come to judge the living
and the dead, and to renew the world. ‘Thus the whole of
our faith is contained in twelve principles, which we call
articles. We are further held to believe all things contained
in canonical and sacred books, as the Church has ordered.
And thus proceeding in the same manner, we shall show
that in these articles of faith there is nothing impossible or
contrary to reason. We shall speak also of the Eucharist,
which is not less a mystery than the others; and as that

sacrament sanctifies the reasonable creature, it may be re-

ferred to the chapter on sanctification, though that chapter
contains at the same time the humanity of Christ. We shall
speak again of this sacrament, when we treat of the cere-
monies and other sacraments, since the sacraments hold the
first place among the ceremonies of the Church; but as in

the first book we have sufficiently spoken of the unity of.

God, and as the most eminent philosophers admit it with
us, we shall not dwell further upon it here.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 137

CEPA PT ERGLED:

‘THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AFFIRMS NOTHING CONTRARY TO
REASON ON THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY.

UTTING aside, therefore, the first article as being
universally admitted, we will commence with the
second, which is the most difficult to believe, since it pro-
claims the unity of the Trinity. We confess, in fact, three
persons really distinct ; we say that the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, are one sole God, and not three Gods united
by the bond of charity, as some have pretended, nor one in
a collective unity ; we say that God is ove, of anature simple
and infinite.

Against Sabellius we affirm, with the Church, that there
are in God three persons really distinct ; and against Anus,
that these three persons are equal in nature, in power, and
in glory, in such a manner that all that is in the Father is also
in the Son and Holy Spirit, and that thus amongst three Divine
persons there is not the same distinction as between creatures
who distinguish themselves from one another, in that one
person has something which the other has not. We say that
between the three Divine persons the distinction isonly relative
in this sense, that all that pertains to the Father pertains also
to the Son, and what pertains to the Father and the Son per-

138 ! BOOK THIRD.

tains also to the Holy Ghost ; but that the Father holds all
by Himself, and that the Son holds all from the Father, and
the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son, though still for
this reason one is not inferior to the other, for the three per-
sons in relation to the Divine essence are Ove, and one cannot
exist nor be conceived without the other; and hence the
Son is not posterior to the Father, nor the Holy Ghost to
the Father and the Son. We admit no composition in God,
when we say the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, seeing that
they constitute one sole and same thing, which is the Divine
nature. They are distinguished personally, but they are but
one spiritual substance, and in that is the mystery that three
persons should be one God, and yet the three persons are
distinct ; they are distinguished in person, and are one in
substance ; but because we name things according to the
knowledge we have of them, and because we know God by
means of His creatures, we name Him also with a term
borrowed from His creatures. Now, when one living crea-
ture proceeds from another living creature in the same
nature and species, this procession is called generation, and.
the creature who engenders is called the father, and that
which is engendered is called the son; and because with the
Divine persons one person proceeds from another by way
of intelligence, this procession is called by us generation,
and the person from whom the other proceeds is called the
Father, but that which proceeds is called the Son.

Nevertheless, in the Divine persons we do not understand
generation in the same sense as applied to men and animals ;
in God generation is wholly spiritual, and we say that the

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 139:

Son proceeds by way of intelligence, and that He is the
word, the image, and wisdom, engendered by the Father.
But the Holy Spirit proceeds by way of love, for love is the
link which unites the person loving to the person loved ;
but because in nature we find no being which proceeds
equal and immediate from two beings equally perfect, in the
same way as the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and
the Son, we cannot find for the procession of the Holy
Spirit a special name, as we have found to express the pro-
cession of the Son: this is why the procession of the Holy
Spirit has retained the general name of procession. Yet we
say that the Holy Spirit proceeds by way of love, or of will.
Relatively to the Father and, the Son, that procession is.
termed sfiration, for love presupposes a certain ardour and
aspiration towards the thing loved ; this is why the person
who proceeds from the Father and the Son is especially
named the Holy Spirit, although the Father is equally pure
Spirit and Holy, just as is also the Son. Consequently the
two names given to the person of the Holy Spirit express.
simply a relation, though the sense of the words may not
appear to express it. Then, as in the spiritual nature, there
are only two interior processions, the one on the side of
intelligence, the other on the side of will, faith admits
with reason two processions, and three persons in God.

We might still extend our remarks on the mystery of the
Holy Trinity, but as what we have said hitherto belongs
exclusively to the faith, we shall«say no more upon it. |

He who desires to be instructed in this ineffable mystery,
should read with purity and simplicity of heart the works of

140 PHBOOK. TALRD.

Christian writers. He will find in them an inexhaustible
treasure ; but for us it will suffice to demonstrate that the
dogma of the Holy Trinity implies nothing impossible,
nothing contrary to reason. Nevertheless, man will never
be able to attain to the knowledge of the Divine persons by
natural means, because by means of His creatures we know
God, but only as a principle and efficient cause of things
created ; but the principle of things created only manifests
itself by its power, which is common to the three persons :
therefore, by means of His creatures, we know of God
only what is common to the Father, to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit ; then by the notion of mere creatures we cannot
attain to the dstinction of the Divine persons. But for want
of power to seize this distinction, let us take care not to
deny the holy mystery as it is revealed, for it would be folly
to hold as true only that which does not surpass the level of
our intelligence, since there are in God, as we have already
shown, an infinity of things which are for us impenetrable
mysteries. Besides, although in the preceding book the argu-
ments by which we have proved that our faith reposes on
truth, confirm our belief in the dogma of three persons in a
Divine unity, we will give here some especial proofs to show
that not only this dogma contains nothing improbable or
absurd, but that it has considerable analogy, fitness, and
-similitude with the things of nature.

As the effect is impelled to imitate the cause, we can, by
the procession we find in nature, elevate in some measure
-our understanding to the apprehension of the Divine pro-
-cessions. Now in nature, processions are more perfect in

DHE LT RIGMPH OF THE: CROSS, 14!

proportion as they are more intimate; in fact, in things
inanimate there is often a procession. Thus fire proceeds from
fire ; but this procession has its principle in the virtue of
that element which acts upon an exterior matter, whence
the procession is less intimate, and consequently less per-
fect. In vegetation the procession is more perfect, because
that which is produced is one (at least at the commencement
of generation) with the generating plant; but it finally sepa-
rates itself. In animals the procession is still more perfect,
more intimate, and more spiritual. Thus the sensation

resides in the senses, and escapes not beyond; but as it
issues from an external object, the procession is not per-
fectly interior ; but in the intellect of a man the procession
is more intimate, and consequently more perfect, because
the active intelligence reflects upon itself (is selfconscious),
whence it ensues that man can contemplate his own ideas,
can conceive internally the Word of his thought, and smitten
with love for the thing conceived, can figure in himself a
Trinity of persons—namely, the Intelligence, the Word, and
Love. However, this intellectual procession commences
with the senses, and, like all our knowledge, depends upon
external objects. *

Then, since processions are the more perfect as they are
more intimate, and are more intimate as the creature is
more noble, and as the effect is impelled to imitate its cause,
in what consists our absurdity, when we affirm that in God,
who surpasses infinitely all creatures, processions are in-
finitely intimate and perfect, since they do not proceed from

* ‘Nihil est in intellectu quod non fuerit in sensu.’

142 BOOK THIRD.

without, and do not differ from the substance of God, and
that all creatures are impelled to imitate Him, though only
imperfectly ? 7

Thus the Divine persons depend upon no cause, being
themselves God, who is the first cause of all causes, and
they are distinct, for from the procession of one to the other
there necessarily follows a relative opposition and distinction.

If the procession be real, it is necessary that relation and
distinction be equally so; but in Divine persons relations
do not imply any imperfection, seeing that relation is not a
thing, but simply the connection of one thing with another.

In the spiritual part of man, who amongst all beings of
nature has the most resemblance to God, we find a sort of
Trinity, namely intelligence, word, and love; for whilst man
actually elevates his intelligence towards God, he conceives
the word, and is inflamed with love for it.

However, this Trinity is very different from the Divine
Trinity ; foras God is immutable and eternal, and as in Him
nothing is imperfect, His word and His love are not, as in
us, accidental, which now come and now cease ; but from
all eternity the word and love are with the Father one and
the same substance. We may see, therefore, by this, that
faith in the mystery of the Holy ‘Trinity has in it nothing
absurd, but that it is rather conformable to right reason.

We find still numerous vestiges of a Trinity in all crea-
tures; all have a commencement, a middle, and an end,
and in this there is one substance and one operation, and
other things similar, which are as it were a type of the
Trinity.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 143

Aristotle, the prince of the Peripatetics, appears to give
his support to this opinion, when, guided simply by the
natural light of reason, he speaks of the ternary number in
the commencement of his book, entitled ‘‘ Heaven and
Earth.” ‘All beings,” says he, ‘‘have their perfection in
the number three,” and he cites the opinion of the Pythago-
reans, namely, ‘‘ that everything has a commencement, a
middle, and an end, and that thus everything is determined
in the ternary number ;” and he adds, “ that this number,
received from nature, has been transferred to the worship of
the gods.” In the designation of persons, ‘‘ two do not
express all the persons, but three do—l, thou, he. But
the whole, and the perfect, are the same thing.” This philo-
sopher still adds, “that bodies are perfect in extent, since
they have three dimensions—length, breadth, and thickness.”

From all these considerations, it follows that faith admits
nothing impossible or unreasonable on the mystery of the
Trinity. For that this mystery cannot be comprehended by
our intelligence, is in itself an additional proof that faith in
the Holy Trinity ¢s zot a human invention. If it proposes
concerning God things impenetrable, it certainly proposes
nothing contrary to the principles of sound philosophy ; but,
rather, all the principles of philosophy come to our aid, and
render the solution of the question of faith easy, which is .the
greatest proof of truth.

144 , BOOK THIRD.

CHAPTER IV.

THAT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AFFIRMS NOTHING UPON
CREATION THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE OR CONTRARY TO REASON,

FTER having considered the Divine nature, we must

speak of creation by commencing with natural being.

Now we believe that God, at the beginning of time, created

everything ; that is to say, that out of nothing He made
things both visible and invisible.

This belief cannot be regarded as strange to reason and
truth, since all confess that God is the first efficient cause of
heaven and nature. Now the efficient cause gives existence
to its effects, but every act is so much the more fecund and
more extended as its cause is more perfect; and as God
is an independent Being, it follows that the power of God
extends even to the bestowal of existence upon all beings
which depend upon Him. Besides, although the act is
posterior to the power, in the sense that power is, reduced
to action, yet the act, considered absolutely, is always an-
terior to the power, for power cannot be reduced into an
act but by something actual. Then, as God is the necessary
being, and therefore independent, as was demonstrated in
the first book, it is necessary to say that He precedes all
that He has created. Further, we are forced to confess

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THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 145

that He has made all things out of nothing ; that is to say,
without having any need of other pre-existing matter.

In fact, the particular agents in nature and art pre-suppose
matter, to draw something from it, because it cannot create
substance itself, but can only give it a certain form; but
God, who is the universal cause, szmply creates, for the
universal effect corresponds with the cause, who is simply
Being. ‘Then nothing exists which has not been created by
God, therefore we cannot suppose anything previous to the
action of God, for if matter be supposed pre-existent to the
Divine action in the universe, it is God who has made that
matter, or not. If He has not made it, then He is not the
efficient cause of all that exists, a proposition we have
already refuted; if, on the contrary, He has made it, He
has made it of nothing or of something. If we confess that
He has made it of nothing, we have gained the cause; if we
reply that He has made it of some other thing, I ask whence
comes that other thing, and if God is the creator of it or
not?—which is to return to the same question, and thus in-
definitely and without end, which would be absurd; or we
must confess, which is more reasonable, that God created
everything out of nothing. But because God does not act
by necessity of nature, but by His own will, as we have
already shown, it is not necessary that the world should
have been created from all eternity, but at the time the
Divine wisdom has judged most convenient and most
useful to His designs.

This convenience, and this utility, may still be demon-
strated by a few reasons; in fact, God made everything for

146 BOOK THIRD.

the good of His elect, and this good consists in knowledge
of God. Now God has given a more perfect knowledge of

Himself in not creating the world from all eternity, for we

can now see that He is so perfect that He suffices to Him-
self, and has no necessity for any creature; and if He had
a necessity for any, He would not have deferred creation
for such an infinite time.

What we have now said about ereation suffices ; besides,
there are a number of writings upon the subject easy to be
found. The reasons by which Aristotle, and the greater
number of the philosophers, were forced to prove the eter-
nity of the world, are easily refuted by our theologians, and
even by those who are but little versed in these questions.

- ai a ne

PHI TRECIY nie Oip4 2 ee CROSS: 147

CHAPTER (NV:

THAT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AFFIRMS NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE
OR CONTRARY TO REASON, UPON THE SANCTIFICATION
OF THE REASONABLE CREATURE,

S regards the sanctification of the creature by the super-
celestial gift of grace, I do not believe we need add
to what we have already said upon the end of man, and
upon the means of its attainment. For we have shown that
man has been ordained to a supernatural end, to which he
can never reach without a supernatural means, that is, with-
out the Divine grace, which God accords to those who pre-
pare themselves to receive it worthily, for God accords to all
His creatures necessary things. We have also spoken of
the glory of our soul, when we proved that the soul finds
supreme felicity in the vision of the Divine essence by the
light of glory.

By all that has preceded, we can easily comprehend that
the Christian faith affirms nothing on the sanctification of
souls which is not full of reason and wisdom.

Also concerning the resurrection of the dead, we affirm
nothing impossible or unreasonable. In fine, although the
resurrection could not have taken place naturally, because
nature has a determined mode of operation, yet, as we have
het

148 BOOK THIRD.

already shown, the Divine power is infinite, and in no way
bound to that natural order ; it follows, therefore, that the
resurrection of the dead is not only possible, but very easy
to God, for if He has produced everything out of nothing,
what natural agencies could not do, much more is He able
to make of anything which already exists something else,
and therefore to render back life to the dead.

For man is not annihilated by decease.* His soul is
immortal, as we have shown in the first book, and, more-
over, the matter of the body remains incorruptible. But if,
on the other hand, man perished entirely, the Divine creator
of the universe could still give him life and an existence,
with the same facility as He made everything out of nothing.

Therefore, what we believe on the resurrection of the
dead is not only possible, but appears expedient, reasonable,
and necessary ; for if the intellective soul is the form of the
body, and if it be immortal, as we have proved it to be, it
will be against the nature of the soul to be separated from
the body : now that which is against nature cannot be per-
manent, for it would be contrary to Divine wisdom, there-
fore the soul will be reunited to the body. Besides, the

soul can have no perfect existence without the body ; now

everything which is imperfect aspires to its perfection, and

if the soul be not reunited to the body, then—consumed by:

that desire, which nothing can extinguish, because it is
natural—it could never be perfectly happy, seeing that
supreme happiness excludes all desire. So that it is rea-

* Butler’s ‘‘ Analogy,” cap. i. Schlegel ‘‘ Phil. of Life,’’ sec. iv. Delitzsch
*¢ Biblical Psychology,’’ Chapters on death, part vi.

7 @ =

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 149

sonable to confess the resurrection of the dead. And,
further, blessedness is due to him who has lived well; now
in this mortal life it is not the soul alone which lives well,
but the whole man; it is to the entire man we attribute
human functions, for it is the organs which operate, and
the soul is nothing else than the form by which they operate;
therefore blessedness is due to the entire man, and conse-
quently a resurrection of the body.is-necessary.

Besides, it belongs to Divine providence to recompense
the good and punish the evil in the soul and in the body,
seeing that the good suffer much in this life, that they afflict
and macerate their bodies, and that the evil, on the con-
trary, abound in delights and pleasures, prevail and triumph;
then if God, who exercises over all a most exact providence,
will never leave the good without recompense, nor the
wicked without chastisement, it is necessary that bodies
rise, in order that they who have concurred in good or evil
may also receive their merited recompense or punishment.

It is equally reasonable to believe that men will rise
immortal, for if they were to die again it would be necessary,
for reasons we shall show, that they should rise again ; and
if once more they were to take mortal bodies, for the same
reasons another resurrection would be necessary after death,
and we must admit of an infinite series of successive deaths
and resurrections, which would be absurd; or else it is
necessary to affirm that souls in the first resurrection are
united to immortal bodies, and that the inviolable perpetuity
of the body is accorded to the felicity of man, which is con-
formable to reason. But because matter must be in strict

150 BOOK THIRD.

relation to its form, it would be unworthy to imagine that

the happy soul should be united to a vile and despicable |

body, when it would itself be inundated with splendours of
glory, decorated with supernatural qualities, and endowed
with perfection. This is why, by the virtue of God, the
soul will reflect.itself upon the body, so that it may shine
like the sun in the kingdom of God, and become agile and
prompt to obey the soul, and that nothing may fail to the
felicity of the man ; and as all bodies have been made for
man, and man is the final end of ‘nature, it is reasonable to
say that man, being glorified, all the universe will be glorified
equally, and that it will receive a new illustration, in order
that all things may be in relation or proportion with the
end for which they have been made; and because man will
have no more need of aliments, and will be no more sub-
jected to the necessities of the body, it is reasonable to
affirm that the heaven will no more have its circular motion,
that animals, plants, all the mixed beings, will resolve into
their elements, and that, purified by virtue of fire, which is
supremely active, they will be reclothed in new qualities,
and for ever inundated in a new and glorious brightness,
and will be eternally happy with God.

LAE VTRIOCMPH OF THE CROSS. Ibi

CHAPTER VI

THAT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION SPEAKS REASONABLY UPON
THE PUNISHMENT QF THE DAMNED.

AS the glory ef heaven belongs to the blessed, the

damned, who have continually kept themselves far

from God, will inhabit, in perpetual expiation of their crimes
a deep place, a prison tenebrous and subterranean.

It cannet appear strange that the damned should suffer
perpetual punishment, for in the same manner as human
justice is exercised in the city of man, so is Divine justice
exercised in the city ef God. Now human justice separates
certain criminals from the republic for ever, by exile or
by death; so also Divine justice rejects wicked mens for
ever from the communion of heaven, not so much for one
fault committed in time, as for the infinite revolt of their
will, and their obstinacy in crime itself; for it is just that
those who have preferred passing pleasures to eternal glory,
and would have lived eternally in the mire of vice, if they
had been able, should be punished eternally, in order that
their chastisement might be equal to the crime of the will,
at that time, above all when man has arrived at the end of
his terrestrial activity, and has no longer the power accorded
in this life to follow to his final end. ‘Therefore, because

152 BOOK THIRD.

men in the resurrection will have come to their end, and
will no more be called to recommence the road of pro-
bation, the wicked will go into eternal punishment, and the
good to eternal glory; and because, as it has been said, it
is not the soul alone which operates, but the entire man,
and that in glory blessedness belongs to the soul and body,
it follows that in the punishment the damned must have as.
a companion the body which they have had as an instru-
ment and goad to error; and although there is in hell other
punishments than that of fire, still, because that element is
the most active, the punishment by fire is named as the
principal. But it is necessary to know that the bodies of
the damned, though not glorified, will not be consumed by
that fire, seeing that, by Divine virtue, the bodies of the
damned will be so united to the souls that they will not be
dissolved nor altered. And because the condemned soul
has turned itself from its Creator by an oblique and perverse
will, it will no longer have empire over the body, and thus
it will be tormented by a material fire, and that fire by a
mysterious property will oppose itself to the natural harmony
of the senses, and it will for ever trouble the union between
soul and body, without being able to dissolve it.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 153

CHAPTER VIL.

THAT THE DOCTRINE OF THE INCARNATION PRESENTS
NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE AND UNREASONABLE.

HE Christian religion affirms that the Son of God is

God and man together, and that His person subsists
in two natures, viz.:—the Divine nature and the human:
that there is between one and the other a union so intimate
that the same person is God and man.

Now amongst created things nothing can be compared to
this mysterious union. In fact it is not like the aggregation
of molecules to molecules, which constitutes the substance
of the stone, for in this hypothesis God would not be man,
or man would not be God. :

It is not the union of parts upon which the whole
depends, for Christ, as God, depends on nothing. It is not
like the union of elements in composites, because that is
contrary to the Divine nature: it is not like the union of
soul with body, seeing that the Divinity cannot be the form
of a body.

This Divine and admirable union surpasses,. therefore,
every created virtue; for in every substance one finds a
nature and a proper person. Now the holy faith teaches us
that the human nature in Christ has not a proper person,
which it would have had without doubt if it had not been

154 BOOK THIRD.

united with the Word (Zogos) of God, whilst it is still the
Divine person which subsists in the human nature of Christ,
seeing that the person of the Son of God has taken it by
uniting it to Himself at the first moment when that nature
was created. But the person subsisting in the human nature
is man, and in the Divine nature, God; then since the person
of Christ subsists in one and the other nature, the Christ is
really God and man together. Now this is neither impossible
nor unreasonable, seeing that God can do everything that
does not involve contradiction. |

In fact, the Divine Majesty has not experienced any
change by this union, but the human nature was elevated
by it through the infinite power of God, which can ac-
complish more than human intelligence can comprehend.
It appears equally reasonable to believe that from this
incarnation of the Divine Word there has come to the world
innumerable benefits, as experience proves, for after the
coming of Christ a new sun rose upon this world, and the
darkness of error was dissipated. As it would be difficult,
not to say impossible, to enumerate all these benefits, it will
suffice us to recall some to demonstrate the reason and
propriety of the Divine Incarnation. First, it was a very
efficacious succour to conduct men to blessedness, because,
as we have demonstrated, the supreme felicity of man con-
sists in the vision of the Divine essence. Now in considering
the grandeur of God and his own insignificance, man would
have despaired of that ineffable vision. God has wished
to unite human nature to His Divine nature, to prove to
mortals that the union of our intelligence with heaven is not

:
:

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 155

impossible, for the union of the human nature with the
Divine person is still more astonishing.

After the Incarnation man began to emerge and aspire
more ardently to true happiness.

Then by grace of the Incarnation of the Divine Word he
came to know the excellence of his nature, and understood
that he had for an end, God Himself, who in creating him
immediately elevated human nature. After this marvellous
union had appeared in the world, many renounced the
worship of idols and all creatures. They despoiled them-
selves of their riches and honours, and trod the pleasures
of the world under foot, to consecrate themselves to the
worship of the true God. |

As our blessedness consists in the vision of God, which
exceeds the power of our understanding, a certain know-
ledge and hope of such blessedness could not be acquired
by the sole light of reason, as the labours of the philosophers,
who failed in this investigation, prove. ‘This is why God,
who exercises over men an especial providence, took our
flesh to give us a firm hope of this supreme good, for no
one can doubt the word of God. Also, since the coming of
God, we see that men have acquired a much greater know-
ledge of Divine things than they had before.

It would be necessary then that men, freed from the yoke
of the flesh, should be inflamed with love for the celestial
blessedness, which did so happen by the Incarnation of our
Saviour, for His love was the most capable to excite our
love, and His Divine charity towards men could not mani-
fest itself more effectually than by the ineffable mystery of

156 BOOK THIRD.

the Incarnation, and by the sacrament of love. This is
why, since that august Incarnation, we have seen men, in-
flamed with a more ardent love for Divine things, contract,
Re to speak, an intimate alliance with God ; and, further, as
‘there is necessary to those who aspire to this blessedness a
certainty of the means which lead to it, this certainty was
given to them by the Incarnation, which is proved by the |
consideration that the world has flourished more than
formerly in virtues, and, in fact, was elevated to a spiritual
life,* for God-become-man, having instructed us Himself
by His words and example, no one can doubt that the way
which He has taught us is that which most surely conducts
us to true felicity. Therefore this faith contains nothing

impossible or unreasonable in the mystery of the Incarnate
Word.

Ss se

* This point that Christ inaugurated a new and spiritual life in the world is
generally admitted. For a full development of the subject, an extraordinary chapter
on ‘“‘ Christianity as a new principle of development in the world’s history,” in Baur’s |
“Paulus der Apostel,” might be read with advantage. Though written by one who {
is accredited with doing more than any other man of his time to destroy the foun- :
dations of Christianity, yet this chapter, in a book which reduces the history of Paul
to a mere skeleton, is a masterly exposition of the supernatural influence of Christ-

, lanity upon human life and destiny.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 157

CHAPTER VIII.

THAT THE BIRTH AND LIFE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
CONTAIN NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE OR CONTRARY TO REASON.

AFTER all that has been said, it will not be difficult to
prove the possibility and propriety of the Articles of
the Creed. If God could make Himself man, He could
also cause Himself to be born of a virgin, for it is not the
nature which is generated but the person who subsists in
the nature itself; and, as in the human nature subsisted the
Divine person, it follows that the person of the Son of God
could be born of a woman, not because the person is
Divine, but because it subsists in the human nature, taken
from the woman; and although God might have taken our
flesh in another manner than by the conception of a woman,
just as easily as he had formed the body of the first man
from the dust of the earth, yet it was more appropriate and
more expedient that He should be born of a woman, in order
that we might be borne towards humility and love, seeing
that the Father of all things has not disdained to have a
mother, relatives, and a country upon earth, to submit to
our infirmity, and to suffer all the pains of a poor and toil-
some life.
And because Christ also came into the world to set us an

158 BOOK THIRD.

example of holiness, and to show us the way to blessedness,
it was proper that He should live amongst men, and not
lead a solitary life, in order that by His preaching and His
life we might have access to God.

And further, because it is reasonable that He who lived
amongst men should conform to their manner of living, it
was necessary that apart from the austerity of His life Christ
should eat, drink, and be clothed according to the usage of
the people amongst whom He had chosen to be born and
to dwell. or i is not abstinence from eating and drinking
which makes the perfection of life, but purity of soul, ardent
charity, virtue in fortune, or reverse, humility in glory and
opulence, and patience in misfortune and poverty.

It was also equally appropriate that He should choose a \
life of poverty, for it is fitting that heralds of truth and
virtue should be exempt from the cares of the world, and

i
}
;

beyond all suspicion of cupidity.

Now that applies eminently to Christ, who besides reveal-
ing His divinity, chose that which was the most feeble and
the most lowly, in order to confound the powerful and wise
of His time, and that the transformation of the world might
be attributed, not to the power and wisdom of man, but to
the power and wisdom of God. And therefore it was suit-
able that He should accompany His holy life with miracles,
to show that the Divinity dwelt in Him, according to the
expression of the Apostle.

In conclusion, if we religiously consider in all gentleness
and humility His words and His actions, we shall find in
them an admirable order and an ineffable reason.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 159

CHAPTER EXC

THE DOGMA OF ORIGINAL SIN HAS IN IT NOTHING
IMPOSSIBLE OR CONTRARY TO REASON.

O render more intelligible what we have said and
what we shall still say, we shall speak of original
sin, which vitiates the whole human race, as the Faith
proclaims. |
We have already shown that the world, with all it
contains, did not exist from eternity, but that God created
it at the time that pleased Him, and by His infallible
will. At that time He created man as the principal part
of the corporeal world, and because the intellective soul
of man is immortal and noble, so an immortal body totally
submitted to the soul appeared to be the most convenient
to Him, in order that there might be a proportion between
form and matter, and that the higher nature should have
domination over the inferior nature; but because all
knowledge of the intellectual soul depends upon the
senses, and because the senses can be nowhere but in a
body composed of four elements and of a corruptible flesh,
it was therefore necessary to give to the soul a corruptible
and rebellious body. But as Divine providence never
makes anything that is necessary in a person defectively,

160 BOOK THIRD.

it is quite right what we confess and believe—that God,
by a supernatural benefit, took out of the body of man all
that could naturally be in antagonism with the soul.

Then, since the dissolution and revolt of the senses
belong to human nature, it was appropriate that original
justice, that is to say, the impassibility of the body and the
subjection of the senses to the reason, and of the entire ~
body to the soul, should be conferred upon all human
nature by a super-celestial and gratuitous gift. It is then
reasonable to say that this grace was given to our first
father at the moment of his creation, in order that by him
it should be transmitted to all his descendants.

But because man was created with a free will, and was
to submit himself to Divine laws, it was just that if he
refused to obey God he should be deprived of that
original justice, and that as the senses no longer obeyed
the reason the body reassumed its mortal position, and
reduced itself to the primitive dust out of which it had
been formed, and it was equally just that the culpable
should be punished in that he had sinned. We, therefore,
call original sin privation of original rectitude and of the
supernatural gift; a.sin transmitted by the first man to
posterity, for all his descendants are deprived of original
rectitude, which would have been their heritage if the first
man had not lost it by his own fault. Is there anything in
that repugnant to reason? Besides, certain signs of this.
hereditary cause appear in the human race, for since the
Divine providence punishes evil and rewards good, every _
punishment presupposes a fault, and we see the human

Bit TCL We a OL Lilt Loy, COS 161

race suffer corporeal afflictions—cold, heat, watching,
hunger, thirst, duties, maladies, and at length death; also
spiritual punishment, such as weakness of the reason and
free will, revolt of the flesh, which is the cause why
humanity falls daily into grave and numerous errors. And
although defects of this kind appear to be the natural
condition of humanity and consequences necessary to
matter, yet, if we reflect upon the Providence and goodness
of God, we shall persuade ourselves that God would have
remedied these defects if man had not interposed an
obstacle by some offence.

This is the reason why, after contemplating the Divine
bounty and goodness of God, we recognise that these
infirmities are come upon man as a punishment for the
sin of our first father, who represented. all humanity. We
are then right in saying that the sin of the first man was at
once personal and common: personal, because Adam
deprived himself of his proper good ; and common, because
he deprived posterity of the benefit he should have trans-
mitted as their heritage. This privation of original
rectitude, as regards the will of the first man, is a sin for
all humanity, seeing that by their participation in human
nature all men are counted as one single man, of whom
Adam was the head, of whom his descendants are the
members, through which with his blood he transmitted
his sin.

For in the same manner as the action of the hand which
is moved by a bad will is culpable, so by the will of the
first parent this sin is voluntary in his members that is in

162 BOOK THIRD.

his posterity ; without that culpable will of the first father
there would have been no original sin, and men could not
have been born deprived of original justice, in the same
manner as the operations of the hands, feet, and other
members of the body, would not be culpable if the will
which orders the evil had not preceded them.

If any one estimate it as unjust that all men should be
punished for the fault of one, and should be condemned
before birth, we reply that this punishment is nothing more
than privation of original rectitude, and of the grace which
was not due to man, but was given him by the Divine
kindness ; for although God cannot be held to anything
towards His creatures, yet He has established laws, ac-
cording to which, some things are due to them naturally,
such as intelligence, memory, and other things, without
which they could not exist, and would miss their natural
perfection ; but original rectitude did not proceed from any
obligation of nature, but from the pure superabundant
bounty of God. Now, every one who grants a grace is
free to give it when and how it pleases him. |

God gave original rectitude to the first man, with a
promise to preserve it to him and his descendants, on
condition that he did not lose it by sin, and so cause his
posterity to lose it; for the first man enclosed in himself
all human nature, so that it was not upon him alone, but
upon all humanity that the divine precept was imposed.
Therefore, no one has a right to complain of being
deprived by the fault of the first father, for if original
rectitude had not been given to Adam there would have

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 163
EE sy tee Date ad G2 SUT OS SR RIS SR
been no occasion to complain of God, for it was a
gratuitous gift of divine mercy. Therefore, by the fault of
Adam, men descended from him have not personally
incurred punishment, but as they are born of a father
deprived of original rectitude, upon conditions purely
natural, they are said to be born in sin, which could not be
saia if that rectitude had not been given to man.

Then a man cannot complain if, when he is conceived, he
does not receive that divine gift which is not due to him by
the right of nature; in the same way that no one has a right to
complain of not having been sanctified in the womb of his
mother, or created at the beginning in blessedness. But,
as it has been already said, that man is ordained to a super-
natural end, to which he cannot attain, save by the gift of
supernatural grace, we say, that he who dies, soiled only with
original sin, is deprived of eternal life, because between him
and eternal life there is no proportion, no relation of pro-
priety ; however, he will not feel any sensible pain, any
affliction.

Therefore, the doctrine concerning original sin contains
nothing impossible or contrary to reason.

164 BOOK THIRD.

CHAP Tina.

IT IS NOT WITHOUT REASON THAT WE BELIEVE THE PASSION
AND OTHER MYSTERIES OF THE HUMANITY OF THE
SON OF GOD, AND ALL THE DECREES OF THE CHURCH
CONCERNING FAITH.

OD, the Father of mercy, full of all goodness, from the

beginning of the world, provided for the fall of man

efficacious remedies; these remedies were—first, the sacrifices
and faith of parents, then circumcision, and lastly baptism.

Now, each one of the saints of the Old Testament.
rendered sufficient satisfaction for his own person, but none
of them could give satisfaction for the sin of human nature,
which was vitiated in the first man, in whom all have
sinned, but could only with difficulty each ‘one satisfy for
himself; and this sin, infused into every nature, was, in
some sort, infinite. Then, since original sin had polluted all
nature, an infinite remedy was wanted, and every creature
being finite, no one could satisfy even for himself.

But, perhaps you will say, it is the mark of the goodness
of God to receive from man the satisfaction he can render,
and to remit to him, by mercy, what he cannot pay to divine
justice. To this we reply, that, if God could have otherwise
helped us, it is to be believed that his infinite kindness

GEE REPU EHOOP: THE CROSS, 165

would have accepted a personal satisfaction from each man;
but in his infinite mercy he has found a means of fully
satisfying his justice, which suffers no impurity, and at the -
same time of restoring to human nature its perfection.

Therefore, as on the one hand, man owed and could not
satisfy ; and as, on the other, God could, but owed nothing,
He, in his mercy, clothed himself in our mortal flesh, in
order that, being able, and owing at the same time, as God
and man, he might give the necessary satisfaction. Thus,
then, the man-God, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, has
paid the whole debt, and, at the price of His blood, shed
upon the cross, the gate of Heaven was open to all believers.
From all that we have said, it evidently results that the
divine Incarnation was required and was appropriate, for by
Incarnation, God has more clearly manifested his power in
uniting the divine nature to the human. He has not less
shown his divine wisdom in finding an admirablé means to
recover lost man, and to conduct him to eternal life,
Opening thus to the world an inexhaustible source of
blessings.

He has equally opened the rich treasures of his bounty
since he has, so to speak, infused himself in all human
nature, in order to unite it to himself by a closer bond.
_In fine, His mercy equalled His justice when he was
voluntarily crucified, and made full satisfaction for us.
Therefore, from this, poor repentant sinners may easily and
surely hope for pardon ; and those who will not repent, but
obstinately follow after evil, may fear the rigour of im-
perishable justice. ‘This is the reason why, since the coming

166 BOOK THIRD

of Jesus Christ, an infinite number of men have deserted
vice to embrace virtue, and have repented of their sins.

Therefore, if we consider, as is necessary, all these
benefits and innumerable others, we shall find in them a
wisdom so profound as to transcend all human intelligence ;
and still further, all that which in Christ appears to be folly,
will be regarded as above human thought, and the reason of
such a grand mystery will appear more and more ad-
mirable to those who seek in good faith the light of truth. |

It was, therefore, fitting that Jesus Christ should suffer
and die for the human race.

And because He came not only to efface our sins but to
take upon him our life, not only was He willing to suffer,
but He chose the most ignominious life in order to teach us,
by His example, to brave and to suffer everything for love
of truth and justice.

Those who contemplate the cross of our Lord and |
Saviour Jesus Christ, will draw from that fountain of life,
grace and joy ineffable.

And further, as Christ died for the remission of sins, and
to open for us the gates of eternal life, so He was buried,
and remained three days in the tomb., But if He had not
risen again, men would have had no hope of a future
resurrection.

It was then well that, after having accomplished His
divine mission, He rose from the dead, full of glory; and |
because His body had become immortal and glorified, He
could no longer dwell among men ; and, as His body was
the most perfect of all, by the beauty of His soul and His

THE -TRIGMPEH OF THE CROSS. 167

union with the Divine Word, it was fitting that He should be
elevated into the heavens, to sit at the right hand of the
Father, as His only Son, in the most perfect felicity of
eternal life.

We believe we have said sufficient in the preceding book
to induce an entire and unwavering faith in the Holy
Scriptures, because they come from God. And, therefore,
as in material things, so also in doctrines, everything
moveable must be referred to something immoveable, we
say that the Providence of God has established in His
Church this unchangeable doctrine, to which all may have
recourse as to a firm and solid foundation.

168 BOOK) dd ite,

CHAPTER XI.

THAT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION WISELY LAYS DOWN TWO
PRINCIPLES OF CHARITY AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE
MORAL LIFE.

FTER having shown that the Christian religion does
not contain in its dogmas anything irrational or
impossible, we shall prove that it contains nothing im-
possible in its morality, although what we have already
said upon the Christian life might suffice ; for if anything
better cannot be given nor conceived, it follows that the
Christian morality is the best, and this does not require
proof, since causes are known by their effects. Still, for
greater clearness, we will expose, in particular, certain
principal laws which form the source and principle of
other laws. E
The first principle of Christian morality is this: “Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, with all thy
spirit, and with all thy strength;” and the second is, “ Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

This precept orders us to love God and our neighbour
not only with a natural love, but to love them by the
supernatural gift of grace. It is necessary, therefore, that
aman should dispose himself to receive from God, and to

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 169

exercise this supernatural gift of grace and charity, for to
love God more than one’s self, and to love our neigh-
bour as one’s self, is a natural sentiment, but this
precept commands us to perfect and sanctify by the
supernatural gift of grace that which comes from nature.
It is then commanded that we should love God more than
any other object, and more than ourselves, so that we may
dispose ourselves and our actions for him who is our end;
as the apostle says, ‘‘ Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Because the revolt of the flesh is the greatest obstacle to
divine love, it has been said, “Thou shalt love the Lord
with all thy heart,” for in the heart is the source of life
and the principle of the senses and desires, a principle
which leads us to the love of things sensible, and withdraws
us from the love of God.* This is why the precept says,
‘With all thy heart,” as if it would say, “Submit thy
senses to thy will, in order that they may tend towards
God, and that they may be in accord with reason and the
divine law ; but, because the will goes astray if it have not
reason for its guide, it is also said, “With all thy soul ;”
that is, with all thy will directed towards the end of all
things, because the soul is the vital principle which
produces motion and distinguishes living animated beings
from those who are not; for animated beings move them-

*© Tn the whole offering, the head and heart of the beast were burnt upon the altar
(Leviticus i. 3; viii. 20). Philo finds a reason in the fact (Opp. li. 190) that the head
and the heart are the seat of the 7 Y€f@OVLKOY, that is, of the voug.” Note to part iv.
sec. 12. ‘The Heart and the Head.” Delitzsch Biblical Psychology.

170 | BOOK THIRD.

selves, which inanimate things cannot do, Therefore,
since the will is the principle which moves the powers of
the reasonable soul, the expression, “‘ All the soul,” means
all the will, with its modes and acts; wherefore, we ought
to love and desire God, to place in Him all our joys,
to fear to offend Him, to hope in His mercy, not to
presume too much on our own justice, and to do everything
to His glory. But, because the movement of the will
depends upon the reason, seeing that the object of the will
is well known, it is ordered also, ‘‘ With all thy spirit,” for
the spirit signifies the intelligence or reason which ought
to tend towards God in such a manner that all that it
comprehends and contemplates should be God, or what
relates to God actually or habitually. But whatever
things we love, we love them in proportion to the relation
they have with the end; but the end is loved for itself, and
therefore without measure, so that it is with reason that
the precept of divine love adds, ‘‘And with all thy
strength,” in order that God being our end we may tend
towards Him with all the powers of the soul and body, and
that our intelligence, our will, and our senses may obey
Him, and be adorned with grace and virtues, and thus God
may be glorified, for the glory of the cause is in the
perfection of its effect.

This precept teaches us how man ought to love God, and
how he ought to love himself.

But, because man did not yet know how he should love
his neighbour, the love of whom is less natural than self-
love, God added to the precept, “Thou shalt love thy

LAE TRIOMPE OF THE CROSS: I7t

neighbour as thyself,” that is, to the same end as ourself.
Now we ought to love ourselves to this end, that God may
be glorified in the perfection of His work, ther we ought
to love our neighbour to this end, that the divine work
might appear and be praised in him.

What more just, more reasonable, more divine, ne those
three precepts of love in which are contained the rights of
God, the duty of man, and the perfection of all the laws,
that is, the Law and the Prophets?

All that results from these principles, all that accords
with this triple precept, is reputed holy and _ inviolable
amongst men; and all that is contrary to the divine teaching
should be avoided as an impiety.

172 BOOK THIRD.

CHAPTER (Xib

THAT THE MORALITY OF THE CHURCH IS THE MOST
EXCELLENT.

T is with reason that these two tables of moral precepts
are proposed to us, the one which regulates the duties
of man towards God, the other towards his neighbour.

Now, man is a sociable animal, a member of a community:
it is of importance to the rectitude of his life that at first he
conduct himself well towards his Prince, then towards his
fellow citizens; and every man who is a member of the
human society should conduct himself properly in regard to
God who reigns over human nature; and, as a Christian, he
should conduct himself properly as regards the chief of the
Christian Religion—Jesus Christ, God and man.

Now, man conducts himself well when he loves God with
all his heart, with all his soul, with all his spirit, and with all
his strength. But, because all owe to the Universal Sovereign
an inviolable fidelity, it is with reason that the first command-
ment enjoins us to adore the true God who is one, and not to
bear our homage to strange gods. Because respect is due to the
Supreme Sovereign, the second precept is, “‘ Thou shalt not
take the name of the Lord thy God in vain,” for God must be
honoured in all things which represent him ; and of this kind
are the words which are invented to design or to praise him.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 173

In fine, because worship is due to the Sovereign Lord, it
is with reason that the third precept of the first table says,
‘“*Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day.”

This precept requires us to render to God an interior and
_ exterior worship. These three precepts express all the duties
of man towards God, and we repudiate everything that is
contrary to the Divine commandments.

The second table contains the law of love towards the
neighbour, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as_ thyself.”
Now, to love is to wish well, and never to wish evil to the
person we love. The precept of love towards the neighbour
is therefore divided into two parts, since it commands us to
do good to him and not to do evil. This is why the first
commandment of the second table is, “ Honour thy Father
and thy Mother” (under these words we must also include
our benefactors). |

But the offence may be made in three ways—by deed,
mouth, and heart.

In order that we may live innocent of all offence towards
our neighbour, we must abstain from injuring his own person
and that of her who is united to him, and from injury to
his property. This is the reason why in the same table
are contained the following precepts. ‘‘Thou shalt not
kill,” the precept which forbids us to injure the person of
our neighbour. ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery,” which
forbids us to do violence to the wife of our neighbour, or in
any other manner to sully our soul. “Thou shalt not
steal,” forbidding us to usurp the property of others. ‘Thou
shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour,” con-

174 BOOK THIRD.

demning all iniquitous lying or perjuring language. “Thou
shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife,” a precept which
represses the infection of mental lasciviousness and all
impurity of heart. “Thou shalt not covet anything that

belongs to thy neighbour,” which commands us not merely:

to abstain from usurping the property of another, but to
keep our heart pure from the desire of an unjust posses-
sion.

But since some one will say, perhaps, if the desires contrary
to other commandments are not less criminal than the desires
of the flesh and stealing, why are these latter mentioned in
preference to the others? To this we reply, that the evange-
lical law not only condemns bad actions, but also every
disordered affection: now the precepts announced above are
to be understood not merely of external acts but of internal,

consequently, it is not without reason that express mention |

is made of the desires of the flesh and of stealing, because
the malice of desires opposed to the other precepts is
evident to any one. Who, in fact, is ignorant that not to
believe in God, or to be an infidel, or rebellious, is not sin?
Who does not regard as criminal him who despises or
outrages his parents? The thought of homicide, of false-
hood, or of calumny, inspires more horror than delectation,
but the desire of the flesh may appear to be natural, and
has a dangerous allurement. The desire of another’s pro-
perty appears equally natural to man on account of the
necessities of life, and consequently many would believe that
these desires are less culpable, inasmuch as the mere desire
could injure no one.

= +
ta shad 4

LUTE ERIE ROR THE) CROSS. 175

Therefore, these two commandments against the desires
of the flesh and the property of others have been expressly
formulated. bs

Thus, the Christian law, which wills the perfection of man
and which foresees everything, exacts uprightness and purity
of heart as well as uprightness and purity of work ; because,
as we have said, all the other commandments spring from
those principles, form the canon of justice and injustice,
and are the foundation of the moral life. The ‘Christian
religion, then, has determined with more perfection than all
that the philosophers have written, on virtues and manners,
and it has perfectly and clearly taught many divine and
natural things which philosophy has neglected or failed to
comprehend.*

The Christian religion has added counsels to precepts in
order that the precepts might be the better observed. As
the whole life of the Christian tends towards Divine love,
which can exist only in purity of heart and detachment
from earthly things, the precepts are divided into two
portions, the one affirmative and the other negative.

All the affirmative precepts tend toward the perfection of
charity, and the negative precepts to purity, because they
forbid €verything that may sully the soul; with both are
connected counsels, for it is counsel not precept which wills

*<« Epicurus summum bonum in voluptate animi esse censet. Aristippus in voluptate
corporis. Calliphon et Dinomachus, Cyrzenaici honestatem cum voluptate junxerunt.
Diodorus in privatione doloris summum bonum posuit. Hieronymus in non dolendo.
Peripatetici autem in bonis animi et corporis, et fortunz. MHerilli summum bonum
est scientia. Zenonis cum natura congruenter vivere. Quorundam stoicorum virtutem
sequi. Aristoteles in honestate ac virtute summum bonum collocavit, In tanta
diversitate quem sequimur cui credimus?”’—“ Lactantius De Falsa Sapientia,”
aiid C. 7.

176 BOOK THIRD.

perfection. Religion, then, counsels the Christian to sell his
goods and give to the poor, to follow Christ who was poor,
to withdraw his heart from every ambition, every desire of
glory, every sentiment of pride. In order that he may
acquire perfect charity, religion counsels him still to con-
secrate himself to Divine worship, to celebrate Divine praise,
to pray frequently, and to do many other things to which
those only are invited who wish to attain to perfection and
love.

By all these reasons it is manifest that the Christian
religion proceeds with so much order and wisdom in its
morality that it omits nothing good and admits nothing
evil: by the efficacy of its teaching it renders the most
violent men gentle as lambs; it purifies and adorns with
virtues men who are sullied with the greatest vices. It is
therefore clear as the day that no philosophy, no religion,
has introduced into humanity such a teaching, nor has pro-
duced such fair fruit : nay, more, it is evident that it surpasses
every other system by the distance between the zenith of
heaven and the centre of the earth, by the difference which
exists between light and darkness.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 177

CHAPTER “XILE
THE JUDICIAL LAW OF THE CHURCH IS INFINITELY WISE.

T will be just as easy to show that our holy religion is

equally reasonable in judicial matters; for since in all
things there is a principal law which serves as a rule and
measure of others, we place in the matter of laws one
principal law which we call eternal, because it is the reason
of all our actions. This is the law from which all others
are derived ; for in every regulated movement the force of
the second motive is drawn from the first; so in govern-
ments, the reason of the first descends to the second.
Now the law as rule and measure exists under two modes,
namely, in the being who directs and measures, and in him
who is directed and measured ; but all creatures, inasmuch
as they are subjected to Divine providence, are measured
and directed ; therefore all creatures partake in some way of
the eternal law by which each one naturally inclines towards
his end. Nevertheless, reasonable creatures being more
excellent, subjected to Divine providence, have also more
right and participation in that law of Providence. Now
participation in that law by the reasonable creature is called
the natural law, which is nothing else than the mass of
natural precepts graven in us virtually or by habit. The

178 BOOK THIRD.

source of these precepts is the light of natural reason,
Divinely infused, by virtue of which certain principles
manifest themselves to us both in things speculative and
practical. These principles are called first, or natural laws,
and from them are deduced other laws, first, as conclusions,
secondly, decrees of wisdom generally accepted. ‘The first
method is similar to that by which conclusions are drawn
from principles in scientific investigations. The second
mode resembles that by which general forms of beauty in
art are specially applied, as, for instance, when a clever
architect applies the general form in architectural beauty to
a house. Therefore we say certain laws descend from the
general principles of the natural law by way of conclusion,
as from this precept, “Thou shalt not kill,’ we must
conclude that we must never give poison to anyone.
Others are deduced by way of determination: thus, the
natural law ordains that he who commits an offence shall
be punished, but it does not determine the mode of punish-
ment, which is left to the discretion and determination of
prudent, wise men, capable of discerning what is useful to
the general interest. Laws of this kind we call human,
positive, or adventitious ; for laws vary according to the
diversity of times and places, and follow the common
interest, for all men cannot be governed by the same
positive laws. However, the natural law is invariable and
identical amongst all people. Particular laws, which are
deduced by way of conclusion, are equally unchangeable ;
for the conclusion drawn from true principles is necessarily
true.

Pei had Cae OO PAE CROSS: 179

But, because the natural law is not sufficient to direct
human life, we have need of the help of another, which is
the Divine law. The necessity of this may be confirmed by
many reasons, although we might conclude it from what
has already been said.

First—Man is directed by law in his personal actions
towards his end. Now this end is supernatural, as it has
been proved above, therefore, besides the natural law,
which cannot transgress its limits, there is need of one
superior, such as the Divine law, to direct man to his
supernatural end.

Secondly—So great is the weakness of our intelligence,
that when we descend to particulars we meet numerous
difficulties. Hence result judgments differing from one
another, and laws contradicting each other. This is why
men advance only by feeling their way, as though they
were blind, not knowing what road to take in life. It was,
therefore, necessary that the law of God should be given to
guide us surely in the way of salvation.

Thirdly—The human law can neither punish nor prevent
all faults; it tolerates many unworthy things to avoid
greater evils. It is necessary, therefore, that the Divine law
should assure us that he who escapes the human law will not
escape Divine justice.

Fourthly—-Human law cannot judge interior and occult
matters, seeing that its judgment is uncertain as regards
hidden things. A Divine law was, then, necessary to
penetrate into interior and secret faults, that men might
advance more perfectly to their end.

N 2

180 BOOK THIRD.

We say, therefore, that this law is the embodiment of
precepts proceeding from the supernatural and gratuitous
light of faith. Nay, more, we affirm that all the precepts of
the Divine law—precepts of which we have already spoken
in the chapter on morality—descend from the grace of the
Holy Spirit.

From these precepts we deduce other particular laws, by
way of conclusion or determination—as we remarked when
treating of the natural law—and these particular laws we
call canonical, in the same way as we designate those laws
which are deduced from the natural law, civil.

By the canon law the causes of priests and clerks, and by
the natural or civil law those of seculars, are judged. Still,
it is not to be imagined that the Divine and natural laws are
in any way contrary ; but, as grace renders nature perfect, so
the Divine law perfects the law of nature, whence we say,
that all that belongs to natural right belongs equally to
Divine, for precepts, inasmuch as they proceed from natural
light, are called natural, being perfected by grace and
supernatural light, pass over to the Divine right. But all
that pertains to the Divine law pertains also to the natural,
seeing that religion commands many things which do not
issue from human reason, such as matters of faith, of which
we have already spoken, and the sacraments, of which we
shall presently speak.

The Christian religion is governed by Divine laws, neither
despising anything conformable, nor admitting anything
contrary to them. ‘Therefore, it does not reject the wise
and reasonable laws of the philosophers, and even of the

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 181

pagan emperors; on the contrary, convinced that every
good thing comes from God, it gathers to itself what is
good and true in all books and doctrines.

But it exercises so much diligence and solicitude to reject
errors, fables, vanities, and falsehoods, that it accepts with
difficulty, and very rarely, the books published in honour of
the saints, especially when the name of the author ts not well
known; in addition, it corrects all words wherever they
occur, and if by hazard any particular opinion be met with
contrary to truth, it must not be attributed to the Christian
religion, but to the perversity and tyranny of men who are
the enemies of God, who rebel against the Church, and in
vain thunder against it their censures and anathemas.

We believe that we have sufficiently proved the judicial
teaching of the Church to be full of reason and wisdom.

182 BOOK THIRD

CHAPTER XIV.

THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH HAVE BEEN WISELY
INSTITUTED BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

T is now necessary that we treat of the ceremonies of

the Church. Amongst these the sacraments hold the
first place, or, rather, we may say that all ceremonies
relate to sacraments. This is why we shall first show that
the Divine sacraments are wisely instituted in the Church,
whence it will be easy to comprehend the reason of the
ceremonies.

Jesus Christ, by His incarnation, His passion, and His
death, being the universal cause of our salvation, and as we
have shown above that the universal cause of natural things
produces no effect without the co-operation of particular
causes, it becomes rational and proper that there should be
some particular causes of our salvation to unite the virtue of
the universal cause with us. But, in the same manner as
secondary causes are the instruments of the first cause, and
that particular causes serve the cause universal, so the
sacraments are the instruments, the means which Jesus
Christ uses to operate our salvation. And because there
must be some proportion between the instruments and the
universal cause, it was fitting that the sacraments should be

PLE ALRIOMRH OFILHE CROSS, 183
La ae aaa ate vices sorceress ee ae Se ee a

transmitted to us under words and sensible signs, since
the universal cause of our salvation is the Incarnate Word.
Therefore, it was necessary that the Word, united to the
visible element, should produce the sacrament as a parti-
cular cause and instrument of the Incarnate Word, and this
is most suitable for man, since he only comprehends invisible
things by things visible.

But, because no one can save himself without grace, as we
have already said, it is fitting that these sacraments, as the
instrumental cause, should confer grace, although thar virtue
does not extend to the ultimate effect of grace, in the same
manner as the sun and man combined engender man
without producing the intellectual soul, seeing that the soul
is the immediate creation of God, and not an effect of the
power of matter ;* for the instrument has a double virtue—
the one comes from its form, just as the saw cuts because it
is iron and indented; the other comes from the power and
movement of the principal agent, just as the saw moved by
the workman makes a bench or a table.

However, the virtue of the principal agent does not -
always attain to the final effect: thus, the sun and man, who
are the instruments of the first cause, do not produce the
essence of the intellective soul, but only attain to the final
deposition of matter and to the union of the soul with the
body. So we say, that grace being a supernatural gift, which

* See Delitzsch, Bib. Psych. sec. vii., ‘“Traducianism and Creationism.” The
chapter concludes with a sentence which agrees with what Savonarola has just laid
down. “Aristotle says, ‘man begets man with the co-operation of the sun,’ we say,
with the co-operation of the Father of Spirits.””—Clark’s translation, by Dr. Wallis,
SST DEOL ib. py 242:

184 BOOK THIRD.

cannot come from the creature, nor the virtue of the sensible
clement, these sacraments do not attain to the essence of grace,
but only to a disposition thereto.

The proof of the efficacy of these sacraments is in the
purity of the life of those who receive them with devotion,
in their conversion from vice to virtue, in their constant
progress in the spiritual life—a progress the more rapid and
the greater as they themselves are more humble and pure in
the use of the sacraments.

But as we have already spoken of the happy effects of
these sacraments in the preceding book, we shall say no
more upon them in this place.

LTHE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 185

CHAP TH REX Ve

SOLUTION OF OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE SACRAMENT OF
THE EUCHARIST.

INCE numerous and grave difficulties are made con-

cerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist, we shall here
treat of this sacrament in a particular manner. We are
thought, in fact, to believe on this point impossibilities.
Let us see what we believe: we believe and confess that
under the appearance of bread, however small it may be,
the body of Christ is contained wholly and entire, and that
under the species of wine, however small, the blood of
Christ is present, wholly and entire; we believe, also, that
at the same time Christ is in Heaven, wholly and entire ;
whence it follows that by the consecration Christ can be in
the Sacrament of the Eucharist only in two modes.

First: by the conversion of the bread into the body of
Christ, and of the wine into His blood, which appears to
the unbelieving to be an impossibility, “ because,” say they,
‘nothing can be changed into a thing already existing, for
a thing into which another thing is changed could only
commence its existence at the moment of the change.
Consequently, if the bread be changed into the body of
Christ, Christ could only exist from the moment of the

186 BOOK THIRD.

operated change, and not before, and that it would not be
the body of Christ which is in heaven, but another body
newly produced.

Second.—The second manner in which Jesus Christ can
be in the Eucharist is locally ; now this manner, say they,
‘is none the less impossible than the preceding, for either
the Christ would be at one time in two different places, in
heaven and in the sacrament, or He would quit heaven to
appear in the sacrament. Further, a local movement
cannot have many terms. But in the Church many hosts
are consecrated under which Christ must be present, though
a body cannot exist at one time in many places.” ‘‘Besides,”
say they, “how can the body of Christ be enclosed in so
small a place? How can the whole body of Christ be in a
small host, and the whole of His blood in a little wine?
How is it that (as the Church believes) accidents can
remain without the substance proper to them? These
- accidents, if they were deprived of their substances, could
they undergo changes which can only happen to them in
their substance? Could they be hot or cold? could they be »
capable of nourishment? could they become intoxicated ?
could the bread be burned, corrupted, be eaten by animals.
In fine, if the sacrament be so often divided into so many
little parcels, how can Christ be present under each of
them ?”

We reply to these objections, first, that the ineffable
power of God infinitely surpasses our feeble conceptions,
and that things utterly impossible to our strength and to
nature alone are easy to God. But further, we reply that in

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 187

the Eucharist there is nothing impossible, that is to say,
that implies contradiction. Now, whatever does not imply
contradiction is possible to God. We say then that the
body and blood of Christ are present in the Eucharist by
virtue of the consecration, not by a local movement, but by
conyersion. But this conversion of the bread into the body
of Christ, and the wine into His blood, is very different from
all those changes which take place in nature. In natural
changes the subject always remains, the forms only change
and succeed each other, whether they be substantial or
accidental. But in the conversion of the Eucharist the sub-
ject passes into another substance, and the accidents remain,
which is impossible to the force of nature alone, for every
operation in nature pre-supposes a matter and a subject,
whilst the infinite power of God to operate the change of
one subject into another has no need of pre-existing matter
since it can create it. In the same manner, then, as by
the operation of nature, which pre-supposes matter, a form
can cease and give place to another form on another matter;
so, by the Divine virtue, which has no need of matter, the
bread can be changed into the body of Christ, and become
His flesh.

If, then, Christ is present in the Eucharist by the effect
of a change, of a conversion, and not by the effect of a local
movement, He is not there present as zz a place. He ts only
present as in a place, in Heaven. In the Eucharist He is
present sacramentally, and in a manner indivisible : whence
it follows, that He is wholly entire under each parcel sepa-
rated from others: for He is not in the sacrament, according

188 BOOK THIRD.

to the laws of extent, but in a manner more admirable, and
possible only to God. In virtue even of the words by which
the transubstantiation is operated there are in the Eucharist
the body and blood of Christ under the species of bread
and wine, because that is the meaning of the term Tran-
substantiation. But by the law of natural concomitance
there are also with body and blood the soul, the Divinity of
Christ, the quantity of His body and His blood, and other
things of that kind, which are neither the body nor the
blood. This is why the quantity of the body of Christ being
in the sacrament only by concomitance, it is not the quan-
tity of the body of Christ that must be compared with that
(the quantity) of the place where the sacrament is, but it is
the quantity of the visible species that must only be com-
pared with that place. It therefore follows that Christ is
not present by Himself as in a place, as in heaven, where
His own dimensions are the measure of the space He
occupies; and it also follows, that in the sacrament He is
present locally, only by accident, and that then the dimen-
sions of the species alone measure the space in which they
are enclosed. Whence we may see that the objection drawn
from the multiplication falls of its own accord, szmce Christ
is not upon the altar by Himself as ts in a place, but that He
is there as in a place only according to the dimension of the
species of bread and wine, which can be multiplied, and in
this manner, without absurdity, Christ can be in many
places at one time.

It is not more impossible that the accidents by the Divine
Omnipotence may subsist without their subject, for God

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 189

being able to produce effects without the aid of secondary
causes since He can create out of nothing, therefore He
can also preserve the accidents without the substance which
should bear them. And we may say as much of dimensions,
which many philosophers have regarded as subsisting by
themselves, from the reason that we can conceive of them in
a separated state. But, without doubt, God is more power-
ful in’ action than we in intelligence. The dimensive
quantity has this in particular amongst other accidents, that
it‘is in itself individual. It is impossible to figure to ourself
many whitenesses for example, unless we represent them
upon subjects that bear them; whilst, on the contrary, we
may conceive of many lines on the same subject, even if we
consider these lines in themselves ; for the diverse position
of lines suffices to multiply them, and this is why we say
that in the Eucharist there is, by the Divine Omnipotence,
only the dimensive quantity which subsists, and that the
other accidents repose on that quantity as upon a subject.

Wherefore since, as we have said, the body and blood of
Christ by virtue of the Transubstantiation are in the sacra-
ment, and astheir dimensions are only there by concomitance,
there is nothing absurd in saying that the whole body of
Christ is under each particle of the sacrament. When in
fact a substance is in the whole, it is also entirely in each
part of the whole, the soul, for instance, is entirely in the
whole body and entirely in each part of the body ; so that
the fraction or division does not affect the body and blood
of Christ, but only the dimensions of the species of the
bread and wine.

190 BOOK THIRD.

These are the principal difficulties brought against the
Eucharist. It results from their solution that it would be
still more easy to reply to other difficulties that might be
brought not less grave, but the Christian doctors have
resolved them. The Faith, therefore, affirms nothing
impossible concerning the Eucharist.*

* One of the charges brought against Savonarola, when he was excommunicated by
Alexander VI., was, that he taught heresy concerning the Eucharist.

BOOK IV.

PREAMBLE.

F all men, setting aside for a moment temporal cares,
would become eager for a knowledge of the truth, it
would not be so difficult to open their eyes, and to convert
their souls to it, for everything naturally inclines towards its
perfection, and the perfection of the intelligence is truth.
Whence it occasionally happens that men, even against their
will, and by the sole inspiration of nature, see and confess
the truth.

Now, because a contrary leads to the knowledge of its
opposite (for rectitude is its own rule, and the rule of its
contrary), every man who knows a truth, knows at the same
time the error opposed to that truth, and solves the sophisms
which contradict it; but of two contraries in opposition the
stronger bears down the weaker, and, as truth has the greater
force, to attach oneself to it, is to have the power of refuting
error. Universally, wherever there are discussion and diverse
opinions, the truth will be found on the side of the most

192 BOOK FOURTH.

solid reasons, the most numerous and most proper to reply
to objections, and on the side of arguments which have
prevailed a long time against the most redoubtable adver-
saries, and with those who confound all objections by the
most efficacious proofs.

Now, the Christian religion being founded upon such
solid proofs, and no other religion being able to prevail
against it, and asit has remained up to the present time
invincible in spite of its numerous and powerful adversaries,
easily refuting their objections, it must be true, the only true
religion. But we shall also show that other religions are
infinitely inferior to it, not only upon comparison but when
considered by themselves; that they are incomplete; that
they include numerous and grave errors; that they derive
their origin from the most deplorable superstition, and that
consequently they must be rejected. ‘This is what we shall
now showy, first in general, and then in particular.

THE LRIOMPA OP THE CROSS.’ 193

Gia EDM Rael.
NO RELIGION OTHER THAN THE CHRISTIAN IS TRUE.

HIS is proved, in the first place, by everything we have
hitherto said. In fact, if the Christian religion is true
no other religion can be admissible, for it universally teaches
that there is no possible salvation out of its pale. All other
religions, or rather superstitions, deceive themselves com-
pletely by fancying they can conduct men to blessedness.
Besides, the end of religion being the perfection and
happiness of life, and no life being better than the Christian,
therefore no religion can surpass it in this point. If there
existed one of this kind it would be either inferior or equal
to Christianity: if inferior, it could not be good, and we
must attach ourselves to the better, that is, to the Christian,
because the Christian religion, which repels all others,
evidently repels that which is inferior. If, on the contrary,
it be equal, it would in no way differ from it, and this having ye
the same end, and the same means, it would be one and the
same as the Christian religion. If it had any other end,
and other means, it would then be inferior to it, for we have
proved that the end and means of the Christian religion are
supremely excellent; in that case then this must be rejected.
Besides, we know causes from their effects; now the effect
O

194 BOOK FOURTH.

of Divine worship is holiness of life, which is nowhere so
excellent or so complete as in Christianity, therefore the
worship which it inculcates is the only true worship, and all
others are vain superstitions.

This is confirmed still further by the following proof: the
Christian religion by means of its exterior worship, and’ the
doctrine it preaches, leads to perfection and holiness in so
short a time, and ‘so completely, that there is nothing more
admirable, nor more capable of touching and converting
men than these means. ‘Therefore, he never errs who
observes the Christian faith and manners. ‘That Faith tells
us all other beliefs are superstitious and execrable, and
therefore we should regard them as erroneous fictions. But
we have said sufficient upon this subject: let us now
advance to the consideration of each form of worship in
particular.

Now, as it would be long and useless to discuss every
system, we shall reduce all beliefs which are outside Christ-
ianity to six principles: namely, those of philosophers,
astrologers, idolaters, Jews, heretics, and Mahomedans.
Although these beliefs differ from each other, and every one
of them is the source of many divisions, yet, as there are
points upon which they accord, we can combat and refute
the philosophers altogether, then the astrologers, and suc-
sessively the idolaters, the Jews, the heretics and the
Mahomedans, and show how they have erred, and have
wandered from the high road of truth.

Let us begin with the philosophers, who have followed
the light of natural reason.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 195

CHAP BRE

THAT THE RELIGIONS INVENTED BY PHILOSOPHERS ARE
INCOMPLETE, AND FULL OF ERRORS.

IRST, then, in our controversy with the philosophers,

let us prove that in their works where they have not

absolutely fallen into error, yet they have been incomplete

and utterly useless as regards those questions of a super-
natural order which pertain to salvation.

Conducted by the sole light of reason, they have been
unable to extend their views beyond the bounds of the
horizon of natural knowledge. Now, because it belongs to
a wise man to regulate everthing in good order, and that
the end is the rule of things which are placed in order, it is
necessary that the wise man, to live holily and happily, should
ascertain first of all what is the end of human life.

But we have already shown that this end consists in seecng
God, a vision inappreciable to the mere natural reason of
man alone.* Consequently, it is clear that as regards the
knowledge of this end, upon which depends all that pertains

* “¢ Foc probat ejus Passio
Hoc sanguinis effusio
Per quam nobis redemptio
Datur et Dez visio.”
St. Bernardi: ‘‘ De Nomine Jesu,” v. 43.

O 2

196 BOOK FOURTH.

to true religion, the philosophers have, so to speak, been in
a strait, and have co-ordinated nothing with certainty, satis-
faction, or justice.

Ignorant of the end, they have mistaken the means, for
as we have already proved that the true worship of God
consists in holiness of life, and that the efficacy of exterior
worship depends upon holiness of life, this is the main
reason why all that the philosophers have said about religion
has been necessarily either imperfect, uncertain, or altogether
erroneous. Who then would leave the Christian religion for
the religion of philosophy ?

In fact, though the most excellent philosophers -have
placed the end of human life in the contemplation of the
Divine life, yet, having only reason for their guide, they have
not been able to go beyond the mere idea. For an idea so
confused, so indistinct, and so general, cannot satisfy man,
in whom a desire to know and be happy is a longing of his
nature. The philosophers, too, were tormented, which the
necessity of knowing on this point what they did not know,
and their torment was so much the greater from the con-
sciousness they had of the inability and uncertainty of their
doctrines. When interrogated, if they wished to speak of
the vision of God in this life, or in the future, they could not
give a Clear, solid answer.

When they considered on the one hand the dangers and
miseries of this life, it appeared to them against all reason
and utterly impossible to place happiness here below.
On the other hand, when they felt themselves logically
forced to place it in a future life, a knowledge which is not

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 197

the result of experience, one could not deny their response
with the same facility as they could give it, and then they
would fall back upon a question not less difficult to them,
that of the immortality of the soul. It would be necessary
to them, in fact, first to prove the immortality of the soul,
a question upon which they had a multitude of diverse
opinions, which is a proof that they would find it difficult to
solve. In fact, reason on the one hand, affirming that the
intelligence is independent of the bodily organism in its
being and operations, they were compelled to confess that
the intelligent soul existed by itself, for everything operates
according to what it is. But, on the other hand, it is

difficult to understand how an immaterial substance can be

the form of a body. Thus, Plato said that the soul was not
the form of the body, but the moving principle. Aristotle,
on the contrary, said that it is united to it as its form, which
did not prevent him from speaking so obscurely upon the
soul, itself considered as independent of the body, that
Averroes, his commentator, fell into a strange error about
the unity of intelligence amongst all men. In my opinion,
Aristotle, that profound and sagacious genius, appreciating
the insufficiency of natural light for the perfect understand-
ing of the nature of the soul, and being unwilling to be
embarrassed by indissoluble difficulties, has prudently treated
this subject vaguely and obscurely. In fact, the philosophers
were closed in on every side. If they affirmed that the soul
is the form of the body, its mortality would be objected. If
they said that it is immortal, they fell into the error of Plato,
who made the soul the moving principle, and not the form

198 BOOK FOURTH.

of the body, an error victoriously refuted by Aristotle. This
error did not permit them to understand how a man can be
a man by the soul itself. In fine, if they had confessed at
once that the soul is the form of the body, and that it
subsists independently of it as religion teaches, they would
have given place to greater difficulties on account of the
insufficiency of the light of nature to prove these things.

If any one had asked them whence comes such a form,
for it is not drawn from the power of matter, since it is
elevated above matter, they would not have dared to say
that it came from nothing, for if they did, that aspersion
would fall if it were not proved, Hence it came,’ that
certain philosophers, to avoid this difficulty, conceived the
idea of an eternal pre-existence of souls, but by that they
lost themselves in a labyrinth still more inextricable, not
having at their disposition the means of sustaining that by
the soul man is man, nor that the soul is the form of the
body, as we have shown in the first book of this work.
They then fell into difficulties more numerous than those
the Peripatetics object against the Platonists.

Aristotle expressed with reserve this opinion that the
soul is distinct from the body, and that it is sent to it from
without. In fine, this assertion is not sufficient to give us
a complete understanding of the difficulty, nor to remove
our perplexity : for if the soul comes from without and not
from the power of matter, whence and how does it come?
Aristotle makes no reply.

Besides, if he established that the intellectual soul is
immortal, and that it is the form of the body, it is neces-

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 199

sary that he should also establish in conformity to his
doctrine that the soul of Socrates, that of Plato, and every
other man, did not exist before the moment when they
were engendered ; for, said Aristotle, the active principle
of a being requires in that being the passive principle
preliminarily disposed. That is, that a certain form is so
proportioned to its matter that it can only suit z¢.

But if the Peripatetics had sustained such a doctrine, I
do not see how they could have rejected the dogma of
creation, which however they did not admit.

Another question, still very difficult, is to ascertain if the
world is eternal, if it always existed, and if generation of
beings will always continue P 7

If the philosophers say that the motions of the heavens
must one day cease, they cannot give one evidence in proof
which may not be easily refuted. If they say that the
world has not had a beginning, and will have no end, which
is the opinion of Aristotle, they will be compelled to admit
a succession of recurring days and years. |

Still more, man being the chief work in the universe, the
world could never have existed without man: it will be
necessary then that they should admit an infinite succession
of men in the past and future; and the intelligent soul,
being immortal, and, as we have said, being a certain
particular and determined form, not being able to migrate
from one body to another, they will be obliged to admit
also the existence of an infinite number of souls in the
world which will also continue for ever—an absurdity.

Besides, let us grant all that, new difficulties arise, for the

200 BOOK FOURTH.

a ee OE |
soul being the form of the body, it suffers violence out of
the body, and never separates from it but with violence.
Everything also, and consequently man, repudiates the
corruption which takes place by the separation of soul and
body. Now, as that which is violent cannot be perpetual,
it is necessary to seek if all souls return to their bodies. If
we affirm it, we must confess to the resurrection of an infinite
number of bodies ; if we deny it, we must admit that an
infinite number of souls remain for ever in a state of violent
separation from their bodies. In the first place we create
an impossibility, for it is impossible that an infinite number
of bodies could be contained in a certain place, and, in the
second case, we establish something contrary to the laws of
nature: the soul created for the body cannot remain in a
state of violent separation. The solution which follows is
not more happy. They say the same bodies will reappear
after myriads of years in their primitive form, and the souls
which formerly animated them will reunite with them.

Plato, for example, will reappear with his disciples to
recommence everything he has done. But we may deny
without proof what has been asserted without proof Be-
sides, what proof could we give? It is difficult to conceive
of any, so great and so many are the difficulties. If the
world is eternal, the heavens must in their revolutions return
to the same point an infinite number of times. Conse-
quently, Plato and his disciples have already appeared on
the earth an infinite number of times, as well as all other
men, which is so utterly absurd and without reason that we
need not dwell upon it.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 201

These are the difficulties which embarrass all those who
endeavour to determine the end of human life by the sole
light of natural reason.

It results from our investigation that the philosophers
could establish nothing solid and certain in matters of
religion, since, in the capital questions we have just ex-
amined, they were compelled to remain in doubt and
darkness. If, then, they have ever succeeded, or should
ever succeed, in forming a religion, it must necessarily be
imperfect, uncertain, and full of errors.

This would appear more clearly if we could here examine
all the opinions and errors of the philosophers. We should
then see the infirmity of human reason, and its insufficiency
in matters pertaining to salvation. The virtue of a thing is
manifested in the supreme effort of its power. For example,
the strength of Calonne, who could raise a hundred pounds,
is not measured by a weight of fifty pounds, but by the
extreme weight he could lift. Now, everything that could
be done by human reason has been measured by the most
excellent of the philosophers. The best proof of the fact
is, after them the moderns have discovered no new thing in
the purely natural order of the reason: But the ancients,
as we have said, erred on many points, and upon all subjects
have been incomplete, therefore, the light of reason alone is
not sufficient for salvation.

First of all, no one can be ignorant that the ancient
philosophers have been greatly deceived in establishing the
end of man in riches, glory, honour, pleasures, and other
things of that sort.

202 BOOK FOURTH.

As to more recent philosophers, those amongst them who
have been the most illustrious, and have not fallen into
such errors, have, however, not the less erred in many
matters, and their teaching about happiness is none the less
confused and enveloped in errors. Consequently, we cannot
regulate our deeds by the information they have left us
relative to the ultimate end, since it would be necessary for,
that purpose that the end should be certain, as it is always
necessary in matters of speculation that the first principle
be certain. .

Upon the question of the intelligent soul there are as
many opinions and errors as there are philosophers. And,
not to speak of the sophistical assertions of the ancients,
which Aristotle has touched upon in his first book “De
Anima,” his own disciples even could not agree amongst
themselves, but have given expression to false and discordant
opinions. Some would have it that the intelligence, like a
faculty, was a particular substance: the imagination, accord-
ing to others, was a certain virtue accompanying a mixture
of elements: others, again, pretend that the active intelli-
gence is a separated substance: but to this their opponents
reply that this substance is a portion of the Divine substance :
and others, still, that it results from the innate power of
matter. And, up to our own time, the philosophical sects
have so differed amongst themselves that they have been —
also misunderstood by their disciples, simply because they
have not had the assistance of the light of Faith. And if
the Faith of Christ and his Light had not illuminated
the world, plunged as it was in darkness, the philosophers

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 203

would have sunk deeper into difficulties and greater
errors.

For on the question as to the origin of the world, the end
for which it was created, and upon this to ascertain if it
had a commencement, and will have an end, some have
said one thing and some another. However, up to this
day, no philosopher has found, nor will he ever find, any
solid reasons to prove either the eternity of the world, the
creation, or the future end. In fact, the arguments of
Aristotle on this point are sufficiently feeble.

Therefore, as we have said, the philosophers have been
unable to find the true end of the heavenly motion, and
their ambiguity and ignorance as to angels and separate
substances are no less. In fact, Aristotle, following in his
calculations the motions of the heavens, equals the number
of separate substances to the number of celestial spheres, as
if those substances only existed by reason of the celestial
movement, which is absurd. It is probable, however, that
Aristotle speaking in this way has not intended to assert
anything positively, but to expose, as much as he could, his
manner of viewing subjects above his intelligence.

As regards worship, especially as regards external worship,
the philosophers (not to speak of formal errors of many of
them) have said nothing true, nothing certain.

Being ignorant of the true end, they have also remained
ignorant of the Divine worship and honour, the offering of
which alone can conduct a man to his Creator, whence it
happens that they have expressed so many dissentient and
light opinions upon the Providence of God. Their works,

204 BOOK FOURTH.

then, have been of little use as to salvation, rather an im-
mense confusion has resulted from their discord. It follows,
therefore, from all this, that the doctrines and the religion
of philosophers, if they indeed have had a religion, have
not served to the true happiness of mankind. As to what
little they have said good in this matter, far from despising
it, we reclaim it as our right, as our legitimate property from
the hands of unjust possessors; and these truths, though in-
complete and insufficient, are useful principally to refute the
adversaries of the Faith.

Pitt TRICE HAO LAE CROSS, 205

CHAPTER III.

THE TRADITIONS OF THE ASTROLOGERS ARE VAIN AND
SUPERSTITIOUS.

S the astrologers wish to be reckoned amongst the
philosophers, for the reason, they say, that the heavens
and the stars govern human actions, and that the heaven is
in some sort God Himself, as certain of the ancients have
thought, and have therefore adored the sun, the planets, and
a multitude of stars, we shall here show by the aid of the
strongest reasons, that astrology is a very great error, and
that the celestial bodies have no influence upon the deeds
of the intellectual or moral order.

The first proof is, that according to the very order of
nature inferior things are conducted and ruled by things
superior. Now, according to that natural order, the intelli-
gence surpasses all bodies being separated from matter.
Therefore, by themselves, the stars cannot be the cause of
intellectual and moral acts.

In the second place, philosophy proves that bodies only
act by movement. Therefore, celestial bodies cannot have
influence upon things which are altogether external to them
by their nature, by laws of movement, as are intellectual
acts and those of the moral order. Besides, do we not know

206 BOOK FOURTH.

that the soul becomes wise and prudent only by quietude
and a certain separation from the body ?

Thirdly : if bodies only act by movement, it is necessary
that that which receives an impression on the part of another
body should move. And everything that moves is body, as
the philosopher (Aristotle) proves. Therefore, since the
intelligence is not a body, nor a virtue attached to a cor-
poreal organ, it is impossible that the celestial bodies pro-
duce action in the intelligence.

Fourthly: the movements of celestial bodies are sub-
mitted to the law of time, which serves to mark the first
movement, consequently, that which has no relation to time
is not submitted to the influence of the heavens. Intelli-
gence in its operations is independent of-time as of place;
it contemplates the universal, for which there is neither time
nor place.

Fifthly: it does not act beyond the properties of its
species. But the faculty of comprehension surpasses the
species and form of every material agent: for every form of
body is material and individual, whilst comprehension is
immaterial and universal, whence it comes, that in its own
form no body can have the faculty of comprehension, and
still less the faculty of conferring intelligence upon another
being. It is, therefore, manifest by these reasons and others
of the same kind, that the celestial bodies are not by them-
selves the cause of our intellectual operations.

But some one will say the operations of a spirit cannot be
effected without the concurrence of bodily faculties. The
imagination, memory, intelligence, submitted to the dis-

THE TRIGMPH OF THE CROSS. 207

positions of the body are therefore submitted to the stars,
whose influence, like the universal cause, is felt by all bodies.
According to the different influences of the stars, we see
different complexions and dispositions of bodies, which in
their turn come to the aid of the operations of the spirit, or
are an obstacle to them. We reply to this objection, that,
even admitting this indirect influence, it is absurd to accord
to the stars the direction of our wills and the government of
human affairs.

In fact, every act of the will proceeds immediately from
an act of the intelligence. For the good being the object of
the will is a thing previously conceived by the mind. This
is the reason why every choice we make has for its object
something we believe to be good, even though in the par-
ticular choice we make we may deceive ourselves, and choose
what is evil. Now the heavens, as we have said, not being
the cause of our intelligence, cannot be in themselves the
cause of the choice of our will. Further, all that happens
here by the influence of celestial bodies happens naturally,
because inferior things are naturally subordinate. If, then,
our voluntary choice issued from a celestial power it would
be a natural effect, and nota free effect, and man then,
instead of guiding himself, would be guided by animals
deprived of reason, which is clearly absurd. Whatever
happens in a natural manner tends towards its end by deter-
mined means, and reproduces itself always in the same
manner, because nature is determined in her operations to a
particular end ; but it is not so with the choice of our will ;
by divers means, in morals as in art, men tend towards the

208 BOOK FOURTH.

end they propose. In fine, Nature always acts with pre-
cision, with justice: the contrary happening only as an
exception. But in the actions of the human will we see
every day things happen in a different manner. Similarly
also, things which belong to the same species do not vary in
the operations which participate in their species. All
swallows make their nests in the same manner. But acts of
the will, on the contrary, differ amongst themselves because
they are free and not instinctive, otherwise virtues and vices
would have to be imputed to nature and not to man, and
there would no longer be any wisdom nor providence
amongst men.

To return to our principal object, no active virtue extends
itself beyond the limits of its species, nor transgresses the
bounds of the nature of the agent. But to will and to com-
prehend are two things which exceed all bodily nature, for
the intellect extends itself to universal truths, and the will to
the universal good.

In the same way, that which relates to an end should be
proportioned to that end. Now, human acts are ordained to
felicity as to their supreme end: this end does not consist
in a bodily good, but in the union of the soul with God,
which end surpasses the power of all body, therefore the
celestial bodies cannot be in themselves the cause of our
actions.

It is necessary then to know that the celestial bodies
without being the direct cause of our actions, may by their
influence be the occasion of them. ‘Their divers influences
acting on the body the soul finds itself variously inclined,

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 209

but it can always resist these influences by virtue of its free
will. The government of human wishes does not depend
upon the stars, but on the free will and Divine providence,
for God being the first cause, is the cause of all by Himself
and not by accident.

But, according to others, the stars are animated, and it is
the soul of the celestial bodies which acts by means of the
heavens on our own souls. But reason repels such an
error. In fact, every instrumental cause can only act within
the limits of its virtue. Now the action of a body cannot
in any manner exert itself upon souls so as to change their
wills, unless it be, as we have said, by accident: therefore it
is impossible that the soul of a celestial body, supposing
such a body to be animated, should produce by its move-
ment a direct impression upon the intelligence and will.
Besides, if the soul of celestial bodies impressed any action
upon our soul by their movements, such action would
not reach our soul but by means of a change produced
in our body, for bodies act only by an intermediate,
and then the action of the stars would not be by themselves
the cause of our actions but by accident; that is to say, that
our bodies, or other natural bodies, undergoing a change
under the influence of celestial bodies, the ideas of good or
evil would be suggested to us by the senses, which would
objectively impel the will to follow the good and avoid the
evil, in such a way, however, that the will may act freely; for
as to the exercise of its acts, it is capable of willing or not
willing—of thinking or not thinking. In the same way as to
the specification of the act, it can accept or refuse the good

210 BOOK FOURTA.

which is offered it by the occasion of the influence of the
celestial bodies, this good not being anything but corporeal
and particular. Were it universal, the will would remain
none the less free to make it or not the object of a desire
or a thought, as our every-day experience proves. Now
from all this it follows that man is master of his actions, and
that the government of human life does not depend upon
the stars and their~ direct influence. For neither the
heavens nor the soul of the heavens is God, because God is
a cause in Himself: so that the worship paid to the sun, the
moon, the stars, and other creatures is vain and pernicious.
All bodies are made for man, and man should not honour
what is inferior to himself. It is easy, therefore, to see
from this the vanity of the science of the astrologers, who
attribute to the heavens the administration of human affairs,
and who pretend to govern men by the inspection and
study of the stars. Again, certain astrologers who call
themselves Christians, who are so only in name, are com-
pelled to conceal the follies of judicial astrology by many
absurdities, and say that the intelligence and will are only
in fact submitted to God directly, but, nevertheless, are
submitted to the heavens accidentally; that all men, with
few exceptions, obey the senses, and that astrologers in
their way can foresee the future and give men remedies
against the evils which threaten them, and so in a manner
they hold the reins of government of human affairs. God,
say they, acts upon this lower world by secondary causes, ©
and He governs it by the mediate influence of the celestial
bodies. Blinded by this false reasoning and ignorance,

LEA TRIGMPEH OFTHE: CROSS, 200

they abstract from the worship of the Divine Majesty, fill
men’s minds with diabolical superstitions, and endeavour
to make them understand that they must accord more faith
and attention to the stars than to the immortal God Him-
self. Convinced of the impossibility of doing anything
without the aid of the stars, they endeavour to inspire
others with the same convictions.

But it is clear that divining astrology is vain, unworthy of
the name of science and art, since the better philosophers
have derided it or passed it over in silence, not deigning
even to refute it. Passing in. review in their works all
branches of philosophy they never speak of astrology.
Plato and Aristotle, however, studied the stars with much
care, but they have not said a word about any science of
foretelling the future. If astrology had anything real in it,
these profound investigators of nature would have known
and occupied themselves with it. But far from being so,
Aristotle, and with him the principal philosophers, every-
where say that accidental being, hazard, fortune, future
contingencies—in a word, everything that forms the object
of astrology, can neither be a science nor an art, since the
cause of these is not determined, but uncertain and infinite.

Further, we can only know future events by themselves
or their cause; now it is impossible to know them by them-.
selves, since they have not yet happened, and equally
impossible to know their cause since they are only future
contingents, and because their cause is indifferent about
producing or not producing them. Therefore, future con-
tingencies cannot be known in any manner. But supposing

P 2

oh: BOOK FOURTH.

we could know them, it would not be by means of inspecting
the stars, as the astrologers unreasonably affirm; for heaven
is the universal cause of inferior effects, and by the admission
of all philosophy, the knowledge of universal cause cannot
lead to the knowledge of a particular effect. The
philosophers only deduce particular effects from particular
causes. It is thus that in the study of the causes of our
maladies, able physicians, instead of studying merely the
movements of the moon and the planets, examine more
particularly the disposition of the body—the particular and
proximate causes whence proceed the morbid effects.
Consequently it is a vain belief and folly, a sad ignorance
to predict with assurance, like the astrologers, uncertain
effects which depend upon free will or indifferent causes:
to foretell, in fact, events which perhaps may never take
place or may be modified.

Besides, we may easily deny that there are in different

parts of the heavens different properties, distinct and even -

contrary virtues, as the astrologers wish, for the greatest
philosophers affirm, after having carefully studied the pro-
perties of the heavens, that they exercise upon this world
only the action of ight and movement. They act by light
as by their proper quality, spread over the whole heaven
they act by movement, inasmuch as it is the instrument of
the first agent, which instrument is only proved by virtue
of that movement which it receives from the first mover.
Whence, the philosophers conclude, that the diversity of
events which ensue in this sublunary world come from two
causes—namely: in the first place, from the movement of

——— 2 * a

CHEAP ITI OMT OIL HE CROSS; 213

the heavens and from light; secondly, from the divers
dispositions of matter and particular agents. But this does
not suffice yet for the knowledge of effects, because light
and movement are universal causes, and their variety designs,
in a universal and confused manner, the whole diversity of
effects. Hence the necessity for knowing also particular
agents and the disposition of matter. That attained, we
shall not even then know future contingents, especially
those which depend upon free will. Therefore if this be so
how can we know by the mere inspection of the stars ?

In the same manner, admitting that the properties of the
heavens are diverse, astrologers cannot draw from them
knowledge of future events, because the particular causes of
effects are the proximate causes, and they become the more
universal as they are distant from their effects. Therefore
the heavens and the stars are more distant from the effects
to which they concur, than the elements and natural inferior
causes. It is therefore manifest that the different properties
of the heavens are more general causes than those that are
below the heavens. Now, by inspection of the universal
causes which are below the heavens, we cannot arrive at the
knowledge of particular effects. For example, from the
knowlecge of the elementary virtue of fire, or the generative
virtue of animals in general, we cannot arrive at the know-
ledge of a certain tree or man in particular ; therefore, from
a stronger reason, we may conclude that the mere knowledge
of the heavens will not conduct us to that of future events.

Further, if we concede that the virtues of the stars are
nearer and more particular than elements and inferior causes,

nao

214 BOOK FOURTH.

although that would be absurd, yet judicial astrology would
not be the less vain and useless, because it would still be.
impossible for men to know exactly all those virtues, remote
as they are from the senses, whence all knowledge derives.
its origin. The more clever philosophers, as we have said,
have been ignorant of these things. Nay, more, they have
never been able to discover the properties nor the differ-
ences of the innumerable things which are under the heavens,
and which we have, as it were, under our hands. How much
less, then, can the astrologers know the properties of the.
stars, remote from our senses by such a prodigious distance.
Certainly, then, the astrologers cannot be placed in the same
category with the greater philosophers. And, also, if these:
virtues of which we speak were known, the astrologers could
not in any manner boast of their superstition, because par-:
ticular agents and inferior causes cannot be established in:
vain, seeing that in nature nothing is useless. Now if in
the heavens there were such a distribution of particular.
influences that one should relate to the birth of a man,
another to that of a certain bull, the inferior agents would
then become useless, their only effect would be to dispose
matter to receive the form which the celestial influences.
would confer upon it. But even if it were so, it would not
be sufficient to an astrologer to consult the heavens—he must
consult also the causes capable of disposing this or that
matter to receive a form variable according to the modifi-
cations of matter. But this is impossible; a thousand acci--
dents might intervene, which would destroy our calculations,
therefore from a still stronger reason the astrologers cannot

Bite tI UHer ICL Misia CROSS. 205

know what after all depends upon free will. Consequently
it is clear that the government of human affairs does not de-
pend upon the heavens, and that if at any time it did, it must
have been by accident, indirectly, and in a general manner.
It is ridiculous and vain to wish to regulate the life of man,
subject to free will, by means of the inspection of the stars ;
so that astrology has no solid foundation.

But we have no intention to pursue this subject further ;
what we have said is sufficient. We have proved the super-
stitlous vanity of astrological knowledge relative to the
heavens, and the courses of the stars. Count John Pico di
Mirandola, one of the marvels of the world for knowledge,
has reduced astrology to nothing in his work on “ Dispu-
tations :” whoever will read that work will laugh at astrology.
We ourselves, in the desire to discredit astrology in the eyes
of both learned and ignorant, have composed upon this
subject a work in three books.« If any one wish to go
more deeply into the matter, let him read it ; he will be the
more convinced of the vanity, the folly, and the stupidity of
judicial astrology.

* “Contra Astrologiam Divinatricem.” Lib. iii. Florent. 1851. Venet. 1586.
Italice Florent. 1495.

216 BOOK FOURTH.

CHAPTER IV.
THAT IDOLATRY IS THE VAINEST OF ERRORS.

E, have shown that the religion of the philosophers,

which admitted a worship to be rendered to God as

the first cause, was not only insufficient, but erroneous.
We have equally proved that the worship rendered to the
stars was just as vain and fatal, and, from a stronger reason,
the worship rendered to idols, statues of stone and metal,
to images of men or beasts, was condemnable and worthy
of contempt. It is not, then, difficult to demonstrate how
absurd it is to adore for themselves images of stone, wood,
or metal, and like things. Evidence dispenses with all de-
monstration. We posit this proposition as evident; to
adore senseless images is a folly. But some will pretend to
excuse this folly, by saying that the pagans did not worship
these inanimate things for themselves, but they worshipped
them as the representations of the gods, as we worship the
images of Christ and His saints. We shall prove that the
worship rendered by idolatrous people to separate sub-
stances, that is to spirits, was a superstitious and impious
worship. Thus, then, having treated the extremes, we shall
treat of the means, for separated substances are substances
mediating between God and heaven. Now we must know,

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 217

first (as we have already proved), that the will of man can-
not be moved by any agency, nor by the heavens, nor the
soul of the heavens, nor by any separated substance, but by
God alone. But a thing is said to be moved by another, by
means of an agent, when it is moved by an extrinsic prin-
ciple. I say, then, that the will cannot be moved by an
extrinsic principle, save by God, but many things can move
it by way of end or object. Many agents, as well corporeal
as spiritual, persuade or dissuade, present good or evil, and
can thus move the will, which, however, remains free, and
master of its own operations. This motion occurs by a
mode final ; however, it is not properly the cause, but the
occasion of the elections of the will. It is an evident fact,
that God alone, as an extrinsic principle, can move the will
of man, because, as inanimate things naturally tend to their
proper end, so in the intellectual substance the will inclines
towards its end. Now God, or the author of nature, alone
can give natural inclinations, and this is the reason why the
philosophers say with reason that things heavy and light are
moved by their generator. Therefore it belongs to Him
alone, who is the Creator of the intellectual nature, as an
extrinsic principle, to incline the will towards an object.
This is the privilege of God alone, because the intellective
soul comes not from the power of matter, but from that
creative power which is God, who gives to creatures their
powers and their operations.

The order which exists in corporeal substances exists still
more perfectly in spiritual substances. Now in corporeal
substances all movement proceeds from a first movement, so

218 BOOK FOURTH.

in spiritual substances all movement of the will proceeds
from the first will, that is, God ; whence it follows that God
can move the will as agent and as end: as agent immedi-
ately, and as end mediately and immediately. However, in
whatever manner He acts upon the will, He does not act
violently, because God gives to things the movement which
the form of each requires. Thus it remains certain that God
alone, the principle and mover of all wills, the absolute
Master of the universe deserves to be worshipped. Other
intelligences may be honoured, inasmuch as they participate
in the first cause, but it is not permitted to offer them wor-
ship and sacrifice. This worship is only due to God, and
the Christian religion renders it to Him alone, although it
honours the memory of the saints. But such is not the
worship rendered to idols, for it is certain that they offered
to them incense and sacrifices, and demanded of them
oracles or predictions of the future, which could be known
only to God.

But someone may say, that although these sacrifices were
offered to different Gods, the intention, however, was directed
towards the sole true God, as in the idol they worshipped
God Himself. Even if we accord this, which is difficult to
accord, at least to the multitude, the worship of idols could
not then be absolved from all reproach ; in fact, in the rites,
in nearly all their mysteries, there were vain actions contrary
to good manners. And if anyone pretend that we must
accuse only the depravation of wicked men who sullied the
purity of a legitimate worship, it will be easy to convince
him of falsehood by history, for it attests the fact that in all

THE ATRIOCVMPEH Of THE CROSS: 219

the universe the greatest men have observed those rites and
celebrated those mysteries.

But let us grant this point. Can we deny that the spirits.
honoured by the pagans were execrable and bad spirits?
This worship, then, was rendered to depraved intelligences
contrary to God, and in whom God, consequently, could not
be honoured. This is proved by many reasons: first, a
created intelligence, when it is in a state of rectitude, not only
turns itself to the first cause and honours it, but disposes to
that end other beings in order that God may be glorified in
all things, He who makes all things. But the spirits wor-
shipped by the pagans, in the numerous oracles which they
rendered, never taught anything to men ofa pure life or a
legitimate worship ; on the contrary, they taught the reverse,
or at least consented to disorder and rejoicing in their
iniquitous seduction arrogated to themselves the worship due’
only to God. Such was for the world the cause of the errors
into which it was plunged, and of its forgetfulness of God.

Secondly, good spirits never foment hatred—never drive
men to crime nor teach them such evils. Now the gods of
paganism were at discord and war amongst themselves,
they committed sacrileges, incests, a thousand shameful
crimes of which they did not proclaim the culpability, which:
they did not detest, thus leaving men in ignorance about
things which every honest mind could neither approve nor
understand, resulting, as regards the world, in the worst
possible examples.

And if God, who is perfect under all circumstances, who
has need of nothing, since nothing is wanting to His per-

220 BOOK FOURTH.
mE ee EE

fection and blessedness, does not rejoice in the worship we
render to Him only on account of ourselves and not on
account of Him, this worship being for us a cause of per-
fection and happiness, He can only wish one thing, namely,
that we should resemble Him, for every right intelligence
tends to render itself conformable to its author. If, there-
fore, the Pagan gods had been good spirits, they would have
Jaboured for the perfection of men.

For it is the property of every cause to perfect the effect
it produces according to the type of goodness it con-
tains, and, in turn, that the effect produced may seek to_
produce its like; now knowledge of Divine things princi-
pally contributes to the perfection of man. If, then, the
spirits which the pagans adored had been good, they would,
by their oracles, have conducted men to the knowledge of
God: they would have led them to honour, to pray, to love
one sole God, sovereign Master of all things. But the
spirits of their gods did not act thus. In fact, before the
coming of Christ, ignorance and evil covered the entire
world with dense darkness. Men sitting in the shadow of
death were utterly ignorant of Divine things, for the gods
withdrew them with all their power from the true God by a
thousand vanities and deceptions. The philosophical schools,
such as those of Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle,
taught more truths about God than could be learned in the
temples, and the philosophers were of more value than even
the gods and the priests.

In the same way, if these gods had been good spirits they
would have instructed men upon the question of happiness,

LPHETRIOMPIEOF THE CROSS. 221

which kept the world in such anxiety ; they would have
taught them the true final end and the virtues which lead to
it, and they would have thus supplied what was wanting in
the doctrines of the philosophers. For it is the character of
a good spirit, who occupies itself with man and who cares
for him, to teach him the end of life and the means of
attaining to it.

Otherwise, what would be its use? What a good man would
do a good spirit ought to do with a greater reason. But the
pagan gods did not act in this manner, but threw men’s
minds into confusion, whence it came to pass that before
the preaching of Christ, humanity was totally ignorant of its.
end, and of the means of pursuing its way towards it.

Besides, good spirits are not liars, and do not deceive
men, because lies and deception are always evil. But the
spirits of these gods frequently offered falsehood in their
responses and led men into error. The knowledge of future
contingencies belongs only to God, who embraces all things
in His immutable eternity. However, these spirits had the
audacity to make predictions, and to arrogate to themselves
what belonged only to God. ‘They, in this way, usurped the
Divine majesty ; they robbed Him of His glory, and plunged
men into an abyss of superstitions, whence it was
impossible to issue. Sometimes they endeavoured to dis-
cover the secrets of the future by inspecting the entrails of
beasts offered in sacrifice. At others, they sought that
impossible knowledge in the flight or the song of birds,
drawing men with themselves into the same follies. Cer-
tainly, good spirits would not have acted in this manner.

222 BOOK FOURTH.

Every sensible man may judge of the vanity and ridicule of
these practices. The gods also favoured magic and its
shameful mysteries, accompanied with adulteries, infanticides,
and a thousand other abominations which the laws forbid,
whence one may affirm with certainty that the gods of the
nations were only demons. In the same way no good spirit
rejoices in cruelty. But in the sacrifices of the pagans the
gods made them offer not only animals, but men, especially
innocent creatures, infants, young girls, virgins, which was
the cause of the death of an infinite number of children,
offered frequently by the parents themselves. After the
preaching of the Apostles, when the temples. of these gods
were reversed, a prodigious quantity of human bones was
discovered, another proof that the Gentile gods were demons
conjured together for the destruction of the human race.
We might. still have enumerated an infinitude of evils
brought into the world by the worship of idols; but as,
by the immense benefit of the redemption of our Lord
Jesus Christ, idolatry has been reversed, and there is no one
to-day who is not well instructed in this subject, we shall say
no more. Besides, the most learned men in Christian anti-
quity have sufficiently treated upon it. Therefore, if the
gods of the Gentiles had been veritable gods, Christ would
not have completely destroyed them—He would not have
universally destroyed their worship and their altars.

rh ° 2

1H TRIUMPH OR LAE CROSS, 223

CHAPTER. V.
FALSE FAITH AND ERROR OF THE JEWS.—REFUTATION.

HE light of natural reason was so enfeebled before the
coming of Christ, that without the succour of our
Lord in this lost world, men would have sunk below the
brutes, though they were superior to them in their passion
and genius for evil: human intelligence is so weak and so
infirm, when it has not, as an auxiliary, a power from above.
But as many have abused the gift of the supernatural light,
and principally the Jews, it is against them that we turn the
attack at present ; and we shall show that those rites which
they preserve do not please God, and detract from His
glory ; that reason cannot defend them, but only ace
and impudence.

Although the Jews proudly rely upon the Old Teeasiene
‘this doctrine which they love, corrupted with their perverted
reason and ungrateful contempt, is vain.

All their hopes are placed in a Messiah; and if we can
show that that Messiah has already appeared, that He has
been, that He was Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, He
whom we admire and adore, will they then deny that our
religion comes from heaven, and that they are convinced of
their error? The arguments in our favour furnished in the

224 BOOK FOURTH.

second book of this work might suffice them, and more than
suffice them, for if Jesus Christ be not the true Messiah,
where can any being be found superior to Him? Who will
teach us a purer morality, a more Divine worship? And to
turn their weapons upon themselves we shall invoke the
Scriptures against them. But we shall pass over this subject
rapidly, since it has been treated in a superior manner by
the wise doctors’ whose works are in the possession of the
Church.

We are bound, according to promise, to employ arguments
of reason rather than authority; but could we reason more
peremptorily than by referring to those Scriptures in. which
the Jews believe? The sceptics, too, will not listen to us.
without benefit, for they will see that the deeds accomplished
by Christ were predicted many years before in certain prophe-
cies. Thus, Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews crucified, is.
the true Messiah—He whom all their patriarchs and
prophets announced—He whose advent was preceded by
so many mysterious signs—whom they, too, expected: this. )
is what we shall easily prove, by establishing certain points,
which are recognised by all, and evident in themselves.

First, then, it is established beyond doubt, that in the
Scriptures, God promised to the Jews a Saviour, a great
prophet, their future prince, whom they should obey in
everything. This is what they unanimously confess even
now.

So Moses, in Deuteronomy xvii., addresses the people in
these terms :—

“JT will raise them up a prophet among their brethren,

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 225
SS ie Sat Ie arc ec a Se ae ees ee SD
like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth ; and he
shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And
it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto
my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require
it of him.”

It is therefore certain, and recognised by all the Jews,
that in the Holy Scriptures, as well in the Mosaic law as the
prophets and Psalms, the conditions are determined under
which the Messiah shall appear—His origin, His country,
His time, His life, His doctrine, His acts, and other things
which are the traits of the true Messiah.

It is equally manifest, and established in a thousand
writings, that the characteristics, by which, according to the
Old Testament, we are to recognise the Messiah, were
realised in Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews crucified, and
that there is not a word in the Mosaic law, the prophets and
the Psalms, which does not refer to the Messiah. The
figures of the Old Testament accord not only with the
person of Jesus of Nazareth, but also to the deeds accom-
plished by the Church after His death.

We must, then, demand of the Jews if Jesus is the true
Messiah or not: if He is the true Messiah, why do they not
follow Him and embrace Christianity, since God has com-
manded them to follow the Messiah? If Jesus is not
the Messiah, how is it that God, after having promised that
He would send the Holy of Holies, whose character He
described, and whom all should follow: how is it, we ask,
that He has permitted these predictions to be accomplished
in the person of someone else? For if Jesus be not the

226 BOOK FOURTH.

Messiah expected by the Jews with so much desire, we must
admit one of these three hypotheses: either that God did
not know that Jesus would come, in whom all that He had
predicted should be accomplished ; or, knowing it, He could
not prevent it ; or, if He could, He would not.

Now, it would be foolish to admit either of these propo-
sitions, for if God knew it and could hinder it, why did He
not wish to do so? Is it possible that God could deceive
us? But the Christians cannot be blamed by the Jews for ~
following Jesus of Nazareth, seeing that all the sacred
oracles, all the figures of the Old Testament are more
adapted to him than any other. |

For if He is not the Messiah, it is in vain that we wait
for another, for it would be a folly to believe that a Messiah
like unto Him could again be given. Let the Jews think in
good faith of the Old Testament, and of what has been done
by Jesus Christ through His Church. If a new Messiah
were to come, as they expect, what Divine sign could they
find in him that they may not find in Jesus of Nazareth?
If they were not hardened on account of their perfidy they
would recognise that these things are clearer than the day ;
besides, the time predicted in the Holy Scriptures touching
the coming of the Messiah has passed a long time, and if it
be not Christ, there has not appeared any other Messiah to
whom the prophecies may be applied. Then Jesus of
Nazareth must be the Messiah expected; for either the
Scriptures are false—a supposition which even the Jews
would repel—or, in recognising the truth of the Scriptures,
we must recognise Jesus as the Messiah.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 227
Nat ales shel RRMA Lie TRIS ok A A OE ROD SADR er BE SO ad

That the time has already passed is evident; for first that
prophecy of Jacob is noteworthy: ‘The sceptre shall not
pass from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until
Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the
people be” (Gen. xlix. 10); or, according to the Chaldee
version, which has the greater authority amongst the Jews,
“until the JZessiah come.” We read also in the ninth
chapter of Daniel—‘“‘ Seventy weeks are determined upon
thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the trans-
gression, and to make an end of sins, and to make
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting
righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and
to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be
seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall]
be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And
after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but
not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall
come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary ; and the end
thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war
desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the
week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it
desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined
shall be poured upon the desolate.”

By these words we can easily know that Jesus is the true
Messiah, because those weeks have passed away a long

Cre

228 BOOK FOURTH.

time ago, and no one, up to this time since, has appeared
to whom the words would apply but Jesus Christ, for in the
Holy Scriptures, the word week, signifies either seven days
or seven years, as we may see, Leviticus xxii. and xxv.
Then seventy weeks would give 490 years, but from the
time of Daniel to our day more than four times the number
of years have rolled by. And if the Jews say that Daniel
attached any other sense to the word “week” than that in
Leviticus, we demand of them what space of time they
understand, and if they cannot invoke the Scriptures they
must rest convinced either of error or of bad faith. For if
the word in this passage had an isolated and new sense
which Daniel had omitted to notice, the prophecy of the
seventy weeks would then be useless, and a cause of error
to all who search after the truth.

But since, according to all legitimate and unanimous
interpretation, the time predicted has passed, it follows that
the Messiah has come, and no one can reply with truth that
the Christ who was to come was expected at a time umde-
termined after the weeks enumerated by Daniel, because the
prophet would then have determined nothing certain con-
cerning the circumstances of the coming of the Messiah, but
he says clearly—‘ From the going forth of the command-
ment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah
the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two
weeks.” And then a little further—‘ And he shall confirm
the covenant with many for one week : and in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease,”

VO LRM GET OF TRE CROSS. 229

Certainly the words of this prophecy cannot. be applied
to any one more appropriately than to Jesus Christ.
Whence it follows that it was made concerning Him, other-
wise, God himself, as we have already said, would have been
the cause of our error if He had permitted, though able to
prevent it, that this prophecy should be applied to another
than the true Messiah.

In fine, Jesus came to dissipate errors and to conduct
men to virtue and happiness, and this He did by the preaching
of His Apostles; and it is therefore justly said, ‘‘ Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy
city,” because the Apostles first preached to the Jews, “to
finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins.” Now
- all these things have been accomplished, and as though the
lips of the prophet only moved to speak of Jesus, the text
adds with reason—“ And to seal up the vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the most Holy,” that is, that Jesus Christ, who
was the Holiest of the holy, might be anointed by the Holy
Spirit. |

But because different memorable events were to take
place at the same time, the prophet makes an exact enu-
meration of them. First, he mentions seven weeks, because
during the course of these years the temple and city were
rebuilt with great difficulty, as we read in Ezra and
Nehemiah. Secondly, he reckons sixty-two weeks, during
which the Jews were oppressed, as we read in the history of
the Maccabees. Thirdly, he reckons one week (seven years),
because Jesus commenced preaching at the beginning of
that period, and was put to death in the middle, having

230 BOOK FOURTH.

preached three years and a half. Then the Apostles preached
the Gospel to the people, announcing that the victims and
sacrifices which prefigured Christ were no longer necessary,
and should not be offered, because the figure should cease in
presence of the reality, and the prophecy says clearly—
‘Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth
of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three
score and two weeks,” because at the end of these weeks and
at the commencement of the seventieth, Christ began to
preach and reveal himself to the people, and the Jews began
to contrive His death, and executed Him in the middle of
the week (seven years) ; and because, in the presence of
Pilate the Jews themselves denied Him, saying, “ We will
have no king but Cesar,” they were justly reproved by God,
who punished the crime and called in their place the
Gentiles: that is why the prophet says, “And the people
of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary” (the Roman people under Vespasian
and Titus) ; and, in fine, the text goes on to show us the
Jews for ever dispersed and sold, and the city destroyed
as well as the temple; ‘‘and the end thereof shall be
with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are
determined.” |

But God had promised to patriarchs and prophets to send
the Messiah, who opening to them the kingdom of heaven,
should preach a new law, as it is said in the 31st chapter of
Jeremiah, “ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 231

the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I
made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the
hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my
covenant they brake: but this shall be the covenant, I will
put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” This
is why Daniel adds, “And he shall confirm ”—that is, by
His blood and the preaching of the Apostles—‘‘the covenant”
—that is, the New Testament—“ to many,’—not to all, be-
cause all have not believed—“ in a week, and in the middle
of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease,” because in the middle of that (prophetic) week Jesus
Christ was put to death—He whom all the sacrifices of
the ancient law prefigured, by whom the darkness shall
vanish when the light appears. God permits also that the
ancient temple, henceforth of no use, should be profaned,
and finally utterly destroyed. That is why we read again,
“‘ And for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make
it desolate.” In fact, in the very spot where the Ark of
the Covenant rested, they raised the statue of the Emperor
Adrian.

This is what Daniel calls abomination, because an idol was
so called by the Jews ; or one may say that the term abom-
ination applies to the sacrifices of the law, which had become
an abomination in the eyes of God. In fine, as the Jews
were not to be converted to Christ till the end of the world,
Daniel concludes in these terms, ‘‘even until the consum-
mation,”—which is equally confirmed by Hosea: “ For the
children of Israel shall abide many days without a king,

232 BOOK FOURTH.

and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without
an image, and without an ephod, and. without teraphim :
after which shall the children of Israel return, and seek the
Lord their God, and David their king (Christ, the Son of
David, their king) ; and they shall fear the Lord and His
goodness in the latter days.”

See, then, with what facility and what justice we explain
this prophecy, and apply it to Jesus of Nazareth ; and it is
so with other prophecies, if anyone will read them atten-
tively.

But to return to our subject : it is manifest that the time
of the advent of the Messiah has long passed. The quali-
fication of Messiahship, not being applicable to Jesus of |
Nazareth, the period indicated by the Divine oracles having
passed, and the various occasions mentioned by Jewish
doctors having deceived them, it is folly and impiety in the.
Jews to expect another Messiah.

Their last captivity proves the same thing, if in considering
all the events of their history, we compare this last captivity
with that of Babylon, so often predicted by the prophets.

In fact, they themselves affirm in their books that the
Babylonian captivity was the result of their crimes, their
innumerable vices, especially their idolatry—that greatest of
all vices. Their chiefs, their prophets, their holy men, as-.
sembled together to console them in that captivity
with the promise that, according to the prophets, it could
only endure for 70 years; but their last captivity has already
lasted more than fifteen centuries (1452-1498), during which
time, deprived of all Divine consolation, they have had |

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 233

neither chiefs, prophets, nor saints, who have ventured to
predict to them the end of this captivity. However, they
cannot find in idolatry the cause of this affliction, since
after the Babylonian exile, with the exception of some,
among whom were the Maccabees, the Jews have not been
guilty of that crime.

What, then, is the cause of the Divine anger against
them? Whence comes it that, dispersed over the world,
they are the despised and hated of all peoples, and that
they drag after them this heavy chain of expiation? Why
is it?

O, Jews! ye are dispersed in order that ye might bear
everywhere in your writings the testimony that our Christ
was the Messiah, for other peoples may regard us as sus-
pected witnesses of the truth.

Why is it that, fifteen centuries after the destruction of
Jerusalem, you wander over the world hateful to all nations,
are still under the yoke of suffering and outrage? What is
the cause of the Divine anger against you? Why does not
the God of mercy cast a look of pity, after so long an ex-
piation, upon that chosen race whom He so consecrated ?
How is it that, after their crimes, their idolatry, the Jews only
suffered a captivity of 70 years, under which they were
sustained and consoled by the oracles of the prophets’;
and now, after this long captivity, no Divine consolation
supports them in their miserable condition? They are, then,
guilty of a greater crime even than idolatry! For what
crime can be greater than to contemn, persecute, and kill
the Messiah, who was promised to them? Let them, then,

234 BOOK FOURTH.

in spite of all their misfortunes, confess that this Jesus, upon

whom they heaped so many outrages, was their true Messiah.
And, as we can no longer find a holiness or a love of

Divine worship amongst them equal to their love of gold,
so are they deprived of all prophecy, of every sign which
proves that God is with them; and, as on the other hand,
they may see amongst the Gentiles numberless works of
holiness, it is manifest that that prophecy of Malachi is
accomplished :—

“I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of Hosts,
neither will I accept an offering at your hand ; for from the
rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my
name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place
incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering ;
for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the
Lord of Hosts.” (Ch. i. ro, 11.)

Therefore, if God be not with the Gentiles, it would
follow that, since He has abandoned the Jews, He no longer
exerts His providence on earth, which is absurd.

In the same manner, if God does not neglect small things,
He neglects much less great things. Now, by the mouth of
the prophets, He has predicted things much less great than
those which have been done on earth by Christ and His
Apostles. In fact, we have prophecies relating to the
smallest kingdoms, like those concerning the Idumeans,
the Moabites, the Ammonites, and others. It would, then, be
very astonishing if nothing had been predicted conceming
the admirable works of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, who
have changed the face of the world; and that all the evils

LHE- TRIUMPH OF |THE CROSS. 235
which strangers have done to the Jews have been so pre-
dicted with great exactness. For what people has caused
the Jews more evil than the Christian empire? If there
had never been any mention of that empire, it is in vain
that the prophets in the least things had warned them
with so much solicitude, and kept silence upon the greater
perils which menaced their religion and national existence.

Therefore, it is impossible not to acknowledge that the
prophets have spoken of Jesus Christ and His works. This,
too, becomes more striking if we attentively read the Scrip-
tures and the deeds of Christ, for we shall see that the pro-
phecies can only apply to Him: therefore Christ is the
true Messiah, unless we admit, which would be thoroughly
impious and absurd, that God has deceived us.

Once more, we see in the history of the Jews that God,
before the coming of Christ, did marvels for them beyond
number, such as we can find nowhere else. Now, Christ
having come, and the Jews having rejected Him, God has
withdrawn His hand from them and deprived them of all
grace, which is proved by their blindness; for after they
despised the truth, their Talmud science is but a tissue of
fables and falsehoods. And in the explication of the Holy
Scriptures, the inveterate habit they had contracted of falsi-
fying the truth, hindered them from any sense of shame of
the most manifest errors. What shall I say? Licence in
error and falsehood has become so familiar to them that they
seem to glory in their temerity and persistent obstinacy.

We might have brought many more arguments against
them, but because the truth has been sufficiently exposed by

236 BOOK FOURTH.

many learned men, we shall content ourselves with these
reasons, which, joined to those given in the second book,
prove in the most certain manner that Jesus of Nazareth is

the true God, true Messiah, in whom both law and prophecy
ceased.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 237

PRP ries ts ere ee 2 ee

CHAPTER VI.

THAT THE DOCTRINE OF THE HERETICS IS FALSE, EVIL,
PERVERSE, AND CORRUPT.

E must now combat and dispute against heretics,

who, although they confess the same Jesus Christ
and the same Gospel as we, yet are plunged in a thousand
errors. It would be too long and too tiresome to review
their errors in detail: they have been well refuted by the
orthodox fathers ; but we shall direct our attack generally.
We shall prove, then, in the first place, that the Church of
Jesus Christ must necessarily be governed by one sole chief.
If heretics, in effect, believe that the Divine providence
_ governs the world, and especially His Church, for which He
has done so many things, they must also confess that that
kind of government—by one alone—is the best that can be
imagined, since it has been established and ordained by Him
who governs at once the heavens and the earth. The
government of one, then, is better, since the multitude is
more effectually united and ruled by one chief than by
many, and because that union is no other thing than peace
—the true end of a well-established government. There-
fore, since the government of the Church is greater and

238 BOOK FOURTH.

better than all, it is necessary that the Church should be
governed by one alone.

And, besides, the government of inferior things naturally
follows that of superior, which makes it the more perfect, as
it is nearer: therefore the government of the Church mili-
tant, which follows step by step that of the Church trium-
phant, should only belong to one alone, as the elect in
heaven have only one God as governor.

And we know, further, that supernatural things are better
ordered than natural; therefore when we see that even
natural things, when they have any form of government, are
always under the authority of one—just as with the bees
the empire belongs only to one queen, and in the members.
of a human body which are ruled and governed by the
heart. Then, since the government of the Church is most
excellent, it should have only one chief.

Further, all the heretics are in accord with us as to what
concerns the New Testament alone, or as to what concerns.
the Old and New Testament together, though they may not
agree amongst themselves nor with us upon the interpretation
of Scripture. Now, in the two Testaments, we find it or-
dained that there shall only. be one chief in the Church.
Do you not know what God formerly ordered upon this
point by the prophet Hosea? “Then shall the children of
Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and
appoint themselves one head.” (Hos. i. 11.) The Saviour
Himself says, in St. John, “ There shall be one fold and
one shepherd.” (John x. 16. Now, it cannot be denied
that Jesus Christ was the Head of the Church, and when

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 239

He ascended to heaven He would not leave the Church
without any other chief than Himself, seeing that in such a
case it would become a prey to divisions, confusion, and
disorder ; and therefore He said to Peter, ‘‘Feed my sheep.”
“ Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I build my church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” And
again, “‘I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven;”* from which we may see
clearly that Jesus Christ established Peter as His vicar upon
earth, and promised that His Church should continue to the
end of the world. “Lo! I am with you alway even unto
the end of the world.” What the prophet Isaiah had
already said, “ He shall sit on the throne of David,” &c.

As to the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Church
militant, it will not only continue to the end of the world,
for after the world shall be renewed, it shall continue for
ever in heaven in the Church triumphant.

Therefore, since the heretics, after combating against the
Church, have always fallen in the fight, and their sects and
false doctrines have been dispersed and beaten down, it is
clear that their assemblies and reunions are not, and never
have been, the true Church: that their doctrine does not
come from God, as their lives, soiled and blackened by sin,
clearly show. Nor have their chiefs ever been honoured

* In allusion to the custom of Jewish Rabbis, who, when they settled disputed
points of law, ‘‘ bound” it or “loosed ”’ it, as the case may be. The two Talmuds
are full of instances of dissension: one Rabbi ‘“‘ bound”? a certain case ; another
Rabbi “loosed it.”

240 BOOK FOURTH.

like the saints of the Church. Their books, too, are full of
errors, and manifest vanities contrary not only to the Scrip-
tures, but to natural reason and sound philosophy. There-
fore, their doctrine cannot come from God. But we have
said sufficient upon this point, and our doctors have com-
pletely refuted the heretics.

THE TRAUMPH. OF THE CROSS. 241

GHAPT ER OVIE

THE SECT OF MAHOMETANS IS ALTOGETHER UNREASONABLE.

HE Mahometans, placed in some measure between the

Jews and heretics, practise on the one hand circum-
cision, and on the other gather together from all sides the
old heresies, so that we can easily refute them. For those
who frequent them, who live amongst them, who know their
form of religion, and who read their Koran, soon remark
the error and vanity of Mahomet and his followers.

In fact, all religion must proceed from natural or super-
natural ight. Now, Mahometanism proceeds from neither
one nor the other, and every man only a little versed in
philosophy will refute it easily. Mahomet also was very
ignorant and incapable, or he would not have composed the
Koran in so confused a manner that no one can restore it to
order—a manifest sign of ignorance and want of judgment.
There are also in the Koran so many fables and so many
discourses contrary to modesty, that our time would be
better employed in deriding than refuting them.

Therefore, Mahometanism being contrary to the light of ©
nature, cannot come from that light ; and it certainly does
not come from any supernatural light, for whatever is con-

242 BOOK FOURTH.

_—_ ns eee

trary to the light of nature is also contrary to supernatural
light.

Further, whatever starts from a bad principle, rarely at-
tains to any good end. Now, Mahometanism issued from
Mahomet, who, according to history, was a man of false
spirit, a villain, an adulterer, and a devastator. Being sub-
ject to the falling sickness, he had repeated attacks, and fell
before all the people. When they enquired the cause of this
falling, he replied that it took place at the moment when an
angel visited him and spoke to him. Thus heconcealed his
weakness by a vile imposture.

But this man managed to collect around him, more: by
force and stratagem than by reason, a strong body of men
—thieves, criminals, base. and ignorant men—and by their
aid he subdued a number of tribes, whom he compelled to
adopt his corrupt manners and his erroneous dogmas.
Such an origin was neither from God, nor could it lead to
any good end.

This is not all: the Mahometans everywhere in the Koran
profess a great respect for the two Testaments : they honour
Christ ; they regard Him as a great prophet, born of a virgin.
How comes it then that they were so absurd as to approve

in one place what they denied in another? Affirming the,

Christian doctrine, and following one opposed to it? Their
excuse is ridiculous: they say, “You have corrupted the
Old and New Testament.” But where is the proof? The
different versions, the Hebrew text, the Greek, the Latin,
those even in Oriental idioms, have been preserved in all
places and through all times in integrity and conformity ?

pe eS Ue

LHIN TRIO MEE OT THES CROSS, 243

Whence comes this marvellous concord? or, rather, how
could a corruption of texts become so general in spite of the
different idioms, the multiplicity of peoples, times, and
manners. Certainly, the accord of texts and versions is
rather the proof that the Koran is but a tissue of fables and
falsehoods, compiled from the Holy Scriptures and by alter-
ing the true sense.

True religion has for its enda pure and humble life : it is
co-ordained to this end by purity of heart and contemplation
of truth. But Mahometanism, a sect altogether earthly in
its desires, only aspires after riches, without occupying itself
with the true happiness ; and after this life it only promises
to its adherents gross pleasures of sense. The entire context
of the Koran proves that its subject is not merely metaphor,
but that Mahomet has spoken in a literal sense, and knew
well how to circulate his lying promises—an additional
proof of the falsehood of his religion.

There is nothing Divine in Mahometanism, nothing
admirable which can persuade us it comes from God. It
does not, like Christianity, rely upon miracles. Mahomet
said himself that Christ received power to work miracles to
convert the world; but as for himself, God had armed him
with a sword to submit all people to the faith of the Koran,
and to make, as a sacrifice to God, an inconceivable mixture
of tyranny and voluptuousness. The greatest merit among
the Mahometans is to say, “God is God, and Mahomet is
His prophet.”” The Koran repeats, unceasingly, “God is
great,” “God is powerful,” and other things equally well
known.

| Rane

244 : BOOK FOURTH.

Mahometanism has not had great men, properly speaking,
no sacred writer, no prophet, no saint, but only fanatics who
beat themselves, and commit a thousand extravagances
which the vulgar admire, but which contain no knowledge
of Divine things.

Mahomet contradicts and belies himself even to declare
that he does not know whether he and his followers are in the
way of salvation, and no one in the world can understand
his law. Therefore, professing an unintelligible law, and
leaving men in doubt about their salvation, I am surprised
that Mahomet had not been stoned by the people in hatred
of a law which authorised nothing, neither miracles, nor
virtues. We can only deride it.

Would to God it were possible to go and preach the
truth to the Mahometans ; for I am sure it would be easy
to convince them of error and impiety. But Mahomet,
with a singular stratagem, has provided against this danger
by forbidding, under pain of death, what he could not
forbid with any reason.

But some may think it astonishing that, in spite of the
Christian law in the world, the law of Mahomet would be
‘ established, and should even detach a great number of men
from the Christian religion. ‘‘ Does it not appear,” they
say, ‘that Mahomet has triumphed over the Son of God?”
Perhaps even his followers may say that God is with them,
and that their belief is good since their reign has continued
so long. And, indeed, itis an argument which has troubled
the head of many Christians not well assured in the faith.
But we reply to all this that that reason cannot vanquish,

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 245

nor in any way diminish, what we have already said when
we proved that Jesus Christ is very God, and that the
Christian faith and religion are the true faith and religion,
from which we can never depart for such a’foolish argument,
seeing that we can discover, neither in the law of Mahomet
nor in any other, a better life, nor more excellent principles,
than in the Christian religion. We may add, that if the
argument of Mahomet were conclusive, we should be com-
pelled to say also that the devil is better than Jesus Christ,
because he has won to his empire more men than Jesus
Christ and Mahomet. Thus we should follow the impiety
of the wicked rather than the piety and devotion of just men,
seeing that the number of bad men is greater than the good.
Certainly it is a fine argument to prefer Mahomet to Jesus
Christ because he has subdued so many people by the
sword! It isa fine thing to place oneself under a brutal
and unreasonable law! Our religion certainly has no such
proofs ; it has not been established in that way. But it is
not surprising that only a small number follow Jesus,
because He commands men to live well, and to suffer death
for invisible benefits. If that proof in favour of Mahomet
were good, it would subvert not only all supernatural
doctrine, but philosophy itself, because then it would be
necessary to say that good is evil, and truth is false, and
light is only darkness. Certainly, if what the majority of
men believe is true, I do not know how the world subsists,
since those who live according to reason are so few in
number. In fine, we shall reply that as Jesus Christ has
always permitted that those who do not walk in the truth

246 BOOK FOURTH.

should freely lose themselves, He has also permitted
Mahomet to corrupt so many people, on account of their
sins. And we believe also that if God had so willed, and if
the sins of men had not provoked Him, Mahomet would
never have perverted so many poor souls. In fact, if Jesus
Christ, when He was not well known to men, and the
world was filled with idolatry, could gain men to His love,
and subject them to His law, by prodigies unheard of and
without the aid of force, how much more could He not do
now that He reigns in glory and the whole world recognises
his empire! But He has, as we have said, tolerated this
error and this evil on account of the sins of the world.
Besides, it is not a thing contrary, but conformable to the
faith that only a small number should be worthy of the
name of Christian, and that many should reject the Gospel,
seeing that Jesus Christ himself said, ‘‘ For many are called,
but few are chosen.”

But in fact the Church now increases and now diminishes.
We all have free will; and God, who forces no one to do
well, draws us only to Himself by love, by gentleness, by
the promise of eternal felicity ;* whilst he reserves for the
wicked infinite punishment. Therefore did God say to the

* Baur, in his excellent work, ‘‘ The Christian Element in Plato; or, Socratesand
Christ,” where he speaks of the infinite advantage of Christianity over Platonism,

uses almost the same words.—‘‘ Im Naturleben ist es das unauflésliche Band der -

Nothwendigkeit, welches die Umlenkung bewirkt, aber das Menschenleben folgt den
sanften Zug einer vom Himmel stammenden und zum Himmel fiihrenden Liebe, da
der Grundzug aller Liebe das Begehren, des Guten ist, auf Gott, das héchste Gut
geht.”’ ‘In the life of Nature it is the indissoluble bond of necessity which operates :
but the life of man follows the gentle dvawing of a heaven-descending heaven-
ending love ; for the principle of all love, the desire of good, mounts up to God, the
Highest Good,’”’—‘‘ Das Christliche im Platonisms Tubingen,” 1837, p. 4.

Lilt Mri OF 2 AE: CROSS. 247

prophet Isaiah, “‘ Make the heart of this people fat and
make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with
their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart, and convert, and be healed.” Such was the
first punishment inflicted upon the Jews for their sins:
blindness and obstinacy of spirit—a punishment pronounced
against them by Jesus Christ himself and by His prophets.
We read also in Holy Scripture that a great number would
abandon the faith. Jesus Christ, speaking in the Gospel of
the last days, says, ‘‘ And because iniquity shall abound, the
love of many shall wax cold.” And elsewhere, “ When the
Son of man cometh, shall he find faith still upon the
earth ?” ‘This is what the Apostle Paul expresses still more
clearly, speaking to Timothy: “ Now .the Spirit speaketh
expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of
devils.”

In short, if we read the evangelical doctrine, we shall
there find everything predicted by Jesus Christ, as we see it
happen by His permission on account of the foolish ingrati
tude and malice of men whom He has allowed to fall into
that blindness, as into the greatest of all punishments,
because it leads to eternal woe.

But someone will say, ‘‘What, is it not unjust that
children should be punished for the sins of the father? If
the Jews and Mahometans have formerly offended God,
He would punish them, but would not subject their
children and all their descendants to punishment.” But to
this we reply, that since the faith of Jesus Christ has been

248 BOOK FOURTH.

published and manifested in all the world, there is no person
who can be excused for not believing.

Children will not be punished with their fathers if they
do not follow the sins of their fathers. Men are inexcusable
for not having faith, since by following the light of natural
reason, and remitting their well-being and their salvation
into the hands of God, they would certainly attain to the
light of faith. For God never injures His creatures, and will
never forget to give them what they require. Still, we know
there are judgments of God impenetrable to human reason.
According to St. Paul, God has permitted that man should
be as it were shut up in incredulity, in order that he may
show mercy to all (Rom. xi. 32). The Apostle, reflecting
upon the inscrutable profound abyss of the counsels of God,
suddenly exclaims, “‘ Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways are past finding out. For who
hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counsellor ? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be
recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through
him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for ever.
Amen.”

It is also necessary to know that as Jesus Christ has pre-
dicted these future evils, He has also predicted that His
Church shall continue always, “For lo! I am with you
alway, even unto the end of the world.” In the same way,
then, as we have seen that He has announced the evils that
shall come upon the world, we must also believe, without
hesitation, that the good He has prophesied will endure as

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 249

long as the evil: for the Church is built upon a sure founda-
tion, and it would be a great folly to think it will ever fall.
Therefore we hope that as God has ever punished false
Christians, he will renew His Church all over the world ;
will protect it from all dangers, and will cause that there
shall be only one shepherd and one fold. Without
doubt this blessing will not tarry, but will come, and the
bark of St. Peter will always float upon the waters, some-
times with a tranquil sea and sometimes the contrary, until
the day of judgment. But the law of Mahomet being
founded neither upon natural reason nor Divine, having no
support but force and the terror of arms, cannot endure
long ; for that which is violent is not durable.

250 BOOK FOURTH.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CHRISTIAN, RELIGION IS TRUE IN EVERY POINT.
ITS STABILITY.

ot CE, as we have said, every religion arises and pro-
ceeds either from natural or supernatural light, or from
both, if there should be found any other religion or supersti-
tion, it must be placed in the number of those we have already
mentioned, and be refuted upon the same principles. -To
resume, then, and to call to mind what we have said con-
cerning all these old sects, heresies, and superstitions, we
repeat that every religion which proceeds only from natural
light, or from true principles of natural reason, is nothing
else than the religion of philosophers, which, as we have
proved, is insufficient for salvation. We say, still, that there
are other religions born from false principles, from things of
nature or false principles invented by demons. In the first
case we have to combat astrology, an error already refuted ;
in the second, idolatry, invented by the father of lies, which
we have also vanquished and condemned for sufficient
reasons.

Further, there are in the world supernatural religions such
as those founded upon the Old and New Testaments. The
one, which is the error of the Jews, wishing to repose only

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. QnA

upon the Old Testament, has also been refuted by us; the
other, perverting the texts and changing the sense of the
New Testament, constitutes the heresies. A third religion,
in fine, Mahometanism, confounds and rejects altogether
the two Testaments. The Christian religion alone is
founded upon both, and embraces at once natural and
supernatural truths. |

Therefore, since these are all the religions of the world,
and that the Christian religion is elevated above them by
reason, miracles, and virtue, as the heavens are raised above
the earth, without doubt that religion is the true religion, the
asylum and sure haven of salvation.

But if anyone should object that a better religion may one
day appear upon the earth and detract from the Christian
faith, we reply that, as the Christian religion is incontestably
the best, we must, without hesitation, follow that until a
better appears; and further, as there is no reason to
believe nor think that any better religion can ever appear in
the world, seeing that we can find no better end, no surer
means, no more perfect life, no greater things, no more
admirable than in Christianity, it is utterly impossible that
any better religion can ever appear.

But, supposing that a better religion than Christianity
may appear, it does not follow that it would condemn or
vanquish Christianity. For this, as we have already shown
in our second book, taking its source in supernatural light,
can only be from God: it has produced so much good in
the world ; it has operated so many marvels that God alone
can be its author. ' Christianity, then, is in the utmost

252 BOOK FOURTH.

possible degree in conformity with the wisest principles of
reason which also comes from God. ‘Therefore, if a new
religion should appear in the world better and more perfect
than Christianity, whether it depended upon reason alone or
had issued from supernatural light, it could not be contrary
to Christianity. Then, since truth is in accord with truth, a
religion coming from God could not be opposed to Chris-
tianity. Both would be from God—the source ofthe double
light of nature and grace, in which contradiction cannot
exist, and which never teaches at one time what is true and
at another what is false. Perish the blasphemy which
would impute falsehood and imposture to God! Our mind
is utterly unable to find the truth if it can only be found in
the: presence of contrary reasons equally solid. Now, if con-
trary reasons come from God, He would be the cause of our
inability to find the truth, which is repugnant to God. If,
therefore, our religion, the issue of supernatural light, is at
the same time conformable to reason, it must be in harmony
with every true belief, whatever it may be.

2
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Mer ee AOAC ie OME ELL Le CROSS 253

CHAPTER IX.
EPILOGUE AND CONCLUSION.

N order to impart force to what we have said, we shall
if resume our work in a short epilogue. We say, then,
that Christians are not lightly, but very prudently borne, to
believe and preserve the belief in Jesus Christ; for it is the
mark of a wise man to believe that there is one God, that
is to say, a prime mover, a first cause of all things, after
considering the immense grandeur and admirable order of
the universe: seeing that all things receive motion from no
one else, it is necessary to conclude the existence of a
prime mover. And as spirit is more noble than body—
God being the most noble Being—a spirit, a simple sub-
stance and an independent existence, it follows that He is
perfection itself, the supreme good and infinite power: He
is alone God—eternal and immutable.

And as we believe that the more the nobler things are
elevated above matter they are the richer in knowledge, we
cannot therefore deny that the intelligence and knowledge
of God are greater, and the freedom with which He
operates without any necessity of nature is the property of
His will. If, therefore, God operates all things, even the
least, solely by His intelligence and will, He is the Provi-

264 BOOK FOURTH.
dence of all things, and especially of man, for whom He has
created that which is called Nature. It is, therefore, the
prerogative of God to conduct man to his proper end,
which consists in the contemplation and meditation of Divine
things, as we have proved above.

This meditation, with the grace of God, conducts us to
the blessedness and true felicity which cannot exist here, and
this reason compels us to confess and to wait for another
life, and to believe that our soul is immortal and the form of
our body. Without this we shall never avoid the crowd of
inconveniences which will ensue, as we have shown.

Considering, therefore, the order established in Nature, it
results that the faith says nothing of God and the felicity of
man, which is not full of reason and prudence.

If we place, then, before our eyes the Triumph of the
Cross, which we have so carefully delineated in this work,
we shall suddenly comprehend how Christians believe and
embrace so holily the Cross of the Redeemer. Also, we
shall have no doubt that there is not any other religion in
the world, true and holy, since men are veritably inclined
towards the worship and service of God as to the sole means
of arriving at eternal glory.

Now, since the end of this worship is a good life, and that
a good life is the essence of the worship in which God is
perfectly honoured ; since we can find in the world no
other better life than that of the Christian, we must conclude
that the Christian religion is the true religion, and that in it
is found the true worship by which men are happily
conducted to celestial blessedness.

eS a ee

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. 256

Should it appear to anyone that it is an arduous and
difficult thing to believe that Jesus Christ crucified is God
and man, we say to him, Think in your conscience; for if
this is an error, this faith and this belief would not be able
to produce, to foment, to nourish and increase the Christian
life, filled as it is with a perfection which elevates it above
all other beliefs.

We see also that the Old and New Testaments, upon
which we repose our faith, can only come from God, since
the things which they contain in their predictions have been
accomplished, and that their doctrine has produced in the
world such great fruit of light and virtue. And truly if the
faith were vain or false, would not its error appear to those
who have a pure soul ?—above all, to those who pray, when
they meditate on Divine things? Besides, would the
exterior worship render man more perfect in proportion as
they use it with more zeal? and would this worship make
the wicked worse when they use it irreverently, if the faith
were false? Certainly if the faith were false, so would it not
be the cause of such joy, such peace, such liberty in the
heart and understanding of men, so that they find even
affliction sweet, agreeable, and delightful.

This pure piety would not be seen depicted on their
faces so simply—it would not make them venerable to all
the world, nor would it give them the mysterious power to
_draw men to the piety and holy life of Christians.

If we consider the power that Jesus Christ has employed
to surmount so many gods, emperors, kings, tyrants,
philosophers, and heretics; to subjugate, without arms,

256 BOOK FOURTH. :

without riches, without help of human wisdom, so many
barbarous nations ; if we represent to ourselves the faith,
constancy, and firmness of so many saints martyred for the
Christian faith ; the admirable wisdom used by Jesus Christ
to illuminate in so short a time the whole world with the
splendours of truth, and to purify it from the pollution of
so many crimes and errors; if we add to all this, the con-
sideration of His immense kindness , by means of which He
has attracted to His love an infinite number of men, who,
not content with despising perishable things, have wished
to suffer death rather than yield a single iota of their faith—
we shall be compelled to confess the divinity of Chris-
tianity. Whatman, what God, other than Jesus Christ, has
ever accomplished anything like it?

Now, if Jesus Christ has done all these things without
miracle, it is the greatest of all miracles; and if He has
accomplished them by miracles His religion is Divine.

After this, if we consider with attention the doctrine of
Christ, we shall find in it nothing contrary to reason—for
the mystery of the Trinity, which it confesses, is itself
imprinted upon creatures in figure and in life: itis, besides,
reasonable to believe that God has created all things, since
it is necessary to admit an efficient cause. Still more:
man being destined to happiness, we justly believe in the
justification and glorification of souls ; and that the soul, by
a natural inclination which impels it to unite itself with the
body, desiring, naturally, to be reunited with it; the faith
admits, therefore, the resurrection of the body.

We maintain, also, that the Incarnation, possible to the

Utila) RLU ee Ole IPs CROSS: 257

power of God, was especially useful, and even necessary to
the illumination and conduct of men, to show them the true
road to felicity, and to fully satisfy the justice of God the
Father for the sins of men. Then, with right, the Son of
God wished to be born of a virgin, to die on the cross, in
order to pay our debts, and to prove, by His example, that it
is not necessary to fear death when the justice of God and
the salvation of souls are concerned. In fine, Jesus Christ
rose also to confirm us in the hope of the resurrection, and
has been constituted the Judge of the living and the dead,
because He had been condemned unjustly to death by
wicked judges. Therefore, the Christian faith contains
nothing repugnant to reason.

As to that which is called morality and discipline, Christ-
ianity is not less safe nor less reasonable, since the life it
proposes and ordains is the most perfect of all, and there is
nothing unreasonable nor absurd in the ceremonies of the
Church. Certainly, the holy life which comes from the
devout observation of these ceremonials, sufficiently proves
it. What religion, then, in the world, can be established on
such solid foundations ?

The philosophers did not sufficiently comprehend the
true end of life; the astrologers lost themselves in the
midst of a thousand superstitions; the idolaters had no
truth nor modesty ; the Jews are confounded by their own
prophets and by the captivity to which they are now
reduced ; the heretics bear in their many divisions the proof
of their errors; Mahometanism falls before the attack of a
simple philosophy ; Christianity alone remains, confirmed

258 BOOK POCKIA:

and ratified by the double power and double light of nature
and grace—by the holy life of Christians—by wisdom, works,
and miracles, which nourish the mind: therefore it is
Divine. What man will not embrace that religion? Who
will attack it without folly? Approved by God, preserved
through so many centuries, maintained in spite of persecu-
tions, sealed by the blood of martyrs: yes, that faith is
Divine! If, then, we have not lost all our understanding,
we must believe that the faith of Jesus Christ is the true
faith ; that there is another life where we shall appear in
person before the tribunal of that formidable Judge, who
will place the wicked on His left hand, in torments,. like
impure goats, and the good on His right hand, in felicity,
like sacred sheep, and will give them the privilege of seeing
God face to face—God Triune and One, immense, ineffable—
in whom the saints will eternally possess all blessedness, by
the grace of the invincible and triumphant Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, to whom be honour, power, empire, and
glory, through ages of ages. Amen.

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Long Parliament to the Death of Oliver Cromwell. By
JOHN STOUGHTON. Author of “Ages of Christendom
before the Reformation,” etc.

London: HODDER & STOUGHTON, 27, Paternoster Row.

Crown 8vo., price 5s. cloth.

REMARKABLE FACTS: Illustrative and Confirmatory
of Different Portions of Holy Scripture. By the late
J. LEIFCHILD, D.D.

In crown 8vo., 3s. 6d. cloth.

REMOTER ‘STARS IN THE CHURCH SKY¥eua
Gallery of Uncelebrated Divines. By GEORGE GILFILLAN.

WORKS BY THE REV. CHARLES STANFORD.

“Mr. Stanford has an order of mind, and has acquired habits
of study, eminently adapting him to be a teacher of wise and
thoughtful men.”—Lvangelical Magazine.

I.
SYMBOLS OF CHRIST. Crown 8vo., 7s. cloth:
Eh.
CENTRAL TRUTHS. Cheap Edition, 3s. 6d., cloth.
IIl.

INSTRUMENTAL STRENGTH. Thoughts for Students
and Pastors. Crown 8vo., cloth limp, Is.
IV.
POWER IN WEAKNESS. Memorials of the Rev.
WILLIAM RHODES. Second Edition, cloth limp, 2s.
AA
JOSEPH ALLEINE: His Companions and Times. Cheap
issue. Second thousand, crown 8vo., 4s. 6d.
VS
SECRET PRAYER. Tenth Thousand. ed.
VII.
FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD. Eighth Thousand. 2d.

LONDON: HODDER & STOUGHTON, 27, Paternoster Row.

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