“You will ordinarily meet with some Christians who believe not the truth of the holy sacrament of the altar, either by not frequenting it, or by their conversation with Pagans, Mahometans, and Heretics, or by the scandal which is given them by some Christians, and principally (which I speak with shame and sorrow) by such priests whose life is not more holy than that of the people.  For beholding some of them approaching the altar without any preparation, assisting at it without modesty and reverence, they imagine that Jesus Christ is not, as we say he is, in the sacrifice of the mass; for if he were there present, he would never suffer such impure hands to touch him.  Make it your business, that those misbelieving Christians should propose to you all their doubts, and discover to you all their imaginations, which being known, then prove to them the real presence of Jesus Christ, by all those reasons which are capable of establishing it; and shew them, that the surest means for them to come out of their errors, and leave their vices, is often to approach that sacrament, with suitable preparations to it.

“Though your penitents may be well prepared for confession, think not, when they shall declare their sins, that your business is done.  You must dive into the bottom of their conscience, and, by examination, draw out of them what themselves know not.  Ask then of them, by what ways, and in what manner, they make advantage of their money; what are their principles, and what their practice, in their sales, in their borrowing, and in all their business.  You shall find usury reigning throughout their traffic; and that they who have no stings of conscience, in relation to unjust dealings, have by indirect ways scraped together the greatest part of their estates.  But in things where money has to do, many are so hardened, that, being charged with rapine, they have either no scruple concerning it, or so very light, that it never breaks their sleep.

“Use particularly this method towards the governors, the treasurers, the receivers, and other officers belonging to the revenue.  Whensoever they present themselves before you in the sacred tribunal, interrogate that sort of people, by what means they grow so rich? what secret they have to make their offices and employments bring them in such mighty sums?  If they are shy of telling you, turn and wind them every way, and the most mildly that you can, make them speak, in spite of themselves.  You shall soon discover their tricks, and secret ways of management, by which an inconsiderable number of those they call men of business, divert, to their own private advantages, what was designed for the public profit.  They buy up commodities with the king’s money, that, by selling them again, they may be able to make up their accounts:  And by taking up all the commodities in the port, they put the people upon a necessity of buying at their price, that is, at most intolerable rates.