for nothing, in comparison of theirs.  After having related, what had been performed by Father Francis Perez in Malacca; “I confess, my brethren,” said he to Paul de Camerino and Antonio Gomez, “that, seeing these things, I am ashamed of myself; and my own lazy cowardice makes me blush, in looking on a missioner, who, infirm and languishing as he is, yet labours without intermission in the salvation of souls.”  Xavier more than once repeats the same thing in his letter, with profound sentiments of esteem for Perez, and strange contempt of his own performances.

He recommends not any thing so much to the gospel-labourers as the knowledge of themselves, and shunning of pride; and we need only to open any of his letters, to behold his opinions on that subject,

“Cultivate humility with care, in all those things which depraved nature has in horror; and make sure, by the assistance of divine grace, to gain a thorough knowledge of yourselves; for that understanding of ourselves is the mother of Christian humility.  Beware especially, lest the good opinion, which men have conceived of you, do not give you too much pleasure:  for those vain delights are apt to make us negligent; and that negligence, as it were by a kind of enchantment, destroys the humility of our hearts, and introduces pride instead of it.

“Be distrustful of your proper strength, and build nothing upon human wisdom, nor on the esteem of men, By these means you will be in condition to bear whatsoever troubles shall happen to you; for God strengthens the humble, and gives him courage; he is proof against the greatest labours, and nothing can ever separate him from the charity of Jesus Christ; not the devil with his evil angels, nor the ocean with its tempests, nor the most brutal nations with all their barbarity.  And if God sometimes permits that the devil put impediments in his way, or that the elements make war against him, he is persuaded, that it is only for the expiation of his sins, for the augmentation of his merits, and for the rendering him more humble.

“They who fervently desire to advance God’s glory, ought to humble themselves, and be nothing in their own opinion; being diffident, even in the smallest matters, of their own abilities; to the end, that in great occasions, becoming much more diffident of themselves, through a principle of Christian humility, they may entirely confide in God; and this confidence may give them resolution; for he who knows that he is assisted from above, can never degenerate into weakness.

“Whatever you undertake will be acceptable in the sight of God, if there appear in your conduct a profound humility, and that you commit the care of your reputation into his hands; for he himself will not be wanting to give you both authority and reputation with men, when they are needful for you; and when he does it not, it is from his knowledge that you will not ascribe to him that which only can proceed from him.  I comfort myself with thinking, that the sins of which you find yourselves guilty, and with which you daily upbraid your own consciences, produce in you an extreme horror of windy arrogance, and a great love of perfection; so that human praises will become your crosses, and be useful to admonish you of your failings.