Besides which, never any miracles have been examined with greater care, or more judicially than these.  They were not miracles wrought in private, and which we are only to believe on the attestation of two or three interested persons, such who might have been surprised into an opinion of them; they were ordinarily public matters of fact, avowed by a whole city or kingdom, and which had for witnesses the body of a nation, for the most part Heathen, or Mahometan.  Many of these miracles have been of long continuance; and it was an easy matter for such who were incredulous, to satisfy their doubts concerning them.  All of them have been attended by such consequences as have confirmed their truth, beyond dispute:  such as were—­the conversions of kingdoms, and of kings, who were the greatest enemies to Christianity; the wonderful ardency of those new Christians, and the heroical constancy of their martyrs.  But after all, nothing can give a greater confirmation of the saint’s miracles, than his saint-like life; which was even more wonderful than the miracles themselves.  It was in a manner of necessity, that a man of so holy a conversation should work those things, which other men could not perform; and that, resigning himself to God, with an entire confidence and trust, in the most dangerous occasions, God should consign over to him some part of his omnipotence, for the benefit of souls.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK I.

His birth.  His natural endowments, and first studies.  His father purposes to recal him from his studies, and is diverted from that resolution.  He continues his studies, and sets up a philosophy lecture.  He is preserved from falling into heresy.  His change of life.  His retirement, and total conversion.  He consecrates himself to God, by a vow.  What happened to him in his journey to Venice.  What he did at Venice.  He goes to Rome, and from thence returns to Venice.  He prepares himself to celebrate his first mass.  He celebrates his first mass, and falls sick after it.  St Jerome appears to him.  He goes to Bolognia, and labours there with great success.  He relapses into his sickness, and yet continues preaching.  He is recalled to Rome by Father Ignatius, and labours there with great success.  The occasion of the mission into the Indies.  He is named for the mission of the Indies.  God mysteriously reveals to him his intended mission to the Indies.  He takes his leave of the Pope, and what his Holiness said to him.  He departs from Rome.  How he employed himself during his journey.  His letter to Ignatius.  Some remarkable accidents in his journey to Lisbon.  He passes by the castle of Xavier without going to it.  He arrives at Lisbon, and cures Rodriguez immediately after his coming.  He is called to court.  The manner of his life at Lisbon.  He refuses to visit his uncle, the Duke of Navarre.  The fruit of his evangelical labours.  The reputation he acquired at Lisbon.  They would retain him in Portugal.  He is permitted to go to the Indies, and the king discourses with him before his departure.  He refuses the provisions offered him for his voyage.  He goes for the Indies, and what he said to Rodriguez at parting.