The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16Dryden, John
History
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16
Dryden, John
English literature
man was come, by little and little, to himself, Xavier began to speak to
him of eternity, and of the conditions requisite to a Christian death.
This discourse threw Martinez back again into his former terrors; and the
servant of God, in this occasion, found that to be true, which he had
often said, that nothing is more difficult than to persuade a dying man
to hope well of his salvation, who in the course of his life had
flattered himself with the hopes of it, that he might sin with the
greater boldness.
Seeing the evil to be almost past remedy, he undertook to do violence to
heaven, that he might obtain for the sick man the thoughts of true
repentance, and the grace of a religious death. For he made a vow upon
the place, to say a great number of masses, in honour of the most Holy
Trinity, of the Blessed Virgin, of the angels, and some of the saints, to
whom he had a particular devotion. His vows were scarcely made, when
Martinez became calm; began to have reasonable thoughts, and received the
last sacraments, with a lively sorrow for his sins, and a tender reliance
on God's mercies; after which, he died gently in the arms of Xavier,
calling on the name of Jesus Christ.
His happy death gave great consolation to the holy man; but the apostolic
labours of Francis Perez and Roch Oliveira increased his joy. He had
sent them the year before to Malacca, there to found a college of the
Society, according to the desire of the people, and they had been very
well received. Perez had begun to open a public school, for the
instruction of the youth in learning and piety, according to the spirit
of their institute. Oliveira had wholly given himself to the ministry
of preaching, and the conduct of souls; but tying himself more especially
to the care of Turks and Jews, of which there was always a vast concourse
in the town. For the first came expressly from Mecca, and the last from
Malabar, to endeavour there to plant Mahometanism and Judaism, where
Christianity then flourished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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