The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16Dryden, John
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The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16
Dryden, John
English literature
"For what remains, whatsoever you do, or in whatsoever condition of
spirit you may be, labour with all your power still to overcome yourself.
Subdue your passions, embrace what is most abhorring to your sense,
repress all natural desire of glory most especially; and spare not
yourself in that particular, till you have torn out of your heart the
very roots of pride; not only suffering yourself to be debased beneath
all men, but being glad to be despised. For hold this for certain, that,
without this humility and mortification, you can neither advance in
virtue, nor serve your neighbour as you ought, nor be acceptable to God,
nor, to conclude all, persevere in the Society of Jesus.
"Obey in all things the Father with whom you live; and however
displeasing or difficult the things may be which he commands you, perform
them with much cheerfulness, never opposing his orders, nor making any
exceptions on your part, on any account whatsoever. In fine, hearken to
him, and suffer yourself to be directed in all things by him, as if
Father Ignatius were personally present, speaking to you, and directing
you.
"With whatsoever temptations you shall find yourself assaulted, discover
them all sincerely to him who governs you; and remain persuaded, that
this is the only means of subduing them. Besides this advantage, there
accrue other spiritual profits, in making known the secret motions of
your heart; for the violence which you do to yourself, to surmount, that
natural shamefacedness which hinders you from acknowledging your
imperfections and frailties, draws down the grace of God upon you; and on
the other side, this overture, and frankness of your heart, ruins the
designs of the evil spirit, who can never do mischief but when he is in
disguise; but when once discovered, is so far disarmed, and despicably
weak, that they, for whom he lies in ambush, laugh at him."--
It was in this manner, that the holy apostle, Francis Xavier, instructed
the young men of the Society; and nothing, perhaps, could better explain
to us the great resemblance that was betwixt the souls of Xavier and
Ignatius.
At this time, there came news from Japan; and some letters reported, that
one of the kings of that island had desired some preachers to be sent to
him, by an express embassy to the viceroy of the Indies. That this king
had learnt somewhat of the Christian law, and that a strange accident had
made him desirous of knowing more. This accident was related in those
letters, after the following manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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