to that of God, for the new church in the Philippinas
can be entrusted only to ministers with the apostolic spirit. For,
in order to persuade to the faith, the lack of miracles must be
made good by the life of the minister, which, when apostolic, is
so much the more a power, as the ability to work miracles is less;
for the force of example, and that of miracles which the apostles
had to convert the world then, must now be contained in the life of
the minister. In truth this is more important for the heathen than
are miracles, if it be what it ought. But it is impossible for the
superior who takes them in his charge to become acquainted with them
before he engages them, as there is no opportunity for that in Spana,
or hardly even to know their names; for after procuring his decrees at
court, almost all his time is necessary, up to the embarkation, to get
his ship-supplies in Sevilla and set affairs in order there. And if
he must go about seeking religious in one house and another, through
all Castilla and Aragon, as far as Barcelona, how can he have time to
become gradually acquainted with them, as he should do? Although it is
true that, if he supplies religious to this country by his authority,
when he has become acquainted with them, it is a loss to the royal
exchequer, to the amount that he has spent for them without carrying
out his Majesty's intentions; yet, if they should go on farther,
that purpose would be much less successful, and the expenses would
be greater. It is less harmful to spend some money ill, than a great
deal to the loss, perhaps, of souls, whose welfare is the object
of these expenditures. In the government of man, to attempt to flee
from difficulties is the greatest hindrance of all; accordingly, the
difficulties that may be encountered in this matter can best be avoided
by not entrusting this work to anyone except some very trustworthy
religious; then his Majesty, being thoroughly informed in regard to
him, can place entire confidence in him. For as he must do this with
men in his royal service, there is no reason why he should not do as
much here, for his agent is a priest and a religious, with greater
obligations to keep his conscience pure than has a secular minister;
nor is he ignorant of the fidelity which he owes his king and lord,
and how great a sin it would be against justice, and what obligation
there would be for restitution of money ill spent. The truth is that
anyone to whom his Maje