without any to relieve them; in
fine, that they and their posterity, becoming infamous, shall be the
objects of the public hate and curses. Tell them, by way of reason for
those accidents, that no man who sets God at nought remains unpunished;
and that his vengeance is so much the more terrible, by how much longer
his patience has been abused. The images of these temporal punishments
will affright those carnal men who are not to be wrought on but by their
senses, and will bring forth in their insensible souls the first motions
of the fear of God,--of that saving fear which is the beginning of
wisdom.

"Before you treat with any one concerning his spiritual affairs,
endeavour to understand how his soul stands affected. Whether it be calm,
or tossed with any violent passion; whether he be ready to follow the
right way when it shall be shewn to him, or whether he wanders from it of
set purpose; whether it be the tempter, or the bias of his own
inclination, which seduces him to evil; whether he be docile, and
disposed to hear good counsel, or of that untractable humour on which no
hold is to be fastened,--it will behove you to vary your discourse
according to these several dispositions: But though more circumspection
is to be taken with hardened souls, and difficult of access, you are
never to flatter the disease, nor say any thing to him which may weaken
the virtue of the remedy, and hinder its effect.

"Wheresoever you shall be, even though you only pass through a place, and
stay but little in it, endeavour to make some acquaintance; and inquire
of those who have the name of honest and experienced men, not only what
crimes are most frequently committed in that town, and what deceits most
used in traffic, as I have already taught you in relation to Ormuz; but
farther, learn the inclinations of the people, the customs of the
country, the form of government, the received opinions, and all things
respecting the commerce of human life: for, believe me, the knowledge of
those things is very profitable to a missioner, for the speedy curing of
spiritual diseases, and to have always at hand wherewithal to give ease
to such as come before you.

"You will understand from thence, on what point you are most to insist in
preaching, and what chiefly to recommend in confessions. This knowledge
will make, that nothing shall be new to you, nothing shall surprise or
amaze you; it will furnish you with the address of conducting souls, and