f 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.

"Some Portuguese merchants, being landing at the port, belonging to the
capital city of one of those kingdoms of Japan, were lodged by the king's
order in a forsaken house, which was thought to be haunted by evil
spirits: the common opinion was not ill grounded, and the Portuguese soon
perceived, that their lodging was disturbed. They heard a horrible
rumbling all the night; they felt themselves pulled out of their beds,
and beaten in their sleep, without seeing any one. One night being
awakened, at the cry of one of their servants, and running with their
arms towards the place from whence the noise was heard, they found the
servant on the ground, trembling for fear. They asked him the occasion of
his outcry, and why he shook in that manner? He answered, 'That he had
seen a frightful apparition, such a one as painters use to draw for the
picture of the devil.' As this servant was not thought either
faint-hearted, or a liar,