od, not that which is published by the
sound of words, but that which is written in hearts by the hand of
nature; so that every one who comes into the world, brings along with him
certain precepts, which his own instinct and reason teach him. "Before
Japan received its laws from the wise men of China," said Xavier, "it was
known amongst you, that theft and adultery were to be avoided; and from
thence it was that thieves and palliards sought out secret places,
wherein to commit those crimes. After they had committed them, they felt
the private stings of their own consciences, which cease not to reproach
the guilty to themselves, though their wickedness be not known to others,
nor even so much as prohibited by human laws. Suppose an infant bred up
in forests amongst the beasts, far from the society of mankind, and
remote from the civilized inhabitants of towns, yet he is not without an
inward knowledge of the rules of civil life; for ask him, whether it be
not an evil action to murder a man, to despoil him of his goods, to
violate his bed, to surprise him by force, or circumvent him by
treachery, he will answer without question, 'That nothing of this is to
be done.' Now if this be manifest in a savage, without the benefit of
education, how much more way it be concluded of men well educated, and
living in mutual conversation? Then," added the holy man, "it follows,
that God has not left so many ages destitute of knowledge, as your Bonzas
have pretended" By this he gave them to understand, that the law of
nature was a step which led them insensibly to the Christian law; and
that a man who lived morally well, should never fad of arriving to the
knowledge of the faith, by ways best known to Almighty God; that is to
say, before his eath, God would either send some preacher to him, or
illuminate his mind by some immediate revelation. These reasons, which
the fathers of the church have often used on like occasions, gave such
satisfaction to the Pagans, that they found no farther difficulty in that
point, which had given them so much trouble.

The Bonzas perceiving that the people preferred the authority of Xavier
above theirs, and not knowing how to refute their adversary, made a cabal
at court, to lessen the Christians in the good opinion of the king. They
gave him jealousies of them, by decrying their behaviour, and saying,
"They were men of intrigue, plotters, enemies of the public safety, and
dangerous to the person of the ki