mean time, the least of his business, in all his travels, was to
travel: And they who were best acquainted with him, report of him, what
St Chrysostom said of the apostle St Paul, "That he ran through the world
with an incredible swiftness, and as it were on the wing," yet not
without labour, nor that labour without fruit, but preaching, baptizing,
confessing, disputing with the Gentiles, rooting out Idolaters, reforming
manners, and throughout establishing the Christian piety. His apostolical
labours were attended with all the incommodities of life; and if those
people were to be credited, who the most narrowly observed him, it was a
continual miracle that he lived; or rather the greatest miracle of Xavier
was not to have revived so many dead, but not to die himself of labour,
during the incessant sweat of ten years toiling.

His zeal alone sustained him; but how painful soever were the functions
of his ministry, he acquitted himself of them with so much promptitude
and joy, that, by the relation of Father Melchior Nugnez, he seemed to do
naturally all he did. These are the very words of Nugnez: "The Father,
Master Francis, in labouring for the salvation of the Saracens and
Idolaters, seemed to act not by any infused or acquired virtue, but by a
natural motion: for he could neither live, nor take the least pleasure,
but in evangelical employments; in them he found even his repose; and to
him it was no labour to conduct others to the love and knowledge of his
God."

Thus also, whensoever there was the least probability that the faith
might be planted in any new country of the Gentiles, he flew thither in
despite of all threatening difficulties. The certain number is not known
of those whom he converted, but the received opinion amounts it to seven
hundred thousand souls. Which notwithstanding, it ought not to be
believed that he instructed them but lightly; for before he christened
them, he gave them a thorough insight into all the principles of faith.
According to their different conditions, his instructions were also
different. He had some which were proper to youth, others for wives, for
widows, for servants, and for masters. He never changed places till he
had left behind him a solid establishment of faith, and capable of
preserving itself on its own basis. And in effect, of all the countries
which he made Christian, there is none to be found which relapsed into
idolatry, excepting only the town of Tolo; and not th