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The works of John Dryden, $c now first collected in eighteen volumes. $p Volume 16 by John Dryden
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vices which are the common obstacles to the conversion of the great, that
is to say, the concupiscence of the flesh, and pride of heart, hindered
him afterwards from embracing of the faith; which notwithstanding, he
caused an edict to be published throughout his kingdom, whereby all men
were commanded to obey the Great Father, as they would his proper person;
and that whoever desired to be a Christian, might be so without any
apprehension of danger to ensue. He went so far as even to call Xavier
his brother; and bestowed on him large sums of money, all which the
servant of God employed in charities on the poor.

An edict so favourable to the law of our belief, made many Christians
even in the court, though contrary to the example of the prince. But the
miraculous actions of Xavier finished the conversion of the whole
kingdom. Besides his curing all sorts of diseases, he raised four persons
from the dead, two women and two men. The act of canonization relates no
more of the resurrection of the women, but the bare matter of fact,
without any circumstances; but the resurrection of the men is related at
large, of which the substance is in the ensuing account.

Xavier preached in one of the maritime villages of Travancore, called
Coulan, near Cape Comoriu. Some were converted by his first sermons; but
the greater party remained in their ancient superstition, after having
often heard him. The most obstinate, it is true, listened to him with
delight, and found the maxims of the gospel to be most conformable to the
light of reason: but the pleasure which they took in hearing, produced
nothing; and they satisfied themselves with admiring the Christian law,
without troubling themselves to follow it.

The father one day finding, that he spoke to them of God without working
any thing upon their hearts, prayed fervently to the Almighty in their
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