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HE that truly loveth God, does extend his Affection also to his Neighbour, as being dear to God and his lively Image. So that Saint Xaverius loving God as you have seen, ought consequently to love his Neigh∣bor; which he did in the perfectest manner he could, fulfilling those Words of St. Paul, * Omnibus omnia* 1.1
factus, to all men becoming all things that he might save all.* 1.2 In Charita∣te non ficta sed verà, In true, not feigned Charity.
He never spared any Labours, Trou∣bles, Difficulties, nor even Life it self to benefit him either in his Tem∣poral or Spiritual Necessities, tho' he laboured most to succour the Soul as being the more noble Part. The only Aim and Design of his Apostolical Missions and hard Enter∣prizes was the Salvation of Souls; and where he proposed to himself any Hopes of converting any to God, he let slip nothing that might any way promote or further his Intentions. With Children he was one, always so concerned for their Spiritual Pro∣fit, that tho' he was a Man of that Authority and Esteem, yet he disdai∣ned not to go about with a little Bell, exhorting Parents to send their Children to be instructed in the Christian Doctrine. With Sinners he became, as I may say, a Sinner, fa∣miliarly treating and conversing with them, that so he might bring them to God: for pretending to be igno∣rant
of their Vices, Blasphemies, Mur∣ders, Usuries, and all their whole Life, he changed the Hatred they bore him into Love, and the Love they bore to all vicious Habits and Propensions, into a detestable Hatred of Sin. To Infidels (as particularly recommended to him from Heaven) he shew'd such Charity that no body can express it. And if the Height of this, according to the Oracle of Truth it self, be to give his Life for his Be∣loved, he was always ready to do it for them: which did so mollifie and win their Hearts, that it is incredible, how many thro' this only Motive did embrace the Christian Faith; whereupon Father Melchior Nugnez then Superior of the Indies, a Man of rare Prudence and no less Vertue, said, that converting Infidels to Christ in St. Francis Xaverius did not seem a Gift infused, or a Vertue got by Habit, but a natural Inclination: So bent was he upon that only Work, that he could not live nor take any Satisfaction in any other Employment, than the Instructing and bringing Souls to the Knowledge and Love of the only true God. This perpetual
Motion of Charity was his only Re∣spite, this Exercise his only Repose. Nothing will be better able to shew the Greatness of this his Charity and zealous Assiduity therein, then the Number of those he Baptized with his own Hand, which amounted to a Million and two hundred thousand Persons. As for what belongs to the temporal Assistance of his Neighbour, who can reckon up the Deeds of Charity he shewed to every one, as well poor as rich; nor was there any Work of Mercy that he did not practice either in his own Person, or when he could not himself, by using others Help for the succouring the poor and needy. His tender Care of the sick will be a sufficient Proof of his boundless Charity. He was to them a Father, Mother, Bro∣ther, Physician, and a Nurse in the meanest Offices, in private Houses, and in publick Hospitals; if any died, he washed and layed them out with his own Hands, digged their Graves, and buried them himself. God seeming to second these Heroick Desires of St. Francis, so much bent upon serving his Neighbour, endowed
him in a particular manner with that divine Gift of Curing the Sick: For in the Deeds of his Canonization you will find the wonderful Cures of all Diseases, wrought by the Po∣wer of this great Xaverius, to be innumerable. The Blind received the Benefit of their Eyes, the Lame the use of their Limbs, the Lepers were cleansed, the Dumb restored to Speech, the Deaf to their Hearing, Possessed Persons freed from Malig∣nant Spirits that Tormented them. To be short, so many were these Prodigious Cures, that in and about the City of Naples only, there are sufficient to fill a whole Book. Yet these Cures of Diseases are nothing if compared to those he raised from Death to Life, which amount accor∣ding to the Authentick Transactions of the Saints Canonization to above Five and Twenty. What has been here said is but an Abridgement; and only helps to frame some con∣ceit, or Idea of the Saints great Charity to his Neighbour, referring you to the Writers of his Life to see the innumerable other Graces and Favours through his means and Inter∣cession
confered upon all sorts of Persons, as Seamen, Merchants, Bar∣ren Women, or in Childbed, Sol∣diers, &c.
We may gather two Fruits from what has been said. The First a Ho∣ly Confusion in our selves for helping and furthering so little the good of our Neighbour, either Spiritual or Temporal. Who of us is troubled or concerned to see him offend God? Who is there, that either hinders him from falling, or gives his helping hand to raise him again from Sin? Which of us grieves at his losses, or suffers any thing to Promote his Good! Do we Visit him in the Ho∣spitals, and Prisons? Are we Chari∣table unto him? Do we relieve his Wants with Alms? Or rather do we not spend that on Beasts that only serve for Sport and Pastime, which ought to be employ'd in Suc∣couring and Assisting our Neigbour, the very Image of God himself? The Second Fruit is a lively confidence of being assisted by this Holy Apo∣stle in our Necessities as well Cor∣poral as Spiritual, if we apply our selves unto him as we ought.
I Know too too well O most zea∣lous Apostle! the Coldness of my Heart towards my Neighbour▪ I own, and condemn my self for the small Charity I shew, in succouring his Necessities either Temporal or Spi∣ritual; and I am ashamed and to∣tally confounded considering your ad∣mirable Zeal and Concern for his Good. Obtain for me, O true Lo∣ver of your Neighbour! the least Spark of that great Fire that consu∣med your Heart, which may kindle in my Soul a true Zeal and Love of others Good, that grieving at their Misfortunes, and equally compassio∣nating them in mind, comforting them in Words, and helping them in Deeds, I may the better imitate you in this. Vertue of Charity, which is so properly termed yours.
1 Cor. 9.22.
2 Cor. 6.6.