The Works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16

by John Dryden

In his voyages at sea, he continued earnestly in prayer, from midnight even to sun-rising, and that regularly. From thence it came almost to a proverb amongst the seamen, "That nothing was to be feared in the night, because Father Francis watched the vessel; and the tempests durst not trouble them, while he held conversation with God."

A man of Manapar, at whose house he lodged, and who observed him at divers hours of the night, found him always on his knees before a crucifix, and frequently beheld the chamber enlightened by the rays which darted from his countenance.

While he was sojourning among Christians, the small repose he gave to nature was commonly in the church; to the end he might be near the blessed sacrament, before which he prayed all the remainder of the night. But in countries where yet there were no churches built, he passed the night in the open air; and nothing so much elevated his soul to God as the view of heaven, spangled over, and sowed, as it were, with stars; and this we have from his own relation.

The Pope had permitted him, in consideration of his employments and apostolical labours, to say a breviary which was shorter than the Roman, and had but three lessons: it was called the "Office of the Cross," and was easily granted in those times to such who were overburdened with much business. But Xavier never made use of this permission, what affairs soever he was pressed withal, for the service of Almighty God: on the contrary, before the beginning of every canonical hour, he always said the hymn of Veni, Creator Spiritus; and it was observed, that while he said it, his countenance was enlightened, as if the Holy Ghost, whom he invoked, was visibly descended on him.

He daily celebrated the sacrifice of the mass with the same reverence and the same devotion with which he had said it the first time, and most ordinarily performed it at break of day. Those heavenly sweets which overflowed his soul at the altar, spread their mild inundations even over the assistants; and Antonio Andrada reported of himself, that, being then a young soldier, he found such an inward satisfaction when he served the Father, in serving at mass, that, in that consideration, he sought the occasions of performing the clerk's office.

In the midst of his conversations with secular men, the saint was often called aside of God, by certain sudden illuminations which obliged him to retire; and when afterwards they sought him, he was found before the holy sacrament, in some lonely place, engulphed in deep meditations, and frequently suspended in the air, with beams of glory round his countenance. Many ocular witnesses have deposed this matter of fact; but some have affirmed, that at first they have found him on his knees immovable; that they have afterwards observed, how by degrees he was mounted from the earth; and that then, being seized with a sacred horror, they could not stedfastly behold him, so bright and radiant was his countenance. Others have protested, that while he was speaking to them of the things of God, they could perceive him shooting upward, and distancing himself from them on the sudden, and his body raising itself on high of its own motion.

These extraordinary ravishments, which bore some manner of proportion to the glory of the blest above, happened to him from time to time during the sacrifice of the mass, when he came to pronounce the words of consecration; and he was beheld elevated in that manner, particularly at Meliapore and at Malacca. The same was frequently observed at Goa, while be was communicating the people; and what was remarkable, as it was then the custom to give the sacrament in kneeling, he appeared to be lifted from the earth in that humble posture.

For common extasies, he had them almost every day, especially at the altar, and after the sacrifice of the mass: insomuch, that many times they could not bring him to himself, with pulling him by the robe, and violently shaking him.

The delights which he enjoyed at such a time, are only to be comprehended by such souls, which have received from heaven the like favours. Nevertheless, it is evident, that if it be possible for man to enjoy on earth the felicities of heaven, it is then, when the soul, transported out of itself, is plunged, and as it were lost, in the abyss of God.

But it was not only in these extatic transports, that Xavier was intimately united to our Lord: In the midst of his labours, he had his soul recollected in God, without any dissipation caused by the multitude or intricacy of affairs; insomuch, that he remained entire in all he did, and at the same time whole in Him, for whose honour he was then employed.