— Abraham, aJew, attheinstanceofJehannotdeChevigny, goestothecourtofRome, andhavingmarkedtheevillifeoftheclergy, returnstoParis, andbecomesaChristian.—
Pamfilo'sstoryelicitedthemirthofsomeoftheladiesandtheheartycommendationofall, , whosatnexther, totellastory, ,whosegracesofmindmatchedthebeautyofherperson, consentedwithagladsomegoodwill, andthusbegan:—
PamfilohasshewnbyhisstorythatthegoodnessofGodsparestoregardourerrorswhentheyresultfromunavoidableignorance, andinmineImeantoshewyouhowthesamegoodness, bearingpatientlywiththeshortcomingsofthosewhoshouldbeitsfaithfulwitnessindeedandword, drawsfromthemcontrariwiseevidenceofHisinfallibletruth; totheendthatwhatwebelievewemaywithmoreassuredconvictionfollow.
InParis, graciousladies, asIhaveheardtell, therewasonceagreatmerchant, alargedealerindrapery, agoodman, mostloyalandrighteous, hisnameJehannotdeChevigny, betweenwhomandaJew,Abrahambyname, alsoamerchant, andamanofgreatwealth, asalsomostloyalandrighteous, ,observingAbraham'sloyaltyandrectitude, , thatheshouldleavetheerrorsoftheJewishfaithandturntotheChristianverity, which, beingsoundandholy, hemightseedailyprosperingandgainingground, whereas, onthecontrary, , inwhichhewasborn, andinwhichhemeanttoliveanddie; ,however, JehannotsomedaysafterwardsbeganagaintoplyAbrahamwithsimilararguments, ,yet, whetheritwasbyreasonofhisfriendshipforJehannot, orthattheHolySpiritdictatedthewordsthatthesimplemerchantused, atanyratetheJewbegantobemuchinterestedinJehannot'sarguments,, insomuchthatatlengththeJew,overcomebysuchincessantappeals, said:—"Well,well, Jehannot, thouwouldsthavemebecomeaChristian, andIamdisposedtodoso, providedIfirstgotoRomeandthereseehimwhomthoucallestGod'svicaronearth, andobservewhatmanneroflifeheleadsandhisbrothercardinalswithhim; andifsuchitbethatthereby, inconjunctionwiththywords,Imayunderstandthatthyfaithisbetterthanmine, asthouhastsoughttoshewme, IwilldoasIhavesaid:otherwise, IwillremainasIamaJew." WhenJehannotheardthis, hewasgreatlydistressed, sayingtohimself:—"Ithoughttohaveconvertedhim; butnowIseethatthepainswhichItookforsoexcellentapurposeareallinvain; for, ifhegoestothecourtofRomeandseestheiniquitousandfoullifewhichtheclergyleadthere, sofarfromturningChristian, hadhebeenconvertedalready, hewouldwithoutdoubtrelapseintoJudaism." ThenturningtoAbrahamhesaid:—"Nay, but, myfriend, whywouldstthoubeatallthislabourandgreatexpenseoftravellingfromheretoRome? , tofindhereonethatcangivetheebaptism? AndasforanydoubtsthatthoumaysthavetouchingthefaithtowhichIpointthee, wherewiltthoufindgreatermastersandsagesthereinthanhere, toresolvetheeofanyquestionthoumaystputtothem? , nay, , bymyadvicethouwiltsparethypainsuntilsometimeofindulgence,whenI, perhaps, maybeabletobeartheecompany."TheJewreplied:—"Jehannot, Idoubtnotthatsoitisasthousayst; butonceandforallItelltheethatIammindedtogothere, andwillneverotherwisedothatwhichthouwouldsthavemeandhastsoearnestlybesoughtmetodo." "Gothen," saidJehannot, seeingthathismindwasmadeup, "andgoodluckgowiththee;" andsohegaveupthecontestbecausenothingwouldbelost, , andpostedwithallpossiblespeedtoRome; ; butbegancircumspectlytoacquainthimselfwiththewaysofthePopeandthecardinalsandtheotherprelatesandallthecourtiers; andfromwhathesawforhimself, beingamanofgreatintelligence, orlearnedfromothers, hediscoveredthatwithoutdistinctionofranktheywereallsunkinthemostdisgracefullewdness, sinningnotonlyinthewayofnaturebutafterthemannerofthemenofSodom, withoutanyrestraintofremorseorshame, insuchsortthat, whenanygreatfavourwastobeprocured, , wine-bibbers, drunkards, andnextafterlewdness, mostaddictedtotheshamelessserviceofthebelly, , asheprobedthematterstillfurther, heperceivedthattheywereallsogreedyandavariciousthathuman, nayChristianblood, andthingssacredofwhatkindsoever,spiritualitiesnolessthantemporalities, theyboughtandsoldformoney; whichtrafficwasgreaterandemployedmorebrokersthanthedraperytradeandalltheothertradesofParisputtogether; opensimonyandgluttonousexcessbeingglosedundersuchspecioustermsas "arrangement" and "moderateuseofcreaturecomforts," asifGodcouldnotpenetratethethoughtsofeventhemostcorrupthearts, tosaynothingofthesignificationofwords, , withmanyotherswhicharenottobementioned, ourmodestandsober-mindedJewfoundbynomeanstohisliking, sothat, hiscuriositybeingfullysatisfied, hewasmindedtoreturntoParis;, onhisarrival, hewasmetbyJehannot; 'sconversionleastofallthings, :—"IthinkGodowesthemallanevilrecompense: Itellthee, sofarasIwasabletocarrymyinvestigations, holiness, devotion, goodworksorexemplarylivinginanykindwasnowheretobefoundinanyclerk; butonlylewdness, avarice,gluttony, andthelike, andworse, ifworsemaybe,appearedtobeheldinsuchhonourofall, that (tomythinking) , yourPastor, , butthatonthecontraryyourreligioncontinuallygrows, andshinesmoreandmoreclear, thereinIseemtodiscernaveryevidenttokenthatit, ratherthananyother, asbeingmoretrueandholythananyother, ,whereasImetyourexhortationsinaharshandobduratetemper, andwouldnotbecomeaChristian,, andthereaccordingtothetraditionalriteofyourholyfaithletmereceivebaptism." Jehannot, whohadanticipatedadiametricallyoppositeconclusion, assoonasheheardhimsospeak, , theyforthwithdidso, andJehannotraisedhimfromthesacredfont, andnamedhimJean; andafterwardshecausedteachersofgreateminencethoroughlytoinstructhiminourfaith,whichhereadilylearned, andafterwardspractisedinagood, avirtuous, nay, aholylife.
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