The chronicle and institution of the Order of the seraphicall father S. Francis conteyning his life, his death, and his miracles, and of all his holie disciples and companions / set foorth first in the Portugall, next in the Spanish, then in the Italian, lastlie in the French, and now in the English tongue.

Of the great charity of S. Francis, towardes his neighbour, and how he freed his Brethren of temptations.

THE LIII. CHAPTER.

THe poore of IESVS CHRIST S. Francis, had but two peeces of mony (so called he the body and the soule) which vpon euery occasion he offered for the loue of IE∣SVS CHRIST: the one by an ardent feruour, and the other by abstinence and discipline: sacrificing the flesh exteriourly in holo∣caust, and interiourly burning in the temple of his soule, the sweet in∣cense of piety, eleuating his spiritt vnto God by a most seruent loue, and extending it by his interiour benignity, ouer all crea∣tures that were associated vnto him by nature and grace, and re∣deemed by the precious bloud of our lord IESVS CHRIST. He had not bin reputed the freind of IESVS CHRIST, if he had left desolate the soules, redeemed by such an inesti∣mable price. Wherfore he affirmed that one ought to preferre the safty of soules before al thinges: sith that the only Sonne of God the Father, would be crucified on the crosse for their saluation. Ther∣fore when he prayed, he poured out an infinite quantity of teares. When he preached he extremely heated himselfe: and in this consi∣deration it was that he so rigorously afflicted his body: for it was not to punish it for sinnes, which he had desisted to committe,* 1.1 nor to preserue himselfe therefrom, by reason that the hand of God was with him. But it was to the end that by his exam∣ple and merittes, he might free and deliuer the poore soules of IESVS CHRIST from that horrible and insatiable gul∣phe of hell, vsing those wordes of S. Paul: If I speake with the tongues

of men, and of Angels and haue not charity, I giue no good education to my neighbour, and very litle doe I profitt others, and much lesse my selfe.

Therfore he deuided this his charity as an abondant Fountaine into* 1.2 many and diuers chanels, wherby he dispersed it, louing and honou∣ring each one in his degree and estate. He particulerly honoured Prei∣stes as the Ministers of God, which he performed with exceeding reue∣rence, acknowledging them to be sanctified by diuine aucthority, with power to celebrate his sacred mistery, and to absolue soules (his mysti∣call body) from detestable sinnes. He would not see nor consider any imperfection in them, as people that alwayes represented vnto him IE∣SVS CHRIST. He left by testament vnto his disciples this notable respect which he had vnto Preistes, and shewed by example that euery man ought to reuerence them, as personnes in whose authority next af∣ter God, consisteth the recouery of our saluation. He exceedinglie ho∣noured Preachers and diuines, as they who administred vnto vs the spi∣ritt and life of the word of God. He also much respected old people, and gaue due honour to men of power and authority in the world. But in especiall manner did he ground his affection on the poore. He had peace and charity with all the world, and would that his Religious should endeauour the like, that none might be scandalized or troubled* 1.3 by their occasion. He manifested vnto them the cordiall loue wherwith he affected them, as his children in IESVS CHRIST, in that he did not conuerse with them, as their head, lord, or Superiour, but as Father, brother, and seruant, perticipating of all their necessityes, afflictions and temptations: so that he might well say with the Apostle: Who (among you) is weake, and I am not weake? who is scandalized, and I am not burnt? and on the other side he congratulated extremely att the spirituall progresse they made: he corroborated and conforted the fee∣ble, and they that were tempted, as by these examples may ap∣peare.

He was on a time entreated by one that was violently tempted, to pray vnto God for him: to whome, conforting him he said: My child be not disquieted, for this ought to be vnto thee an assured testimonie that thou art pleasing and gratefull vnto God. None may esteeme him∣selfe the seruant of IESVS CHRIST, but in afflictions and temptations. There are many, though ignorant, that glory, not to haue tasted any infirmity, and not to know what temptation is, wher∣as they might iustly be greiued, and therby vnderstand their weak spi∣ritt and sclender loue towardes God, and assuredly beleeue that they haue much more to endure in the other world. For God doth here* 1.4 chastice the faithfull, to free them from feare of correction otherwhere,

giuing them the meritt of a more worthy crowne, and doth neuer per∣mitt them to be tempted aboue their forces: but causeth his seruantes to make great benefitt of these tēptations. The said Religious was so com∣forted* 1.5 by these wordes, that albeit he disposed himselfe thencefor∣ward to endure and support his tēptations, yet he incontinently felt all the bitternes he had sustayned, to tourne into ioy and alacrity.

An other Religious being tempted with the spirit of blasphemy, farre more insupportable then any other, fell att his feet with abondance of teares and such sobbes, that he could not vtter so much as one word. Wherevpon the S. knowing the exceeding torment which this Reli∣gious endured, ••oued with pitty and zeale of his soule, he said: I com∣mand* 1.6 you, yee deuils, in the name of our lord IESVS CHRIST, that you presume not henceforward to tempt this Religious, and he was in∣continently deliuered, yea in the very instant. Here then appeared the deepe compassion of the holy Father, and his power against wicked spiritts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why S. Francis so much affiicted his body. 1. Cor. 13.
• * 1.2

  How much he honoured Preists & Prea∣chers: & respected old men and those that were in autho∣rity in the world and espe∣cially the poore.
• * 1.3

  How much. He loued his disci∣ples. 2. Cor. 11
• * 1.4

  ••. Cor. 11.
• * 1.5

  1. Cor. 10.
• * 1.6

  S. Franc. comman; deth the deuill.