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.

An exposition of the glorious Father S. Francis, made on the Pater noster.

THE CVII. CHAPTER.

THe Pater noster, was the principall of all the prayers which the holy Father most contentedlie vsed, wherin he coceaued a mer∣uaylous tast, eleuating his hart vnto God. And therefore he taught his Religious, for edification of their neighbour to say it in this manner: Our Father, most blessed and most holie, our Creatour and Consolatour, which art in heauen, amongest the Angels and SS. whome with they presence thou doest illuminate, thy selfe being the light; thou doest enflame them with loue, thou being loue it selfe, raysing them to thy glorie: thou dwellest in them, because thou art the soue∣raigne eternall good, whence all good is deriued, and without which nothing is good in it selfe; Hallowed he thy name, and lett thy knoweldge be manifested vnto vs: that we may the better knowe the greatnes of thy benefittes, and the accomplishmenr of thy promises, the emi∣nency of thy Marestie, and the depth of thy iudgementes; Thy kingdome come, to the end thou now raigne in vs, by grace, and that hereafter we, attaine the other of glorie, where is eternallie thy glorious pre∣sence, with perfect loue, glorious companie, and ioy and alacritie without end; Thy will be done in earth as is it in heauen, that we may loue thee with an infinite loue, and may be alwayes in cogitation with thee, that we be with thee in intention, and with thee in spi∣ritt, seeking thine honour in all our actions, with all the forces and powers of our soule, and bodie, freelie employing all in the seruice of thy loue, and in no other thing, and that, to obserue thy commandement, we loue our neighbour as our selues, shewing to all as to our selues an entier charitie, for thy loue, reioycing att the good of others, as att our owne, compassionating their neces∣sities and afflictions as our owne, giuing them all assistance we can possible, far from offending them, as our selues would desire to be assi∣sted in like necessity: Giue vs this day our daily bread: that is, thy deerly be∣loued and blessed Sonne, our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST, in our

spiritt and vnderstanding, with all reuerence, by the great loue wher∣with he hath affected, and by what soeuer he hath said, done, and en∣dured, for vs wretches; And forgiue vs our debtes, by thine infinite mercy, by the vertue of the passion of thine only Sonne our lord IESVS CHRIST, and by the merittes and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary, pardon vs also good God, As we forgiue our debters: and if we pardon not them perfectly as we ought, make vs, Lord, to doe it, that we may meritt pardon. Graunt, good God, that by thy loue, we doe not only forbeare to doe euill for euill, nor hate our ennemies, but that we loue them, and that by good offices and prayers for them we demonstrate the same to thee, O God of mercie. Lord God forsake vs not in our cruell temptations, both secrett and manifest, and permit vs not to fall therin, but deliuer vs from euill, past, by meane of true contrition, and holy pennance; present, by preseruation of thy gra∣ce, and future, by perseuerance in thy most holy feare. Amen.