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 lone towards our neighbour, and how much the body is to be hated.

THE XLVI. CHAPTER.

THis thinge may doubtles much confound vs, that making pro∣fession to be seruantes of IESVS CHRIST, and being certaine that his true freindes haue done may worckes that haue bin entirely deuout, vertuous and holy, we neuertheles content our sel∣ues with the only relation of them, and esteeme by the bare discourse therof without execution, to raigne eternally. Blessed is the seruant of IESVS CHRIST that loueth his Christian brother as much being sick as in health, and in aduersitie as in prosperity. Blessed is he that loueth and honoureth his Brother both farre and neere, that speaketh nothing in his absence, but what with great charity he may say in his presence.* 1.1 God said in the Gospell: loue your ennemies and pray for them that hate and iniury you: He loueth his ennemie truely, that complaineth not of the iniuries which he hath receaued & doth receaue of him, but of the sinnes which himselfe hath cōmitted, and doth cōmitt against God and his soule, and also he that is not content to haue the loue of God in himselfe, if he doe not also make demonstration therof by the same worckes vnto his neighbour, and much more vnto his ennemy. Blessed are the poore in spiritt, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. There are many that endure diuers afflictions in their bodyes, in prayer and good worckes, and that mortifie it with abstinence, and neuertheles for a slight word spoaken against their liking, or for hauing something de∣nyed them, they are incontinentlie scandalized and troubled. Such are not poore in spirit, though exteriourly they appeare so: for the true poore in spirit, misprise and abhorre themselues, and loue not only those that afflict and iniury them, but euen those that beat them. Bles∣sed also is he that supporteth the infirmity and fragility of his neigh∣bour, as he would be glad to haue his owne supported: My faithfull, lett vs loue our neighbour as our selues: and they who see they can∣not loue them as themselues, lett them loue them as much as they can, or att least lett them not offend them. Lett vs hate and detest our per∣uerse* 1.2 willes: for as God saith, of our hart proceedeth all euils: this is to be vnderstood of him that applieth his hart, to satisfie his sensuali∣ties. Many when they sinne or receaue any iniury, accuse their neigh∣bour therof, which they should not doe: for each one hath his enne∣mies, which is the body, with the sences therof, by which he of∣fendeth. Therfore blessed is the seruant that hath such an ennemie in subiection, and so keepeth it vnder, and watcheth it with such pru∣dence

that he hath no cause to feare it: for whiles he vseth this dilligence, no other ennemy visible or inuisible can annoy him, nor procure him to sinne, in such sort that as S. Iohn Chrysostome saith: no man is hurt but of himselfe. We hate our body in as much as it will committ sinne: for liuing carnally, it seeketh to destroy the loue of God, together with the glory of Paradise, condemning it selfe and the soule perpetually to to hell; the greatest ennemy therfore that a man hath, is his proper flesh, which can thinck of nothing but that which offendeth it, nor feare ought in foresight of that which is eternally to befall it, the humour and desire therof is only to abuse temporall thinges: and the worst is, it vsur∣peth to it selfe all contentment, and glory, euen of that which is graun∣ted to the soule, not to it, for it seeketh the honour of vertues, of prayers, watchinges, and temporall fauour, it will haue applause of teares, in fine it leaueth nothing to the soule that apperteineth to her.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matt. 5.
• * 1.2

  Matt. 15.