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 diuers answeres giuen by Brother Giles vpon sundry occa∣sions.

THE XX. CHAPTER.

BRother Iames of Massa a very spirituall Religious, euen in regard of his particuler grace to be often rauished in God, one day demaunded of Brother Giles how he should gouerne himselfe in that grace: and the holy Father answeared: Brother, nei∣ther augment nor diminish, and shunne the multitude the most you can. Brother Iames not well vnderstanding him, asked him what he meant by those wordes, and Brother Giles replyed: when the spiritt is prepared to be conducted into the glorious light of the diuinity, it should neither augment by presumption, nor diminish by negligence; he should also with all possibility loue and seeke solitarines, if he desire that the grace receiued, be well preserued and augmented.

A Religious hauing asked him what he might doe that might be most pleasing to God: he answeared singing: One to one, one to one: the sayd Religious alleadging that he vnderstood him not, the holy Father replyed: you ought without any intermissiō or whatsoeuer

pretēce, giue one sole soule to one sole God, if you will please him.

Br. Gratian that had bin twenty yeares his companion and disciple, testified that in all that time he neuer heard him vtter one only idle word. This Religious as the discipline of so good a master had exceeding¦ly profited by his company in spirituall & edificatiue mortification, and had receaued many other graces of God, wherin desiring not to faile, he one time demaunded of his master, in what worck and in what kind of the graces which God had grāted him he should most exercise himselfe: & this questiō he made because he was absolutely resolued precisely to follow his counsaile. Whereto the holy Father answeared: you cānot be more gratefull to God in any other action, then in hanging your selfe. Which the good Religious hearing, he was stricken into a greiuous ama∣zement, and with such an answeare much troubled: wherfore Br. Giles proceeding, said: Know my child, that a mā which hangeth himselfe, is neither in heauē nor on earth, but is only lifted frō the earth, & looketh alwayes downe. Now doe you the like, sith if you cānot be now in heauē you may neuerthelesse so raise your selfe aboue earthly thinges (being exercised in vertuous works and prayer) that humility alwayes appeare* 1.1 in you, and liuing so, hope in the diuine mercy. By this counsaile he com∣mended vnto him two singuler vertues, prayer and humility, as speciall graces of a Religious that desireth to please God.

A certaine man talking one day with Br. Giles, sayd vnto him: Father I am resolued to become Religious: wherto he answeared: if you be ful∣ly resolued so to doe, goe first and kill both your parentes: which the o∣ther hearing he weeping replyed: Father I beseech you oblige me not to committ such euill and so grieuous sinnes. The holy Father then said; what my friend are you so simple and so ignorant as not to vnderstand me; I meant not that you should kille your parentes with the materiall, but with the mētall sword, because according to the word of our Lord, he cannot be his disciple, that hateth not his father, his mother, his kin∣red and his Friendes.

Two Cardinals one time visiting Br. Giles, to cōferre with him of spi∣rituall affaires, retyring att length frō the place of cōference, they feruent∣ly besought him to remēber in his deuotions to recōmend thē to God. Whervpon he answeared thē, my lordes what need can you haue of my prayers, sith you haue a greater faith and hope then I? The Cardinals ad∣miring this answeare, asked him what he mēt therby, he answeared: Be∣cause you with so much richesse, hōnours, delightes & tēporall content∣mētes hope to be saued: & I with such and so cōtinuall labours feare to be damned. Which so touched those Cardinals to the quick, that they de∣parted frō him very cōtrite in their soules, & their faces bathed in teares.

A very spirituall Religious was troubled with a greiuous temptatiō,

and very humbly and deuoutly prayed God to be deliuered therof: yet could he not be heard. Wherfore he repayred to Br. Giles, who vnder∣standing his affliction said vnto him: Brother doe not admire if God, of whome you haue receaued so many graces, will that you continually fight against this your ennemy. For when a kinge armeth his knightes, with better and surer armure, it is a signe that he desireth they should fight the more couragiously for him.

* 1.2 A Religious one day demaūding of Br. Giles how he could goe with a good will to prayer, because he ordinarily wēt without deuotion and very coldly: he thus answeared him: lett vs suppose that a king hath two faithfull seruantes, wherof the one is well armed, the other vnarmed. He will that they both goe to warre against his ennemies; he that is well armed goeth with great security, as being well accōmodated and fur∣nished of what is necessary for the battell: but the other sayth to the king, Syr, you see I am disarmed: neuertheles for the affection I haue to performe your seruice, I will not omitt in this estate to vndergoe this chardge with others. The king considering & taking notice of the loue and fidelity of this his seruant, he caused presently to be brought him such armour as he wanted and was needfull vnto him. So he that wan∣teth deuotion, and yet assisted with a strong faith, goeth boldly to the warre of prayer, lett him be assured that our Lord will not faile to furnish him, of what he seeth necessary for him to obtaine the vi∣ctory.

A man asking his opinion touching entring into Religion: The holy Father thus answeared: Tell me if a poore begger knew a great treasure to be hidden in a field, would he aske Counsaile to goe seeke? whereto the other answearing, truely no: Br. Giles replyed: how much rather then ought a man runne to seeke and purchase the infinite treasure of the kingdome of God? so this man with this counsaile departed, and ha∣uing giuen all that he had to the poore for the loue of God, he present∣ly became a Frere Minor.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luc. 14.
• * 1.2

  Counsait and con∣solation foo those that pray which a∣ridity of spiritt.