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.

A discourse of perseuerance in good worckes, and of the memorie of death.

THE XXXVIII. CHAPTER.

WHat doth it profit a man, to fast, pray giue almose, mortifie himselfe, and to haue vnderstanding of cele∣stiall thinges, yet with all this doth not arriue to the de∣sired port of saluation? There hath bin sometime seene in the mayne sea a faire shipp loaden with abondance of wealth, which neere vnto the hauen, surmonted by a litle tempest, hath misera∣bly perished. What then hath auayled the brauery and richesse that it brought? But on the contrary hath bin seene an old vessell, vn∣seemely and contemptible to each one, that hath defended it selfe from the perilles of the sea with her burden of merchandises, and securely arriued in the port, & such an one deserueth praise. The same happeneth also to men of this world, and therfore ought they to liue alwayes in the

feare of God. For although a tree grow and is fastened in the ground, he doth not yet sodenly become great, and when he is great, he doth not presently florish, he is not so soone fruitfull, if he be, they be not ripe, if ripe, they do not in euery respect content the master. For some doe rott, other are beaten downe by the windes of temptations, and are deuoured by the wormes of the sences.

Two thinges I hould for great benefittes of God, when a man hath his hart remote from sinne, and replenished with loue towardes God: which two thinges whosoeuer shall possesse without danger of any euill, shalbe in possession of all good: But he must perseuer, because if one had from the beginning of the world to this instant, liued in distres∣ses afflictions, and now should haue abondant fruition of all kind of ioyes, all the miseries past would not offend him: on the contrary, if one had alwayes spent his time in continuall iollyty and contentment, and were att this present oppressed with diuers miseries and infirmities, his pleasures past would nothing reioyce him. Wherfore each one should leuell att that, where althinges are to end and determine.

A seculer person hauing told this holy Father, that he would be con∣tent to liue a long time in this world and to be rich and haue his pleasure in all thinges: he answeared him: If you should liue a thousand yeares, and were lord of all the world, what recompence shoulde you receaue in the death of this body, which you shall with so great affection and pleasure, haue serued; but wormes, stinch, and eternall death? Better were it for you my child, beleeue me, to endure a litle here, so to re∣ceaue in heauen that incomprehensible recompence, which by no hu∣mane tongue can be expressed.