Chapter CXII. How he described the truly obedient man; and of the three sorts of obedience

152. At another time when blessed Francis was sitting with his companions he sighed forth some such lament as this: "There is scarce any Religious in all the world that obeys his Superior perfectly". His companions, much moved, said to him: "Tell us, father, what perfect and supreme obedience is". But he answered, describing the truly obedient man under the figure of a dead body: "Take a corpse, and put it where you please, you will see that it does not resist being moved, grumbles not at its position, and if let alone, does not cry out. If it be placed on a throne it will look, not above, but beneath; if arrayed in purple its pallor will be doubled. This," he added, "is the truly obedient man; he discusses not wherefore he is moved, cares not where he is placed, does not press to be transferred elsewhither. When raised to office, he keeps his wonted humility; the more he is honoured, the more unworthy he deems himself to be." Another time, when speaking of the same matter, he said that commands issued on request were properly licences, while those enjoined without having been asked for he named sacred obediences: both, he said, were good, but the latter were the safer. But he believed that obedience to be supreme, and to have nothing of flesh and blood in it, whereby one goes by Divine inspiration among the unbelievers, whether for one's neighbours' gain or from longing for martyrdom. And to ask for this "obedience" he judged to be very acceptable to God.