Chapter LXXXI. How the Lord Spake unto him, when he was Greatly Afflicted on Account of the Friars who were Depart Ing from Perfection

Since, according to the measure of zeal which he continually had for the perfection of the Order, he must needs be sad if he saw or heard any imperfection therein, when he began to under stand that some friars were giving an evil example to the Order, and that the friars (now at the highest point of their perfection and profession) had begun to decline, touched inwardly with too great sorrow of heart, on a time he said to the Lord in prayer, "Lord, I give back to Thy charge the family which Thou hast given me! "And immediately the Lord said to him, "Tell Me, oh simple and feeble-minded mannikin, why thou art so sad when any man goes out of the Order, and when the friars do not walk by the way which I have shown thee? Also, tell Me Who has planted this order of friars? Who has made man to be converted to penitence; Who gives the virtue of per severance? Is it not I? I have not chosen thee over My household as a learned and eloquent man, because I wish neither thee nor those that were true friars and true observers of the rule which I have given thee, to walk by the way of science and eloquence. But I have chosen thee a simple and unlearned man that thou mayest know, both thou and others, that I will watch over My flock, and I have placed thee for a sign to them, that the works which I work in thee, they may work in themselves* For those who walk in the way I have shown thee, have Me more abundantly. But those who wish to walk by another way, even that which they seem to have shall be taken away from them. Wherefore I say unto thee, for the rest, be not so sad, but do what thou doest, work what thou workest, since I have planted in perpetual charity the Order of Friars. Whence thou art to know that because I love them so much if any friar, having returned to his vomit, should die outside the Order, I will send another into the Order, who in his place shall have his crown. And if he be not born, I will make him to be born. And that you may know how freely I love the life and Order of Friars; let it be granted that in the whole Order there should not remain except three, yet even then it shall be My Order, and I will not give it up for ever." And when he heard these words his mind remained wonderfully consoled. And though on account of the great zeal which he always had for the perfection of the Order he was not able wholly to contain himself from growing vehemently sad when he heard of any imperfection done by the friars by which evil example or scandal might arise, yet after he was thus strengthened by the Lord he recalled to memory that word of the psalm: / have sworn and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments: "and to preserve the rule which the Lord Himself gave to me, and to those who would wish to imitate me."

"But all those friars have obliged themselves to this as I; and therefore since I have put off me the burden of the brethren by reason of my infirmities and other reasonable causes, I am not bound further than to pray for the Order, and to show a good example to the brethren. For this I have from the Lord and know for truth, that if infirmities did not excuse me, the greatest help which I could give the Order is, to spend the time daily in prayer for it to the Lord, because He governs, keeps, and protects it. For in this, I have bound myself to the Lord and to the brethren; that if any friar should perish by my evil example, I will be bound to render reason for him to the Lord." These words he used to speak within himself to quiet his heart, and he also used to explain it right often to the friars in his dis courses and at Chapters. Whence if any friar said at any time to him, that he ought to interfere with the governance of the Order, he used to answer saying, "The friars have their Rule, and have sworn to keep it. And that they may not have any excuse on my account, after it pleased the Lord to command me to be their prelate, I swore before them likewise to observe it. Whence, since the friars know what they ought to do, and what also to avoid, there remains nothing, except that I should teach them by my works; since for this cause I am given to them, in my life and after my death."