The Little Flowers and the Life of St. Francis, with the...

of many,” and saith he: “Thou knowest how formerly by the grace of God the whole Religion did flourish in the purity of perfection; how all the brethren, with great fervor and solicitude, did in all things observe holy poverty, to wit, in their small and sorry buildings and furniture, their few and sorry books and habits, and as in these so in all other outward matters, they were of one will and fervor and solicitude to observe all things that pertain to our profession and vocation, and the example to all, and in like manner were they all of one mind in the love of God and of their neighbor, as men truly apostolic and evangelic. But now for some little time past hath this purity and perfection begun to be changed into something exceeding different, albeit many do talk and excuse the brethren by reason of their multitude, saying that on this account these things cannot be observed by the brethren; yea, many brethren have been smitten with so great blindness as that the people is more edified by these than by the former things, and more readily converted to devotion, and therefore it seemeth them that they do live the more becomingly, despising and setting at nought the way of holy simplicity and poverty that was the very beginning and foundation of our Religion. Whence we, taking thought of these things, do firmly believe that they are displeasing unto thee, yet do we greatly marvel wherefore, if they do thus displease thee, thou dost put up with them and not correct them.”

The Blessed Francis made answer and said unto him: “The Lord forgive thee, brother, forasmuch as thou art minded to be mine adversary against me, and to mix me up with these things that pertain not unto mine office. For so long as I held the office of superior over the brethren and they did abide in their vocation and profession, albeit that from the beginning of my conversion I have ever been ailing, yet with such small solicitude as I could, I did endeavour to satisfy them both by example and by preaching; but after I perceived how the Lord did multiply the number of the brethren, and how they themselves by reason of their lukewarmness and want of spirit did begin to decline from the right way and safe wherein they had been wont to walk, and treading the broader way that leadeth unto death, would no longer pay heed unto their calling and profession nor to any good example, and were not minded to forsake the perilous and deadly journey they had emprised by reason of any preaching or admonition or example of mine that I did ever manifest before them, I did, therefore, resign the superiorship and the government of the Religion unto God and unto the ministers thereof.

Whence, albeit that at the time when I did renounce mine office of superior over the brethren I did excuse me before the brethren in the Chapter General for that, by reason of mine infirmities, I was not able to undertake the charge of them, yet nevertheless, were the brethren willing to walk according to my will, for their comfort and utility I would that they should have none other minister but me until my dying day. From the time that a good and faithful subject knoweth and observeth the will of his superior, little solicitude need the superior have about him; yea, so greatly should I rejoice in the goodness of the brethren, by reason of the gain unto them and the gain unto myself, that if I were lying abed sick it would be no trouble unto me to satisfy them; for that mine office—that is, the office of superior—is spiritual only, to-wit, to have the mastery over their evil ways and spiritually to correct and amend them. But, seeing that I cannot correct and amend them by preaching, admonition, and example, I am not minded to become an executioner to punish and scourge them like the magistrates of this world.

“For I trust in the Lord that the invisible enemies that are the sergeants of the Lord for punishing the guilty in this world and in the world to come will yet take vengeance on them that transgress the commandments of God and the vow of their profession, and will make them be corrected by the men of this world to their reproach and shame, and that so they may be turned back unto their own calling and profession.

“Howsoever, unto the day of my death I will never cease, at least by good example and by good deeds, to lead the brethren to walk in the way that the Lord did point out unto me, the way that I have taught and pointed out by word and example, so as that they may be without excuse before God, and I shall not be bound before God to render any further account concerning them.”