.Saint ifcancis of ^nninu 55 



CHAPTER XII. 



//ow Saint Francis bcjloivcd on Brother Maxi- 

 mus the Offices of Gate-Keeper, Al7?ioner, and 

 Cook : then at the Prayer of the other Broth- 

 ers def rived hint of the??i. 



SAINT FRANCIS, wifhing to mortify 

 Brother Maximus, to the end that 

 the many gifts and graces which God had 

 given him might not make him Vainglori- 

 ous, but that by virtue of HumiHty he might 

 grow with them from virtue to virtue, upon 

 a time when he dwelt in a foHtary place 

 with thofe his firft companions, very Saints, 

 of whom was the faid Brother Maximus, 

 fpake one day to Brother Maximus before 

 all his companions: "O Brother Maximus, 

 all thefe your companions have the grace of 

 contemplation and of prayer, but you have 

 the grace to preach the word of God to the 

 fatisfaftion of the people ; and hence I de- 

 fire, to the end that they may apply them- 

 felves to contemplation, that you do take 

 upon yourfelf the offices of Door-keeper, of 

 Almoner, and Cook. And when the other 

 Brothers do eat, you fhall eat without the 



convent 



