^aint ifrancis of ^nmm. 57 



offices wliich I liavc bcftowcd upon you ; 

 and therefore I defirc that the faid offices 

 may be divided." 15rother Maximus faid 

 with great Patience and Meeknefs, "Father, 

 the burden which you lay upon me, be it 

 all or but a part, I hold it as the work of 

 God alone." Then Saint Francis, feeing 

 the Loving-kindnefs of thofe brothers and 

 the humility of Brother Maximus, preached 

 them a marvellous fermon upon the moft 

 faintly quality of Humility ; teaching them 

 that the greater are the gifts and the graces 

 beftowed upon us by God, fo much the 

 more humble fhould we be, forafmuch as 

 without Humility no virtue is acceptable 

 in God's fight. And the Sermon ended, 

 he diftributed the Offices with the utmoft 

 Affedion. 



