Saint Jfvantiu oC Assist, 8i 



and Cardinals and Bidiops and Abbots with 

 many other of the clergy to fee a congre- 

 gation fo holy, fo vaft, and yet fo humble, 

 for never before fmce the world began had 

 fo many holy men been met together ; and 

 chiefly they came to fee the Head and 

 moft Holy Father of thefe faintly folk, 

 which had robbed the world of fo fair a 

 prey, and gathered together fo beauteous 

 and fo devout a flock to follow in the foot- 

 fteps of the true Shepherd Chrift Jefus. 

 The entire General Chapter being then 

 affembled, the Holy Father and Com- 

 mander of all, Saint Francis, with fervent 

 fpirit fet forth the Word of God, and 

 preached to them in a loud voice the words 

 which the Holy Ghoft put into his mouth ; 

 and as the fubje6l of his fermon he fpake 

 thefe words : " My fons, great things have 

 we promifed unto God : far greater are 

 promifed to us of God, if we keep our 

 promifes unto Him : and we may furely 

 await thofe which are promifed unto us. 

 Brief are the pleafures of this World ; the 

 pains that follow in their train are everlaft- 

 ing ; flight are the Pangs of this life, but 

 the Glory of the other life is infinite." 

 And preaching devoutly upon this text, he 



comforted 

 6 



