ii6 raje mttlt jFloUJcrs of 



have any hope that God will grant us His 

 Mercy, behold we are ready to do whatfo- 

 ever you fhall bid us, and to do penitence 

 with you." Then Saint Francis, detaining 

 them affectionately and with kindnefs, com- 

 forted them with many inftances, and affur- 

 ing them of the Mercy of God, promifed 

 them truly to entreat God for them, and 

 fliowed them that the Mercy of God is infi- 

 nite : and if we have an infinite number of 

 fins, yet God's Mercy is greater ftill than 

 our fins, according to the teachings of the 

 Gofpel ; and the Apofi;le Paul faith, ''Chrifi: 

 came into the world to fave finners." Hear- 

 ing thefe words, and other like teachings, 

 the faid three Thieves renounced the Devil 

 and all his works, Saint Francis received 

 them into the Order, and they began to do 

 fore penitence; and two of them lived not 

 long after their converfion, and went thence 

 to Paradife. But the third furviving, and 

 meditating on his fins, gave himfelf such 

 penitence to do, that for fifteen years con- 

 tinually, befide the ordinary fafts, which 

 he obferved in common with the other 

 Brothers, three days in every week he 

 fafted upon bread and water, and went 

 even barefoot, and with but a fingle tunic 



to 



