170 2^1)0 Hittlc jFlototrs of 



words feemed fupernatural words ; hence 

 one evening he being gone into the wood 

 with Brother James of Maffa to converfe 

 of God, and fpeaking moft fweetly of the 

 Divine Love, they remained all night in 

 fuch difcourfe, and at dawn of day it feemed 

 as they had tarried there but a very brief 

 fpace, according as the faid Brother James 

 did tell me. And the faid Brother Simon 

 poffeffed in fuch fuavity and fweetnefs of 

 fpirit the divine and loving Light of God, 

 that ofttimes when he did feel it defcend- 

 ing upon him he would take to his bed ; 

 forafmuch as the tranquil fuavity of the 

 Holy Ghoft required of him not alone re- 

 pofe of foul but likewife of body ; and in 

 fuch Divine Vifitations he was ofttimes ab- 

 forbed in God, and became wholly infenfible 

 to all earthly things. Hence, once being 

 thus rapt in God, and infenfible to the 

 world, the Divine Love burned within him, 

 and he felt naught external with his bodily 

 fenfes. A Brother defiring to have proof 

 of this, to fee if it were even as it feemed, 

 went and took a coal of fire and laid it to 

 his bare foot ; and Brother Simon knew 

 naught of it, and it made no mark upon 

 his foot, albeit it was held there for a great 



fpace 



