cSaint jFrancis oC ^ssfsi. 207 



faftings. But his companions being moft 

 contrary to him in this, tearing from him 

 his breaftplatc and hindering him in divers 

 falhions from falling, he, infpircd of God, 

 bethought him to forfake the world and its 

 lovers, and to caft himfelf wholly into the 

 arms of Chrift crucified, with the habit of 

 the crucified Saint Francis; and even fo he 

 did. And being received into the Order 

 thus young, and committed to the care of 

 the Mafler of the Novices, he became fo 

 fpiritual and devout, that once on a time 

 hearing the faid Mafter difcourfe of God, 

 his heart melted within him like wax before 

 the fire ; and with fuch exceeding fweet 

 grace was he warmed by Divine Love, that 

 he, not able fteadfaftly to endure fuch great 

 fuavity, rofe up, and, like a man drunk in 

 fpirit, ran hither and thither, now through 

 the garden, now the wood, and now the 

 church, according as the flame and fury of 

 the fpirit did urge him on. Then in the 

 courfe of time Divine Grace did make this 

 angelic man to grow from virtue to vir- 

 tue, and in celeftial gifts and divine ex- 

 altation and ecftafies, infomuch that at 

 certain times his mind was exalted to the 

 fplendors of the Cherubim, at other times 



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