cSnint iFrancifl of ^nmni. 221 



into his foul fuch great and cxceffive love 

 and longing for the brotherly affe6tion of 

 Chrift, through the which He did abafe 

 Himfelf to take on our humanity, that verily 

 it fecmed as his foul had been dragged from 

 his body and were burning like to a furnace. 

 Unable to endure which ardor, he grieved 

 and melted apace, and cried out in a loud 

 voice, forafmuch as through the force of the 

 Holy Ghoft, and through the overmuch fer- 

 vor of his love, he could not longer reftrain 

 his cries. And in that fame hour when 

 that meafurelefs fervor came upon him, with 

 it came fo ftrong and fure a hope of his 

 falvation, that he could not in any manner 

 believe that if he were dead he muft needs 

 pafs through the pains of Purgatory ; and 

 this love endured in him full fix months, 

 albeit that exceffive fervor was not con- 

 tinual, but came upon him at certain hours 

 of the day. And at this time he did re- 

 ceive marvellous vifitations and confola- 

 tions of God : and ofttimes was he rapt, 

 as he was feen of that Brother which firft 

 wrote down thefe things ; among which, 

 he was one night fo mightily exalted and 

 rapt in God that he faw in Him the Crea- 

 tor of all created things both celeftial and 



terreftrial, 



