tiam. In eo fiquidem pia Authoris induftria præcipuè collimat, we ex felectioribus tum Sacræ Paginæ, tum Sanctorum Patrum, faniorumque Regulæ Interpretum ruderibus, atque ex interjectis ferventiorum animi motuum Scintillis, per confiderationes Sera phicas fubindè excitatis, Filium efformet Seraphici Patris verè Seraphicum. Ex eo difcent Francifcani, Superiores pariter & Subditi, Stare firmiter in Teftamento fuo, & in co fobriè & fapidè colloqui, in opere Mandatorum fuorum feliciter tandem veterafcere. Ecclii 1. 1. Difcent & alii Quicumque, folidæ ac defecatioris Pietatis amantes, dignè ambulare vocatione qua vocati funt. Ephef.4.1. Nihil præterea continet quod Fidei & Moribus non fit apprimè confonum. Unde luce publica cenfeo quàm digniffimum. Datum Duaci inConventu noftro FF. Min. Recoli. Angl.hac die22. Maii 1716. F. FRANCISCUS KEARNY S.Theol.Lector. CENSURA ORDINARII. Ifis Facultate Reverendiffimi Patris Commiffarii Generalis Nationis Germano-Belgica, & Approbationibus duorum Lectorum ejufdem Ordinis circa Opus Anglicè fcriptum, cui titulus: Expofitio Litteralis, Moralis, & Spiritualis in Regulam Fratrum-Minorum, à R. P. F. JOANNE BAPTISTA WESTON &c. concedo, quantum in me eft, ut illud Opus imprimatur, fuppofitis supponendis. Datum Duaci 9. Maii 1717. A. DELCOURT S.Th. Doctor, & Profeffor tit. §.I. Their Rule. §. II.Their Life. 13. Drawyers. Drawers. 10. negecting.neglecting. Life. 77. 96. 22. himiel. himself. 102. 5. shodd. shod. sit. Rule. Name. 301. uit. peak. fpeak. 33. ad. and. 360. 31. most. must. 382. 9. Vifiter. Vifitor. S.III.Their Name. 30. Carriers. Carreers. 388. 3. follow it. follow. tit. II. Their Rule. 19. fylver. filver. 528. 14. whe. nothing of. more, Eye In the Name of our Lord begins the Rule CHA P. I. THIS is the Rule, and Life of the Frier-Minors: Toit, to THE CONTENTS. S. The Excellency of the Rule | VI.The Happinessoftheir State of the Frier-Minors. II. Their Life, III.Their Name. IV. Their Profeffion of the Holy Gospel. V. Their Vows. THE VII. Their Obedience to the Pope. VIII. Their Obedience to the IX. The Hierarchy of their EXPOSITION. Encomiums clem. V. Exiui His is the Rule.] The Form of Celestial Doctrine, A Dcf- Barth. Pifan. 1. Conform. in Prologo. Whosoever sirall folian this Rule 5 Peace be upon them, and Mercy. Gal. 6. 16. Nic. III. Exiit Defcended from the Father of Lights, Dictated by our Heavenly qui Seminat Mafter, Strengthen'd by his own moft Holy Example, Practif'd by his Apoftles and Chief Difciples; Sign'd and Scal'd with thofe facred Marks of Man's Redemption, the most Holy Stigmates, of its Seraphical Founder. Confirm'd by Innocent 111. Honorius III. and fo many other Popes.. Approv'd by General Councils. Inferted in the Body of the Canon-Law. Declar'd and Interpreted by Greg. IX. Innoc. IV. Alex. IV. Greg. X. Nic. III. Clem. V. John. XXII. Embellish'd with the Lives of fo many Saints Canoniz'd above so, Beatified 600, Alv. Pelag.de Martyr'd, 1500. Ever Impugn'd by Libertines and Wicked planttu Eccle- Men, and ftill Defended by vertuous and pious Chriftians; fiæ lib. 2. art. Supported by their Authority, Shelter'd under their Protection, Introduc'd into all parts by their Favour, and Maintain'd at their Expences with Extraordinary Liberality and Be nevolence; the Charities of the People furnishing us with all Neceffaries, much cafier, and in greater Abundance, than the Revenues of the most flourishing Estates would be able to do. Illuftrated wich the Commentaries of fo many learned Pens. Embrac'd by Popes, Cardinals, Patriarchs, Primates, Arch Bishops, Bishops, Emperours, Kings, Princes. By fo many Celebrated Doctors of Vniverfities, and Founders of Schools. Befides an infinite Number of Religious Perfons of this Order not to be reckon'd,of all Qualities, Ranks,and Conditions, multiplied, and difpers'd throughout the whole Univerfe. £61. My Son, Keep the Paci O Divine Rule, worthy of the wisdom and Sublime Perfection of the Son of God! with how much Reverence are you to be Receiv'd? with what Circumfpection to be Us'd? with how great Attention to be Read? with what Careto be Expounded? with how profound Humility to be Embrac'd? And with how much Devotion. and Exactnefs to be-Obferv'd? Again This is the Rule According to which, we are to of thy F. fquare all the actions of our Life, having taken the obligation of 39 thou shali Sleep let them keep thee, and awaking Talk with them. Prov. 6.20. of it upon us. And therefore no pretended Ignorance will excufe Bind them in us from the discharge of our Duty: Every Man being fuppos'd thy heart continually, and to understand the Rules of that Art, which he makes Profeffion put them about of. Wherefore, my dear Brethren, let us always have it by us, thy throat.whể let us ty it to our Breaft as our chiefft Treafure, let us fre- thou shalt walk, let quently ruminate upon it, let it be our Meditation Night and them Go with Day, as a thing whereof we are one day to be accountable: thee: when For it must go to Judgment with us, and for that reafon it is put into our Hands when we are carried to our Graves to be buried. Therefore I intreat, fays our Holy Founder, in the Name of Almighty God, all the Brethren to learn the Contents and ,, Meaning of these things that are written here in this Form of Life for the good of their Souls, and often to revolve them in their minds. And I pray God, who is Omnipotent, Three and 1. Reg. Cap.23. ,, One, that he will blefs all fuch as shall learn, teach, re,, member, and practise them, as often times as they shall re,, peat the faid things, which are there deliver'd for our Salva,, tion. And I befecch all by a Kifs of their Feet, that they will fet much to heart, charily preferve, and lay them up. Opufc. Tom. And again in another place, putting his Brethren in mind of the 3. Colloq. 33. obligation of their State, he exhorts them after this manner to the observance of their Rule. "O moftbeloved Brethren,, ,, and for ever bleffed Children, hear me, hear the voice of ,, your Father: We have promis'd great Matters, but greater are ,, promis'd to us. Let us obferve those, and aspire after these. Pleasure is Short, Pain Everlasting. Suffering Little, Glory ,, Infinite. Many are Call'd, Few Elected, All will be Requited. Behold, what ought to excite noble Refolutions in the breafts of all Frier - Minors, and greatly encourage them to the performance of their Duty; there being nothing more powerful to animate us to Vertue, and render the most difficult and ftrictest obligations of our Penitential State fweet, and easy to us, than the hope of future Recompence, or the greatness of that heard, neither Motives to the obfervance of our Holy Rule. Excite us to Eye has not Seen, nor Ear Re- have Enter'd 1. Cor. 2. 9. Pf. 118. 112. Ep. 145. ad Virg. Demet. of Man the Reward we expect for it in the other world. It was by this ho things which God has pre- pe, the Royal Prophet exercis'd himself in the obfervance of par'd for them God's Law and Commandments, when he said: I was refolv'd that love him. to perfever unto the end in the Obfervance of your Precepts.» whilft I beheld the Recompence I thereby expected. There is no pain, fays S. Auguftin, tho never fo great, which will not become light, when you think upon the Recompence annex'd thereunto; for the hope of a Recompence is of great confort in our Labours. Which we daily fee and experience in Marchants, Labourers and Souldiers. The Marchant is not difcourag'd at Tempefts and Shipwracks; bad Weather do's not keep the Labourer from his Work; neither are the continual Fatigues. Wounds, nor Death itself, able to affright the Souldier, or make him quit the Field, barely upon the account of that Temporal gain he has in profpect. And shall we then Frier-Mimors, who by our Profeffion have renounc'd all right and title to the things of the Earth, and whofe Hopes and Inheritance are in Heaven, ftartle and be afraid of the Mortifications and Sufferings inioyn'd us by our Rule? Since they are the best means, whereby to gain the poffeffion of what we hope for. Shall these Perfons expose themselves to inconveniencies and dangers, Før 1. Cor. 9. 25. a fading Corruptible (rown, and we who expect an Immortal one, ftand looking on and do nothing? S. Bafil alfo extreamly recommends this means unto us;. Admon. ad fil. Let your Heart, fays he, continually be imploy'd in thinking Spirit. upon the Heavenly promifes, that they may incourage you to advance in the way of Vertue. It was by this alfo, S. Antony excited his Difciples, to perfever continually in the feverity of a Religious Courfe; and fometimes, as aftonish'd at God's Libe rality, there is, fays he, a great Equality in the Traffick that Men make in the world; each one gives as much as he receives; and that which is fold, is worth the price that is given for it. But as for Eternal Glory, it is given for a fmal price, face Holy |