ourse touching upon his birth or connections; his gratitude to
God for enlightening those who disparaged him; his never being
scandalized at the sins of others, how great soever; and finally, his
never evincing the smallest resentment at any insult or injury. He was
studious to conceal and dissemble the great gifts of miracles and
prophecy with which God favored {517} him; ascribing the miracles he
performed to the faith of those in whose behalf they were wrought, or to
the intercession of the saints. Not unfrequently he desired those whom
he restored to health, to take some certain medicine, that the cure
might be attributed to a mere natural remedy; and with regard to his
prophecies, which were numerous, he affected to judge from analogy and
experience. To the numerous penitential austerities enjoined by his
order, he added as many more as an ingenious self-denial could devise.
Silent as long as possible, when he spoke, it was in a low voice.
Bareheaded in all seasons, he wore under his rough and heavy habit
divers hair-shirts and chains, which he was careful to vary to keep the
sense of torment ever fresh. Besides, he used the discipline to a severe
degree; and when, at the age of forty, his superior obliged him to wear
sandals, he placed between them and his feet a quantity of small nails;
but the most tremendous instrument of torture, which he devised against
himself, was a cross about a foot in length, set with rows of sharp
nails, which he fastened tight over his shoulders, so as to open there a
wound which never afterwards closed. In sooth, these things would appear
incredible, did we not remember that St. John Joseph of the Cross had
taken up the instrument of our Lord Jesus's blessed passion, and was
miraculously supported under its weight. If we are not blessed with
equal strength, still we are all capable of enduring much more than is
demanded of us for gaining heaven. Is not the life of a worldling more
irksome and more painful than that of a mortified religious man? How
many heart-burnings, and aching heads, and palled appetites, and
disordered faculties, and diseased frames, could bear out this
assertion,--that the way to heaven would be easy on the score of
mortification, if men could consent to sacrifice to virtue but one half
what they sacrifice to feed their passions?

It was usual for our saint to be absorbed and rapt in heavenly ecstasies
and visions. In this state he was lost to all that passed arou