, both his natural and acquired talents, and the
extraordinary graces with which the Holy Ghost enriched his soul. By
this secrecy he fled from the danger of vain-glory, which, like a leech,
sticks to our best actions, and sucking from them its nourishment, robs
us of their fruit. As if this cell had not been sufficiently remote from
the eyes of men, St. John frequently retired into a neighboring cavern,
which he had made in the rock, where no one could come to disturb his
devotions, or interrupt his tears. So ardent were his charity and
compunction, that his eyes seemed two fountains, which scarce ever
ceased to flow; and his continual sighs and groans to heaven, under the
weight of the miseries inseparable from his moral pilgrimage, were not
to be equalled by the vehemency of the cries of those who suffer from
knives and fire. Overcome by importunities, he admitted a holy anchoret
named Moyses to live with him as his disciple.

God bestowed on St. John an extraordinary grace of healing the spiritual
disorders of souls. Among others, a monk called Isaac, was brought
almost to the brink of despair by most violent temptations of the flesh.
He addressed himself to St. John; who perceived by his tears how much he
underwent from that conflict and struggle which he felt within himself.
The servant of God commended his faith, and said: "My son, let us have
recourse to God by prayer." They accordingly prostrated themselves
together on the ground in fervent supplication for a deliverance, and
from that time the infernal serpent left Isaac to peace. Many others
resorted to St. John for spiritual advice: but the devil excited some to
jealousy, who censured him as one who, out of vanity, lost much time in
unprofitable discourse. The saint took this accusation, which was a mere
calumny, in good part, and as a charitable admonition; he therefore
imposed on himself a rigorous silence for near a twelvemonth. This his
humility and modesty so much astonished his calumniators, that they
joined the rest of the monks in beseeching him to reassume his former
function of giving charitable advice to all that resorted to him for it,
and not to bury that talent of science which he had received for the
benefit of many. He who knew not what it was to contradict others, with
the same humility and deference again opened his mouth to instruct his
neighbor in the rules of perfect virtue: in which office, such was the
reputation of his wisdom and exper