sentiments, and perfect description of all Christian
virtues, which it contains. The author confirms his precepts by several
edifying examples, as of obedience and penance.[5] In describing a
monastery of three hundred and thirty monks, which he had visited near
Alexandria in Egypt, he mentions one of the principal citizens of that
city, named Isidore, who, petitioning to be admitted into the house,
said to the abbot: "As iron is in the hands of the smith, so am I in
your hands." The abbot ordered him to remain without the gate, and to
prostrate himself at the feet of everyone that passed by, begging their
prayers for his soul struck with a leprosy. Thus he passed seven years
in profound humility and patience. He told St. John, that during the
first year he always considered himself as a slave condemned for his
sins, and sustained violent conflicts. The second year he passed in
tranquillity and confidence; and the third with relish and pleasure in
his humiliations. So great was his virtue, that the abbot determined to
present him to the bishop in order to be promoted to the priesthood, but
the humility of the holy penitent prevented the execution of that
design; for having begged at least a respite, he died within ten days.
St. John could not help admiring the cook of this numerous community,
who seemed always recollected, and generally bathed in tears amidst his
continual occupation, and asked him by what means he nourished so
perfect a spirit of compunction, in the midst of such a dissipating
laborious employment. He said, that serving the monks, he represented to
himself that he was serving not men, but God in his servants {680} and
that the fire he always had before his eyes, reminded him of that fire
which will burn souls for all eternity. The moving description which our
author gives of the monastery of penitents called the Prison, above a
mile from the former, hath been already abridged in our language. John
the Sabaite told our saint, as of a third person, that seeing himself
respected in his monastery, he considered that this was not the way to
satisfy for his sins. Wherefore, with the leave of his abbot, he
repaired to a severe monastery in Pontus, and after three years saw in a
dream a schedule of his debts, to the amount in appearance of one
hundred pounds of gold, of which only ten were cancelled. He therefore
repeated often to himself: "Poor Antiochus, thou hast still great debt
to satisfy." After passing ov