Ptōchomuseion [sic]. = The poore mans librarie Rapsodiæ G.A. Bishop of Exceter vpon the first epistle of saint Peter, red publiquely in the cathedrall church of saint Paule, within the citye of London. 1560. Here are adioyned at the end of euery special treatie, certaine fruitful annotacions which may properly be called miscellanea, bicause they do entreate of diuerse and sundry matters, marked with the nombre and figures of Augrime. 2.

Chrisostomus. 38.

IOhannes Chrisostomus was borne at Antioche, at the riuer Orō∣tes in Coelesiria. He came of a noble house, hauing to his father one named Secundus,* 1.1 and to his mother one Anchusa, as Socra∣tes, Sozomenus, and Nicephorus do write. He learned Rhethoricke of his scholemaster Libanius, & Philosophy of Andragathius. At the age of 18. yeares he went vnto the vniuersitye of Athens, where he profited so much,* 1.2 that all men wondred at it. He was honored of the senate for his humility, aboue Anthemius, and the rest of the Philosophers.

* 1.3Hetherto he semeth to haue bene an Ethnicke, for Sozomenus saith that Libanius whē he died, complained that Chrisostome was taken a∣way as a pray of the christians from him, otherwise he might well haue taught his schole after him.* 1.4 He was conuerted and baptised by Melesius at one time, with his father and mother: he was metely wel expert in the knowledge of the law, and woulde haue bene verye profitable in iudge∣ments, but fearing the molestation of that profession, did chuse to hym∣selfe an ecclesiastical kind of life, and changing his habite, did apply hys minde to the reading of the holy scriptures, hauing to his maisters Dio∣dorus & Cartherius, his fellow disciples were Theodorus and Maximus, which were his companions, vnder Libanius his scholmaster. He was al∣so very familiar with Basilius byshoppe of Cesarea in Capadocia, whom he vsed also as his scholemaster. Suidas doth say, that Eusebius Emisse∣nus was also his scholemaster.

Zenon bishop of Gaza, when he was returned from Hierusalem, did constitute Chrisostome a Reader at the church of Antioche. After that

he was ordeined Deacon of Melesius, in the which office he remayned al¦most three yeares. VVhen Melesius was dead,* 1.5 he was ordayned Priest of Euagrius.

Nicephorus doth report,* 1.6 that he was made Deacon and Priest of one Flauianus, and maketh relation of the miracle of the Doue, which came fliyng, and did sit vpon his head. And Georgius doth triflingly shew, be∣sides the apparition of the Doue, that the aungell commaunded Flauia∣nus to fetch Iohn Chrisostome out of the Monasterye, and to make hym Priest. He sheweth also a fable, how Chrisostome did see Hesichium in his dreame, and that Iohn the Apostle dyd deliuer to him a booke, and how Peter brought him the keyes.

VVhen Nectarius was dead, Chrisostome was chosen bishop of Con∣stantinople, by the commaundement of Arcadius,* 1.7 and by the consents & voices, both of the people, and of the clergie. He was had away by the Emperour from Antioche, against the inhabitantes will, and was ordey∣ned byshop, by a counsel assembled together very solemnely.

He was endewed with singular gifts: for besides the knowledge of li∣beral sciences, of philosophy, and of the toungs, he was very excellentlye sene in the holy scriptures. He was very apt and ready to teach, and in his words he had a marueilous faculty to perswade. He was so eloquent, that this name Chrisostome was geuen to him, which betokeneth golden mouth. He was of a stout and constant minde. Some say that he had the gift to heale all maner of diseases. In the administracion of his bishoprick he behaued him self very faithfull, constant, and like a vigilant Minister of Christ. He preached often, and in his preaching did apply him selfe to the capacity of his auditours and hearers. He rebuked synne so sharply, as though he had sustained some iniury himself. And caused them whych wer gilty in conscience, to breake forth oftentimes into teares and wee∣ping. He did not onely touch the faultes of the common people,* 1.8 but the sinnes of all sortes, with great liberty of toung. He reprehended y^e disor∣ders of y^e empresse,* 1.9 and did exhort her to restore againe y^e vineyard which she had takē away frō Calitropa. He did exhort al persons to repentance, & did comfort so greatly the doubtfull and dismayed consciēces,* 1.10 y^t he pro∣mised pardon and forgeuenes, to those that fel and synned, yea although it were a thousand tymes.

He did institute and ordaine praiers to be sayd in the night agaynst the Arrians. If he perceaued any vnworthy of the office of priesthoode, either through ignoraunce or filthines of life, he deposed them, and dyd substitute others more mete and worthye. He did profitte the church not onely by his voyce, but also by his writing. VVhen he was but a reader, he

wrote a boke against the Iewes, and certaine homelies De vita monasti∣ca. VVhen he was Deacon, he made bookes and certain dialoges of priest∣hood, and three bookes Ad Stagirium Daemoniacum. VVhen he was priest, he made many commentaries and expositions vpon many bookes of the scripture,* 1.11 as vpon Genesis and other bookes of the old testament, vpon the Gospels,* 1.12 vpon the psalmes. &c. VVhen he was bishop, he made many notable sermōs, partly writtē of himself, partly of certain notaries.

Al his workes which are now extant, are digested into fiue tomes. In the first tome are contained the commentaries which he wrote vpon the old testament. In the second, the cōmentaries vpon Mathew, Marke, & Luke. In the third, the cōmentaries vpon Iohn, and the actes of the Apo∣stles, wherin also are certain sermōs, & certain apologies. In the fourth, the cōmentaries vpon Paules epistles. In the fift are contained .80. home∣lies Ad populum Antiochenum, & .8. epistles, with other diuers bookes.

Although he was very studious of tranquility, and a louer of peace, yet when he was bishop, he was muche molested and vexed by false bre∣thren, by courtiers, by heretiks, and heathen men.

Concerning false brethren, whan he by reason of his office, was care∣full to amend the maners and life of his Clergie, some of them tooke it grieuously, and accused him of to much austerity and rigour, and toke an occasion euery way to speake ill of him. Other slaundred him, bicause Se∣rapion a Deacon did say, that he could not rule them, except he woulde beate them alway with one staffe, wherupon they called him a proud & an ambitious man. They found fault with him also, bicause he did alwaies eate alone without company, as though he did contemne and loth others. But his aduersaries did litle preuayle with these reproches. For all men had him in much estimation and honor, for the singular gift of teaching, and it was well knowen, that through his sickly state, and by the reason of the infirmity of his head and stomacke,* 1.13 and his great abstinence, he did eschew and auoyde all feastes and banckets.

He had great contention with one Seuerianus, who in his absence did much trouble the church, which contention Serapion did so muche augment, that Seuerianus was expelled out of the city. For this Serapi∣on did falsly accuse him, & sayd y^t he did affirme Christe not to be made man, when he ment nor sayd no such thing. For these were his woordes: Si Serapion Christianus fuerit mortuus, Christus homo non est factus. If Serapion die a christen man, then Christ is not made man.

He was also in contention with one Theophilus, Bishop of Alexan∣dria, which rose by this occasion. VVhen one Dioscorus, and certayne Monckes, called Longi fratres, came to Constantinople to the emperour,

and to Iohn, and had complained of the inurye which Theophilus had done vnto them, Iohn did receiue them honorablye, and did gentlye en∣tertayne them, and did admit them vnto common praiers, yet did he re∣straine them from the Communion, vntil their cause shoulde be hearde and debated.

VVhē the fame & report of this was brought to Theophilus, and that Iohn also had admitted thē to the holi misteries, Theophilus did craftely imagine, how he might reuenge himself of Iohn, & to depose him frō his office, which he attempted this way. Theophilus reconciled him self vn∣to Epiphanius which was before offended with him, and did prouoke & allure him to condemne Origines bookes. Epiphanius not perceiuing this crafty fetch, did obey him, and wrote vnto Iohn, that he also woulde ab∣stayne from the reading of Origines bookes, and that he would cal a coun¦sell, and make a decree therof.

Not long after, Theophilus also dyd call a counsell, and condem∣ned the bookes of Origen: but Iohn not regarding the letters of Epi∣phanius, tooke heede to his owne office and charge. Nowe when they of the Clergye, and of the Emperours court, vnderstoode what Theo∣philus went about to compasse, they also did put their helping handes,* 1.14 and caused a counsel to be called to Constantinople. A little after Epi∣phanius came to Constantinople, and without the citye did celebrate the supper of our Lorde, and ordayned a Deacon: and calling vnto him certaine Bishoppes, did rehearse vnto them the condemnacion of Origines bookes. Iohn did inuite and bid him vnto his house, but hee aun∣swered, he would not come, no not to pray with him, before hee had ba∣nished Dioscorus out of the Citye, and hadde also subscribed to the con∣demnacion of Origines bookes. Iohn on the contrarye side sayde, that no∣thing ought to bee done rashlye, before an vniuersall knowledge might be had therein.

VVhē Epiphanius came abrode openly, and would haue cōdemned Ori∣gines bokes, and would haue drawen Dioscorus out of the citie, and haue accused Iohn, Iohn sent vnto him Serapion, who sayd these words. O Epi∣phanius, thou doost many thinges against the Canons. First, for that thou hast geuen orders in the churches within my iurisdiction. Secondlye, be∣cause thou hast without my commaundement or sufferaunce, celebrated the holy misteries. Finally, bicause being gently biddē of me to my house, thou diddest refuse. Take hede therfore, least there be a tumult raysed by the people, and thou also be wrapped in the daunger therof.

VVhen Epiphanius heard thys, he went out of the Churche, and as he was goyng, sayde: Spero te non moriturum Episcopum. I hope thou

shalt not die a byshop.* 1.15 To whom Iohn answered, Spero te non ingressurū patriam tuam, I hope thou shalt not returne into thy country. The euent did approue and verify both their words: for Epiphanius died in the ship, before he came home, and Iohn was a litle after deposed from hys see.

Concerning temporal men, and especially them of the court, he sustai∣ned many afflictions, and much trouble. They were offended wyth hym for no other cause, but for that he did sharply and frely reprehēded their disordered life. He tooke vp very sharply, and rebuked Eutropius, lying before the altar, bicause when he had caused a law to be made, that no fauour should be shewed vnto offenders, which did flee to the altar, and yet he himselfe did couet to vse that same priuiledge, and so to saue hys life. The nobles of the court tooke these words in very il part, & accused him to be an vnmercyfull man, and called him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is spite∣full and malicious.

Gainas also captaine of the host, was much against him, and very in∣fensiue vnto him, bicause when Gainas did request before the emperour and certaine bishops, that one certayne church shoulde be assigned vnto the Arrians at Constantinople, Iohn did plainly and openly say, that hys request was wicked, and that the emperour could not without treason to Gods house, and without abrogation of certaine lawes made of the aun∣cetors, suffer any conuenticles of the Arrians within the city, and did em¦braid also Gainas wyth hys country and fliyng from thence,* 1.16 and did ob∣iect vnto him periury.

Eudoxia also the Emperesse, was sore set against him, for expelling of Seuerianus out of the City, & did prouoke Epiphanius against hym, wherof when Iohn had knowledge, he made a very sharp sermon against the enormities of womē. His aduersaries taking hādfast of this, brought it to the court, wher all flatterers made an exclamation, that it was vn∣worthely done of Iohn, and accused him as one gilty of treason. The Em∣presse her selfe made her complaint to the Emperour, that she was ve∣ry contumeliously handled, and requested him to haue a regard of her state and calling. VVherupon y^e emperour consentyng, a counsel was as∣sembled, in the which Theophilus Alexandrinus and many other, which bare malice vnto Iohn, came to Calcedon, wher Cyrinus the bishoppe dyd spred many reproches & rebukes against Iohn, & said, that he was an a∣rogant & proud man, & one that would neither bow nor breake, which words wer receiued of the bishops, w^t great ioy and reioycing. But Iohn refusing to appeare in that synode, & appealing to a general coūsell, was condemned, & sent into exile into a towne by the sea side, called Hierō. But the multitude & cōmon people,* 1.17 rising (as it wer) in a tumult, Iohn was called again from exile of the emperour, and restored vnto his see.

Not long after, when certain enterludes and plaies were practised at the siluer image of the Empresse, which image was set by the Church of Sophia, Iohn in his sermon did reprehend it Eudoxia the empresse, desi∣rous to be reuenged, called againe an other counsel. Then Iohn made opē∣ly in the church, that homely or sermon which beginneth thus: Rursus Herodias insanit, rursus turbatur, rursus saltat, rursus in disco caput Io∣hannis accipere quaerit. Herodias againe waxeth mad, againe she is trou¦bled, againe she daunceth, againe she seeketh Iohns head in a dishe. But when the bishops were come together, he desired that inquisition might be made of the crimes obiected against him of his aduersaries: but they neglecting al other things, went about that that was more plausible and pleasaunt vnto them, that is to saye, they layde to Iohns charge, that af∣ter he was deposed, he entred againe into his bishopricke, of his own au∣thority, without the sentence and consent of any counsell. And although Iohn did reply, that he was restored againe of .v. or .vi. bishoppes, and dyd shew that y^e canon which they alledged, was a canon of y^e Arrians against Athanasius, yet he was condemned and remoued from his ministery, and so banished at the last by the instaunce of Seuerianus Porphyrius, and other Byshoppes of Siria, vnto a place named Pitymita,* 1.18 situate in the vt¦termost coast of all the Romane Empire. And as he was in his iourney going thitherward, and came vnto the sea called Pontus Euxinus,* 1.19 being greued wyth great payne of the head, and taken of a feuer, dyed. After his death great dissention folowed among the byshoppes, of whom some condemned him, and some dyd defend his cause and innocency. His bones at the request of Proclus, were translated to Constantinoble.

That Peter and Iohn the Apostles did appeare to him the night be∣fore he died, and did shew to him the victory against the deuils,* 1.20 and that Basiliscus the martyr did foreshew him, that he should be buried in hys own church, sauoureth of a fable, rather then of truth. He dyed at the age of .lii. and when he had bene bishop fiue yeares and a halfe.

Concerning the sanctimony of his life, he lyued chaste, and did vtterly abstaine from al feastes, and was very liberal towards the poore, and was in great estimation emong the learned.

Theodoretus doth cal him Magnum Iohannem,* 1.21 & doctorem orbis terrarum. He wrote a very eloquent stile, and did very strongly fight & wryte agaynst heretikes, namely against the heresie of Martion, Valen∣tinus, Arrius, and against the detestable doctrine of the Nouatians. He doth pithily confute, writing vpon the second chapter to the Philip∣pians, these heretickes, Paulus Samosatenus, Marcellus, Sabellius, Ma∣nes, Appollinarius, Photinus, Sophronius, and others.

* 1.22Yet he himself was not without his errours in his writinges. He affir∣med, that in what house soeuer the booke and history of the Gospell was, that y^e deuil durst not enter into that house. He did attribute to much to allegorical interpretacion. For he saith: non historiam negamus, sed spi∣ritualem intelligentiam praeferimus.* 1.23 VVe do not denye the historye, but we preferre the spiritual vnderstanding. He writeth also, that the aungels did learne much of Iohn the Baptists sermons, and out of the ser¦mons of other preachers.* 1.24 He doth not most purely intreate of iustificatiō, for he expresly saith, that faith onely is not sufficient to saluation.

* 1.25Furthermore he saith, that the onely vertue of the soule may saue vs, and deliuer vs from eternall fire, and send vs to the kingdome of heauen. His opinion is, that sicke men ought not to be christened. Although he doth not condemne second mariages, yet he semeth to wyll, that none should be taken into the ministery of the church, if they haue twise mari∣ed.* 1.26 He affirmeth, that the fathers were in hell before Christ rose from death. But in this opinion, he hath the most part of the Fathers of both the churches consenting with him. He died about the yeare of our lord, as Socrates and Sozomenus do write 408.* 1.27 Yet he himselfe in hys thyrde oration agaynst the Iewes, doth say: Nunc agitur annus quingētessimus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 6. cap. 3. Lib. 8. cap. 2. Lib. 13, cap. 2.
• * 1.2

  Georg. de vita Chrisost.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 8. cap. 2.
• * 1.4

  Georg. in vita cius.
• * 1.5

  Socra. Lib. 6. cap. 3.
• * 1.6

  Lib. 13. cap. 2,
• * 1.7

  Theodoretus Lib. 5. cap. 28. Sozom. Li 8. cap. 2.
• * 1.8

  Sozo. Lib. 8. cap. 16.
• * 1.9

  Nicepho Li. 13. cap. 13.
• * 1.10

  Socra. Lib. 6. cap 21.
• * 1.11

  Niceph. lib. 13. cap. 2.
• * 1.12

  Socra. Lib 6. cap 4.
• * 1.13

  Nicepho Li. 13. cap 9. Socra. Lib. 6. cap. 4.
• * 1.14

  Socrat, Lib. 3. cap. 10.
• * 1.15

  Soc, lib. 6 ca. 14
• * 1.16

  Soc. Lib 6. ca. 5. Sozora. Li. 8, cap. 4.
• * 1.17

  Socrat. Lib. 6. cap. 16.
• * 1.18

  Sozo Lib. 8. cap. 18.
• * 1.19

  Socra. Lib. 6. cap. 21.
• * 1.20

  Niceph. lib. 13. cap. 37. Basiliscus.
• * 1.21

  Lib. 5. cap. 28. et. 32.
• * 1.22

  Homil. 3.1 in cap. 4 et. 3. et. 4. concione de Lazaro.
• * 1.23

  In Matheum hom 10. In prolo. in Io∣hannem.
• * 1.24

  Homil. 70. cap. 3. Iohn.
• * 1.25

  Hom. 48. in, 7. cap. Iohan. Ho. 1 in acta Apostolo. In T••tū. cap. 1.
• * 1.26

  Ho 4 in Marcū et. cap 16. in Lucam.
• * 1.27

  Lib 6. cap. 21. Lib, 8. cap. ••8.