CHAPTER XXI

JOHN DIES IN EXILE

ON the 14th of September, in the following consulate, which was the seventh of Honorius, and the second of Theodosius, John died in exile at Comanes. His love of virtue inclined him, as we have before observed, rather to anger than forbearance: and his personal sanctity of character led him to indulge in a latitude of speech which to others was intolerable. But what is most inexplicable to me is, how with a zeal so ardent for the practice of self-control and blamelessness of life, he should in his sermons appear to encourage licentiousness. For whereas by the Synod of bishops repentance was accepted but once from those who had sinned after baptism; he did not scruple to say, “Approach, although you may have repented a thousand times.” For this doctrine, many even of his friends censured him, but especially Sisinnius bishop of the Novatians; who wrote a book condemnatory of this expression of Chysostom’s, and severely rebuked him for it. But this occurred long before.