, one of the most learned and eloquent of the fathers, was born at
, one of the most learned and
eloquent of the fathers, was born at Antioch, of a noble family, about the year 354. His father, Secundus, dying when
he was very young, the care of his education was left to
his mother, Anthusa. He was designed at first for the bar,
and was sent to learn rhetoric under Libanius; who had
such an opinion of his eloquence, that when asked who
would be capable of succeeding him in the school, he answered, “John, if the Christians had not stolen him from
us.
” He soon, however, quitted all thoughts of the bar,
and being instructed in the principles of the Christian religion, was afterwards baptized by Meletius, and ordained
by that bishop to be a reader in the church of Antioch,
where he converted his two friends, Theodorus and Maximus. While he was yet young, he formed a resolution of
entering ugon a monastic life, and in spite of all remonstrances from his mother, about the year 374, he betook
himself to the neighbouring mountains, where he lived four
years with an ancient hermit; then retired to a more secret part of the desert, and shut himself up in a cave, in which
situation he spent two whole years more; till at length,
worn out almost by continual watchings, fastings, and other
severities, he was forced to return to Antioch, to his old
way of living.