2

[238.]

3 Præfatio

4

6

[248, 251.]

39.

[239.]

p. 76, 77, &c. [253.]

8 p. 69. 84.

Gothof. in

manner'; they did not even spare St. Athanasius. But they A. D. 385. chiefly exclaimed against the Pope St. Damasus, and declared p. 39. openly for the Anti-pope Ursinus. The person whom they p. 72. most extolled, and whom they looked upon as the chief of their [250] Communion, was Gregory', Bishop of Elvira' in Spain. They in Libell. ascribed the gift of miracles to him; and said that no one ever 1 p. 65, 73. dared to depose him from his See, or to banish him. As to Fleury, xvi. the East, they highly commended Heraclides', Bishop of [Eliberis.] Oxyrinchus in Egypt, who, they pretended, had suffered great p. 40. persecutions, both from Arians and Catholics. They even had a Bishop at Rome called Ephesius or Euresius. They complained of their being called Luciferians, maintaining that [249. 255.] they were simply Christians, and that Lucifer never having Cod. maintained any peculiar doctrine, ought not to be considered Theod. xvi. the head of a sect. In fine, they desired that they might be suffered to live unmolested according to their conscience1o; [250.] declaring that they willingly yielded up the magnificent [259.] churches and rich possessions to other people, the love of which they said, had led them to forsake the integrity of the faith. The Emperor Theodosius answered " this memorial, by " [post the rescript which he sent to Cynegius, in which he acknow- Libell.] ledges Gregory of Spain and Heraclides of the East to be holy and commendable Bishops, and forbids that those of their Communion should in any wise be molested, since they only desired to live in the Catholic faith. Thus Theodosius suffered himself to be deceived by these schismatics; but we do not find that his rescript had any great effect, and the schism vanished in a little time.

12

5.28.p.147.]

9 P. 70.

10

p. 97.

XLI.

Justina

persecutes

brose.

13 Ruffin. xi.

The peace which St. Ambrose had procured between Maximus and Valentinian, supplied the opportunity to the Empress Justina 13, mother of that young Prince, of perse- St. Amcuting the holy Bishop, which she had never ventured to vid.ch.28. do during the life of her husband Valentinian, nor of Gra- supra. tian. As the Feast of Easter approached in the year 385, 15. she sent to St. Ambrose in the name of the Emperor her son to ask a church of him, where the Arians who attended her might meet together. At first she demanded the Portian Basilica, which was without the walls of the city, and at this Ambr. 20. § 1. ad day bears the name of St. Victor; afterwards she asked for the New Basilica which was larger, and within the walls 1. Iter. Italic.

14 Ep. St.

Sororem.

Mabillon.

ubi supra

2

§ 2.

2

A. D. 385. There were sent first to St. Ambrose certain of the Comites St. Ambr. consistoriani, who were Counsellors of state, requiring him to deliver up the Basilica to them, and to prevent the people from giving any disturbance. He replied to them that a Bishop could not give up the temple of God. This happened [April 4.] on the Friday before Palm-Sunday. The next day, being Saturday, the Prætorian Præfect came into the church where St. Ambrose was attended by the people, and endea voured to persuade him to yield up at least the Portian Basilica. The people were clamorous against the proposal, and the Præfect retired to report how matters stood to the Emperor.

§ 3.

[tradebam.]

xi. 21.

$ 4.

The Sunday following, after the lessons of the Holy Scriptures, and the sermon, the Catechumens being dismissed, St. Ambrose was explaining the Creed to some Competentes in the Baptistery of the Basilica. The Competentes were, as 'See Fleury has been before said, the chosen Catechumens who were prepared during the whole of Lent, in order to receive baptism at Easter. Whilst St. Ambrose was employed in this func [a kind of tion, he was informed that there were certain Decani' sent lictors.] from the palace to hang up the imperial hangings in the Portian Basilica, and that upon this news, a part of the people were repairing thither. These Decani were a kind of officers of the court; and the hangings were tokens to shew that a house or any other place was confiscated to the Emperor. St. Ambrose hearing this, did not discontinue what [See ch he was about, but began Mass, that is to say, the oblation. 6. note s.] While he was offering up the Holy Sacrifice,

6

§ 5.

§ 6.

a second

message came that the people had seized an Arian Priest, named Castulus, as he was passing through the street. "On "this news" (says St. Ambrose, writing to his sister), "I could "not keep from shedding many bitter tears, and while I "made oblation I prayed God's protection, that no blood 'might be shed in the Church's quarrel; or if so, that it might be mine, and that, not for my people only, but for "the ungodly." At the same time he despatched a number of his clergy to the spot, who had influence enough to rescue the Arian priest from his danger.

The Court looked upon this resistance of the people, as seditious, and immediately laid considerable fines

upon

the

Theod. ix.

indulg.

whole body of the tradesmen of the city. Several were A. D. 385. thrown into prison during the holy week, at which time it was the custom to release prisoners, according to the laws of the last Emperors, as also by a decree' of Valentinian him- 'Cod. self, made that same year 385, on the twenty-third of Fe- 38. 8. de bruary. They indeed who were guilty of high treason were crim. excepted by those laws, as were also some others. In three days' time, these tradesmen were fined two hundred pounds weight in gold, and they said that they were ready to give as much again, on condition that they might retain their faith. The prisons were filled with tradesmen; all the officers of § 7. the household, secretaries, agents of the Emperor, and dependent officers who served under various Counts, were kept within doors, and were forbidden to appear in public, under the pretence that they should have no part in the sedition. Men of higher rank were menaced with severe consequences, unless the Basilica were surrendered. In short, the persecution was so violent, that had an opening been afforded, nothing could be expected but the utmost cruelty.

At length, a fresh interview was sought with St. Ambrose, § 8. of which the following is his own description :-"I had a 'meeting with the Counts and Tribunes, who urged me to "give up the Basilica without delay, on the ground that the "Emperor was but acting on his undoubted rights, as possess"ing sovereign power over all things. I made answer, that "if he asked me for what was my own-for instance, my estate, my money, or the like-I would make no opposition; "though, to tell the truth, all that was mine was the pro'perty of the poor; but that he had no sovereignty over things sacred. If my patrimony is demanded, seize upon "it; my person, here I am. Would you take to prison or to "death? I go with pleasure. Far be it for me to entrench 'myself within the circle of a multitude, or to clasp the altar "in supplication for my life; rather I will be a sacrifice for "the altar's sake.

"In good truth, when I heard that soldiers were sent to § 9. . "take possession of the Basilica, I was horrified at the pros

pect of bloodshed, which might issue in ruin to the whole

"city. I prayed God that I might not survive the ruin,

A. D. 385. "which might ensue, of such a place; nay, of Italy itself. "I shrunk from the odium of having occasioned slaughter, "and would sooner have given my own throat to the knife.... "Presently they bade me calm the people. I replied that all "I could do was not to inflame them: but God alone could "appease them. For myself, if I appeared to have instigated "them, it was the duty of the government to proceed against me or to banish me. Upon this they left me." St. Ambrose spent the rest of Palm Sunday in the same Basilica in which he had been officiating in the morning; at night he went to his own house, that the civil power might have the opportunity of arresting him, if it was thought advisable.

XLII. Continua

persecu

tion.

The next morning he went out before day, and the Basilica tion of the was surrounded with soldiers; but it was reported that they had sent to the Emperor to tell him that if he wished to come § 11. abroad, he might; and that they would attend him, if he was going to the assembly of the Catholics; otherwise that they would go to that which would be held by St. Ambrose. Indeed, the soldiers were all Catholics, as well as the citizens of Milan; there were no heretics there, except a few officers of the Emperor, and some Goths; and besides, the Empress took those of her communion with her wherever she went.

But

at that time none of them dared to shew themselves. St. Ambrose perceived by the cries of the people that the soldiers were surrounding the Basilica where he was. But whilst the Lessons were being read, he had notice brought him that the New Basilica likewise was full of people, who appeared more numerous than before the persecution, and that a reader was demanded by them. The soldiers who had surrounded the church where St. Ambrose was, having learned that he had ordered the people to abstain from their communion, began to enter into the assembly. The women, seeing them, were frightened, and one of them took flight; but the soldiers said that they were come to pray unto God, and not to fight. The people uttered some exclamations in a moderate and resolute manner, saying, as though the Emperor were present, § 14. "We petition your majesty, we use no force, we feel no fear, "but we petition'." They desired St. Ambrose to go to the guste, non other Basilica, where it was said that the people were imnon time- patient to see him.

1 [Roga

mus, Au

pugnamus;

nus, sed

gamus. ]

Sheet w.

He now began to preach upon the book of Job, which had A. D. 385. just been read, according to the service of the season; which custom is still continued in the Greek Church, where the book of Job is read at evening prayer, during the holy week, beginning on the Monday', and ending on the Friday. 'Triodium. St. Ambrose, applying the subject to the present occasion, 111, &c. commended the patience of his people, and compared it with that of Job. He likewise compared the temptations which he then suffered with those of that holy Patriarch. "Satan," said he, "endeavoured to deprive me, in you, of my children "and my riches; and it is perhaps because God knoweth my weakness, that He hath not as yet given him power over my "body." He draws a comparison between the wife of Job, § 16. and the Empress, who was urging him to deliver up the church, and blaspheme against God. He compares her to Eve, Jezebel, and Herodias. "I am commanded," said he, § 17, 18. "to deliver up the Basilica. I reply, that it is not lawful for "me to deliver it up, nor is it profitable for you, O Emperor! "to receive it. Some assert that all things are lawful in the § 19. "Emperor, and that every thing belongs to him. To this I "answer, 'Do not wrong yourself so much as to believe, that "being an Emperor, you have any right over divine things.' "It is said by the Emperor, 'I too ought to have a Basilica.' "To this I reply, 'What have you in common with an "adulteress, that is, with the Church of the heretics?"" Whilst St. Ambrose was preaching in this manner, he was told that the Emperor's hangings' were taken down, and that '[Cortinæ.] the Basilica was full of people, who requested his presence.

He sent Priests thither, but would not go himself, saying, "I § 20.

"

'put my trust in Jesus Christ, that the Emperor will be for "us." Then immediately turning his discourse on this news, he continued preaching, and said: "How deep are the "oracles of the Holy Ghost! You remember, brethren, with "how much affliction we answered to the words which were '[responread this morning: Lord, the heathen are come into Thine chanted.] "inheritance. There came Goths and other strangers in arms, Ps. 79. 1. "they have surrounded the Basilica. They came as Gentiles, § 21.

they are become Christians. They came to invade the "inheritance, they are become co-heirs of God. I have those "for my protectors, whom I looked upon as my enemies."

demus, i. e.