sophy which he had been studying all his life; how easily he could conquer the affronts and injuries of men, and how firmly he could maintain his ground like a rock in the middle of the sea that if it were necessary, he would come over to him, and assist him with his counsel, if at least he wanted it; (as what need has the ocean of water?) but however to benefit himself in learning, patience, and how to bear contumelies and reproaches with him. Accordingly some time after he came," whom Basil received with all the endearments of an intimate friend, proffered him the first place in the presbytery, or the honour of an episcopal chair; which the other modestly declined, and that with mutual content and satisfaction,

SECTION IV.

HIS ACTS FROM HIS BEING MADE BISHOP TILL THE END OF HIS CONTEST WITH VALENS AND THE GOVERNOR AT CESAREA.

Valens's arrival at Cæsarea. Basil summoned before the Arian prefect. The dialogue that passed between them, discovering his inflexible adherence to the catholic religion. His great virtue reported to the emperor, who admires the piety of their public devotion. His discourse with him. His sharp rebuke of Demosthenes the emperor's cook. The Arians earnest for his banishment. Valens unable to sign the warrant. Embracing the catholic faith propounded by him, as the best expedient for the young prince's recovery; but rejected by the emperor: the child dies. Basil honoured by his enemies. His intercession for the Catholics at Nice, justified by a miracle. The sufferings of Eusebius Samosetanus in defence of the Nicene cause. His prohibiting the people to resist authority. His unfortunate death by the Arians. Basil's troubles at Cæsarea, for his protecting a widow that fled for sanctuary to the altar. undaunted courage in that affair.

His

He was as yet scarce warm in his chair, when the storm that had but lately blown over, returned with more fierceness and violence than before. Valens the emperor, in pursuance of his great design to subdue the East to the doctrine of Arius, came a second time to Cæsarea, attended as before with Modestus the prætorian prefect." Vexed they were, that he had so openly baffled their first attempt; and that since that he had been chosen bishop, in despite of all the intrigues they had laid, and the interest they could make against him. At their first arrival, "Greg. Naz. Orat. xx. p. 344. ▾ Greg. Naz. Orat. xx. p. 346, etc. 349, etc. 2 E

VOL. II.

he is sent for before the prefect, and went more like one that was going to a feast, than a prisoner to the bar; the discourse between them, passed in this manner.

MODESTUS. What is the matter, Basil, (for he vouchsafed not to honour him with his episcopal title,) that you presume to oppose so great an emperor, and that you alone carry yourself with so much obstinacy above all the rest?

BASIL. What do you mean, sir; what arrogance do you speak of? For as yet I do not understand you.

MOD. I mean your refusing to comply with the emperor's religion, when all others have struck sail, and given up the day.

BAS. But that is inconsistent with the will and command of my sovereign emperor; nor can I be ever brought to worship a creature, when I myself am God's creature; or one that is a made god, when I myself am commanded to become a partaker of the divine nature.

MOD. And what then do you make of us?

BAS. Nothing at all, as long as you command such things as these.

MOD. But tell me, do not you think it a great honour to come over to us, and to have us on your side?

BAS. I grant you to be governors, and very illustrious persons; yet you are not greater and more honourable than God: it is no small honour to have you on our side, but yet in the same capacity with others, who are subjected to our care and charge. For Christianity is to be measured, not by dignity of persons, but soundness of the faith.

The prefect was nettled at this, and passion growing upon him, he started up out of his chair, and proceeded in a sharper strain. MOD. What, then, are you not afraid of the power we are armed with?

BAS. What can happen? What can I suffer?

MOD. Any one of those many things that are within my power.

BAS. What are they, let us know? Confiscation of goods, banishment, tortures, or death? Or if there be any thing worse than these, threaten that; for of these there is none can reach

BAS. He is not obnoxious to confiscation, who has nothing to

lose: unless you want these old tattered clothes, and a few books, wherein consists my whole estate. Banishment I regard not, who am tied to no place; I account not this country, where I now dwell, my own; and I can think any mine, where I shall be cast: or, to speak more properly, the whole earth is God's, whose pilgrim and sojourner I am. As for tortures, what can they do, where there is not a body to bear them? Set aside the first blow, and there is nothing else within your power. And then for death, I shall esteem it a kindness and benefit; it will but sooner send me to God, for whose sake I live and act, and to whom I am in a great measure dead, having of a long time been hastening thither.

MOD. I have never yet met with a man so much unconcerned, and that has talked at this rate of freedom and liberty.

to us.

BAS. Perhaps you never yet met with a true bishop, otherwise, in like circumstances, he would have treated you in the same way that I have done. For, sir, in other things we are peculiarly submissive and humble, according to the law of our religion; far from proudly exalting ourselves, I say, not against supreme authority, but any of the meanest and most plebeian rank. But when the cause of God and religion is at stake, we overlook all things else, and fix our eyes only upon him. In such cases, fire and sword, wild beasts, and instruments to rake off the flesh by piece-meal, are a pleasure rather than a torment You may therefore reproach and threaten us, do your pleasure, and use your power; let the emperor know you cannot conquer us, for you shall never prevail with us to confederate with that impious sect; no, though you should threaten worse things than you have done yet. And as for the advantage you propound to me," and the favour of the emperor, offer these things to boys and children, who are wont to be caught with such gaudy baits; the professors of true religion will not betray one syllable of divine truth, in defence whereof they are ready in any way to sacrifice and lay down their lives. I highly value the emperor's friendship, when I can have it with piety, and the favour of heaven, but without that, I look upon it as pernicious and deadly.

Modestus told him, surely he was mad. I wish (replied the other) I may be always thus mad. Then he was commanded to

w Theodor. 1. iv. c. 19.

be gone, and to advise with himself what he would do, and return' his answer to-morrow; threatenings being added, unless he complied. The good man answered short, I will come again tomorrow, but the very same that I am to-day; and for your part, alter not your resolution, but execute what you have threatened. II. The prefect now plainly saw, that the man's resolution was impregnable, and, though he appeared outwardly angry, could not at the same time but entertain a secret reverence and veneration for him. Whereupon having dismissed him, he went immediately to the emperor, and told him: Sir, we are conquered by this one bishop, whom no threatenings can shake, no arguments move, no promises allure. Some timorous or mean fellow may be wrought upon, but for this man, he must either be set upon by direct open force, or there can be no expectations of his yielding. Valens had so much generosity, as to admire virtue in an enemy; and though he was ashamed to desert his party, yet he commanded all rigorous proceedings against him to be stayed, and sought a fair occasion to insinuate himself into his good opinion, which he attempted in this manner. It was now the time of the Christmas solemnities, (the rà 'Eπipávia, as Nazianzen, or Oeopávia, as Nicephorus,) and the congregation was infinitely thronged; when the emperor, attended with a great retinue, entered into the church, where, beholding the frequency of the assembly, the order and decorum of the service, the majesty and gravity of the bishop, the reverence and devotion of the people, and taking notice of the fervency of their prayers, and the loud harmony and sprightliness of their singing psalmody, he was struck with horror, as with a clap of thunder, and his sight and senses began to fail him. And when the time of oblation was come, that according to custom he was to make his offering (which, say some,* were vessels of silver) at the holy table, and perceived that nobody took it up, as not knowing whether Basil would receive it, he began to tremble, and his legs to faulter, and he had undoubtedly fallen to the ground, if one of the clergy that stood next him had not caught hold of him and kept him up. After this, he again came into the church, and being admitted within the vail, into the diaconicon, or vestry, the good bishop discoursed to him at large concerning the faith, which the emperor heard with great atten

x Nicet. Comm. in Naz. Orat. xx.

tion; and which Nazianzen, who then stood by, professes he looked upon as things immediately spoke from heaven, and that he could not sufficiently admire the wisdom and divine philosophy of those discourses. At this intercourse, amongst others of the emperor's train, was present one Demosthenes, (whom the two Gregories, Nazianzen and Nyssen, elegantly call Nebuzaradan,) steward and chief cook of the imperial palace, who took upon him to interrupt Basil, and contradict him in rude barbarous language. Whereat smiling, he told the company, "We have now seen an ignorant and illiterate Demosthenes." The man thought himself affronted with the answer, and broke out into menaces and ill words; to whom the other replied, your business is to dress meats, and prepare sauces, but you cannot relish divine truths, your ears being stopped up with the noisome fumes and vapours of the kitchen. The emperor, however, was not unpleased with the converse he had had, the edge of his fury being for the present abated, and he had a better opinion of Basil and his party than before.

III. The Arian prelates that were about the court perceived the emperor began to stagger, and therefore plied him with warm and importunate counsels, never giving over, till they had persuaded him to banish Basil. And so sure had they made themselves of it, that the very night was appointed, and at hand, for his transportation; the chariot in readiness, his friends prepared to accompany him, his enemies every where triumphing ; nothing was wanting but the emperor's hand to the warrant, which being brought to him to sign, he was not able to write one syllable, the pen breaking under his hand: he tried a second, and then a third, and still had the same success; whereat he was amazed, his hand shook, and a consternation seized upon his mind, and catching up the paper, tore the warrant in pieces. The accident, we may well suppose, soon filled every corner with discourse, and indeed was a great instance of Heaven's immediate appearing in the good man's cause, which wanted not, at the same time, other testimonies from heaven for its vindication. Galates, the emperor's son, was seized with a malignant fever, which raged beyond all hopes of life. Valens was infinitely

y Greg. Naz. Orat. xx. p. 352. Theodor. 1. iv. c. 19.

Socrat. 1. iv. c. 26. Sozom. 1. vi.

c. 16.