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away by force; and indeed there was a company of soldiers A. D. 386. sent by the Emperor', who guarded the church without, and 'Paulin. Vit. § 13. let all go into it that would, but suffered none to come out. St. Ambrose being thus shut up with his people, comforted them by his discourses, one of the most remarkable of which is still extant, delivered on Palm-Sunday, as seems probable from the Gospel that was then read. For this second persecution arose about the same time as the other of the preceding year, that is, about the end of Lent. This Sermon begins as follows;—

XLV. His sermon

Auxentius.

tradendis

"I see what is unusual with you, that you are under a "sudden excitement, and are turning your eyes on me. against "What can be the reason of this? Is it that you saw or • Sermo de "heard that an imperial message has been brought to me by Basilicis "the tribunes, desiring me to depart hence whither I would, (post Ep. "and to take with me all that would follow me? What! 21.) § 1. "did you fear that I would desert the Church, and, for fear "of my life, abandon you? Yet you might have attended to "my answer. I said that I could not for an instant enter"tain the thought of deserting the Church in that day; in "truth, that, should force hurry me off, it would be my body, not my mind, which suffered the violence; that, "should he act in the way of kingly power, I was prepared "to suffer after the manner of a priest. Why, then, are you § 2. "thus disturbed? I will never leave you of my own will; "but if compelled, I may not resist. I shall still have the "power of lamenting, of weeping, of moaning: when weapons, "soldiers, Goths assail me, tears are my weapons, for such

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are the defence of a priest. In any other way I neither ought to resist, nor am able; but as to retiring and deserting "the Church, this is not like me; and for this reason, lest I seem to do so from dread of some heavier punishment. Ye "yourselves know that it is my principle to submit to our rulers, but not to give way to them; to present myself readily to legal punishment, and not to fear what is in con"templation."

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"A proposal was made to me to deliver up at once the § 5. "Church plate. I made answer, that I was ready to give any thing that was my own, estate or house, gold or silver; "but that I could withdraw no property from God's temple,

437622

A. D. 386.

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nor surrender what was put into my hands to preserve, and § 6. "not to surrender. If they aim at my body and my life, § 7. "you ought only to be spectators of the combat; if it is appointed by God, all your precautions will be vain: he § 8. "that loves me cannot give a better testimony of his affection, than by suffering me to become the victim of Christ." § 10. And afterwards he says: "You are concerned at finding a "door open, through which it is said a blind man passed, in "order to return home. Acknowledge then that it is to no purpose to be guarded by men. Do you not also remember, "that two days ago there was found a free passage on the "left side of the Basilica, which you thought very secure; "and which has stood open several nights, notwithstanding "the vigilance of the soldiers? Disquiet yourselves therefore "no longer; that will come to pass, which Christ ordaineth, § 13. " and which is expedient." It is here that he urges the example of St. Peter, to whom the LORD° appeared at the gate of the Fleury, 2. city of Rome, saying that He was going to be crucified again, and this is the most ancient testimony that remains of § 15. that tradition. St. Ambrose adds; "I expected something "extraordinary, the sword or the fire, for the name of "Christ. They offer me pleasures instead of sufferings. "Let none therefore disturb you, by saying, that a chariot "is prepared, or that Auxentius hath spoken hard words."

25.

Paulin. Vit. $ 12.

What St. Ambrose says concerning the chariot, Paulinus explains in his life. A certain person named Euthymius had procured a house near the church, and had placed a chariot there, that he might more easily take St. Ambrose, and carry him into banishment. But a year after, on the very same day in which he intended to have forced him away, he was himself put into the same chariot and carried from the same

• The tradition, as gathered from St. Ambrose and Hegesippus (apparently a cotemporary of St. Ambrose) in his third book (de Excid. Urb. Hierosol.) is as follows. After the defeat and death of Simon Magus at Rome, the heathens, those especially who had been deceived by him, sought the destruction of St. Peter. At the earnest entreaty of the Christians, the latter with difficulty was induced to retire from Rome. As he was going out at one of

the gates by night, he saw the LORD entering, who told him that He was going to be crucified again. St. Peter, knowing that this could not be intended literally, for, In that He died He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth He liveth unto God, interpreted it of His suffering in His members, and so of his own martyrdom. He accordingly turned, and was crucified, with, at his own request, his head downwards.

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pex.]

house into banishment, and St. Ambrose furnished him with A. D. 386. money and other necessaries for his journey. Paulinus Ibid. § 20. moreover reports that a certain wizard' named Innocen- ' [Harustius, mounted to the top of the roof of the church, and there sacrificed at midnight, in order to excite the hatred of the people against St. Ambrose; but that, the more witchcrafts he used, the more attached did the people grow to the Catholic faith, and their holy Bishop. He even sent evil spirits to kill him, but they brought him word that they could not so much as approach the door of his lodging, much less his person, because the whole house was surrounded by an insurmountable fire, which burnt them even at a distance. So the wizard was forced to give over his enchantments. He himself related all this afterwards, when the Empress Justina was dead. For being put to the torture for other crimes, he cried out that the Angel which took care of St. Ambrose made him undergo greater tortures, and he declared all that has been related. Another came with a See note m, sword to the chamber of St. Ambrose in order to kill him, but when he had lifted up his hand with the naked sword, his arm remained extended in the air. He confessed that Justina had sent him, and immediately his arm recovered.

p. 66.

Basil, tra

St. Ambrose's discourse agrees with this relation, for he serm. de continued speaking to his people as follows:-"It was dend. § 16. "generally said, that murderers were sent, that I was con"demned to die; I do not fear it, and will not leave this 'place. For whither should I go? is not every place full of "groans and tears? since orders are every where given for "driving away the Catholic Bishops; for putting those to "death who resist; and for proscribing all the officers of "cities who do not put these orders in execution. And it is "a Bishop who writes these orders with his own hand, and "dictates them with his own mouth." He afterwards enu- § 23, 24. merates the cruelties of Auxentius in very strong terms, whom he all along supposes to be the author of this law in favour of the Council of Ariminum, which was to be observed under pain of death. He urges the example of Naboth, whose 1 Kings 21. story had been read, and says: "I answered those who pressed § 18. "me in the Emperor's name: 'God forbid that I should

1 Fleury, bk. 13. 18.

ut supra, $ 26-28.

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A. D. 386. "surrender Christ's heritage, the heritage of our fathers, "the heritage of DionysiusP' who died in exile for the faith, A. D. 355. "the heritage of the Confessor Eustorgius', the heritage of [Martyrol. Myrocles', Myrocles, and of all the faithful Bishops my predecessors."" May 25.] [Martyrol. Eustorgius is reckoned the tenth Bishop of Milan, and MyroSept. 18.] cles' the seventh. St. Ambrose insists upon the unworthiness of the tribunal which Auxentius had chosen to determine [Martyrol. concerning the faith, namely, the Emperor, who was only a 3.] young Catechumen, and four or five Pagans; then he adds, Mus. Ital. "The last year when I was sent for to the palace in the presence of the nobles and the consistory, when the Emperor "wished to take away a Basilica from us, was I moved at "the sight of the court? Did I not retain the sacerdotal "firmness? Does he not remember, that when the people "heard that I was gone to the palace, they ran with such "violence that none could withstand them, and that when a

Rom. Dec.

1. p. 110.

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6

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Military Count came out with armed men to drive away "this multitude, they all offered to die for the faith of "Christ? Was I not entreated to speak to the people in "order to appease them, and to give my word that they "would not seize the Basilica? They desired this office of "me as a favour, and though I had brought back the people, they were for throwing the odium of this concourse at the § 30. "palace, upon me. This odium likewise do they wish to "throw upon me; I think that I ought to moderate it, but § 33. "without being afraid of it." And afterwards: "In what respect was my answer other than respectful? Does the "Emperor wish to tax us? I do not refuse it. The Church "lands pay taxes. Does he require our lands?

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power to claim them; we will not prevent him. "tributions of the people will suffice for the poor. Let not "our enemies take umbrage at our lands; they may take "them if it please the Emperor; not that I give them, but I "make no opposition. Do they seek my gold? I can truly

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say, silver and gold I ask not. But they bring against me my raising contributions. I have no great fear of the [Erarii.]" charge. I confess I have stipendiaries'; they are the poor "of Christ's flock'; a treasure which I am well used in

[Pauperes

Christi.]

The predecessor of the Arian Auxentius, who had been succceded by

St. Ambrose.

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collecting. May this at all times be my offence, to exact A. D. 386. "contributions for the poor. And if they accuse me of defending myself by means of them, I am far from denying, "I court the charge. The poor are my defenders, but it is "by their prayers; blind though they be, lame, feeble, and aged, yet they have a strength greater than that of the stoutest warriors. We render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and unto God, the things that are God's; the "tribute is Cæsar's, the Church is God's. No one can deny § 35, 36, "that in what we say we pay to our sovereign due honour. "What indeed can be higher than to style him a son of the "Church? In saying this we are loyal to him, without sinning against God. The Emperor is within the Church, "but not over the Church."

1

Vit. § 13.

Hooker,

book v.

2 Conc.

St. Ambrose likewise observes that he was reproached with XLVI. Thesinging misleading the people by his hymns, and he allows that he of hymns. taught them by this kind of singing to testify their faith in § 34. the Trinity. Indeed, one of the methods which he made use of to comfort his people in this persecution, was the singing of the hymns which he composed, and of the Antiphons', as Paulin. Paulinus calls them, that is, Psalms sung alternately by two [Comp. choirs. It was at this time that the custom first began of chanting Hymns and Psalms at Milan, after the usage of the ch. 39. ] Eastern Churches, during the watches of the night, and at Agath. the other hours of public prayer; and this custom spread' c. 30. from the Church of Milan to all the Churches of the West. Isidor. But as Psalms were always sung throughout the whole [A.D.595.] Church, it does not appear what St. Ambrose introduced, de Off. I. unless it were the antiphonal or responsorial kind of chanting. S. August. Several hymns which St. Ambrose composed are still in use; ix. 7. and they were so much in repute, that in the succeeding Reg. S. ages, a hymn was commonly called 'Ambrosianum?

12 [A.D.506.]

Hispal.

c. 7. Confess.

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Bened. [A.

D.532.] c.9.

12. 13. 17.

The relics of St. Ger

God even gave a visible consolation to the Church of [ap. GalMilan, by discovering to St. Ambrose by revelation the land. xi. p. 298.] relics of St. Gervasius and St. Protasius, two brothers and XLVII. martyrs, whose names and place of burial had long been forgotten'. When the persecution of Justina was at height, St. Ambrose having dedicated the Basilica which it, as he had in the church near the Vit. § 14. Roman gate. See book 20, ch. 13.

Cum ego... dedicassem, i. e. St. Ambrose had consecrated the church, but had not yet deposited any relics in

its

vasius and is sius.

St. Prota

5 Paulin.

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