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A. D. 385. He continued to give thanks to God for this happy change, $ 22. admiring how the Emperor was pacified by the affection of the soldiers, the instances of the Counts, and the prayers of the people. When he was informed that a secretary of the Emperor was come with some orders to him, he retired a little apart, and the secretary said to him: "What has been your "design in acting in opposition to the Emperor's orders?" St. Ambrose replied: "I know not what order you mean, "nor what is the cause of your complaint." The officer said: Why have you sent Priests to the Basilica? If you are a "tyrant, I should like to know it, that I may prepare myself "against you." St. Ambrose answered: "I have done nothing that assumes too much for the Church. When I "heard that the Basilica was invested with soldiers, I con"tented myself with mourning, and when several persons "pressed me to go thither, I said, I cannot deliver up the "Basilica, yet I must not fight. When I was told that the Emperor's hangings were taken down, though the people "required my presence, I sent Priests thither, and did not go

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myself, in hopes that the Emperor would be on our part. § 23." If you call this domineering, why do you delay to strike "me? My only arms are the power of exposing myself. "Priests have by old right bestowed sovereignty, never "assumed it; and it is a common saying that sovereigns "have coveted the priesthood, more than Priests the sove"reignty. Maximus does not say that I am the tyrant of Valentinian, though he complains that my deputation has § 24. "prevented him from passing into Italy." The Catholics spent all that day in sorrow; only the children, as they Cod. Jus- were at play, tore the Emperor's hangings', which were made 16.2.174: like flags, and bore his image, to denote that the place where they were suspended belonged to him. The Basilica being Greg. Mag. surrounded with soldiers, St. Ambrose could not return to his Ep. v. 33. [41.] ad own house, he therefore read the Psalms with his brethren, in Constant. Aug. to. ii. the little Basilica of the church, that is to say, apparently, they passed the night in prayer, in some private oratory, which was in the same enclosure with the great church. For there were ix. 45.4. de joined to the churches several buildings, rooms, halls, baths, his qui ad gardens, courts, and galleries, from which it may be underEccles. stood how the people used to pass days and nights together

tin. Tit.

p.

ut nemo privatus.

p. 769.

2 Cod.

Theodos.

in it. There were also convenient places where they could A. D. 385. eat and sleep with decency.

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The next day, which was Holy Thursday, according to § 25. custom the book of Jonah was read, which the Church still reads, but only on Saturday'. After the lesson was ended, '[See St. Ambrose began to preach as follows: "We have read a Græc. "book, brethren, which foretells that sinners shall return E. 11.] again to repentance." The people received these words with the hope that this would soon come to pass. St. Am- § 26. brose was continuing his discourse, when he was told that the Emperor had withdrawn the soldiers from the Basilica, and that he had restored to the tradesmen the fines which he had exacted from them. This news gave joy to the people, who expressed their delight with applauses and thanksgivings, and called to mind that it was the day on which the Church granted absolution to the penitents". The soldiers themselves were eager to bring the news, throwing themselves on the altars, and kissing them in token of peace.

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ham, 19. 2.

1. 13.]

St. Ambrose gave an account of all that passed on this § 1. occasion, to his sister St. Marcellina, who was at Rome, and who, having heard of the beginning of this persecution, wrote often, and in very pressing terms, to him concerning it. At the conclusion of his account, he adds that he foresees still § 27. greater commotions, "for," says he, "as the Counts were "begging the Emperor to go to the church, he replied, 'If "Ambrose were to bid you, you would deliver me up, bound "'hand and feet."" St. Ambrose after this says: "The eunuch Calligonus, Præfect of the Chamber, sent me this message; "Thou despisest Valentinian whilst I am living; I will cut "off thy head.' To which I replied: God grant thee to "perform thy threat; I shall suffer like a Bishop, and thou "wilt act like an eunuch.'" Soon after Calligonus was S. Aug. beheaded, on being convicted of an infamous crime.

vi. Contra

Jul. Pelag.

to.x. p.683.

favour of

The Empress Justina, who was still more exasperated c. 14. § 41. against St. Ambrose, on account of the resistance of the XLIII. people, persuaded her son Valentinian to pass a law, authoriz- Law in ing the assemblies of the Arians. Benevolus1, Præfect of the the Arians. Memorials, that is, Secretary of State, refused to draw up the 'Ruff. xi.16. law, for he was attached to the Catholic religion from his S. Gaudent. infancy, though he was not yet baptized. He was promised

Soz. vii. 13.

Præf.p.219.

A. D. 386. a higher dignity, if he would comply with the order; but he generously replied, "Rather take from me the office which I now hold, and leave me the integrity of my faith." Saying these words, he took off the girdle which was the badge of his dignity, and threw it down at the feet of the Empress. After this action he was disgraced, and his place being taken from him, he retired into Brixia, his native place, where he had learned the holy doctrine from the instructions of St. Philastrius. Benevolus being baptized, became one of the greatest ornaments of this Church, and one of the closest friends of the Bishop St. Gaudentius, who succeeded St. Philastrius. However the law in favour of the Arians was made and published, and we have it still', dated from Milan, the tenth of the

1 Cod. Theod.

de fide

Cath.

xvi. Tit. 1.4. calends of February, under the consulship of Honorius and Evodius, that is, on the twenty-third of January, in the year 386. Honorius was the second son of Theodosius, born on Idac. fasti. the ninth day of September, in the year 3842, and designated A. D. 384. Consul, with the title of Most Noble Child, soon after his Pasch. birth. Evodius was one of the principal ministers of the Socr. v. 12. Emperor Maximus, under whom he had been Prætorian

Chron.

A. D. 384.

Præfect in the year 385, and it was customary at this time to appoint one consul for the East, and another for the West.

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The law of Valentinian in favour of the Arians, was as follows: "We give leave to all those to assemble, whose opinions are conformable to the exposition of faith, which 'was drawn up under Constantius of happy memory, in the "Council of Ariminum, by the Bishops assembled from the "whole" Roman Empire, even by those who now oppose it, "and which was confirmed at Constantinople. Those likewise "shall be at liberty to assemble, to whom we have given "leave, that is to say, the Catholics; but let them know, "that if they occasion any disturbance in opposition to our "statute, they shall be punished with death, as the authors of "sedition, the disturbers of the peace of the Church, and as guilty of high treason. Those likewise shall be subject to

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"See ch. 20. note p. Had the Council at Ariminum been really Ecumenical, it had not erred as it did. In fact, the Arians prevented the assembling of an Ecumenical Council, and by procuring

two Councils, one at Ariminum, the other at Seleucia, they succeeded for the time in their attack on the Catholic

Faith.

1

"the same punishment, who attempt openly or in private to A. D. 385. "make any resistance against this present decree." The true author of this law was Auxentius, whom the Arians acknowledged as Bishop of Milan. He was a Scythian' by St. Ambr. nation, and was named Mercurinus, but being cried down Basil, trad. for his crimes, he took the name of Auxentius, which was $22. p.869. agreeable to the Arians, on account of the former Auxentius, the predecessor of St. Ambrose.

Serm. de

St. Am

trance.

2

Some time after the publication of this law, Dalmatius a XLIV. tribune and notary, came to St. Ambrose from the Emperor, brose's Reto tell him that he might choose umpires, as Auxentius monshad done, in order to their cause being tried by the Emperor Ep. 21. ad in his consistory, declaring to him that if he would not submit Valent. § 1. to this he was to retire whithersoever he pleased; that is to say, he was to surrender the See of Milan to Auxentius. St. Ambrose consulted the Bishops who were at Milan, and § 13. they were of opinion that he should not go to the palace, nor subject himself to that trial; for that there was even reason for being apprehensive that amongst the umpires chosen by Auxentius, there might be pagans or Jews. He therefore by their advice drew up a remonstrance, which he sent to the Emperor, and by which he excused himself from obeying this order; first by the example of his father Valentinian, who had § 2. often declared, both by word of mouth and by his laws, that in matters of faith, or where Ecclesiastical persons were concerned, the judges should be both competent by office and qualified by profession; in other words, Bishops ought to be judged by Bishops'. "Who can deny," he adds, "but that in [See ch. "matters of faith, Bishops judge even Christian Emperors, so "far are they from being judged by them?" Afterwards, speaking of the umpires chosen by Auxentius, he says: "Let § 6. "them come to the church, not to sit as judges, but to hear "with the people; that every one may choose him whom he "will follow. The matter relates to the Bishop of that Church; "if the people hear Auxentius, and think that he teacheth "better, let them follow his faith; I will not be jealous of it." St. Ambrose speaks thus, because he was very confident of the people's adhering to the Catholic faith.

He insists upon the law which had just been published, and by which people were no longer at liberty to decide

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A. D. 386. otherwise than in favour of the Arians, since it was not per§ 9. mitted even to present any petition to the contrary. "That," says he, "which you have enjoined others to do, you have "likewise prescribed to yourself; for the Emperor makes laws § 12. "in order to observe them first himself. Would you then "have me," says he, "choose umpires that are laymen, when, "if they preserve the true faith, they may be proscribed or "put to death? Would you have me make them either liable § 13. "to prevaricate or to be punished? Ambrose is not so pre"cious as to dare for his own sake to degrade the Priesthood; "the life of one single man is not to be put in comparison with "the dignity of all the Bishops [by whose advice I have "acted."]

§ 14.

He afterwards declares his abhorrence of the Council of Ariminum, and his adherence to the Council of Nicæa. "This is the faith," says he, "which is followed by the "Emperor Theodosius your father; it is that which is held "in Gaul and Spain. If I preach, I have learned to preach "in the Church as my predecessors have done. If a con"ference is to be held concerning the faith, the Bishops "ought to hold it as they did under Constantine of august

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memory, who left them the liberty of judging. It was "likewise so done under Constantius; but that which had "begun well, did not so end." He speaks here of the § 17. Council of Ariminum, and adds, "I should have come to "your consistory, to represent this to your majesty by word "of mouth, if the Bishops and people had not hindered me. § 18. “I could have wished your majesty had omitted the alterna

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"tion, which you sent me,-of betaking myself to exile, "whither I would. I daily went abroad; no one guarded 'me, you should then have sent me whither you thought "fit; but now the Bishops tell me, there is very little "difference between voluntarily leaving the altar of Christ, § 19. "and betraying it. I would that I were certain that the "Church would not be delivered to the Arians, I would "then willingly offer myself to whatever you thought fit to "enjoin me."

After this remonstrance, St. Ambrose retired into the church, where he was for some time guarded by the people both day and night, who feared that he might be taken

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