The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Ambrose
AMBROSE
The Life of Ambrose, who dyed An. Christi 397.
A Mbrose Bishop of Millain, His birth.his Father was a Praefect in France: when Ambrose was an Infant, a swarm of Bees (as he lay in his Cradle) setled on his Face,A Prodigy. and flew away without hurting of him, whereupon his Father said, Si vixerit infantulus iste, aliquid magni erit, if this childe live, he will be some great man.His education. Afterwards he went to Rome, and gained great knowledge in the Liberal Arts, and was excellently accomplished with Eloquence, and sweet behaviour, whereupon he was made Governor of Insubria, and so went to Millain, where he was made Lieutenant, and being made Lieutenant thereof, about the same time this strange act happened; When Auxentius whom the Arians had chosen to be Bishop of that Sea, dyed, all was there on an uprore about the Election of another Bishop, and great strife there was, whilst some would prefer this man, and some others that man unto the Bishoprick. The tumult being raised, Ambrose the Lieutenant of the City, who also was a Consul, fearing greatly lest that Schism would breed mischief in the City, came purposely into the Church to appease the Sedition: And his presence prevailing very much with the people, after he had given them many notable exhortations, and thereby mitigated the rage of the heady and rash multitude;A special providence. All on a sudden with one voice, and as it were with one mouth nominated Ambrose for their Bishop, hoping hereby that all things would be reconciled, and that all would embrace one Faith and Opinion. The Bishops that were present thought verily that the uniform voice of the people was the voice of God himself: wherefore without any further deliberation they took Ambrose (who was but a Catechumenist) and baptized him,Ambrose baptized. purposing also to enstal him in the Bishoprick: Ambrose came willingly to Baptism, yet denyed utterly to be a Bishop; whereupon the Bishops made the Emperour Valentinian privy to their doings: He wondering at the consent and agreement of the people, judged that which was done to be the work of God himself: he signified therefore to the Bishops, that they should obey the Will of God, and create Ambrose Bishop, saying, that God rather then men preferred him to this dignity. Thus Ambrose being made Bishop,He is made Bishop. the Citizens of Millain, who aforetime were at discord amongst themselves, thenceforth imbraced Peace and Unity. Whereupon the good Emperour publickly returned thanks unto God in these words; I give thee humble thanks O Omnipotent God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, that whereas I had committed the Government of their Bodies to this man, thou hast also committed their Souls to his care, and thereby hast declared that my sentence was just in appointing him to such a place.
Not long after Ambrose spake very freely to the Emperour,His fidelity and courage. complaining of divers things which were ill administred by sundry of the Magistrates: To whom that worthy Emperour answered; I knew long ago that thou wast a free-spoken man, for which cause I was so far from resisting thine Ordination to the Bishoprick, as that I gave my free and full consent to it; wherefore according to the rule of Gods Holy Word, do thou prepare a medicine for our erring mindes.
This good Emperour a while after dying,Justina's malice. Justina his Wife, being infected with the …ilth of Arianism, yet whilest her husband lived, she could no kinde of way molest those that embraced the Faith of One Substance: but after his decease removing to Millain, together with her young son, she raised such tumults against Ambrose the Bishop, that in the end she prevailed for his banishment:The people resist her. But the people, who bore singular love and affection to Ambrose, withstood her Act, and hindred their force that went about to convey him into exile; and it pleased God, that just at the same time news came that Maximus a Britain had rebelled, and that Gratian the Emperour was slain in France by And…agathius the Captain of Maximus: Which news so cooled the heat of Justina's spleen, that she was content to let Ambrose alone. Yet did she proceed to work upon the tender and flexible minde of her young son Valentinian junior, and to instil into him the Principles of Arianism; and the young man deceived by the enticements of his Mother, too greedily drank in the poison thereof, whereupon at length he began to communicate his minde to Ambrose, supposing that if he could but draw him to his opinion, he could easily overcome the rest: But Ambrose began to minde him of the Piety and Sincerity of his Father, exhorting him to defend the Truth which he had received from him, as he would defend his Empire: He also opened to him the difference between those two opinions, shewing him how that of the Arians was directly contrary to the Doctrine of Christ, and his holy Apostles, and that of the Orthodox was most consonant thereunto: But the young man,The Emperour enraged against Ambrose. as a young man that was blinded with the Error of his Mother, was so far from hearkening to the good counsel of Ambrose, that on the contrary, being inflamed with wrath, he compassed the Church where Ambrose was, with a great number of armed Souldiers, thinking thereby to terrifie him.
But when he saw that this valiant Champion and Souldier of Christ was no whit affrighted, he grew into such a rage, that he commanded him to come forth of the Temple: To whom Ambrose answered:His courage and constancy. That will I never willingly do, neither will I betray the Sheepfold of my Sheep to the Wolves, nor deliver up this Temple of God to the Authors of blasphemy: but if thou pleasest to kill me, here is my breast, peirce it either with thy sword or spear as thou pleasest, for I desire and am willing to embrace such a death: This his resolute answer made the Emperour to withdraw.
About this time Theodosius the great, reigning in the East, there fell out a great Sedition in the City of Thessalonica, which some of the Magistrates coming to quiet, by the furious people they were not only greatly reproached, but stoned to death: The news hereof being carried to Theodosius, he was so grievously incensed against the Citizens of Thessalonica, that he sent an Army against them,A passionate act of Theodosius. and slew seven thousand of them, even the innocent amongst the guilty, without ever examining the fact, and proceeding judicially against the nocent: And presently after he went into the West against the Tyrant Maximus, whereof you may read the story in my second Part of the Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, in the life of Theod. senior. And having obtained a wonderful victory, he went to Millain; but as he was about to enter into the Church, Ambrose met him at the door, and said unto him:Ambrose his speech to Theodosius. Its very likely O Emperour that you know not the greatness of that murther that was committed by you, neither after your anger was appeased, did you by reason weigh the greatness of your crime. For it may be the greatness of your Imperial Dignity would not suffer you to acknowledge your sin: but your Power blindes your Reason: For you ought to consider the weakness and frailty of our Humane Nature, and to bend your Eyes upon our Mother Earth, from which you had your Original, and into which you must return: neither ought you by reason of the splendor of your Purple garments, to be ignorant of the weakness of that body which is shrowded in them: Consider further that you rule over those who are partakers of the same Nature with you▪ and therefore are your fellow-servants. For God the Creator of the Universe, is Lord and King of all men: With what eyes then can you behold his Temple who is Lord of all? With what feet can you tread in his Courts? How dare you (I pray you) stretch forth before him those hands which are defiled with murther, and unjust bloodshed, and with the same receive the Holy Sacrament of Christs Body? Or how dare you put his Holy Blood into your mouth, which being inflamed with anger, commanded unjustly the spilling of so much blood?He excommunicates Theodosius. Depart therefore, and do not increase your former sin by adding a new one to it, but embrace that bond which the Lord of all doth from Heaven impose upon you: which bond truly hath force to cure you of the disease of your Soul, and of restoring you to health.
The godly Emperour willingly submitted to him (for having been religiously trained up,Theodosius his humility. he knew full well what was the duty of Gods Ministers, and what was proper for Kings to do in such cases) and accordingly returned to his Palace full of sighs and tears. And about eight moneths after, the Feast of Christs Nativity being to be celebrated, the Emperour sate still in his Palace, giving himself to lamentations, and pouring out abundance of tears: which Ruffinus the Master of his Hall taking notice of, being very dear unto the Emperour, went to him, and asked him the cause of his weeping: Then the Emperour mourning more bitterly, and pouring out more abundance of tears, said; Surely Ruffinus thou dost but mock me! or knowest not with how great misery I am afflicted: For I sigh and bewail my calamity, whilst I consider in my minde how open the Church is to my servants, yea to beggars, who have free leave to pour out their Prayers before God: But not only that place, but even Heaven it self is shut up against me: For that saying of our Saviour comes into my minde, Whose sins you bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven: To this Ruffinus answered, therefore if it please you, I will run to the Bishop, I will intreat, beseech, and perswade him to free you from this bond.He seeks for absolution. But I fear (said the Emperour) that he will not hearken to you. For I know that Ambrose's sentence is so just and equal, that he will not violate the Law of God for fear of the Imperial Power. But when Ruffin was not yet satisfied, promising that he would prevail with Ambrose, the Emperour bade him run quickly: and himself hoping that Ruffin might prevail, immediately followed him. But as soon as Ambrose saw Ruffin, he said unto him: Thou seemest unto me (Ruffin) to imitate the impudency of dogs: For although by thy perswasion that cruel slaughter was committed, yet thou hast so steeled thy Face that thou art not ashamed, neither art thou grieved that by so great madness thou ragedst against the Image of God: But when Ruffin had earnestly entreated him to be pacified, and told him that the Emperour would presently be there, Ambrose being kindled with an holy zeal, said, I profess, Ruffin, that I will forbid him entrance into the Church, and if he will turn his Power into Tyranny, I am willing to be slain by him. Ruffin hearing these things, presently sent a messenger to the Emperour, intreating him to stay in his Palace. The Emperour meeting with this message in the Market place,The Emperours m…dness. said, Yet I will go that I may undergo his just reproofs which are due to me: And when he came to the Church door, he entred not, but went to the Bishop, desiring him to absolve him from his Excommunication. But Ambrose told him, that his coming was Tyrannical; and that he was enraged against God, and trampled his Laws under his Feet▪ To whom the Emperour answered: I do not oppose those Laws with an obstinate minde, neither do I desire wickedly to enter into the Church, but I intreat thee to absolve me, and to set before thine eyes the clemency of him who is Lord of all things: neither shut thou those doors against me which he opens to all that truly repent of their sins. To which Ambrose answered: What repentance dost thou shew after so grievous a sin committed? What medicines hast thou applyed for the healing of such great wounds? It is thy part (said the Emperour) to prepare the medicine, to apply it, and when the wound is cured, to remove it: It's my part to follow thy directions. Then said Ambrose; Because thou gavest way to thy anger, and didst not temper it with reason, but pronouncedst sentence with an inflamed minde,How to prevent sinful anger. I desire that thou make a Law, that all sentences pronounced in anger shall be void: and that in all causes which concern death, or confiscation of goods, thirty days intervene between the sentence and execution, that so if there be just cause, the sentence may be revoked: and that at the end of the thirty days, they which writ thy sentence, shew it thee, that so laying aside all anger, thou mayst weigh the cause with judgement, and so either establish it or make it void.
The Emperour judging this most prudent counsel, willingly imbraced it, and presently commanded a Law to be Enacted, which he confirmed by his subscription:Theodosius absolved. which being done, Ambrose absolved him; and the Emperour presently entring the Church, sell prostrate, pronouncing that verse of the Psalm; My soul cleaveth to the dust, quicken me according to the Word; and then with many tears and testimonies of sorrow he begged pardon, and afterwards was made partaker of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
Upon a time a certain Witch sent his Spirits to kill Ambrose; Special providences.but they returned answer, that God had hedged him in as he did Job: Another came with a sword to his bedside to have killed him; but he could not stir his hand, till repenting, he was by the prayer of Ambrose restored to the use of his hands again: When Eugenius was Emperour, Flavianus the Praefect desired leave of him to build the Altar of Victory at Millain, which Ambrose hearing of, departed from thence to Bononia; but after a while (Eugenius and Flavianus going to war against Theodosius) he returned to Millain again: But before they went, they sent word, that when they returned Conquerours, they would make the great Church in Millain a Stable for Horses:Profaness punished. but God prevented them: for Eugenius was slain by his own Souldiers, and Theodosius got the victory. This Ambrose was very abstinent, full of watchings and prayer, diligent in writing, never dining but on the Sabbaths: he was very couragious for the Truth, and merciful to the Poor, and Captives:His charity. he would weep when he heard of the death of any godly Minister: Falling sick, he appointed Simplicianus a godly old man to succeed him, and continuing instant in Prayer, he departed this life the third year after Theodosius, Anno Christi 397.His death.
He used to say, Repentance not to be delayed.When gold is offered to thee, thou usest not to say, I will come again to morrow and take it, but art glad of present possession: But Salvation being profered to our Souls, few men haste to embrace it: And again, It is not so much to be enquired how much thou givest,True charity. as with what heart: It's not liberality, when thou takest by oppression from one, and givest it to another:Conscience. And again, A clear Conscience should not regard slanderous speeches; nor think that they have more power to condemn him, then his own Conscience hath to clear him: And again, Death is the burial of all vices;Death. for it is the progress and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our Earthly members, wherein that filthy flux of sin is dryed up in an instant: It is a voluntary sacrificing of the whole man, Soul and Body to the Lord, the greatest and highest service we can do him on Earth.
His works are printed in five Tomes.His works.