But doubtless the Consubstantialists were not silent on these occasions, being as unwearied praters, and as troublesome wranglers as their adversaries. Gregory was of the same opinion with Origen concerning future punishments, that they were temporary, and would terminate in the amendment of the sufferers. A. D. 374. Ambrose was made bishop of Milan. Baronius relates, as an ancient tradition, that Ambrose coming to Rome, and lodging at an inn, his host boasted to him how prosperous he had always been, and talked in a vain and arrogant manner, without returning thanks to God. The saint collecting from the pride and insolence of the man that God's judgments would speedily overtake him, hastened from the house with his companions; and as soon as he was fairly out of it, the earth opened and swallowed it up, with all its inhabitants, and a lake was formed in the place *. The very story of old Baucis and Philemon: Cætera prospiciunt. This is one proof, to which forty more might be added, that the Christians used to collect out of Ovid, Livy, and other Pagan poets and historians, the miracles and portents which are to be found there, and accommodate them to their own monks and saints. Ambrose wrote to Theodosius, to congratulate him upon his victory over Eugenius, and to intreat him to forgive those who had sided with Eugenius; which was the act of a good and pious prelate. But his Tillemont, x. 151. zeal zeal ran away with him, when he justified the burning of a Jewish synagogue by the riotous Christians. Ambrose, says Barbeyrac *, had such an impetuous imagination, that every thing served him for an argument, and was so excessively credulous, as to adopt even the stupid Legend of St Thecla, &c. I know not whether this be a decisive proof of his credulity; for perhaps he did not believe one word of it, but thought it good for the edification of the lower people. Jerom had a mean opinion of the learning and abilities of Ambrose. See Ambrose †, Du Pin, Tillemont ||, Basnage §, and Barbeyrae **; who makes some proper remarks on the reliques and the miracles of the fourth century. A. D. 375: Valens, who was guilty of many acts of cruelty, oppressed also those who would not comply with the Arian system. Themistius, the orator, a professed Pagan, addressed a discourse to him in favour of toleration, and earnestly exhorted him not to persecute the Consubstantialists. The Christian princes of those days, whilst they harassed their Christian subjects for speculative points of religion, shewed kindness to many learned Pagans; as to Libanius, Themistius, Symmachus, Claudian, &c. tt Whilst Valens persecuted the Consubstantialists, particularly the monks and the clergy, they defended themselves by spiritual weapons, and wrought innumerable miracles, sufficient, one would think, to have softened VOL. II. U ii. 283. | X. 14 See Basnage, iii. 5t softened the heart of this Pharaoh and of all his ser vants. Amongst the monks who were exposed to the rage of the Arians, were Macarius of Egypt, and Macarius of Alexandria. Read their lives in Tillemont*, and admire the consummate effrontery of those who forged the miracles ascribed to them, and the amazing credulity of this honest man, who believes them all. Jerom† testifies, that the officers of Valens slew many monks of Nitria, and that this prince made a law to compel them to serve in the army, ut Monachi militárent Valens endeavoured both by good words and by menaces to bring over Basil of Cæsarea, or to make him admit the Arians to his communion: but Basil, who seems to have been a man of undaunted resolution, and of an high spirit, was inflexible; so that the emperor at last admired his courage and constaney, and would not suffer him to be ill used. As Basil and Valens were discoursing together upon this subject, one Demosthenes, the emperor's head cook, and a sort of a favourite, interposed, and censured Basil, and blundered in his expressions ; upon which the bishop smiled, and said, What! Doth Demosthenes make barbarisms? the man flew into a passion, and threatened revenge. Go, said Basil, and toss up your ragouts: you are fit for nothing else. Whilst the bishop was undergoing this trial, the emperor's child fell sick, and the empress had fright ful ful dreams and visions, informing her that this was a judgment upon them for persecuting Basil. The story seems to have been taken from Matt. xxvii. 19. His wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man, &c. The emperor then desired Basil to pray for the child; and the bishop promised him that his child should recover, if he himself would forsake Arianism. But the emperor would not, and the child died. The emperor resolved to banish him; but when he attempted to sign the order, his pens brake one after another, and he trembled so that he could not write his name. During this contest, Basil healed a man of quality who was sick. Valens then went to church, to hear Basil preach, and made handsome presents to the church, and being in a good humour, granted the bishop several fa vours. From the history of the contest between Valens and Basil, as it is thus delivered to us by Basil's friends and admirers, one might conjecture that the emperor was not altogether so violent and cruel towards the Consubstantialists as these have represented him. His behaviour also to the Edessenes shews that he was not altogether a brute at all times; for finding the inhabitants of Edessa resolved rather to die than to admit Arianism, he either through compassion, or through prudence, judged it adviseable to let them alone. Socrates bestows two chapters on the Egyptian monks who were persecuted by Valens, and banishe for their orthodoxy, and on the numerous miracles which V 2 which they wrought in the remote and barbarous places to which they were sent. These miracles, as Socrates observes, prove the truth of the doctrines for which they suffered. But the difficulty is to prove the truth of the miracles to the satisfaction of a reasonable inquirer. "Some Greek writers have complained of the vanity and arrogance of Jerom. But proud men are apt to complain of one another, and Jerom could as little bear the pride of the Greeks. In his Chronicón, A. 392. we find these words; Basilius Caesariensis, Episcopus Cappadocice, clarus habetur. But in some old manuscripts, these words are added, which are not in Scaliger's edition;-qui multa continentiæ et ingenii bona uno superbiæ malo perdidit. It is to be supposed that the monks, who were librarians, suppressed some passages in the ancients which they did not like *." These additional words are quite in Jerom's style and manner, and too elegant for any interpolator of after-times and therefore it is probable that they are genuine. And indeed, Basil's own friend, Gregory Nazianzent, thought him proud, and haughty, and overbearing, as it appears from the letters of Gregory. A. D. 378. Christianity had gained admittance in the Gothic nations before the time of Valens. In his reign, a part of the Goths had been defeated by the Hunns, and sent an embassy to the emperor, desiring that he would give them leave to cross the Danube, and to settle in Thrace, offering to serve in the Roman *Bibl. Univ. ii. 414. Tillemont, T. ix. 278 |