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quainted him with the distinction between different places in the church. He first asked him what he wanted; and, on his replying that he remained for the purpose of partaking of the holy mysteries, he directed his deacon to address him in the following words: "The priests alone, O emperor, are permitted to enter within the palisades of the altar, all others must not approach it. Retire, then, and remain with the rest of the laity. A purple robe makes emperors, but not priests."

The faithful emperor gladly listened to this representation, and sent word back to Ambrose, that it was not from arrogance that he had remained within the palisades of the altar, but because such was the custom at Constantinople, and that he owed him thanks for his advice on the occasion. Such were the virtues which adorned the emperor and the bishop. I greatly admire the boldness and fervent zeal of the one, and the submission and pure faith of the other. When Theodosius returned to Constantinople, he observed the pious regulation which had been explained to him by the great bishop. When a festival occurred he repaired to the church, and after having presented his gift at the altar, immediately retired. Nectarius, the bishop of the church, asked him why he did not remain within the precincts of the altar: he sighed and said, “I have learnt, after great difficulty, the difference between an emperor and a priest. It is not easy to find a man capable of teaching me the truth. Ambrose alone deserves the title of bishop." Such were the valuable results of the rebukes of a man of eminent virtue.

CHAP. XIX.-THE EMPRESS FLACILLA.

THE emperor possessed another means of progressing in piety; his wife was well acquainted with the Divine laws, and she constantly recalled them to his memory. Far from being puffed up by the extent of her power, it only led her to desire still more ardently the things of God. The greatness of the blessings which she had received served only to increase her love towards the Lord. She watched with the greatest solicitude over all those whose bodies were mutilated, and who had lost any of their limbs; she visited them at their own dwellings, waited upon them herself, and supplied all their wants. She repaired with the same zeal to the public hos

pitals of the Church, where she tended the sick, made ready their culinary utensils, tasted their broth, carried the dish to them, broke their bread, divided the meat, washed their cups, and performed all the other offices for them which usually devolve upon servants. When any one endeavoured to dissuade her from this custom she always replied, "It is right for emperors to distribute gold. I offer this service to God because it is He who has invested me with the imperial dignity." She used very frequently to say to her husband, "You ought always, O man, to reflect on what you were, and on what you now are. If you were often to dwell on this thought you could not be ungrateful to your heavenly Benefactor, but you would govern with justice the empire which He has committed to you, and you would thus be rendering service to the Giver." By these counsels, so frequently reiterated, she cherished and watered the seeds of virtue which were in the breast of the emperor. She died before him;1

and some time after her decease an incident occurred which disclosed the affection which the emperor had borne towards her.

CHAP. XX.-SEDITION IN THE CITY OF ANTIOCH.

THE frequent wars in which the emperor was involved, compelled him to lay fresh taxes on the cities of his empire. The citizens of Antioch were indignant at the new taxation; and, being still further irritated by the cruelty and severity of those who levied it, they rose up in sedition, and committed those excesses which are usually perpetrated by the multitude on similar occasions. Among other deeds, they threw down the bronze statue of the excellent empress Flacilla, and dragged it about the streets. The emperor was very angry when informed of this insult: he deprived the city of the privileges which it had hitherto enjoyed, and bestowed them on the neighbouring city, judging that this bestowal would give the greatest grief to the citizens of Antioch; for the city of Laodicea had long been a rival to that of Antioch. Besides this he threatened to set fire to the city, and to destroy it, and reduce it to the rank of a mere village. Several of

1 Flacilla died A. D. 385, the year after she became the mother of Honorius. In the following year Theodosius married Galla.

the magistrates also had been sacrificed in the tumult before the emperor had received any intelligence of the sedition.

When the emperor had passed this severe sentence upon the city, the law obtained by the great Ambrosius prevented the decree from being carried into execution. But Elebichus, a general, and Cæsar, who was a superintendent, or what the Romans call a chamberlain, of the palace, went to the city to execute the threats. All the inhabitants were seized with terror. The virtuous hermits who dwelt at the foot of the mountain, and who were then very numerous, approached these men with exhortations and entreaties. Amongst them was the divine Macedonius, who was totally ignorant of all learning whether sacred or profane, and who passed his nights and his days in offering prayers to the Saviour of all men upon the top of a mountain. Without being terrified by the wrath of the king, or by the power of those who were sent against him, Macedonius boldly seized the cloak of a soldier in the midst of the city, and desired him and his companions to descend from their horses. At first, regarding him only as a man of advanced age and of short stature, clad in rags, they were indignant at his conduct. But when they were informed by a by-stander that he was a man of extraordinary virtue, they dismounted from their horses, and, embracing his knees, implored his pardon. Then this holy man, who was filled with the wisdom of God, addressed them in the following words, "Go, my friends, to the emperor, and say to him, You are not only an emperor but a man; and you ought not only to reflect on empire, but also on nature. You are a man yourself, and have to command your fellow-creatures. Man was made in the image and likeness of God. Do not, then, order the image of God to be slain. You would offend the Artificer by mutilating his image. Consider, likewise, that it is but on account of a statue of bronze that you have passed this sentence. Now it is evident to every one possessed of sense, that there is a great difference between a lifeless and a living image. Consider, also, that it is easy to us to replace a statue by making many others; whereas, of all the men who are about to be slain, we are not able to replace so much as one hair of their heads."

The two officers, after receiving their instructions from the admirable man, went to the emperor, and repeated what they [THEODORET.]

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had heard. They thus calmed his anger, so that instead of executing his menaces, he wrote apologies, and explained the cause of his resentment. "It was not right," said he, "that on account of my transgression, a woman deserving of all praise should after her death receive insult; it was against me alone that the weapons of vengeance ought to have been directed." He also added, that he was much grieved at the murder of some of the magistrates. I have dwelt on these circumstances, in order that the commendable boldness of the hermit may not be consigned to oblivion; and that the utility of the law obtained at the instance of the great Ambrose may be manifested.

CHAP. XXI.-DEMOLITION OF IDOLATROUS TEMPLES THROUGH,

OUT THE WORLD.

THE most faithful emperor next directed his attention towards the suppression of idolatry, and issued a law commanding the demolition of idolatrous temples. Constantine the Great, who was so worthy of all praise, and who was the first to adorn the imperial dignity with piety, was aware of the infatuation of the whole world, and therefore expressly prohibited sacrifices to demons. He did not, however, destroy their temples, but merely ordered them to be closed. His sons followed the footsteps of their father. Julian renovated the cause of impiety, and revived the ancient errors. Jovian had no sooner entered upon imperial power, than he prohibited the worship of idols. Valentinian the Elder governed Europe according to the laws which had been established. Valens gave licence to all to worship what they pleased, and only opposed those who defended the apostolical doctrines. Throughout the whole of his reign, fire burnt upon the altars of idols; libations and sacrifices were offered to them; and festivals in their honour were held in the market-place. Those who celebrated the orgies of Bacchus were seen running about the streets clad in skins and worked up to madness, tearing dogs to pieces, and committing other excesses, which were inculcated by the lord of the festival.

The faithful emperor Theodosius interdicted these rites, and consigned them to disuse. Marcellus, a most excellent bishop,

Compare Tertullian's Apology, chap. 42.

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was the first who carried this law into execution, by destroying the temples in his own city; for he had greater confidence in God than in the multitude of men. As the incident is worthy of being remembered, I shall here relate it. Upon the death of John, bishop of Apamea, whom we have already mentioned, Marcellus, a man zealous in spirit according to the apostolical injunction, was ordained in his stead. The prefect of the East went to Apamea, taking with him two military commanders and some soldiers. The people remained quiet from fear of the soldiery. The prefect undertook to demolish the temple of Jupiter, which was of spacious dimensions and richly ornamented. But when he perceived the firmness and solidity of the structure, he thought that no human strength could disjoin the stones; for they were of large size, and soldered together with iron and lead. The holy Marcellus observed the fears of the prefect, and sent him to execute the mandate in some other city; while he prayed to God to reveal the means of destroying the edifice. The next day, at dawn, a man came to him who was neither a builder, a stone-cutter, nor an adept in any kindred art, but who was merely accustomed to carry stones and wood on his shoulder, yet he offered to demolish the temple; for which service he asked the payment awarded to two workmen. The holy bishop having agreed to pay the stipulated sum, the man proceeded to work in the following manner. The temple was built on elevated ground, and had a portico on each of the four sides. There were also columns which were equal in height to the temple, and of which each was sixteen cubits in circumference. The stone was of so hard a nature, that it would scarcely yield to the tools. The labourer dug deeply around the foundations of these columns; and, after removing the earth, substituted wood of an oleaginous nature, to which he then set fire. But a black demon appeared, who withheld the power of the flames, and prevented the combustible matter from being consumed, according to the physical laws.

After this had occurred several times, the workman, perceiving that all his labour was useless, went to acquaint the bishop, who was then taking his mid-day repose. The bishop ran directly to the church, and called for water; when it was brought, he placed it upon the holy altar. He then threw himself upon his face on the ground, and supplicated the Lord

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