CHAP. in the fulleft extent, was referved for his rival and

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colleague Maximus, the first, among the Christian princes, who fhed the blood of his Chriftian fubjects, on account of their religious opinions. The cause of the Prifcillianifts ", a recent fect of heretics, who difturbed the provinces of Spain, was transferred, by appeal, from the fynod of Bourdeaux to the Imperial confiftory of Treves; and by the sentence of the Prætorian præfect, feven perfons were tortured, condemned, and executed. The firft of thefe was Prifcillian "* himself, bishop of Avila ", in Spain; who adorned the advantages of birth and fortune, by the accomplishments of eloquence and learning. Two prefbyters, and two deacons, accompanied their beloved master in his death, which they efteemed as a glorious martyrdom; and the number of religious victims was completed by the execution of Latronian, a poet, who rivalled the fame of the ancients; and of Euchrocia, a noble matron of Bourdeaux, the widow of the orator Delphi

51 See the Sacred Hiftory of Sulpicius Severus (1. ii. p. 437-452. edit. Lugd. Bat. 1647.), a correct and original writer. Dr. Lardner (Credibility, &c. part ii. vol. ix. p. 256-350.) has laboured this article, with pure learning, good fenfe, and moderation. Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. toin, viii. p. 491-527.) has raked together all the dirt of the fathers; an useful feavenger!

52 Severus Sulpicius mentions the arch heretic with efteem and pity. Felix profecto, fi non pravo ftudio corrumpillet optimum in genium prorfus multa in eo animi et corporis bona cerneres (Hift. Sacra, 1. i. p. 439.). Even Jerom (tom. i. in Script. Ecclef. p. 302.) fpeaks with temper of Prifcillian and Latronian.

53 The bishopric (in Old Caftile) is now worth 20,000 ducats a year (Bufching's Geography, vol. ii. p. 308.), and is therefore much lefs likely to produce the author of a new herefy.

55

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dius . Two bifhops, who had embraced the CHAP. fentiments of Prifcillian, were condemned to a diftant and dreary exile "; and fome indulgence was fhewn to the meaner criminals, who affumed the merit of an early repentance. If any credit could be allowed to confeffions extorted by fear or pain, and to vague reports, the offspring of malice and credulity, the herefy of the Prifcillianifts would be found to include the various abominations of magic, of impiety, and of lewdnefs 56 Prifcillian, who wandered about the world in the company of his spiritual fisters, was accused of praying ftark-naked in the midst of the congregation; and it was confidently afferted, that the effects of his criminal intercourse with the daughter of Euchrocia, had been fuppreffed, by means ftill more odious and criminal. But an accurate, or rather a candid, enquiry, will difcover, that if the Prifcillianifts violated the laws of nature, it was not by the licentioufnefs, but by the aufterity of their lives. They abfolutely condemned the use of the marriage-bed; and the peace of families was often disturbed by indiscreet feparations. They enjoined, or recommended, a total abftinence from all animal food; and their

54 Exprobabatur mulieri viduæ nimia religio, et diligentius culta divinitas (Pacat. in Panegyr. Vet. xii. 29.). Such was the idea of a humane, though ignorant, polytheist.

ss One of them was fent in Syllinam infulam quæ ultra Britanniam eft. What must have been the ancient condition of the rocks

of Scilly (Cambden's Britannia, vol. ii. p. 1519.)?

56 The fcandalous calumnies of Auguftin, Pope Leo, &c. which Tillemont fwallows like a child, and Lardner refutes like a man, may suggest some candid fufpicions in favour of the older Gnoftics.

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CHAP continual prayers, fafts, and vigils, inculcated a rule of strict and perfect devotion. The fpeculative tenets of the fect, concerning the person of Chrift, and the nature of the human foul, were derived from the Gnoftic and Manichæan fyftem; and this vain philofophy, which had been tranf ported from Egypt to Spain, was ill adapted to the groffer fpirits of the Weft. The obfcure difciples of Prifcillian fuffered, languished, and gra dually disappeared: his tenets were rejected by the clergy and people, but, his death was the fubject of a long and vehement controverfy; while fome arraigned, and others applauded, the juftice of his fentence. It is with pleasure that we can obferve the humane inconfiftency of the most illuftrious faints and bishops, Ambrofe of Milan ", and Martin of Tours 58 ; who, on this occafion, afferted the caufe of toleration. They pitied the unhappy men, who had been executed at Treves they refufed to hold communion with their epifcopal murderers; and if Martin deviated from that generous refolution, his motives were laudable, and his repentance was exemplary. The bishops of Tours and Milan pronounced, without hesitation, the eternal damnation of heretics; but they were furprised, and shocked, by the bloody image of their temporal death, and the honeft feelings of

57. Ambrof. tom. ii. epift. xxiv. p. 891.

58 In the Sacred Hiftory, and the life of St. Martin, Sulpicius Severus ufes fome caution; but he declares himself more freely in the Dialogues (iii. 15.). Martin was reproved, however, by his own confcience, and by an angel; nor could he afterwards perform miracles with fo much eafe.

nature

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nature refifted the artificial prejudices of theology. CHAP. The humanity of Ambrofe and Martin was confirmed by the fcandalous irregularity of the proceedings against Prifcillian, and his adherents. The civil and ecclefiaftical minifters had tranfgreffed the limits of their refpective provinces. The fecular judge had prefumed to receive an appeal, and to pronounce a definitive fentence, in a matter of faith, and epifcopal jurifdiction. The bishops had difgraced themselves, by exercifing the function of accufers in a criminal profecution. The cruelty of Ithacius ", who beheld the tortures, and folicited the death, of the heretics, provoked the juft indignation of mankind; and the vices of that profligate bishop were admitted as a proof, that his zeal was inftigated by the fordid motives of intereft. Since the death of Prifcillian, the rude attempts of perfecution have been refined and methodifed in the holy office, which affigns their diftinct parts to the ecclefiaftical and fecular powers. The devoted victim is regularly delivered by the priest to the magistrate, and by the magiftrate to the executioner; and the inexorable fentence of the church, which declares the fpiritual guilt of the offender, is expreffed in the mild language of pity and inter

ceffion. Among the ecclefiaftics, who illuftrated the Ambrose, reign of Theodofius, Gregory Nazianzen was diftinguished by the talents of an eloquent preacher;

59 The Catholic prefbyter (Sulp. Sever. 1. ii. p. 448.), and the pagan Orator (Pacat. in Panegyr. Vet. xii. 29.), reprobate, with equal indignation, the character and conduct of Ithacius,

archbishop

of Milan, A. D. 374-397.

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61

CHAP. the reputation of miraculous gifts, added weight and dignity to the monaftic virtues of Martin of Tours; but the palm of epifcopal vigour and ability was justly claimed by the intrepid Ambrofe "*. He was defcended from a noble family of Romans; his father had exercifed the important office of Prætorian præfect of Gaul; and the fon, after paffing through the ftudies of a liberal education, attained, in the regular gradation of civil honours, the station of confular of Liguria, a province which included the Imperial refidence of Milan. At the age of thirty-four, and before he had received the facrament of baptism, Ambrose, to his own furprise, and to that of the world, was fuddenly transformed from a governor to an archbishop. Without the leaft mixture, as it is faid, of art or intrigue, the whole body of the people unanimoufly faluted him with the epifcopal title; the concord and perfeverance of their acclamations were afcribed to a præternatural impulfe; and the reluctant magiftrate was compelled to undertake a spiritual office, for which he was not prepared by the habits and occupations of his former life. But the active force of his genius foon qualified him to exercise, with zeal

bo The life of St. Martin, and the Dialogues concerning his miracles, contain facts adapted to the groffeft barbarism, in a style not unworthy of the Auguftan age. So natural is the alliance between good taste and good sense, that I am always aftonished by this contrast.

61 The fhort and fuperficial life of St. Ambrofe, by his deacon Paulinus (Appendix ad edit. Benedict. p. i–xv.), has the mérit of original evidence. Tillemont (Mem. Ecclef. tom. x. p. 78—306.), and the Benedictine editors (p. xxxi-lxiii.), have laboured with their ufual diligence.

and