OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 155 who, on this occasion, asserted the cause of toleration. They pitied the unhappy men, who had been executed at Treves ; they refused to hold communication with their episcopal murderers ; and, if Martin deviated from that generous resolu- tion, his motives were laudable, and his repentance was ex- emplary. The bishops of Tours and Milan pronounced, without hesitation, the eternal damnation of heretics ; but they were surprised, and shocked, by the bloody image of their temporal death, and the honest feelings of natui'e resisted the artificial prejudices of theology. The humanity of Ambrose and Martin was confirmed by the scandalous irregularity of the proceedings against Priscillian and his adherents. The civil and ecclesiastical ministers had transgressed the limits of their respective pro- vinces. The secular judge had presumed to receive an appeal, and to pronounce a definitive sentence, in a matter of faith and episcopal jurisdiction. The bishops had disgraced themselves by exercising the function of accusers in a criminal prosecution. The cruelty of Ithacius,'^'^ who beheld the tortures, and solicited the death, of the heretics, provoked the just indignation of mankind ; and the vices of that profligate bishop were admitted as a proof that his zeal was instigated by the sordid motives of interest. Since the death of Priscillian, the rude attempts of persecution have been refined and methodized in the holy office, which assigns their distinct parts to the ecclesiastical and secular powers. The devoted victim is regularly delivei'ed by the priest to the magistrate, and by the magistrate to the executioner ; and the inexorable sentence of the church, which declares the spiritual guilt of the offender, is expressed in the mild language of pity and intercession. Among the ecclesiastics, who illustrated the reign of Theo- Ambrose, dosius, Gregory Nazianzen was distinguished by the talents of of MiiaS°^ an eloquent preacher ; the reputation of miraculous gifts added ^'^' * weight and dignity to the monastic virtues of Martin of Tours ;^i but the palm of episcopal vigour and ability was justly claimed by the intrepid Ambrose.^- He was descended from a noble ^"The Catholic Presbyter (Sulp. Sever. 1. ii. p. 448 [c. 50]) and the Pagan Orator (Pacat. in Panegyr. Vet. xii. 29) reprobate, with equal indignation, the character and conduct of Ithacius. ••i The life of St. Martin, and the Dialogues concerning his miracles, contain facts adapted to the grossest barbarism, in a style not unworthy of the Augustan age. So natural is the alliance between good taste and good sense that I am always astonished by this contrast. 62 The short and superficial life of St. Ambrose by his deacon Pauhnus ( Aopendix ad edit. Benedict, p. i-xv. ) has the merit of original evidence. Tillemont (M^m. Eccl^s. torn. x. p. 78-306) and the Benedictine editors (p. xxxi-lxiii.) have laboured with their usual diligence.
