A.D. 388] 174 THE DECLINE AND FALL Influence and The rcspcctful attachment of the emperor for the orthodox Ambrose. clcrffv had disposcd him to love and admire the character of Ambrose ; wlio united all the episcopal virtues in the most eminent degree. The friends and ministers of Theodosius imitated the example of their sovereign ; and he observed, with more surprise tlian displeasure, that all his secret counsels were immediately communicated to the archbishop ; who acted from the laudable persuasion that every measure of civil government may have some connexion with the glory of God and the interest of the true religion. The monks and populace of [Au«.^i,^^ Callinicum, an obscure town on the frontier of Persia, excited by their own fanaticism and by that of their bishop, had tumult- uously burnt a conventicle of the Valentinians and a synagogue of the Jews. The seditious prelate was condemned by the magistrate of the province either to rebuild the synagogue or to repay the damage, and this moderate sentence was confirmed by the emperor. But it was not confirmed by the archbishop of Milan. ^* He dictated an epistle of censure and reproach, more suitable, perhaps, if the emperor had received the mark of circumcision and renounced the faith of his baptism. Ambrose considers the toleration of the Jewish, as the persecution of the Christian, religion ; boldly declares that he himself and everj'^ true believer would eagerly dispute Avith the bishop of Callini- cum the merit of the deed and the crown of martyrdom ; and laments, in the most pathetic terms, that the execution of the sentence would be fatal to the fame and salvation of Theodo- sius. As this private admonition did not produce an immediate effect, the archbishop, from his pulpit,-'^ publicly addressed the emperor on his throne ; ^^ nor would he consent to offer the oblation of the altar, till he had obtained from Theodosius a solemn and positive declaration, which secured the impunity of the bishop and monks of Callinicum. The recantation of Theo- dosius was sincere ; ^"^ and, during the tenn of his residence
- See the whole transaction in Ambrose (torn. ii. epist. xL xli. p. 946-956) and
his biographer Pauliniis (c. 23). Bayle and Barbeyrac (Morales des Peres, c. xvii. p. 325, &c.) have justly condemned the archbishop. [The sentence was that the bishop should rebuild the synagogue and pay the value of the destroyed treasures.] 95 His sermon is a strange allegory of Jeremiah's rod, of an almond-tree, of the woman who washed and anointed the feet of Christ. But the peroration is direct and personal. 96 Hodie, Episcope, de me proposuisti. Ambrose modestly confessed it : but he sternly reprimanded Timasius, general of the horse and foot, who had presumed to say that the monks of Callinicum deserved punishment. 97 Yet, five years afterwards, when Theodosius was absent from his spiritual guide, he tolerated the Jews and condemned the destruction of their synagogue. Cod. Theodos. 1. xvi. tit. viii. leg. 9, with Godefroy's commentary, torn. vi. p. 225.
