AMBROSE, of Alexandria, lived in the beginning of the third century, and was the intimate friend of Origen. Jerome and Eusebius differ in the account they give of this man. The one denominates him a Marcionite, the other a Valentinian; but they both agree that he was converted to the orthodox faith by the preaching of Origen. As is generally the case with new proselytes, he became very zealous, and was appointed deacon either at Alexandria, or at Caesarea, where Protectetus was presbyter. Origen dedicated many of his works, and among others his book on martyrdom, to Ambrose, at whose desire and expense they were published. Origen and Ambrose were alike indefatigable in their application to study, and lived on terms of the most intimate friendship. Origen being poor, Ambrose assisted him, by providing notaries and amanuenses to copy his works. In that period of society, when the increase of copies was a work of immense labour and great expense, these were not only instances of private friendship, but of public utility. Ambrose is thus justly entitled to rank among the patrons of learning. He has been blamed by some for having made no provision at his death for the poor infirm Origen. His friends plead in defence of his conduct, that Origen chose to live poor, and daily dependent on a divine Providence. According to some historians, Ambrose died a martyr, along with his friend Protectetus, in the persecution under Maximin, about the year 236; but the dedication of Origen’s eight books against Celsus proves, that though he died before Origen, yet he lived to the year 250, or near that period. Origen speaks of him as a man of sincere piety, and much devoted to the study of the sacred Scriptures.

Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan, was one of the most eminent fathers of the church in the fourth century. He was a citizen of Rome, and born in France; according to some historians, in the year 334, but, according to others, in 340. The birth of Ambrose is said to have been attended with a remarkable presage of his future eloquence, by a swarm of bees settling upon his mouth as he lay in his cradle. At the period of his birth his father was pretorian prefect of Gallia Narbonensis; but upon his death, the widow repaired to Rome with her family. Ambrose received a religious education, and was reared in habits of virtuous conduct by his mother, an accomplished woman, and eminent for her piety. The names of his instructors in the rudiments of Greek and Roman literature have not been transmitted to posterity; but in these branches he made early proficiency; and, having directed his attention to the law, he employed his eloquence with such reputation in the pretorian court of Anicius Probus, that he was soon deemed worthy of a place in the council. After he had continued in this station for some time, Probus appointed him consular of Liguria and Emilia, comprehending the territories of Milan, Liguria, Turin, Genoa, and Bologna. Milan was chosen for the place of his residence; and, by the prudent and gentle use of his power, he conducted the affairs of the province with general approbation and growing popularity.

In the year 374 Auxentius, the bishop of that city, died, and his death gave sudden change to the fortune and literary pursuits of Ambrose. At that period the tide of religious contention ran high between the Catholics and the Arians, and there ensued a violent contest concerning the choice of a new bishop. When the people were assembled in the church to elect, Ambrose, in the character of governor of the place, presented himself to the assembly, and in a grave, eloquent, and pathetic address, admonished the multitude to lay aside their contentions, and, in the spirit of religious meekness, to proceed to the important work of choosing a bishop. It is reported, that when Ambrose had finished his address, a child cried out, “Ambrose is bishop.” The agitated multitude suddenly caught the superstitious flame, and regarding this as a miraculous intimation, they unanimously elected Ambrose bishop of Milan. Some suppose that this was entirely a device of Ambrose or his friends, and others ascribe it to mere accident. Ambrose strongly affected reluctance, and even pretended to fly from the city in order to avoid the intended honour. It is, however, unfortunate for the artifice of the governor, that the place of his concealment was soon discovered, when the emperor’s confirmation of his election was made known to him. Finding it inconvenient any longer to resist the public choice, he exchanged the ensigns of civil for those of ecclesiastical dignity; and, after being baptized, he was ordained bishop of Milan, about the end of the year 374. But whatever may be the sentiments of mankind concerning the singular conduct of Ambrose in accepting an office for which he was certainly unqualified in respect of previous studies, habits, and employments, yet it must be admitted, that he immediately betook himself to the necessary studies, and acquitted himself in his new elevation with ability, boldness, and integrity. Having appropriated his money to the poor, settled his lands upon the church, with the exception of making his sister tenant during life, and having committed the care of his family to his brother, he entered upon a regular course of theological study, under the care of Simplician, a presbyter of Rome, and devoted himself to the labours of the church.

Compelled by the irruption of the Goths and the northern barbarians, who rushed down upon the Roman empire, spreading terror and desolation all around, Ambrose, along with several others, fled to Illyricum; but his exile was of short duration, for the northern invaders having been quickly defeated by the forces of the emperor, and driven back with considerable loss into their dominions, he and his companions returned to their respective habitations.
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After his return to the ecclesiastic station, his eloquence and abilities found ample scope in the dispute between the Arians and Catholics. About this era the doctrine of Arius concerning the person of Christ had been extensively received, and had many powerful defenders both among the clergy and the common people. Ambrose espoused the cause of the Catholics: Gratian, the son of the elder Valentinian, marshalled on the same side; but the younger Valentinian, who was now become his colleague in the empire, adopted the opinions of the Arians; and all the arguments and eloquence of Ambrose were insufficient to reclaim the young prince to the orthodox faith. Theodosius, the emperor of the East, also professed the orthodox faith; yet there were numerous adherents to Arius scattered throughout his dominions. In this distracted state of religious opinion, two leaders of the Arians, Palladius and Secundianus, confident of numbers, prevailed upon Gratian to call a general council from all parts of that empire. This request appeared so equitable that he complied without hesitation; but Ambrose, aware of the consequence, had the eloquence to persuade the emperor that a general council was improper, and that the matter could be determined by a council of the western bishops. The result was, that a synod, composed of 32 bishops, was held at Aquileia in the year 381. Ambrose was elected president; and Palladius being called upon to defend his opinions, declined, insisting that the meeting was a partial one, and that the whole bishops of the empire not being present, the sense of the Christian church concerning the question in dispute could not be obtained. Ambrose mentioned several precedents in favour of the authority of the court; and added, that the oriental bishops, being acquainted with the place and nature of the meeting, might have been present, if they had deemed the matter in discussion worthy of their attention; therefore the court, although Palladius persisted in his refusal to plead his cause, put the vote, and he, along with his associate Secundianus, was ejected from the episcopal office. If Ambrose displayed great ardour in opposing the errors of Arius, he was equally zealous in combating the heathen superstitions. Upon the accession of Valentinian II., many of the senators who remained attached to the pagan idolatry made a vigorous effort to restore the worship of the heathen deities. Symmachus, a very opulent man and a great orator, who was at that time prefect of the city, was intrusted with the management of the pagan cause, and drew up a petition, praying that the altar of Victory might be restored to its ancient station in the hall of the senate, and for the proper support of seven vestal virgins, and the regular observance of the other pagan ceremonies. Great eloquence and peculiar insinuation characterized the petition. He argued that this form of religion had long been profitable to the Roman state, reminded the emperor how much Rome had been indebted to Victory, and that it had been the uniform custom of the senators to swear fidelity to the government upon that altar. He likewise produced many facts to prove the advantages derived to the state from its ancient religious institutions, and insinuated that it was one divinity that all men worshipped under different forms, so that ancient practice should not be rashly laid aside. He even proceeded so far as to state the injustice of increasing the public revenue by robbing the church, and attributed the late famine which had overtaken the empire to the neglect of the ancient worship.

To this petition Ambrose replied in a letter to Valentinian, arguing that the devoted worshippers of idols had often been forsaken by their deities; that the native valour of the Roman soldiers had gained their victories, and not the pretended influence of pagan priests; that these idolatrous worshippers requested for themselves what they refused to Christians; that voluntary was more honourable than constrained virginity; that as the Christian ministers declined receiving temporal emoluments, they should also be denied to pagan priests; that it was absurd to suppose that God would inflict a famine upon the empire for neglecting to support a religious system contrary to his revealed will in the Scriptures; that the whole process of nature encouraged innovations, and that all nations had permitted these, even in religion; that heathen sacrifices were exceedingly offensive to Christians; and that every Christian prince should suppress these pagan ceremonies.

In the epistles of Symmachus and of Ambrose both the petition and the reply are preserved, in which sophistry, superstition, sound sense, and solid argument, are strangely blended. It is scarcely necessary to add, that the petition was unsuccessful.

The increasing strength of the Arians proved too formidable for the zealous Ambrose. The young emperor and Justina, along with a considerable number of clergy and laity professing the Arian faith, requested from the bishop the use of two churches, one in the city, the other in the suburbs of Milan. The prelate believing the bishops to be the guardians both of the temporal and spiritual interests of the church, and that the religious edifices were the unquestionable property of the church, positively refused to deliver up the temples of the Lord into the impious hands of the heretics. Filled with indignation, Justina resolved to employ the imperial authority of her son in procuring by force what she could not procure by persuasion. Ambrose was required to answer for his conduct before the council. He went, attended by a numerous crowd of people, whose impetuous zeal so overawed the ministers of Valentinian, that he was permitted to retire without making the surrender of the churches. The day following, when he was performing divine service in the Basilica, the prefect of the city came to persuade him to give up at least the Portian church in the suburbs. Still continuing obstinate, the court proceeded to violent measures: the officers of the household were commanded to prepare the Basilica and the Portian churches to celebrate divine service upon the arrival of the emperor and his mother at the ensuing festival of Easter. The order respecting one of them was carried into effect; but the court, perceiving the growing strength of the prelate’s interest, deemed it prudent to use more lenient measures. But all measures proved in vain; the bishop boldly replied, “If you demand my person, I am ready to submit: carry me to prison or to death, I will not resist; but I will never betray the church of Christ. I will not call upon the people to succour me; I will die at the foot of the altar, rather than desert it. The tumult of the people I will not encourage; but God alone can appease.” This strong declaration was followed by a torrent of eloquence from the pulpit, pursuing his scheme with the most violent zeal. But the court remained unconvinced, and another attempt being made, under a strong guard of ferocious Goths, to seize the church of Basilica, when they were about to enter, Ambrose thundered the sentence of excommunication against them, and so overawed them that they retired, and he and his friends remained in possession of the churches. About this time, also, an Arian bishop challenged Ambrose to a dispute before the emperor; but he declined, saying that matters of faith should be determined by a council of bishops.

Many circumstances in the history of Ambrose are strongly characteristic of the general spirit of the times. The chief causes of his victory over his opponents were, [7:2:602]his great popularity, and the superstitious reverence paid to the episcopal character at that period of society. But it must also be admitted, that he used several indirect means to obtain and support his popular authority. Many indigent persons were supported by his liberal bounty; in his explanations of Scripture he made constant and severe allusions to existing and public characters; the alternate mode of singing had no small effect upon the minds of the vulgar. At a time when the influence of Ambrose required vigorous support, he fortunately was admonished in a dream to search for the remains of Gervasius and Protasius, two martyrs who quietly reposed under the pavement of the church. The skeletons were found entire, stained with the blood, and the head of one of them separated from the body. The vulgar crowded in thousands to behold these venerable relics. According to report, a blind man was restored to sight, several demons were expelled, and sick persons healed, by touching these bones. Ambrose exulted in these miracles, and appealed to them in his eloquent sermons; while the court derided and called in question their existence. The bishop continued firm in his opinions, the people believed, and the existence of the miracles was established. And it is a very singular fact that these and many other miracles obtained current credit among the Christian historians of the second, third, and fourth centuries. Dr Cave, in speaking of them, says, “I make no doubt but God suffered them to be wrought, at this time, on purpose to confront the Arian impieties.”

Although the court were displeased with the religious principles and conduct of Ambrose, yet they respected his great political talents; and when necessity required, they solicited his aid, which he generously granted. When Maxentius usurped the supreme power in Gaul, and was meditating a descent upon Italy, Valentinian sent Ambrose to him, who prevailed upon him to desist from the undertaking. On a second attempt of the same kind Ambrose was employed; and although he was unsuccessful, yet, if his advice had been followed upon his return, the schemes of the usurper would have proved abortive; but, indifferent to his counsels, the enemy was permitted to enter Italy, and Milan was taken. Justina and her son fled; but Ambrose remained in his station, and proved beneficial to many of the sufferers, by causing the plate of the church to be melted for their relief. Theodosius, the emperor of the East, espoused the cause of Justina, and by force of arms regained the kingdom.

In the year 390 a tumult happened at Thessalonica, in which Botheric, one of the imperial officers, was slain. At this Theodosius was so enraged, that he issued a royal mandate for the promiscuous massacre of the inhabitants of that place; and about seven thousand persons were assassinated, without distinction or mercy. The courageous Ambrose, informed of this deed, wrote to the emperor a severe reproof, and an earnest admonition, charging him not to approach the holy communion with his hands stained with innocent blood. When the emperor was about to enter the church of Milan to attend upon the service, the bishop met him, and with a stern countenance prohibited him from approaching the temple of God. The emperor reminded him that David had been guilty of murder and of adultery. The bishop replied, “You have imitated David in his guilt; go and imitate him in his repentance.” The prince obeyed the priest, and, by a course of penitential sorrow, during the space of eight months, he laboured to regain the favour of the church. After the termination of this period he was absolved, but at the same time was made to sign an edict, that an interval of thirty days should intervene before the sentence of death or confiscation should be put in execution. When the mind reflects upon the pernicious effects of sudden and violent passion, this measure was certainly fraught with policy and humanity. If the reader laments the weakness which subjected the conscience to the clerical power, he must be gratified that so moderate a use was made of that authority.

The undaunted courage of Ambrose received another severe trial in the year 393, after the assassination of Valentinian, and the base Eugenio had usurped the empire of the West. Rather than join the standard of the usurper, he fled from Milan; but after the army of Theodosius was victorious, he generously supplicated the emperor for the pardon of those who had supported the cause of Eugenio. Theodosius, soon after he had acquired the uncontrolled possession of the Roman empire, died at Milan. The bishop did not long survive the emperor, but died in the year 397. In his last illness he preserved perfect composure of mind, informing his friends that he had endeavoured so to conduct himself that he might neither be ashamed to live nor to die.

On many accounts the character of the bishop of Milan stands high among the fathers of the ancient church. With unvarying steadiness he delivered his religious sentiments on all occasions; with unwearied assiduity he discharged the duties of his office; with unabated zeal and boldness he defended the orthodox cause, in opposition to the Arians; with a liberal hand he fed the numerous poor who flocked to his dwelling; with uncommon generosity he manifested kindness to his adversaries; and with Christian affection he sought the happiness of all men. His general habits were amiable and virtuous, and his powers of mind were uncommonly vigorous and persevering. Ambition and bigotry were the chief blemishes in his character.

The writings of Ambrose are voluminous, although little more than adulterated editions of Origen and other Greek fathers. The great design of his writings was to defend and propagate the Catholic faith. In some of these he recommends perpetual celibacy as the perfection of Christian virtue. Modern judgment and taste may perhaps induce some to esteem the writings of Ambrose absurd, trivial, and even ludicrous; but there is a smartness and vigour in his style, and there are excellent sentiments interspersed, which render the writings of the bishop of Milan worthy of a perusal. With his usual severity and acrimony, Gibbon too severely censures this prelate. “Ambrose,” says he, “could act better than he could write; his compositions are destitute of taste or genius, without the spirit of Tertullian, the copious elegance of Lactantius, the lively wit of Jerome, or the grave energy of Augustin.” The most accurate and complete edition of his works is that published by the Benedictines, printed at Paris in 1682, in two volumes folio.

Ambrose, Saint, an island in the South Pacific Ocean, on the coast of Chili, four or five leagues due west from St Felix Island. At first view it appears like two small islands; but, after a nearer approach, they are found to be joined by a reef. It lies in long. 80. 55. W. and lat. 26. 13. S. from Greenwich. There is a large rock four miles to the northward of the island, called from its appearance Sail-rock. Captain Roberts, who was here in 1792, found St Felix Island inaccessible. On St Ambrose Island his crew in seven weeks killed 13,000 seals, and cured the skins, which were of the best quality. The island has little else to recommend it. Fish and crawfish aboun . The best season for sealing is from the first of April to the first of August. _ . .

Ambrose, Isaac, an eminent Presbyterian minister, [7:2:603]was educated at Brazen-nose College, Oxford, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts, and became minister of Preston, and afterwards of Garstang in Lancashire, whence he was ejected for nonconformity in 1662. It was usual for him to retire every year for a month into a little hut in a wood, where he shunned all society, and devoted himself to religious contemplation. Dr Calamy observes, that he had a very strong presentiment of the approach of death, and took a formal leave of his friends at their houses a little before his departure; and on the last night-of his life he sent his discourse concerning angels to the press. The next day he shut himself up in his parlour, where, to the great surprise and regret of all who saw him, he was found just expiring. He died in 1663-4, in the 72d year of his age. He wrote several other books, as the Prima, Media, et Ultima, or the First, Middle, and Last Things; War with Devils; Looking unto Jesus, &c.