resembling the Samaritans, who professed a mixture of Judaism and Paganism. To this opinion, as it had been the religion of his family, he was in early life extremely devoted.

But marrying a lady of rank, and of sincere christian piety, he was gradually induced to attend to the doctrines of the gospel. Her prayers and persuasions were equally ardent. Gregory, dreaming one night that he sang that passage, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord," and feeling an uncommon pleasure on the occasion, informed his wife of the circumstance, who exhorted him to comply with the call of God to his soul.

Soon after, Leontius, bishop of Cæsarea, coming to the place, in his way to the council of Nice, Gregory was encouraged and assisted by him, and then received from the bishop of Nazianzum catechetical instruction, and the ordinance of baptism.

Nazianzum itself had but newly received christianity. The bishop who baptized Gregory was the first of its pastors, and died soon after. A long vacancy took place, and the town was overrun with ignorance and vice. Gregory at length was appointed to the See, which he filled for fortyfive years with great success among the people.

His acquaintance with Basil, at Athens, has been mentioned. Here, also, he conversed with Julian the Apostate, and with that intuitive penetration into character, which seems a peculiar gift of some minds, he foretold what a curse he would one day prove. There seemed nothing at the time to justify his suspicions, but his penetrating eye discerned the embryo of the apostate, and of the scorner, in his bold and fearless spirit of disputation, and his presumptuous curiosity.

"See," said he, "what a pest the Roman empire nourishes within itself," referring to Julian.

After his baptism, Gregory felt himself strongly inclined to the ascetic life, but was, though reluctant, made a presbyter by his father. The old man, better versed in prayer than disputation, was once imposed on by Arian subtleties to communicate with that sect, while he took them to be

what they were not, but was recovered from the snare by the arguments of his more learned son. The latter, after giving way for a time to the monastic spirit of solitude, was prevailed on at length to return to Nazianzum, and to employ himself more worthy of a christian, by assisting his aged father in his pastoral cares.

His friend Basil offering him the bishopric of Sasima, in his diocese of Cæsarea, and the place being very mean and obscure, the pride of Gregory was hurt, and for some time a coolness subsisted between the two friends, both of whom appear not to have possessed, in any great degree, the humble simplicity of better times. And their fondness for Platonism, and their accurate acquaintance with secular learning, had doubtless no tendency to supply the defects of their christian views of doctrine.

Gregory, rejecting the offer, continued to assist his father, and had then an opportunity of enforcing a christian duty, constantly allowed to be such in the primitive times, namely, submission to the higher powers, as well as to give the most excellent advice to the governor of the place-to use his power with moderation.

Some civil tumults and broils at that place furnished him with this occasion.

His father, dying near a hundred years old, and his mother soon after, both of them persons of uncommon piety, Gregory was induced to go to Constantinople.

Here, under the emperor Valens, Arianism was at its height, and he preached to a few christians in a sort of conventicle; but growing popular and successful, he was at last appointed bishop; and at length, under Thedosius, he was confirmed in the charge.

It proved, however, extremely uneasy to him, notwithstanding the kindness of the emperor. His liberality and integrity were indeed admirable; and his private life and manners were most exemplary. But the weakness of his body, the irritability of his temper, and his extreme deficiency in talents for government, rendered him, notwithstanding the just renown of his incomparable oratory, unfit for so public a station.

The gospel was, however, adorned by his virtues, and particularly by the meekness with which he forgave a person who had been suborned to murder him, and who, having been baffled in his purpose by Providence, came to him in an agony of conscience, and confessed his intentions.

While he was at Constantinople, the famous council was held there for the settlement of the peace of the church, during the course of which, Gregory, a man of tried honesty, but void of political refinement, found himself so much opposed by those who envied him, and his best designs so much misconstrued, that he entreated Thedosius to accept his resig nation. His farewell sermon, in which he reminded his audience what God had done by him from his first preaching among them, when he was attacked with stones by the Arians, being a master-piece of eloquence, moved the passions of the people exceedingly.

A second synod being held at Constantinople, being disgusted with the treatment he had met with in the first, and being also afflicted with a very infirm state of health, he refused to come, and expressed himself with unbecoming acrimony against councils in general.

However, he exerted himself sincerely to promote unity in the church, and was unbounded in his liberality to the poor. In his time, he was looked upon as an admirable theologian. And, indeed, in justness of taste, eloquence and secular learning, he was inferior to few; and these shining qualities, in an age more contentious than simple with respect to religion, procured him an admiration for christian knowledge above his deserts. He died in the year 389, in his own country.

His principal writings are his sermons. The first of them describes the difficulties and importance of the pastoral office, blames the forwardness of many to undertake it, and describes himself confounded under a sense of his insufficiency. In two other discourses, he inveighs against Julian in a manner that discovers more of the orator than the christian.

In another he endeavors to reconcile the minds of the people of Nazianzum to the payment of taxes. He observes that Jesus Christ came into the world at a time when a tax

was levied, to shew that God is present at such scenes, that he was made man, and did himself pay taxes, to comfort those who were in bondage, and to teach them to bear it patiently.

He has some poems that demonstrate a rich vein of genius, and a sensibility of mind. Nor is there wanting a true spirit of piety. He gives excellent reflections on the falsehood of mere human virtue, the necessity of Divine Grace through. Jesus Christ, and of an humble confidence in it, and the danger of perishing through pride and vain glory. Humility, -prime christian grace,-that which so much adorns the character, was evidently at the foundation of Gregory's religion.

CHAPTER XV.

Augustine.

AUGUSTINE CONSPICUOUS IN THE LIST OF PRIMITIVE FATHERS; HIS BIRTHPLACE; HIS MOTHER'S SALUTARY INFLUENCE OVER HIM;

EMBRACES THE TRUE FAITH, AND SPENDS

HIS LATTER DAYS ON THEOLOGY.

ROMINENT in the noble list of primitive fathers stands the name of Augustine; one who, for depth of thought, of feeling and speculation, is entitled to distinguished rank among the ancient worthies who went through life with the holy principle of self-denial written upon the actions of their lives; one who, by his numerous contributions to theology, has bequeathed to posterity a rich legacy of thought; exciting the interest and admiration of every one who loves the cause of truth and the welfare of the church.

Thus, all unconsciously, as it were, he has stamped, in immortal characters, his own fame on the pages of the world's history, there to remain unsullied by the defacing "finger of Time," while coming ages revere and admire the power of

that genius, and glory of that grace, which made him what he was; and, as they enjoy the full appropriation of that light, which he labored so indefatigably to secure, it should be coupled with that practical knowledge of heavenly wisdom he so highly extols.

He was born in the town of Tagaste, in Africa, where the early years of his life seem to have been spent. In a work of his, styled his "Confessions," he gives us an account of himself; and not only relates the external adventitious circumstances of his personal history, but also introduces us to that inner world of thought and feeling, motive and action, which lies too deep within for the casual glance of man to penetrate. We decline attention to his doctrinal discussions, his theories and opinions, which have drawn the attention of theologians, as amplification in these matters would better befit large volumes than our present brief sketch. We choose rather to follow the narration of his own pen, and to be guided by the revelations which he has himself made of his character, discipline and aim in the work of life. He seems to have been gifted by nature with uncommon intellectual ability, and keen powers of perception, that enabled him to make, without the aid of teacher, the distinction between truth and error, that came before him in his unceasing study. The history, however, of his early years, his infancy and childhood, discover to us a heart with the same propensity as others toward evil ways and evil inclinations. His thoughtlessness, his attempts at deception, his idleness and willfulness at school; or, if engaged, his love for senseless, unmeaning fables, in preference to more useful studies, he graphically describes, and deeply deplores as he looks upon it at a higher stand-point in the scale of existence. But here he was effectually encircled by those holy influences which flow from a pious mother's counsel and example; a circumstance he afterward acknowledged as a salutary and powerful restraint to his impetuous spirit, and drew from him many expressions of his deep indebtedness to his valued parent, as well as grateful recognition of that higher relation of Divine Providence, through which all the events of his life were ordered.