, one of the most eminent fathers of the church, was by descent a
, one of the most eminent fathers of
the church, was by descent a citizen of Rome, but born
at Aries, in France, then the metropolis of Gallia Narbonensis, in the year 333, according to Cave, or according to Du Pin, in the year 340. His father was the
emperor’s lieutenant in that district; one of the highest
places of trust and honour in the Roman empire. Ambrose was the youngest of three children, Marcellina and
Satyrus being born before him. After his father’s death,
his mother, with the family, returned to Rome, where he
made himself master of all the learning that Greece and
Rome could afford; and at the same time profited in religion by the pious instructions of his sister Marcellina,
who had devoted herself to a state of virginity. When
grown up, he pleaded causes with so much ability, as to
acquire the good opinion of Anicius Probus, pretorian
prefect, or emperor’s lieutenant in Italy, who made choice
of him to be of his council; and having authority to appoint governors to several provinces, he gave Ambrose
one of these commissions, saying: “Go, and govern more
like a bishop than a judge.
” In this office, Ambrose resided at Milan for five years, and was applauded for his
prudence and justice; but his pursuit of this profession
was interrupted by a singular event, which threw him
into a course of life for which he had made no preparation,
and had probably never thought of, and for which he was
no otherwise qualified than by a character irreproachable
in civil life, and improved by the pious instructions of his
youth.