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15. Not long had the Church of Milan begun to employ this kind of
consolation and exhortation, the brethren singing together with great
earnestness of voice and heart. For it was about a year, or not much
more, since Justina, the mother of the boy-Emperor Valentinian,
persecuted Thy servant Ambrose in the interest of her heresy, to
which she had been seduced by the Arians. The pious people kept guard
in the church, prepared to die with their bishop, Thy servant.
There my mother, Thy handmaid, bearing a chief part of those cares
and watchings, lived in prayer. We, still unmelted by the heat of
Thy Spirit, were yet moved by the astonished and disturbed city. At
this time it was instituted that, after the manner of the Eastern
Church, hymns and psalms should be sung, lest the people should pine
away in the tediousness of sorrow; which custom, retained from then
till now, is imitated by many, yea, by almost all of Thy
congregations throughout the rest of the world.
16. Then didst Thou by a vision make known to Thy renowned bishop
the spot where lay the bodies of Gervasius and Protasius, the martyrs
(whom Thou hadst in Thy secret storehouse preserved uncorrupted for
so many years), whence Thou mightest at the fitting time produce them
to repress the feminine but royal fury. For when they were revealed
and dug up and with due honour transferred to the Ambrosian Basilica,
not only they who were troubled with unclean spirits (the devils
confessing themselves) were healed, but a certain man also, who had
been blind many years, a well-known citizen of that city, having
asked and been told the reason of the people's tumultuous joy, rushed
forth, asking his guide to lead him thither. Arrived there, he
begged to be permitted to touch with his handkerchief the bier of Thy
saints, whose death is precious in Thy sight. When he had done
this, and put it to his eyes, they were forthwith opened. Thence did
the fame spread; thence did Thy praises burn, shine; thence was
the mind of that enemy, though not yet enlarged to the wholeness of
believing, restrained from the fury of persecuting. Thanks be to
Thee, O my God. Whence and whither hast Thou thus led my
remembrance, that I should confess these things also unto
Thee, great, though I, forgetful, had passed them over? And
yet then, when the "savour" of Thy "ointments" was so fragrant,
did we not "run after Thee." And so I did the more abundantly weep
at the singing of Thy hymns, formerly panting for Thee, and at last
breathing in Thee, as far as the air can play in this house of grass.
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