14. Lastly, I am writing with my own hand that which you alone may read. As I hope that the Lord will deliver me from all troubles, I have been warned, not by man, nor through man, but plainly by Himself that this is forbidden me. For when I was anxious, in the very night in which I was preparing to set out, you appeared to me in a dream to have come into the Church, and I was not permitted to offer the sacrifice. I pass over other things, which I could have avoided, but I bore them for love of you, as I believe. May the Lord cause all things to pass peaceably. Our God gives warnings in many ways, by heavenly signs, by the precepts of the prophets; by the visions even of sinners He wills that we should understand, that we should entreat Him to take away all disturbances, to preserve peace for you emperors, that the faith and peace of the Church, whose advantage it is that emperors should be Christians and devout, may continue.
15. You certainly desire to be approved by God. "To everything there is a time," [3633] as it is written: "It is time for Thee, Lord, to work." [3634] "It is an acceptable time, O Lord." [3635] You shall then make your offering when you have received permission to sacrifice, when your offering shall be acceptable to God. Would it not delight me to enjoy the favour of the Emperor, to act according to your wish, if the case allowed it? And prayer by itself is a sacrifice, it obtains pardon, when the oblation would bring offence, for the one is a sign of humility, the other of contempt. For the Word of God Himself tells us that He prefers the performance of His commandments to the offering of sacrifice. God proclaims this, Moses declares it to the people, Paul preaches it to the Gentiles. Do that which you understand is most profitable for the time. "I prefer mercy," it is said, "rather than sacrifice." [3636] Are they not, then, rather Christians in truth who condemn their own sin, than they who think to defend it? "The just is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his words." [3637] He who accuses himself when he has sinned is just, not he who praises himself.
16. I wish, O Emperor, that before this I had trusted rather to myself, than to your habits. When I consider that you quickly pardon, and quickly revoke your sentence, as you have often done; you have been anticipated, and I have not shunned that which I needed not to fear. But thanks be to the Lord, Who willeth to chastise His servants, that He may not lose them. This I have in common with the prophets, and you shall have it in common with the saints.
17. Shall I not value the father of Gratian more than my very eyes? Your other holy pledges also claim pardon. I conferred beforehand a dear name on those to whom I bore a common love. I follow you with my love, my affection, and my prayers. If you believe me, be guided by me; if, I say, you believe me, acknowledge what I say; if you believe me not, pardon that which I do, in that I set God before you. May you, most august Emperor, with your holy offspring, enjoy perpetual peace with perfect happiness and prosperity.
[3618] The mob at Thessalonica had barbarously murdered a number of the officers of the garrison of that city. The Emperor, being exceedingly angry, sent orders in obedience to which over seven thousand of the inhabitants were cruelly put to death. This act of vengeance shocked the public conscience, and St. Ambrose felt it his duty to speak out in the name of the Church.
[3619] S. Luke viii. 17.
[3620] Ezek. iii. 18.
[3621] Theodosius had promised to forgive the Thessalonians, but was again stirred up by his courtiers, as Paulinus relates in his life of St. Ambrose.
[3622] 2 Sam. [2 Kings] xii. 13.
[3623] Ps. xcv. [xciv.] 6.
[3624] 2 Sam. [2 Kings] xii. 13.
[3625] 2 Sam. [2 Kings] xxiv. 10.
[3626] 2 Sam. [2 Kings] xxiv. 14.
[3627] 2 Sam. [2 Kings] xxiv. 17.
[3628] Job xxxi. 34 [LXX.].
[3629] 1 Sam. [1 Kings] xix. 4.
[3630] 1 Sam. [1 Kings] xix. 5.
[3631] 2 Sam. [2 Kings] iii. 28.
[3632] S. Matt. xxviii. 20.
[3633] Eccles. iii. 1.
[3634] Ps. cxix. [cxviii.] 126.
[3635] Ps. lxix. [lxviii.] 13.
[3636] S. Matt. ix. 13.
[3637] Prov. xviii. 17 [LXX.].