attendants, Gregory was induced to accompany his sister, partly with the view of rendering her journey more agreeable to her, and partly for the convenience which it afforded him of travelling to Berytus. He and his brother Athenodorus accordingly attended their sister to Cæsarea, where they met with a circumstance which induced them to reside for some time in that city. For Origen had lately settled at Casarea, where he had opened a school of philosophy. So great was the fame of that master, that they were desirous of profiting by his instructions, and having been introduced to him, were persuaded by his arguments, and the charms of his conversation, to devote themselves to the study of philosophy. According to some writers Gregory, before he attended the school at Cæsarea, had studied at Alexandria, Athens, and Berytus; but we are inclined to conclude with Lardner, that there is no satisfactory evidence of his having studied at either of the two former places; and that if he studied at all at Berytus, it must have been at some interval between his first placing himself under Origen's instructions, and his final departure from Cæsarea to his native country. For five years, at least, Gregory and his brother were the disciples of Origen, who instructed them in logic, physics, geometry, astronomy, and ethics. He encouraged them, likewise, in reading all sorts of ancient authors, pocts, and philosophers, restraining them from none but such as denied a Deity or a Providence; and during this period he made them firm converts to the christian faith, introducing them to an intimate acquaintance with the sacred Scriptures, and explaining to them obscure and difficult passages. But as a term of eight years intervened between their arrival at Cæsarea and their return to their native country, it is not improbable that a part of this time was spent by Gregory at Berytus, in the study of the law. At length, about the year 239, being obliged to return home, he took leave of Origen with great regret, but not before he had pronounced before a numerous auditory a panegyrical oration in praise of his tutor, which Dupin calls one of the finest pieces of rhetoric in all antiquity, and which affords at once a proof of the writer's eminent abilities, and of Origen's excellent method of educating those who are placed under his care. Soon after his return to Neo-Cæsarea, Origen wrote him a letter, commending his excellent parts, which, he said, qualified him either to become a Roman lawyer of the first rank, or a philosopher of eminence among the Greeks; but he rather advised him to employ them in the ser

The

vice of the christian religion, which might be essentially benefited by his exertions. fame of his abilities and learning had reached his native city, where he was much importuned to open a school of philosophy; but his modesty and diffidence led him to resist such applications, and to withdraw into retirement, where he devoted himself to the study of religion, and to pious contemplation. By his christian friends he was strongly solicited to undertake the office of a christian bishop; and though for a long time he could not be prevailed upon to accept of such a charge, at length he yielded to their wishes, and was ordained by Phædinus bishop of Amasea, not before the year 243, according to Lardner, who is rather disposed to place this event under the year 245. The place recommended to his charge was his native city, which was large and populous, but immersed in superstition and idolatry, and containing very few Christians. By- his learning, zeal, and prudence, however, he soon made numerous converts to Christianity, and established a church at Neo-Cæsarea, which appears to have been truly apostolic both with respect to doctrine and discipline, and to have retained its simplicity and purity long after the surrounding churches had admitted novelties and innovations which were a disgrace to their religion, and insensibly led the way to the grossest corruptions and abuses. This church went on flourishing and increasing under his care until the Decian persecution in the year 250, when he thought it prudent to withdraw into retirement till the storm was blown over. Afterwards he returned to his flock, among whom, during the remainder of his life, he discharged the duties of a faithful and vigilant pastor, and was instrumental in bringing almost the whole city and its dependent district into the profession of Christianity. He was present at the first council of Antioch in 264, when the case of Paul of Samosata was the subject of enquiry, and concur red with Firmilian, and the other leading members, in preventing any harsh measures from being adopted against him. It is most probable that he did not long survive the meeting of this council; and that he died in the year 265. Upon the whole, he appears to have been a learned, great, and good man, eminent for purity and simplicity of manners, zealous for the interests of the christian faith and profession, and anxious to preserve them unadulterated with unscriptural notions and superstitious practices. The only works of his extant, which may be pronounced unquestionably genuine, are his "Panegyrical Oration in Praise of Origen,"

already noticed; " A Paraphrase on the Book of Ecclesiastes ;" and "A Canonical Epistle," consisting of cleven canons, of which the last is rejected by the ablest critics, and considered to have been added by some modern Greek. The pieces above mentioned have been separately printed, in Greek and Latin, at different periods, and also collectively in one volume folio, at Paris, in 1626. Gerard Vessius also published an edition of them at Mentz, in 1604, in quarto. As for the "Creed" which has been attributed to him, and its marvellous history as detailed by Gregory of Nyssa, no notice is taken of them either by St. Jerome or St. Basil, in their catalogue of our author's writings; and there is the strongest reason for concluding them to have been inventions of the fourth century, when the christian world was divided on the doctrine of the trinity. For further particulars concerning the real or supposititious works attributed to this father, we refer to Fabrici. Bibl. Græc. vel. V. lib. v. cap. 1. Cave's Hist. Lit. vel. I. sub sec. Novat. Apostolici. Dupin. Moreri. Lard. Cred. part II. vol. IV. b. i. ch. 42.-M.

GREGORY, NAZIANZEN, saint, who flourished in the fourth century, was born at Arianzum, a village near Nazianzum, in Cappadocia, but in what year is uncertain, some writers fixing the date of his birth in 324, others at an earlier, and others at a still later period. His father, who was a man of rank and property, originally belonged to a sect called Hypsistarians, whose religion was a species of deism; but having married a Christian, he was by his wife's persuasion, and that of some pious clergy to whom she introduced him, converted to the christian faith. Not long afterwards his learn ing, piety, and virtues, pointed him out as a proper person for sustaining the episcopal character; and he was accordingly ordained, and elected bishop of Nazianzum, where he officiated as pastor for the space of forty-five years. His son Gregory afforded early proofs of excellent natural abilities, and a serious turn of mind, and enjoyed all the advantages of a liberal and pious education under his own immediate su perintendence. Having distinguished himself by his extraordinary proficiency at home, he was sent for farther improvement to different public seminaries of learning. He was first placed at Cæsarea in Cappadocia, whence he afterwards removed to Cæsarea in Palestine, where he studied under some of the most celebrated masters of that age, and among others Thespesius, a famous rhetorician, to whose instructions and example he paid particular attention.

From Cæsarea he went to Alexandria, where he spent some time in attending on the professors in that city, and then proceeded to Athens, where he intended to finish his academic studies. At Athens he became acquainted with Basil, afterwards so famous in the annals of the church, and with Julian, who was afterwards emperor. With the former he entered into the strictest intimacy of friendship. They lived together in the same house, united in the same studies, and embraced a similar mode of thinking in religious matters. Basil quitted Athens before his friend, who was prevailed upon by the importunity of the students to undertake the office of rhetorical professor, the duties of which he discharged for a short time with eminent success and reputation. cess and reputation. Feeling, however, a strong desire to visit his parents, from whom he had now been long absent, he privately took leave of his friends at Athens, and set out for Constantinople, on his journey homewards. At that city he met with his brother Cæsarius, who had just arrived from Alexandria, where he had accomplished himself in all the polite learning of the age, and particularly in physic; to the study of which he had closely applied. He was strongly solicited to settle in the metropolis; but by the influence of his brother Gregory was led at that time to decline the flattering offers which he received, and to accompany him to Nazianzum. Not long after his return Gregory was baptized, being then about thirty years of age; from which time he appears to have chiefly devoted himself to a studious and ascetic life, practising the austerities of monkery, and mixing no farther in the business of the world than was necessary for the management of his father's affairs. Having been repeatedly pressed by his friend Basil, who had embraced the monastic life among the mountains of Pontus, to visit him in his retirement, he joined him about the year 359, and subjected himself to the same severe discipline which he professed. He had not been long in this retirement, however, before his presence was required at Nazianzum, to allay ferment which had broken out in the church of that place. church of that place. For his father having, for the sake of peace, received the formulary of faith drawn up by a synod of bishops at Constantinople, in which, among other unscriptural terms, the word consubstantial, as applicable to the nature of the Son, was omitted, and having also received those to communion who adopted it; the bigotted monks of Cappadocia raised an outcry against him, as a patroniser of heresy, and not only withdrew themselves from his communion, but prevailed on great numbers

of his flock to desert the aged bishop. While this breach was daily growing wider, Gregory returned to Nazianzum, and having prevailed upon his father to retract the measures which he had taken, succeeded, by the influence of his own high reputation for orthodoxy, in reconciling the disaffected to their diocesan. On this occasion, by the importunity of his father, though much against his own inclination, he was prevailed upon to enter into orders, and was ordained presbyter. Soon afterwards he withdrew again into retirement with his friend Basil, from which he occasionally returned, and preached to the people at Nazianzum.

The emperor Julian had now ascended the throne, and among other methods of expressing his hatred towards Christianity, and its professors, had published a law intended to prevent Christians from being instructed in learning and the sciences, by prohibiting them from the use of the Greek and Roman classics in their schools. This malignant effort of his to barbarise the hateful Galileans, was partly defeated by the two Apollinarii, as we have already seen in their Lives, and partly by Gregory Nazianzen, who wrote a number of poems, in all kinds of verse, on divine and serious subjects, by which the loss of the heathen authors was in a considerable degree compensated to christian students, on account of their excellencies and beauties as compositions. These poems were chiefly written in retirement; but the growing infirmities of his father rendering it necessary that he should have more permanent assistance than what his son's occasional visits afforded him, Gregory was persuaded to become more stationary at Nazianzum, where for some years he officiated as assistant to his father in the pastoral office. While he continued in this situation, he was instrumental in promoting the election of his friend Basil to the see of Cæsarea his native place, in the year 370; which circumstance eventually proved the occasion of much inquietude to Gregory, and of a coolness, nearly approaching to a rupture, between the two friends. For the emperor Valens, having divided Cappadocia into two provinces, by which means a considerable part of Basil's metropolitan jurisdiction was transferred to Anthimus bishop of Tyanea, the capital of the new moiety, Basil, with the design of making up his loss, determined to erect some new bishoprics. Among other places he appointed Sasima, a small town on the line of separation between the two provinces, to be an episcopal sec; and being desirous of placing a trusty person in that situation, nominated his friend Gre

VOL. IV.

gory its bishop. With this nomination Gregory was highly displeased, and considered it as lit. tle better than an insult, both on account of the meanness and unhealthfulness of the place, and the perpetual contests in which his residence. there might involve him with Anthimus. He, therefore, for some time strongly resisted Basil's wish to place him in that see; and in a correspondence which took place between the two friends on the subject, various irritating sentiments were interchanged, which had nearly proved the termination of their intimacy. But Basil would not relinquish his object; and by gaining over Nazianzen's father to his side, at length, through his interference, obtained Gregory's very reluctant consent to be ordained bishop of Sasima. After that ceremony, however, he never entered on the duties of his new sec, on account of Anthimus's taking possession of the place, by which means he was prevented from residing there with any comfort, or even safety. Finding himself thus circumstanced, he, withdrew once more into retirement, where he hoped to be suffered to spend his time in study and religious contemplation; but by his father's earnest entreaty and commands he was induced to become his coadjutor in the episcopal office at Nazianzum, on the express condition, that after his father's death he should be perfectly free. from all obligation to that charge. Accordingly, when that event took place about the year 374, he quitted Nazianzum, and retired to Seleucia, where he continued for a long time in a monastery, before he returned to his native country.

At this period the arian party was pre-. dominant in the empire, and as they enjoyed the favour of the court, they harassed the Ca-. tholics with incessant persecution, driving them from their churches, and inflicting on them the same calamities and cruelties which they them-, selves had suffered from the orthodox in the days of their power. But an imperial edict having passed for tolerating the Catholics, Gregory was summoned to a synod held at Antioch, in the year 378, for the purpose of consulting about proper measures for reviving the catholic interests. In this synod it was determined to select men eminent for their talents and zeal, and to send them into particular districts, where they might prove serviceable in encouraging and assisting the orthodox, and in defending the catholic cause against the Arians. Among, others Gregory, on account of his superior parts and learning, though contrary to his own inclination, was deputed to go to Constantinople, where the enemy maintained their head

4 A

quarters. Having arrived at that city, he found the catholic cause reduced to the lowest ebb, the Arians being possessed of all the churches, and so insolent in their exercise of power, that scarcely any of the Catholics durst venture to avow their opinions. He took up his abode at the house of a relation, and preached in his lodgings to those who were disposed to attend. In a short time the fame of his eloquence drew after him a considerable congregation, when being presented with the house in which he resided, he converted it into a church, which he entitled the church of Anastasia, or the Resur rection, because that the catholic faith which had for some time been suppressed in this city, seemed to have its resurrection on this spot. His great success in gaining converts quickly excited the jealousy of the Arians, who instigated the populace to attack him and his flock with clubs and stones, both when passing along the streets and in his church; and they also dragged Gregory as a malefactor before the magistrates, accusing him of being the cause of tumult and sedition. The magistrates soon acquitted him of the malignant charge; and the opposition which he met with served only to increase his reputation, and the number of his, followers and admirers. His fame even attracted disciples from distant parts, who placed themselves under his instructions, and among others St. Jerome and Evagrius Ponticus; the former of whom frequently gloried in having had the honour and happiness of studying under so great a master.

In the mean time the number of CathoJics at Constantinople was grown very considerable, who were earnestly desirous of having the episcopal office re-established among them, and expressed their unanimous wish that Gregory would undertake it. Their election of him met with the approbation of almost all the catholic bishops in the East, particularly of his friend Meletius, of Antioch, and Peter, the successor of Athanasius at Alexandria, who gave their suffiage for his confirmation in this see. But he met with a rival in one Maximus, an Egyptian cynic philosopher, whom he had himself baptised, and admitted to the lower orders of the church. This person confederated with one of Nazianzen's presbyters, and contrived a scheme for supplanting him in the episcopal throne by intrigue and boldness. For this purpose he made interest with Peter, who had lately given his suffrage for Nazianzen, and privately engaged him, and three other Egyptian bishops to favour his views, under the pretence of Gregory's having been uncanoni

cally elected. The three Egyptian bishops repaired to Constantinople, where they were favourably received by Gregory, who considered them as his auxiliaries in the catholic cause, without entertaining the most distant suspicion of the plot in which they had engaged against him. As he was soon after their arrival obliged by indisposition to quit the city for the sake of the country air, the confederates determined to lose no time in carrying their measures into execution; and accordingly, during the first night of his absence they broke into his church, and placed Maximus upon the episcopal throne. No sooner, however, had the report of their proceedings spread through the city, than persons of all descriptions, magistrates, clergy, and populace, and even the Arians themselves, assembled in a body, and with great fury drove the intruders out of the church, before they had finished the business of the usurper's consecration, which was completed in a private house; after which the agents in this scene were obliged to consult their safety by flight. But Maximus, notwithstanding the irregularity of the proceedings by which he had attempted to seize upon the episcopal throne at Constantinople, had sufficient art to represent circumstances in such a light to the bishops of Italy, then assembled in synod at Aquileia, that they approved of his ordination, and wrote to the emperor in his favour. He also went himself to solicit his cause at court, then kept at Thessalonica, entreating the emperor to restore him by an imperial edict; but without success. This attempt to supplant him, however, produced much uneasiness to Gregory, especially as he found that even a presbyter of his own church had been concerned in it, who by his insinuations had weakened the attachment of some of the catholic party to his cause. He found also, that several of his catholic friends, irritated at the recollection of the sufferings which they had undergone from their enemies, began to exclaim against the moderation and candour with which he uniformly conducted himself, and to complain that he did not improve his influence with the great, and his interest at court, to retaliate their injuries on their oppressors. The uneasiness which these circumstances created made him sigh for that retirement from which he had been reluctantly drawn by the persuasion of his friends, and his concern for the interest of the catholic faith; and at length determined him to resign a charge which threatened to involve him in increasing troubles. This determination he announced to the people in a farewel discourse, at the close

of which he pathetically exhorted them to persevere in the orthodox faith which he had taught them, and to be mindful of the labours and sufferings which he had undergone for that cause among them. No sooner had he finished his discourse, than he was surrounded by persons of all ages, sexes, and qualities, who were so importunate in their earnest entreaties that he would recal his resignation, that at length, in order to pacify them, he promised not to desert them till the eastern bishops, who were expected soon to assemble at Constantinople, should release him, by choosing a more worthy person to supply his place.

At this period a material change was operating in the castern empire in favour of the Catholics. For Theodosius, surnamed the Great, who had been created a partner in the imperial dignity, avowed himself a zeal ous supporter of the orthodox cause. In the year 380 he raised the secular arm against the Arians, by publishing an edict, commanding all his subjects to receive the catholic doctrine on the subject of the Trinity, under the penalty of being treated as heretics and infamous persons, and subjecting themselves to civil as well as divine punishments. Towards the end of this year he came to Constantinople, where he treated Nazianzen with all possible kindness and respect, and told him among other things, that God had sent him to give him possession of the church, which he was ready to deliver up into his hands, as a reward of his labours. A day was soon afterwards appointed for his instalment; but at Gregory's request that ceremony was for the present deferred. Theodo sius now determined to convene a council, to meet at Constantinople early in the following year. Accordingly, in pursuance of writs which he issued out, a great number of bishops from the eastern empire assembled at that city in 381, and constituted what is called by the Catholics the second oecumenical or general council. With the transactions of the council we have no farther concern in this place, than as they relate to Gregory, and the affairs of the Constantinopolitan see. Their first business was to determine on the pretensiors of the claimants of that bishopric; which they did by condemning the proceedings of Maximus, as well as his irregular consecration, and by confirming Nazianzen in his episcopal seat. It is true that there were individuals who objected to such confirmation, maintaining that as he had been ordained bishop of Sasima, his translation to any other place was prohibited by the ecclesiastical laws; but their objections were over

ruled through the influence of Meletius, the venerable bishop of Antioch, who presided in the council. While establishing rules for the external polity and discipline of the church, the council fixed the limits of the greater eastern churches, and placed all the dioceses of Thrace under the metropolitan see of Constantinople; and they also passed a canon which gave to that see the precedence, next to Rome, over all christian churches. While this council was sit-ting Meletius died, when an end was put to the harmony of their meeting. The choice of a successor to that prelate at Antioch was the first subject of contention, a considerable party being for the election of Flavianus, a presbyter of his church. They were opposed, however, by others, among whom was Nazianzen, who contended for the observance of an agreement to which Flavianus himself had formerly sworn, that after the death of Meletius, or of Paulinus, who had been ordained bishop of Antioch by Lucifer of Cagliari, no election of a successor should take place during the survivor's life, that the schism which existed in that church might be terminated. But Flavianus's party carried the day, and out of resentment to Nazianzen for his opposition, determined again to bring forwards the question respecting the legality of his appointment to the Constantinopolitan see. Gregory, finding that the faction against him was daily increasing, and that his enemies were resolutely bent on formally deposing him from his bishopric, determined to prevent them by voluntary resignation. Accordingly, after having with some difficulty obtained the emperor's consent, he abdicated his episcopal throne, and retired to his paternal estate near Nazianzum, with the resolution of spending the remainder of his days in studious retirement, and the exercises of devotion.

When after an adjournment the eastern bishops had assembled a second time at Constantinople in the year 382, Nazianzen received a summons to join them; on which occasion he displayed a degree of spirit and manly sincerity, which reflects great credit on his memory. For he not only refused to attend that or any other council, but plainly told the fathers that experience had taught him how little good was to be expected from any such assemblies, in which pride and ambition chiefly predominated, and which were rather calculated to widen than to conciliate differences among Christians. Indeed he censured the proceedings of their last session with so much freedom and severity, that, as Jortin observes in his remarks on eeclesiastical history," it is