AMBROSE and TRYPHON, Disciples of ORIGEN.
AMBROSE would not have deserved to be reckoned amongst the Ecclesiastical Authors, had he not been Origen's Friend, and contributed very much to the Publishing of his Works, * 1.1 both by furnishing him with Amanuenses, and by continually pressing him to his Work. He had been a Marcionite, and though he was converted, yet he retained some of his Errors, (i•• we believe St. Hierom.) However he was ordained Deacon, and generously confessed the Faith of Jesus Christ, with Theoctistus the Priest in the time of the Emperor Maximus. He was a Person of Quality, and wanted not Parts, which he shewed in some of his Letters to Origen, that were extant in St. Hierom's time, but now are all lost. He died before Origen, and S. Hierom says that he was blamed because, though he died Rich, yet he left nothing to his Friend, who was Poor.
Tryphon who was likewise Origen's Disciple, and who had written some Letters to him, was looked upon in St. Hierom's time as a Man very well versed in the Learning of the Sacred Scripture, which still appears, says this Father, by several Works which he had composed; but more particularly by a Trea∣tise concerning the Red Heifer in the 19th Chapter of Numbers, and upon the Division of the Sacrifices made by Abraham in the 15th Chapter of Genesss: From whence it appears, that Origen's Disciples following their Masters Genius, applied themselves wholly to Allegories.
[It is most probable, that Tryphon's Commentaries, are, in imitation of his Master Origen's, Allego∣••ical; yet it is only probable, at least, for any thing, that M. Du Pin has to say against it: and when things are lost, to determine concerning them positively, is only beating the Air; and though we our selves know how little weigh•• can be laid upon our words beyond conjecture, yet it may lead others into mistakes, who think we can prove what we say, though we do not.]