St. GREGORY.
ST. Gregory was of an Illustrio•••• Family of Rome: His Father was Grandchild to Pope Felix the Second, the Son of Gordia•…•… and Sylvia: He studied at Rome with very good Success; his qua∣lity * 1.1 and merit procur'd him to be quickly preser••'d to the Office of Governour of the City of Rome. After the death of his Father, he concecrated himself to the Service of God, and gave all his Posses∣sions for building and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ministeries. He caused six to be built in Sicily, and one at Rome, whither he himself retir'd. Pelagius the Second ordain'd him Deacon in 582, and drew him forth from his Retreat 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in the quality of a Surrogate, to the Court of the Em∣peror Tiberius. He had not much 〈◊〉〈◊〉, neither did he stay long there: There is only a Confe∣rence mentioned which he had with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eutychius, wherein he maintains against him, That the Bodies of the Blessed after the Resurrection, shall not be of the Nature of Air or Wind, but shall be palpable and solid by their Nature, altho mirac••lously subtil.
He return'd to Rome after the death of Tiberius in 586, where he was employ'd as Secretary to Pope Pelagius. This Pope dying, the Clergy and People chose St. Gregory to fill his place. The Em∣perors were greatly concern'd, that none should be promoted to the Holy See who was contrary to them, and therefore they permitted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him who was chosen to be Ordain'd, till they had approv'd the Election. St. Gregory who s••un'd 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dignity as much as others seek it, wrote a Letter to the Emperor Mauritius, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prays him not to consent to his Election, and to order that they quickly proceed to make another. The Governour of Rome detain'd this Letter, and secur'd the Person of St. Gregory, For seas 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••e should fly away, and send to the Emperor the Act, where∣in he had been chosen Bishop of Rome. •…•…ritius who knew St. Gregory particularly well, was very glad at this Election, and order'd that he should be quickly consecrated.
Rome was the afflicted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Disease, whereof Pelagius died, and which kill'd so great a number of People, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was almost •…•…'d into a Desert. During the Vacancy of the See St. Gregory exhorted the People to make 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ i. e. Publick Processions of all the Inhabitants divided into seven Ch••••rs. Sometime after St. Gregory got out of Rome by concealing himself in a Basket, to deceive the G•…•…ds that were set at the Gates for hindering his Escape, and went and hid himself in a Cave in the middle of a Wood; but being discover'd he was Consecrated and Promoted to the See of Rome, on the third of September 590.
Immediately after his Promotion, he made a Publick Profession of his Faith, and wrote Synodi∣cal L••tters to the Eastern Pat•…•…: In them he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Title of the Servant of the Servants of God, in opposition to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Titles which the other Patriarchs assumed. He regulated the sing∣ing and the Service of the Church of Rome, reform'd his Clergy, and put the City in very good or∣der.
A•…•… he was of a very weak Constitution, and subject to many Diseases, yet he endur'd with Courage the Fatigues and Labors of the Bishop•…•…, and discharg'd all the Duties of his Function: He took care of the Temporal and Spiri••••••l Welfare of his Sheep. He concern'd himself in the Defence of the City of Rome against the Lombards, and reliev'd the People with his great Alms, for which he employ'd all the Revenue of St. Peter's Patrimony.
But he took particular care of the Clergy and Bishops of Italy and Sicily, who depended more immediately upon the Bishop of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then others. Ass••on as he understood that any Church was vacant, he sent a Deputy to it, and caus'd a Bishop to be immediately chosen, and himself Ordain'd, or caus'd him who was chosen to be Ordain'd. He quickly applied a Remedy to the Disorders which happen'd in the Churches, and suffer'd not any Disorder in them. Besides the particular Care which St. Gregory had of his own Church, and of those that more nearly concern'd him, he applied himself also to the Affairs of the Universal Church. On the one side he us'd all his Endeavours for quenching that Flame which was kindled about the Affair of the three Chapters in the Church: On the other side he labour'd to deliver Afric from the Schism of the Donatists, and to re-establish there