Here the future bishop devoted himself to legal studies, in which he met with great success. His skill in law and general reputation soon led to his advancement, and about a.d. 370 he was appointed by the Prætorian Prefect Probus governor of Liguria and Æmilia, with the rank of consular. Of the 116 provinces of the empire 37 were governed by magistrates with the title of consular. On this occasion Probus is said to have closed an address to St. Ambrose with the words, “Go and act, not as a judge, but as a bishop.” This advice was so well followed by Ambrose, that owing to his equity and kindness the people came to look up to him rather as a father than as a judge. De Exc. Sat. I. 25, 49, 58.