Though, in the sad Condition wherein our disguis’d Lover, found his desolate Mistress, her sorrow and her fears, did somewhat cloud her Beauty, yet they could not hinder her looks from being so charming & majestick, as to create less pitty than respect. Wherefore with gestures, wherein this was as visible as he could make it, he told her, without approaching too near; Do not, Madam, I beseech you, add to your other troubles, the apprehension, that because I appear in the circumstances of a Ravisher, I come to commit a Rape: Theodora is so great an ornament to the Christian Religion, and her Purity is an ornament so dear to Theodora, that Heaven will not permit, either that Antioch should be rob’d of one, or she of the other. And therefore, that Providence which you have so generously trusted, has sent me to your rescue, which after the care I have taken to dispose things without doors, ‘twill not be difficult to compass, if you please to make use of the Military Habit I have brought hither, disguise and convey your self hence. Nor need you be solicitous, what will become of me, for I am under the same care of the same Providence, that now justifies your reliance on it, by providing for your escape: And I that found means to come in hither, may be succesful in attempting a Retreat, or if I should not succeed in it, I shall not miss the joy of paying my Duty, where I had the most desire and cause to do it; and shall leave the world with the satisfaction of having highly oblig’d it, by the preservation of the most accomplish’d Person in it. And Madam, (continues Didymus) that you may not doubt the willingness or the intentions wherewith this offer is made you, be pleas’d to know that it comes from the now fortunate Didymus, who justly thinks that in aspiring to your acceptance of it, he does less proffer a service, than beg a favour, that will not only be a full Recompence, but a high Obligation.
The name of Didymus, and Discourse so suitable to it, made by him that assum’d it, soon dissipated the dismal apprehensions his habit, and her circumstances had given her: She knew so well his Courage, his Vertue, and his Love, that nothing unlawful or mean, was to be fear’d; but the boldest things, if they were as noble as hazardous, might justly be expected, from him: So that this attempt did perhaps as much oblige her, as it surpris’d her. Wherefore, as soon as she had recompos’d her lately disorder’d thoughts, she told him, with looks serene enough to let him see how much she trusted him; This action, generous Didymus, is of a nature so extraordinary, that my ingratitude would be so too, if my sense of it were not. To own and rescue a persecuted and affronted Maid, and to do it with more hazard than you need run in the Roman Armies, to purchase Fame and Honours, in an action so disinteressed, and so unexampled, that I want words to celebrate it, as well as merit to deserve it, and power to requite it. But I admire so rare an effect of Vertue, (continues she) can consent to the destruction of its Author. No, Generous Didymus, ‘tis enough that the vertues· of Christians be treated as crimes by the Romans: They must not meet the like usage from Theodora; she must not purchase a life, that she values as little her self as others have cause to do, at so high a rate, as your partial Charity persuades you to set upon it. For even those that do now most pitty me, would repine at the preservation of my life, if it should cost that of a Heroe. Especially, if I should designedly be accessory to so great a Loss: Which accompanied with a publick Indignation, and my own Reproaches for my Ingratitude, would certainly make that Life a Burden to me, that at so dear a rate you would preserve as a Blessing. But—
Here Theodora was going to proceed, when her griev’d Lover, fearing that if she did so, she might make some Declaration unfavourable to his Wishes, thought fit to endeavour to prevent it, by saying to her with a profound respect. Ah, Madam, do not make your mistaking Compassion more cruel to me, than the severity of the Romans themselves, which we Christians justly Tax, can possibly be. For they will but in a few moments take away that Life, which you would at once protract and render Miserable. Do not, I beseech you, Madam, (continues he) think my services Meritorious, because they are paid you in this place, and in your Persecuted Condition. No, Madam, Theodora has Prerogatives enough, to make many less unworthy (though not more zealous) than I, ambitious to serve her, in what Circumstances soever Providence shall think fit to place her. Whatever the Romans, that worship Fortune and Victory as Goddesses, and find their Prosperity the powerfullest Argument to support and spread their Religion, may think of Sufferings embrac’d for Conscience sake: sure we Christians, that adore a Crucified Saviour, who, as he took upon him the form of a Servant, was put to Death between two Thieves, as a Slave and a Malefactor too; ought not to let any Persecutions, or Indignities, lessen our Veneration or Concern for those that chuse to Suffer for him, and imitate as well as own him, whatever it cost them. Nor, Madam, (pursues Didymus) needs your having been brought to this place, make you think your self at all dishonour’d, in the Opinions of those that can make just Estimates of things. They look on Sufferers for truth with His undeceiveable Eyes, that, by one of the Pen-men he inspir’d, having mention’d those Persons that for Religions sake were Imprison’d, Destitute, Tormented, Affronted forc’d in the Skins of Beasts, to wander like them in Desarts, and lodge in Dens; Honours them with this Character and Testimony, more glorious than all the Panegyricks of Orators, and Laurels of Conquerors, That the World was not worthy of them. And such Judges will think Venus an Infamous Courtezan, though the Romans adore her in their Temples; and will not think Theodora the less excellent Person, for having been condemn’d on the score of Vertue to a Scandalous place. Honour were a mean thing, and not worthy to have its loss much fear’d, or regretted; if we could forfeit it without having forsaken Vertue; and much more, if we could be depriv’d of it for having closely follow’d Her. Nothing can blemish true Reputation, that cannot be declin’d without manifest injury to Religion, which justifies our Acting whatever it imposes. The Angels themselves that were sent to Sodom, scrupl’d less to go even thither, then to disobey him that made it their duty to do so, nor were polluted by entering into that abominable place; and being attempted by the brutish Inhabiters of it, carried thence the Angelical Purity wherewith they came thither.