THough these Reasonings were such, as Irene knew not well how to answer, yet, being uncapable of acquiescing in any Discourse, that inferr’d it to be her duty; to part with Theodora; she resolv’d to try, whether the perswasions of the company, (which she knew, would be very forward to assist her) would not be more prevalent, than hers had been: And that seem’d an accident very. friendly to her design, that just then happen’d, by the arrival of an intelligent Gentleman, whom she had a while before employ’d to learn News of her Friend; and who, on that score, had been a curious and heedful Spectator, of all that had pass’d, at the presidents, in relation to Didymus, and was come to bring Irene an account of it. To hear this, she and her sorrowful Friend were desir’d to rejoin the rest of the company: To which, the high and just esteem they all had of so brave a Gentleman, as Didymus, gave an impatient desire to be inform’d of his Adventures. To satisfie this Curiosity, the Gentleman that was to do it, did, after a short pause, make them the following Narrative.
I suppose this company needs not be informed by me, of what happen’d to the generous Didymus, between the time, that the excellent Theodora was condemn’d to an infamous place, and that wherein he had the happiness, of helping her to make an escape out of it. And therefore without wasting any of that little time, whereof, I fear, we may have but too great need, I shall proceed to inform you, that when this astonishment, occasion’d by this Surprize, of finding a Young man in the escap’d Virgins Room, was a little over, and they had cloath’d Didymus in a habit more decent, to appear in, before a publick Assembly; they led him away to the Judge: to whom some of them related, maliciously enough, what had pass’d earnestly begging Justice of him, against a Person, who (they said) could not but be a Christian; and who was not content, to be himself an Offender against the Laws, but had dared to rescue another Offender, from the Punishment to which they had doom’d her.
Against this Charge, the undaunted Didymus being ask’d, what Defence he had to make, addressing himself to the Judge, made this resolute answer. I stand accus’d of a twofold Crime, of being a Christian, and of Theodora’s Rescue: And though I cannot so soon have forgot, how heinous my Accusers have endeavour’d to make them appear, yet, instead of denying either of them, I shall own, that I glory in both.
As for Christianity, in an Age, wherin it is so cruelly Persecuted, I would not have embraced the profession of it, but that I was resolv’d, if there were occasion, to suffer for it. And therefore I shall neither deny what they call a Crime, nor make an Apology for it, nor deprecate any Infliction, (for so I call it, rather than Punishment, which still supposes a fault) whereto it can expose me. Nor could I, without being wanting to the duty of Humanity, refuse my assistance, to preserve the purity of so noble a Shrine of Chastity, as the Savage designers of a Rape on Theodora, were going barbarously to violate. And the inward satisfaction of having done what became me on such occasions, will support me under any Sufferings, that shall be drawn upon me, but by my Loyalty to persecuted Truth, and my compassion of distress’d Vertue.
The experience I have had, (answers the President) of the effects of those desperate Errours, you miscall Religion, makes me inclinable enough, to think, that you, as well as many others of your wild Sect, have both Madness and Impiety enough, to put off the Apprehensions, as well as the other common sentiments, of Human Nature, and fear Death, as little as you do the Gods. But since you pretend to be more vertuous Men, and obedient Subjects, than others; pray tell me, what you can say, for your rescuing a Malefactor, out of the hands of those Ministers of Justice, that were going to Execute the sentence of Condemnation upon her.
If, (replies Didymus) the Sentence you speak of, had doom’d her but to Death; though I should most gladly have suffer’d it in her stead, yet I had deplor’d your Cruelty, without attempting to defeat it. But I confess, I could not without Indignation, as well as Grief, see such a person as Theodora, who for her Beauty, Vertue, and other Perfections, is justly admir’d by all that know her, and look’d upon as the honour of her Sex; most injuriously condemn’d to so infamous and barbarous an usage, as were unfit for the meanest and despicablest of Creatures, that belong to the Sex, (whereof she is the Ornament.) And considering with my self, that Chastity in Women, and especially in Virgins, is so much a Vertue, and their right to preserve it, so confes’dly inhaerent, that all Nations agree, in ascribing to them a right to defend it, without reserve, against whosoever attempts to deprive them of it; I concluded, that to help a distressed Virgin to preserve so acknowledg’d a right, was to defeat Ravishers, rather than to oppose Magistrates, and not commit a Crime, but hinder the accomplishing of one. Nor could I think, that ‘twas against the Roman Judges I acted when I oppos’d Persons, whom their Savage design made me look upon as the worst sort of Barbarians. And I did not doubt Sir, (continues Didymus) that in your own Breast, when calmer thoughts shall come there, to succeed those that lately possess’d it, I shall be absolv’d from an action, which kept you from dishonouring your self as much, as the execution of your Sentence would have defil’d Theodora; and kept you innocent as to Act, from what would have made you Enemies for ever, not only of the fairest half of Mankind, but of all those of our Sex, that retain any Sparks either of Vertue, or good Nature.
If Theodora, (replies the President) were not a Beauty, and one of your obstinate Sect, I doubt you would never, for her sake, have adventur’d upon so desperate an Attempt, as makes you, not more Disobedient, than Obnoxious, to the Law.
I see not, Sir, (rejoins Didmuys) why it should be a disparagement to Theodora’s Beauty, or to the impressions I have receiv’d of it, that all that it has engaged me to do, has been, with the utmost hazard of my Life, To rescue her Purity, and deny my self, in the first place, the advantages I endeavour’d to deprive others of. But the Charms of her Mind, needed not those of her Face, to make me attempt to preserve her. I have often in Camps contended, not without hazard enough, with my victorious fellow-Soldiers, to keep them from violating the Chastity of Captives, who had neither Beauty to Captivate others, nor any thing else to engage me in their Quarrel, except their being innocent and distressed Women. But Theodora; setting her Beauty and Birth aside, has been so eminent, for all the good Qualities and Excellencies that can accomplish a Person of her Sex, and especially, for her Chastity, that my Heart would have reproach’d mefor, not prizing Vertue enough, if I had declin’d so happy an Opportunity, to express the veneration I paid so shining a one, as Hers. But, (pursues Didymus) I would not by what I have said, be thought to deny, that my Religion had a share in the attempt I made to serve a Person, that did so much adorn it, and was so loyal to it. The Christian Doctrine, among many other excellent things, that it prescribes to its embracers, teaches them, that in some cases, among which ours is compriz’d, they Ought to lay down their Lives for one another.1 But Sir, (concludes Didymus) you may be pleas’d to take notice, that what I acted, was according to the Rules of it too. For I did not oppose the Execution of your cruel Sentence, by force, but only prevented it by an innocent Stratagem, whereby my ends were obtain’d without Bloodshed or Violence; no Mans Life having been so much as endanger’d, except my own; which I never thought my self bound to preserve from any Danger, that Piety or Humanity summon’d me to undertake.
Though the President could not but be sensible, that Didymus had said more for himself, than was expected; yet, that he might not be thought to be satisfied with the Defence of a Person, whom he meant to condemn, he told him; I do not think it strange, that those who dare call the very Worship of the Gods, Superstition and Idolatry, and and that which all Men but your selves call Impiety, Religion, should stile Rebellion against the Magistrate; Loyalty to the Truth. But how industriously soever you strive, not only to cloak a Criminal action, but transform it into a Vertuous one; I can easily, through all its disguises, percieve the disobedience and refractoriness to Civil Government, that is so contagious, and so spred among the embracers of your Sect; that Princes have no other way, but your Ruine, to secure their own Safety, which would be quickly endanger’d, if your power and numbers were half as great, as the disloyalty of your Principles and Practices.
To be a Sufferer for my Religion, (answers Didymus) is that, which I shall not so properly submit to, with Resignation, as Embrace, with with Joy. But to find my Religion a sufferer with me, if not for me; and to see Christianity made a State Crime, while it severely prohibits and condemns all Crimes, and none more expresly, than disobedience to the just commands of Magistrates; is that, which, I confess, do’s not a little trouble me. And therefore, Sir, I hope you will allow a Person, that is much more concerned to keep his Religion than himself, from being endanger’d by this Accusation; to give you a righter apprehension, than our Calumniators have done, of the innocentest, as well as the truest, Religion in the World.
Though for my part, (continues Didymus) I think, that the liberty of serving God, by such ways as are not repugnant to the Light, or Laws of Nature, or the welfare of civil Society’s, is the common right of Mankind, and cannot be denied Man, without Injustice; yet I do not now plead for it: and you are more concern’d to look to that, than I. For if you make me suffer, for the innocent use of that Right, which God and Nature have granted unto all men; I shall but undergo a Transient Punishment, but you will expose your self, to an Eternal, and (which is worse) to a deserved one. No Persons in the World, can pay more Obedience to the Laws of their Superiours, than Christians do. We that can shed the Enemies Blood, and hazard our own, as freely, and perhaps as succesfully, as any Soldiers in your Armies, suffer you to shed ours, as tamely as any sheep you have in your folds. And sure, we are very unhappy, as well as you very incredulous, that those Professions of Loyalty and Obedience, that are not more visibly written in our Books, than frequently sign’d with our Blood, cannot gain Credit with you; nor our death it self convince you, when the wounds that we quietly suffer to pierce our Breasts, would open you Windows into our hearts, if some had not a greater mind to peirce them, than to know them. But the same just care we have to obey Authority, what rate soever the submissions cost us, forbids us to do those things, for the refusal whereof, Authority condemns us. For God being, as the only Creator, so the Supreme Governor of man, his Laws are those of the truest Supreme Authority: and Princes themselves being his Subjects, and but his Lieutenants upon Earth; to decline their commands, when ever they prove repugnant unto his, is not so much an Act of disobedience to the Subordinate power, as of Loyalty to the supreme and universal Sovereign. And in such cases we are no more Rebels against the Emperor, when we prefer the performance of Gods Laws, to a compliance with His, than we should be, in case we should disobey the orders of the Governour of the Province we live in, if they should prove repugnant to those of Augustus. And even in these cases; if we cannot yeild an active obedience to the commands of the civil Sovereign, we do not refuss him, the utmost we can consent to, which is passive obedience: and when our consciences permit us not to do, those to us unlawful things, that he commands, they enjoin us to suffer unresistedly, whatever penalty’s he pleases to impose. And give me leave Sir, to add, (so Dydimus continues) that we are so far, from making Religion a Cloak to the pursuit of present advantages, that you daily see us renounce them all, and our lives to boot, to maintain our Loyalty to our Maker, without hopes of being recompens’d, but in another World; and even there we cannot expect any, but by the sentence of a Judge, whom none can either bribe or deceive, and who is more severe to crimes, than any Persecutor on Earth can be, to Innocents. I will not tell you, pursues Dydimus, that on the other side, the assurance we have of the inestimable rewards laid up in heaven, for Loyalty to God and his Truths, and the internal applauses of a good conscience, are things of so elevating and satisfying a nature, that our Religion can make the hearts it possesses, not only detest the Ambition of those Subjects, that aspire to Earthly Crowns, but perhaps, pitty the condition of those Princes, that possess them. But I dare, Sir, avow, that the harmlesness of our Principles, is not more legible in our Profession, than in our Practices and Sufferings. For the multitude of Christians is so great, that [in your Cities, your Country, (Tertul) your Courts of Justice, your Camps, and all places of Publick Resort, except your Temples, they are not only present, but numerous;] and your Enemies, as well as your Armies, have been sufficiently convinc’d, they know as well how to Kill, as Dye; so that ‘tis only because we will not forfeit our Innocence, by a forbidden way of defending it, that we are expos’d to such cruel Sufferings for it. And I doubt not but equitable Estimators of things will conclude, that our calmly submiting to such inhuman Usages, sufficiently shews, that we do not deserve them.
The Judge, discerning still more clearly, that his discourses made much less impressions upon Didymus, than those of Didymus did upon the Hearers; resolv’d to break off this kind of Conversation, and with a stern Countenance, told the Prisoner, that ‘twas high time for him to remember, that he was a Judge, and not a Priest; and that therefore, though his compassion had hitherto invited him to employ Persuasions, yet now their unsuccesfulness oblig’d him to declare positively, that he was sure the gods, that he and the world worshipp’d, were the true ones; and that if Didymus did not forthwith acknowledge them to be so, by Sacrificing to them, he should quickly feel their power, by being put to a death, his obstinacy made him both deserve, and appear fond of.
Didymus, without seeming to be at all mov’d at this rough Language, calmly, as well as resolutely, reply’d.
Tho’ Sir, I am most ready, whenever I am call’d to it, to Suffer for my Religion, yet I would not be thought to expose my self, for an obstinate Denial, to hear and consider, what may be objected against it. We Christians, whatever wilfulness may be misimputed to us, are not so fond of Sufferings, or of our own Conceits, as not to be more willing to have them brought to the Bar; than to be condemn’d there for them: And persecuted Opinions are things, which, as we do not renounce, so we do not embrace, for their being such. Nor are we so blind and wilful, as to reject clear Arguments, that would both instruct us and rescue us too, if any such could be propos’d, by the Embracers of your Religion.
This I say, Sir, continues Didymus, not to contradict what you were saying, of your being not a Priest but a Judge; but to clear Constancy from the imputation of Obstinacy, and declare, that if we could see Reasons on your side, fitted to deliver us from Error, and from death, we would not be so mad, or so perverse, as to chuse rather to renounce Life, than embrace Truth. But pardon me, Sir, (subjoyns he) if I think, that, though you are commission’d by the Supreme Power, to be a Judge for Life and Death, yet you are not constituted by the Supreme Verity, a Judge of Truth and Falshood. And therefore, I take your owning to worship many Gods, who, by their very being many Deities, are sufficiently proved not tobe true ones; for a Declaration of your Opinion, not a Demonstration that it ought to be mine too. If you press us with Arguments, we are ready to answer yours, and offer you ours: But when instead of them, you employ Threats, we do not think it proper to argue against them, but to despise them; since ‘tis not our Reason that they Assault, but our Constancy. And therefore, give me leave to tell you, Sir, concludes Didymus, that the Christian Religion can so fortifie and elevate the Mind, and place it so much above the reach of a Political Jurisdiction, that I shall suffer your Sentence with far less trouble, than you will soon or late feel, at the remembrance of your having pronounc’d it; and you will not find it in the power of all your executed threats, to ruine either my Constancy, or so much as my Joy.
The Judge, enrag’d, to see his Power thus despis’d, and as he interpreted it, affronted, by a Prisoner; declar’d, he would defer no longer than one hour (which space he allow’d him to repent his Errors in,) to pronounce against him the fatal Sentence, and commanded him to be immediately led to the place, where ‘twas to be executed; towards which he himself intended to follow at some distance: Whether it were to feed his cruel Eyes with a Spectacle, whose tragicalness his revenge would make acceptable to him; or to prevent any Tumult or Disorders, that the Courage of Didymus, and the esteem and pity it had excited in the numerous by-standers, might possibly occasion.
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Footnotes
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1 John, 3. 16. ↩