glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beaſts, and creeping things.
Having thus far proceeded, he pauſed, and with his eyes lifted up to heaven, gave glory unto God, who had preſerved him blameleſs from theſe offences againſt his Divine Majeſty, which thro' ignorance and ſuperſtition had overſpread the greatest part of Europe. 'O Lord,' continued he, 'I humbly beſeech thee, as I have already ſuffered perſecution for thy name's ſake, and for the ſake of a good conſcience, ſo never let me depart from the ways of thy truth, to change thy incorruptible glory into an image made like corruptible man:' And when he had ſaid this, tears flood in his eyes, and his words were ſucceeded by ſighs.
Deidamia, who had all this while attentively liſtened, found ſomething in her mind that made a ſudden uneaſy alteration, and thought to have gone away undiſcovered; but then again, her zeal for the Romiſh religion, which ſhe thought he had reproached by deteſting image-worſhip, carried her ſo far, that ſhe reſolved to give him a ſharp reprimand, leſt he perſiſting further, until diſcovered by others, might ruin himſelf; though her goodneſs and gentle nature was not for working him any injury by revealing it. But never was man more ſurpriſed, than Bernard when he ſaw her, whom at that time of the day, he little ſuſpected, as not being uſual; yet collecting his ſcattered ſenſes, he aroſe from his ſeat, and withal endeavoured to hide his Bible under his coat, thinking ſhe had been newly come, and might neither have heard him read, nor ſeen his Bible; but ſhe, in a frowning manner, contrary to the wonted ſweetneſs of her temper, commanded him to deliver it to her,
