Redemption A divine poem, In Six Books. The three first demonstrate the Truth of the Christian Religion, The three last the Deity of Christ. To which is added, A Hymn to Christ the Redeemer. By Sir Richard Blackmore |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
Book III.
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| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
 | Redemption |  |
111
Book III.
THE ARGUMENT OF THE THIRD BOOK.
After
Adam's fall, Mankind
grew more and more degenerate, 'till, near the time
of our Saviour's coming, the World was overspread with
detestable Immorality and profound Ignorance, not only the
common people, but Philosophers and the Schools
of Learning were plung'd in the Dregs of Vice
and Impiety. The Colleges of Greece became infamous
for their flagitious Practices and idolatrous
Worship: many instances of their loose, vile,
and wicked Deities, and of their leud and vicious
Rites and Ceremonies, and the immoral and abominable
Actions, by which they express'd their
religious Devotion. A particular account of the
corrupt Manners and wonderful Degeneracy of
the Roman Empire about this time. As the Pagan
World was now cover'd with a deluge of wickedness
and the grossest Idolatry, so the Jews were
become an abandon'd, vile, and most profligate Nation.
Instances of this produc'd. Hence appears the
necessity of the Revelation of the Mind and Will of
God, to instruct and reclaim the dark and miserable
World. The moral Precepts of Philosophers being
lame, imperfect, and opposite to each other, and
publish'd without the least pretence to any binding
force or authority, or any Demonstration of their
being enjoyn'd by a Legislator, whose Command
can oblige all Mankind to obedience, are utterly
insufficient for that purpose. As the World at
this time stood in the greatest need of a clear
Rule of Practice and Belief, so Jews and Gentiles,
led by Tradition, grounded on Prophecy, generally
expected, that about this time, some great
and mighty Prince should arise in Judæah, and
the Jews from distant Countries repair'd to Jerusalem,
to be present at the coming of this
promised Deliverer.
112
113
When
Adam from his blissful station fell,
Won by the great seducer to rebel,
Behold, instead of intellectual light,
Expected knowledge, and unbounded sight,
See ignorance mankind does overspread,
Groveling in darkness, and in error led.
For now, since guilt the mounds had level laid,
And to the courts of death wide passage made,
Black eructations from the mouth of hell,
And clouds that heav'n's descending rays repell,
O'erwhelm the world, and on the nations dwell:
Tho' not extinguish'd wholly, reason's light
Did here and there on the dark face of night,
In which involv'd all Adam's off-spring lay,
Some broken beams, some glimm'ring threads display,
The tarnish'd leavings of the ruin'd day.
Won by the great seducer to rebel,
Behold, instead of intellectual light,
Expected knowledge, and unbounded sight,
See ignorance mankind does overspread,
Groveling in darkness, and in error led.
For now, since guilt the mounds had level laid,
And to the courts of death wide passage made,
114
And clouds that heav'n's descending rays repell,
O'erwhelm the world, and on the nations dwell:
Tho' not extinguish'd wholly, reason's light
Did here and there on the dark face of night,
In which involv'd all Adam's off-spring lay,
Some broken beams, some glimm'ring threads display,
The tarnish'd leavings of the ruin'd day.
Now hapless was the fate of human kind,
Whose individuals all born dark of mind
In labyrinth's perplex'd, did guideless stray,
And in Egyptian fogs mistake their way.
The world enjoy'd but sick and waining light,
Too feeble to dispell incumbent night.
Knowledge divine and laws, that govern life,
Were lost in error, and the fruitless strife
Of empty Sages, whose litigious schools
Had science drown'd, and darken'd moral rules.
They long in searching truth had been engag'd,
And philosophick wars with ardour wag'd,
Thro' many ages; 'till at length, behold,
This secret by their leaders we are told,
That all enquiries after truth are vain,
That nothing can be certain, nothing plain.
Thus ignorance avow'd advanc'd her head,
And o'er the sceptick world her empire spread.
Pyrrhonians, and the new academy,
To this surprizing doctrine did agree,
To whom those schools of learning most adher'd,
Who own'd Religion, and a God rever'd.
These schools the great philosopher of Rome,
Genius divine and vast, did overcome,
Who held their wild positions, and disclaim'd
The generous truths, for which his pen was fam'd.
Whose individuals all born dark of mind
In labyrinth's perplex'd, did guideless stray,
And in Egyptian fogs mistake their way.
The world enjoy'd but sick and waining light,
Too feeble to dispell incumbent night.
Knowledge divine and laws, that govern life,
Were lost in error, and the fruitless strife
115
Had science drown'd, and darken'd moral rules.
They long in searching truth had been engag'd,
And philosophick wars with ardour wag'd,
Thro' many ages; 'till at length, behold,
This secret by their leaders we are told,
That all enquiries after truth are vain,
That nothing can be certain, nothing plain.
Thus ignorance avow'd advanc'd her head,
And o'er the sceptick world her empire spread.
Pyrrhonians, and the new academy,
To this surprizing doctrine did agree,
To whom those schools of learning most adher'd,
Who own'd Religion, and a God rever'd.
These schools the great philosopher of Rome,
Genius divine and vast, did overcome,
Who held their wild positions, and disclaim'd
The generous truths, for which his pen was fam'd.
116
Another rival and as potent sect,
Who did a God, the cause of things reject,
Own'd, Epicurus, thy fantastick dreams,
And rear'd this beauteous world by impious schemes.
Who did a God, the cause of things reject,
Own'd, Epicurus, thy fantastick dreams,
And rear'd this beauteous world by impious schemes.
While ignorance such wide dominion gain'd,
See, vice grew bold, and triumph'd unrestrain'd.
Which still its conquests o'er mankind renew'd,
Encroach'd on virtue, and her pow'r subdued.
Now vicious instincts reason's claim disown,
Renounce obedience, and usurp the throne;
While adverse passions in fierce war engage,
And with success alternate spend their rage,
Confusion, misrule, uproar unrestrain'd,
Lawless dominion o'er the soul maintain'd.
Each age in wicked life outvied the past,
And still the most degenerate was the last,
'Till the worst crimes gain'd uncontested sway,
And plung'd in vice, licentious kingdoms lay.
See, vice grew bold, and triumph'd unrestrain'd.
Which still its conquests o'er mankind renew'd,
Encroach'd on virtue, and her pow'r subdued.
Now vicious instincts reason's claim disown,
Renounce obedience, and usurp the throne;
While adverse passions in fierce war engage,
And with success alternate spend their rage,
Confusion, misrule, uproar unrestrain'd,
Lawless dominion o'er the soul maintain'd.
117
And still the most degenerate was the last,
'Till the worst crimes gain'd uncontested sway,
And plung'd in vice, licentious kingdoms lay.
Now God, who on the lands indignant frown'd,
In impious worship and vile manners drown'd,
Recall'd his angels, who at his command
Did guard the realms, and hostile fiends withstand.
Thus were the guilty nations open laid,
While demons reinforc'd the world invade.
Men's bodies now the raging fiends possess'd,
And with unnumber'd tortures sore oppress'd,
Who by the inmate's fury uncontroll'd
Look'd wild, and trembled, while their bowels roll'd
In strong convulsive labour, and confess'd
By agitated limbs th' infernal guest.
Now 'midst the fire, now 'midst the water cast,
And now half-choak'd, they seem'd to breath their last;
While some to dwell 'midst lonesome tombs were led,
And forc'd to live, sad fate! among the dead,
Or wander thro' abrupt unpractis'd roads,
And fly to dark and comfortless abodes.
That all demoniacks were not men opprest
By lunacy and spleen, as some suggest,
Is clear, since fiends did multitudes infest.
See, in the sacred pages 'tis enroll'd
One humane body did a legion hold,
Who, when expell'd by Jesus, earnest pray'd,
They might a neighb'ring herd of swine invade.
Besides the body, they the mind possess'd,
Involv'd in darkness, and with guilt oppress'd:
And now to fiends, th' abandon'd nations pay
Worship divine, and at their altars pray.
Swiftly, mean time, contagious crimes encreas'd,
Virtue declin'd, and pure religion ceas'd.
Flagitious manners more and more prevail'd,
And due regard to right and justice fail'd,
'Till ignorance and vice united reign'd,
And idol-worship pow'r unbounded gain'd.
In impious worship and vile manners drown'd,
Recall'd his angels, who at his command
Did guard the realms, and hostile fiends withstand.
Thus were the guilty nations open laid,
While demons reinforc'd the world invade.
Men's bodies now the raging fiends possess'd,
And with unnumber'd tortures sore oppress'd,
Who by the inmate's fury uncontroll'd
Look'd wild, and trembled, while their bowels roll'd
In strong convulsive labour, and confess'd
By agitated limbs th' infernal guest.
Now 'midst the fire, now 'midst the water cast,
118
While some to dwell 'midst lonesome tombs were led,
And forc'd to live, sad fate! among the dead,
Or wander thro' abrupt unpractis'd roads,
And fly to dark and comfortless abodes.
That all demoniacks were not men opprest
By lunacy and spleen, as some suggest,
Is clear, since fiends did multitudes infest.
See, in the sacred pages 'tis enroll'd
One humane body did a legion hold,
Who, when expell'd by Jesus, earnest pray'd,
They might a neighb'ring herd of swine invade.
Besides the body, they the mind possess'd,
Involv'd in darkness, and with guilt oppress'd:
119
Worship divine, and at their altars pray.
Swiftly, mean time, contagious crimes encreas'd,
Virtue declin'd, and pure religion ceas'd.
Flagitious manners more and more prevail'd,
And due regard to right and justice fail'd,
'Till ignorance and vice united reign'd,
And idol-worship pow'r unbounded gain'd.
Now God resolv'd to finish his design,
And execute the scheme of love divine,
Form'd and decreed, e'er swift-wing'd time began,
To break the pow'r of sin, and rescue man
From Satan's cruel bondage, and restore
The peace and freedom he enjoy'd before.
See, in the heights of heav'n the circling sun,
By whose revolving orbs the seasons run,
So long had travel'd thro' his annual way,
That he at length display'd th' auspicious day
From eastern chambers, when the Saviour bless'd,
By whom mankind enslav'd should be releas'd,
Came down from heav'n, and gracious did appear,
Confess'd in flesh, and tabernacled here;
As well our sinful Nature to refine
By heav'nly light, and energy divine,
As graciously to expiate our guilt
By his own blood determin'd to be spilt.
Nor could his presence here be more desir'd,
Nor his celestial blessings more requir'd,
Than now they were; for now all virtue fail'd,
And vice and error o'er the world prevail'd.
And execute the scheme of love divine,
Form'd and decreed, e'er swift-wing'd time began,
To break the pow'r of sin, and rescue man
From Satan's cruel bondage, and restore
The peace and freedom he enjoy'd before.
See, in the heights of heav'n the circling sun,
By whose revolving orbs the seasons run,
120
That he at length display'd th' auspicious day
From eastern chambers, when the Saviour bless'd,
By whom mankind enslav'd should be releas'd,
Came down from heav'n, and gracious did appear,
Confess'd in flesh, and tabernacled here;
As well our sinful Nature to refine
By heav'nly light, and energy divine,
As graciously to expiate our guilt
By his own blood determin'd to be spilt.
Nor could his presence here be more desir'd,
Nor his celestial blessings more requir'd,
Than now they were; for now all virtue fail'd,
And vice and error o'er the world prevail'd.
When guilt had so extinguish'd reason's light,
And o'er the mind cast such a gloomy night,
That men depriv'd of intellectual day,
Had groping in thick darkness lost their way,
Sages and wits with great endowments bless'd,
As well as vulgar minds were now possess'd
With gross conceptions of the pow'r supreme,
And of religion form'd the following scheme.
And o'er the mind cast such a gloomy night,
121
Had groping in thick darkness lost their way,
Sages and wits with great endowments bless'd,
As well as vulgar minds were now possess'd
With gross conceptions of the pow'r supreme,
And of religion form'd the following scheme.
With an immoral race of deities,
They fill'd their domes, and stor'd th' unhallow'd skies.
Beneath their first, they did in order place
Of heav'n-born Gods a long imagin'd race;
As marshals of the skies, presumption strange!
They methodiz'd, and did in classes range
Those deities, who all as rightful guests,
They said, were summon'd to their solemn feasts;
Where all were chear'd with rich ætherial wine,
Which fed their Joy and pleasantry divine,
And made their fresh immortal faces shine.
This loose assembly, of celestial birth,
Rally each other with ungodlike mirth,
And while around full bowls of Nectar go,
Reciprocal disgrace and scandal throw;
'Till they advancing nearer to debauch,
From mirth became licentious in reproach.
Now, while the bowzy guests thus disagree,
See mingled marks of strife and luxury;
Tables o'erturn'd by Gods in sharp dispute,
And mantling nectar spilt the skies pollute,
While strown ambrosial heaps the floor oppress,
Celestial surfeit and divine excess.
And thus the Pagans sentiments embraced,
Which to the worst of men the gods debas'd.
They fill'd their domes, and stor'd th' unhallow'd skies.
Beneath their first, they did in order place
Of heav'n-born Gods a long imagin'd race;
As marshals of the skies, presumption strange!
They methodiz'd, and did in classes range
Those deities, who all as rightful guests,
They said, were summon'd to their solemn feasts;
122
Which fed their Joy and pleasantry divine,
And made their fresh immortal faces shine.
This loose assembly, of celestial birth,
Rally each other with ungodlike mirth,
And while around full bowls of Nectar go,
Reciprocal disgrace and scandal throw;
'Till they advancing nearer to debauch,
From mirth became licentious in reproach.
Now, while the bowzy guests thus disagree,
See mingled marks of strife and luxury;
Tables o'erturn'd by Gods in sharp dispute,
And mantling nectar spilt the skies pollute,
While strown ambrosial heaps the floor oppress,
Celestial surfeit and divine excess.
And thus the Pagans sentiments embraced,
Which to the worst of men the gods debas'd.
123
And next to these of high immortal race,
They did their genii and their demons place,
Aerial kinds of ministerial gods,
Who had below the moon their blue abodes.
The upper class, that could not trouble bear,
Bestow'd on these the empire of the air,
And bad them men create, and rule with care;
That by their constant labours they might ease
Of this mean task supreme divinities.
They did their genii and their demons place,
Aerial kinds of ministerial gods,
Who had below the moon their blue abodes.
The upper class, that could not trouble bear,
Bestow'd on these the empire of the air,
And bad them men create, and rule with care;
That by their constant labours they might ease
Of this mean task supreme divinities.
Besides this rank to gods aerial giv'n,
They made the earth a nursery of heav'n,
Which part by fertile superstition, part
Improv'd by subtle sacerdotal art,
Brought harvests forth of these low deities,
That stock'd the land with priests, with gods the skies.
Mortals, whose merit did illustrious shine,
Rose, when deceas'd, to dignity divine.
See, worthies, who renown'd in arms repell'd
Th' invading foe, or fatal monsters quell'd,
Or from contagious deaths their country freed,
First dress'd the vine, or sow'd for bread the seed,
Were by the people for their virtue prais'd,
And to the class of gods inferior rais'd.
Each had his sacred altar, temple, shrine,
And priests, their proper equipage divine.
Greece and Hesperia, each a fruitful place,
That teem'd with deities of meaner race,
Crowded the heav'ns with numberless supplies,
Of demon-gods, and half-divinities;
And by the grossest superstitions led,
Ador'd their species, and of heroes dead
Made living gods, in their own country bred.
They made the earth a nursery of heav'n,
Which part by fertile superstition, part
Improv'd by subtle sacerdotal art,
Brought harvests forth of these low deities,
That stock'd the land with priests, with gods the skies.
124
Rose, when deceas'd, to dignity divine.
See, worthies, who renown'd in arms repell'd
Th' invading foe, or fatal monsters quell'd,
Or from contagious deaths their country freed,
First dress'd the vine, or sow'd for bread the seed,
Were by the people for their virtue prais'd,
And to the class of gods inferior rais'd.
Each had his sacred altar, temple, shrine,
And priests, their proper equipage divine.
Greece and Hesperia, each a fruitful place,
That teem'd with deities of meaner race,
Crowded the heav'ns with numberless supplies,
Of demon-gods, and half-divinities;
And by the grossest superstitions led,
Ador'd their species, and of heroes dead
Made living gods, in their own country bred.
125
These with the tribes of sublunary kind,
So sages taught, were in commission joyn'd
To govern things on earth, and leave in rest
And indolence the pow'rs of heav'n possest.
These advocates divine did still attend
The awful court on high, and recommend
Their vot'ries to th' immortal class above,
And to procure their grace and favour strove.
They did, to make them pleasing, careful bear
From earth to heav'n religious praise and pray'r,
And for kind answers thither had recourse,
Gain'd by the pow'rful intercession's force.
These gods by office had the sole command
Of the wide ocean, and the spreading land,
Did o'er great towns and potentates preside,
And ministers divine did human nature guide.
Some steady held the helm, and steer'd the state,
Some did on armies, camps and battles wait.
Some wide extended monarchies o'erturn'd,
And in the dust imperial purple spurn'd,
Or rais'd th' obscure to thrones and seats sublime,
And made th' oppress'd to heights of glory climb.
On messages important others fly,
Envoys and internuncioes of the sky,
And traverse swift the trackless steepy roads,
To execute the orders of the gods.
These pow'rs inferior, so the nations thought,
From heav'n the various gifts and blessings brought,
Which the high gods did bountiful bestow,
To ease the wants of needy men below.
This was the doctrine, that the world ensnar'd,
And rites divine and sacrifice prepar'd
For demon-gods, nor wonder should it be,
That nations fell to gross idolatry,
And worship'd those, who, so they understood
Taught by their priests, procur'd them so much good.
So sages taught, were in commission joyn'd
To govern things on earth, and leave in rest
And indolence the pow'rs of heav'n possest.
These advocates divine did still attend
The awful court on high, and recommend
Their vot'ries to th' immortal class above,
And to procure their grace and favour strove.
They did, to make them pleasing, careful bear
From earth to heav'n religious praise and pray'r,
And for kind answers thither had recourse,
Gain'd by the pow'rful intercession's force.
These gods by office had the sole command
Of the wide ocean, and the spreading land,
Did o'er great towns and potentates preside,
And ministers divine did human nature guide.
126
Some did on armies, camps and battles wait.
Some wide extended monarchies o'erturn'd,
And in the dust imperial purple spurn'd,
Or rais'd th' obscure to thrones and seats sublime,
And made th' oppress'd to heights of glory climb.
On messages important others fly,
Envoys and internuncioes of the sky,
And traverse swift the trackless steepy roads,
To execute the orders of the gods.
These pow'rs inferior, so the nations thought,
From heav'n the various gifts and blessings brought,
Which the high gods did bountiful bestow,
To ease the wants of needy men below.
This was the doctrine, that the world ensnar'd,
And rites divine and sacrifice prepar'd
For demon-gods, nor wonder should it be,
That nations fell to gross idolatry,
127
Taught by their priests, procur'd them so much good.
More base and shameful objects are not found,
Nor less to be ador'd, than many crown'd
With pious honours and respect divine,
As if those gods were settled, with design
To cast contempt on sacred things, and make
Mankind all altars and all rites forsake,
Who scandaliz'd at such vile Deities,
Might rather scorn all gods, than worship these.
Nor less to be ador'd, than many crown'd
With pious honours and respect divine,
As if those gods were settled, with design
To cast contempt on sacred things, and make
Mankind all altars and all rites forsake,
Who scandaliz'd at such vile Deities,
Might rather scorn all gods, than worship these.
Egypt of sacred pow'rs a fruitful soil,
Ador'd the serpent and the crocodile,
The vast voracious tyrant of the Nile.
Onions and leeks did to like honours rise,
Transplanted from the garden to the skies.
Men forest-beasts in fields ætherial plac'd,
And beauteous stars with monsters interlac'd.
Stupidity amazing! impious scheme,
Of heav'n unworthy, and of pow'rs supreme!
Systems so wild and despicable shock
Ev'n vulgar sense, and all right reason mock.
Ador'd the serpent and the crocodile,
The vast voracious tyrant of the Nile.
Onions and leeks did to like honours rise,
Transplanted from the garden to the skies.
128
And beauteous stars with monsters interlac'd.
Stupidity amazing! impious scheme,
Of heav'n unworthy, and of pow'rs supreme!
Systems so wild and despicable shock
Ev'n vulgar sense, and all right reason mock.
Many of those of high ætherial birth,
As well as these the off-spring of the earth,
Were deep with ignominious habits stain'd,
O'er whom ungodly sordid passions reign'd;
Or were, as thought, with wicked worship pleas'd,
And with devotion infamous appeas'd.
See, they ador'd the loose adult'rer Jove,
Who did thro' heav'n and earth abandon'd rove,
And did in incest and in rapes, as well
As in high rank, all other gods excell.
They sacrific'd their chastity, to please
Venus and Cupid, wanton Deities,
Who here below, and 'midst celestial pow'rs,
Panders divine, procur'd ill-fam'd amours.
The stupid world, of thought and shame bereft,
False Mercury ador'd, the god of theft,
Patron of fraud, himself a shameless thief,
A highway-god, and of the robbers chief.
See Bacchus, thought the planter of the vine,
With riot honour'd and excess of wine,
And wicked ways of worship, while the crowd,
At virtue's cost, religion's pow'r avow'd.
No wonder in his steps his vot'ries trod,
Drunken adorers of a drunkard god.
Nor were their known Floralia, solemn feasts,
Observ'd by modes more pure, or chaster guests,
Nor with less odious ceremonies, where
To be immoral was their pious care.
As well as these the off-spring of the earth,
Were deep with ignominious habits stain'd,
O'er whom ungodly sordid passions reign'd;
Or were, as thought, with wicked worship pleas'd,
And with devotion infamous appeas'd.
See, they ador'd the loose adult'rer Jove,
Who did thro' heav'n and earth abandon'd rove,
And did in incest and in rapes, as well
As in high rank, all other gods excell.
129
Venus and Cupid, wanton Deities,
Who here below, and 'midst celestial pow'rs,
Panders divine, procur'd ill-fam'd amours.
The stupid world, of thought and shame bereft,
False Mercury ador'd, the god of theft,
Patron of fraud, himself a shameless thief,
A highway-god, and of the robbers chief.
See Bacchus, thought the planter of the vine,
With riot honour'd and excess of wine,
And wicked ways of worship, while the crowd,
At virtue's cost, religion's pow'r avow'd.
No wonder in his steps his vot'ries trod,
Drunken adorers of a drunkard god.
Nor were their known Floralia, solemn feasts,
Observ'd by modes more pure, or chaster guests,
Nor with less odious ceremonies, where
To be immoral was their pious care.
130
Good heav'n! that human minds should be debas'd
To such a low condition, as to taste
Notions so wild, and settle in their creed
Gods, who in folly foolish men exceed;
For loose flagitious deeds to be abhorr'd,
And not by prostrate crowds to be ador'd.
To such a low condition, as to taste
Notions so wild, and settle in their creed
Gods, who in folly foolish men exceed;
For loose flagitious deeds to be abhorr'd,
And not by prostrate crowds to be ador'd.
And thus the world vile deities rever'd,
And to absurd religious schemes adher'd,
And firm believ'd, they should their gods incense,
If impious they preserv'd their innocence.
Now, while their hope of pleasing heav'n was built
On wicked actions and enormous guilt,
And while religion was their virtue's bane,
And to be sober was to be prophane;
Is it surprizing, that mankind should lie
Plung'd in the dregs of immorality?
For since the gods above, who, they allow'd,
With all divine perfections were endow'd,
Deserted virtue, and for vice declar'd,
By their example votaries ensnar'd
To act the worst of crimes were soon prepar'd.
They did to all the heights of guilt aspire,
Hoping the greatest glory to acquire,
In being like the gods, whom they ador'd
As the best beings, and their aid implor'd.
And to absurd religious schemes adher'd,
And firm believ'd, they should their gods incense,
If impious they preserv'd their innocence.
Now, while their hope of pleasing heav'n was built
On wicked actions and enormous guilt,
And while religion was their virtue's bane,
And to be sober was to be prophane;
Is it surprizing, that mankind should lie
Plung'd in the dregs of immorality?
131
With all divine perfections were endow'd,
Deserted virtue, and for vice declar'd,
By their example votaries ensnar'd
To act the worst of crimes were soon prepar'd.
They did to all the heights of guilt aspire,
Hoping the greatest glory to acquire,
In being like the gods, whom they ador'd
As the best beings, and their aid implor'd.
Thus while the Pagan lands had fill'd the skies
With envious, proud, abandon'd deities,
Against it self religion turn'd her arms,
And lent to odious vice the heav'nly charms:
It did the cause of sin and death assert,
And the foundations of her own subvert.
Now vice, devotion fighting on its side,
Did lawless spread its black contagious tide
O'er all the realms, and while no bounds restrain
Its rushing torrent, did in triumph reign.
With envious, proud, abandon'd deities,
Against it self religion turn'd her arms,
And lent to odious vice the heav'nly charms:
It did the cause of sin and death assert,
And the foundations of her own subvert.
Now vice, devotion fighting on its side,
Did lawless spread its black contagious tide
132
Its rushing torrent, did in triumph reign.
Nor were the vulgar, who are soon misled,
Alone with guilt enormous overspread,
But vice, embolden'd by success, assail'd
Applauded schools, and o'er the wise prevail'd.
Besides the poets, who for godless ways
Were as ill fam'd, as for lascivious lays,
Philosophers and moralists renown'd
Were in the dregs of life flagitious found,
Witness the crowd by Aristippus led,
Or in the herd of Epicurus bred.
Alone with guilt enormous overspread,
But vice, embolden'd by success, assail'd
Applauded schools, and o'er the wise prevail'd.
Besides the poets, who for godless ways
Were as ill fam'd, as for lascivious lays,
Philosophers and moralists renown'd
Were in the dregs of life flagitious found,
Witness the crowd by Aristippus led,
Or in the herd of Epicurus bred.
Yet more the world's degenerate state to shew,
Let us the customs of high Rome review,
Which great in arms immense dominion gain'd,
Subdued the lands, and o'er the kingdoms reign'd.
This generous people were of life severe,
Blameless of manners, and of mind sincere,
Which with unnumber'd conquests crown'd their swords,
And of the nations made them sovereign lords;
'Till near the time, when the bless'd Saviour came,
Their merit sunk, and with it sunk their fame.
Instead of just heroick love of praise,
Of ardent zeal their country's name to raise,
Justice and publick spirit, and instead
Of worthy scorn of riches, did succeed
Ambition, pride, and raging avarice,
Whence envy, hate, and rapine had their rise.
They did no more to sacred truth adhere,
Faithless, and only in their looks sincere.
Vices, whose hostile natures disagree,
Here triumph'd, lust of gold and luxury.
All of another's goods were eager grown,
While they in riot dissipate their own;
Who now had all their generous manners left,
Of honour, faith, and probity bereft.
Let us the customs of high Rome review,
Which great in arms immense dominion gain'd,
Subdued the lands, and o'er the kingdoms reign'd.
133
Blameless of manners, and of mind sincere,
Which with unnumber'd conquests crown'd their swords,
And of the nations made them sovereign lords;
'Till near the time, when the bless'd Saviour came,
Their merit sunk, and with it sunk their fame.
Instead of just heroick love of praise,
Of ardent zeal their country's name to raise,
Justice and publick spirit, and instead
Of worthy scorn of riches, did succeed
Ambition, pride, and raging avarice,
Whence envy, hate, and rapine had their rise.
They did no more to sacred truth adhere,
Faithless, and only in their looks sincere.
Vices, whose hostile natures disagree,
Here triumph'd, lust of gold and luxury.
134
While they in riot dissipate their own;
Who now had all their generous manners left,
Of honour, faith, and probity bereft.
Thy senators, O Rome! who once did aim
To stretch thy empire, and advance thy fame,
For virtue, wisdom, dignity rever'd,
August and awful to the world appear'd:
But now soft pleasure's captives they are found,
By vice exhausted, and in riot drown'd,
Lavish and loose, corrupt and indolent,
Supine and thoughtless, or if active, bent
On mischief, and on vile designs intent.
Their greedy hands with sordid bribes were stain'd,
While gold their voices mercenary gain'd.
For gold they sav'd oppressors, and for gold
Acquitted traytors, and their country sold.
The leeches suck'd the blood of ev'ry land,
By arms subjected to their high command;
They strip'd by fraud and cruel violence
The pillag'd provinces of wealth immense,
Then arm'd with gold, accusers they withstood,
And by their rapine made their rapine good.
All who to plunder, when in pow'r, intend,
The present plund'rers with great zeal defend:
Offenders grace by turns receive and shew,
And old oppressors spar'd, protect the new.
This must the pillars of all empires shock,
While criminals unpunish'd Justice mock.
To stretch thy empire, and advance thy fame,
For virtue, wisdom, dignity rever'd,
August and awful to the world appear'd:
But now soft pleasure's captives they are found,
By vice exhausted, and in riot drown'd,
Lavish and loose, corrupt and indolent,
Supine and thoughtless, or if active, bent
On mischief, and on vile designs intent.
Their greedy hands with sordid bribes were stain'd,
While gold their voices mercenary gain'd.
For gold they sav'd oppressors, and for gold
Acquitted traytors, and their country sold.
135
By arms subjected to their high command;
They strip'd by fraud and cruel violence
The pillag'd provinces of wealth immense,
Then arm'd with gold, accusers they withstood,
And by their rapine made their rapine good.
All who to plunder, when in pow'r, intend,
The present plund'rers with great zeal defend:
Offenders grace by turns receive and shew,
And old oppressors spar'd, protect the new.
This must the pillars of all empires shock,
While criminals unpunish'd Justice mock.
Discord instead of amity prevail'd,
And civil rage the strength of Rome assail'd,
While war Patricians with Patricians wag'd,
And fierce Plebeians senators engag'd.
The nation by the trembling world ador'd
In her own bowels sheath'd her conqu'ring sword,
Which raging spreads the red'ning Roman plains
With vital purple from the wounded veins
Of Roman youth, while confluent streams of blood
Dyed Tyber's banks, and swell'd his troubled flood.
What devastation did thy proud design,
Ambitious Sylla, cause? what, Marius, thine?
On Rome what vengeance did fierce Cæsar pour?
How far, how wide, did Pompey's sword devour?
What desolation did Octavius make?
How did thy arms the world, Antonius, shake?
While you contended, who should empire gain,
Conquer high Rome, and o'er the nations reign,
How was thy glory now, O Rome, defac'd,
Advanc'd by virtue, and by vice debas'd?
Thy sick'ning beauty now had lost its charms,
By foreign rais'd, and sunk by civil arms.
And civil rage the strength of Rome assail'd,
While war Patricians with Patricians wag'd,
And fierce Plebeians senators engag'd.
The nation by the trembling world ador'd
In her own bowels sheath'd her conqu'ring sword,
136
With vital purple from the wounded veins
Of Roman youth, while confluent streams of blood
Dyed Tyber's banks, and swell'd his troubled flood.
What devastation did thy proud design,
Ambitious Sylla, cause? what, Marius, thine?
On Rome what vengeance did fierce Cæsar pour?
How far, how wide, did Pompey's sword devour?
What desolation did Octavius make?
How did thy arms the world, Antonius, shake?
While you contended, who should empire gain,
Conquer high Rome, and o'er the nations reign,
How was thy glory now, O Rome, defac'd,
Advanc'd by virtue, and by vice debas'd?
Thy sick'ning beauty now had lost its charms,
By foreign rais'd, and sunk by civil arms.
Numbers their reason's dignity disgrac'd,
And the wild schemes of impious schools embrac'd
Believ'd no God did Nature's system cause,
Nor rul'd the conscious world by moral laws:
That superstitious fears devotion bred,
And thoughts divine sprang from a troubled head;
That men, dissolv'd by death, no longer were,
But scatter'd Atomes roam'd in common air,
Whose ruin'd frame no pow'r could e'er repair.
These life to come mock'd as an idle dream,
And retribution as a groundless scheme,
The work of fancy, labour'd to create
Vain terrors in a dark imagin'd state;
And hence, the genuine sacred fountain dried,
Which their religion's streams alone supplied,
All piety, all social manners, all
Heroick virtue did neglected fall.
And the wild schemes of impious schools embrac'd
137
Nor rul'd the conscious world by moral laws:
That superstitious fears devotion bred,
And thoughts divine sprang from a troubled head;
That men, dissolv'd by death, no longer were,
But scatter'd Atomes roam'd in common air,
Whose ruin'd frame no pow'r could e'er repair.
These life to come mock'd as an idle dream,
And retribution as a groundless scheme,
The work of fancy, labour'd to create
Vain terrors in a dark imagin'd state;
And hence, the genuine sacred fountain dried,
Which their religion's streams alone supplied,
All piety, all social manners, all
Heroick virtue did neglected fall.
If Rome th' imperial seat, which far in taste,
Sense, and politeness, all the realm surpast,
Involv'd in darkness and pollution lay,
And victor of the world did vice obey,
What must we think of Scythia, and the lands
Where fam'd Oraxis rolls his spreading sands,
Which Indus washes, where Hydaspes flows,
And where the moon's high mountains with their Snows
Feed sev'n-mouth'd Nile, and where thy shoulders rise,
Atlas, and seem to bear th' incumbent skies?
These barb'rous nations, well we may presume,
In vice and impious customs equal'd Rome.
Sense, and politeness, all the realm surpast,
138
And victor of the world did vice obey,
What must we think of Scythia, and the lands
Where fam'd Oraxis rolls his spreading sands,
Which Indus washes, where Hydaspes flows,
And where the moon's high mountains with their Snows
Feed sev'n-mouth'd Nile, and where thy shoulders rise,
Atlas, and seem to bear th' incumbent skies?
These barb'rous nations, well we may presume,
In vice and impious customs equal'd Rome.
And as her Natives of the sceptick kind,
Deny'd all certain knowledge to the mind,
And those, who Epicurus scheme embrac'd,
All the foundations of religion raz'd,
A parallel in Palestina see:
The sons of Sadok, and the Pharisee,
Two rival sects, had now as much debas'd
Science divine, and laid all morals waste.
To free the mind from inward conscious strife,
And guilty fears, those sunk the coming life;
And thus destroy'd the pillars, that sustain
Religion's cause, and growing vice restrain.
The Pharisees, a hypocritick race,
Did revelation's principles embrace,
But from their glosses and traditions vain,
Which clouded, what they promis'd to explain,
They did such wild absurd conclusions draw,
As darken'd scripture, and destroy'd the law.
The orphan and poor widow they devour'd,
Express'd all marks of cruelty, and pour'd
Prolong'd petitions forth, with vile design,
To throw o'er heinous guilt a veil divine.
Oppression, pride, and avarice unknown,
And black imposture to perfection grown,
Ambition, envy, hatred, and disdain,
Did o'er the cruel sect unrival'd reign.
They paid obedience to minute commands,
Oft cleans'd their pots, and wash'd as oft their hands:
Of mint and cumin tyths did careful take,
But laws important ineffectual make.
And if these chiefs renown'd, to whom the crowd
With reverential awe submissive bow'd,
And by their precepts all their manners fram'd,
For such egregious crimes were justly blam'd,
Then must the vulgar, ready we believe,
Into the practice of their leaders give.
Nor did flagitious manners ever spread
Their poison more complete from foot to head,
Than thro' Judæah's prostituted land,
Nor e'er acquir'd more absolute command.
For magistrates and people, high and low,
Did no distinction in their morals show.
The foul infectious leprosy of vice,
Which from detested doctrines took its rise,
By great examples and loose customs fed,
Its odious plague did thro' the kingdom spread,
And o'er their minds, yet more dominion gain'd,
Than that contagion, which their bodies stain'd.
Deny'd all certain knowledge to the mind,
And those, who Epicurus scheme embrac'd,
All the foundations of religion raz'd,
139
The sons of Sadok, and the Pharisee,
Two rival sects, had now as much debas'd
Science divine, and laid all morals waste.
To free the mind from inward conscious strife,
And guilty fears, those sunk the coming life;
And thus destroy'd the pillars, that sustain
Religion's cause, and growing vice restrain.
The Pharisees, a hypocritick race,
Did revelation's principles embrace,
But from their glosses and traditions vain,
Which clouded, what they promis'd to explain,
They did such wild absurd conclusions draw,
As darken'd scripture, and destroy'd the law.
The orphan and poor widow they devour'd,
Express'd all marks of cruelty, and pour'd
Prolong'd petitions forth, with vile design,
To throw o'er heinous guilt a veil divine.
140
And black imposture to perfection grown,
Ambition, envy, hatred, and disdain,
Did o'er the cruel sect unrival'd reign.
They paid obedience to minute commands,
Oft cleans'd their pots, and wash'd as oft their hands:
Of mint and cumin tyths did careful take,
But laws important ineffectual make.
And if these chiefs renown'd, to whom the crowd
With reverential awe submissive bow'd,
And by their precepts all their manners fram'd,
For such egregious crimes were justly blam'd,
Then must the vulgar, ready we believe,
Into the practice of their leaders give.
Nor did flagitious manners ever spread
Their poison more complete from foot to head,
Than thro' Judæah's prostituted land,
Nor e'er acquir'd more absolute command.
141
Did no distinction in their morals show.
The foul infectious leprosy of vice,
Which from detested doctrines took its rise,
By great examples and loose customs fed,
Its odious plague did thro' the kingdom spread,
And o'er their minds, yet more dominion gain'd,
Than that contagion, which their bodies stain'd.
The sacred office of the sov'reign priest
For bribes, which no promoters did resist,
Was now on worthless candidates confer'd;
These bought the oil, that flow'd down Aaron's beard:
Hence came his garment glorious to behold,
And ornaments magnificent by gold.
Murder and rapine had such footing gain'd,
That criminals grew daring, and sustain'd
By pow'r and numbers, would no more be try'd,
But insolent the magistrate defy'd;
Whence over-aw'd the Sanhedrim forsook
Their courts, and refuge in a new one took.
For bribes, which no promoters did resist,
Was now on worthless candidates confer'd;
These bought the oil, that flow'd down Aaron's beard:
Hence came his garment glorious to behold,
And ornaments magnificent by gold.
Murder and rapine had such footing gain'd,
That criminals grew daring, and sustain'd
142
But insolent the magistrate defy'd;
Whence over-aw'd the Sanhedrim forsook
Their courts, and refuge in a new one took.
When Christ was born, the manners of the Jews.
In a strong light their fam'd historian shews,
In that account, which by his pen appears
Of their vile deeds in a few following years.
When mighty Rome with spreading empire crown'd
Her conqu'ring eagles mov'd, and compass'd round
With arms and bulwarks Salem's gather'd pow'rs,
And with her batt'ring engines shook her tow'rs,
At once within with barb'rous party-rage
They civil war, without they foreign wage;
And when the Roman from th' assault withdrew,
They to intestine combat desp'rate flew.
In a strong light their fam'd historian shews,
In that account, which by his pen appears
Of their vile deeds in a few following years.
When mighty Rome with spreading empire crown'd
Her conqu'ring eagles mov'd, and compass'd round
With arms and bulwarks Salem's gather'd pow'rs,
And with her batt'ring engines shook her tow'rs,
At once within with barb'rous party-rage
They civil war, without they foreign wage;
And when the Roman from th' assault withdrew,
They to intestine combat desp'rate flew.
143
Sion, that now with fire seditious burn'd,
Against herself her fatal weapons turn'd;
She did by demons agitated rave,
And kill'd her youth, to whom she being gave;
Brothers in arms did brothers fierce pursue,
Fathers the sons, and sons the fathers slew.
So furious they each other did invade,
And in their streets such vast destruction made,
That seas of blood down from the city ran,
Whence tender tears, as said before, began
To issue from the Roman leader's eyes,
Whom such a woful prospect did surprize;
And scarcely could his generous soul enjoy
His conquest, while he saw his foes destroy
Each other with inexorable rage,
Not seen, nor told in any land or age.
Against herself her fatal weapons turn'd;
She did by demons agitated rave,
And kill'd her youth, to whom she being gave;
Brothers in arms did brothers fierce pursue,
Fathers the sons, and sons the fathers slew.
So furious they each other did invade,
And in their streets such vast destruction made,
That seas of blood down from the city ran,
Whence tender tears, as said before, began
To issue from the Roman leader's eyes,
Whom such a woful prospect did surprize;
And scarcely could his generous soul enjoy
His conquest, while he saw his foes destroy
Each other with inexorable rage,
Not seen, nor told in any land or age.
Thus were the Jews and Gentile lands misled
By impious notions, and with vice o'erspread.
Philosophers renown'd perhaps did own
One high, eternal, unseen God alone,
But they this great important truth conceal'd,
And to the vulgar scarce its light reveal'd.
Fam'd Socrates in Athens dar'd deny
Their Superstitious, feign'd plurality
Of gods, and did for this confession die:
While other chiefs for wisdom most rever'd,
Whate'er they thought, to idol-gods adher'd;
To these in prostrate adoration pray'd,
And publick worship at their altars paid;
And no religious rites or modes refus'd
In sacred temples by the people us'd.
And this safe doctrine too they taught, that all
Before those gods adoring low should fall,
Whom in their country they establish'd find,
And practice all religions there enjoyn'd.
Thus did consulted Oracles command
All to observe the worship of their land,
The laws, that fix'd religion, to obey
And to their city's Gods devotion pay.
By impious notions, and with vice o'erspread.
160
One high, eternal, unseen God alone,
But they this great important truth conceal'd,
And to the vulgar scarce its light reveal'd.
Fam'd Socrates in Athens dar'd deny
Their Superstitious, feign'd plurality
Of gods, and did for this confession die:
While other chiefs for wisdom most rever'd,
Whate'er they thought, to idol-gods adher'd;
To these in prostrate adoration pray'd,
And publick worship at their altars paid;
And no religious rites or modes refus'd
In sacred temples by the people us'd.
And this safe doctrine too they taught, that all
Before those gods adoring low should fall,
Whom in their country they establish'd find,
And practice all religions there enjoyn'd.
161
All to observe the worship of their land,
The laws, that fix'd religion, to obey
And to their city's Gods devotion pay.
Now Sages virtue, not religion, sought,
And priests religion, and not virtue taught.
These out of pompous rituals, slaughter'd beasts,
Piacular lustrations, sacred feasts,
Dances and shews and sports religion fram'd,
Mindless of morals, and of life unblam'd.
Those did, with rules of virtue, Men assist,
And left religious doctrines to the Priest:
Yet they could draw by reason's utmost stretch,
Of morals but a dull, imperfect scetch;
For in their schools crimes most detested reign'd,
And warranted by them dominion gain'd,
While eastern teachers did not incest blame,
Nor did the western censure Sodom's shame.
And priests religion, and not virtue taught.
These out of pompous rituals, slaughter'd beasts,
Piacular lustrations, sacred feasts,
Dances and shews and sports religion fram'd,
Mindless of morals, and of life unblam'd.
Those did, with rules of virtue, Men assist,
And left religious doctrines to the Priest:
Yet they could draw by reason's utmost stretch,
Of morals but a dull, imperfect scetch;
For in their schools crimes most detested reign'd,
And warranted by them dominion gain'd,
162
Nor did the western censure Sodom's shame.
But grant these masters not with vice defil'd,
Had a just set of virtue's rules compil'd,
By what authority could they impose
Their precepts on the world? say whence arose
The binding force, that should their rules attend,
On which man's duty and reward depend?
If by his own authority the Sage
Men to obey his precepts would engage,
Then each renown'd philosopher can bind
With legislative pow'r all human kind.
Whate'er they say men should believe and do,
The world must practise, and receive as true;
And if repugnant laws from diff'rent schools
Come forth, they must obey those adverse rules.
But if the laws, that moral masters give,
Do not their binding energy receive
From empire and authority their own,
And yet they have no other fountain shown,
How idle is their heap of rules, that lay
No obligation on us to obey?
Had a just set of virtue's rules compil'd,
By what authority could they impose
Their precepts on the world? say whence arose
The binding force, that should their rules attend,
On which man's duty and reward depend?
If by his own authority the Sage
Men to obey his precepts would engage,
Then each renown'd philosopher can bind
With legislative pow'r all human kind.
Whate'er they say men should believe and do,
The world must practise, and receive as true;
And if repugnant laws from diff'rent schools
Come forth, they must obey those adverse rules.
163
Do not their binding energy receive
From empire and authority their own,
And yet they have no other fountain shown,
How idle is their heap of rules, that lay
No obligation on us to obey?
Had these philosophers by reason's Light
Prov'd that their precepts equal were and right,
And thence infer'd that God, th' eternal cause
Of reason, must have made all reason's laws,
We should have seen authority divine
Thro' all th' authentick rules of Nature shine,
And clearly known how God's unwritten law
Oblig'd mankind, and did the Conscience awe.
Prov'd that their precepts equal were and right,
And thence infer'd that God, th' eternal cause
Of reason, must have made all reason's laws,
We should have seen authority divine
Thro' all th' authentick rules of Nature shine,
And clearly known how God's unwritten law
Oblig'd mankind, and did the Conscience awe.
A Pagan Scheme of morals to compound
Collect the rules in all great authors found,
Ransack all Egypt's hieroglyphick stores,
And thence repair to distant India's shores;
The treasures thence of moral learning fetch,
What Brachmans, what Gymnosophists can teach;
Curious to each renown'd instructer run,
Consult Confucius, China's learned son;
Repair to Persia, there the Magians know,
And catch the streams, that from those fountains flow;
Adorn the mind with Grecia's brightest flow'rs,
Apply to all her fam'd scholastick pow'rs;
Converse with Plato, search the Stagyrite,
And borrow from Pythagoras his Light;
Advance to Rome, frequent the Tusculum,
And back enrich'd with Tully's dictates come:
From these materials gather'd up prepare
A moral system with judicious care.
Collect the rules in all great authors found,
164
And thence repair to distant India's shores;
The treasures thence of moral learning fetch,
What Brachmans, what Gymnosophists can teach;
Curious to each renown'd instructer run,
Consult Confucius, China's learned son;
Repair to Persia, there the Magians know,
And catch the streams, that from those fountains flow;
Adorn the mind with Grecia's brightest flow'rs,
Apply to all her fam'd scholastick pow'rs;
Converse with Plato, search the Stagyrite,
And borrow from Pythagoras his Light;
Advance to Rome, frequent the Tusculum,
And back enrich'd with Tully's dictates come:
From these materials gather'd up prepare
A moral system with judicious care.
165
But how jejune, how narrow will it be,
How void of beauty, life, and energy,
Compar'd with Christ's, who life immortal brought
To light, and pure celestial precepts taught?
E'er he appeared, by various error led
Men had few laws, that plainly could be read:
'Tis true that nature's rules had set them right,
Had they possess'd a clear, sufficient light
To find them out; but then it is as true,
Their reason did in vain that task persue;
In vain with studious toil their master strove
The thick o'erspreading darkness to remove,
And introduce an intellectual day,
For still the world involv'd in error lay.
How void of beauty, life, and energy,
Compar'd with Christ's, who life immortal brought
To light, and pure celestial precepts taught?
E'er he appeared, by various error led
Men had few laws, that plainly could be read:
'Tis true that nature's rules had set them right,
Had they possess'd a clear, sufficient light
To find them out; but then it is as true,
Their reason did in vain that task persue;
In vain with studious toil their master strove
The thick o'erspreading darkness to remove,
And introduce an intellectual day,
For still the world involv'd in error lay.
No Pagan Sage, his precepts to commend,
Did a commission from above pretend,
Whence vested with authority divine,
He might th' observance of his rules enjoin;
Nor have their authors ever yet compil'd
A Code complete, where Nature's laws are fil'd,
Which form'd with skill consummate did contain
A regular, and close coherent chain
Of moral rules, that by deductions clear
From uncontested principles appear.
'Tis evident the world yet never saw
Such a digested, full, decisive law,
A statute book of Nature, that could bind
The conscience, and unerring lead the mind.
Nor was there one acknowledg'd judge, to whom
Contending sects might for decision come.
Who e'er appeal'd, as to a perfect rule,
To any system, form'd by any school?
Did Zeno judge, in dubious doctrines, sit?
Did wrangling Athens to the volumes writ
By Plato's pen, to Tully's Rome submit?
Did a commission from above pretend,
166
He might th' observance of his rules enjoin;
Nor have their authors ever yet compil'd
A Code complete, where Nature's laws are fil'd,
Which form'd with skill consummate did contain
A regular, and close coherent chain
Of moral rules, that by deductions clear
From uncontested principles appear.
'Tis evident the world yet never saw
Such a digested, full, decisive law,
A statute book of Nature, that could bind
The conscience, and unerring lead the mind.
Nor was there one acknowledg'd judge, to whom
Contending sects might for decision come.
Who e'er appeal'd, as to a perfect rule,
To any system, form'd by any school?
167
Did wrangling Athens to the volumes writ
By Plato's pen, to Tully's Rome submit?
Grant a just moral scheme had been design'd
And publish'd to direct all human kind,
Could it have been convincing, clear and plain
To the mechanick and the rural swain?
Can they support a long discursive race,
Up to their fountain head deductions trace,
And see conclusions down in order brought
By reason's pow'r from principles remote?
Can they the force of demonstration know,
Discern how sequel does from sequel flow,
And how one truth does from another grow?
But these with faithful senses are endow'd,
And are to taste, and feel, and see allow'd,
By which a sign or wonder they discern,
And thence the mission of a prophet learn:
When that is done, they justly acquiesce
In all things, which that prophet shall express.
This is a ready, short, and certain way
That to their minds does heavenly truth convey,
Who have not clear and penetrating sense
And judgment for abstruser evidence.
The certainty the vulgar thus acquire,
Surpasses that, to which the schools aspire:
For let the most acute scholastick Sage
In studious toil his working thoughts engage
To search our precepts moral and divine
By Nature's beams, which dim and waning shine,
When he his num'rous consequences strings,
And by progressive reas'ning to the springs
And principles self-clear does by a train
Of propagated maxims passage gain,
He'll still suspect, that in a chain so long
Of nice deductions, something may be wrong.
They who in raising systems spend their age,
In hard abstracted notions deep engage,
And roam thro speculation's fields immense,
Will often feel a painful diffidence
Lest in the heights sublime, and arduous way,
Their feet have sometimes slipt, and gone astray:
Lest some false steps they did in arguing make,
By inadvertence, prejudice, mistake,
Or want of judgment and sufficient light
To guide them thro' dark Mazes always right.
And publish'd to direct all human kind,
Could it have been convincing, clear and plain
To the mechanick and the rural swain?
Can they support a long discursive race,
Up to their fountain head deductions trace,
And see conclusions down in order brought
By reason's pow'r from principles remote?
Can they the force of demonstration know,
Discern how sequel does from sequel flow,
And how one truth does from another grow?
But these with faithful senses are endow'd,
And are to taste, and feel, and see allow'd,
168
And thence the mission of a prophet learn:
When that is done, they justly acquiesce
In all things, which that prophet shall express.
This is a ready, short, and certain way
That to their minds does heavenly truth convey,
Who have not clear and penetrating sense
And judgment for abstruser evidence.
The certainty the vulgar thus acquire,
Surpasses that, to which the schools aspire:
For let the most acute scholastick Sage
In studious toil his working thoughts engage
To search our precepts moral and divine
By Nature's beams, which dim and waning shine,
When he his num'rous consequences strings,
And by progressive reas'ning to the springs
And principles self-clear does by a train
Of propagated maxims passage gain,
169
Of nice deductions, something may be wrong.
They who in raising systems spend their age,
In hard abstracted notions deep engage,
And roam thro speculation's fields immense,
Will often feel a painful diffidence
Lest in the heights sublime, and arduous way,
Their feet have sometimes slipt, and gone astray:
Lest some false steps they did in arguing make,
By inadvertence, prejudice, mistake,
Or want of judgment and sufficient light
To guide them thro' dark Mazes always right.
Should one a happy moral scheme compose,
One, who the Christian revelation knows,
He from the books inspir'd must borrow force
To aid his reason, and direct his course,
Tho' he perhaps to this would not attend,
Nor mind the help the sacred pages lend.
That here we reason strictly right, is plain,
Since all the fam'd philosophers in vain
This hard unequal labour have essay'd,
They have no scheme of moral precepts made,
But what is crude, imperfect, dry and lame,
And wants foundations to support its frame.
One, who the Christian revelation knows,
He from the books inspir'd must borrow force
To aid his reason, and direct his course,
170
Nor mind the help the sacred pages lend.
That here we reason strictly right, is plain,
Since all the fam'd philosophers in vain
This hard unequal labour have essay'd,
They have no scheme of moral precepts made,
But what is crude, imperfect, dry and lame,
And wants foundations to support its frame.
The Pythagorean, and the Stoick schools,
With Plato's, all renown'd for moral rules,
Did a dark fate unchangeable defend,
Which their high Gods controll'd, and did depend
On a coherent, undissolving chain
Of causes, whence the necessary train
Of all events by force resistless flows;
This fate, as they assert, its being owes
To the celestial orbs, that roll above,
And thoughtless all inferior bodies move.
But are not then the rules their books contain
To guide our life, impertinent and vain,
When orbs that roll above our deeds constrain?
This plainly is to mock all human kind,
Whom thus they fast in fatal fetters bind,
Then bid them active rise, and cheerful run
In virtues paths, and ways immoral shun.
And thus these schools their own foundation shake,
While war against themselves their leaders make;
They inconsistent principles employ,
And by their doctrines moral life destroy,
Which they pretend to guide, yet undermine
By their repugnant rules their own design.
For while these incoherent masters held,
That men by powerful causes were compell'd,
And so engaged that none could disobey
This overruling force and secret sway,
Tell, at what end philosophers could aim,
That with such toil did moral systems frame,
Unless these two Ideas can agree
That is, that human actions may be free,
Yet spring from uncontroll'd necessity?
With Plato's, all renown'd for moral rules,
Did a dark fate unchangeable defend,
Which their high Gods controll'd, and did depend
On a coherent, undissolving chain
Of causes, whence the necessary train
Of all events by force resistless flows;
This fate, as they assert, its being owes
171
And thoughtless all inferior bodies move.
But are not then the rules their books contain
To guide our life, impertinent and vain,
When orbs that roll above our deeds constrain?
This plainly is to mock all human kind,
Whom thus they fast in fatal fetters bind,
Then bid them active rise, and cheerful run
In virtues paths, and ways immoral shun.
And thus these schools their own foundation shake,
While war against themselves their leaders make;
They inconsistent principles employ,
And by their doctrines moral life destroy,
Which they pretend to guide, yet undermine
By their repugnant rules their own design.
For while these incoherent masters held,
That men by powerful causes were compell'd,
172
This overruling force and secret sway,
Tell, at what end philosophers could aim,
That with such toil did moral systems frame,
Unless these two Ideas can agree
That is, that human actions may be free,
Yet spring from uncontroll'd necessity?
Nor did the precepts of the Stagyrite,
Improve the erring world by clearer light,
Who as he own'd no arbitrary cause
Of things, so he believed no Gods gave laws
To guide the life, whom he excus'd from care
Of human kind and every low affair;
And did to make the world blind fate advance,
A task that Epicurus gave to Chance.
Hence tho' the Sage a book of morals fram'd,
And at a work of great perfection aim'd,
He has to no authority recourse
To give his lifeless dictates binding force;
But laws without a legislator, rules
Without a ruler, like the other schools,
He there lays down, we must, he says, comply
With his decrees, but never tells us why.
Improve the erring world by clearer light,
Who as he own'd no arbitrary cause
Of things, so he believed no Gods gave laws
To guide the life, whom he excus'd from care
Of human kind and every low affair;
And did to make the world blind fate advance,
A task that Epicurus gave to Chance.
Hence tho' the Sage a book of morals fram'd,
And at a work of great perfection aim'd,
173
To give his lifeless dictates binding force;
But laws without a legislator, rules
Without a ruler, like the other schools,
He there lays down, we must, he says, comply
With his decrees, but never tells us why.
Now if their great philosophers are found
So ignorant, and in such error drown'd,
That they could no important succours lend,
Nor help the realms their practice to amend,
What could from Epicurus Garden spring?
What could thy doctrines, Aristippus, bring,
Or Pyrrho's maxims to improve mankind?
Could men by their loose precepts be refin'd?
So ignorant, and in such error drown'd,
That they could no important succours lend,
Nor help the realms their practice to amend,
What could from Epicurus Garden spring?
What could thy doctrines, Aristippus, bring,
Or Pyrrho's maxims to improve mankind?
Could men by their loose precepts be refin'd?
And now no truth can stronger light display,
Than that the world, which thus in darkness lay
Did highly want a teacher from above,
Who might its clouds and gloomy night remove;
Who vested with authority divine,
Might on the lands make light celestial shine,
The scheme of man's redemption might unfold
Reveal new precepts, and inforce the old.
Than that the world, which thus in darkness lay
174
Who might its clouds and gloomy night remove;
Who vested with authority divine,
Might on the lands make light celestial shine,
The scheme of man's redemption might unfold
Reveal new precepts, and inforce the old.
And as the nations now did highly need
A rule of practice, and of faith a creed,
So now approach'd the destin'd happy Year,
When blest Messiah promis'd should appear,
By Heav'n commission'd to reform mankind,
Correct their manners, and improve their mind.
Here Jacob's sons with grace peculiar crown'd,
And all the Gentile monarchies around
Led by traditions sprung from prophecies,
Did now expect some mighty prince should rise
In Palestine, the regal throne ascend,
And great in arms his empire far extend:
The fam'd historian of the Jews apply'd,
To sooth Vespasian's vanity and pride,
To that great Man this prophecy divine,
And to his reign determin'd Heav'ns design;
For which in Rome that monarch gave command
The flatterer's statue should erected stand;
Perfidious Hebrew, that could thus presume
His country's glory to confer on Rome!
A rule of practice, and of faith a creed,
So now approach'd the destin'd happy Year,
When blest Messiah promis'd should appear,
By Heav'n commission'd to reform mankind,
Correct their manners, and improve their mind.
Here Jacob's sons with grace peculiar crown'd,
And all the Gentile monarchies around
Led by traditions sprung from prophecies,
Did now expect some mighty prince should rise
175
And great in arms his empire far extend:
The fam'd historian of the Jews apply'd,
To sooth Vespasian's vanity and pride,
To that great Man this prophecy divine,
And to his reign determin'd Heav'ns design;
For which in Rome that monarch gave command
The flatterer's statue should erected stand;
Perfidious Hebrew, that could thus presume
His country's glory to confer on Rome!
Now too the Jews allur'd by spreading fame
To Salem's gates from distant nations came,
Where they dispers'd their colonies, to wait
Messiah's coming in imperial state.
The confluent tribes did here rejoycing meet,
And with their deluge fill'd each crowded street,
Where mixt with strangers from each neighb'ring Land
They did confirm'd in Expectation stand
To see in favour'd Palestina's skies
The promis'd light, and Israel's glory rise,
The mighty Prince, the blest Redeemer, Lord,
By whom they thought their pow'r would be restor'd.
That he triumphant would fall'n Jacob save,
And from the Yoke of Rome release her slave.
Would raise desponding Salem's drooping head,
On vanquish'd nations make her warrior's tread,
And far and wide her potent empire spread.
And tho' this promis'd Lord did still disown
Imperial greatness and an earthly throne,
Whence grossly they mistook, who had in view
A mighty prince that would the realms subdue,
And make proud Rome, and all the heathen lands
Submissive own Judea's high Commands,
Yet right they judg'd that now the time was near,
When blest Messiah should to men appear.
To Salem's gates from distant nations came,
Where they dispers'd their colonies, to wait
Messiah's coming in imperial state.
The confluent tribes did here rejoycing meet,
And with their deluge fill'd each crowded street,
176
They did confirm'd in Expectation stand
To see in favour'd Palestina's skies
The promis'd light, and Israel's glory rise,
The mighty Prince, the blest Redeemer, Lord,
By whom they thought their pow'r would be restor'd.
That he triumphant would fall'n Jacob save,
And from the Yoke of Rome release her slave.
Would raise desponding Salem's drooping head,
On vanquish'd nations make her warrior's tread,
And far and wide her potent empire spread.
And tho' this promis'd Lord did still disown
Imperial greatness and an earthly throne,
Whence grossly they mistook, who had in view
A mighty prince that would the realms subdue,
And make proud Rome, and all the heathen lands
Submissive own Judea's high Commands,
177
When blest Messiah should to men appear.
In vain some Jews an idle fiction vent
Of two Messiahs destin'd to be sent,
One, who should shame and mighty sorrow know,
One, who should great in arms and empire grow,
To that, say they, the sacred texts relate,
Which tell Messiah's low afflicted state:
Of this they all the prophecies explain,
Which mention blest Messiah's glorious reign,
Whose arms should o'er the world dominion gain.
But such absurd and empty fables, bred
In a romantick vain Rabbinick head,
Fertile of frauds and legends, to sustain
Perverse opinions, justly we disdain.
They, who to such imagin'd notions fly,
That on no proof no evidence rely,
Declare to all endow'd with vulgar sense,
Their cause is desperate and without defence.
Of two Messiahs destin'd to be sent,
One, who should shame and mighty sorrow know,
One, who should great in arms and empire grow,
To that, say they, the sacred texts relate,
Which tell Messiah's low afflicted state:
Of this they all the prophecies explain,
Which mention blest Messiah's glorious reign,
Whose arms should o'er the world dominion gain.
But such absurd and empty fables, bred
In a romantick vain Rabbinick head,
Fertile of frauds and legends, to sustain
Perverse opinions, justly we disdain.
178
That on no proof no evidence rely,
Declare to all endow'd with vulgar sense,
Their cause is desperate and without defence.
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