 | The progress of religion |  |
1
THE Progress of RELIGION.
When first Religion triumph'd o'er the Mind,
Begot on Fear, and since by Fraud refin'd,
Pure, and unstain'd the guiltless Altar stood,
And Flow'rs, and Fruit supply'd the Place of Blood.
No Politicks inflam'd the wholsome Cheat;
For all the Priest's Ambition was, to Eat.
Peace was the Preacher's Theme, and social Laws;
No Sect's vain Scruples, no dire Faction's Cause:
His chief Intent, rude Mortals to improve;
His simple Lessons, to Adore, and Love:
No rich, embroider'd Vestment made him proud:
No Ornaments the rustick Fane allow'd.
Th' unpolish'd God was shap'd of Wood or Stone,
The God of Nature, for he knew but One.
Amidst th' attentive Croud he taught, and pray'd:
The docile Croud believ'd whate'er he said;
For he Himself had Faith, in what he told,
By Doubts unpuzzled, and unbrib'd by Gold.
The pious Peasant with his Hands on high
Rehears'd the Wonders of the spangled Sky;
And the bright Scene surveying all around,
The Lord, and Architect of all Things found;
Then from that Height descends, and views the Ground,
While ev'ry Tree, and painted Herb affords
Convincing Proofs, and sanctifies his Words.
Begot on Fear, and since by Fraud refin'd,
Pure, and unstain'd the guiltless Altar stood,
And Flow'rs, and Fruit supply'd the Place of Blood.
No Politicks inflam'd the wholsome Cheat;
For all the Priest's Ambition was, to Eat.
Peace was the Preacher's Theme, and social Laws;
No Sect's vain Scruples, no dire Faction's Cause:
His chief Intent, rude Mortals to improve;
His simple Lessons, to Adore, and Love:
No rich, embroider'd Vestment made him proud:
No Ornaments the rustick Fane allow'd.
Th' unpolish'd God was shap'd of Wood or Stone,
The God of Nature, for he knew but One.
2
The docile Croud believ'd whate'er he said;
For he Himself had Faith, in what he told,
By Doubts unpuzzled, and unbrib'd by Gold.
The pious Peasant with his Hands on high
Rehears'd the Wonders of the spangled Sky;
And the bright Scene surveying all around,
The Lord, and Architect of all Things found;
Then from that Height descends, and views the Ground,
While ev'ry Tree, and painted Herb affords
Convincing Proofs, and sanctifies his Words.
Such Doctrine were the Earth's first Tenants taught;
From Caverns thus the savage Race was brought.
Such Orpheus, such of old Amphion's Lyre,
Fabled, the Brutes, and Forests to inspire!
From Caverns thus the savage Race was brought.
Such Orpheus, such of old Amphion's Lyre,
Fabled, the Brutes, and Forests to inspire!
Happy, had harmless Mortals here but stay'd!
If Priesthood never had become a Trade!
Still a free Gift, a Summons from Above;
The surest Mark of Heav'n's Paternal Love!
But, O Religion, thus too clear to last,
Thro' what perplex'd Divisions hast thou past?
Blind Labyrinth of Errors! Dross of Schools!
Loaded by learned Knaves, maintain'd by Fools!
Thou bloated Monster with a dreadful Look,
Who scarce, when pure, could'st fill one little Book,
How cruel, how voracious art thou grown?
To thy eternal Author hardly known!
If Priesthood never had become a Trade!
3
The surest Mark of Heav'n's Paternal Love!
But, O Religion, thus too clear to last,
Thro' what perplex'd Divisions hast thou past?
Blind Labyrinth of Errors! Dross of Schools!
Loaded by learned Knaves, maintain'd by Fools!
Thou bloated Monster with a dreadful Look,
Who scarce, when pure, could'st fill one little Book,
How cruel, how voracious art thou grown?
To thy eternal Author hardly known!
While Human-Kind, content with Herbs, and Fruits,
Preserv'd a healthy Friendship with the Brutes;
E'er to the fatt'ning Stall the Ox was drove,
And while the fleecy Race were free, to rove;
Before the Fowler had contriv'd his Snare,
T' inslave the feather'd Nations of the Air;
E'er from the Ocean's Spawn our Boards were crown'd;
E'er poynant Sauces had been taught, to wound.
A hungry Bull, as ancient Legends say,
Approach'd the Altar on a holy Day,
And snatch'd the consecrated Flow'rs away.
The Priest, and Crowd in Fury at his Heels
The Felon chace; their Zeal th' Offender feels:
For the first Time they shed a Creature's Blood,
And each astonish'd views the crimson Flood;
Yet all agree, the Ravisher be laid,
On the same Altar, where the Rape was made,
And there, till Flames the Sacrifice devour,
Consume, to mitigate the injur'd Pow'r.
Preserv'd a healthy Friendship with the Brutes;
E'er to the fatt'ning Stall the Ox was drove,
And while the fleecy Race were free, to rove;
Before the Fowler had contriv'd his Snare,
T' inslave the feather'd Nations of the Air;
E'er from the Ocean's Spawn our Boards were crown'd;
E'er poynant Sauces had been taught, to wound.
4
Approach'd the Altar on a holy Day,
And snatch'd the consecrated Flow'rs away.
The Priest, and Crowd in Fury at his Heels
The Felon chace; their Zeal th' Offender feels:
For the first Time they shed a Creature's Blood,
And each astonish'd views the crimson Flood;
Yet all agree, the Ravisher be laid,
On the same Altar, where the Rape was made,
And there, till Flames the Sacrifice devour,
Consume, to mitigate the injur'd Pow'r.
'Twas thus Flesh Off'rings were at first began,
And pav'd the Way for Luxury to Man;
For now the Priest essay'd the sav'ry Meat,
Prais'd the high Tast, and all the People Eat.
And pav'd the Way for Luxury to Man;
For now the Priest essay'd the sav'ry Meat,
Prais'd the high Tast, and all the People Eat.
Soon Beasts of ev'ry Kind devoutly bled,
And Heav'n, and Earth were with fat Victims fed.
The lab'ring Steer was destin'd from the Plough;
And Goats, and Sheep fulfil the Zealot's Vow.
Whole Hecatombs the grateful Victor paid;
And a new God, for each new Want was made.
Nor longer cou'd the scanty Fanes suffice;
They swell to Temples: costly Pillars rise;
And Gold, and Gems, and Statues charm the Eyes.
Incense around exhales a fragrant Cloud;
And Hymns the Holocaust proclaim aloud.
The spruce Camilli on the Altars wait;
And Priests are deck'd with Pomp, and serv'd in State.
Nay, Brutes are held a Sacrifice too poor;
Revenge on captive Foes the Soldier swore,
And the rich Pavement reek'd with Human Gore.
And Heav'n, and Earth were with fat Victims fed.
5
And Goats, and Sheep fulfil the Zealot's Vow.
Whole Hecatombs the grateful Victor paid;
And a new God, for each new Want was made.
Nor longer cou'd the scanty Fanes suffice;
They swell to Temples: costly Pillars rise;
And Gold, and Gems, and Statues charm the Eyes.
Incense around exhales a fragrant Cloud;
And Hymns the Holocaust proclaim aloud.
The spruce Camilli on the Altars wait;
And Priests are deck'd with Pomp, and serv'd in State.
Nay, Brutes are held a Sacrifice too poor;
Revenge on captive Foes the Soldier swore,
And the rich Pavement reek'd with Human Gore.
Thus, humble in her Birth, Religion spread,
And proudly rear'd her complicated Head.
And proudly rear'd her complicated Head.
6
So from some Mountain's Side a Spring obscure
Sends forth its narrow Stream unmix'd, and pure:
Modest at first, the limpid Water glides,
Silent, without a Name, unstain'd by Tides;
But rolls at length with loud, polluted Waves,
Cities, and States, and mighty Kingdoms laves,
Widens, and foams, majestically flows,
And scorns the little Current whence it rose.
Sends forth its narrow Stream unmix'd, and pure:
Modest at first, the limpid Water glides,
Silent, without a Name, unstain'd by Tides;
But rolls at length with loud, polluted Waves,
Cities, and States, and mighty Kingdoms laves,
Widens, and foams, majestically flows,
And scorns the little Current whence it rose.
Yet was Opinion safe, no Crime in Thought,
While each adopted, what his Neighbour taught
No Persecution rag'd for Mercy's Sake;
No patient Martyr kiss'd the fatal Stake;
No horrid War arose, no Massacre,
To propagate that Faith, which still was free.
America her Gold, and Gods enjoy'd;
Her Twenty Millions were not yet destroy'd.
Foes could the Deities of Foes adore,
And Strangers own the Genius of the Shore:
Rome, with so great, so distant Conquests crown'd,
Kindly retain'd, whatever Gods she found.
While each adopted, what his Neighbour taught
No Persecution rag'd for Mercy's Sake;
No patient Martyr kiss'd the fatal Stake;
No horrid War arose, no Massacre,
To propagate that Faith, which still was free.
America her Gold, and Gods enjoy'd;
Her Twenty Millions were not yet destroy'd.
7
And Strangers own the Genius of the Shore:
Rome, with so great, so distant Conquests crown'd,
Kindly retain'd, whatever Gods she found.
Thus, e'er the True Religion was receiv'd,
The same, few, simple Tenets all believ'd;
Nor was Devotion us'd as a Disguise,
To veil th' ambitious Tyrant's Enterprize.
Boldly for Honour, or in Thirst of Prey,
The Hero fought, and own'd his Love of Sway,
Unaw'd by Priests their Quarrels to maintain,
Dominion was his Glory, or his Gain.
The same, few, simple Tenets all believ'd;
Nor was Devotion us'd as a Disguise,
To veil th' ambitious Tyrant's Enterprize.
Boldly for Honour, or in Thirst of Prey,
The Hero fought, and own'd his Love of Sway,
Unaw'd by Priests their Quarrels to maintain,
Dominion was his Glory, or his Gain.
But soon as God, his Promise to fulfil,
To Man vouchsaf'd to preach his sacred Will;
Soon as immortal Love our Ransom paid,
And we to Heav'n unworthy Heirs were made,
Division, Heresy, and factious Rage
In vain Disputes the infant Church engage.
The Infant Church for her new Doctrine bled;
On her own Martyr's Blood at length she fed,
And since by Blood her Myst'ries have been spread.
To Man vouchsaf'd to preach his sacred Will;
Soon as immortal Love our Ransom paid,
And we to Heav'n unworthy Heirs were made,
Division, Heresy, and factious Rage
In vain Disputes the infant Church engage.
8
On her own Martyr's Blood at length she fed,
And since by Blood her Myst'ries have been spread.
All hail, Messiah! hail, thou Prince of Peace!
When shall our Pride, and dire Dissentions cease?
When by thy great Example shall we prove
Humility, and universal Love?
When will the Earth unite, to own thy Cause,
And all its Nations keep thy purer Laws?
When shall our Pride, and dire Dissentions cease?
When by thy great Example shall we prove
Humility, and universal Love?
When will the Earth unite, to own thy Cause,
And all its Nations keep thy purer Laws?
FINIS.
| The progress of religion | |