I think, (according to my little skill,
To my own mother-church fubmitting ftill)
That many have been fav'd, and many may, 320
Who never heard this queftion brought in play.
The unletter'd Christian, who believes in grofs,
Plods on to Heaven, and ne'er is at a lofs:
For the ftreight-gate would be made ftreighter
yet,
Were none admitted there but men of wit. 825
The few by nature form'd, with learning fraught,
Born to inftruct, as others to be taught,
Muft ftudy well the facred page; and fee
Which doctrine, this, or that, does best agree
With the whole tenor of the work divine:
And plainlieft points to Heaven's reveal'd defign:
Which expofition flows from genuine sense;
And which is forc'd by wit and eloquence.
Not that tradition's parts are useless here:
When general, old, disinterefs'd and clear: 335
That ancient Fathers thus expound the page,
Gives truth the reverend majefty of age:
Confirms its force, by bideing every teft;
For beft authority's next rules are beft.
And still the nearer to the fpring we go,
More limpid, more unfoil'd the waters flow.
Thus, first traditions were a proof alone;
Could we be certain fuch they were, fo known:
But fince fome flaws in long defcent may be,
They make not truth but probability.
Even Arius and Pelagius durft provoke
To what the centuries preceding spoke.
Such difference is there in an oft-told tale :
But truth by its own finews will prevail.
Tradition written therefore more commends 350
Authority, than what from voice defcends:
And this, as perfect as its kind can be,
Rolls down to us the facred history:
Which from the Univerfal Church receiv'd,
Is try'd, and after, for itself believ'd.
The partial Papifts would infer from hence * Their Church, in last resort, should judge the fenfe.
But firft they would affume with wondrous
Themselves to be the whole, who are but part Of that vaft frame, the Church; yet grant they
The handers down, can they from thence infer
A right to interpret? or would they alone
Who brought the prefent, claim it for their
The book's a common largess to mankind;
Not more for them than every man defign'd; 365
The welcome news is in the letter found;
The carrier's not commiffion'd to expound,
The fecond objection. M. N. Orig. edit.
Answer to the objection. M. N. Orig. edit?
It speaks itself, and what it does contain,
In all things needful to be known, is plain.
In times o'ergrown with ruft and ignorance,
A gainful trade their clergy did advance :
When want of learning kept the laymen low,
And none but priests were authoriz'd to know:
When what small knowledge was, in them did
dwell;
And he a god who could but read or fpell: 375
Then mother church did mightily prevail :
She parcell❜d out the Bible by retail :
But ftill expounded what she fold or gave;
To keep it in her power to damn and fave:
Scripture was scarce, and as the market went,
Poor laymen took falvation on content;
As needy men take money good or bad:
God's word they had not, but the priest's they
had.
Yet, whate'er falfe conveyances they made,
The lawyer ftill was certain to be paid.
In those dark times they learn'd their knack fo
That by long ufe they grew infallible:
At laft, a knowing age began to enquire
If they the book, or that did them inspire :
And, making narrower fearch, they found,
though late,
That what they thought the priest's, was their
Taught by the will produc'd, (the written word) How long they had been cheated on record. Then, every man who faw the title fair, Claim'd a child's part, and put in for a fhare: Confulted foberly his private good,
And fav'd himself as cheap as e'er he could.
'Tis true, my friend, (and far be flattery
hence)
This good had full as bad a confequence:
The book thus put in every vulgar hand,
Which each prefum'd he beft could under
The common rule was made the comman
And at the mercy of the rabble lay.
The tender page with horny fifts was gall'd; And he was gifted moft that loudeft baul'd: 405 The spirit gave the doctoral degree:
And every member of a company
Was of his trade, and of the Bible free.
Plain truths enough for needful use they found:
But men would ftill be itching to expound: 410
Each was ambitious of the obfcurest place,
No mcafure ta'en from knowledge, all from
Study and pains were now no more their care; Texts were explain'd by fasting and by prayer : This was the fruit the private spirit brought: Occafion'd by great zeal and little thought. 416
While crouds unlearn'd, with rude devotion
About the facred viands buz and fwarm,
The fly-blown text creates a crawling brood;
And turns to maggots what was meant for
A thousand daily fects rife up and die ;
A thousand more the perish'd race fupply:
So all we make of Heaven's discover'd will,
Is, not to have it, or to ufe it ill.
The danger's much the fame; on several shelves If others wreck us, or we wreck ourselves.
What then remains, but, waving each ex
The tides of ignorance and pride to stem?
Neither fo rich a treasure to forego;
Nor proudly feek beyond our power to know:
Faith is not built on difquifitions vain ;
The things we must believe are few and plain:
But fince men will believe more than they
need,
And every man will make himself a creed,
In doubtful queftions 'tis the safest way
To learn what unfufpected antients say:
For 'tis not likely we should higher foar
In fearch of Heaven, than all the Church be-
fore:
Nor can we be deceiv'd, unless we see
The Scripture and the Fathers difagree.
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