But if there be a Power too just and strong
  To wink at crimes, and bear unpunish’d wrong, 100
  Look humbly upward, see His will disclose
  The forfeit first, and then the fine impose: 
  A mulct thy poverty could never pay,
  Had not Eternal Wisdom found the way: 
  And with celestial wealth supplied thy store: 
  His justice makes the fine, His mercy quits the score. 
  See God descending in thy human frame;
  The Offended suffering in the offender’s name: 
  All thy misdeeds to Him imputed see,
  And all His righteousness devolved on thee. 110
   For, granting we have sinn’d, and that the offence
  Of man is made against Omnipotence,
  Some price that bears proportion must be paid,
  And infinite with infinite be weigh’d. 
  See then the Deist lost:  remorse for vice
  Not paid; or paid, inadequate in price: 
  What further means can reason now direct,
  Or what relief from human wit expect? 
  That shows us sick; and sadly are we sure
  Still to be sick, till Heaven reveal the cure:  120
  If, then, Heaven’s will must needs be understood
  (Which must, if we want cure, and Heaven be good),
  Let all records of will reveal’d be shown;
  With Scripure all in equal balance thrown,
  And our one Sacred Book will be that one.

   Proof needs not here, for whether we compare
  That impious, idle, superstitious ware
  Of rites, lustrations, offerings, which before,
  In various ages, various countries bore,
  With Christian faith and virtues, we shall find 130
  None answering the great ends of human kind,
  But this one rule of life, that shows us best
  How God may be appeased, and mortals blest. 
  Whether from length of time its worth we draw,
  The word is scarce more ancient than the law: 
  Heaven’s early care prescribed for every age;
  First, in the soul, and after, in the page. 
  Or, whether more abstractedly we look,
  Or on the writers, or the written book,
  Whence, but from Heaven, could men unskill’d in arts, 140
  In several ages born, in several parts,
  Weave such agreeing truths? or how, or why
  Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie? 
  Unask’d their pains, ungrateful their advice,
  Starving their gain, and martyrdom their price.

   If on the Book itself we cast our view,
  Concurrent heathens prove the story true: 
  The doctrine, miracles; which must convince,
  For Heaven in them appeals to human sense: 
  And though they prove not, they confirm the cause, 150
  When what is taught agrees with Nature’s laws.