Then for the style, majestic and divine,
  It speaks no less than God in every line: 
  Commanding words; whose force is still the same
  As the first fiat that produced our frame. 
  All faiths beside, or did by arms ascend;
  Or, sense indulged, has made mankind their friend: 
  This only doctrine does our lusts oppose—­
  Unfed by Nature’s soil, in which it grows;
  Cross to our interests, curbing sense, and sin; 160
  Oppress’d without, and undermined within,
  It thrives through pain; its own tormentors tires;
  And with a stubborn patience still aspires. 
  To what can reason such effects assign,
  Transcending nature, but to laws divine? 
  Which in that sacred volume are contain’d;
  Sufficient, clear, and for that use ordain’d.

   But stay:  the Deist here will urge anew,
  No supernatural worship can be true: 
  Because a general law is that alone 170
  Which must to all, and every where be known: 
  A style so large as not this Book can claim,
  Nor aught that bears Reveal’d Religion’s name. 
  ’Tis said the sound of a Messiah’s birth
  Is gone through all the habitable earth: 
  But still that text must be confined alone
  To what was then inhabited, and known: 
  And what provision could from thence accrue
  To Indian souls, and worlds discover’d new? 
  In other parts it helps, that ages past, 180
  The Scriptures there were known, and were embraced,
  Till sin spread once again the shades of night: 
  What’s that to these who never saw the light?

   Of all objections this indeed is chief
  To startle reason, stagger frail belief: 
  We grant, ’tis true, that Heaven from human sense
  Has hid the secret paths of Providence: 
  But boundless wisdom, boundless mercy may
  Find even for those bewilder’d souls a way. 
  If from His nature foes may pity claim, 190
  Much more may strangers who ne’er heard His name. 
  And though no name be for salvation known,
  But that of his Eternal Son alone;
  Who knows how far transcending goodness can
  Extend the merits of that Son to man? 
  Who knows what reasons may His mercy lead;
  Or ignorance invincible may plead? 
  Not only charity bids hope the best,
  But more the great apostle has express’d: 
  That if the Gentiles, whom no law inspired, 200
  By nature did what was by law required;
  They, who the written rule had never known,
  Were to themselves both rule and law alone: 
  To nature’s plain indictment they shall plead;
  And by their conscience be condemn’d or freed. 
  Most righteous doom! because a rule reveal’d
  Is none to those from whom it was conceal’d. 
  Then those who follow’d reason’s dictates right,
  Lived up, and lifted high their natural