Love all the faith, and all th' allegiance then, 235 For nature knew no right divine in men,[1371] No ill could fear in God; and understood A sov'reign being but a sov'reign good. True faith, true policy, united ran, That was but love of God, and this of man. 240 Who first taught souls enslaved, and realms undone, Th' enormous[1372] faith of many made for one; That proud exception to all nature's laws, T' invert the world, and counterwork its cause?[1373] Force first made conquest, and that conquest, law; 245 Till superstition taught the tyrant awe,[1374] Then shared the tyranny, then lent it aid, And gods of conqu'rors, slaves of subjects made: She, midst the lightning's blaze, and thunder's sound, When rocked the mountains, and when groaned the ground,[1375] She taught the weak to bend, the proud to pray, 251 To pow'r unseen, and mightier far than they: She, from the rending earth and bursting skies, Saw gods descend, and fiends infernal rise:[1376] Here fixed the dreadful, there the bless'd abodes; 255 Fear made her devils, and weak hope her gods; Gods partial, changeful, passionate, unjust, Whose attributes were rage, revenge, or lust;[1377] Such as the souls of cowards might conceive, And, formed like tyrants, tyrants would believe.[1378] 260 Zeal then, not charity, became the guide; And hell was built on spite, and heav'n on pride. Then sacred seemed th' ethereal vault no more;[1379] Altars grew marble then, and reeked with gore:[1380] Then first the Flamen[1381] tasted living food;[1382] 265 Next his grim idol smeared with human blood;[1383] With heav'n's own thunders shook the world below, And played the god an engine on his foe.[1384] [Sidenote: The influence of self-love operating to the social and public good.] So drives self-love, through just, and through unjust, To one man's pow'r, ambition, lucre, lust: 270 The same self-love, in all, becomes the cause Of what restrains him, government and laws.[1385] For what one likes, if others like as well, What serves one will, when many wills rebel? How shall he keep, what, sleeping or awake, 275 A weaker may surprise, a stronger take?[1386] His safety must his liberty restrain: All join to guard what each desires to gain. Forced into virtue thus by self-defence, Ev'n kings learned justice and benevolence: 280 Self-love forsook the path it first pursued, And found the private in the public good.[1387] [Sidenote: Restoration of true religion and government on their first principle.]