From east to west triumphantly she rides, All shores are watered by her wealthy tides. The gospel-sound, diffused from pole to pole, Where winds can carry, and where waves can roll, The self-same doctrine of the sacred page Conveyed to every clime, in every age. Here let my sorrow give my satire place, To raise new blushes on my British race. Our sailing ships like common-sewers we use, } And through our distant colonies diffuse } The draught of dungeons, and the stench of stews;} Whom, when their home-bred honesty is lost, We disembogue on some far Indian coast, Thieves, pandars, palliards,[169] sins of every sort; Those are the manufactures we export, And these the missioners our zeal has made; } For, with my country's pardon, be it said, } Religion is the least of all our trade. } Yet some improve their traffic more than we;} For they on gain, their only god, rely, } And set a public price on piety. } ndustrious of the needle and the chart, They run full sail to their Japonian mart; Preventing fear, and, prodigal of fame, } Sell all of Christian to the very name,[170] } Nor leave enough of that to hide their naked shame.} Thus, of three marks, which in the creed we view, Not one of all can be applied to you; Much less the fourth. In vain, alas! you seek The ambitious title of apostolic:[171] God-like descent! 'tis well your blood can be Proved noble in the third or fourth degree; For all of ancient that you had before, } I mean what is not borrowed from our store,} Was error fulminated o'er and o'er; } Old heresies condemned in ages past, By care and time recovered from the blast.[172] 'Tis said with ease, but never can be proved, The church her old foundations has removed, And built new doctrines on unstable sands: Judge that, ye winds and rains! you proved her, yet she stands. Those ancient doctrines charged on her for new, Show, when, and how, and from what hands they grew. We claim no power, when heresies grow bold, To coin new faith, but still declare the old. How else could that obscene disease be purged, When controverted texts are vainly urged? To prove tradition new, there's somewhat more Required, than saying, 'twas not used before. Those monumental arms are never stirred, Till schism or heresy call down Goliah's sword. Thus, what you call corruptions, are, in truth, The first plantations of the gospel's youth; Old standard faith; but cast your eyes again, } And view those errors which new sects maintain, } Or which of old disturbed the church's peaceful reign;} And we can point each period of the time, When they began, and who begot the crime; Can calculate how long the eclipse endured,