Pray, Think, and Strive!

Wouldst thou be safe from those, who plead or sneer
Against the virtue of our ancient frame
Of thought, and noble models; wouldst thou claim
A full exemption from this modern Fear,
Pray, think, and strive! with God's good Book for guide:
Be proof against the sweet word or the scoff:
A light-laid faith will soon be lifted off
Into some scorner's nostrils, when his pride
Smells at your simple creed in free disdain;
Nor let the smile of gentler critics fix
Their spells upon you — they who deftly mix
Some Christian truth with errors black as Styx;
Charming to sleep the conscience and the brain,
Without the spleen of coarser heretics.