Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/200

122 Where saints themselves are brought to stake For gospel-light, and conscience-sake; Expos'd to scribes and presbyters, Instead of mastiff dogs and curs; Than whom th' have less humanity, For these at souls of men will fly. This to the prophet did appear, Who in a vision saw a bear, Prefiguring the beastly rage Of church-rule, in this latter age: As is demonstrated at full By him that baited the pope's bull. Bears naturally are beasts of prey, That live by rapine; so do they. What are their orders, constitutions, Church-censures, curses, absolutions, But sev'ral mystic chains they make, To tie poor Christians to the stake? And then set heathen officers, Instead of dogs, about their ears. For to prohibit and dispense, To find out, or to make offence; Of hell and heav'n to dispose, To play with souls at fast and loose; To set what characters they please, And mulets on sin or godliness; Reduce the church to gospel-order, By rapine, sacrilege, and murder; To make presbytery supreme, And kings themselves submit to them;