The dame, who saw her fainting foe retired, With force renew'd, to victory aspired; And, looking upward to her kindred sky, As once our Saviour own'd his Deity, Pronounced his words:--"She whom ye seek am I," Nor less amazed this voice the Panther heard, Than were those Jews to hear a God declared. 400 Then thus the matron modestly renew'd: Let all your prophets and their sects be view'd, And see to which of them yourselves think fit The conduct of your conscience to submit: Each proselyte would vote his doctor best, With absolute exclusion to the rest: Thus would your Polish diet disagree, And end, as it began, in anarchy: Yourself the fairest for election stand, Because you seem crown-general of the land: 410 But soon against your superstitious lawn Some Presbyterian sabre would be drawn: In your establish'd laws of sovereignty The rest some fundamental flaw would see, And call rebellion gospel-liberty. To Church-decrees your articles require Submission modified, if not entire. Homage denied, to censures you proceed: But when Curtana[113] will not do the deed. You lay that pointless clergy-weapon by, 420 And to the laws, your sword of justice, fly. Now this your sects the more unkindly take (Those prying varlets hit the blots you make), Because some ancient friends of yours declare, Your only rule of faith the Scriptures are, Interpreted by men of judgment sound, Which every sect will for themselves expound; Nor think less reverence to their doctors due For sound interpretation, than to you. If then, by able heads, are understood 430 Your brother prophets, who reform'd abroad; Those able heads expound a wiser way, That their own sheep their shepherd should obey. But if you mean yourselves are only sound, That doctrine turns the Reformation round, And all the rest are false reformers found; Because in sundry points you stand alone, Not in communion join'd with any one; And therefore must be all the Church, or none. Then, till you have agreed whose judge is best, 440 Against this forced submission they protest: While sound and sound a different sense explains, Both play at hardhead till they break their brains; And from their chairs each other's force defy, While unregarded thunders vainly fly. I pass the rest, because your Church alone Of all usurpers best could fill the throne. But neither you, nor any sect beside, For this high office can be qualified, With necessary gifts required in such a guide. 450 For that which must direct the whole must be Bound in one bond of faith and unity: But all your several Churches disagree. The consubstantiating Church and priest Refuse communion to the Calvinist: The French reform'd from preaching you restrain,