Those spider-saints, that hang by threads
Spun out o' th' entrails of their heads.

Sir, quoth the voice, that may as true
And properly be faid of you,

Whose talents may compare with either, 1465
Or both the other put together :
For all the Independents do,

Is only what you forc'd 'em to;
You, who are not content alone
With tricks to put the devil down,
But must have armies rais'd to back
The gospel-work you undertake ;
As if artillery and edge-tools,
Were th' only engines to save souls:
While he, poor devil, has no pow'r,
By force, to run down and devour;
Has ne'er a claffis, cannot fentence
To stools, or poundage of repentance;

1470

1475

Is ty'd up only to design

T'entice, and tempt, and undermine:
In which you all his arts outdo,
And prove yourselves his betters too.
Hence 'tis poffeffions do less evil
Than mere temptations of the devil,
Which, all the horrid'ft actions done,

1480

1485

Are charg'd in courts of law upon;

Because, unless they help the elf,
He can do little of himself;

And, therefore, where he 's best possest

Acts most against his interest ;

1490

Surprises none but those who 've priests
To turn him out, and exorcifts,
Supply'd with spiritual provision,
And magazines of ammunition;
With croffes, relics, crucifixes,

1495

Beads, pictures, rofaries, and pixes;

The tools of working our falvation

By mere mechanic operation:

With holy water, like a fluice,
To overflow all avenues:

But those who 're utterly unarm'd,

T'oppose his entrance, if he storm'd,
He never offers to surprise,
Altho' his falfeft enemies;

But is content to be their drudge,
And on their errands glad to trudge :
For where are all your forfeitures
Entrusted in safe hands, but ours?

Who are but jailers of the holes

1500

1505

And dungeons where you clap up fouls; 1510 Like underkeepers, turn the keys,

T' your mittimus anathemas,

And never bogle to restore

The members you deliver o'er

Upon demand, with fairer justice,
Than all your covenanting Trustees ;
Unless, to punish them the worse,
You put them in the fecular powers,
And pass their fouls, as fome demise

1515

The same estate in mortgage twice:
When to a legal utlegation

1520

You turn your excommunication,
And, for a groat unpaid that's due,
Distrain on foul and body too.

Thought he, 'tis no mean part of civil
State-prudence to cajole the devil,
And not to handle him too rough,
When he has us in his cloven hoof.

'Tis true, quoth he, that intercourse

1525

Has pafs'd between your friends and ours, 1530 That, as you truft us, in our way,

To raise your members, and to lay,

We send you others of our own,

Denounc'd to hang themselves, or drown,

Or, frighted with our oratory,

To leap down headlong many a story;
Have us'd all means to propagate
Your mighty interests of state,

Laid out our fp'ritual gifts to further

1535

Your great designs of rage and murther: 1540
For if the faints are nam'd from blood,
We onl' have made that title good;

And, if it were but in our power,

We should not fcruple to do more,
And not be half a foul behind

Of all Diffenters of mankind.

Right, quoth the voice, and, as I fcorn

1545

To be ungrateful, in return
Of all those kind good offices,

I'll free you out of this distress,

1550