Needless, or needful, I not now contend,
  For still you have a loop-hole for a friend;
  Rejoin’d the matron:  but the rule you lay
  Has led whole flocks, and leads them still astray,
  In weighty points, and full damnation’s way. 
  For did not Arius first, Socinus now, 150
  The Son’s Eternal Godhead disavow? 
  And did not these by gospel texts alone
  Condemn our doctrine, and maintain their own? 
  Have not all heretics the same pretence
  To plead the Scriptures in their own defence? 
  How did the Nicene Council then decide
  That strong debate? was it by Scripture tried? 
  No, sure; to that the rebel would not yield;
  Squadrons of texts he marshall’d in the field: 
  That was but civil war, an equal set, 160
  Where piles with piles[112], and eagles eagles met. 
  With texts point-blank and plain he faced the foe. 
  And did not Satan tempt our Saviour so? 
  The good old bishops took a simpler way;
  Each ask’d but what he heard his father say,
  Or how he was instructed in his youth,
  And by tradition’s force upheld the truth.

   The Panther smiled at this; and when, said she,
  Were those first Councils disallow’d by me? 
  Or where did I at sure Tradition strike, 170
  Provided still it were apostolic?

   Friend, said the Hind, you quit your former ground,
  Where all your faith you did on Scripture found: 
  Now ’tis Tradition join’d with Holy Writ;
  But thus your memory betrays your wit.

   No, said the Panther, for in that I view,
  When your tradition’s forged, and when ’tis true. 
  I set them by the rule, and, as they square,
  Or deviate from, undoubted doctrine there,
  This oral fiction, that old faith declare. 180

   Hind:  The Council steer’d, it seems, a different course;
  They tried the Scripture by Tradition’s force: 
  But you Tradition by the Scripture try;
  Pursued by sects, from this to that you fly,
  Nor dare on one foundation to rely. 
  The Word is then deposed, and in this view,
  You rule the Scripture, not the Scripture you. 
  Thus said the dame, and, smiling, thus pursued: 
  I see Tradition then is disallow’d,
  When not evinced by Scripture to be true, 190
  And Scripture, as interpreted by you. 
  But here you tread upon unfaithful ground;
  Unless you could infallibly expound: 
  Which you reject as odious Popery,
  And throw that doctrine back with scorn on me. 
  Suppose we on things traditive divide,
  And both appeal to Scripture to decide;
  By various texts we both uphold our claim,
  Nay, often ground our titles on the same: 
  After long labour lost, and time’s expense, 200
  Both grant the words, and quarrel for