remain,
  Like those which yet the jarring Jews maintain. 
  No written laws can be so plain, so pure,
  But wit may gloss, and malice may obscure;
  Not those indited by his first command, 320
  A prophet graved the text, an angel held his hand. 
  Thus faith was ere the written word appear’d,
  And men believed not what they read, but heard. 
  But since the apostles could not be confined
  To these, or those, but severally design’d
  Their large commission round the world to blow,
  To spread their faith, they spread their labours too. 
  Yet still their absent flock their pains did share;
  They hearken’d still, for love produces care,
  And, as mistakes arose, or discords fell, 330
  Or bold seducers taught them to rebel,
  As charity grew cold, or faction hot,
  Or long neglect their lessons had forgot,
  For all their wants they wisely did provide,
  And preaching by epistles was supplied: 
  So great physicians cannot all attend,
  But some they visit, and to some they send. 
  Yet all those letters were not writ to all;
  Nor first intended but occasional,
  Their absent sermons; nor if they contain 340
  All needful doctrines, are those doctrines plain. 
  Clearness by frequent preaching must be wrought: 
  They writ but seldom, but they daily taught. 
  And what one saint has said of holy Paul,
  “He darkly writ,” is true, applied to all. 
  For this obscurity could Heaven provide
  More prudently than by a living guide,
  As doubts arose, the difference to decide? 
  A guide was therefore needful, therefore made;
  And, if appointed, sure to be obey’d. 350
  Thus, with due reverence to the Apostle’s writ,
  By which my sons are taught, to which submit;
  I think those truths their sacred works contain,
  The Church alone can certainly explain;
  That following ages, leaning on the past,
  May rest upon the Primitive at last. 
  Nor would I thence the Word no rule infer,
  But none without the Church-interpreter. 
  Because, as I have urged before, ’tis mute,
  And is itself the subject of dispute. 360
  But what the Apostles their successors taught,
  They to the next, from them to us is brought,
  The undoubted sense which is in Scripture sought. 
  From hence the Church is arm’d, when errors rise,
  To stop their entrance, and prevent surprise;
  And, safe entrench’d within, her foes without defies. 
  By these all festering sores her Councils heal,
  Which time or has disclosed, or shall reveal;
  For discord cannot end without a last appeal. 
  Nor can a Council national decide, 370
  But with subordination to her guide;
  (I wish the cause were on that issue tried.)