A rod for Rom[e] or, a description of the Popish clerg[y] their Popes, cardinals, Jesuites, monks, fryers,[-] in their proper colours.

A ROD FOR ROM● OR , A Description of the Popish Clerg● Their Popes , Cardinals , Iesuites , Monks , Fryers , 〈…〉 IN THEIR PROPER COLOURS . DEscribe the Romish Jesuites , who can do 't ? 't is just , To fit a Shooe to th' Devils Foot ; Proteus Appear'd not in such Various Shapes , Woolves , Lyons , Tygers , Spaniels , Foxes , Apes : Gross Ignorance with Deepest Policy Conjoyn'd , make up that Babel-Hierarchy , Their Towering Pride from feigned Meekness springs , Servants of Servants Lord it over Kings : Indulgence-Graunters , yet Deaf to Complaints , Worship Christ's Picture , but Devour his Saints : Strange Ridling Monsters ! too late Understood Tongues tipt with Oyl , but Hands begor'd with Blood . Let whoso will Romes Syren Anthems sing , And Fancy Popery a Toothless thing ; Applaud the Zeal of Holy Church , and swear True Love and Charity dwell only there : Who trusts and tries , shall find , I dare engage , A Lyon's still a Lyon , though in a Cage ; From their Tryumphant Seats could we bring down Those pious souls whom Bonner's Rage did Crown With cruel Martyrdom in Mary's Days , Summon the Brave Coligni's Ghost , or Raise Spirits , from their dear Bodies forc'd to flee I' th Irish , or the Piedmont Massacree : They'd tell another tale ; there we might view The true Idaea's of th' Ignatian Crew : Their Pope upon Mens slavish Necks is bourn , As if his Feet to touch the Ground did scorn : Simons Successor he Pretends to be , And why ? He gets the Place by Simony ; For subtle Cardinals in Conclave met , Can six to one on next Election Bett ; And yet with Confidence still boldly Boast Prevailing Faction , as the Holy-Ghost ; As if that Blessed and Peace-Breathing-Dove , Would with the Interests of such Vultures move ; They say He 's more than Man , than a God less , What can we then Him but a Devil guess ? He bears the Keys of Heaven and Hell in Course , But uses bo●● as Pick-locks for the Purse , A wondrous Doctrine of the New Edition , Live as you list , Money shall gain Remission ; For Gold you may as due challenge Salvation , And purchase Works of Superoragation ; Romes faith was rumor'd once the world throughout , How hath she now Justled that Gospel out ? Paul made her flourish with truth's Purity , But now Traditions , Beads , Idolatry , Mass , Merits , Pardons , these thy traffick are , Running from Christ after a Falling-star ; Once a bright Candle , now a stinking snuff , A Room where Satan stows his Houshould-stuff : Yet still she doth the rotten Casket Boast , When all the Antient Gems are chang'd , or lost ; Her Cardinals but Parish-Priests of old , To take the Wall of Princes now are bold : And by their Acts their Scarlet-Caps we find Unhappy Emblems of their Sanguine mind ; With State-Affairs they mix Holy Intrigues , Yet can absolve from the most Sacred Leagues : In dark Caballs they Plot unthought of Jarrs , On Christendome Intailing endless Wars ; Their stately Convents , Abbies , Monastries , Religious Coney-Burrows , Nunneries ; And Cloyster-Walls , what are they all at once , But Nests of Folly , Hives of Idle Drones ; And yet not wholly Idle , for sometimes We find them Busie , but in Cursed Crimes , Inventing Gun-powder , and with that Breath Of Hell , to send at Once whole States to Death ; Or Plotting by slow Poisons , or bold Knife , To Cut the Thread of some Brave Monarchs Life . Thus all their Monks of different sorts become In every Realm stout Janizar's for Rome ; Whom Kings , the Churches Interest to Inlarge Against themselves , Maintain at their own Charge : Could we withdraw the Vail , how might we spy Their private Haunts , forbid to Layman's Eye ; In close Confessions what rare tricks are done 'Twixt Jolly Fryar and more Buxome Nun ; But above all the Jesuite Out-Rants The sillier Swarms of Cheating Mendicants . For State-Intrigues the Famous Matchiavel He counts an Ass , Dunces Achitophel : By faigned Miracles and Reliaues vain , They seek your Soul , but rat●●● Gold to gain , Whereby their Priests plump oncubines maintain . The Jesuite for this Opens his Pack In every Town ; Come see , What is 't You Lack ? Here 's holy Wood , and Wonder-working Bones , More holy Blood , and Consecrated Stones : The Virgins Linnen , and her Growing Hair , Pails of her Milk , besides her Picture Fair , Drawn by St. Luke , they can expose to view , Still finding those that will believe them too : Produce your Pence , and presently they bring A Feather of the Angel Gabriels Wing ; Here 's some of that Broil'd Fish which Christ did Eat , Rare Cooks that can so long preserve such Meat : This th' Asses Tail on which our Lord did Ride , And what are these , can such fond Tales abide ? Yet well they may , who stranger things beleive , Done every Day when they the Host receive . Stand back dull Protestants , confess and tell , You have not found such Faith in Israel ; That every Shaveling Priest in sin partaker , Can by five words at Pleasure Make his Maker : Nay make a thousand Makers in an Hour , And them again as soon as made Devour : Right Canniballs ! yet herein worse by odds , Those only Eat their Brethren , these their Gods .