The golden ballance of tryall VVherein the reader shall plainly and briefely behold, as in a glasse of crystall; aswell by what rule all controuersies in religion, are to be examined, as also who is, and of right ought to be the vpright iudge in that behalfe. Whereunto is also annexed a counterblast against a masked companion, terming himself E.O. but supposed to be Robert Parsons the trayterous Iesuite.

CAP. I. Of the Vncertainety of Iudgements, of all Bishoppes se∣uerally in themselues. (Book 1)

THE Prophet Dauid sheweth plainely the vncertainty of Iudgement,* 1.1 when he telleth vs, That all men are lyers: The Prophet Ieremie cryeth a∣loude,* 1.2 that the Gentiles in the end of the world shall come to him, and shall freely confesse, that their fore-fathers inherited lyes and vanitie.* 1.3 S. Paule confirmeth the same, telling vs, that onely God is true, and euery man a lyer. The Prophet Malachie sheweth the whole matter,* 1.4 to haue been verified in the Priestes of the old Law: His words are these: The Priestes lips shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hostes: but ye are

gone out of the way, ye haue caused many to fall by the law: yee haue broken the couenant of Le∣ui,* 1.5 saith the Lord of Hosts, yea this is it, that the Prophet Ezechiel saith, Then shall they seeke a vi∣sion of the Prophet, but the Law shall perish from the priest,* 1.6 & counsel from the Elders. The prophet Esay sayth, The priest and the prophet haue erred by strong drink, they are swallowed vp with wine, they haue gone astray through strong drinke, they faile in vision,* 1.7 they stumble in iudgement: this is it, that Michah saieth: The Heades thereof iudge for rewardes, and the priestes thereof teach for hire, & the prophets thereof prophesie for money: This is it that the prophet Sophonie sayeth;* 1.8 Her prophets are light and wicked persons, her priestes haue pol∣luted the Sanctuarie, they haue wrested the law.

This vncertainety of iudgement cannot be de∣nied: For Tertullian erred, Montanizinge, Cyprian, Rebaptizinge, Origen, Cerporizinge, Nazianzen, An∣gelizinge, Eusebius, Arrianizinge, Lactantius, Mil∣lenizinge, and the like may bee verified of all the Residue.

The sentence of two learned papistes, highlie renowned in the Church of Rome, shall conclude my Theame.* 1.9 Iohn Fisher the late Bishop of Ro∣chester, hath these expresse wordes: Nec Augustini, nec Hieronymi, nec alterius cutuslibet auctoris doctrinae sic ecclesia subscripsit, quin ipsi locis aliquot ab iis liceat dissentire, nam in nonnullis ipsi locis se planè monstrarunt homines esse, atque nonnunquam aberrasse.

The Church hath not so subscribed, eyther to

the doctrine of Austen, or of Hierome, or of any other Writer, but that we may somtime dissent from their opinions; for themselues haue plainely shewed themselues to bee men, and that they wanted not their errours: the Iesuite Ballarmine hath these wordes; Sine dubio singuli Episcopi errare possunt,* 1.10 & aliquando errant, & inter se quandoque dissentiunt, vt nesciamus quisnam eorum sequendus sit.

Without doubt, all Bishoppes seuerally may erre, and doe sometime erre indeed, and doe also sometime so dissent one from another, that we can∣not tell in the world, which of them we may safe∣ly follow.

Out of the wordes of these Writers, whereof the one was a learned Bishoppe, and a popish ca∣nonized Martyr, and the other a Iesuite and Po∣pish Fryer, who did dedicate his Booke to the Pope himselfe; I gather these singular documents. First, that the Church of Rome giueth euery one li∣berty [ 1] to dissent from Augustine, Hieromie, and other Writers whosoeuer. Secondly, that the Fathers [ 2] haue plainely shewed themselues to be men, and to haue had their imperfections accordingly. Third∣ly, [ 3] that many errours are to be found, in the wri∣tinges of the Fathers. Fourthly, that the Fathers [ 4] doe so dissent one from another, that wee cannot tell whome we may safely follow. These Fathers therefore seuerally may not be iudges in all matters of faith and religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 116. v. 11
• * 1.2

  Iere. 16. v.19.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 3. v. 4.
• * 1.4

  Mal. 1.8.
• * 1.5

  Ezech. 7 v. 26 & cap. 22. v. 26
• * 1.6

  Esa 28. v. 7.
• * 1.7

  Micah▪ 3. v. 11.
• * 1.8

  Soph. 3. v. 4.
• * 1.9

  Roffensis. art. 32. aduers. Luth. pag. 420.
• * 1.10

  Bellarm. de conciliis lib. ••. cap. 2.