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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73011	Looke beyond Luther: or An ansvvere to that question, so often and so insultingly proposed by our aduersaries, asking vs; where this our religion was before Luthers time? VVhereto are added sound props to beare vp honest-hearted Protestants, that they fall not from their sauing-faith. By Richard Bernard, of Batcombe in Sommersetshire.	Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.	1623 (1623)	STC 1956.3; ESTC S123041	43,757	64

TO THAT QVESTION SO often and so insultingly proposed by our Aduersaries asking vs Where this our Religion was before Luthers time IT is a common question and often propounded by Papists in an insulting manner ouer vs Where our Religion was before Luthers time As though wee could not answere to the demand nor fetch our Religion from any more ancient or better Author but they are deceiued in both And that I may not be tedious in prefacing I answer I. It was and is written and contained in the holy Scriptures the Canonicall Books of the old and new Testament II. The same hath been and is written in the hearts of Gods people such as the Lord from time to time effectually hath called according to euerie mans measure as they haue bin taught it and learned it out of those books of holy Scripture For this must we know that no other doctrine of Christian Religion was or is written in mens hearts by Gods Spirit then that which the same Spirit inspired the Pen-men of the Scriptures to write in those Bookes The necessarie truths of doctrine therein contained as God had promised hath he written in the hearts of his people Ier. 31.33 34. 2. Cor. 3.3 And for these ends that they might know God and know him to be their God and they his people Ier. 31.33 34. that they might make profession thereof and obediently set themselues to the practice of that his blessed will Ezech. 11.19 20. 36.26 27. III. That it was also written in learned mens labours agreeing with those holy Bookes as they found the truth therein taught vnto them by the Prophets and Apostles So as the doctrine of our Religion is no other then that which the Scriptures doe teach the Church and true People of God haue beleeued and professed nor no other then that which is to be found in the writings of y e holy ancient Fathers and of learned men before euer Luther was borne That our Religion was thus before Luthers time I proue by these ensuing reasons I. Argument From holy Scriptures wherein our Religion is written and taught in euery point THat Religion which is in all and euerie point thereof written and prescribed in holy Scriptures the Canonical books of the old and new Testament was before Luthers time For the Scriptures were written many hundred yeeres before Luther was in beeing and the Pen-men thereof had a care to practise the same But this our present Religion in all and euerie point thereof wherein we differ from our Aduersaries is written and prescribed in the holy Scriptures the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament as is in euery particular point prooued exactly by those of our side And therefore was it before Luthers time The Minor I thus prooue I. By the publike Records of our Church here at home as the publike authorized Catechisme shorter and larger by the booke of Homilies by the book of Articles and our booke of Common-prayer Out of which wherein soeuer we differ from our Aduersaries nothing is found besides as wanting warrant of Scripture much lesse any thing contrarie thereunto but euery thing grounded vpon and fully agreeing with the same II. By Gods Spirit the Author of the Scriptures which doth further our Religion in the hearts of the people through the reading and interpreting thereof which the Spirit of God would not doe if our Religion were not that which the Scriptures teach For would the Author of the one approue of the other if they were not both one If hee should further a Religion contrarie to the Scripture hee should be contrary to himselfe allowing and making good that in mens hearts by inward operation which he hath disallowed by the Scriptures which are of his diuine inspiration It is euident to all that are read in the Scriptures that they condemne all Heathenish al Heretical and Idolatrous Religion likewise all will-worship all vaine inuentions of men the seruing of God by humane traditions by the precepts and doctrines of men so as if our Religion were any such Gods Spirit would not grace it nor so knit mens harts vnto it nor so effectually worke by it in mens consciences nor so perswade vnto it as he daily doth by the Scriptures If they shall denie that Gods Spirit doth any such thing as we suppose I would faine know of them what other spirit it possibly may be that doth so leade men to esteeme so much the Scriptures doth excite men to the studie of them and to make them the onely rule of doctrine and life to heare belieue rest and delight in them and so to worship God onely as herein he requireth to be worshipped and to reiect whatsoeuer is not warranted by them in euery necessarie point of faith And that onely vpon this perswasion that the Scriptures are Gods word that they are endited by his Spirit and written by his holy Prophets and Apostles If this be not the Spirit of God which doth thus magnifie the holy Scriptures in the heart of euery sound Christian what spirit then is it Certainely it must bee either the Spirit of God or of Man or of the Deuill But neither of these two latter therefore the former I. It is not the spirit of man that can and doth thus worke for first the spirit of man perceiueth not the things of God till Gods Spirit acquaint him with them Secondly they be foolishnesse vnto him Thirdly his wisdome is enmitie with God so as Gods wisdome in diuine mysteries and mans wisdome can neuer agree in one Fourthly the spirit of man sauoureth the things of the flesh and not of the Spirit of God Fifthly his heart is continually euil till he be regenerate Sixthly and lastly it is euidently knowne by too much miserable experience that man loueth not the studie of the Scriptures he cannot delight in them hee cannot away to frame his life after them euery one that hath any sparke of diuine knowledge knoweth this to bee true from his owne naturall corruption both in himselfe and others also Now can any reasonable-minded man thinke that such an auerse spirit as is in man so disaffecting the holy Scriptures and the studie thereof that it can be that Spirit which perswadeth and draweth men contrary to it corrupt selfe to embrace that Religion which is grounded vpon the Scriptures and to presse to the obedience thereof Yea can it bee mans spirit that worketh loue to such a Religion which so opposeth mans corruption as the worldly wise Politician derideth it the pleasurable man hateth it the greedy of gaine cannot abide to bee ruled by it and the haughtie spirit which hunteth after the pride of life hath it in great contempt so as none in very deed but onely such as doe denie themselues doe forsake the world and can bee well contented to take vp their crosse and follow Christ either can or will embrace the same II. It is not the spirit of Satan For although hee

the people vpon the King as a Father to looke to his children to call them to the Faith and Law of Christ and to the holy Church hereby acknowledging the King to bee the supreme Head and Gouernour in all causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and to be Gods Vicar in his owne Realme which title that Bishop twice nameth in that Epistle Thus we see out of this short Epistle what we may thinke of the Religion then at Rome and how agreeing to ours now and differing from theirs at this present The third conuersion for which they magnifie so much this Austin but very falsely was in Gregorie the Great his dayes In which time though many corruptions were crept into the Church of Rome yet the maine points of our differences wherein we differ from this present Romish superstition were then taught in that Church as may appeare out of the writings of Gregorie as he did then teach concerning holy Scriptures the grace of God of Freewill of the Law of iustification of Faith of good Workes also concerning the not worshipping of Images likewise of the acknowledging of the two Sacraments also his iudgement of the Church of the head of the Church of Antichrist of an vniuersall Bishop of secular power ouer Bishops of Marriage of soules departed and whither they went Gregorie was no Patrone of the Romish Masse nor of the corporall and transubstantiated bread nor of merit nor of Papall supremacy nor of temporall iurisdiction ouer Kings and Emperours nor of the necessitie of Ceremonies alike in euery Church Gregorie held not the Machabees canonicall but taught the perfection of Canonicall Scripture he exhorted Lay men to the studie of them and in his time the Scriptures were allowed and prayers were said in a knowne and vulgar tongue he held the Catholike Church to be the elect and the reprobate out of it and was against marriages within degrees forbidden Leuit. 18. Thus we see that at the three conuersions our Religion now and that at Rome then was one and the same Neither can our aduersaries shew the contrary from Scripture from the vniforme consent of ancient Fathers either Greeke or Latine or from generall Councels within those times no nor from the Bishops of Rome themselues for that space if they will make conscience to deale squarely plainly and honestly in their proofes And that they may so doe I would entreate to lay aside first all counterfeite Decretall Epistles such as those be which are ascribed to the Bishops of Rome in the first 300 yeeres as our learned men haue prooued both by reasons and from the testimonie of the learned among them Secondly those partly corrupted and partly also counterfeit Decretall Epistles in the next 300. yeeres Thirdly all the counterfeite and corrupt Canons of Councels Fourthly all the bastard writings put vpon the ancient Fathers Fifthly the places corrupted in any of their writings If they will cast off this great and wicked deceite in alleaging these for themselues the truth of my assertion That this our Religion was then at Rome and not this their present Romish faith will manifestly appeare to all men not wilfully blinded for by and worldly respects Lastly the Christian Religion first planted in Ireland was before Austins comming in hither For as is afore spoken Scottish and Irish Christian Bishops withstood him at his comming But that which was then receiued and professed by the ancient Irish was for substance the very same which is now here in England by publike authoritie maintained as is substantially proued by a godly learned Father in all Antiquities of the Church the Lord Bishop of Meeth to which I referre euery Reader which desireth to bee satisfied in theirs and our agreement about Scripture translations predestination freewill the Law sinne free remission of sins iustification by faith onely imperfection of sanctification merit purgatory and soules departed about Gods worship Images the Masse communicating in both kinds and the mysticall receiuing of the Sacrament That Learned man doth shew how wee and they doe agree in all these things which are the most maine points of faith betwixt our aduersaties and vs. And therefore I conclude from this and all that formerly hath been produced in this fifth Argument that this our present Religion was heere in this Iland before Austines time VI. Argument From God the Author and continuall Preseruer of our Religion against all oppositions THat Religion which is of God was before Luthers time for that which is of God cannot bee ascribed to man nor so new as the late dayes of Luther For the true Religion is the most ancient and this is the good way to be found in the old wayes and not in new inuentions and new by-paths But our Religion is of God which I thus prooue It was taught by the Prophets and Apostles messengers of God the Prophets were sent by him 2. Chron. 36.16 2. King 17.13 Ier. 25.4 by whom God spake Heb. 1.1 and they taught and wrote as the holy Ghost directed them 2. Pet. 1.21 2. Tim. 3.25 The Apostles were sent of God Matth. 10.5 Mark 16.16 Gal. 1.1 12. and spake as God by his Spirit directed them Matth. 10.20 Ioh. 14.26 These were the publishers of our Religion both in the common truthes of our Christianitie as also in the differences from our aduersaries And for proofe wee appeale to the Apostles and Prophets extant writings Our Religion is written in those holy Scriptures the Booke of God as before is prooued It is propagated and preserued by such meanes as be ordained of God of which also before It is receiued beleeued conscience made of it onely by the operation of the Spirit of God It bringeth men to the true knowledge of God to beleeue onely in God to worship onely God onely to honour God and to be ruled onely after the will of God It s onely vpheld and preserued by Gods and not by mans power This will easily bee granted if men consider what weake meanes in mans iudgement hath spred it abroad and brought it into esteeme with such as professe it truly to wit onely preaching praying and constantly suffering in the defence thereof Also the small number and meanenesse of the persons for the most part which haue from the dayes of Iesus Christ made profession thereof and withall the little worldly policy vsed for helpe to support it But on the other side if the enemies thereof be well considered who haue continued from the beginning of the Gospell perpetually endeuouring to vndermine our Religion euery one will yeeld it to be the very hand of God that maintaineth it The multitude of them out of the Church are infinite as Iewes Gentiles Saracens Turkes and a world of other Infidels The Heretikes which haue risen vp and gone out from the true Church and haue laboured to shake the very foundation of our Christian Faith very many The Hypocrites and prophane are too many which professing the same