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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	canonical_a	scripture_n	2,660	5	5.8456	4	true

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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 Scriptures receiue authoritie from the Church and the sense thereof onely subiect vnto her That the Vulgar Latin translation is only to be admitted as authenticall That the Scriptures be imperfect and are not the certaine rule of faith That there are traditions besides for perfecting the Scriptures and to bee receiued with equall authoritie with Scriptures III. Of the Church That the Catholike Church is not the company onely of Gods elect people That the Church of Rome cannot erre IV. Of the Pope Where is Scripture to proue that Peter was at Rome and Bishop there twenty fiue yeeres That he was to be appointed Vicar of Christ That the Pope is the vniuersall Bishop That he onely is Peters successour and Christs Vicar That he cannot erre è Cathedra That he is aboue Councels That hee may depose Kings from their temporall estates and dispose of their Kingdomes That he can dispense with sinnes against the plaine Law of God That he can set soules free out of torments after this life V. Of the Clergie and Ecclesiasticall persons In what place of Scripture is it taught that there be Popes Cardinals and Popish Prelates like Princes That there are now Priests to whom a speciall Office of Priesthood is assigned That there bee seuen degrees thereof That a man is now appointed in the time of the Gospell to offer sacrifices daily for the quicke and the dead That all Churchmen so called are to liue vnmarried That a Monasticall life is the best estate That Ecclesiasticall persons are exempt from secular authority VI. Of the Sacraments Where doth the Scripture teach that Baptisme is to bee administred with Chrisme Oyle Coniuring Salt Spittle That there is such a spirituall kindred betweene the Witnesses and the party baptized as also betwixt the Parents and Children of those Witnesses as it hindreth marriage without a dispensation betwixt one another though there be otherwise no kindred either of affinity or consanguinity That Iesus Christ is bodily and wholly as he is Man borne of the Virgin Mary in the Sacrament the Bread being turned into his Flesh That it is a sacrifice for the quick and the dead That the Cake is to bee reserued and carryed about in pompe and that all are to fall downe to it and worship it That it is to bee administred but in one kind That the Lay people must not take it but gape and eate it That the Priest that saith Masse must haue a shauen Crowne haue his Amice Girdle Aube Manuple Stole Chesible and other pretended holy vestments That he must vse such crossings turning duckings liftings whisperings gapings minglings of wine and water such lickings and other variety of stagelike gestures VII Of Prayer That it must be in Latine That not God onely but Saints may be prayed vnto That the dead are to be prayed for That it is lawfull to pray by number to say the same 150. times and to pray vpon Beades VIII Of Worship What written Word teacheth that Diuine Seruice is to bee said onely in the Latine Tongue That Saints and their Reliques are to be adored That Images and Pictures are to be in Churches for adoration sake and to be Lay-mens bookes IX Of the Virgin Mary That she was borne without sinne That she is the Queene of Heauen the Lady of the World That she is diuinely to be worshipped That shee is to haue her proper seruice and her Aue Maries X. Of the Church or Temple the place of publike worship What Scripture that Belles are to bee baptized That there must bee Altars Veiles Holy-water Holy-ashes Palmes and many such trumperies That children dying without Baptisme are not to be buried in the Church-yard and that there is for their soules a Limbus Infantium XI Of dayes Where doe the Apostles teach that there are such a number of Holy-dayes as be in that Religion That a speciall Holinesse is to be put in the obseruation of dayes That dayes and times are to bee set apart to the worship of Saints XII Of meates Where in Scripture reade they that there is such a difference of meates as the obseruation of such a difference at some times is more holy then at other some times All these differences are humane inuentions without warrant of Scriptures Now let them shew that any of these sorts of Martyrs beleeued and professed these differences if they cannot then the conclusion is good that they were not their Martyrs by these differences but in common still ours as well as theirs III. If these differences be but a very patchery of Heresies Iudaisme and Paganisme then in respect thereof they cannot be their Martyrs for Martyrs suffered for none of these three but in detestation thereof were grieuously persecuted by Iewes Pagans and Heretikes But the anticedent is most true as our learned men haue made it manifest For Heresies Bish Morton Doct. Whitacres Gab. Powel and Doctor Willet For Iudaisme Doctor Raynolds hath sufficiently manifested it and somewhat of Paganisme But for this reade Thom. Moresin Doctor of Physick his whole booke called Papatus printed at Edenburgh and Gab. Powel on the first Chapter to the Romanes For all three see a late published booke called The three Conformities And therefore in respect of these differences being hereticall Iewish and Paganish these Martyrs are none of their Martyrs neither did their sufferings make good any whit this their now present Religion IV. If these differences from our Religion doe offer violence to the three Offices of Christ and make their publike worship in many things blasphemous and idolatrous then in respect of such differences they are not their Martyrs But the antecedent is true Ergo the consequent To proue the antecedent Doctor Fownes hath lately of purpose set forth his Trisagion wherein he hath sufficiently confirmed it out of their publike Missaes Breuiaries Portuses Rosaries Liturgies Psalters Primers and Manuals of prayers to which I referre the Reader for full satisfaction And doe conclude therefore that these blessed Martyrs were none of theirs by vertue of these differences V. If many of these differences of theirs be not only besides Scripture without warrant from thence as before is shewed but also flat against Scripture and against our common tenents agreed vpon betweene vs and them then in respect of these differences they are not their Martyrs For they did not suffer for those things which were against Scripture and the common tenents of Christianity wherein we and our Aduersaries doe agree If they dare affirme this let them giue instances thereof But many of these their differences are against Scripture and against the common tenents of Christianity in which we both agree Which being so these their differences can be no part of Christianity because they be against both the rule and also against the grounds of Christianity Therefore the consequence is true That there are such differences betweene vs I instance for proofe in these ensuing That the Scriptures are

together with vs yet are deadly enemies to the effectuall operation thereof denying the power of it and deriding such as striue to liue strictly and would expresse the liuely vertue and force of it What diuisions what varietie of sects and schismes haue and doe yet hinder the growth of our Religion And lastly these last Enemies of it the Papists vnder that Antichrist of Rome against whom if God himselfe had not fought and vpheld our Religion they had ere this vtterly extinguished it And who will denie this that seriously considereth our simplicitie and their deepe policie our too much distractions their strong combination our small strength their great power our meane estates their abundance of wealth and treasures our more then supine carelesnesse their continuall watchfulnesse and daily endeuours which possibly Satan can put into their hearts to root out our holy profession as by their cruell Inquisition mercilesse persecution barbarous Massacres horrible Treasons vniust Inuasions bloody Warres the neuer to be forgotten Gunpowder plot killing of Kings faithlesse and treacherous dealings playing fast and loose with vs by lying Equiuocations and mentall Reseruations in all couenants promises and oathes besides their shamelesse belying our persons foule and false taxing vs of errours and heresies imputed to our doctrine and Religion Libertinisme Atheisme and other abominations their flattering of Kings and suggestion of falshoods of disloyaltie against such as they find best affected to our Religion their politike framing of their religion for worldly respects to euery mans humor to entangle the sooner mens minds to get the more to them besides all those hellish deuices before mentioned in the first argument among which is the corrupting of Fathers and the Writings of learned men both old and new that so we might be altogether destitute of all humane testimonies to witnesse with vs or any helpe of man but to be left to stand as indeed wee doe by the hand of God the onely Author of our Faith and Religion and the onely blessed Preseruer of the same hitherto before Luther was borne who now also euen in these troublesome times doth keepe it on foote against all the power and policie of our Enemies praysed bee his holy Name for euer and euer Amen If our Aduersaries thinke that here is all that can be said for vs or that onely we can thus prooue our Religion they are much deceiued for much more may bee said and also otherwise euen by Historie may our Religion and the Professours be shewed at large This for the present is onely to confirme such as in our Church truly feare God and make conscience of their wayes for such doers of Gods will shall know whether this doctrine be of God or no Ioh. 7.17 THE AVTHORS FARTHER HELPE TO stay the honest-hearted Protestant from Apostacie WEl-disposed Reader thou hast an answer to the question Where our Religion was before Luther If yet further they aske thee Where were the Professors thereof also before this time Thou mayst thence shape them this answere Euen where the Apostles and Apostolicall men did teach it and where Saints professed it and Martyrs dyed for it It is not so difficult a matter as they would make the world beleeue to bring forth in euery Age the Professours of this our Christian Faith A harder and a more impossible taske is it for them to prooue from Christ and his Apostles who and where the persons were that in euery Age made an intire profession of euery point which now this their present Romish Church teacheth and practiseth We will doe the former if they will faithfully performe this latter They haue set out as they call it a Catalogue of chiefe Pastors Generall Councels and Catholike Professors of which they much glory seducing therewith the simple and vnaduised They doe begin with Christ then follow they on with Saint Peter and other Bishops of Rome on the one side on the other they place the Virgin Marie Iohn Baptist Saint Iohn the Apostle with other Apostles and Euangelists then they reckon vp Christian Churches as the Romans Corinthians Galatians and the rest to whom Saint Paul and Saint Peter wrote and so they run on along to the end Now this is it that thou shouldest demand of them and put them to proue whether Christ and his Apostles taught and all the rest there mentioned did learne and practise all that the Church of Rome now doth If they can shew this but in the first hundred of yeeres professe thou to be satisfied and not to require farther after a continuall succession in the Ages following Presse this home to them stand onely vpon this this is plaine dealing to begin with them where they begin And if they will not indeuour to satisfie thee in this certainely the Catalogue of the names of Christ of his Apostles and the rest in the Primitiue Church are put onely in the forefront to coozen thee if they can For will they begin it with Christ Saint Peter and the rest and yet not proue them of their present Religion If they can why doe they it not Why doe they seeke to put it off If they cannot why claime they these for the authors and maintainers of this their present Romish Religion I say their present Romish Religion because there is a great difference betweene the Religion once at Rome in the Apostles dayes and the Religion of Rome now that of the Church then this of the Court and faction there now And here I pray thee wel vnderstand this one thing to wit what they meane by their Religion as we also doe by our Religion we neither side took it only for that wherein we both do agree but chiefely because of the distinct differences thereof either from the other this obserue that thou mayst not be deceiued by the Catalogue And the better to cleare thy iudgement therein let them shew thee that Iesus Christ that also his Apostles with the rest in the first hundred of yeeres taught not onely that wherein wee and they doe agree for so they gaine nothing to themselues but the Catalogue therein serues for vs aswell as for them but also that they taught and obserued all their now present differences from vs as for example let them shew that then was taught and the Churches learned I. To picture the holy Trinitie to make Images to worship them to adore the Virgin Marie as our Lady and the Queene of Heauen also to pray vnto other Saints and Angels and to adore their Images and Reliques II. To hold the Scriptures to be imperfect and obscure that the Apocryphall bookes were of diuine Authoritie the Latine Translation was to bee authenticall that Traditions were to be added to perfit the Scriptures concerning necessarie matters of saluation that the authoritie of the holy Scriptures doth depend vpon the authoritie of the Church that they are not to be made so free as to be read and studied of all without licence III.