Look Beyond Luther, Title page – Dedication
Looke beyond Luther: OR AN ANSWERE TO THAT QVESTION, SO OFTEN AND SO INSVLTINGLY PROPOSED BY our Aduerſaries, asking vsus; Where this our Religion was before Luthers time?
WHERETO ARE ADDED SOVND PROPS TO BEARE vp honeſt-hearted Proteſtants, that they fall not from their ſauing-faith.
BY RICHARD BERNARD, OF Batcombe in Sommerſetſhire.
LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, and are to be ſold by Edmund Weauer, at his ſhop, at the great North-doore of Pauls. 1623.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, Sir WALTER ERLE, Sir CLEMENT COTTEREL, KNIGHTS: And to their vertuous Ladies, euerſoundneſſe of Faith, with the power of Religion and conſtancie, in both moſt heartie wiſhed.
Right Worſhipfull,
I Should maruell to ſee any once profeſsing the truth, to turne from the light vntounto darkenes, from the true Worſhip and Religion of Chriſt, to the ſuperſtition and idolatrie of Antichriſt, but that I read, that our firſt Parents beleeued Satan before God; that men louelove darkeneſſe more then the light, and that fornot louing the truth, and delighting in vnrighteouſneſſe, God giueth ſuch ouer to beleeue lyes, that they may bee damned. Could it elſe otherwiſe be, that ſo many in this ſo cleare light of Gods Goſpel, ſhould fall away? What hauehave our aduerſaries now more to pleade for their cauſe, then heretofore they hauehave had? What can they now ſay, which is not alreadie fully anſwered by our learned men? They put out indeed new bookes, new in regard of the writing and printing; but the reaſons one and the ſame in older written and printed bookes: this is in ſhew a putting of more ſtrength, to vphold their ruinous building, but not in ſubſtance: yet thus they beguile the ſimple and vnſtable-minded. By many waies they ſeeke to deceiue, and beguile people, but eſpecially by accuſing our Religion of falſhood and nouelty, and affirming theirs to bee the true and moſt ancient faith: in both which they ſpeake very vntruely. For touching this their preſent Religion (as it differeth from ours, and as it is Popery) it is but a new vpſtart Religion, a patcherie of Iudaiſme, Paganiſme and Hereſie; a Religion deuiſed by men, and not hauing God for the Author: How farre our Religion is from falſhood and noueltie, I hauehave here indeuoured to ſhew, anſwering to that queſtion ſo often propounded, Where it was before Luthers time?
If any of our aduerſaries, or all of them together, dare to goe plainely to worke, (for hitherto they hauehave not) and firſt ſet downe ours and their accord, wherein, and how farre we and they in eueryevery thing doe agree, to cut off hereby all needleſſe ſtrife and contentions. Secondly, then truely and faithfully without equiuocall termes, to deliuer their diſtinct differences from vsus, that ſo eueryevery one may rightly diſcerne, whereabout we do contend, and what indeede their now preſent Religion is, which we call Popery, bing ſeuered from our common agreement. Thirdly, to bring theſe their differences to the due triall of Scriptures, the common principles of Chriſtianitie, and the true writings of the ancient Fathers in the firſt Ages; then will it clearely appeare to eueryevery one of indifferent iudgement, whether ours or theirs be the true Religion, and whether ours or theirs be the falſe Church.
In the meane ſpace, till they proceede thus vprightly and ſincerely, I hope, no Proteſtant in earneſt, will be inſnared and catched by their deceites. Let ſuch as in the plentifull meanes of knowledge wilfully liue in ignorance, or hauing knowledge, liue lewdly, without feare of God, louelove of truth, and power of Religion, be the prey for craftie Foxes: for theſe be the fitteſt ſubiects for them to worke vponupon; and theſe only preuaile they with, receiuing a iuſt puniſhment for their contempt of ſauing knowledge, or for their conſcienceleſſe liuing contrary to their knowledge. For there is no man of right vnderſtanding, and that makes conſcience of his waies, louing the truth, walking humbly before his God, being acquainted with Gods Word, and praying for Gods direction, that God either will giuegive ouer, or that can in reaſon ſubmit vntounto this falſe Antichriſtian Church, if he doe but ſeriouſly conſider of ſuch things, as will worke, if not an abſolute condemnation, yet a moſt iuſt ſuſpition of her to be naught; as firſt, the vilifying of holy Scriptures, locking them vp from the common people, as if Gods Word were infectious. Secondly, her thruſting vponupon the people her feigned traditions, all beſides, and many of them againſt Scripture. Thirdly, the abſurd and vnreaſonableneſſe of their Latine Seruice, which the people vnderſtand not. Fourthly, their idolatrous praying to Saints, worſhipping ſtockes and ſtones, and reliques of the dead. Fifthly, their groſſe conceit of Chriſts corporall preſence in the Sacrament. Sixthly, the feigned miracles, and notable coozenages therin, found out here, and in other Countries; the boaſting of them a farre off, but not able to worke the like among vsus. Seuenthly, the ſhameleſſe & groſſe belying of our doctrine, and ſlandring the liues of our learned men, as Luther, Caluin, Beza, and others. Eighthly, the citing in defence of their Religion, counterfeit Authors, ſo knowne to be, and ſo condemned to be by the learned on their owne ſide. Ninthly, the not permitting freely our bookes among them, as wee doe theirs among vsus. Tenthly, the tying of the people to the Prieſts lippes, and not permitting them to trie their doctrine, as we doe. The vniuſt curſes, diſſembling practices, and mercileſſe cruelties vſed to vphold their Religion, ſwearing & for ſwearing, by equiuocations, ment all reſeruations, and Popes diſpenſations, maſſacres, and powder-plots, and bloodie perſecutions. Twelfthly, The auoyding of a free generall Councell, to heare and determine our differences. Who is he that ſhall conſider of theſe things with iudgement, but will ſuſpect this Romiſh Church to be none of Chriſts Church, if withal he adde hereto the conſideration of the differences betweene the wiſedome below (by which that ſeate is guided) which is earthly, naturall, ſenſuall, & deuiliſh, and the wiſdom from aboue (by which Chriſts Church is guided) which is pure, peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be intreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocriſie, as Saint Iames writeth?
I doubt not but that you hauehave already conſidered of theſe premiſſes, and that you are reſolued, that this is the true. Religion, and the good way, wherein you walke, euen the ancient, Catholike and Apoſtolike veritie, grounded vponupon Scripture, and the principles of Chriſtianitie, taught by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and confirmed by the blood of bleſſed Martyrs. My deſire is, that God would continue your louelove, with encreaſe of zeale towards the ſame more and more. To this purpoſe are theſe my endeuors, which I preſent vntounto you, praying your fauourable acceptance of my good meaning, and hearty wel-wiſhes, and worthie reſpect vntounto your ſelues, and to all that wiſh well to Sion, and pray for the peace of Ieruſalem: God let them, and you with yours, to proſper which louelove it. Amen.
Your Worſhips in all Chriſtian ſeruices to be commanded, Richard Bernard. Batcombe, Sept. 26.