is in heauen Math. 10. Go saith Christ and preache the kingdome of heauen is at hand heale the sicke clense lepers raise the dead cast out diuels that which I tell you in darkenesse speake in the light and that ye heare in the eare that preach on the house tops Math. 28 Preach the ghospell to all creatures and babtisme them in the name of the Father and of the Sunne and of the holie ghost Mark 16 Goe into all the world and preach the Ghospell to all creatures he that beleeueth is baptized shal be saued he that beléeueth not shal be damned Io. 4. He the God hath seÌ„t speaketh the words of god A true precher Acts. 6. They ought to giue themselues continually vnto prayer to the ministation of the worde to be obedient vnto the faith Acts. 20. Take héede saith the Apostle vnto your selues and to all the flockes among whom the holie ghost hath made you ouerséers to rule the congregation of God which Christ hath bought with his blood 1. Peter 5. Feede Christs flocke asmuch as lyeth in you taking the ouersight of them not as coÌ„pelled therto but of a good will not for desire of filthie lucre but of a good minde Father Are all the ministers in the Church of God of like calling Sonne Some are Appostles some Prophets 1. Cor. 12 some teachers some workers of miracles vnto some is giuen the gifts of healing helpers gouernours Father I héere thée make no mencion of Bishopes or ministers Sonne Father there be Bishops Tim. 3. ministers and Deacons Father Let me héere their seuerall duties with the manner of their conuersations Sonne A Bishop must be blameles A Bishops Aâ—â—ie 1. Tiâ— â— the husband of one wife diligent sober discret a keper of hospitality apt to teach not giuen to ouermuch wine no fighter not gréedy of filthie lucre but gentle abhoring fighting abhoring coueteousnesse one that ruleth well his owne house one that hath Children in subiection with reuerence Titus â— no young scholler least they swel fall into the iudgement of the euill speaker also haue a good report of them that are without A minister must be honest A Ministers dutie not double tounged not giuen to much wine neither gredy of filthie lucre but holding the mistery of faith with a good concience Proued then chosen let him first be proued saith saint Paull and then let him minister so that no man be able to reproue him Deacons Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife and such as rule their Children well and their owne housholds 1. Tim 4 The dutie of all Ministers Let no man saith Paull to Timothe dispyse thy youth but be vnto them that béeléeue an example in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith in purenesse giue attendance to reading to exhortacion to doctrine despise not the gift that is giuen vnto thee through proficie with the laying on the hands by the authoritie of priesthode 2. Tim. 4 Preach the way of God be feruent in season and out of season improue rebuke exhorte with all suffering and doctrine Father False teachers Sonne but I haue heard that ther be false teachers and seducers of the people therefore let me haue some marke wherby they may be knowen Sonne Acts. 5. The true preachers daily in the temple and in euery house cease not to preach Iesus Christ True teachers When they are called straight way Acts. 9 Acts. 10 they preach Iesus Christ in the Synagoges how that he is the Sonne of God and very Christ they kéepe nothing backe that is profitable but openlie in euery house both to the Iewes and Gréekes they witnesse the repentaunce that is towardes God and faith towards Iesus Christ They neither choppe nor change with the word of God 2. Cor 2. but euen out of purensse by the powre of God in the fight of God to speake in Christ They doe not preach themselues but Iesus Christ to be the Lorde 2. Cor. 4. themselues the peoples seruants for Iesus Christ sake and further you may perceiue who are true teachers by the word going before Father Let me heare some doctrine of the false teachers and seducers of the people False teachers Sonne The false teachers you shall know by their fruits Math. 7. they goe in long garmeÌ„ts and loue salutacions in markets c. Ezech. 34. Woo be to the shepherds of Israell they féede themselues they eate vp the fat and cloth themselues with the wooll the best haue they slaine Câ—uetous and doing not good but the flocke haue they not nourished the weake haue they not holden vp the sicke haue they not healed the outcasts haue they not brought againe the lost haue they not sought but churlish and cruelly haue they ruled them but I will require my shéepe at their hands saith the Lorde Ieremy 2. They teach their owne wayes and dare saie they are without sinne Iustifiers and guiltles I haue not offended and therfore the Lord sayth I condemne thée in iudgement Ieremi 14 They preach vnto you false vysions Charmes vanyties and deceitfulnesse of their owne harte Mark 12 They go saith Christ in long garments and loue salutacions in the market place False teachers deceiue widowes with praying for their dead husbands and chiefe seates in feasts and in the congregacion and deuoure widowes houses vnder pretence of long prayers but their damnation shall be great Father I perceiue well what the false teachers are and that their ende is damnacion but let vs come againe to the true teachers tell me wherefore the Lorde hath placed Appostles Prophets Euengelists shéepherds and teachers in his Church Sonne Saint Paull saith Ephe. 4 euen to the edifying of the saints to the worke and ministratioÌ„ euen to the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the vnytie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the full perfect age of Christ Father If preachers and ministers be sent for this purpose then surelie we ought to maintaine them with our goods and reuerence them as the chosen messengers of God tell mée wherevppon they shall liue Sonne The Tythes of the people hath the Lorde giuen them to bée thire inheretaunce Numer 18 Tythes They shall haue saith the Lord the tythe Deut. 14 of all the increase of the field that springeth yéere by yéere Deu. 8. The first fruit of corne wine and oyle the first of the wooll of thy shéepe shalt thou giue to the priest 1. Cor. 9. If we sowe vnto you saith Saint Paull speciall things is it a great thing if wée reape your bodylie thinges doe you not knowe that they which minister aboute holy thinges liue of the sacrifice euen so did the Lord ordaine that they which
saide vnto Moyses I will be with thy mouth and teach the what thou shalt say Ioel. 2. I will saith the Lorde powre out of my spirit vppon al flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your younge men shall sée visions Micheas 3 I am full of strength and the spirit of the Lord full of iudgement and bouldnesse to shew the house of Iacob their offences and the house of Israell their sinne 1. king 19 The spirit of God came vppon the messengers of Saull and they prophecied Math. 10. Christ tould his disciples and saide it is not you that shall speake but the spirit of my father that shall speake within you Luke 12. The holy ghost shall teach you what you shall say Io. 16. When the spirit of truth commeth he shall leade you into all truth Feare not what you shall say for it shal be giuen you in the same houre what ye shall speake Father If the spirit of truth speake by the mouth of his true messengers then it is likelie that the spirit of error I meane Sathan speaketh by the false Prophets Seminaries and seducers of Gods people Sonne True it is father 1. King 1â— For an euill spirit sent of God came vppon Saull I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets 3. king 2â— And deceiue kinge Ahab that he may goe to warre in Ramoth Geliad and so be slaine They are of their father the Diuell Io. 8. his lusts will they follow saith Christ he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth The diuell speaketh by Seminaries for ther is noe truth in him when he speaketh a lie hée speaketh of himselfe for he is a lyer and the father of the same thing take héede father of these seducers by whom the diuel speaketh This false spirit spak to Eua Gen. 3. that if she eate of the trée of knowledge shée should not die the death but bée as God knowing good and bad so many deceiued now by this serpent dye the death Father â—an What saist thou by Man what is hée and to what ende shall he come Sonne Psal 144 Man is like a thing of nought his time passeth awaie like a shadowe Psal 90. When the Lord is angrie all our daies are gone we bring our yéeres to an ende as it were a tale that is tould â—ames 4. The life of man is euen a vapour that appeareth a litle time and then vanisheth awaie Gen. 3 Man is dust and into dust thou shalt bée tourned againe â—ob 7. Hath man anie certaine time vppon earth are not his daies like the daies of an hired seruant â—ob 10 The Lorde made man of moulde and shall bring him to dust againe â—ob 14. Man that is borne of a woman hath but a shorte time to liue and is full of miserie â—od While he liueth his flesh must haue trauell and while the soule is within him he must be in sorrow Isay 40 All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is euen as the flower of grasse the grasse is withered the flower falleth awaie euen so the people are as grasse when the breathe of the Lorde bloweth vppon them Statutum est omnibus hominibus semell mori Heb. 9. it is appointed that all men shal once dye Remember his iudgement Eccle. 38 thine also shal be likewise vnto thée yesterdaie vnto me to day Father I sée plainelie by these partes by dalie experience that all men must dye and that none can escape the hande of death therfore what saist thou to the death of the righteous Sonne The soules of the righteous Wisd 3. are in the hands of God and the paines of death shall not touch them The righteous shal shine as the sparks of fire in the read bushe Eod. and shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their GOD shall reigne for euer Psal 65 Blessed is the man whom the Lords choseth and receiueth vnto him he shall dwell in his court he shal be satisfied with the pleasure of his house euen of his holie Temple Psalm 72 The Lord shall deliuer their soules froÌ„ falshod and wrong For deare is the blood of his Saintes in his sight Father I perceiue that the righteous are alwaies preserued but what becommeth of the wicked Sonne Psalm 9 The wicked shal be turned into hell and all the people that forget God Macha 2. Fear not an vnrighteous mans words for his glorie is but donge and wormes to day he is set vp to morow he is gone Iob. 24. Some men there be saith Iob that remoue other mens land markes and rob them of their cattell and kéepe the same for their owne The lyfe and end of the couetous and wicked that take the asse of the fatherlesse and take the widowes Oxe for a pledge that thrust the pore out of the way that reape downe the corne that is not their owne they are the cause that so manie men are naked and bare The eye of the aduouteâ—er waiteth for the darknesse and faith no man seethe him but shortile are they gone and pluckt out of the way vtterlie pluckt off as the eares of corne Vppon the vngodlie shall the Lorde raine fire and brimstone storme tempest Psalm 10 this shal be their porcion to drinke Father What saist thou to purgatorie Purgatory out of which mens soules are deliuered by the prayers of holy Priests Sonne I say the Scripture maketh mencion of no such thing But of heauen and hell Christes blood and Saint Iohn sheweth by what meanes we are purged and clensed Io. 1. The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne Through mercie and faith are sinnes purged Pro. 15. Almost euerie thinge is by the Lawe purged with blood Heb. 9 and without blood-shedding is no remession The blood of Iesus Christ doth purge our consciences from dead works Eod. to serue the liuing God Iesus Christ loued vs and purged vs from our sinnes in his blood Reuel 1 and made vs Kinges priestes vnto God the Father to him therefore bée glorie and dominion for euer more Father that was a false doctrine which was of purgatorie as you may sée and made to fill Priests purses Father What profit could that bring to Priests Sonne Mark 12 It brought much worldlie riches and Gods curse withall as Christ saith beware of the scribes which loue to goe in longe clothing and loue salutations in market places DamnacioÌ„ to theÌ„ that deuoure widowes houses with prayer and the chiefe seates at feasts and in the congregations which deuoure widowes houses vnder a pretence of long praier but they shall receiue greater damnation Math. 23. And Christ saith in the xxiii of S. Mathewes Gospell wo vnto
aunswere to euery man that asketh me a reason of the hope that is in me that with méekenes feare hauing a good cōcience that whereas they back byte mée as an euill doer they may be ashamed that falsly accuse my good conuersation in Christ demaund therefore what pleaseth you and I will according as Gods holy spirit shall teach me aunswere to the same Father In whome doest thou beléeue and whom doest thou worshippe Sonne Acts. 24 I aunswere with Saint Paull and confesse vnto you that after the way which some called heresie so worship I the God of my fathers beléeuing al things that are written in the Law and Prophets and haue hope towards God that the resurrection of the dead shall be both of iuste and vniust and therefore I study to haue alwaies a cleare conscience towardes God and towards men Father Shew mée if thou hast read perfectly the whole booke of God Sonne Psalm 1. Yea father I may say with Dauid my delight is in the Lawe of the Lorde and in his word haue I exercised my selfe day and night Father Are all thinges necessary to saluation contained in that booke of life called the Byble Sonne Yea truly father Io. 5. search the Scriptures saith Christ for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mée and yet ye will not come vnto-mée that ye might haue life Saint Iames saith Iames. 1 Suscipite insitum verbū quod potest saluare animas vestras receiue with méekenesse the worde which is grafted in you being able to saue your soules Many signes truly did Iesus in the presence of his disciples Io. 20. which are not written in the Byble but so many are written that may learne vs to beléeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of GOD and that in beléeuing wée may haue life through his name Saint Peter sayth 1. Peter 2 although wée sée not Christ yet wee doe beléeue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakable glorious The end of faith is saluation receiuing the ende of our faith euen the saluation of our soules Io. 15. Christ Iesus himselfe saith that we are cleane through the words which he hath spoken vnto vs. Peter the Appostel rose vp and saide ye men and brethren Acts. 15. ye knowe that GOD did choose among vs that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare the worde of the Ghospell and beléeue and GOD which knoweth the hearts bare them witnesse and gaue vnto them the holie ghost euen as he did vnto vs and put no difference betwixe vs and them Purified by faith séeing that with faith he purified their hearts Saint Paull saith to Timothie continue thou in the thinges which thou hast learned which also were committed vnto thée knowing of whome thou hast learned them 2. Tim. 3 And for as much also as of a Childe thou hast knowen the holie Scriptures which are able to make thée learned vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesu for all Scriptures giuen by inspiration of GOD is profitable to teach Scripture makes men perfect in righteousnesse to improue to amēd to enstruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may bée perfect and prepared vnto all good workes Whereby you may plainelie perceiue Father that all thinges néedefull to saluation both to the Iewes and Gentiles Conclusion bonde and frée is contained in the written worde of GOD. Father Me thinkes that by these proues the holie Scriptures contained not onelie all thinges necessary for Saluation but also all other thinges néedefull for the good gouernement of a Christian life Sonne It is so Father as if it please God you shall heare afterwarde in the declaring of the duties of all estats and degrées of people for what blasphemy were it to the holy spirit of God to say that God hath left his word will and Testament vnperfect Father Is there nothinge then left out of Scripture for manne to teach that is néedefull many rites ceremonyes ordinances and inuentions of manne haue béene added thereto and taughte as things most requisite euen in my time Sonne Deu. 4. No father the Lorde saith you shall put nothing vnto the worde which I commaund you Prou 30. neither doe ought there from put thou nothing vnto his wordes least he reproue thée and thou be found a lyer Reuel 22. I testify saith Saint Iohn vnto euery man that heareth the prophecie of the Lords booke if any man shall adde vnto those thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in that booke and if any man shall minish of the words of the prophecie of that booke God shall take away his parte out of the booke of life and out of the holy Cittie and from the things that are written in that booke who then dare be so bould father to thrust in among the ordinances and statutes of our heauenly father mans inuencions and constitutions séeing there hangeth Gods vengeance and eternall punishment ouer the heades of such ready to destroy soule and body when the Lorde commaundeth and to cast them into hell fire that neuer quecheth Father Séeing that the Scripture is the word of saluation why doe so many in these dayes refuse to heare or reade the same Recusants Sonne Christ Iesus saith Io. 8. he that is of God heareth Gods wordes they therfore heare them not because they are not of God To those Recusants saith Christ further Io. eod why doe you not know my spéech euen because you cannot abide the hearing of my worde Yée beléeue not my wordes Io. 10. because you are not of my shéepe for my shéepe heare my voyce and I know them Recusants none of his sheepe and they follow mée and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neyther shall anye man plucke them out of my handes He that heareth you saith Christ to his disciples heareth mee Luke 10 and he that heareth mée heareth him that sent mée Recusants despise Christ and he that dispiseth you despiseth mée and he that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mée The Quéene of the South shall rise at the daye of iudgement Luke 11. with this nation and condemne it for she came from the vttermost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is héere Luke 14 Nemo virorum istorum qui vocati sunt gustabunt cenam meam None of these saith Christ that were called and refused to come shall tast of my Supper Acts. 3. The time will come sayth the Apostle That euerie soule that wil not héere that same Prophet shall bee destroyed from among the people 1. Io 4. Recusants are not of God neither know him We are of God saith Saint Iohn hée that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God heareth vs not hereby knowe we the spirit of God and the
should tread downe all Sathans power Seede of a woman for he should treade on his head yet he should pricke him in the héele this séede of the woman was promised also to Abraham Gen. 22. In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes et nationes terra In thy séede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Esay 7. Behold a Virgin shall conceaue and beare a sonne and thou his Mother shalt call his name Emanuell butter and honye shall he eate that he may knowe to refuse the euill and chose the good Ezech. 35 I will raise vp vnto them one onelie shepherd euen my seruaunt Dauid he shal feede them and he shall be their shepherd I the Lord will be their God and my seruaunt Dauid shall be their Prince zachar 10 Out of Iuda shall come the helmet the naill the battell bowe and all the princes together It were too long for me to shewe you all the scriptures wherein there is prophecied of Christ his comming death and passion and therefore I pray you let these suffice for one scripture is a sufficient testimony for any cause or controuersie whatsoeuer Father What saist thou of Christes byrth and comming into the worlde Sonne Christ was borne in Bathlem of the blessed Virgin Mary Luke 1 by the power of the holie ghost as saint Paull saith when the time was full come that God the father had put in his owne power he was reueled vnto vs for before God the father dyuerslie and manie waies spake vnto our fathers by Prophets Heb. ◠but in these last daies he spoke vnto vs by his owne sonne whome he made heire of all thinges Whereas we were deade saith Saint Paull in trespasse and sinnes Ephe. 2 in which in times past we walked Dead in sinne hath he quickned vs according to the course of this world euen after the gouernour the ruleth in the aire the same that worketh now in the children of vnbelef Children of wrath by nature among whom we had our conuersation also in times in the lusts of our fleshe and fulfilled the lustes of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the Children of wrathe euen as well as others but God which is ritch in mercie for his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were néere dead by sinnes VVhat we were but for Christ quickned vs together in Christ by grace are we saued and raised vs vp together with him among them of heauen in Christ Iesu Father Tell me what benefits we haue by the natiuitie death passion resurrection and ascencion of Christ Iesu Sonne Esay 4. We are purged by Christ from all our sins Esay saith that the Lord shal wash away the filthinesss of the daughter of Sion and purge the blood out from Ierusalem with the wind of his iudgement and with fire Ezech. 36. I will power cleane water vppon you and you shal be cleane yea from all your vncleannes and Idolls shall I clense you Sopho. 3 I will cleanse the lyps of the people that they may euery-each one cal vppon the name of the Lorde Purged to serue the Lord. and serue him with one shoulder The house of Dauid zachary 3 and the Cittizens of Ierusalem shall haue an open well to wash off sinne and vncleannesse He is like a goldsmith fier Malachi 3 and washers soope hée shall purge the Children of Leuy and puryfie them as gold and siluer that they may bring meate offerings vnto the Lord in all righteousnesse If the blood of Oxen and of Goats Heb. 9. and the ashes of an young Cow when they be sprinckled pacified the vncleane Purged by blood to serue him as touching the puryfiyng of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the lyuing God He was in all thinges like vnto vs Heb. 2. that he might be mercifull and a faithfull hye Priest in things concerning God Actual originall to purge the peoples sinnes The blood of Iesus Christ purgeth vs from all sinnes 1. Io. 1. Christ washed his disciples féete Io. 13. None cleane but he that Christ washeth Peter said Lord thou shalt neuer wash my feete but Iesus aunswered if I wash the not thou hast no part with mee Father But how is this purgation by Christ his precious blood applyed vnto vs so that thereby we are purged and clensed Sonne Acts. 15 By faith for saint Peter saith the Lord which knoweth the hart of men and gaue vnto the Ientiles the holy ghost because they did beléeue euen as vnto vs and put no difference betwéene vs and them séeing that with faith he puryfied their harts Pro. 15 Through mercie and faith are sinnes purged Father And to what ende are we thus purget by faith in the blood of Christ Sonne Io. 15. Purged to bring forth good fruits good works That we may bring foorth fruite in him for the branch cannot bring foorth fruite except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abyde in mée for without mée ye can doe nothing Father Tell me how we are redemed and to what ende Sonne We were not redemed with corruptable thinges as siluer or goold 1. Peter 1 but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ as a Lambe vndefiled We haue redemption through his blood Ephe. 1. euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Our Lorde Iesus Christ hath giuen himselfe for vs Titus 2 Redeemed to do good works to redeme vs from all vnrighteousnesse and to purge vs a peculiar people vnto himselfe feruentlie giuen vnto all good workes Father How are we saued and through whom haue we saluation Sonne Saint Paull sheweth you that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1 Shew thy meruailous works Psalm 17 thou that art the sauiour of all them that trust in thée I shall with ioy draw water out of the wells of my sauiour Esay 1◠for the Lord is my strength and my song and is become my saluation I am euen I am the onelie Lord None can saue but Christ on◠Esay 4.3 and beside me there is noe sauiour I haue troden the wine presse alone and of all people ther is not one with mée I looked about me and there was none to shew me any helpe No Angell or Saint can saue or help Math. 1 I meruailed that no man held mée then I held mée by mine owne strength mine owne arme sustained mée He shal be called Iesus for he shall saue the people from their sinnes Father How take we hold of this saluation Sonne Acts. 15. By faith for Peter saith we beléeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be saued Father What must we doe to be saued Sonne Acts. 17. We must beléeue on the Lord Iesus and wée and our housholds
A rule how TO BRING VP Children A treatise wherein is declared how the Father apposeth his Sonne in the holy Scripture whereby all Parents may be taught a rule how to bring vp their Children briefelie collected into a short volume Psalme 119. Where-withall shall a young man clense his waies euen by ruling himselfe after the word of God Iohn 5. Non quero gloriam meam sed glorïam Patris qui me misit Rom. 4. By faith is the inheritāce giuen that it might come of fauour Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of faith the same is sinne ¶ To the right honorable my very singuler good Lord the Earle of Huntingdon Knight of the noble order of the Garter Lord President of her Maiesties honorable counsell established in the North partes your Lordshippes daylie Oratour and humble suppliant Iohn Lyster Clarke late Cutate of Leedes and nowe Vicar of Thorpeach wisheth good health long life much encrease of honour and after a godly and faithfull ende IN most humble wise shewing your good Lordshippe that by your lordships good meanes I obtained the benefice whereof I am now resident and remembring a saying of that worthie Philosopher SENECA that there be three degrees of thankefulnesse one recognoscere beneficium an other gratias et laudes agere and the thirde pro loco et tempore secundam suam facultatem retribuere or rather considering the Samaritan in the Ghospel healed by Christ of his Leprosie returned and acknowledged Christes mercie towardes him prostrate himselfe before him and with a loud voice gaue him thanks so likewise good my Lord I returning doe acknowledge your Lordships great goodnesse vnto mee render most hartie and humble thankes vnto your honour for the same and not being able to make anye recompence vnto your Lordshippe as Seneca teacheth although I haue meditated with my selfe sundrie times how to doe the same Yet notwithstanding that your Lordship may perceaue that I am not forgetfull or negligent of your Lordshipps great good will vnto mee I haue drawen in Dialogue wise out of scripture which is able to make one learned to saluation the dutie of all states and degrees of people howe a Christian life is to bee ledde what thinges are needefull to saluation the ende of manne and the straight accompt in the day of iudgement with the punishment of the wicked and reward of the righteous briefelie sette downe and plaine for the capacitie of the ignoraunt putting or adding nothing therevnto which I doe present vnto your good Lordshippe in remembrance of my humble duetie and obedient seruice vnto your Honour beseeching your Lordshippe to accept of my good and simple meaning and to beare with my boldnesse and small knowledge to write any thing to such a Noble personage as your Lordship And I shall incessauntlie entreate the eternall and euerliuing God till ATRAPOS shall cutte my fatall thred for the preseruation of your good Lordshippe whome the King of glorie Lord of hostes and Father of all mercie blesse saue and keepe for euer more Amen Your Lordshipps poore suppliant IOHN LYSTER To all Ministers fellow labourers in the Lords vine-yarde salutations in Iesu Christ IT is not vnknowen vnto you my brethern that the Lord hath elected vs before we were fashioned in our mothers wombe sanctified vs or euer we were borne ordained vs to be stewards of his secrets watchmen ouer his people shepperds of the sheepe of his pasture to the edifiyng of the saincts to the worke and ministration euen to the edifiyng of the bodie of Christ till we all come to the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man euen vnto the measure of the full perfect age of Christ And knowing my selfe to be the meanest among you in respect of my knowledge not worthie to be of that calling although the grace of God hath otherwise dealt with mee in calling me to that function and hath giuen one talent vnto mee for the instructing a little number of his flocke which he hath bought with his bloud of whome he hath made me an ouerseer and therefore it is not meete for me to passe ouer the sum of this life with the singing Grashopper till the stormie nightes and Boriall blastes of winter come vpon mee neither to let the cleare day passe idlelie till the darke night come when none can trauell neither to followe the drone Bee eating the labours of others but rather to studie to discharge in some measure my selfe according to my function and to profite others Seeing that I perceaue the greatest number of you my brethren to followe the example of the Emmit working in the day and busie as the Bees in the spring of the yeere to gather their home so you to accomplish the worke wherevnto you are called the Lord prosper you and continue your proceedings I haue therefore for my parte drawen a shorte treatise in Dialogue manner betwixt the Father and the Sonne out of Scripture wherein may fullie and perfectlye be perceaued the duties of all sortes of people how a Christian life is to be ledde what thinges are needefull to saluation the ende of man and straite accompt in the fearefull iudgement with a punishment of the wicked and reward of the righteous not seeking any prayse for the same but Gods glorie which all men ought to doe seeing we are oftentimes tryed by our cheife Diocesan according to our gracious Princesse commaundement how we profet Gods people cōmitted vnto vs within his graces prouince but especyally seeing we shall appeare before the great shepperd and Bishop of our soules Iesus Christ to giue accompts of the bestowing of our Talents that wee may receiue an incorruptable crowne of glorie where they that haue taught others shall bee as the shining of heauen and they that haue instructed the multitude vnto Godlynesse shall bee lyke the starres world without ende and thus not doubting of your great care and dyligence in your functions I beseech the eternall God from whome all good gruiftes doe proceede encrease you with wisdome and knowledge in this life and with eternal happinesse in the world to come Thorpearche within the ancienty or lyberties of Yorke the 12. day of Iunne 1587. Your faithfull yokefellow in the Lord Iohn Lyster The Father examineth his sonne how he hath profited in the word of Saluation Father MY Sonne séeing it is the duty of parents not only to educate and bring vp their Children with meate and apparel but also to enstruct and teach them in the feare of God and Christian religion for which cause I haue cōmitted thée to the gouernement of a learned and Godlie Maister these seauen yéeres past Wherefore my will and minde is to know how thou hast profited in the same and what thy profession is Sonne Good Father 1. Peter 3 séeing it is your pleasure to demaunde of mée a reason of my faith I must follow the exhortation of the Appostle Saint Peter that I be ready to giue