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
shal be saued 1. Pet. 1. If we beléeue we shall receiue the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules Rom. 10 If thou beléeue in thine heart thou shalt be safe for to beléeue iustifieth to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Father What doth the Scripture say of our iustification Iustification because some teach that we are iustified by our workes Sonne A man is not iustified by the deades of the Lawe but by the faith of Christ Iesu Iustified bâ— faith and not by the lawe and wée haue beleued on Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the déedes of the Law because that by the déedes of the Law no flesh shal be iustified The scripture concludeth al vnder sinne Gall. 3. that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to all that beléeue The Law was our scholemaister vnto Christ that we shold be iustified by faith Eod. but after that faith is come God onelâ— iustifieth ye are no longer vnder the scholmaister It is God onelie that iustifieth the circumcision that is of faith Rom. 3. Circumcâ—sion 〈◊〉 circumcision iustiâ—ed by faiâ— the vncircumcision through faith Father Who are thus iustified by God onely Sonne â—om 3. Both Iewes and gentiles circumcision and vncircumcision are iusttyfied by the faith of Iesus Christ â—â—d He is compted iust and the iustifier of him that beléeue on Iesus Christ Father â—orgiuenes Then tell me who doth forgiue vs our sinnes Sonne â—ark 2 Nemo potest demittere peccata nisi solus deus there is none that can forgiue sinnes but God onelie â—od When Iesus sawe their faith he said vnto the sicke of the palsie sonne thy sins are forgiuen thée the sonne of man hath power to forgiue sinnes on earth â—phe 4. Be curteous one to an other mercifull forgiueing one an other euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you â—ollo 2 The law â—he diuell â—orld and â—esh conquered by Christs death When we were dead through sinne and through vncircumcision of our flesh hath he quickened with him and hath forgiuen vs all our trespasses and hath put out the hand writing that was against vs hath fastned it to his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power in his owne person Father But to whome doth the Lord forgiue sinnes Sonne To the faithfull Mark 2 for when Iesus sawe their faith he saide thy sinnes are forgiuen thée Brethren Acts 13. Sinnes are forgiuen to the faithfull through this man is preached forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto you and that to all that beléeue Father What enemies hath the Lord conquered by his death in his owne person for our sakes and what further profite hath he brought vs. Sonne The Law the Diuell the world the flesh sinne death hell and al other things the wrath of God the father hath he pacified and reconciled vs agayne vnto him and we that were a farre off hath he brought nigh hath purchased the kingdome of heauen for vs and opened the same made vs fellow heyres thereof with him selfe Father Proue that vnto mée briefely Sonne Heb. 2. Dyed for all It was appointed that Iesus Christ should tast of death for all men and that by the grace of God the father Heb. 2 1. Diuel coÌ„quered Through death he hath expelled him that had lordship ouer death that is to say the Diuell and that he might deliuer vs. Col. 2. 2. Lawe Fastned to the crossa He hath put out the hande writing that was against vs and hath fastned it to his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power in his owne person Esay 22. None can open nor shut but he Esay 42. The key of the house of Dauid will I lay vpon his shoulder so that he shall open and no man shut he shall shut no man open I will giue him for a couenant vnto the people and a light to the Gentiles to open the eies of the blinde to let out the prisoners out of their bonds them that sytte in darkenesse out of the dungeon house Math. 18. The sonne of man came to saue that which was lost Math. 3 This is my deare sonne in whome I am well pleased A light to lighten the Gentiles Luke 3. A light and to be the glorie of the people Israell And there went out vertue from him Luke 6 Heale all A Phisiti and healed them all that touched him Iohn saith Io. 3. Life Io. he that beléeueth on the sonne hath euerlasting life I am the way the truth and the life VVay truth and life no man commeth to the father but by mée I haue finished the worke which thou gauest mée to doe consumatum est Io. 17. For this cause was I borne Io. 18. and for this cause came I into the world that I might beare witnesse vnto the truth Be it knowen vnto you men and brethren Acts. 13 that through this man is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes Beleuere iustified and that by him all that beléeue are iustified from all thinges from which ye coulde not be deliuered by the law of Moyses When we were enimies Rom. 5. we were reconciled vnto God by his bloud much more seeing that wée are reconciled we shall be preserued by his life and we shal be saued from wrath What the lawe coulde not doe in asmuch Rom. 8. as it was weake because of the flesh An offeriÌ„g â—r sinne that performed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and sinne damned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the lawe might bée fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit â—ulfillers â—f the law Rom. 16 Rom. 14 Christ fulfilleth the lawe for all that beléeue to iustifie them The Lord Iesus died and rose againe that he might be Lord both of quicke and dead â— Cor. 15 Death is swallowed vp in victorie death where is thy sting hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe Death and â—ell ouerâ—me but thankes be vnto God that hath giuen vs victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. â—say 25 Death â—seas 25. Death hath the Lord destroyed for euer O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy stinge â—al 4 â—onne and â—eire of â—od Thou art not now a seruant but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art an heire of God through Christ â—phe 2. Remember that in times past ye were without Christ being aliants from the common wealth of Israell and strangers from the testament of promise hauing no hope being without God in this world but now by the meanes of Iesu Christ ye which were sometime farre off Peace made are made nigh by the bloud of Christ he is
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
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