A WEEKES WORKE AND A WORKE FOR EVERY weeke By R. B. The third Edition LONDON Printed by Felix Kyngston and are to be sold by Nathanael Newbery 1616. TO THE VERTVOVS AND RELIgious Ladies the Ladie Elizabeth Barkley of Bruton the Ladie Elizabeth Barkley of Yearlington and the Ladie Anne Horner that wisdome which is from aboue that true peace which is from within and the manifestation of both in the fruits of the spirit to their perfect ioy AS I consider with my selfe how Mary did make choice of the better part I cannot but blesse God for the worke of grace So Right Worshipfull on the contrary marking the mad choyce of others I follow the counsell of the Prophet Esaiah I stay wonder Eue had free-will the choyce of an apple and Paradise was before her God said eate not and liue but eate said the Serpent thou shalt not die The diuell was credited God not beleeued the apple was eaten Paradise lost a miserable choice But led she the way in this point of follie and hath shee had no followers What none of her posterity to walk in her steps Behold the sonnes of God chose the daughters of men and forsooke the generation of the righteous Lot left Abraham and made choyce to dwell in Sodome Esau loueth his bellie and for a present messe of pottage selleth away his birth-right The mixt people among the Israelites rather desire garlicke and onyons and to sit by the flesh-pots of Egypt then to eat that sweet Manna frō heauē Yea so mad are men in their choyce as the Iewes from the highest to the lowest cry out to haue a rebell a theefe a murtherer euen a Barrabas instead of that iust one and innocent Christ the righteous As I haue stayed in my thoughts vpon these so now should I wonder but that among our selues I finde many as foolish and as vnreasonable in their chusing They esteeme more of pleasure then of peace wiih God they will sell godlines for earthly gain they preferre profit before piety worldly goods they like of better then heauenly graces they chuse rather to rest vpon an idle conceit in themselues of saluation then vpon the witnesse of Gods word a truly informed conscience they wil plead rather custom then diuine precepts mens examples now for liberty in sinn e rather then the holy liues of the godly recorded in Scripture most in a word chuse rather to be reputed religious then so to be indeed But perhaps you Ladies will say what of all this to you Surely that you beholding nature corrupted and your selues through Gods mercy sanctified by grace may in your more happie choyce giue due praises heartily vnto God who affoordeth you from aboue so much power and strength that you may in some measure with holy Elizabeth walke in the Commandemēts of the Lord with religious Mary sit down at Christs feet heare his word with that blessed Virgin Christs mother ponder the words and lay them vp in your hearts with afflicted Hannah poure out in your necessities your soules by prayer vnto God and with that deuout Anna serue God in fasting and prayers day and night For this end and purpose to further euery well disposed Christian in the path that leadeth vnto life and glory I haue now this third time published this Weeks work worke for euery weeke I haue presumed to send it forth vnder your names not in any merit of the worke but in my true esteeme of your godlinesse and certaine perswasion of your good desires to please God which the Lord encrease in you more more with such inward comfort of spirit as you may perseuere in euery good worke of grace to goe boldly to the throne of grace in euery state and condition to the end of your daies euen so Amen Your Ladyships in all Christian duties RIC. BERNARD Batcombe Iuly 14. A DIALOGVE BETWEENE IOHN the beloued Apostle and his beloued Gaius Epist. 3. vers 1. Iohn GRace be with thee Noble Gaius mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the Father with truth and loue Gaius Reuerend Father let this thy prayer this day preuaile with God for Grace Peace Mercy Truth in Loue I much long after Iohn Well may wee wish for these things friend Gaius as the foundation of all good fauours with God and all good men Gaius Oh my Lord I thanke God these things with me are of greater price then any thing which may seeme most pretious with the world For Grace maketh me acceptable to God Peace comforteth mee within my selfe Mercy from God affordeth me remission of sins and Mercy from me shewed towards others maketh them both to pray and praise God for me The Truth of God warranteth my course and way and truth obserued of me iustifieth my words and workes Loue in God to me procureth peace bringeth forth mercy and confirmeth truth loue in our selues maintaineth peace vrgeth to mercy and bindeth one to another and all vnto the truth Therefore Sir doe I in soule desire earnestly after the same but I cannot attain vnto that measure which I would I hunger after the perfection of all true holinesse but alas I cannot bee satisfied I thirst after righteousnesse but ah miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death which so much doth hinder mee in my heauenly progresse Iohn I reioyce greatly worthie Gaius that I find thee thus well prepared for further instructions blessed art thou for so hungring and thirsting after the best things for thou shalt be satisfied Gaius My Lord I am not ignorant blessed be God for this knowledge of my selfe that I am heere indeed in this present world but not of this world one as a pilgrime and stranger without any certaine mansion hither sent of the Lord for a time to bee employed in his seruice and so to stay till hee call mee hence which houre I waite for looking for death daily and the Lords comming to iudgement And therefore I desire to bee ready prepared and to learn whatsoeuer may be needfull both for continuance and encrease of grace in the way of life Especially seeing how the world groweth so on to worse and worse and this our present age declining so fast vnto wickednesse lest I bee intrapped and become guiltie of the common sinnes and so perish in the deserued plagues Iohn Indeed good Christian heart wel mayest thou so tearme these Euill daies our present times Is not pietie turned by many into policie sincerity by others into schisme true zeale is decayed conscience is now but a customarie fashion graced with conformitie faith is altogether a formal seruice without fasting without true feare of God and feruencie of spirit without gratious words tending to edification or good workes assuring vs of saluation godly gouerment is grosly abused by couetous persons and made a base course for filthie gaine true deuotion is not
the death of sin the strength of grace of thy contempt of the world and of thy desire to bee with Christ for by a constant course in this daily exercise thou shalt see these things more and more to encrease vpon thee if indeed this worke for euery weeke without formall and customarie hypocrisie in a holy and conscionable respect of thy dutie bee religiously and constantly performed Thirdly consider how thou hast passed ouer so many dayes the allotted time for worldly labours and so hast brought the weeke to an end that so thou mayest meditate of thy shortening of thy daies and drawing nearer vnto iudgemēt Also how thou hast ended daies and weekes and so shouldest end thy sins and as times renew vpon thee and yeeres encrease so shouldest thou be daily renewed in minde and bee encreased in goodnesse that so the longer thou doest liue the better thou may bee more holy to God more vpright to men more spiritual lesse worldly more desirous of immortality lesse regarding vanitie so liuing as thereby leauing a blessed name to posterity so dying as thou mayest enioy a better life in eternity Fourthly with the rest of thy former daily deuotions and euery nights exercise and godly meditation going to bed adde to this night these two considerations That the week is as the end of the world and the seuenth day following as the eternall Sabbath when all the elect of God shall be assembled to worship him for euer and euer Gaius Reuerend Sir although thus be ended the duties and meditations for the sixe daies in the weeke yet is not this worke for euery weeke fully finished One thing remaineth of which though many haue spoken I beseech thee say something and set downe in a few words how I may behaue my selfe vpon this day of rest to sanctifie it and to keepe it holy vnto the Lord. Iohn Friend and faithfull Gaius thy desire is good and I cannot but condescēd to thy request to make vp this so little a worke for him that readeth it which yet will bee a most holy labour to him that practiseth it Concerning this thou art to know three things first 3. Things to bee knowne for the keeping of the Lords day holy what to doe before thou goest to the assembly then how to demeane thy selfe there and thirdly how to behaue thy selfe afterwards Gaius What am I to do I beseech thee in the morning Iohn Thou art not only now to performe thy euery day mornings deuotion but thou must make a speciall preparation for this day First awake early and What to doe vpon the Lords day in the morning arise be times as thy age and health wil suffer thee the sooner vp the more ready for holy exercises and longer time for them It is meet thou shouldest assoone rise for the Lords seruice to the soules safety as in the weeke day for thy selfe or earthly master to get maintenance for the body Secondly being thus risen and ready bee earnest and ardent in prayer and therin first for thy Pastor and Teacher that God would enlarge his gifts vpon him that hee would giue him vtterance and liberty of speech that hee might speake powerfully that the spirit might work both in him and by him effectually that so he himselfe might be a preacher in word and works a liuely paterne of his doctrine in a holy life and conuersation then for thy selfe and the rest of the hearers that they might haue prepared harts as good groūd for the Lords seede that they might bring forth plentifully for the Lords haruest for your ministers encouragement and your owne comfort After this reade some portion of Scripture with the text to be handled if hee goe on with a scripture calling to minde what hee hath spoken where hee left that so you may prepare your selues better to that which remaineth and so with some sweete Psalme of Psal 14. 92. 95. comfort praise God Thirdly and lastly after all these things speedily dispatch all businesse of absolute necessity auoide whatsoeuer is superfluous leaue as few as possibly may be at home make hast to the assembly and thinke whether thou art going looking to thy feet before thou enter into the house of the Lord and be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles Gaius Oh Lord God Of mens vnpreparednesse to Gods house how vnpreparedly come most into Gods house wee doe vsually rush into the holy assemblie without doing any of these duties from worldly businesse stuffed with cares of this life which choke the seed of Gods word some out of the Alchouse with red faces bidding defiance to all sober spirits other hardly gotten from their beds hauing not shaken off their idlenesse and perhaps their wantonnesse other spend all the time in dressing and attiring themselues that they may come to see and to bee seene into the congregation as the diuels ensigne-bearers of vanity pride Some come with couetousnes as Iudas some with hypocrisie as Ananiah some with enuie as the Pharisies some with Prophanenesse and mocking spirits like the Iewes some to cauill and catch aduantage as certaine did in Ieremies daies some come for companie as good fellowes not for conscience some onely of a fashion and of a custome taken vp vpon a kind of religion but neither knowing why nor wherefore nor euer learning any thing for their reformation Some come for feare of man but not of God most that come come as the people did to Ezechiel to heare but very few to doe because indeed they come not thus in a conscionable preparation But I haue been too long in this sorrowfull complaint shew me I pray thee what I am to do in the open congregation Iohn 1. Be thou respectiue How to carry our selues in the open congregation of Gods presence the presence of his holy Angels 2. Shew a reuerent behauior in thine eies countenance gesture of thy whole body whether it bee standing sitting or kneelings 3. Wholly addict thy selfe to attentiue hearing ioyning with the minister and the rest of the congregation in all the publike exercises is the preaching of the word in administration of the Sacramēts in distributing to the poor in their necessities in prayer and singing of Psalmes vnto God 4. Auoid all wandring thoughts idle gazing drowsie sleeping superstitious praying there alone also priuate reading and whatsoeuer may shew either neglect or contempt of the publike administration of holy thing 5. Continue constant with the congregation abide to the end and conclude with the rest depart with a heart lifted vp vnto God for such heauenly means of saluation and so goe forth with a reuerent and a holy behauiour in respect of God of his Angels of Gods Ministers and his people and in respect of departing so immediately from such holy and heauenly exercises and also in regard of the place but without superstition set apart to so holy an end Gaius Alas alas
my minde in heauenly meditations from vncleane vnquiet and foolish dreames and so refresh me by the quiet benefit of sweet sleepe that I may arise more chearfully comfortably in the morning to the labours of my particular calling While I doe sleepe watch I beseech thee ouer me cause thy holy Angels to pitch their tents about me that so I may rest and also arise in safety and therby be moued to laud and praise thee still renewing my thankes as thou doest renew thy mercies daily And now Lord going to my bed I commend my selfe my soule and body into the hands of thy fatherey protection for thou art awake when I sleepe and thou onely art able to preserue mee If it so please thee now this night to take my life from me and to remoue me out of this vale of miserie this doe O Lord of thy great mercy pardon me all my sins wilfull transgressions negligences and ignorances euils committed and duties omitted in any measure manner or any way displeasing to thy Maiesty and that for the death and passion the righteousnesse the merits and intercession of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and our blessed Sauiour I humbly beseech thee and for his sake take vp my soule to thy heauenly habitation there to rest vntill I come wholly body and soule vnto thee in that great day of the resurrection But if it yet please thee stil further to prolong my life then I hartily pray thee good God of thy tender mercy herein to heare mee that as dayes be added to the time of life so graces may bee encreased that as I grow in yeeres so may I also bee fruitfull in good workes encreasing in grace to thy praise my better preparednesse to death and to my eternall comfort at the last day the time of my perfect redemption through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and that blessed Spirit bee giuen all honour glory and praise of me and all thy people as is most due for all thy louing mercies past and present for the future hope of eternall blisse this night and for euermore Amen Gaius Now if it please thee my Father proceed to the next point and shew vnto me what meditatiōs I should haue in the night season if it happen that then I should awake Iohn Let it 1. put thee Meditations vpon our awaking in the night in mind of awaking from sinne as thou hast awaked frō sleep that thou perish not by death 2. Thinke also how God can make men which are dead in the graue to liue againe as easily as hee hath made thee to awake out of thy sleepe 3. By thy sudden awaking to consider how suddenly thou mayest bee raised vp and summoned to iudgement Secondly by the darknes Of darknesse of the night first thinke of the spirituall darknesse in which natural men sinfully and desperately doe sleepe to pray that God would open their eyes to see the wonders of his law then of the vtter darknesse into which all such impenitent sleepers shall bee cast to moue thee to mourne for them aliue that they may not bee damned when they bee dead further by this darknesse so comfortlesse behold also their comfortles estate for as they cannot which are in darknes see either themselues or others or their way or house or friends or enemies no more can men in spirituall darknesse know thēselues nor the Church of God nor discerne the godly from the vngodly nor the way of life from the way of death nor foresee perils or the pit prepared for them no more then men which remaine in darknesse can see to auoide the dangers which they may fall into vntill the light doe againe shine vpon them Thirdly if thou canst Of dreames cal thy dreames to remembrance by their vanitie iudge of thy leuity by their vncleannesse thy filthinesse by their idlenes thy foolishnesse by the furie in them thy madnes by their much vncertainty thy wauering and inconstancie the delight in their deceits thy easinesse to bee led by delusions the fearfulnesse in them thy timorous heart the seldome thoughts of goodnes thy much delight in wickednesse and little care of godlinesse Fourthly in the silent night vpon thy bed it is good to fall into an examination of thine owne heart it is the time freest from disturbance in respect of outward impediments thou mayest haue with thy soule free and peaceable conference By a true and serious search thou mayest finde out thy selfe and so bee better knowne to thy selfe and the more thou art acquainted with thy owne corruption the more wilt thou bewaile thy wants and seeke after the grace of sanctification Fifthly in thine inclination to sleepe againe note thereby how a man may awake from sin through Gods mercy and yet bee readie to sleepe againe in sinne by his owne infirmitie Sixthly before thou sleepe againe commend thy selfe in some short prayer to God according to the former meditations and so asleepe for refreshment taking so much as may suffice nature for more strength of labour but not to satisfie the flesh to grow thereby lazie and lustfull Gaius Oh what conceited Laodiceans are we wee out of an ordinarie profession in any measure aboue our brethren hold our selues full of deuotion wee iudge our selues goodly Christians rich in graces flowing in goodnesse lacking little to perfection but alas now I see by the neglect of these things that we are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked I confesse that the Lord hath cause to rebuke and chasten vs except wee speedily grow more zealous and amend Iohn Indeed Gaius men are too wickedly carelesse of a holy conuersation and how to keepe a good cōscience towards God man Men seeme to hate so very much popish superstition as they neglect altogether Christian deuotiō it is iudged enough to bee no Papist though otherwise a man bee little better then a very Atheist in all his courses Gaius Right so my father such as see it may lament it but not remedie it I pray for better vnto him that can reforme it But leauing this proceed on I beseech thee with mee as thou hast begun and come to the last particular how I may make my selfe readie for the sanctifying of the Sabbath Iohn I perceiue that thy heart thirsteth after grace the Lord more and more perfect the same so happily begun in thee First besides these things Directions for a preparation to the Sabbath before mentioned carefully haue in remēbrance euery day the Lords day to keepe it holy when it commeth therefore foresee thy businesse neglect no ordinarie labour order thy worldly affaires so as that day bee set apart for the speciall and publike worship of God that so thy deuotion bee not hindered nor the day prophaned hee hath vtterly lost the power of religion that is carelesse of the Sabbaths sanctification Secondly in the end of the weeke iudge by this holy course of thy growth in religion of