A weekes worke, and a worke for every weeke by R.B.

TO THE VER∣TVOVS AND RELI∣gious Ladies, the Ladie Eli∣zabeth 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 manifesta∣tion 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 bet∣ter part, I cannot but blesse God for the worke of grace: So (Right Worshipfull) on the contrary, marking the

mad choyce of others, I fol∣low the counsell of the Pro∣phet Esaiah, I stay & won∣der. Eue had free-will, the choyce of an apple and Para∣dise was before her: God said, eate not, and liue: but eate, said the Serpent, thou shalt not die. The diuell was cre∣dited, 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 A∣braham, and made choyce to

dwell in Sodome: Esau lo¦ueth his bellie, and for a pre∣sent messe of pottage selleth a∣way his birth-right. The mixt people among the Israe∣lites, 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 mur∣therer, euen a Barrabas, in¦stead of that iust one and in∣nocent, Christ the righteous.

As I haue stayed in my thoughts vpon these; so now should I wonder, but that a∣mong our selues, I finde many as foolish, and as vnreasona∣ble

in their chusing. They e∣steeme more of pleasure, then of peace wiih God: they will sell godlines for earthly gain: they preferre profit before pi∣ety; worldly goods they like of better then heauenly gra∣ces: they chuse rather to rest vpon an idle conceit in them∣selues 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 re∣ligious, then so to be indeed.

But perhaps you (Ladies)

will say, what of all this to you? Surely, that you behol∣ding nature corrupted, and your selues, through Gods mercy, sanctified by grace, may in your more happie choyce, giue due praises hear∣tily vnto God, who affoordeth you from aboue so much po∣wer 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, pon∣der the words, and lay them vp in your hearts; with af∣flicted 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 per∣swasion 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 con∣dition, to the end of your daies; euen so, Amen.

Your Ladyships in all Christian duties, RIC. BERNARD.

Batcombe Iuly 14.