The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

24▪ Well, it is most probable, that the Disciples being gone far from the place, from whence they did set out, (because if they had then fainted, they would there have recreated themselves) and far distant from any place where they might eat, (for if they had been near any place, they might rather have refreshed themselves with other things then with corn) they through fainting & for want of other necessaries, were constrained to satisfy their present necessity with these things, which if they had not done, they should not have been able to persist in their calling, which was agreeable to the Sabbath: the works whereof did never restrain from eating, which notwithstanding they might as justly have reprehended in the Disciples, as their plucking the ears of corn. The arguments whereby CHRIST doth answer them, may briefly be referred to five heads. The first is set down in these words, vers. 3. Have ye not heard what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him? 4. How he entered into the house of God, & ate the show-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the Priests? Behold he speaketh here of the ceremony of show-bread, which was broken for the preservation of mens lives: whereby he showeth, that Ceremonies, as a thing of less importance, must give place for life's sake. So that this is spoken of the end, because the thing which is forbidden for a common end, is not broken for a particular use. Wherefore David and his company did eat the show-bread to serve their necessity, and that without breach of the Law, how much more may my Disciples eat the ears of corn, to enable them the more to attend upon the ordinance of God? It is a rule in the civill law, that it is against civility too greedily to hunt after the syllables of their Maxims, and too carelessly to neglect and permit the true sense of the Law. In which thing our Saviour trappeth the Pharisees, who were too severe censurers of the letter, and too severe ⟨p. 144⟩observers of the matter of the Law. Our Saviour therefore in effect meaneth thus much, that as it was not lawful to eat the show bread usually or ordinarily, and yet to eat it upon necessity it was not unlawful: so usually to gather corn on the Sabbath, even in time of Harvest, it was not lawful;

24▪ Well, it is most probable, that the Disciples beeing gone farre from the place, from whence they did set out, (because if they had then fainted, they would there haue recreated themselues) and farre distant from ani place where they might eate, (for if they had bene neere any place, they might rather haue refreshed themselues with other things then with corne) they through fainting & for want of other necessaries, were constrained to satisfie their present necessitie with these things, which if they had not done, they shuld not haue been able to persist in their calling, which was agreeable to the Sabbath: the workes whereof did neuer restraine from eating, which notwithstanding they might as iustly haue reprehended in the Disciples, as their plucking the eares of corne. The arguments whereby CHRIST doth answere them, may briefly be referred to fiue heads. The first is set downe in these words, vers. 3. Haue yee not heard what Dauid did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him? 4. How hee entred into the house of God, & ate the shewe-bread, which was not lawfull for him to eate, neither for them which were with him, but only for the Priests? Behold he speaketh here of the ceremonie of shew-bread, which was broken for the preseruation of mens liues: whereby hee sheweth, that Ceremonies, as a thing of lesse importance, must giue place for lifes sake. So that this is spoken of the end, because the thing which is forbidden for a common end, is not brokē for a particular vse. Wherefore Dauid and his companie did eate the shewe-bread to serue their necessitie, and that without breach of the Law, how much more may my Disciples eate the eares of corne, to enable them the more to attend vpon the ordināce of God? It is a rule in the ciuill law, that it is against ciuilitie too greedily to hunt after the syllables of their Maximes, and too carelesly to neglect and permit the true sense of the Law. In which thing our Sauiour trappeth the Pharisees, who were too seuere censurers of the letter, and too seuere