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,…

The second reason, which is drawn from the Law it self, and from the Priests own¹ practise, may be gathered out of the fifth and sixth verses: Have ye not read in the Law, how that on the Sabbath days the Priests in the Temple brake the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6. But I say unto you here is one greater then the Temple. As if he should have said, Verily ye misconstrue the Sabbath; ye must better consider, what kind of works the Sabbath forbiddeth, to wit, the works of mens ordinary callings, not being fit for the dignity of the Sabbath, and nothing tending to the worship of God: but if they beseem the dignity of that day, and are done for God his holy worship, they are not unlawful. Advise your selves (I pray you) do not even your own Priests on the Sabbath-day slay their beasts to sacrifice? Do they not circumcise on that day? And do ye not carry your children to the Temple to be circumcised, which are works both in respect of your Priests and you; and yet in that in these things ye are made the fitter to serve God in his worship, ye think them not unlawful? Likewise know, that this plucking of the ears of corn in my Disciples, is no work of their ordinary callings, but to make them more able for the worship of God. In that he nameth the Priests, he showeth that he rather speaketh against the persons, than against the cause, and strangleth them in their own argument. For the answer in effect is this: If my Disciples profane the Sabbath, then did your own Priests the same. Under this we may couch the answer of our Saviour Christ to the Jews, who accused him for healing of the sick man on the Sabbath day, Joh. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work: that is, as my Father ceased from the works of Creation, yet he ceased not from doing good on the Sabbath: so though I and my Disciples have ceased from our ordinary callings, yet cease we not after the Father his own example, to do the works of mercy on the Sabbath. For the works of God his providence are to be done every day. Seeing he then vouchsafeth to put us in his stead to do good things,² we may lawfully do them, though with some bodily labour, as we may on that day resort to the imprisoned, visit the sick, relieve the needy, reconcile the uncharitable, and admonish the unruly; And why?

The second reason, which is drawne from the Lawe it selfe, and from the Priests owne