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 truth whereof appeareth in this, that troubles & the time of their visitation should come upon them, when the Sabbath should not be ceremonial, as now it was, when Christ spake unto them, but at such time, as men should worship God in spirit and trueth, without all shadows and figures, when Christ should be ascended into heaven, as indeed it came to pass. So that this should increase the grief of so many as sincerely worshipped the Lord, that when they should rejoice in the holy worship of God, they should mourn and lament for the enemies horrible blaspheming the name of God, and that when they should sing the praises of God, they would sigh and howl to see the open despite of God and his trueth. In respect of which miserable calamities, our Saviour Christ foresheweth the woeful estate that should be in those days, of them which were with child, and gave suck. For though the fruit of the womb and multiplying of children, in respect of themselves, were the good blessings of God; yet the estate of those times should be so dangerous, that even the blessings of God should be turned to curses, and the children, which otherwise were a comfort unto them, should now increase their trouble, discomfort and sorrow. Wherefore it is certain, that Christ neither meant, that every day should be alike: for then he would not distinctly have pointed at this day: neither did he think it to be a ceremony, because he knowing the time when ceremonies should cease; would have been so far off from nourishing them in their superstition, that being the Prophet of God, he would in this, as in other things, rather teach them the pure use of the Sabbath.

The truth whereof appeareth in this, that troubles & the time of their visitation should come vpon them, when the Sabbath should not be ceremoniall, as now it was, when Christ spake vnto them, but at such time, as men should worship God in spirit and trueth, without all shadowes and figures, when Christ should be ascended into heauen, as indeed it came to passe. So that this should increase the griefe of so many as sincerely worshipped the Lord, that when they should reioyce in the holy worship of God, they should mourne and lament for the enemies horrible blaspheming the name of God, and that when they should sing the praises of God, they would sigh and houle to see the open despite of God and his trueth. In respect of which miserable calamities, our Sauiour Christ foresheweth the wofull estate that should be in those daies, of them which were with child, and gaue sucke. For though the fruite of the wombe and multiplying of children, in respect of themselues, were the good blessings of God; yet the estate of those times should be so dangerous, that euen the blessings of God should be turned to curses, and the children, which otherwise were a comfort vnto them, should now increase their trouble, discomfort and sorrow. Wherefore it is certaine, that Christ neither meant, that euery day should be alike: for then he would not distinctly haue pointed at this day: neither did he thinke it to be a ceremonie, because he knowing the time when ceremonies should cease; would haue been so farre off from nourishing them in their superstition, that being the Prophet of God, he would in this, as in other things, rather teach them the pure vse of the Sabbath.