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,…

if either the wants of our souls may enforce us, o• the benefits of God ravish us, we shall confess, that though at all times carefully, yet at this time of the year most carefully and specially we should provide for the worship of God, the refreshing of our souls, & the relieving of our bodies. Besides, if the calling of justice, which for the worthiness of it is more necessary; if the tilling of ground, which is a thing more needful, on this day stoop and surcease, to give place to the worship of God; then reaping and carting, for which neither dignity nor necessity can so well be pretended, must needs cease: and better it is that man should reap somewhat less of his private gain, than that so deep a wound should be stricken into the sides of Gods public glory: and more convenient it is that a few should smart, than a great many should be offended. And yet true it is, that our axiom of necessity hath it virtue as well at this time, as at another. Howbeit, I hope, I need not here put you in mind of the distinction of necessity present¹ and necessity imminent, the one granted, the other denied. A present need requireth a present help, as an house being fired, our aide forthwith is required: for that God in this case hath subordinated us as his Bailiffs and Lieutenants for the preservation of his creatures. But, if we presuppose and forecast dangers to come, God maketh mens doings dotings, and infatuateth their devises, for that seeing he openeth & shutteth the windows of heaven, and the closets of water, seeing he can make the heavens as brass, and the earth as ⟨p. 167⟩iron, and sendeth the first and the latter rain: so these things are not in our hands, but in the Lords power, who either proveth their faith, or punisheth our sins, and trieth us whether we will serve him more sparingly when he punisheth us, or more securely when he spareth us.

if either the wants of our soules may inforce vs, o• the benefits of God rauish vs, we shal confesse, that though at all times carefully, yet at this time of the yeere most carefully and specially we should prouide for the worship of God, the refreshing of our soules, & the relieuing of our bodies. Besides, if the calling of iustice, which for the worthines of it is more necessarie; if the tilling of ground, which is a thing more needfull, on this day stoope and surcease, to giue place to the worship of God; then reaping and carting, for which neither dignity nor necessitie can so wel be pretended, must needes cease: and better it is that man should reape somewhat lesse of his priuate gaine, than that so deepe a wound should bee stricken into the sides of Gods publike glorie: and more conuenient it is that a few should smart, than a great many should be offended. And yet true it is, that our axiome of necessitie hath it vertue as well at this time, as at another. Howbeit, I hope, I neede not here put you in mind of the distinction of necessitie present