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,…

Touching these solemn and sumptuous feasts, thus much we affirm briefly. Such as on the Lords day institute such solemnities, and stuff every office, and bombast every corner of the house with men and women, are to be admonished duly to consider of that, which is reported of David both in the history of the Kings, and in the book of the Chronicles,¹ who having a vain desire and superfluous appetite, would not defer, but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced city, and from whence water could not be conveyed by hand, without some jeopardy to them that fetched it. Wherefore three of his most worthy men have this business assigned them, to the compassing whereof their lives were hazarded. At their return, grace making his after fruits better than the former, after better deliberation used, he poured forth the water on the ground, saying, God forbid that I should drink the blood or the lives of these three men: showing thereby both his offence in sending them, & the free mercy of God in saving them. Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot conveniently be used on the Sabbath without the hazard of mens souls (though the Lord in mercy may save their souls) as in that divers offices in great families require divers persons to perform divers duties, and so that which is a day of rest, is made a day of toiling. The equity of the not kindling of a fire must bind Christians, although the sanction doth not constrain them: whereas the Israelites of an inch of liberty would take an ell, for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them. And although we have a further liberty to kindle a fire, for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were, yet the equity of the law must teach us, that we ought not to turn this liberty to be servant of our wanton desires, or to foster carnal licentiousness, and hinder the worship of God.

Touching these solemne and sumptuous feasts, thus much we affirme briefly. Such as on the Lords day institute such solemnities, and stuffe euery office, and bumbast euery corner of the house with men and women, are to be admonished duly to consider of that, which is reported of Dauid both in the historie of the Kings, and in the booke of the Chronicles,¹ who hauing a vaine desire and superfluous appetite, would not deferre, but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced citie, and from whence water could not be conueied by hand, without some ieopardie to them that fetcht it. Wherfore three of his most worthie men haue this busines assigned them, to the compassing whereof their liues were hazarded. At their returne, grace making his after fruites better than the former, after better deliberation vsed, he powred forth the water on the ground, saying, God forbid that I should drink the blood or the liues of these three men: shewing thereby both his offence in sending them, & the free mercie of God in sauing them. Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot cōueniently be vsed on the Sabbath without the hazard of mens soules (though the Lord in mercie may saue their soules) as in that diuers offices in great families require diuers persons to performe diuers duties, and so that which is a day of rest, is made a day of toyling. The equitie of the not kindling of a fire must binde Christians, although the sanction doth not constraine them: whereas the Israelites of an inch of libertie would take an ell, for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them. And although we haue a further libertie to kindle a fire, for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were, yet the equitie of the law must teach vs, that we ought not to turne this libertie to be seruant of our wanton desires, or to foster carnall licentiousnes, and hinder the worship of God.