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,…

first balancing their bellies with feasts, & then refreshing themselves with play. Wherefore as we now deny Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen: so we deny holy-day plays, as remnants of ancient profaneness.

first balacing their bellies with feastes, & then refreshing themselues with play. Wherefore as we now denie Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen: so we denie holy-day playes, as remnants of ancient prophanenesse.

But if it be here objected, that the Jews had their solemn feasts, musical instruments, and exercises of pleasure, yet the men always by themselves, and the other sex by themselves; not with that monstrous mixture of men and women, which is a chief sin and arch-enemy to religion of our age, and that with holy Psalms made by David and Moses, not with vain minstrelsy used of profane Atheists: I answer, as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth. 13. of his own person, that they being as children spake as children, they understood as children, they thought as children, being but in the rudiments: but we becoming men, must put away childish things. Again, the superstition of the Papists checketh this abuse, who would admit none outward exercises on their Easter, Whitsuntide, and¹ holy Thursday, at what times they thought a bird would scarcely build her nest. Did not the Papists break their superstitious holidays, and shall we so profanely pollute the Lord his Sabbath? Our Easter day, our Ascension day, our Whitsuntide is every Lords day: and therefore we ought to make a special care of sanctifying of this day. What shall I say of the zeal of worldlings, which may control by contraries the security of our sins? For all worldly men seek never for pleasure, whilst profit doth drop; as we may see in them that live on Fairs and Markets, as Chapmen and Innholders. So long as they hope to gain a penny, how wait they, how diligent are they, how little play they, how busy are they? And why? Forsooth it is their harvest, it is their market, which (say they) they must attend upon whilst occasion lasteth. Behold the policy & painfulness of the world may teach us, what we ought to do for our souls. Is not the Sabbath the harvest time and market day for the soul, wherein we should gather in whilst the Sun shineth, wherein we we should be very diligent, whilst our gain is promised, wherein we must provide for a living and maintenance, and lay up store, laying all pleasure aside until the time to come?