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,…

And to return to the Papists, what posting Priests, what mumbled mas•es, what hunting prayers, what hasty service had they, when any other solemnity should be used? What¹ then, will some say, no use of recreations? I do not simply deny profitable exercises, but what shall we do with them on the Lords day? If all our delight were in the Sabbath, if all our springs were in it, if we made it our chiefest joy, what place should or ought to be left to such carnal delights, to such fleshly pleasures? If any shall object, that it was not a necessity² to lead the ox to the water, and yet it was lawful, and therefore things convenient in some cases permitted: men have the use of pleasures convenient. I answer, that³ the ox so led to water, is not to play and frisk on that day, because that may without detriment be deferred, and the other cannot: and the pleasures convenient, as eating and drinking moderately, may on that day be used, in that without them followeth some detriment, & yet we permit not to play, which is a thing that without hurt may be for borne on that day for Gods sake, if without hurt we can forbear it an whole week for the worlds sake. To be short, spiritual wisdom may provide both for the Lord his worship, for our callings, & for the laws. And like as in regard of inconvenience, the politic laws restrain bowling in some men, not that in it self it is merely unlawful, but that for all estates for certain causes it is not convenient, in that they would detain some from their callings: from which if they should rest, they should incur both the loss of better things, the misspending of time, and hinderance of their honest gain. In which respect of hindering better things, we deny playing on the Lords day.

And to returne to the Papists, what posting Priests, what mumbled mas•es, what hunting praiers, what hastie seruice had they, when any other solemnitie should be vsed? What¹ then, will some say, no vse of recreations? I doe not simply denie profitable exercises, but what shall we do with them on the Lords day? If all our delight were in the Sabbath, if all our springs were in it, if we made it our chiefest ioy, what place should or ought to be left to such carnall delights, to such fleshly pleasures? If any shall obiect, that it was not a necessitie