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,…

Yet there may remain a question, whether sick persons may have their exercises on¹ this day, or no? We answer, if they be extremely sick, it is a time of praying, and not of playing, according to the axiom of James, chap 5. If they be not so dangerously sick, they need i• not: for if they can bu•ie their hearts, hands, bodies and minds about playing, then their late visitation and the fruit of it should rather cause them to refresh themselves with reading, singing, or a more liberal exercise of conferring with them that be godly. And to knit up this part, let us remember in the former objection drawn from the law of the Realm, that the civill law doth not so much permit the liberty, which good men know to use well, as it doth restrain the licentiousness, which evil men use badly: because better it is that good men should want their liberty, which they may do, than evil men should be confirmed in their licentiousness, which they ought not to do: so that evil men may be made good, and good men are nothing hurt. And because love asketh not her own, but is content for the good of others to depart from it own liberty, though we could (which indeed we cannot) use recreation without the hinderance of God his worship; yet we should not use it being a grief to the godly, an offence to the weak ones, a matter of rejoicing to the ungodly.

Yet there may remaine a question, whether sicke persons may haue their exercises on¹ this day, or no? We answere, if they be extremely sicke, it is a time of praying, and not of playing, according to the axiome of Iames, chap 5. If they be not so dangerously sicke, they neede i• not: for if they can bu•ie their hearts, hands, bodies and mindes about playing, then their late visitation and the fruite of it should rather cause them to refresh themselues with reading, singing, or a more liberall exercise of conferring with them that be godly. And to knit vp this part, let vs remember in the former obiection drawn from the law of the Realme, that the ciuill law doth not so much permit the libertie, which good men know to vse well, as it doth restraine the licentiousnesse, which euill men vse badly: because better it is that good men should want their libertie, which they may doe, than euill men should be confirmed in their licentiousnesse, which they ought not to do: so that euill men may be made good, and good men are nothing hurt. And because loue asketh not her owne, but is cōtent for the good of others to depart from it owne libertie, though we could (which indeed we cannot) vse recreation without the hinderance of God his worship; yet we should not vse it being a griefe to the godly, an offence to the weake ones, a matter of reioycing to the vngodly.