The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

So Luke. 23. in the two last verses, it is noted of Mary Magdalen and her companions, that having prepared their perfumes to anoint the dead body of Christ, and not having ⟨image 86⟩time to get ready enough for that purpose before the sabbath came upon them, they would neither anoint him with those they had, nor buy any more till the sabbath was ended: now what smaller thing then to buy a few ointments, that might soon be done, and without great trouble, and if a man may do any thing that is not a duty of religion or mercy on that day, then he might buy sweet ointments, to embalm the dead body of Christ, but because Christs body was dead, and their embalming it, did yield no ease and refreshing, and so was no work of mercy, nor was not a worship of God, they durst not do it. I, but might one say, sure they were more precise then wise, they made a scruple where none was, nay the holy ghost frees thee from that charge, and shows that they rested according to the commandment. It was well done of them, for in doing it they obeyed Gods commandment, and it had ben amiss if they had not rested, for then they had broken Gods commandment. So for the man that would gather sticks upon the sabbath, he did it in deed contemptuously, for to try Moses, and set him at stand, he would break the sabbath, and yet not dye neither; therefore he did the smallest work, yet that little work was so great a sin, that God appoints him to be stoned to death for it. So that no work so small, if it be a worldly matter, and not a matter of religion, must be done. What smaller thing to step over the door-sill, and gather a thing under his feet for a while, what thing of less trouble then to buy some precious ointment to embalm Christs body, what lighter matter then to gather a few sticks, yet not the lightest of all these, but God condemns it, and will not have it break into the possession of his day.

So Luke. 23. in the two last verses, it is noted of Mary Magdalen and her companions, that hauing prepared their perfumes to annoint the dead body of Christ, and not hauing ⟨image 86⟩time to get readie inough for that purpose before the sabboth came vpon them, they would neither annoint him with those they had, nor buy any more till the sabboth was ended: now what smaller thing then to buy a few ointments, that might soone bee done, and without great trouble, and if a man may doe any thing that is not a dutie of religion or mercie on that day, then he might buy sweet ointments, to embalme the dead bodie of Christ, but because Christs body was dead, and their embalming it, did yeld no ease and refreshing, and so was no work of mercie, nor was not a worship of God, they durst not doe it. I, but might one say, sure they were more precise then wise, they made a scruple where none was, nay the holy ghost frees thee from that charge, and shewes that they rested according to the commandement. It was well done of them, for in doing it they obeyed Gods commandement, and it had ben amisse if they had not rested, for then they had broken Gods commandement. So for the man that would gather sticks vppon the sabboth, he did it in deede contemptuously, for to trie Moses, and set him at stand, he would breake the sabboth, and yet not dye neither; therefore he did the smallest work, yet that little work was so great a sinne, that God appoints him to be stoned to death for it. So that no work so small, if it be a worldly matter, and not a matter of religion, must be done. What smaller thing to step ouer the dore-sil, and gather a thing vnder his feet for a while, what thing of lesse trouble then to buy some precious oyntment to embalme Christs bodie, what lighter matter then to gather a few sticks, yet not the lightest of all these, but God condemnes it, and will not haue it breake into the possession of his day.