Psal

John

Matt.

i. 19.

the ancient use of the Jews, to embalm the corpse with sweet Ixxix. 3. odours, and to adorn the sepulchres of certain. In regard xix. 40. of the quality of men, it hath been judged fit to commend xxiii. 27. them unto the world at their death, amongst the Heathen ? Sam. in funeral Orations, amongst the Jews in sacred Poems; and why not in funeral Sermons also amongst Christians? Us it sufficeth, that the known benefit hereof doth countervail millions of such inconveniences as are therein surmised, although they were not surmised only, but found therein. The life and the death of Saints is precious in God's sight. Let it not seem odious in our eyes, if both the one and the other be spoken of then especially, when the present occasion doth make men's minds the more capable of such speech. The care, no doubt, of the living, both to live and to die well, must needs be somewhat increased, when they know that their departure shall not be folded up in silence, but the ears of many be made acquainted with it. Moreover, when they hear how mercifully God hath dealt with their brethren in their last need, besides the praise which they give to God, and the joy which they have or should have by reason of their fellowship and communion with Saints, is not their hope also much confirmed against the day of their own dissolution? Again, the sound of these things doth not so pass the ears of them that are most loose and dissolute in life, but it causeth them one time or other to wish, "O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my end might be like his!" Thus much peculiar good there doth grow at those times by speech concerning the dead, besides the benefit of public instruction common unto funeral with other Sermons. For the comfort of them whose minds are through natural affection pensive in such cases, no man can justly mislike the custom which the Jews had to end their burials with funeral banquets, in reference whereunto the Prophet Jeremy spake, concerning the people whom God had appointed unto a grievous manner of destruction, saying, "That men should not give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father, or for their mother," because it should not be now with them as in peaceable times with others, who bringing their ancestors unto the grave with weeping eyes, have notwithstanding means wherewith to be recomforted. "Give wine (saith Solo

Jer.

xvi. 7.

xxxi. 6.

Job

mon) unto them that have grief of heart." Surely, he that Prov. ministereth unto them comfortable speech, doth much more 1 Chron. than give them wine. But the greatest thing of all other xix. 2. about this duty of Christian burial, is an outward testifi- ii. 11. cation of the hope which we have touching the Resurrection of the dead. For which purpose let any man of reasonable judgment examine, whether it be more convenient for a company of men, as it were, in a dumb show, to bring a corpse to the place of burial, there to leave it covered with the earth, and so end, or else have the Exequies devoutly performed with solemn recital of such Lectures, Psalms, and Prayers, as are purposely framed for the stirring up of men's minds unto a careful consideration of their estate both here and hereafter. Whereas therefore it is objected, that neither the people of God under the Law, nor the Church in the Apostles' times, did use any Form of Service in burial of the dead; and therefore, that this Order is taken up without any good example or precedent followed therein: first, while the world doth stand they shall never be able to prove, that all things, which either the one or the other did use at burial, are set down in Holy Scripture, which doth not any where of purpose deliver the whole manner and form thereof, but toucheth only sometime one thing, and sometime another, which was in use, as special occasions require any of them to be mentioned or insinuated. Again, if it might be proved that no such thing was usual amongst them, hath Christ so deprived his Church of judgment, that what Rites and Orders soever the latter ages thereof have devised, the same must needs be inconvenient? Furthermore, that the Jews before our Saviour's coming had any such Form of Service, although in Scripture it be not affirmed; yet neither is it there denied (for the forbidding of Priests to be present at burials letteth not but that others might discharge that duty, seeing all were not Priests which had rooms of public function in their Synagogues), and if any man be of opinion that they had no such Form of Service; thus much there is to make the contrary more probable. The Jews at this day have, as appeareth in their Form of funeral Prayers, and in certain of their funeral Sermons published; neither are they so affected towards Christians, as to borrow that Order from us; besides that, the Form thereof is

Of the nature

Minis

try,

serveth

form

duties in

Church

and how

such as hath in it sundry things which the very words of the Scripture itself do seem to allude unto, as namely, after departure from the sepulchre unto the house whence the dead was brought, it sheweth the manner of their Burial-feast, and a consolatory Form of Prayer, appointed for the Master of the Synagogue thereat to utter; albeit I may not deny, but it hath also some things which are not perhaps so ancient as the Law and the Prophets. But whatsoever the Jews' custom was before the days of our Saviour Christ, hath it once at any time been heard of, that either Church or Christian man of sound belief did ever judge this a thing unmeet, indecent, unfit for Christianity, till these miserable days, wherein, under the colour of removing certain superstitious abuses, the most effectual means both to testify and to strengthen true Religion are plucked at, and in some places even pulled up by the very roots? Take away this which was ordained to shew at burials the peculiar hope of the Church of God concerning the dead; and in the manner of those dumb funerals what one thing is there whereby the world may perceive we are Christian men?

76. I come now unto that function which undertaketh the of that public ministry of holy things according to the Laws of Christian Religion. And because the nature of things, conwhich sisting as this doth in action, is known by the object wherefor per- about they are conversant, and by the end or scope whereance of unto they are referred, we must know that the object of divine this function is both God and men: God, in that he is pubthe lickly worshipped of his Church; and men, in that they are of God; capable of happiness by means which Christian Discipline happi appointeth. So that the sum of our whole labour in this ness, not kind, is to honour God and to save men. For whether we only, severally take and consider men one by one, or else gather them into one society and body, as it hath been before ral, doth declared, that every man's Religion is in him the wellupon it. spring of all other sound and sincere virtues, from whence both here in some sort, and hereafter more abundantly, their full joy and felicity ariseth; because while they live they are blessed of God, and when they die their works follow them so at this present we must again call to mind how the very worldly peace and prosperity, the secular happiness, the temporal and natural good estate both of

eternal

but also

tempo.

depend

all men and of all dominions, hangeth chiefly upon Religion, and doth evermore give plain testimony, that, as well in this as in other considerations, the Priest is a pillar of that Commonwealth wherein he faithfully serveth God. For, if these assertions be true, first, that nothing can be enjoyed in this present world against his will which hath made all things; secondly, that albeit God doth sometime permit the impious to have, yet impiety permitteth them not to enjoy, no not temporal blessings on earth; thirdly, that God hath appointed those blessings to attend as handmaids upon Religion; and, fourthly, that, without the work of the Ministry, Religion by no means can possibly continue, the use and benefit of that sacred function even towards all men's worldly happiness must needs be granted. Now, the first being a theorem both understood and confessed by all,* to labour in proof thereof were superfluous. The second perhaps may be called in question, except it be perfectly understood. By good things temporal, therefore, we mean length of days, health of body, store of friends and well-willers, quietness, prosperous. success of those things we take in hand, riches with fit opportunities to use them during life, reputation following us both alive and dead, children, or such as instead of children we wish to leave successors and partakers of our happiness. These things are naturally every man's desire, because they are good. And on whom God bestoweth the same, them we confess he graciously blesseth. Of earthly blessings the meanest is wealth, reputation the chiefest. For which cause we esteem the gain of honour an ample recompense for the loss of all other worldly benefits. But forasmuch as in all this there is no certain perpetuity of goodness, Nature hath taught to affect these things, not for their own sake, but with reference and relation to somewhat independently good, as is the exercise of virtue and speculation of truth. None, whose desires are rightly ordered, would wish to live, to breathe, and move, without performance

'Si creatura Dei, merito et dispensatio Dei sumus: Quis enim magis diligit, quam ille qui fecit? Quis autem ordinatius regit, quam is qui et fecit et diligit? Quis vero sapientius et fortius ordinare et regere facta potest, quam qui et facienda providit et provisa perfecit? Quapropter omnem potestatem a Deo esse omnemque ordinationem, et qui non legerunt sentiunt, et qui legerunt cognoscunt.' Paul. Oros. Hist. advers. Pagan. lib. 2. [c. 1.]

Οὗτοι τὰ χρήματ ̓ ἴδια κέκτηνται βροτοί,

Τὰ τῶν θεῶν δ' ἔχοντες ἐπιμελούμεθα. Eurip. Phæniss. [ver. 565.]

Psal.

Iv. 23.

Deut. xxviii.

22.

of those actions which are beseeming man's excellency. Wherefore, having not how to employ it, we wax weary even of life itself. Health is precious, because sickness doth breed that pain which disableth action. Again, why do men delight so much in the multitude of friends, but for that the actions of life, being many, do need many helping hands to further them? Between troublesome and quiet days we should make no difference, if the one did not hinder and interrupt, the other uphold, our liberty of action. Furthermore, if those things we do succeed, it rejoiceth us not so much for the benefit we thereby reap, as in that it probably argueth our actions to have been orderly and well guided.* As for riches, to him which hath and doth nothing with them, they are a contumely. Honour is commonly presumed a sign of more than ordinary virtue and merit, by means whereof when ambitious minds thirst after it, their endeavours are testimonies how much it is in the eye of nature to possess that body, the very shadow whereof is set at so high a rate. Finally, such is the pleasure and comfort which we take in doing, that when life forsaketh us, still our desires to continue action and to work, though not by ourselves, yet by them whom we leave behind us, causeth us providently to resign into other men's hands the helps we have gathered for that purpose, devising also the best we can to make them perpetual. It appeareth, therefore, how all the parts of temporal felicity are only good in relation to that which useth them as instruments, and that they are no such good as wherein a right desire doth ever stay or rest itself. Now temporal blessings are enjoyed of those which have them, know them," esteem them according to that they are in their own nature." Wherefore of the wicked, whom God doth hate, his usual and ordinary speeches are, that blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;" that God shall cause a pestilence to cleave unto the wicked, and shall strike them with consuming grief, with fevers, burning diseases, and sores which are past cure; that when the impious are fallen, all men shall tread them down, and none shew countenance of love towards them, as much as by pitying them in their misery;

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