For although 1that the Gospel of Jesus Christ doth correct and mortify the wicked affections of the flesh, yet nevertheless it depriveth nor spoileth man from all human affection, but amendeth only that which is vicious, through the natural corruption, proceeding from the sin of man. It is impossible that we can be without dolour & sorrow, although we would, when we do see the afflictions and miseries of our brethren, ⟨image 74⟩being of our flesh and blood, The holy Scripture hath not condemned the sorrow and heaviness that Abraham conceived 2for the death of Sarah his wife, & Isaac of his mother, Joseph of his father Jacob: The Disciples of S. John, & of Jesus Christ, & of s. Steven, & of s. James, of the tears ye they have shed & of the sorrow that they made: For man cannot be man, without being moved to pity and compassion, seeing the calamities of others, & feeling the damage that he himself receiveth. Therefore S. Paul speaketh very sharply, when 3he said, that the faithful should not be sorrowful as the Paynims and Infidels, who have no hope of the resurrection. Sith then that he condemneth the doings of the Paynims, we ought not to keep them, except we would be rather counted Paynims then Christians. It ought then to suffice us to bury honestly the bodies of the dead, and to put them in the earth as in their bed, tarrying and looking for the coming of Jesus Christ, and the general resurrection of all flesh. Therefore the Christians do call the place that is appointed for their burial Cimiterium, because that it is as the bed, couch and dortoire of the faithful that be 4dead. And therefore it is good to have some certain honest and comely place, as a common repository of the Christians, 5and public witness of the resurrection of the flesh. For we should do great wrong unto our bodies which are the temple of God, in whom God dwelleth, and which have been consecrated and made holy through the blood of Jesus Christ unto his honour and glory, and dedicated unto the immortal inheritage of his kingdom, if we do cast them to dogs, fowls and wild beasts, as she carrion of wild and brute beasts, as though they should live no more after they were dead, and be no partaker of the immortality, no more then beasts. Their bodies ought to be more deer unto us, and more joined and knit unto us then their apparel, as Basil witnesseth.
For although 1that the Gospell of Iesus Christ doth correct and mortefie the wicked affections of the flesh, yet neuerthelesse it depriueth nor spoileth man from all humaine affection, but amendeth onely that which is vicious, thorow the naturall corruption, procéeding from the sinne of man. It is impossible that we can be wout dolour & sorrow, although wée would, when we do sée the afflictions and miseries of our brethren, ⟨image 74⟩béeing of our flesh and bloud, The holy Scripture hath not condemned the sorrow and heauinesse that Abraham conceiued 2for the death of Sara his wife, & Isaac of his mother, Ioseph of his father Iacob: The Disciples of S. Iohn, & of Iesus Christ, & of s. Steuen, & of s. Iames, of ye teares ye they haue shed & of ye sorrow that they made: For man cannot be man, without béeing moued to pittie and compassion, séeinge the calamities of others, & féeling the damage that he himselfe receiueth. Therefore S. Paul speaketh very sharply, when 3he sayd, that the faithfull shoulde not bée sorrowfull as the Panims and Infidels, who haue no hope of the resurrection. Sith then that he condemneth the dooinges of the Panims, we ought not to kepe them, except we would be rather counted Panims then Christians. It ought then to suffice vs to bury honestly the bodies of the dead, and to put them in the earth as in their bed, tarrying and lookinge for the comming of Iesus Christ, and the generall resurrection of all fleshe. Therefore the Christians doe call the place that is appointed for their buriall Cimiterium, bycause that it is as the bed, couch and dortoire of the faythfull that be 4dead. And therefore it is good to haue some certeine honest and comely place, as a common repository of the Christians, 5and publike witnesse of the resurrection of the flesh. For we should doe great wronge vnto our bodyes which are the temple of God, in whom God dwelleth, and which haue bene consecrated and made holy through the bloude of Iesus Christ vnto his honour and glory, and dedicated vnto the immortall inheritage of his kingdome, if wée doe cast them to dogges, fowles and wilde beastes, as she carryon of wilde and brute beastes, as though they should liue no more after they were dead, and bée no pertaker of the immortalitie, no more then beastes. Their bodies ought to be more déere vnto vs, and more ioyned and knit vnto vs then their apparell, as Basile witnesseth.
- 1What affections the Gospel doth permit.What affectiōs the Gospel doth permit.
- 2Genes. 23. c. and Genes. 50. a. 1 Mat. 14. b. 11 Act. 8. 2. 21 Act, 11. 2. •
- 31. Thess. 4. c. 13
- 4The Churchyard & dortoyr
- 5Those do dishonour god which do not bury honestly the dead. 1. Cor. 6. 1. 10
