The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

Again, even as the Lord would that his people should be far from such inhumanity and ¹barbarousness, so would he provide on the other side, for another great vice, which reigned amongst the Paynims, who did to much exceed in sorrowing and mourning, in ceremonies, superstitions, Idolatries, and with to great expenses about their dead and funerals. Besides all this ²they did many things not seemly to men. For some of them did round and poll their heads, beards & hairs, the mourning, as Herodotus witnesseth of yt Egyptians. There were also which did hurt and prick themselves with lancets, and made the blood to come forth of ³their bodies, in the honour of the dead, & for to witness their dolour, after the same sort as the Priests of Baal did in praying to their God Baal. And the Priests of Cybele in like manner, who in that point followed them. They did also make marks in their flesh, with great superstition the which things the Lord did forbid his people, namely in Leviticus. And therefore those good patriarchs and prophets, who were prudent and wise, and guided through the spirit of God, have found a good means to let and stop those vices and excess which they did commit aswell on the one side as on the other, amongst the Paynims. ⟨p. 121⟩For if the Paynims themselves have regarded that, and have need laws and statutes, for to correct the undecent things that was there committed: And the pomp and foolish cost, that men bestowed about such banities, we must not be abashed, if the people of God, who ought to be the rule and moderation of all others have so well provided for the same, for to keep a mean in all things. For it is not possible that man, how spiritual soever he be, can rob or take from man, all humane affliction, but that there abideth always a marvellous desire in his heart, of the person absent whom he loved, especially when through death it is separated from him. Sith then that one cannot ⁴pluck away altogether that affection from mans heart, he must at the leastwise set some limit; to the end that he exceed not measure, as the Paynims did. For so long as the affection is too great, insomuch that it draweth us from God, and maketh us to stay more unto the creatures then is needful, it cannot please God.