The eleuenth. They appoint a prescrip kind of serui〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e to bury the dead: and that whiche is the duty of euery christian, they tie alo〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e to the mini〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ter, whereby 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rayer for the dead is maintay∣ned, and partly gathered out of some of the prayers, where they pray that we with this our bro∣ther, and all other departed in the true faythe of thy holy name, may haue our perfect consummati∣on and blisse, both in body and soule. We say nothing of the threefould peale, bycause that it is ra∣ther licensed by iniunction, than commaunded in the booke, nor of their straunge mourning, by chan∣ging their garments, which if it be not hypocraticall, yet it is superstitious and heatcrush, bycause it is vsed only of custome: nor of buriall Sermons, whiche are put in pl〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ce of 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉rentalls whereout spring many abuses, and therefore in the best reformed Churches are remoued. As for the super∣stitions vsed both in countrey and citie, for the place of buriall, which way they must lie, how they mu〈1 line〉〈1 line〉t be fecched to Church the Minister meeting them at Church st〈1 line〉〈1 line〉le with surplesse, with a com∣pany of greedy Clearks, that a Crosse white or blacke must be set vpon the dead corps, that breade must be giuen to the poore, and offrings in buriall time vsed, and cakes sent abroade to friends, by∣cause these are rather vsed of custome and superstition than by the authoritie of the booke. Small commaundement will serue for the accomplishing of such things. But greate charge will hardly bring the least good thing to passe, and therefore all is let alone, and the people as blind and as ig∣norant, as euer they were. God be mercifull vnto vs.
It is true that we haue a prescript kind of seruice to bury the dead, and that we appointe that office to the minister, and what haue you in the whole scripture, against this? or whoeuer hath found fault with either of these two things (I meane prescript seruice to bury the dead, and the minister to execute that office) but you alone? or when was it euer heretofore repro∣ued by any, but euen by yourselues now of late?