The blame of kirk-buriall, tending to persvvade cemiteriall ciuilitie First preached, then penned, and now at last propyned to the Lords inheritance in the Presbyterie of Lanerk, by M. William Birnie the Lord his minister in that ilk, as a pledge of his zeale, and care of that reformation.

What house a Kirk is and how far by buriall it is profaned Chap. XVII.

THe contrare kinde of exemples that negatiuelie are set down to exhort to abstinence from their imitation rests to consider. For as by negatiue laws we are forbidden, so by the conform exē∣ples we must forbear the vnlawful actions of mē which the Lord

hes set as on the shalde shoare, lyke beakens to warne the ship∣wreake of soules: but in this our particulare, although there be nothing more plentifully scriptured nor buriall exemples, yet such a constant conformity hes euer beene keeped therein, that lay aside ceremonies, wee may imitate any of all without error. And althogh the barbarity of Kirk-buriall (as of old vnknown) be without particular exemple, yet sen it is but Kirk profanation, we finde against it prohibitiues anew, for the generall. For the more commodious application whereof, it were heere requisite once to define what kinde of house a Kirk is, that so men may make conscience to vsurpe the same against the owne vse. What it is we may read, as it wer, in that Architectoral deliniation of the Lords passe ouer parlor Mar. xiiij. the which (as it is descriued first in dimension to be high and large, next in apparrell to be comely prepared. And last, for that tyme at least particularly consecrate to the Passe ouer vse) So telles it that Bethel the domicile of God, must be first an Ecclesie or Kirk, a tabernacle for the congrega∣tions repare, that is, of such competent capacity as may easily containe the particular flock. Next that it be for bewtie a Basi∣lick or temple, fit for contemplation of Gods promised presence there. Matt. xviij xx. which bewty (although it must keepe bounds of christian simplicity, yet) no warrand will allow emu∣lation in houses humane, according to the Centuries conscience Matt. 8.8. whose roofe he acknowledged (with himselfe) vn∣worthy to receiue the Lord. For as Dauid disdained to dwell in a palice of Cedar while the Lords Arke remaned in tents. 2. Sam 7. so Salomons palice (how princely so euer) yet was it magnifi∣cently exceeded by the house he builded to God. 1. King. 8. and 9. But this elegance (without exces) and comelinesse (without cu∣riosity) I vrge, because, alas, although the vmwhile zeale of Gods house did eate the godly vp with Dauid. Psal. 69. Yet now it is contrarily come to passe, that the zeal of the godlesse does eat vp Gods house, his portion and all. And sin, that in our owne expe∣rience hes beene oft punished by the Prophecy of Haggai. 1.4. &c. And last the Kirk must be according to the patern an oratory or house of prayer. Isa. 56.7. that is, destinate to the onely end of Gods worship. So then vnder these three conditions (to wit, of amplitude, ornacy; and vnprostitude chastity to any other vse

nor the owne) but specially the last it becommes a Kirk. As for that, all Kirk-worshippe is vnder one comprised in the name of prayer by the Prophet, there is a triple cause. First for that ori∣ginall encoenie or dedication prayer, vttered at the temple con∣secration, it became after intituled alwayes the house of prayer. j. King 8. and consequently euen so Kirks, because (beside that the olde holy places vnder the law had lyke the annoynted per∣sons a mistick meaning seruing to Catechise in the knowledge of Christ) they caryed also some materiall resemblance of such Gospell places, as should be set apart for the worship of God. As first the Apostles Analogicall allusion of Altar and temple worshippe then to Kirk ministration now imports. j. Cor. 9. and next was acknowledged by the selfe Iewes, in supplying the de∣fects of the second temple by building synagogues. Acts. xv.xxj. And last also the righteous accommodation of the Prophecy it selfe Isa. 567▪ may proport. For there such a house of prayer is proponed that should be Catholicklie patent to all people of the vvorld: vvhich onely is competent to the Euangelicall temple. Mark. xj.xvij. So then for conscience of that autentick conse∣cration, that in common may concerne all the Oratories of God, christians should not lyke cursed ones and Papists, vsurpe them to a sinister vse. For they in consecrations being more not super∣stitious, admitting the vncouth exercise of buriall, are contrare themselues, and prodigally profane. Againe the Kirk is called the house of prayer, because no pointe of Gods vvorship, can ei∣ther be seasoned or sanctified without prayer, as testifies the A∣postle j. Tim. 4.5. And last the Kirk is so called for the wordes homonimie, or variety of sense for (••ephillah) that wee expone prayer (lyke the roote that it springs from) does import more. For althogh the 90. Psa. in number be intituled a praier, yet from the matter it is rather a preaching: so that this way to be the house of prayer by figure, is to be dedicate to the administration onelie of the publict points of kirk-worship. The which points (as be∣ing also the onely vndenyable and viue marks of a visible Kirk) are but three: to wit, the word, sacraments and discipline, as if wee looke throgh the rent vaile we may soone perceiue. For althogh there was without the temples inner-uaile a variety of ceremonial vtensiles to be seene, yet within and before the Arke of pre∣sence

there was but three pledges of perpetuall monument con∣signed: the tables of the law▪ the sacramentall vrne, and the rod of Aarons rule, shadowes of that trinity of the token•• that only may tel vs vvhere the true Kirk is Heb 9. VVhere the Apost. mentio∣ning the golden censor with all (wherin Iohn in the Reuel. places the odoriferous prayers of the saints) means the same that we say: that neither word, sacramēts nor discipline can be in season with∣out prayer. So then to resume that parlor or place that is compe∣tentlie spatious & speciose in outward forme, and spiritually ple∣nished with no implements but the owne proper three, is the on∣lie Bethel and dedicate house to God And to assume, but burial-kirks are not such: Ergo. The Assumpion may be sene in the mis∣use of the foresaid all three kirk properties. For first by kirk-bu∣riall kirk-bounds are so mistrammed, and in many places either so eatten vp vvith intaking Iles, or the passage so impeshed with thorter some throughes: or at the least, the pauement so partiallie parted to paticulare men, that if they cleaue to that they haue calked, the people that rests (as by a proude purpresture postpo∣ned) must byde at the dore. Againe, the cullors of their comelines are become so vncouth, that in stead of Basilick beautie there is oft to be seene the badges of buriall in black dolie duill. And the the more to skar away christian contemplation, ye will finde for object to your eye the conuoysances of knights, portracts & pin∣sels of men. So that Gods seemely sanctuarie beeing transferred to the (vvithout vvhited, but vvithin rotten) sepulchers of men odious to Christ Matth. 23. becommeth in populare opinion thereby the alrishe Innes of bogles and Gaists. So that many for that presumed feare dare not enter alone in the Kirk. But seeing as Tertulian sayes, that sepulchers are but mortuorum stabula, that is, stables for the dead, there can be nothing more incompatible nor the same thing to be made an buriall beere, and to remaine a Kirk both at once. As by weighing the scripturall equiuocati∣ons, that are bestowed on both Kirk and graue, maybe consi∣dered. For as the Kirk hes many names in common with heauen (as Bethel, and the port of heauen. Genesis xxviij. &c.) Euen so the graue (beside the twelfe names wherewith it is commonly called, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (sometyme the name of Gehenna, for the boulkes of many muddy men that fell in that greene) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Sepulchrum, Sepulchretum, Mausolium, Dormitorium, Monu∣mentum, Tumulus, Vrna, Spelunca Bustum) it hes yet seauen names more, that by scripturall equiuocation are common with hell. So that the originall words of the text may be exponed to meane of either. And first in Prouerb. 30.16. it is called Schaol, that is a place of insatiable apetyte. Next is Abaddon, or of perdi∣tion. Psal. 89.49 Thirdly Zal-maneth, the shadow of death. Psal. 107. Fourthly Erets Tachtau, the lowest parts of the earth. Psal. 86 13. Fifthly Tit Hauon, or myrie clay. Sixtly Borschaon, the pit of tumult both mentioned in the 40. Psalme 3. verse. And lastly it is also called Bor Schachath, that is, the pit of corruption Psal. 55.24. All the which as they agree to the graue as the graue and gate of Hell, so doe they by the same figure to the golfe it selfe. And by consequence, to make Bethel, or Gods house (which should be lyke heauen) the place of insatiable appetyte, or of cor∣ruption, perdition, the shadowe of death, a pit of tumult, a myrie clay, &c (as in deed the Roman Kirk-buriers doe) in a Giganto∣machy, they prease to commix the heauen with the hell. And last for the vse, who sees it not thereby so miserably transferred from the owne to an vncouth vse, that verie lyke these Herodians that mingled their sacrifices with bloode, Luke chap. viij. they pel∣mell the dead with the liuing all in one Kirk. For sen buriall a∣ction is of that nature that it needeth no prayer, if we shall inuey the same in prayers house, what doe we else but par-take with the profane in their Paganicall papistrie, that prayes for the dead? And so by impropriating the Lords prayer house to be a burial-Kirk we incurre profanation.

Notes

• Durand de Eccles.
• Ioseph. Anti. lib. 2. cap 2. Bernard. in apolog.
• August. de sermone Dei in monte.
• Gratian. De∣ciet part. 2.
• Tertul. de re∣surrect. carnis
• Dur. de caem. Iero. on the 2. Chro 33.
• R. Ios. Ben Leui.