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.

Against the contempt of buriall and insufficiency of buriall yardes. Chap. VI.

THe first rule that directs the forme, containes two cautions, & that for good causes. For according to the forked foly vsed in buriall, which either is contemned, or else ouer caried in pomp, this rule does restraine both: by ranging contempt vnder the rule of honesty and pomp, vnder the rule of order, that they no wayes exceede. Now as for buriall contemptes, if we peruse humane histories, as namely Caelius, Cicero in his Tusculan questions, Crinitus, and diuers others: we shall finde them haue many con∣spirators: whereof we shall recite such as make for vs. We reade

of the Albanes that of the defunct tooke no care at all: The Sa∣beans vsed them for fulzie: The Troglodites for mockage: The Hircanes exposed them to dogges, that for the nonce they nuri∣shed. But among the first of this crew were the doggish Cyniks, who would in no sort consent to be buried. As we read of Minip∣pus and Diogenes of whom it is recorded, that being to dye, he directed his corps to be exposed. And being admonished that so he should be torne by birds and beasts, did reiyre a taunt, in re∣quyring a cudgell to be coutched beside, whereby to weare his wirriers away. And being insisted with that it would be to small vse, since death was but senslesse: why then (said he) are ye solist what befall a senslesse carrion? But this kinde of reprobate Phi∣losophy rather becomes renigat mindes then christian men. For if reprobates were by the Kirk knowne (as they are with God barred vp from hope) so might they justly be debarred from the benefite of christian buriall. And this Cynicisme although we seeme not to professe, yet if we walke the land abroad we will finde many folke not flyting free in it. For our Kirk-courtes or yardes, are become more lyke pwind-folds nor burials: as be∣ing ordinarly be dunged by pestring and pasturing brute. Not far from subscryuing the desperat legacy of some that can be content to bestow their bowke to the burroughmure, if God wold take the soule. According to the conceaty resolution of Theodore, who being by the tyrant Lysimachus minassed with the gibbet, answered that his own minzeons only had it to feare and not he, to whom all was one, whether to putrifie aboue, or vpon, or within the earth. But as this a buse is contrare to the Apostles de∣cencie commanded, so is it also against the common law that prouids buriall to be had in holy reputation. So that to empty the bladder, let be the belly about buriall (as they called it minxisse in patrios cineres) was reput nefas, that is iniquitie, let be inciuilitie. And for this cause the faithfull after Constantine (who first ser∣ued edicts of liberty to edifie temples, whereas before the Kirks had alwaies beene serued onely with holy Innes) in founding of Kirks, taking the type at Ierusalems temple, did among the rest counterfaite the courts by Kirk yardes, the which for this com∣manded decencie they dedicated to buriall vse. The which there∣fore by the Greeks (as thereby appeares the workes beginners)

were called Caemiteria. And that not without Emphase, seeing (as Atheneus sayes) it was the name before of sleeping celles for strangers: and so the allusion wanted not edification. And albeit the reason of the rest of the resemblance betwixt Temple and Kirk, as of the Quier to the holiest place within the vaile, &c. cannot so easily be espyed, yet the reason of this may well by this rule of decency, according whereto since we haue a Country law of our owne extant, enacted for reparation of ruinous Kirks, and their yardes, it is the part of all Pastors to vrge the benefite of it, that so our common burials becomming seemely cemiteries, our Kirk buriers may be depriued of the pretence of their infen∣sibility and profanation. For the Apostles mynde is in his rule, that natures abscenities be decently couered and oueruailed with her mothers mouldes.

Notes

• Viues on the Citty of God chap. 12.
• O to. frising. lib. 4.
• Marie Par. 9 Act. 76. Iames 6. Parl. 15. Act. 232.