St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

The reasons why wee should bury the bodies of the Saints. CHAP. 12.

NOtwithstanding the bodies of the dead are not to be contemned and cast away, chieflie of the righteous and faithfull, which the holy ghost vsed as organs and instruments vnto all good workes. For if the garment or ring of ones father bee so much the more esteemed of his posteritie, by how much they held him dearer in their affection, then is not our bodies to be despised, being we weare them more neere vnto our selues then any attire whatsoeuer. For this is no part of externall (a) ornament or assistance vnto man, but of his expresse nature. And therefore the funeralls of the righteous in the times of old were performed with a zealous care, their burials celebrated, and their monuments prouided, and they themselues in their life time would lay char∣ges vpon their children concerning the burying or translating of their bodies. (b) Tobye in burying of the dead was acceptable vnto God, as the Angell testi∣fieth. * 1.1 And the Lord himselfe being to arise againe on the third day, commen∣ded the good worke of that (c) religious woman, who powred the precious * 1.2 ointment vpon his head and body, and did it to bury him. And the (d) Gospell hath crowned them with eternall praise that tooke downe his body from the crosse, and gaue it honest and honorable buriall. But yet these authorities prooue not any sence to be in the dead carcases themselues, but signifie that

the prouidence of God extendeth euen vnto the very bodies of the dead (for he is pleased with such good deedes) and do buildvp the beliefe of the resur∣rection. Where by the way wee may learne this profitable lesson, how great the reward of almes-deeds done vnto the liuing, may be (e) since this dutie & fauour shewen but vnto the dead is not forgotten of God. There are other propheticall places of the holy (f) Patriarkes concerning the intombing or the translation of their owne bodies. But this is no place to handle them in, * 1.3 and of this wee haue already spoken sufficiently: but if the necessaries of mans life, as meate and clothing, though they bee wanting in great extremi∣tie, yet cannot subuert the good mans patience, nor drawe him from good∣nesse: how much lesse power shall those things haue which are omitted in the burying of the dead, to afflict the soules that are already at quiet in the secret receptacles of the righteous? And therefore, when as in that great ouer∣throw of Rome, and of other Cities, the bodies of the Christians wanted these rights: it was neitheir fault in the liuing, that could not performe them, nor hurt to the dead, that could not feele them.

L. VIVES.

(a) ORnament] The Platonists held onely the soule to bee man, and the body to be but a case or couer vnto it, or rather a prison. But Augustine holdeth the surer opini∣on, that the body is a part of the man. (b) Toby] Toby the 2. and 12. (c) The good worke of that religious] meaning Mary Magdalen. Math. 26. 10. & 12. (d) Gospell] Iohn the 19. 38. &c. meant of Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. (e) Since this] a draught of colde water giuen in the name of the Lord shall not want reward. Math. 10. 42. (f) Pa∣triarches] Iacob at his death charged his sonne Ioseph to carry his body vnto the Sepul∣cher of his elders, and not to leaue it in Aegipt, Genes. 47. 29. 30. And Ioseph himselfe commanded his brethren that they should remember, and tell their posteritie that when they went away into the land of promise, they should carry his bones thether with them. Genesis the last Chapter and 25. verse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  T•…•…. 2.
• * 1.2

  Math. 26. Iob. 19. 42
• * 1.3

  Gen. 47. &c.