A treatise of the sibyls so highly celebrated, as well by the antient heathens, as the holy fathers of the church : giving an accompt of the names, and number of the sibyls, of their qualities, the form and matter of their verses : as also of the books now extant under their names, and the errours crept into Christian religion, from the impostures contained therein, particularly, concerning the state of the just, and unjust after death / written originally by David Blondel ; Englished by J.D.

CHAP. XXXVI. The same Sentiment confirmed by the Pomp and Ceremonies of the An∣tient Interments.

THe same Consequence may also be drawn from the great Solemnities of the Antient Funerals, and the demeanours of Christians pre∣paring themselves for them: which were not indeed without regret for the absence of the Departed Person; but with joy also, and thanksgiving to God for the Felicity, whereto he had advanced him to all Eternity. For as St. Cyprian remonstrated to the Faithfull of his Time, that they should not put on black Garments, to express their Mourning for those, who had already put on their White Robes of Glory; so the Fathers, that came af∣ter, maintained, that men should rejoyce, and not be disconsolate for the retirement of those, whom God was pleased to call out of the Bosom of his Church, to be gathered into his own. Thus St. Chrysostome, a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. There are now-a-days, in the Funeral Obsequies of deceased Per∣sons, singing of Hymns, Prayers, and Psalms; all which declare, that there is pleasure in it: for Psalms are a sign of mirth; Is any one among you merry (saith b Saint James) Let him sing Psalms. Because we are full of Gladness; for that reason we sing over the Dead such Psalms, as may excite us to take comfort for their departure; for (saith David c to us) Return unto thy rest, O my Soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. Again; d 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. The singing of Psalms, and Prayers, and the assembling of the Fathers, and the meeting of a great multi∣tude of Brethren, are not to the end, that thou shouldest weep, and lament, and be disconsolate; but that thou mightest give thanks to him, who hath taken the departed Person to himself. And elsewhere; e 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. What mean these joyfull Torches at the Obsequies of the Dead? Do we not convoy them, as Champions, that have gone through the

Combat? And what mean the Hymns? Do we not thereby glorifie God, and give him thanks, for that he is, at length, pleased to crown him, who is departed, that he hath exempted him from labours, and, having delivered him out of all fear, taken him to himself? Are not the Hymns appointed to signifie so much? Is not the singing of Pslams for the same end? All these things are done by per∣sons, that rejoyce, for (saith f Saint James) Is any one merry? let him sing Psalms, &c. Consider what thou singest at that time; g Return unto thy rest, O my Soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee: and again, h Thou art my refuge against the tribulation, that en∣compasseth me: and again, i I will not fear any evil; because thou art with me: and again, k Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt pre∣serve me from trouble: consider what is the meaning of these Psalms. Nay, af∣ter so many fair Remonstrances, this Great man threatens with Excommu∣nication those, who being disconsolate, and thereby shewing, that they call in Question the crowning, and blessed State of their Brethren, whom God had called hence, do a signal injury, as well to their Memory in par∣ticular, as to the whole Church in general, which hath so ordered the So∣lemnities of Funeral Obsequies, that she would not have any thing therein, which shou'd not in some manner express joy, and gladness.

The rest of the Fathers maintain his Sentiment with so much the greater earnestness, the more they think the confirmation of it derivable from the common Practice of the Church. Thus St. Gregory Nazianzene, speaking of the Funeral Obsequies of his Brother Caesarius, after he had observed, that his Mother carried a great Wax-candle thereat, adds, that he was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, l carried away with Hymns upon Hymns, &c. the singing of Psalms drowning the noise of the ••amentations; whereas, in the Funeral Solemnitie of Saint Basil, the Resentment which the Church of Caesarea had conceived of its own loss, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, made that m the singing of Psalms was smothered by the Lamentations. The same thing is observed by Saint Gregory of Nyssa to have happened at the Interment of the Empress Flac∣cilla, and her Grand-daughter Pulcheria, who had been attended with publick mourning, yet so, as that it came not into any one's Imagination, that their Condition deserved to be deplored, and lamented.

The Same St. Gregory, to comfort the People of Antioch, deprived of the presence of their beloved Pastour, the Great Meletius, speaks to those who accompanied his Corps into Syria, to give them an accompt of the Solemnity of his transportation thither, whereat the concourse of the Populace, and of the Court, the singing of Psalms, and the light of Torches, had, as it were, given an assurance of his Beatitutde; saying to them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Speak to the People, which is there (viz. at Antioch) relate unto them good News, tell them a Miracle beyond Belief, how that an infinite number of people, crowded together, like the Sea, seemed, as it were, by reason of the Throng, to make but one, and the same, Body, like Water, floating about the Tabernacle (of the departed Person;) how that there reached, as far as Eye could possibly perceive, Chanels of Fire, gliding on each side, by rea∣son of the uninterrupted course of the almost contiguous Torches; tell them of the readiness of all the people, and of the Association (of Meletius) with the Apostles in the same Tabernacle; how the Napkins, that were about his face,

were snatched away to serve for Preservatives to the Faithfull; that the King, putting on a sad Countenance, by reason of the affliction, and rising from his Throne, be added to the Relation, and that the whole City met together at the Obsequies of the Saint. n Wherefore comfort one another with these Words, &c.

Saint Hierome represents something of the like Nature at the Inter∣ment of Paula; saying, o Exhinc non uluatus, &c. Assoon as she had given up the Ghost, there was no more Bewailing, nor Lamentation heard, as is wont among the men of this World; but the noise of swarms of Psalms resound∣ing in several Languages: and being transported by the Hands of Bishops; and some among the Priests putting their Shoulders to the Bier; whilest others carried Torches, and Wax-Candles before; and others brought up the Quires of those, that sung Psalms, she was carried into the midst of the Church (called) the Grot of our Saviour, a multitude of people, out of the Cities of Palaesti∣na, meeting at her Funeral Obsequies. He says as much of those of Fabi∣ola, dead three years before; writing to Oceanus, Nec dum spiritum, &c. She had not yet given up the Ghost, and recommended to Christ the spirit, she ought him; but Fame, the flying Messenger, publishing beforehand the great Lamen∣tation there should be, brought together all the People of the City to her Funeral; the Psalms resounded, and the cry of Halleluiah, Ecchoing, smote the gilt Roofs of the Temples, &c. Nor is it any wonder, that men should rejoyce for her sal∣vation, for whose conversion the Angels were p rejoycing in Heaven.

Eusebius assures us, q that threescore and four years before, the same Honour had been done to Constantine the Great; saying of those of his Court, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lighting Lamps, all about, in Vessels of Gold, they presented an admi∣rable spectacle to the Beholders. And this is enough to justifie, that the Anti∣ent Church exercised, in respect of all those, who died in the faith, the same Offices, whereby she celebrated the Memory of the greatest Martyrs, and Confessours. For what a strange Solemnity was that of the Transporta∣tion of the Reliques of the Prophet Samuel from Palaestine to Constanti∣nople? r Omnes Episcopi, &c. All the Bishops (saith St. Hierome) carri∣ed them in Silk, and in a Vessel of Gold, &c. the People of all Churches met them, and (as if they had seen the Prophet present, and alive received them with so great joy, that swarms of people joyned together from Palestine even to Chalcedon, and with one voice celebrated the praises of Christ, &c. Nay, though there be no Reliques of Martyrs, yet when the Gospel is to be read, the Luminaries are lighted through all the Churches of the East, even though the Sun be up: which certainly is not done to chase away the Darkness; but for a sign, and demonstration of Joy. Whence it also came, that when the Body of St. Chrysostome was to be brought, from Comana, to Constantinople, it was received with the same Solemnity; People going in Multitudes to meet it, with lighted Torches in the day-time. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The Assembly of the Faithfull (says s Theodoret) making use of the Sea, (by the convenience of Boats) as they would have done of the Continent, covered with Lights the entrance of the Bosporus towards Propontis.

Thus have we seen there were Assemblies of the Clergie, and of the People, the singing of Halleluiahs, and Psalms, and Lights employed at the Interments of all the Faithfull, without exception; so as that there could

not be observed at the Funerals of the less considerable, and less emi∣nent for Piety, and those of the most celebrious Martyrs, and Confessours, any other difference, then that of more, and less, which never were able to change the nature of the thing in it self, nor hinder, but that it re∣mained in such manner common among all, that the Offices exercised in those Solemnities have been (all together as well, as some one in parti∣cular) so many Discoveries of the joy of the surviving; First, for the Victory, obtained by the Departed over sin, and the world; Secondly, for the Happiness, whereto the Church thought them actually advanced. And thence also it follows; That, in the Office of the dead, she sung, not the Libera, as is done at this day, but Psalms of Instruction, and Thanks∣giving to God, as for instance, the three and twentieth, and the two and thirtieth, and the one hundred and sixteenth, according to the Hebrews, particularly alleged by St. Chrysostome; or haply such other, as the Friends of the Deceased made choice of for their consolation, as the one hundred and first, which Euodius appointed to be sung at the departure of St. Mo∣nica, the Mother of St. Augustine, as that Holy man relates in his Confessions; saying, t Cohibito à fletu illo puero, Psalterium aperuit Euodius, &c. The Body being quieted, Euodius opened the Psalter, and began to recite this Psalm, u I will sing unto thee, O LORD, Mercy, and Judgment: to which all the House answered. And when the people heard what had happened, many Friers, and Religious Women came thither to us; and particularly they, whose Office it was, taking care for the Burial. I, the whilest, when conveniently I could, did entertain those (who thought it not fit to leave me) with something pertinent to the occasion.

Notes

• a

  Homil De Sancta Bere∣nice.
• b

  Jam. v. 13.
• c

  Psal. cxvi. 7.
• d

  In Thess. Homil. 13.
• e

  In Hebr. Homil. 4.
• f

  James v. 13.
• g

  Psal. cxvi. 7.
• h

  Psal.
• i

  Psal.
• k

  Psal. xxxii. 7.
• l

  Orat. 10.
• m

  Orat. 20.
• n

  1 Thess. iv. 18.
• o

  Epist. 27.
• p

  Luke xv. 7.
• q

  De Vita constantini, lib. 4. cap. 66.
• r

  Advers. Vigilant.
• s

  Lib. 5. cap. 36.
• t

  Confess. lib. 9. cap. 12.
• u

  Psal. ci.