Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

VVhat is opposite to this buriall?

The cosenage of these deceiuers, who superstitiously and foo∣lishly shew a linnen cloath to be worshipped, in which the whole bodie is painted. Which also they sottishly call Sudarium, a nap∣kin, whereas according to the Iewes fashion, the head alone was seuerally wound in a napkin or veile, but the bodie was accusto∣med to be wrapped with linnens or bands. Iohn. 11.44. Then he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foote with bands, and his face was bound in a napkin.

2 The superstition of the Papists, who consecrate graues with frankincence, holy water & other trumperie, which graues Christ himselfe sanctified: they also thinke that the saluation of soules is furthered by superstitious rites of exequies, candels, procession with a crosse caried before, funerall verses and songs, doles of flesh, bread, wine, money, and other things, by funerall suppers, by white and blacke vestments, and to conclude by Masses. Their deuise also it is that the place of burial should be nere the Churches and in the Churches themselues, neere the high Altar, for supersti∣tion & gains sake, that they might exact tribute euē of the dead & might make a gain of smoak, iangling of bels, sprinkling of water.

3 Their pride who either build tombes, (which thing Esay long age accused in Sobna, cha. 22.15, 17. & also do hang vp their armes in them to be seene as though they still desired euen afterdeath to carie about with them the terror which men of war haue, or else they are wrapped & wound in costly cloathes (to no purpose, and with hinderance of their almes to the poore) in which cloths they may make thēselues braue for the worms against those testimonies of scripture, Iob. 1:21. Naked I came forth of my mothers womb, and naked also shall I returne thither. 1. Tim. 6.7. For we brought nothing

into the world, and it is certaine that we can carie nothing out. 1. Cor 15.43. The bodie is sowen in dishonour, it ariseth againe in glorie. To this purpose is the saying of Ambrose in his Sermon. To what purpose is the brauerie of Sepulchres? they are rather losse vnto the liuing, then any benefit vnto the dead.

4 The immoderate mourning of some who shew themselues eyther to doubt of the saluation of the dead, or to despaire of Gods helpe, contrarie to the serious admonition of the A∣postle, 1. Thess. 4.13.

5 That fained imagination of the Gentiles, who thought that those soules whose bodies lay vnburied, did wander vp & down, in Ʋirgil fondly writeth of Palinurus and other his partakers in shipwracke.

6 Their crueltie who cast the bodies of the dead to wild beasts to be torne in peeces, or through negligence defraud them of the honour of buriall, or shew their crueltie vpon their bones or ashes.

7 Those false Nicodemes, who abuse the examples of Ioseph and Nicodemus to couer and cherish the cowardnesse of the flesh, and are not bettered by them, that they may shew the strength of their faith, what time God requireth their endeuour