Nature hath furnished one part of the Earth, and man another. The treasures of time lie high, in Urnes, Coynes, and Monuments, fcarce below the roots of fome vegetables. Time hath endleffe rarities, and shows of all varieties; which reveals old things in heaven, makes new discoveries in earth, and even earth it felf a discovery. That great Antiquity America lay buried for a thousand years; and a large part of the earth is ftill in the Urne unto us.

Though if Adam were made out of an extract of the Earth, all parts might challenge a reftitution, yet few have returned their bones farre lower then they might receive them; not affecting the graves of Giants, under hilly and heavy coverings, but content with leffe then their owne depth, have wished their bones might lie foft, and the earth be light upon them; Even fuch as hope to rise again, would not be contenr with centrall interrment, or fo defperately to place their reliques as to lie beyond difcovery, and in no way to be seen again; which happy contrivance hath made communication with our forefa

chers,

thers, and left unto our view fome parts, which they never beheld themfelves.

Though earth hath engroffed the name yet water hath proved the fmarteft grave; which in forty dayes fwallowed almoft mankinde, and the living creation; Fishes not wholly escaping, except the Salt Ocean were handfomely contempered by a mixture of the fresh Ele

ment.

Many have taken voluminous pains to determine the state of the foul upon difunion; but men have been moft phantafticall in the fingular contrivancss of their corporall diffolution: whileft the fobrest Nations have rested in two wayes,of limple inhumation and burning.

That carnall interment or burying, was of the elder date, the old examples of Abraham and the Patriarchs are sufficient to illuftrate; And were without competition, if it could be made out, that Adam was buried near Damafcus, or Mount Calvary, according to fome Tradition. God himfelf, that buried but one, was pleafed to make choice of this way, colle&ible from Scripture-expreffion, and the B 2 hot

hot conteft between Satan and the ArchAngel, about discovering the body of Mofes. But the practice of Burning was alfo of great Antiquity, and of no flender extent. For (not to derive the fame from Hercules) noble descriptions there are hereof in the Grecian Funerals of Homer, In the formall Obfequies of Patroclus, and Achilles; and fomewhat elder in the Theban warre, and folemn combustion of Meneceus, and Archemorus, contemporary unto Jair the Eighth Judge of Ifrael. Confirmable alfo among the Trojans, from the Funerall Pyre of Hector, burnt before the gates of Troy, And the Q. Calab burning of Penthifiles the Amazoneas Queen and long continuance of that practice, in the inward Countries of Asia ; while as low as the Reign of Julian,we finde that the King of Chienia burnt the body of his Son, and interred the ashes in a filver Urne.

ber. lib.I.

Ammia

nus, Marel. linus,Gum

brates King

of Chionia
a Countrey
near Perfia.

not in Czf.

The fame practice extended alfo farre *Arnoldis West, and befides Herulians, Getes, and Montanis Thracians, was in ufe with most of the Commetar. Celta, Sarmatians, Germans, Gauls, Danes, L.L. Gvral- Swedes, Norwegians; not to omit fome ufe dus. Kirk- thereof among Carthaginians and Ame

mannus,

jure facro.

ricans: Of greater Antiquity among the Romans then most opinion, or Pliny seems to allow. For (befide the old Table Laws of burning d or burying within the City, 412. Tabul. of making the Funerall fire with plained part.1. de wood, or quenching the fire with wine.) Hominem Manlius the Conful burnt the body of his mortuum Son: Numa by speciall claufe of his Will, fepelito, was not burnt but buried; And Rmus was folemnly buried,according to the de- tom 2. fcription of Ovide,

in urbe ne

neve urito,

Rogum

afciâ ne

polito.

to.4. Item vigeneri Annotat. in Livium. & Alex.ab Alex. cum Tiraquello. Rofcinus cum dempfero. Ultima prolato subdita flamma rogo. De Faft. lib.4. cum Car. Neapol, anapty xi.

Cornelius Sylla was not the first whose body was burned in Rome, but of the Cornelian Family, which being indifferently, not frequently used before; from that time fpread, and became the prevalent practice. Not totally purfued in the highest runne of Cremation; For when even Crows were funerally burnt, Poppea the Wife of Nero found a peculiar grave enterment.Now as all customes were founded upon fome bottome of Reason, so there wanted not grounds for this; according to feverall apprehenfions of the most rationall diffolution. Some

being of the opinion of Thales,that water was the originall of all things, thought it most equall to fubmit unto the principle of putrefaction, and conclude in a moist relentment.Others conceived it most natural to end in fire, as due unto the master principlein the compofition,according to the doctrine of Heraclitus. And therefore heaped up large piles, more actively to waft them toward that Element, whereby they also declined a visible degeneration into worms, and left a lasting parcell of their compofition.

Some apprehended a purifying virtue in fire, refining the groffer commixture, and firing out the Ethereall particles fo deeply immersed in it. And fuch as by tradition or rationall conjecture held any hint of the finall pyre of all things; or that this Element at last must be too hard for all the reft; might conceive most nanaturally of the fiery diffolution. Others pretending no natural grounds, politickly declined the malice of enemies upon their buried bodies. Which confideration led Sylla unto this practife; who having thus ferved the body of Marius, could not but fear a retaliation upon

his