Chap. V Of Their Burials
At the time of a mans death, before his Burial, many ceremonies were observed. First, the next of the kin closed the eyes of the deceased body. Joseph shall put his hands upon thy eyes, Genes. 46. 4. This was likewise practised both by the Romans and the Græcians.
Ille meos oculos comprimat, Ille tuos.
Ovid.
ὄσσε καθαιρήσουσι θανόντι πέρ.
Homer. Iliad. 11.
Secondly, they washed the body being dead. Tabitha died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper-chamber, Act. 9. 37. The baptization or washing at such a time was threefold. The first was βαπτισμὸς ἀπὸ νεκρῶν, Eccles. 34. 26. A washing from the pollution contracted by the touch of a dead carkass; that if haply any ignorantly and unawares became thus unclean, then was he by a kind of washing to be made clean again. The second was βαπτισμὸς τῶν νεκρῶν, a baptization or washing of the dead Corps it self. Thus Tabitha was washed: neither is the word βαπτισμὸς, unusually applied to common washings, as Mar. 7. 4. we read of the washing of cups, pots, vessels, tables, the Greek is βαπτισμὸς. The first of these washings was proper to the Jews: this second in use with Jews Christians,694 and Heathens:695 the third (which was βαπτισμὸς ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν, a baptization for the dead, 1 Cor. 15. 9.) proper to some amiss-led Christians. It may be demanded, what manner of Baptism this was? with submission of my judgment, I understand this place with S. Ambrose696 of a Sacramental washing, applied unto some living man in the name and behalf of his friend, dying without Baptism, out of a superstitious conceit, that the Sacrament thus conferred to one alive, in the name of the deceased, might be available for the other dying unbaptized. As if the Apostle did wound those superstitious Corinthians with their own quills, and prove the Resurrection of the dead from their own erroneous practice, telling them in effect, that their superstitious custome of baptizing the living for the dead, were vain and bootless, if there were no resurrection, and therefore the Apostle useth an emphatical distinction of the persons, in the next immediate verse, saying, why are we also in jeopardy every hour? he inferreth the resurrection by force of a double argument; the first drawn from their superstitious baptization for the dead: the second, from the hourly jeopardy and peril wherein we, that is, himself and other Christians are. So that as that Father noteth, the Apostle doth not hereby approve their doing, but evinceth their hope of the resurrection from their own practice, though erroneous. That there was Vicarium tale Baptisma (as Tertullian697 calleth it) in use among the Marcionites, is evident, yea, and among the Corinthians698 also: the manner thereof is thus described:699 When any Catechumenist died, some living person placed under the bed of the deceased, they came unto the deceased party, and asked him whether he would be baptized: then he replying nothing, the party under the bed answered for him, saying that he would be baptized: and thus they baptized him for the dead, as if they acted a play upon the Stage.
The third ceremony used by the Jews towards the dead party, was the embalming of the corps, which for the main thereof, it is probable they learned from the Egyptians, for we find Joseph to be the first that practised it, Gen. 50. 2. The Egyptian manner of embalming was thus:700 they took out the bowels of the dead, they cleansed them and washed them with the wine of Dates, and after that again with odors: then filled they the bowels with pure Myrrh beaten, and Cassia, and other Odors (except Frankincense) and sewed them up. After this they seasoned the corps hidden in Nitre seventy days, not longer: after seventy days they washed the corps, and wrapped it in fine linnen cloth gummed, which gum the Egyptians often used instead of glew. The Greeks termed this ταριχεύειν. And the use thereof was for the preservation of the body, that it might not putrifie; and therefore when the Funeral Obsequies were not long delayed, they used another kind of embalming, namely, an external and outward application of Spices and Odours, without the unbowelling of the corps. This the Greeks termed ἐνταφιάζειν.701 This was used toward our Saviour Christ, John 19. 40.
Sometimes they did use to burn the corps, preserving onely the bones in some urn or pitcher, Amos 6. 10. But commonly they interred the whole body, and buried it in the earth. The ancient Jews if they received not from their Ancestors, then would they purchase a burial place themselves, for the burial of them and their family. The form of that place was thus: It was a vault hewed out in a rock,702 six cubits long, and four broad, in which eight other cells or lesser holes (or as some say, thirteen) were made, as so many distinct receptacles, or tombs for the dead bodies to be laid in: as often as they buried any, they were wont to roll a great stone to the mouth of the cave. The cave or vault it self they termed from the act of burial, Keber,703 which signifieth a place of burial, or from its form, Magnara,704 a den or cave. These several cells or receptacles in which the body was laid, they called cucim,705 graves, tombs: and the stone they named Golel,706 a rolling stone. This giveth great light to that in the Gospel. Joseph took the body of Christ, and wrapped it in a clean linnen cloth, and put it in his new tomb, which he had hewen out in a rock, and rolled a great stone to the door of the Sepulchre, Mat. 27. 59, 60. These caves or vaults the wealthier sort would paint, garnish, and beautifie at the mouth or enterance of them: hence cometh that phrase, Sepulchra dealbata, painted tombs. As often as they had an occasion to mention or speak of any friend deceased, they used that in the Proverbs, The memory of the just is blessed, Prov. 10. 7. Hence the Rabbies,707 in their quotations of any worthy Author deceased, usually subjoyn this honourable commemoration, N. Benedictæ memoriæ, N. such or such a one of blessed memory.
But their usual Epitaph or inscription upon their Sepulchers, was,708 Let this soul be bound up in the Garden of Eden, or in the bundle of the living, Amen, Amen, Amen, Selati.
The latter Jews have been strangely conceited concerning the place of burials, and are perswaded that if an Israelite be buried in any strange country, out of the promised Land, he shall not be partaker so much as of Resurrection, except the Lord vouchsafe to make him hollow passages, under the earth, thorow which his body by a continual volutation and rolling, may be brought into the land of Canaan. The ground hereof is taken from the charge of Jacob unto his son Joseph, that he should not bury him in the land of Egypt, but in Canaan. For which charge they assign three reasons.709 First, because he foresaw by the spirit of Prophecy, that the dust of that land should afterward be turned into lice. Secondly, because those who died out of the holy Land should not rise again without a painful rolling and tumbling of their bodies thorow those hollow passages. Thirdly, that the Egyptians might not idolatrously worship him.
They made a feast at their burials, which is stiled The bread of men, Ezek. 14. 17. And a cup of consolation, Jer. 16. 7. because it was administred to comfort those that were sad of heart. It much resembled the Roman Silicernium.
From those two places last quoted, we may observe, that at the burial of their friends, they used these ceremonies which follow; some to testifie, some to augment their grief. 1. Cutting themselves, that is, wounding or cutting any part of their body, with any kind of Instrument. This practice was learned from the Heathens,710 who were wont not only to scratch their face, but to punch and prick certain parts of their body with a needle, and then cover it over with ink, which they used as a special ceremony in their superstitious worship, and therefore it is forbid, Deut. 14. 1. Secondly, making themselves bald,711 which was done divers manner of ways; either by shaving their hair, or plucking it off with their hands, or by impoisoned plaister to make it fall off. Other Nations were wont to shave off the hair of their head, and to offer it in the behalf of the dead: they did sometimes shave their cheeks, sometimes their eye-lids: and this also, being an Heathenish custome, was likewise forbidden in Israel, Deut. 14. 1. Thirdly, going bare headed, that they might cast dust or ashes upon their heads, signifying thereby that they were unworthy the ground on which they went. Fourthly, going barefooted for their greater humiliation. Fifthly, the covering of their lips, for that was a special sign of sorrow and shame, The Seers shall be ashamed, &c. they shall all cover their lips, for they have no answer of God, Mich. 3. 7. If it be demanded, how they covered their lips? It is thought712 they did it by casting the skirt of their cloak, or garment over them. Sixthly,713 renting their cloaths. Seventhly, putting sackcloth about their loyns, Gen. 37. 34. These were general tokens of grief, used upon all extroardinary occasions of sorrow. Two other there were, more proper to burials, to augment their grief. First, Minstrels, who with their sad tunes inclined the affections of the people to mourning.714 Of these there were two sorts: Some playing on pipes, others sounding trumpets. At the funeral of Noblemen, or old men, they used a trumpet: at the funeral of the common people, or children, they used a pipe.715 In this respect it is said; That Jesus, when he raised Jairus his daughter, cast out the Minstrels, Mat. 9. 23. Secondly, women hired to sing at burials for the same purpose, and likewise by outward significations of sorrow, to move the company, and more strongly to affect them, Call for the mourning women, &c. and send for skilful women, Jer. 9. 17. These the Romans called, Præficas, quasi in hoc ipsum præfectas, Chief or skilful mourners.
Notes
694 Tertullian. Apolog. c. 47. It. Euseb. hist. lib. 7. c. 17.
695 Corpusque lavant frigentis & ungunt Virg. lib. 6. Æneid.
696 Ambros. 1 Cor. 16. 29.
697 Tertul. lib. de resur. carnis.
698 Epiphan. de Corinthian. hæres. 28.
699 Chrysost. 1 Cor. 15.
700 Herodot. Euterp.
701 Usurpatur tamen τὸ ἐνταφιάζειν in scripturis, lata significatione, ad denotandum utramque condituram. Imo ἔθαψαν. occurrit. Gen. 50. 26. pro eo, quod in Hebr. ויחנטו Et aromatibus condiverunt.
702 ד אמות על שש Talmud Seder. Nez. in Bavabathra. cap. 6.
703 קבר
704 מערה
705 כוכים
706 גלל
707 זכר צדיק לברכה Memoria ejus sit in benedictione.
708 נשמתה תהא צרורה בגן עדן א א א סלת Sheindler in נדר
709 Solom. Jarchi. Gen. 47. 29.
710 Gentes, quasdam corporis partes acu vulnerabant, vel alias incidebant atramentumque superponebant, quod in cultum dæmonum suorum fiebat, præcipietur ergo ne ullo pacto sicut gentes ferirent carnes suas; quemadmodum sacerdotes Cybeles & deæ Sororum, ut refert Lucianus. P. Fag. Deut. 14. 1. Unguibus ora soror fædans & pectora pugnis. Virg. lib. 4. Æneid.
711 Sectis fratri imposuere capillos. Ovid. Met. 3.
712 D. Kimchi & Aben. Esra P. Fag. Lev. 14. 45.
713 Scissâque Polyxena pallâ. Juvenal. Satyr. 10.
714 Majoris ætatis funera ad tubam proferre solebant: minoris vero ætatis ad tibias. Servius. Æneid. lib. 5.
715 Tibia cui teneros suetum deducere manes Lege Phrygum mesta. Statius. Theb. lib. 6, ver. 121.