field of] The most ancient buriall, even of the best beleevers, and most religious persons, was in the field; for that purpose Abraham bought this field of the children of Heh. Chap. 23. 5: 17, 18, 19. And Moses was buryed in a valley, though the particular place of his sepulchre be unknown, Deuteronomy 34:6. And so were Kings also buryed, some in their fields, 2 Chron. 26. 23. and some in gardens, 2 Kings 21:18. And so was our Saviour buried John 19:41. The heathens in their burials observed a double caution; the one that the dead should not be buryed in cities which was forbidden by the Emperour Adrian, upon a penaltie of fourtie crownes upon them that did it, and the Magistrate that suffered it: Coel. Rhodig. Antiq. Lect. lib. 17. cap. 19. The other, that out of cities buriall places should not be made in fruitfull, but in barren ground ib 100: 20. So Plat. in his second book of Laws among the lawes of Lycurgus, one was that buriall places should be in the ground neere to Churches and round about them, that youth accustomed to the sight of graves might be the more hardened against the apprehension of death. Plutarch in the life of Lycurgus, p. 58. Among Christians the places of interment are used with much difference; some bury in places remote from the communion of men, some in Churches, and Churchyards; At the first, buriall in the Church was allowed onely to the patrone or incumbent; after, such as were of eminency for holinesse, or estate, were admitted to it, as by especiall priviledge; now it is so common, that it becomes very incommodious to humane society; besides, many are so tainted with superstition in it (though they be not Papists, who most abound with that vanitie) that if their friends, children, or other kindred dye of the pestilence, they thinke they are not buryed like Christians, unlesse they b laid where others are, who did not dye of a contagious disease. Dub. But is it not better ordinarily to bury in Churches and Churchyards then else-where? Answ. First, In respect of the dead it is all one whether he be drowned, or burnt, or buried; and if buried, all one where the grave is made for him. Secondly, in respect of the living, it is noysome and unwholesome to bury there whither the living have often occasion to make their recourse; especially, in pestilentiall times, and most of all if the graves b not digged very deep. Thirdly, though we put no religion in places in the time of the Gospel, yet it is not comely for religious persons to make the house of God a Golgotha. Dub. But is it not lawfull for any to be buried there? Answ. Yes, for the bodies of the Saints, having been living Temples of the holy Ghost, 1 Corinthians 6:19. are better then the materiall Temples of wood and stone. But yet they that survive (if a living dog be better the a dead lion, Ecclesiastes 9:4.) are more to be respected then the bodies of the dead; espcially, in this locall ceremony, which doth them neither good nor hurt; and so it were simply better that none at all should be buried in Churches, then that it should be so common as now it is. of Machpelah] See Annot. on Chap. 23. 9. & Chap. 49. 30.