THE ORDER OF SOLEMNIZING THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
It is agreeable to nature and religion, that the burial of christians be solemnly and decently performed. As to the cases, Whether the corpse shall be carried first into the church, that is to be buried in the church-yard; and whether it shall be buried before the sermon, reading, or prayer, or after, or in the midst of the reading, or whether any prayer shall be made at the grave, for the living; let no christians uncharitably judge one another about these things. Let no people keep up groundless usages, that being suspicious grieve their minister and offend their brethren. Let no minister that scrupleth the satisfying of people's ungrounded desires in such things, be forced to do it against his conscience; and let ministers that do use any of these customs or ceremonies, have liberty, when they suspect that the people desire them upon some error, to profess against that error, and teach the people better.
Whether the minister come with the company that brings the corpse from the house, or whether he meet them, or receive them at the burial-place, is to be left to his own discretion. But while he is with them, let him gravely discourse of man's mortality, and the useful truths and duties thence to be inferred: and either at the grave, or in the reading place, or pulpit, by way of sermon, according to his discretion, let him (at least if it be desired) instruct and exhort the people concerning death, and the life to come, and their necessary preparation; seeing the spectacle of mortality, and the season of mourning, do tend to prepare men for a sober, considerate entertainment of such instructions: and he may read such scriptures as may mind them of death, resurrection, and eternal life, as 1 Cor. xv. or from verse 10 to the end, and Job i. 21; xix. 25, 26, 27; John xi. 25, 26; v. 28, 29. And his prayer shall be suited to the occasion.
Whenever the rain, snow, or coldness of the season, make it unhealthful to the minister or people to stand out of doors, at least then let the reading, exhortation, and prayers, be used within the church.