It therefore necessarily follows, that if the Dead were not inhum’d, whole Cities would Corrupt and be fill’d with the _Plague_; and after great Battels, if the Dead should lie unbury’d, whole Countries would be destroy’d; [Sidenote: _Sepulture_ defends from the _Plague_,] all which Mischiefs are prevented by a timely _Sepulture_: For the Earth by its weight and closeness not only suppresses and dissipates the Vapours that arise from a _putrid Carcass_, but also imbibes and sucks up the _stinking Gore_; and being a _Medium_ between that and the _Sun_, prevents the Beams of that Planet from suddenly exhaling such fetid Odours. [Sidenote: Likewise _preserves Bodies_.] Nay the Lord _Bacon_ farther assures us, That _Burying_ in the _Earth_, which is _cold_ and _dry_, serves for _Preservation_, _Condensation_ and _Induration_ of _Bodies_, as you may find in his 4th Century of his _Natural History_, Exper. 376, 377. But this needs no farther Confirmation, since Bodies are dug up in every Age perfect and uncorrupt, which perhaps had been buried above 40 or 50 Years, and some have been found petrified to a perfect Stone, of which we shall discourse more hereafter, therefore will at present proceed to acquaint you with other _final Causes_ or _Ends of Burial_. [Sidenote: Third Cause of _Burial_.] A _Third Cause of Burial_ is, That _Man’s Body_ may not be torn to pieces and devour’d by savage Beasts, and Birds of Prey, which would be a sight wholly unbecoming the Dignity of _Human Nature_, as _Seneca_ observes _Lib._ 6. De Beneficiis: _Inter maxima Rerum suarum_, says he, _nihil habet Natura, quo magis glorietur_. _Nature has nothing in the whole Creation of which she may boast more than of Man_: So that it must needs be a grievous Trouble and Concern to her to see the _Master-Piece_ and _Perfection_ of all _Creatures_ become thus a Prey to the vilest of Animals; and that he who whilst living had all of them under Subjection, so soon as ever his Spirit is separated from his Body, they should forget all Allegiance to their late Sovereign, and rebelliously Tear him to Pieces: Therefore we who are his Fellow-Creatures, and endu’d with Humanity, take care to bury him out of the way of such Harpies; and ought to perform all his Funeral Obsequies with the same Respect we were wont to show him whilst alive. Hence _Hugo Grotius_ is of Opinion, That _Burial_ was invented in respect to the Excellency of _Man’s Body_. [Sidenote: Taken from the Excellency of _Man’s Body_.] _Cum Homo cæteris Animalibus præstet, indignum visum, si ejus Corpore alia Animantia pascerentur, quare inventam Sepulturam, ut id quantum posset, caveretur._ _Since Man excells all other Creatures, it was thought unworthy they should feed upon his Body; for which reason Sepulture was found out, that this Mischief might be prevented as far as possible._ Likewise _Lactantius_, Lib. 6. _Institut._ cap. 12. says, _Non patiemur Figuram & Figmentum DEI, Feris & Volucribus in Prædam jacere, sed