such sort bee renewed in the resurrection thereof as that those things which perish with the bodie and bee turned into these and these shapes and formes of other thinges although they doe returne to the bodie againe from whence they fell should of necessitie turne vnto the same parts and members of the bodie againe where they were placed at the first Otherwise in case that which often powling had cut away should bee restored to the haires of the head againe and that also to the nayles of our fingers which often cutting had taken away the excessiue and vncomely imperfection that wold follow thereof doth breede an impossibilitie of restitution in all those that enter into the consideration thereof and therefore beleeue not in the resurrection at al. But euē as in any image made of any soluble matter if it bee melted or beaten to powder or else wrought into one lumpe or masse if that a workman would make the same again of the substance and matter thus resolued Is it materall for the perfection thereof which part of the substance thus resolued should bee vsed againe in the making of any part or member of the same image so as the same being made a-newe doe resume the whole substance of that wherof it was at the first composed In like sort God being the workemaster of man after a maruailous and vnspeakeable manner shall of that whole consistence whereof our flesh was originally made repaire the same againe with wonderfull and vnspeakeable speede Neither is it material to perfection in the new making thereof whether the haires that were before become haires againe or the nailes returne to be nailes againe or whatsoeuer thereof did perish bee changed into flesh or vsed to bee other parts of the body so as the chiefe workmaster in that newe worke do foresee that nothing bee made vndecently therein CHAP. 90. Touching the stature the similitude or dissimilitude of forme which shall bee in the bodies of the godly that shall rise NEither doth it followe that there should bee difference in the stature of euery particular person that riseth againe because they differed when they liued or that they which were spare and leane should be reuiued in the same leanenesse nor they which were fat in the same fatnesse But if this be a matter of secrecie and counsaile in the creatour that as touching the forme of euerie man the propertie and knowen similitude of euerie one should bee retained but yet all alike in the participation of the rest of the bodies felicities then doth it follow that there shall bee a measure obserued in the ordering of this matter in euery one whereof he was made so as neither any part therof do perish and be lost and if there be any thing wanting in any man it may bee supplyed by him who of nothing was able to make al things that he wold Now then if in the bodies of them that shall rise at the later day there shall bee a reasonable difference and inequalitie such as is in voyces making perfect harmonie that shall be effected to euery one out of the matter and substance of his own body making man equall to the companie of Angels and yet bringing nothing with it that may be vnfitting to the view of those heauenly creatures For there shal be nothing there that is vnseemely but whatsoeuer shall bee hereafter shall be comely because it shall not be at all if it be not decent CHAP. 91. That the bodies of the Elect and godly shall rise againe in their bodily substance but not with their former faults and deformities THe bodies therefore of the godly shall rise againe without any fault or deformity of bodie as also without any corruption burthen of flesh or difficultie Of which sort their facilitie in rising shall be aunswerable to their felicitie after their resurrection For which cause they bee called spirituall albeit no doubt they shall become bodies and not spirits But euen as now in this life the bodie is said to bee naturall being not withstanding yet a body and not a soule Euen so at that time the body shal bee spirituall howbeit a body and not a spirit Yet as touching that corruption which in our life time doth oppresse the soule as also concerning the sinnes wherewith our flesh fighteth against the spirit at that time it shall not become flesh but a body because they shal be reputed for celestiall bodies By reason whereof it is said that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of God And therefore as it were interpreting his owne saying hee affirmeth Neither shall corruption enioy incorruption That which before hee called flesh blood he afterwards called corruption And that which formerly he called the kingdome of God he afterwards called incorruption Now as touching that which concerneth the substance that same also shall bee flesh at that time For which reason the body of Iesus Christ after his resurrection is called flesh Therupon doth the Apostle say The body is put into the ground in naturall substance but it shall shall rise a spirituall bodie because of the great agreement and concord which shall be between the flesh and the spirit the spirit hauing a vitall power ouer the flesh which then shall not rebell and that without the help of any manner of supportation in so much as nothing pertaining to our owne bodies shal resistive but as outwardly we shal finde none so inwardly we shall haue no enemies of our selues CHAP. 92. Of what sort or forme the bodies of the damned shal be in the resurrection WHosoeuer verily being of that masse of perdition which the first man made and are not redeemed by the onely mediatour of God and man shal generally also rise in the later day euery man in his own flesh howbeit to bee punished with the diuell and his Angels Now whether they shall rise againe with the faults and deformities of their former bodies whosoeuer of that number were misshapen or deformed in their limmes to what purpose should wee spend our labour to informe our selues therein Neither indeede ought the vncertaine forme or feature of those persons to wearie vs whose damnation shall bee certaine and euerlasting Neither let it trouble vs to thinke how in them the bodie shall bee incorruptible if it bee subject to anguish or else how it may be corruptible if it cannot die For it is noe true life but there where it liueth in all felicitie and happinesse nor no true inccorruption but there where the health is impeached with no manner of griefe Nowe therefore in that place where the person that is forlorne and vnhappie is not suffered to dye as I maye saye there Death it selfe doth not dye and where perpetuall paine doth not kill but doth afflict corruption it self hath no ende or determination This in the holy scripture is called the second death CHAP. 93. Which sort of the damned shall receiue the easiest punishment after the resurrection NEither
shall possesse and inioy them for euer But where wee say Giue vs this day our dayly bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and leade vs not into temption but deliuer vs from euill who doth not see that al these things respect the wants and necessities of this present life In that euerlasting life therefore in which wee hope to liue for euer the sanctisication of Gods name his kingdome and the fulfilling of his will shal remaine euerlastingly in great perfection in our spirit and in our bodies But the bread which we aske is therefore called dayly bread because in the state of this life it is necessarie being a supply of the want either of soule or body whether wee vnderstand thereby either carnall or spirituall food or both Heere is vse of that remission of sinnes which we desire Because heere those sinnes bee committed the remission whereof wee pray for Heere are those temptations which allure and drawe vs vnto sinne To conclude Here is that euill from which we desire to be deliuered But there that is to say in heauen and the state of the other life there is none of these things CHAP. Cxvi That the Euangelistes Mathewe and Luke doe differ in setting downe the petitions of the Lords Prayer LVke the Euangelist comprehendeth in the Lords prayer not seauen but fiue petitions and yet doth not hee farre from Mathewe but by expressing theÌ„ more briefly put vs in mind how those seauen are to bee vnderstood For the name of God is hallowed in spirit But his kingdome shall come when the flesh shall rise againe Luke therefore shewing that the third petition is in some sort a repetition by omitting it makes vs the better to vnderstand it TheÌ„ doth hee adde the other three concerning dayly bread the remission of sinnes the auoyding of temptation But wheras hee addeth in the first place But deliuer vs from euill this Euangelist hath it not That therby we might vnderstand that it pertaineth to that which formerly was expressed concerning temptation For therefore it is hee sayth But deliuer vs and not And deliuer vs Thereby shewing vs that they are but one petition For he saith Let not this be that wee bee led into temptation but deliuer That euerle one may knowe he is deliuered from euill in that he is not led into temptation OF CHRIST CHAP. Cxvli That true Charitie is an effect of true faith and hope and that there is not true faith but that that doth worke by loue NOw for Charitie which the Apostle pronounceth to be greater then these two that is faith and hope by how much the greater it is in any man by so much hee is the better in whome it is For when wee aske whether a man bee good or not Wee aske not what hee beleeues or hopes for but what hee loueth For hee that loues aright doubtlesse beleeues and hopes aright But hee which loues not beleeues in vaine though the thinges bee true hee doth beleeue and hopes in vaine though the things hee hope for pertaine to true felicitie vnlesse he beleeue and hope for this also That God at his humble suite both can and will giue vnto him the affection of loue For although no man can hope without loue yet it may and doth sometimes fal out that a man loues not that without which hee cannot attaine the thing hee hopeth for As if a man hope for eternall life and yet neither hath nor loueth righteousnesse without which no man attaineth eternall life This is that faith of Christ which the Apostle commendes which works by loue and what it findes defectiue in loue it asketh that it may receiue and seeketh that it may finde and knocketh that it may bee opened vnto it For faith obtaineth what the lawe commandeth For without the gift of God That is without the holy Ghost by which the loue of God is shed abroade in our hearts the lawe may require obedience but worketh no obedience but rather maketh a man a more greenous transgressor because it taketh from him the excuse of ignorance For there doubtlesse carnall concupisceÌ„ce swayeth all where the loue of God hath no place CHAP. Cxvlii That as of the whole Church so of euerie faithfull man there are fower ages and degrees by which they goe forwarde and growe to perfection WHen as a man liueth and abideth in palpable darknesse of ignorance following those things the flesh most desireth reason making no re 〈…〉 This is the first 〈◊〉 of the condition of a man Afterwardes when by the lawe hee getteth the knowledge of sinne it the spirit of God assist him not endeuouring to liue according to the Lawe hee is ouercommen of sinne sinneth wittingly becomes the seruant of sinne for of whom soeuer a man is ouercommen his seruant hee is the knowledge of the commandement being an occasion that sin worketh in man all manner of concupiscence the transgression of the law now knowen being added to the heap of former sins and so is that fulfilled which is written the lawe entred that sin might abound this is the second estate or condition of man But if GOD looke so gratiously vpon man that hee helpe him to performe those things he requireth and man beginne to bee ledde by the spirite of God his desires and endeuours against the flesh are strengthened with the strength of loue So that although as yet there be in man that resists in his best endeuours the whole infirmitie of sinne being not healed yet the iust doth liue by faith and liues righteously in that hee yeeldeth not to euill concupiscence the loue of righteousnes preuailing in him This is the third estate of man In which causes if with happy continuance hee goe forward the last part remaineth the complement whereof shall bee after this life first in the happie rest of the soule or spirit and afterwards in the resurrection of the body Of these â—ower different estates the first was before the Lawe The second vnder the Lawe The thirde vnder grace The fourth in full and perfect peace So was the estate of GODS people ordered in the seuerall diuersities of times accordingly as it pleased him which disposeth all thinges in measure number and weight For the people of God was first before the Law Secondly vnder the Lawe which was giuen by Moyses Thirdly vnder Grace which was reuealed by the first comming of the Mediatour which grace notwithstanding was not wanting before to them vpon whom God wold bestowe it although it were vailed and hid in obscurities according to the dispensation of time For there was none of the righteous in olde time that could obtaine saluation without the faith of Christ And vnlesse hee had beene knowen of them they could not haue prophecied vnto vs of him sometimes more plainely sometimes more obscurely as they did OF BAPTISME CHAP. Cxix That Baptisme doth profit vs in which soeuer of these former ages or degrees wee be
is saide in the Psalme God is my light and my saluation To the ende his illumination might disperse the cloud of our naturall ignorance and his saluation supply our infirmitie and weakenesse CHAP. 82. That our repentance commeth from God as well in respect of the inward motion thereunto as of the effect and open confession of our fault FOr repentance it self when it is to bee performed vpon an vrgent cause according to the maner or custom of the Church is for the most part pretermitted through our own defalt weaknes Because shame maketh vs fearefull to bee a scorne vnto the world whilest we more regarde our reputation amongst men than our duetie to God The consideration wherof shuld humble vs to the performāce of penance By which reason the mercie of God is requisit not onely in the action of repentance but also to incite and stir vs vp therunto Els would not the Apostle haue said of some least perhaps God did not giue them repentance And the Euangelist foretelling the occasion why Peter wept so bitterly saith The Lord looked back vpon him TOVCHING SINNE against the holy Ghost CHAP. 83. That is sin against the holy Ghost when any man doth obstinately deny that ther can be no remissiō of sins in the Church of God WHosoeuer therfore in not beleeuing that sins are forgiuen in the Church doth contēn so great a liberalitie of Gods gift and endeth his life in that obstinate minde is guiltie of that vnpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost Of which intricate question I haue discoursed as conspicuously as I could in a Booke purposely composed of that matter TOVCHING THE Resurrection of the dead CHAP. 84. All and singular persons of mankinde which now are borne or hereafter shall be borne shal rise againe at the later day NOw verely touching the resurrectiō of the flesh which is not to be raised from death to life againe as some haue beene and to die againe but to bemoūted to eternall life as the flesh of Christ did rise is a matter beyond my reach how to handle it briefly and to discusse all questions vsually propounded therein Howbeit no Christian ought to make doubt of the resurrection of the flesh of all men either liuing or to be borne now dead or hereafter to die CHAP. 85. Touching Children borne before their time whether they shall rise againe HEereupon first of all their riseth a questiō touching children borne before their time which at this present are borne in their mothers wombe howbeit not in that ripenesse and perfection as that they come to a second birth For if wee shall affirme that they are to rise againe then whatsoeuer is said of those which are complete in forme may be admitted But as touching children borne before their naturall time and those without forme or fashion who thinketh not that such doe most quickly perish and dye euen as the seeds which neuer took root being sowen Howbeit who dare deny although none dare on the contrary affirme that the resurrection will bring to passe that whatsoeuer wanted forme shall be at that time fulfilled By which meanes there shall not want any perfectiō which might haue growen in time euen as there shall not be on the contratrary any deformities which happened to any by processe of time so as Nature should neither bee defrauded of that which fulnesse of time might accomplish in all parts nor yet bee blemished in that which time had made defectiue or deformed but that made perfect which was imperfect that amended which was deformed or monstrous CHAP. 86. At what time infants beginne to quicken and haue life in their mothers wombe BY this occasion it may be verie doubtfully questioned and disputed amongst the learned and yet can I not tell whether any man can discusse the trueth therin at what time a man doth quicken in his mothers wombe and whether he secretly liueth in the same althogh that life which is in him doth not appeare by any motions or stirrings of the creature so liuing For to denie that infants be deliuered such as bee cut out by peace meale and cast foorth of their mothers woombe least their mothers should also perish if they were left dead in their bodies it seemeth to bee a matter of great impudencie and bouldnesse For at what time soeuer a man beginneth to liue after that time also may he in like manner die And now being dead I see not in my conceit why he shuld not bee included in the number of those which rise at the later day CHAP. 87. Touching men which be monsters how they shall rise in the later day FOr neither may it be denied that monsters which are so borne and do liue afterwards although they dye presently after they are borne shall rise againe Nor yet are we to beleeue that they shall rise againe in that deformity they dyed but rather reformed and amended in that naturall defect For farre be it from vs to beleeue that the Centaure lately borne in the East parts of whom both our faithful brethren which sawe him made report and Ierome the Priest memorable for piety left a record in writing God forbid I say we should thinke that one man being in shape two and not rather two which should haue been if they had beene twinnes shall rise againe in those seuerall deformities In like man her all other humane things which be called monsters by reason euerie creature so borne haue more or lesse or bee more deformed in their creation then they should haue beene shall in the day of their refurrection bee reduced to the shape of humane nature in perfection in so much as all soules particularly shall inioy their proper bodies no such thinges cleauing vnto them as were coherent and borne with them in their natiuitie but contrariwise euery one particularly being furnished with his proper parts and members whereby the bodie of man may be complete in all perfection CHAP. 88. That it is an easie matter with God to restore vnto vs our flesh againe howsoeuer it be consumed THis earthly matter whereof the flesh of man is created is not lost with God but into what soeuer dust or ashes it is resolued into whatsoeuer vapors or coasts it is carryed into whatsoeuer substance of other bodies or the elements themselues it bee turned into the flesh of whatsoeuer beasts or men it is incorporated and changed It returneth again in a moment of time to the same soule of man which at first breathed life into it whereby it was made man increased and liued CHAP. 89. In the Resurrection of the dead the question is whether the whole substance of the flesh shal be restored or that euerie particular part member therof shall come together again as where it was at the first and whether the excrements shall be in like sort restored THat same earthly matter therefore which becommeth a dead carcasse when the soule is gone out of it shall not so and in
yet the first death whereby the soule is compelled to forsake his body nor the second death whereby the soule is not suffred to depart out of the body that shall bee punished should euer haue happened to man if no man had sinned And truely the punishment of such persons shall be most easie who besides the guilt of originall sinne haue not added more thereunto of themselues and amongst those additionall sinnes euerie mans damnation shall be the more tolerable by how much the lesse hee hath sinned in the first life TOVCHING ETERnall life CHAP. 94. That the blessed in the state of eternall life which by Gods mercie they shall obtaine shall most fully perceiue the force of Gods grace WHen the reprobate of Angells and men shall remaine and haue their being in the place of euerlasting punishment then shal the blessed more sensibly feele and vnderstand what the fauour and grace of God hath voutsafed vpon them Then shall appeare in the euidence of things themselues that which is written in the Psalmes To thee O Lord shall I sing mercie and iudgement Because no man is deliuered from euerlasting destruction but by a mercie not due vnto vs by any specialtie of debt nor any againe condemned to eternall death but by a iudgement duely inflicted vpon him CHAP. 95. In the life eternall wee shall knowe why rather they then the other were the chosen of God AT that day it shall bee reuealed which now is concealed as touching the two infants whereof the one through the mercie of God was to bee chosen the other in his secret iudgement to bee refused in which iudgement hee that shall bee elected shall vnderstand what in iustice was due vnto him vnlesse mercy had holpen him why he rather then the other was elected wheÌ„ the cause was alike to both Why miracles or strange works were not done amongst some which if they had beene done such persons should haue repented and yet were done amongst those concerning whom God did know that they would not beleeue For the Lord doth plainely affirme Woe to thee Corazin Wo to thee Bethsaida for if in Tyre and Sidon those great workes had been done which were doâ—e amongst you they had long sithence repented in sacke-cloath and ashes Neither therefore would not God vniustly haue them to bee saued when as they might haue beene saued if they woulde Then shall that appeare in the clearest light of wisedome which the godly in this world doe apprehend by faith That is to say howe certaine immutable and most effectuall the will of God is how much he can do and yet will not and that he willeth not that thing which he cannot performe as also how truely it is sung in the Psalme Our God which is in heauen aboue hath done all things in heauen earth which hee would Which assertion is not true if hee would haue had somthings yet did theÌ„ not and which had been more derogatorie did not therfore accomplish it by reason the wil of man did hinder the performance of that which the omnipotent would haue done And therfore there is not any thing acted vnlesse the omnipotent would haue it so either in suffering it to be done or effecting it himselfe TOVCHING GODS Omnipotencie CHAP. 96. That God is said to be omnipotent because all thinges that bee are by his wil or permission neither can hee bee crossed by any creature NEither ought wee to doubt that God doth well in suffering of euills whatsoeuer to bee done For his permission thereof is not without a iust iudgement And no doubt but that euerie thing is good which is iust Although therefore these thinges which be euill in that they are euill cannot be also good yet is it good that there be not onely good but euill actions also For if this were not good that there should be also euils the Almightie who is good would not by any meanes suffer the same To which Almightie as it is no doubt easie to doe what hee will so is it as easie for him not to permitte that which hee will not haue done Which vnlesse wee doe beleeue it shaketh the verie foundation and beginning of the confession of our faith whereby wee doe confesse that we do beleeue in God the father almightie Neither is he truely called omnipotent for any other cause but because he can doe whatsoeuer hee will Neither is the will of the Almightie interrupted by the will of any creature TOVCHING GRACE and Predestination of the Saints CHAP. 97. The question is whether certaine things which God would haue done may bee crossed by men that they cannot take effect WHeÌ„refore wee are to consider how it is said of God in that which the Apostle most truely affirmed Forasmuch as God would that al should be saued For seeing not all but the most part or greater number is not saued it seemeth therefore that that which God wold haue done is not done mans will forsooth resisting Gods will For when the cause is examined why all bee not saued it is wont to be aunswered because they themselues will not haue it so Which saying cannot bee extended to infants in whom ther is no power to will or nill For that which infants do by instinct of nature if the same were ascribed to their wil when in baptisme they resist and shrinke from that water as much as they can by that reason wee should affirme that they were saued against their wils But the Lord speaketh more plainely in his Gospel talking with the wicked Citie How often sayth he would I haue gathered together thy children euen as the henne doth her chickens and thou wouldest not as though Gods will were ouerruled by mans will and that men being most weake of all creatures by their vnwillingnes hindering the same the most mightie could not accomplish that which hee desired Where then is that his omnipotencie whereby hee did all things in heauen and in earth which hee would if hee would haue brought home the lost children of Israell and did it not Or rather would not that Citie that hee should bringe home her Children and yet notwithstaÌ„nding whether shee would or noe did not the Lorde reduce such of them as hee would for as much as both in heauen and in earth hee did not will certaine thinges and doe them not dooing some other things which hee would haue done but hee did whatsoeuer hee would CHAP. 98. Albeit God can when hee will conuert the euill dispositions of men yet doth hee iustly although hee doe not reforme the same and when hee turneth them vnto him hee doth it of his owne meere grace and mercie WHo moreouer is so wickedly vnwise as that hee will affirme that God cannot make good when hee will the euill dispositions of men which of them hee will when he will and where hee will Howbeit when hee doth it hee doth it of his owne mercy and when hee doth it not he doth it not by reason of
vpon the onely motion of his owne will yet so that which soeuer of these he should choose Gods will should bee fulfilled either by him if man chose the better or vpon him if hee chose the worse Whether of these two hee is to make choyse resteth in Gods will comming certainly either from or of God Therfore because man would rather fulfill his owne will then Gods God did in like sort execute his will vpon him who of the selfe same Masse of perdition deriued from his own stocke and progenie doth make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour that to honour by his mermercie the other to dishonour through his iudgemente to the ende that no man might make too great estimate of the condition of man or thereby consequently of himselfe CHAP. 108. Our saluation is so certainely of God as that we could not haue beene saued by Christ vnlesse as hee was made man so also hee had beene God FOr neither should wee haue been redeemed by that onely Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus vnlesse also he had been God When Adam was created that is man in his righteousnes at that time he needed no mediatour But when sinnes had made a separation between God and man wee stood in need of the helpe of a Mediatour to reconcile vs to God being such an one as was solely born without sin and so liued was slaine vntil the day of resurrection of the flesh to life euerlasting to the ende that the pride of man might bee reprooued by the humilitie of God and therby made whole as also to make man knowe how farre hee was departed from God when as he was to be brought backe againe by God incarnate and that disobedient man must be taught obedience by the exāple of God being made man As also that the fountaine of mercie should be opened by the onely begotten taking vpon him the forme of a seruant who had not by any former action deserued such indignitie And that also the redeemer himselfe should goe before and shew vnto vs in his own person the resurrection promised to the redeemed And that the Diuell should be subdued by the same nature which he reioyced that he had deceiued Notwithstanding al which man was not to boast least pride should be eftsoones reuiued in him and if any thing else can be inwardly conceiued or said concerning so great a mystery of the Mediator by such as growe and increase with the increasings of God or onely may bee conceiued in thought if it cannot be vttered in speech TOVCHING THE Place and State wherin our soules remaine after this life CHAP. Cix That the soules of men presently after death remaine in certaine receptacles vntill the later day THe time that is betweene the death of man and the resurrection doth containe the soules of the deceased in certaine secret and vnseene receptacles accordingly as euerie of them haue deserued rest or paine by the deeds of the flesh whil'st they liued Animaduersions vpon the Cix Chapter That the soules of men presently after death remaine in certaine receptacles vntill the later day HOwsoeuer Augustine in this Chapter affirmeth that the soules of men after death remain in certaine receptacles vntill the day of doome being drawen to that opinion as is thought by Irenaeus a most auncient writer who as Danaeus setteth downe in his Comment vpon this Chapter sayeth plainely That the soules of Christes Disciples for whome hee had wrought these happinesses or eternall blessinges should depart away into an inuisible place appointed vnto them by God where they should remaine vntill the resurrection and that being done should afterwardes put on their bodies againe and rise in greater perfection Yet afterwards in an other place Augustine doth make a question thereof being doubtfull of that doctrine and thinketh it may be for certaine affirmed that the soules of the godly be transported presently after death into that place which is more glorious and excellent than mortall bodies or any shapes of bodies that place being aboue all the heauens and that heauen where Christ is dwelling Afterwards writing vpon S. Iohn Tract 49. vpon better iudgement hee would haue the soules of the godly after they be out of this body as touching the place to be with Christ according to that of Iohn Cap. 17. ver 24. Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am c. And Luk. 23. v. 43. This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And more plainely Augustine in his fift Sermon touching Saints saith that the soules of the holy are to be beleeued to be with Christ And afterwards discoursing of Paradise whether it were locall or spirituall hee saith That the Lotte ordained for the godly is called Abrahams bosome Which his opinions being laid together lot the later and better bee preferred before the worse looking into Saint Augustines booke of Retractations wherunto Danaeus dot brefer those who would be better satisfied of him in matters wherein he was either ledor misled by the error of himselfe or of that Age. CHAP. Cx. How farre-forth the godly workes of men while they liue bee auaileable NEither is it to be denied that the soules of the deceased are releeued by the godlinesse of their liuing friendes when as either the sacrifice of the Mediatour is offered for them or almes distributed in the Church But these thinges bee auaileable but onelie to such who when they liued did meritorious workes to make them auailcable vnto thē For there is a kinde of life neither so good but that it needeth these helpes after death neither so euill but that it may bee benefited by them And there is a kinde of liuing so good as needeth not these helpes and there is a kinde of liuing so euill that it can receiue no helpe or benefit by these when the course of this life is finished Wherefore in this life man procureth a possibilitie of being releeued after this life or subiecteth himselfe to a necessitie of greeuous and helpelesse punishment For let no man hope when hee is dead by any after-merite to redeeme his neglect of well dooing while he liued with God Therfore these deuotions which the Church doth sooftē vse in praying for the dead bee not repugnant to that sentence or assertion of the Apostle wherin it is said for we shal al appear before the tribunal of Christ to receiue iudgement according to our deedes in the flesh as they haue beene either good or euill Because euery man while hee liued in the flesh did such thinges as deserued this fauour of God that the prayers of the Church might bee effectuall for him after his departure death For they are not auaileable for all And wherefore are they not auaileable for all but in respect of the diuersitie of euery mans action in this life When as therefore either the sacrifices of the altar or of any sort of almes be offered for all