and as he is man the father greater than he For beeing the onely sonne of God and that not of grace but by nature to the end therefore that he might be replete with grace he is also made the sonne of man and the selfe same hee beeing both of both is yet but one Christ because when he was in the figure of his deitie hee thought it to be no robberie vnto God for that it was his naturall essence which was to bee equall with God the father But hee afterwards debased himselfe taking vpon him the habite of a seruant and yet not leesing or diminishing the habite of his godhead By reason whereof both he became an inferiour and remained also an equall with God the father beeing yet but one though as is before affirmed of two natures Howbeit one in respect of the worde whereby is meant his godhead and another in respect of his manhood For in respect of the word or his deitie hee is equall with his father and in respect of his manhood inferior to the father The onely sonne of God and yet also the sonne of man the onely sonne of man and yet the same also the sonne of God beeing not two sonnes vnto God as he is God and man but the sole c onely sonne of God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ beeing God without all beginning and man with a beginning CHAP. 36. It was not vpon any merit of mā no not of the manhood which was in Christ himselfe that he was made man THe mercy of God in this Chapter is by it selfe most highly and euidently extolled For what deserued the humane nature which was in the man Christ that it should be specially chosen to bee vnited in the person of the onely begotten sonne of God What will to doe well what deuotion or zeale to any good intent or what precedencie of good works whereby this man deserued to be vnited to the person of God And was he first a man and this singular benefit ordained for him that hee should of himselfe tie God vnto him by some speciall desert For from the time that hee was made man by the assumption of the flesh he began to be none other thing than the onely sonne of God and that also in respect of the Godhead which was the worde by the assumption whereof he was made flesh that is to say man as well as he was God that euen as euery man is but one in person though hee consist of two parts that is to say the reasonable soule and the flesh so was Christ but one person beeing both the worde and also man To what other ende then was this so great glory freely no doubt bestowed vpon mākind without any merits precedent but onely to giue euident demonstration and testimony of Gods great and only mercy in this vnion to such as looke into the same truely and with good consideration that all mortall creatures may vnderstand they be iustified from their sins by the same mercy fauour by which it was wrought and came to passe that the man Christ could not bee polluted with sinne In which manner the angell saluted his mother when hee brought her tidings of this birth which followed saying Haile full of grace And a little after he saith Thou hast found fauour in Gods sight Which two sayings of beeing filled with grace and finding fauour in Gods sight doe import that she should not only become the mother of him that was her Lord and Sauiour but also of the Lord and Sauiour of all mankinde And of Christ himselfe Iohn the Euangelist saith And the worde was made flesh and dwelled in vs and we sawe said he his glory beeing the glory of the only begottē of his father full of grace verity Wherin it is to be obserued that where hee saith that the word was made flesh that was to say full of grace And wher he saith the glory of the onely begotten of the Father that is to say fulnesse of veritie or truth For truth it was that he was the only sonne of God not by grace but by nature And of meere fauour and grace hee tooke vpon him the manhood and that in such an vnitie or coniunction of the person as he himselfe also became the sonne of man TOVCHING CHRISTS Incarnation CHAP. 37. CHAP. 37. Now by the manner of his conception wee are to vnderstand that the word did through grace onely and not through any merit of his humanitie assume and put vpon him the body of man vniting the same vnto him NOw therfore the selfe same Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God that is to say our onely Lord was borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie And on the other side the holy Ghost is of the gift of God which gift also is equall with the giuer By which reason the holy Ghost is God not inferior either to the father or to the sonne Whereupon it is to be inferred that seeing the birth of Christ touching his man-kinde is to be imputed to the influence of the holy ghost what other thing is demonstrated therin than the meere grace of God For when the virgin demanded of the Angel how it should come to passe which hee told her because shee did not carnally knowe any man the Angel answered The holy ghost shall replenish thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee and therefore that holy one which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God And whereas Ioseph would haue put her away accounting her to bee an adulteresse because he knew shee was not with child by him hee receiued this answer from the angell Bee not afraid to retaine Marie as thy wife still for that which is borne or conceiued in her that is to say that which thou suspectest to bee begotten by another body is of the holy Ghost CHAP. 38. That Christ is neither the sonne of the holy Ghost no yet begotten or conceiued by him as by a naturall father ARe wee yet therefore to affirme that the holy Ghost is father vnto Christ as he is man as namely that God the father begot the word and the holy Ghost his humanity of which substances Christ beeing vnited made one is by that reasō on the one side the son of the father in that he is the word and on the other side the sonne of the holy Ghost as he is man as though the holy Ghost as it were his father did beget him of the virgin his mother Who dare be so bold as to auouch this neither is it needful by argument or disputation to declare what other absurdities doe followe hereof seeing this one assertion is so absurd in it selfe as the eares of the faithfull cannot indure to heare it Therefore as it is in the Creed our Lord Iesus Christ beeing God of God and man begottē of Mary the virgin and the holy Ghost consisting of either substance that is to say
both diuine and humane is notwithstanding the onely begotten son of God the father from whome the holy Ghost doth proceed How then doe we say that Christ was borne of the H. ghost if the holy Ghost did not beget him or is it so said because he made him The reason is because as Iesus Christ is God all things were of his creation but as hee was man he himselfe was created made according to the saying of the Apostle For he was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh But seeing the whole Trinitie did create and make that creature which the virgin did conceiue and bring forth tho appertaining and adioyned to the person of the sonne for the workes of the Trinitie be inseparable why is the holy ghost onely named in the making of this creature Is it because whē one of these three bee named in any one worke that the whole Trinitie is assistant in that work It is euen so and may be made plaine vnto vs by example or demonstration Howbeit wee must no◠any longer stand vpon this point For it remaineth that wee declare how it is said that he was borne of the holy Ghost beeing no way the sonne of one same holy Ghost For no more may the world without impietie be called the sonne of God because God made the same neither else that it was borne of him but rather wee may rightly say that it was made or created or builded or ordained by him or vse wordes of the like sense Seeing therefore wee doe confesse that hee was borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie it is a matter of great difficultie to discusse how he should not bee the sonne of the holy Ghost but the sonne of the virgin Mary notwithstanding that hee was begotten both of the one and of the other Without all doubt he was not borne of him as of a father though hee were so of her as of a mother CHAP. 39. Not euery thing that is said to be borne of any thing may properly be called the sonne of that it is said to be borne of IT is not therefore to be granted that whatsoeuer is borne of any thing it should straightway bee called the sonne of the selfe same thing For to omit other instances the begetting of a sonne by a man is after one manner and the growing of the haire of a mans head the breeding of a lowse and of a worme in mans body is after another sort not any of which kinds is to be tearmed a sonne Therfore to speak no more of these because it is vnseemly to compare them with a thing of so diuine a nature they verely which be born of water and the holy Ghost no man can properly call them the sonnes of the water but be truely called the sonns of God of the Church their mother In like manner therefore is Christ beeing begotten of the holy Ghost the sonne of God the father and not of the holy Ghost For that also which we haue spoken touching the haire of the head and the rest maketh onely for this purpose to let vs to vnderstand that not euery thing begotten of any mās body may consequētly bee called the sonne of him of whom hee is so borne no more than it followeth that all they which be called the sons of any person must therefore of necessitie be begottē of the same person whose sonns they be called such as be they which be adopted sonnes Againe some be called the sons of Gehenna or hell not because hell was their father or begot them but because they be prepared for that place Much like to them which be called the sons of Gods kingdome because they are prepared for the same CHAP. 40. In that Christ is said to be borne of the holy Ghost is meant that man in like manner by the meere grace of God which is called the holy Ghost and the word of God is partaker of the diuine nature and vnited or ingrafted into the person of Christ SEing therefore something may bee borne of any creature and yet not so as it needs must bee his sonne Neither on the other side euery one which is called a sonne must necessarily be the naturall childe of that person whose sonne hee is called Then without all doubt this maner of generation wherby Christ was borne of the holy Ghost not as it were his sonne and yet as it were the sonne of the virgin Mary doth couertly conuaie into vs the grace of God whereby man without any workes or merits precedent in his first conception or generation whereby he had his beeing is so vnited to the word and the diuine nature in the vnitie of the person of Christ as that consequently one and the same creature should be the sonne of God which was the sonne of man and likewise the sonne of man beeing Gods childe By which incarnation or assumption of humane nature in Christ the grace of God should be after a sort naturall to that man which was the childe of God the same being incapable of sinne which grace was in that regard to bee expressed vnder the name or title of the holy Ghost Because he is so properly God that also hee may bee called the gift of God Whereof to speake sufficiently were too tedious in discourse TOVCHING REGEneration and the parts thereof CHAP. 41. That Christ was without original sinne and that he was that sacrifice for our sinnes by the which wee were reconciled to God HEe therefore beeing not ingendred or conceiued by any pleasure of carnall concupiscence and therefore not infected with any originall sinne also by the grace of God beeing in respect of the vnitie of his person by a wonderfull and vnspeakable meanes annexed and conioyned to the worde which was the onely begotten sonne of God not by grace but by nature and therefore no actuall sinner himselfe yet was hee notwithstanding in respect of the similitude of sinfull flesh wherin he came called a sinner or sin beeing to become a sacrifice for satisfaction of sinnes Which sacrifice or oblation he truely became whereof other sacrifices performed in the old law were but shadowes Hereupon after the Apostle had said Let vs beg reconciliation or attonement with God for his Christs sake he forth-with addeth this affirming That God for our sakes made him to become sinne who was of himselfe blamelesse and without sin that through him we should be righteous in Gods sight He saith not as it is reade in certaine vitious books He that knew no sinne becam sinful for our sakes as thogh Christ in regard of vs should commit sin But he saith That man which knew no sinne which was Christ was made sin by God to whome wee were to be reconciled that is to say was made an oblation or sacrifice for sinnes wherby that attonement should be wrought He therfore was made a sinner that wee might be righteous Yet is hee not our righteousnes but Gods neither
other things againe by historicall obseruation and in those things also which they do appropriate to their owne inuention they do in most matters rather guesse at them then knovv them certainly It is enough for a Christian to beleeue that the cause of all things which bee created either in heauen or vpon earth visible or inuisible is not othervvise then of the goodnesse of the Creator which is the onely and true God and that there is no nature which either hee himselfe is not or else is not deriued from him himselfe beeing the Trinitie that is to say the father and the sonne begotteÌ„ of the father and the Holy Ghost proceeding from the same father hovvebeit one and the selfe same spirit as vvell of the father as of the sonne CHAP. 10. All things were created good of God howbeit not without their mutation or change ne yet absolute nor of one correspondencie amongst themselues OF this absolute correspondent vnchangeable good Trinitie all things vvere created beeing yet in themselues neither absolutely semblably or vnchangeably good hovvbeit euery one of them particularly good and beeing also vnited they are likevvise in that vniuersall body or masse of all-together exceeding good Because of this generalitie and all-together that vvonderfull beauty of the vvorld is composed CHAP. 11. The reason why God doth suffer euils to raigne in the world That euill is none other thing then a priuation of naturall goodnesse which priuation is not a thing of it selfe IN which matter that also which is called euill beeing vvell marshalled and rightly placed doth more visibly commend those things which be called good to the end they might be more plausible and commendable beeing compared vvith those things which be euill For neither vvould the omnipotent God which the infidels also doe confesse in as much as himselfe is vniuersally good by any meanes suffer any euill to bee in his ovvne vvorkes but that also his omnipotency and goodnesse is such as that he maketh that e-euill to be beneficiall vnto vs. For God either in reforming or in punishing of the integritie of nature beeing corrupted and vitious doeth turne it to the good of man By which meanes consequently that which is euill shall not be a perpetuall blemish because it is not any thing when it is purged remooued For what other thing is that which is called euill than a priuacion of that which is tearmed good For it fareth as it is in the bodies of liuing creatures wherein to be infected vvith diseases and hurtes is nothing els but to vvaÌ„t health Neither doeth it fall out when there is a remedie applied that those euils which had gotten possession of the bodie that is to say diseases and hurts should remooue from thence and remain or be else-where but rather that they should haue no beeing at all For that which is called a disease or hurt is not any substance or matter of it selfe but rather a corruption or infection of a carnall substance Seeing therefore flesh is onely that which is called substance certainely there is some good whereunto those euils be accidentall that is to say priuations of that good which is called health Euen so whatsoeuer faults be in the minde they bee the priuations of naturall goodnesses Which when they be cured they be not translated to any other place but they which had a locall beeing haue now no beeing at all seeing they shall not haue any place or abode in that which is cured and made whole CHAP. 12. Albeit all creatures as they be natures be made good by God yet because they be not immutably good certain of them may bee corrupted And that their corruption or vice is nothing els but a losse or depriuation of that good which God did graft in them insomuch is wheresoeuer there is left no sparke of naturall goodnesse there likewise is there abiding no corruption neither is sin or vice predominant solely remaining ALl natures therefore because God their creator is absolutely good and perfect bee also good Howbeit because they be not like as their maker is absolutely and vnchangeably good therefore may that good which is in them be both decreased increased But that diminution of good is that which is called euill although notwithstaÌ„ding howsoeuer it bee diminished something consequently remaineth and is abiding still if nature be not vtterly extinguished whereof it hath a beeing and is nature still For howsoeuer and in what quantitie or measure soeuer nature is yet liuing that good which is called nature caÌ„not be vtterly consumed vnlesse nature her selfe be vtterly extinguished and consumed therefore is nature worthily commended Further if that be incorruptible then without all question is shee much more praise-worthy Now when it is corrupted that corruption therof maketh it therefore euill because it depriueth and spoileth it of all goodnesse whatsoeuer For if it bereaue it not of any good it is not consequently obnoxious or hurtful but it is hurtfull in depriuing it of that which is good As long therefore as nature is corrupted so long is it possessed of a good whereof it is againe dispossessed By which reason if there bee a dramme of good remaining which cannot be cleane put out then without all doubt is nature also incorruptible And againe if it be subiect to continuall corruption there is also a permanent good whereof that corruption hath a power to depriue it Which naturall facultie if that which is called euill shall vtterly and wholy consume by that reason there shall bee no good at all abiding because nature also is dead and extinguished Corruption therefore cannot vtterly abolishe and consume that which is good but by the consumption also of nature All that which is called nature therefore is good beeing great and diuine if it canot be polluted and on the other side little and weake if it be subiect to infection and yet can it not be absolutely denied to be good without note of folly and ignorance Which thing called nature iâ—ut bee vtterly extinguished by corruption neither can that corruption also haue any continuance as hauing no being where no nature is left to harbour or entertaine the same CHAP. 13. Two strange positions maintained contrary to the vulgar opinion the one that there can bee no euill said to be there where there is not any good and the other that good is called euill that is to say one and the selfe same thing is both good and bad BY this agument there is not any euill if there be not any good But good which is void of euill is absolutely good On the other side in whom euill hath gotten a possession in that person good is either more or lesse polluted neither can there bee by any means any euill where ther is no good at all There is a great mysterie therefore herein as wherein because all nature in as much as it is nature is of it selfe good it can haue none other meaning or construction
that it is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy because the wil of man doth not simply and alone accomplish that worke why is it not of the contrary truely inferred that it is not in God that sheweth mercy but in mā that willeth because Gods mercy doeth not solely performe that action Furthermore if no Christiā dare affirme that it is not in God that sheweth mercy but in man that willeth lest hee should most plainly gainesay the Apostle it followeth thē that we take this his saying Viz. That it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy to be true in as much as the whole work is to be attributed vnto God who both prepareth that good will which is in man as standing in neede of his assistance and afterwards also helpeth the same beeing so prepared For the good will or will to doe good in man goeth before many of Gods gifts but it is not precedent to all And when it followeth commeth after Gods gifts yet is it a companion amongst them For it is both waies read in holy scripture viz. Both his mercy shall goe before me also his mercy shall follow me It preuenteth or goeth before him that is backward to make him willing and followeth him that is forward and willing lest his will become frustrate For why are we admonished to pray for our enemies beeing of themselues vnwilling to liue vertuously but onely that God would worke a will in thē to doe well Wherefore also are we willed to ask at Gods hands to the end we may obtaine but that our petition may bee performed by him to whom we are petitioners By whom also it is wrought that we will or desire that which wee pray for We pray therefore for our enemies that Gods mercy may preuent and goe before them as it hath done before vs. We pray also for our selues that his mercy may attend vpon vs. OF CHRIST THE MEdiator CHAP. 33. That Christ is our Mediator peace-maker with God because he maketh him our friend by the oblation of that sole sacrifice which is himselfe MAnkinde therefore was detained in the state of iust damnation and all were the children of wrath of which wrath it is written Because all our daies are in declination and we our selues are fallen into thy displeasure our yeares are folded vp as a Spiders webbe Of which wrath Io◠also saith For man which is borne of woman is short of life and his daies full of sorrow Of which wrath also our Lord Iesus saith He that beleeueth in the sonne he shall inioy euerlasting life but he which doth not beleeue in him is not in the state of saluation but Gods wrath and indignation abideth vpon him Hee saieth not It shall come vpon him but it abideth vpō him With this euery mortall creature is borne Whereupon the Apostle saith For wee were also by nature the children of Gods wrath euen as others were Seeing therefore all mortall creatures were by originall sinne in this displeasure of God the same lying so much the more heauily vpon vs by how much our own sins added therunto did also aggrauate the same by their greatnesse and aboundance a mediator in this case was behoouefull and necessarie that is to say a reconciler who pacified Gods wrath by the oblation of that sole sacrifice whereof all the sacrifices of the Law and Prophets were but shadows Wherupon the Apostle saith For if when wee were enemies we were recōciled to God by the death of his son much more now beeing reconciled shall himself by his blood-shedding be a protection vnto vs against his wrath and indignation For when God is angry the perturbation which is in him is not such as is in the minde of a man when hee is offended But the word being borrowed from the passion which is in mortall creatures Gods reuēge which of it self is neuer but iust putteth on the appellatiō of anger or wrath Inasmuch therefore as we are reconciled vnto God by a Mediatour receiuing the holy Ghost whereby we are made friēds of foEs for that how many soeuer be sanctified by the spirit of God become the sonns of God this recōciliatiō cōmeth of the meere mercy of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. CHAP. 34. That Christ who is the word of God to the end he might be our mediator peace-maker with God did take flesh and was incarnate of the virgin Marie OF which Mediator to speak in that ample manner as the matter it selfe doeth deserue would aske a long discourse yet could not worthily bee expressed by the pen of any man For who could with fit words set forth this onely thing namely that the word was made flesh and dwelled in vs to the ende we should beleeue in the onely sonne of God the father beeing omnipotent borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie and that the word was so made flesh as although the flesh was begotten by his diuinitie or deitie yet was there not any mutation or change of his diuinitie or deitie into the flesh Moreouer in this place we are to take this word Caro which is flesh to bee homo that is man the speech figuratiuely signifying the whole by the part which for example this saying doeth demonstrate namely Because by the workes of the lawe all flesh that is to say euery man shall not be saued For we may lawfully say that in this susception or incarnation there was no defect in the humane nature the same nature beeing yet voide of all sinnefull copulation not such as is begotten betweene man and woman in carnall concupiscence wrapping vs in the bond of sinne the staine of which originall guilt is washed away by regeneration but such as was fit to bee borne of a virgin beeing a thing conceiued in the faith not in the lust or sinnefull appetite of the mother For if in the birth of him that was borne her integritie had beene blemished then should he not haue beene borne of a pure virgin and the whole Church should also vntruly confesse which God forbid that hee was borne of a virgin which Church following the example of Christs mother doth daiely bring forth members of that mysticall body and yet notwithstanding is a virgin still Read if you list my Letters touching the virginity of Saint Mary writtē to that renowmed man Volusianus of whome I doe here make mention with all reuerence and loue CHAP. 35. That Christ who consisteth of two natures namely diuine and humane is notwithstanding but one in subsistence CHrist Iesus therefore the son of God is both God and man God before all worlds and man in this age or world wherin we liue God because hee is the word for God was the word and man because to make an vnitie of the person a reasonable soule and the flesh were adioyned to the word Wherfore as he is God he and the father be one
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