And I beseech our Lord heartily for
them, that when they depart out of this wretched world, they find
no purgatory at all--provided God keep them from hell!
As for the merit of man in his good works, neither are those who
deny it fully agreed among themselves, nor is there any man almost
of them all that, since they began to write, hath not somewhat
changed and varied from himself. And far the more part are thus far
agreed with us: Like as we grant them that no good work is worth
aught toward heaven without faith; and that no good work of man is
rewardable in heaven of its own nature, but through the mere
goodness of God, who is pleased to put so high a price upon so poor
a thing; and that this price God setteth through Christ's passion,
and also because they are his own works with us (for no man worketh
good works toward God unless God work with him); and as we grant
them also that no man may be proud of his works for his own
imperfect working, because in all that he may do he can do God no
good, but is an unprofitable servant, and doth but his bare
duty--as we, I say, grant them these things, so this one thing or
twain do they grant us in turn: That men are bound to work good
works if they have time and power, and that whosoever worketh in
true faith most, shall be most rewarded.
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