"and the one is in heaven, the other in earth, by the reason of the remains of the body yet resting in the earth,"
until the day of the resurrection, unto which all these prayers had special reference. This do I conceive to be the right meaning of Epiphanius's answer, as suiting best both with the general intention of the Church, which he taketh upon him to vindicate from the misconstruction of Aerius, and with the application thereof unto his objection, and with the known doctrine of Epiphanius, delivered by him elsewhere in these terms:
"After death there is no help to be gotten, either by godliness or by repentance. For Lazarus doth not go there unto the rich man, nor the rich man unto Lazarus; neither doth Abraham send any of his spoils, that the poor man be afterward made rich thereby; neither doth the rich man obtain that which he asketh, although he entreat merciful Abraham with instant supplication. For the garners are sealed up, and the time is fulfilled, and the combat is finished, and the lists are voided, and the garlands are given, and such as have fought are at rest, and such as have not obtained are gone forth, and such as have not fought cannot now be present in time, and such as have been overthrown in the lists are cast out, and all things are clearly finished, after that we are once departed from hence."
And for the general intention of the Church, beside what already hath been at large declared of the times past, let us a little compare the ancient practice of Praying for the dead maintained by Epiphanius, with the footsteps which remain thereof in the Euchologue used by the Grecians at this very day. For
First, that the parties prayed for are not supposed to be in any place of torment, appeareth by that speech which they apply to the party deceased, even in the midst of the prayers which they make for the forgiveness of his sins and the resting of his soul;
"Blessed is the way wherein thou art going to-day, brother; for to thee is prepared a place of rest"
And by the prayer following:
"He is from hence departed breathless, thither where there is the reward of his works, thither where there is the joy of all the saints, with whom rest thou this deceased person, O God, of thy mercy and loving kindness."
Secondly, that they make these prayers as well for the righteous as for sinners, this orison, among others, doth demonstrate:
"The faithful which have left this life holily, and removed to thee their Lord, receive benignly, giving them rest out of thy tender mercy."
Thirdly, that in these prayers they aim at those ends expressed by Epiphanius, as well the testifying their belief of the peregri-
