Chapter V. Of the punishment as well of Soul as Body, and fruitless Repentance after death

And this return into it self, shall without doubt be at least after death, when all the doors of the Body shall be shut up, by which it was wont to wander abroad, and go forth to busie it self about the figure of this world, which passes away; so that now it necessarily remains in it self, all egress out of it self being now impossible unto it. But it will be a sad and most pernicious return, and everlasting misery, when it shall be able to have repentance, but not be able to do any penitential work; for when the Body shall be wanting, there can be no action; and when there shall be no action, neither can there be found any satisfaction. For to have repentance is to grieve, but to do penitential works, is the remedy of grief. For one that shall want hands, can no more lift up his hands unto heaven. But whosoever shall not return unto himself before the laying aside of his body, must necessarily remain in himself for ever. But in what a self? In such a self, as he shall have made himself in this life. unless perhaps he shall sometimes be worse, for better shall he never be who is bad; for this very Body which now he puts off, he must one day receive again; not to do penance, but to be punished in it, when after a certain sort the condition of the flesh and of sin shall be much a-like: for as sin shall be able always to be punished, but never be expiated or satisfied for; so neither in the Body shall the torments possibly be ended, nor yet the Body be consumed with the torments. Deservedly indeed shall everlasting vengeance and rage be against the sinner, because his fault can never be blotted out; and neither shall the substance of his flesh fail, lest together with it the affliction of his flesh should be forced to fail also. My dearest Brethren, he that fears these things is cautious to avoid them; but he that slights them, falls into them.