Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church That Is in Purgatory · Book I: On Purgatory
Chapter 13: The objections from the Fathers are solved
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Ecclesia quae est in Purgatorio, Book I, the third general controversy. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
From the Fathers Brenz brings forward, first, Cyprian, who in tract 1 against Demetrianus says at the end: “When once one has gone out hence, there is no longer any place for penance, no effect of satisfaction.” I answer that he speaks of the satisfaction for fault which precedes justification; for the Fathers plainly distinguish a twofold satisfaction: one before justification, by which God is appeased from congruity and inclined to the remission of fault, of which Daniel 4 says, Redeem thou thy sins with alms; the other after justification, by which satisfaction is made to God from condignity for punishment. That Cyprian here speaks of the former is plain from what precedes, where he says: “Let whoever, while he still has something of this world, obtain from God the merciful and forgiving, by the light of religion once received, deliverance from the depth of the darkness of superstition.” Likewise from what follows; for after the words cited by Brenz there follows immediately: “Here life is either lost or kept.”
Second, he brings forward Chrysostom, homily 2 on Lazarus, where it is said thus: “When we have departed hence, it is not in our power to repent, nor to wash away what has been committed.” And again: “For those who have not washed away their sins in the present life will find no consolation afterwards.” I answer that he speaks of the remission of mortal sins; for by the example of the rich man, who is tormented in hell, he warns us not to put off conversion to the other life. But no Catholic teaches that deadly faults are remitted in purgatory.
Third, they bring forward Ambrose, book on the good of death, chapter 2: “For he who has not received here the remission of sins will not be there,” he says, namely in the country of the blessed. I answer that Ambrose speaks of the remission of mortal sins; for he adds, explaining: “But he will not be there, because he could not come to eternal life, because eternal life is the remission of sins”; where he calls eternal life the grace of justification, which is a certain eternal life begun; for unless we begin eternal life here, we shall never come to the glory of the blessed.
Fourth, Peter Martyr objects the same Ambrose, who on chapter 22 of Luke, and in sermon 46, says: “I read of Peter's tears; I do not read of his satisfaction.” I answer that in that place excuse is called satisfaction. For we are accustomed commonly to say, I will satisfy him, that is, I will clear by words the charge brought against me, and show that I am unjustly accused. Ambrose, then, there praises Peter for not having excused his sin, as Adam did, but rather having confessed and accused it with tears; for he adds thus: “Rightly indeed did Peter weep and keep silent, because what is accustomed to be wept over is not accustomed to be excused, and what cannot be defended can be washed away.” And above he had said: “I find that he wept, I do not find what he said,” since namely Peter said nothing in his own clearing.
Fifth, Calvin objects Augustine, tract 49 on John: “All souls,” he says, “when they have gone out of the world, have their different receptions: the good have joy, and the bad torments; but when the resurrection has taken place, both the joy of the good will be fuller and the torments of the bad heavier, when they are tormented with the body.” And below, speaking of the joy of the good: “The rest,” he says, “which is given immediately after death, each one receives when he dies, if he is worthy of it.” I answer that joy and rest are given immediately from death to all who depart in charity; for at once all are made certain of their eternal salvation, which brings immense joy; yet that joy is not given in the same way, but in different ways, according to the diversity of merits; for to some it is given without admixture of grief, to some not without an admixture of temporal punishments, as the same blessed Augustine very often teaches.
Sixth, they object Augustine, book of the Hypognosticon, past the middle: “The first place,” he says, “the faith of Catholics believes on divine authority to be the kingdom of heaven; the second, hell, where every apostate, or one alien from the faith of Christ, will experience eternal torments; a third we are altogether ignorant of, indeed we do not find it to be in the holy Scriptures.” He has the same in sermon 14 on the words of the Apostle, and book 1, chapter 28, on the deserts and remission of sins. I answer that he speaks of eternal places; for he writes against Pelagius, who had invented a third place for unbaptized infants, whom he wished to be happy with a certain natural happiness outside hell and outside the kingdom of heaven. But that Augustine, or whoever was the author of the Hypognosticon, did not deny a third temporary place after this life can be understood from this, that the Catholic faith teaches that besides heaven and hell there was, before the passion of Christ, the bosom of Abraham, where the souls of the holy Fathers dwelt, Luke 16. Ineptly, then, does Erasmus put in the margin at those words, a third we are altogether ignorant of: purgatory; as if he said, purgatory is a third place of which the Catholic faith is ignorant.
Seventh, Peter Martyr objects the same Augustine, expounding that of Psalm 31, Blessed are they whose sins are covered, where he says thus: “If he covered sins, he would not notice them; if he would not notice them, he would not take note of them; if he would not take note of them, he would not punish them; he would not acknowledge them, he preferred to pardon them.” I answer that he speaks of eternal punishment; for that God requires the temporal one is plain from the places cited above from the same Augustine, tract 124 on John and on Psalm 50.
Eighth, they bring forward Augustine in epistle 54 to Macedonius, where he says that after this life there is no place for correcting morals. I answer that this has nothing to do with the matter; for although after this life there will be no place where the wicked are converted and correct their morals, there will nevertheless be one where the light sins of the just, which cannot be called wickednesses, are purged, and where temporal punishment can be paid for crimes already forgiven.
Ninth, they object the same Augustine in epistle 80 to Hesychius: “In whatever state each man's last day finds him, in that the last day of the world will overtake him; since as each one dies on that day, so on that day will he be judged.” I answer that Augustine signifies that after this life merits or demerits do not increase, and therefore that all are to be judged to glory or to hell, and to greater or lesser rewards or torments, according as their works were done before death.
They object, tenth, Theophylact, who on chapter 8 of Matthew says thus: “The soul, having gone out, does not wander in the world; for the souls of the just are in the hand of God, but those of sinners too are led away hence, as the soul of the rich man.” I answer that Theophylact indicates that souls do not roam freely through the world, as demons do, but are shut up in their receptacles; and although he mentions only two places, yet he does not exclude others. But we can refer the souls which are led to purgatory to either of the two which he sets down; for because they are just, they can rightly be said to be in the hand of God, although they are not in the kingdom; and likewise they can be said to be in the lower world, because purgatory is a part of the lower world, or at least a neighbouring place.
Eleventh, they object Jerome, who on chapter 9 of Amos speaks thus: “When the soul, loosed from the bonds of the body, has liberty of flying where it will, or where it is compelled to go, it will either be led to the lower regions, of which it is written, In hell who shall confess to thee? or certainly be lifted up to the heavenly places.” I answer that Jerome does not speak of natural death, but of the loosing of the soul from the body by contemplation; for he disputes in that place about the ungodly soul, which, wherever it turns itself in thought, will there find God the avenger. And so, having said, or certainly be lifted up to the heavenly places, he adds: “where are the spirits of wickedness in the heavenly places; and if it wishes to claim for itself the knowledge of the true circumcision, and, having conceived humility, to dwell in the mountains, there too it will not be able to escape the searching hand of God; but if, despairing of salvation, it tries to avoid the eyes of the Lord, and to come to the farthest bounds of false waves, there too the Lord will command the crooked and ancient serpent, who is the enemy and avenger, and he will bite it. Taken also by vices and sins, it will be struck by the sword of the Lord, that through torments and punishments it may return to the Lord.”
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XIII.
Solvuntur objectiones ex Patribus.
Ex Palribus profiMt Brcntius primo Cyprianum ,
qui tract. 1. conlra Deuieirianum . ail in line :
ifunndo isthinr v.rri'tnnnk fwril , nutlnn jniii
liociulcntiiir tiicUH vnt , nntlnn Hntl^lnctiiinin /•/-
Iri lilH.
IIi>s|iiiii(Umi : Lo(|iii (miiii iIo Halihriinlinnr pro
ciilp.i , i|iKic piiifciilil jii^litii iiliiiinMii ; P.ilri s i;-
llim dlMMlc ililpllccill piMlillll siltl.^f.liilOlMMIl.l ll.illl
iiiiti' ju.slillciiliuiMMii, i|uii DciiH |ila(Miliir Ac cini-
^'ruo: cl iiicliiialiir ad iiilpiic r<'iiii<tHioiiiiii , il«: qiiii
D.inicl h. 1'cccatn tnn ctccviiisiinin rcdnnc. Allc-
r;iiii post jusiiliciiliiMiciii, qii,i Dcii cx i oihIi^mo hu-
lislil pro pociia. <Jii(it| liic CypriiiiiuH ilc |iriiiri: lo-
tjii.iiiii'. piilct c\ |ii';iccci|ciitibiis.iibl iol.lhn luiiinr,
iiiqiiit, dnin ndlinc nluinid dc Hnccnlu hniicrchl ,
lU'o mtix\'ncorv., vl aiLvvrnv rv.liiiionm vuuUnlain
Inccin dc prufnndu tcnclirunnc HV\ivridiliuniH e-
incriicrr. Ilciii c\ scipiciilibiis: .\iiui pii^l vcib.i ci-
liilii ii itriMilio. imiiiciliiili; scipiitur : llir vita aut
aniillilnr , ani tcnvlnr.
.'^('(Miiido, proU'rt OlMysoslomiiin liom.2. d • I.a-
Ziiro, iilii sic ilKiliir. Ijtiii liinc di.scvn.scnnniH ,
710/1 c.s7 //( niibis sitnin puvnitvrc, nvquv. vonnnii'
sa (liiiicrc. K[ riirsiim: .\ciinc cnini qni in pran-
scnli vita iicccala nun atilnrrnnl, jtustra cunau-
Intiunvni aliqnani invvnluri snnl.
Ilcspoiidco : bo(|ui ciim do rciiiissione mortii-
liiim : naiii (;\cmplo Kpuloiiis. i|ui iii (^'chciiiiii crii-
ciiibiiliir, moiicl, iie dillcriiiniis convci.sioiuiii iii
aliam \il;mi. i\cmo aulcm c:illiolicorum duccl.cul-
p;is l;iciliiilcs rcmiili iii piirgalorio.
Tcrlio. prolcriiiit Ambrosium lib. dc boiio inor
tis ciip. 2. Oni vnini, in(|uit , liic non avcvpvrit
rvmissionein jivccaloruni, illic non eril, niniirnni
in palria bvaturum.
l{cs|)oiidi'o : boijui Ambrosium dc rcmissioni!
morliilium ; N:im siibjuniiit cxplicans : Non eril
anlvm. quia ad vihnii avlcrninn nun pulnvrit
pcrrmire , quia vila aelerna remi.isio pv.cca-
toruni est : ubi vitam aclernam vocalgratiiim ju-
stiliciiiionis. (jinie csl vila qi:aedam actcrna in-
clioiila : nisi cnim hic vitiim aoternam inchbemus,
uum(|Uiim ;ul gloriam beatorum veniemus.
Quarto , objicit Pclrus .Miirtyr cundcm Ambro-
siuin. qui in cap. 2.3. Liicac , el scrm. Uj. ail :
l.arlirijmas Pelri lego , salisfactioncm non leyo.
Ucspondco: Appellari satisraclionem eo loco cx-
cnsalioiicm. Solcinus enim vulgo diccrc ; Ego sa-
tisfaciam iUi. idcst, purgabo vcrbis criinen objo-
ctum, el osiendam me injusle accusari. Laudiili-
giiur ibi Ambrosius Pctrum, quod non e.vcusaverit
peccalum suum. quomodo Adam fccit, sed lachry-
mis poiius confessus fucril ei accusavcrit, sic c-
nim subjungil : Recie plane Pelrus jhvil. el la-
cuii, quia quod dejleri, solet. non solel excuscn^i,
cl quod defendi non jiolcst. ablui potesl. Et su-
pra di.veral: Invenio quod fleverit . non iiivenio
(juid dixerit. quia nimirum nihil Petrus dixerut
in sui puKjationem.
Quinio. objicit Calvinus Augustinuin tracl.49. iii
Joan. Habenti inquit.o??i?ies animae.cum de sae-
culo cxicrinl . diversas recepliones suas : ha-
bent gaudiuni boni el mali tormenta : sed ciuii
factafaerit resurreclio , et bonorum gaudium
amplius erit , et maloruni tormenta graviora ,
quundo cum corpore torquebunlur. ti infra de
:is;)
UE PURGATUIUO
r
piaudio bonorum loquens: Rcquiem , inquit, quae
continuo post mortem datur, si ea dignus esl ,
tunc accipil qui^que cjim morilur.
Re^pondeo: Gaudiuin cl requiem dari stalim a
niorle omnibus , qui iu cliarilate decedunt ; Nain
inox omnes cerli fiuni suae aclcrnae salulis, quod
ingens gaudium alTerl ; tamon non eodcm modo
dalur islud gaudium. sed diversimode, pro meri-
tnrum diversilalc; quibusdam cnim dalur sinc nd-
mixlione duk)ris,quibusdam non sinc temporMlium
admixlioncm poenarum , ut idem b. Augustinus
saepissime docet.
Sexlo , objiciunt Augustinum lib. liypognoslici
ullra medium: Primum, inquit, locum fides ca-
ihoUcorum divina auciorilale credit , rennum
esse coeluruui : secundiwi , (jehennam . uhi o-
mnis apostata,vcl a fide Chrisli alienus, aetcrna
supplicia experietur; lertium penilus ignora-
mus , immo 7iec cssc in Scripturis sanctis in-
venimus. Idem babet scrmone 14. de vcrbis apo-
stuiicis et lib. \. cap. 28. de peccatorum roerilis
et rcmissione.
Respondeo: Loquilur de locis aelernis, Scribit
enim conlra Pelagium , qui inveneral tertiurn lo-
cum pro parvulis non baplizalis, quos volebat fore
beatos quadam naturali beatiludine extra infcr-
num , ct cxtra regnum coelorum.Quod aulem no!i
negaveril Augustinus, aut quicuraque fuit, auctor
hypognostici , lertium locum temporarinm post
iianc vitam, ex eo polesl intelligi , quod fides ca-
Ibolica docet praeter coelum et infernum fuisse
anle Chrisli passionem sinum Aabrahae , ubi de-
gebant animae sanctorum Palrum, Luc. 16. inepte
igitur Erasmusponil in margine ad illa verba: ler-
tium penilus ignoramus purgalorium, quasi dical,
purgalorium est locus tertius , quem ignorat fides
catholica.
Seplirao, Petrus Mar!yr objicit eundpm Augu-
slinum, exponenlcm dlud psalni. 3i. Reati quo-
rum tccla sunt pcccala, ubi sic ait : Si texit pec-
cata, noluil advertere : si noluit advertere, no-
luit animadvertere: si noluit animadvertere, no-
luit punire, noluil agnoscere, maluit ignoscere.
Kespondeo : Loqui eum de poena aeterna; Nam de
lemporali , quod eam requirat Deus, palet ex lo-
cis supra cilalis cx eodem Augustino Irael. 124. in
Joan. et in psal. 50.
Octavo, proferunt Augustinum in epistol. 54. ad
Macedonium, ubi di('it, post hanc vilam non csse
locum morum corngendorum. Respondeo: Niliil
lioc facit ad rem; Nasn clsi non crit post hanc vi-
tam locus.ubi flagiliosi convertantur.ct mores suos
curriganl ; cril tair.en , ubi peccala levia juslo-
rum , quae llagilia dici non possunt , purgenlur ,
et pro criminibus jam dimissis poena temporalis
lui possit,
I\ono,oI)iiciunt eundem Augustinum in epist.80.
ad Hesychium: In quo. inquit. qucmque invene-
rit suus novissimus dies, in hoc eum comprae-
hendct mundi novissimus dies, quojiiam qualis
in die isto quisque moritur , talis in die illo
judicahitur. Ilcspondeo : Significal Augustinus
posl hanc vilam uon crescere menta vel demerita
ct ideo judicandos omncs ad gloriam , vel ad gc-
liennam , cl ad majora vel minora praemia rel
lormenta , prout erunt opcra facta anle mortem.
Objiciunl decimo Theophylactum, qui in cap.8.
Malth. sic ait: Anima egressa, inmundo non er-
rat : justorum enim animae in manu Dei sunt ,
poccatorum vero et ipsae hinc abducuntur , ut
anima divilis. Respondeo : Indicat Theophyla-
ctus , non vagari libere animas per mundum , ul
daemones faciunt , sed clausas csse in suis re-
ccplacuilis , et quamquam non meminil nisi duo-
rum locorum , tamcn non excludit alia. Possu-
mus aulem animas , quae ad purgatorium dedu-
cunlur , revocare ad quodlibet eorum duorum ,
quae ipse ponil ; Nam quia juslae sunt, recle pos-
sunt dici esse in m;mu Dei , licet non sinl iit rc-
gno ; et similiter dici possunl esse in inferno ,
quia purgaliorium pars est inferni, vel certe locus
vicinus.
Undecimo , Hieronyraum objiciunt , qui sic in
cap. 9. Amos loquilur : Quando anima vinculis
laxata corporeis , volandi quo velit , sive quo
ire compellilur , habuerit libertatem , aut ad in-
ferna ducetitr , de quibus scriptum est ; In in-
ferno quis confitebitur tibi? aut certe ad coele-
stia sublevabitur.
Respondco : Non loqui Hieronymum de morle
naturali, sed de solutione animae a corpore per
speculalionem ; Nara disputat eo loco de anima
impia, quae quocumque se vertcrit cogitatione, ibi
Deum ullorem inveniet. Ilaque cum dixisset: Aut
ccrte ad coelestia sublevabitur , sub.iungit : ubi
sunt spiritualia nequitiae in coelestibus . et si
sibi vere circumcisionis scienliam voluerit ven-
dicare, et humilitate concepta habitare in mon-
tibus, ct ibi scrutantem manum Dei evadere non
valebit; quod si desperans salutem oeulos Domi-
ni vitare tentaveritj et in ultimos falsorum flu-
ctuum terminos pervenire , etiam ibi mandabit
Dominus serpenti tortuoso et antiquo , qui est
inimicus et ultor , et mordebit eam. Capla quo-
que vitiis, atque peccatis gladio Domini percu-
tietur , ut per cruciatus , atquc supplicia ad Do-
minum revcrtatur.