Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church That Is in Purgatory · Book II: On the Circumstances of Purgatory
Chapter 1: On the persons to whom purgatory applies
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Ecclesia quae est in Purgatorio, Book II, 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).
We have shown thus far that there is a purgatory; now we must discuss the circumstances of purgatory, that is, the persons, the place, the time, the punishments, the suffrages and other things of that kind. First, then, this question occurs: to what persons does purgation after this life apply? Now there have been many errors about persons of this kind.
The first was that both the good and the bad must be purged after this life, Christ alone excepted. This opinion is accustomed to be attributed to Alcuin, but it seems to be not his alone, but that of many Fathers. For Origen, homily 14 on Luke: “I think,” he says, “that even after the resurrection from the dead we need a sacrament washing and purging us; for no one will be able to rise without stains, nor can any soul be found which is at once free of all vices.” And on Psalm 36: “It is necessary that we all come to that fire, even if one be a Paul or a Peter.” Ambrose on Psalm 36: “By fire, then,” he says, “the sons of Levi will be purged, by fire Ezekiel, by fire Daniel.” And on Psalm 118, sermon 20, bringing forward that of Genesis 3, He placed before paradise a flaming sword, he says that that fiery sword is the purgatorial fire, through which whoever enters paradise necessarily passes: “All,” he says, “must pass through the flames, whether it be John or Peter,” and so on. And below: “One alone could not feel that fire, who is the justice of God, Christ.” Hilary seems to have thought the same on those words of Psalm 118, My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications; where he hints that even blessed Mary had to pass through that fire. Likewise Lactantius, book 7, chapter 21, of the divine Institutes, and Jerome on chapter 7 of Amos, on those words, Behold he will call fire to judgment. Finally Rupert, book 3 on Genesis, chapter 32, explaining the flaming sword. This opinion, taken as it sounds, contains a manifest error. For in the Council of Florence, last session, it was defined that some souls are at once received into hell, some into purgatory, some into heaven. Then, the Church has always believed that those who die immediately after baptism can feel no punishment of purgatory, as Augustine constantly teaches, book 21 of the City of God, chapter 16; and likewise those who are baptized in their own blood, as Cyprian says, book 4, epistle 2; for he affirms that all sins are purged by suffering, and that therefore the martyrs come at once to their reward. Add that the Fathers brought forward (Origen excepted, whose words in homily 14 on Luke do not admit a fitting exposition) seem able to be understood in a sound way. For some of them by fire understand not the purgatorial fire, but the fire of the divine judgment, in the way Paul speaks in the first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 3, when he says, The fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. And in this way it must be confessed that all the saints, Christ excepted, pass through fire. So Hilary and Jerome seem to speak of the fire, and Ambrose in the latter place. But some seem to understand by fire the true fire of purgatory, through which nevertheless they say the saints pass without any harm, so that they pass through purgatory materially, not formally. So Lactantius, Ambrose and Rupert seem to speak. For Lactantius says thus: “But when God has judged the just, he will also examine them by fire; then those whose sins have prevailed either by weight or by number will be scorched by fire and burned; but those whom full justice and maturity of virtue has cooked through will not feel that fire, for they have something of God in them which repels and drives back the force of the flame.” So too Ambrose on Psalm 118, where he had said that all will pass through the fire, adds that some will remain in it for ever, some will be burned but not consumed, and some, that is, the saints, will pass as the three children in the furnace of Babylon. Agreeing with this opinion is the vision of blessed Fursey, which Bede describes in book 3 of the history, chapter 19; for he saw on the way to heaven very great fires, through which it was necessary to pass; but he saw at the same time that those who had nothing combustible, that is, no guilt of fault or punishment, passed unharmed, and others were burned more or less, according as they brought more or less combustible matter. Indeed this opinion, which teaches that all will pass through the fire, though not all are to be harmed by the fire, I would neither assert as true nor reprove as an error.
The second error is that all the bad, both demons and men, will at last be saved when the punishment is wholly emptied out, and accordingly that all punishments after this life are purgatorial. This error was Origen's, as Epiphanius reports and refutes in the epistle to John of Jerusalem, Augustine in book 21 of the City of God, chapters 17 and 23, Jerome on chapter 3 of Jonah, and Gregory, book 9 of the Morals, chapters 15 and 16, and book 34, chapters 12 and 13. For in Matthew 25 it is said: Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. And lest perhaps they should answer that the fire is eternal but not the remaining in the fire, the Lord concludes: And these shall go into everlasting punishment, but the just into life everlasting. And Revelation 20: The devil, who seduced them, was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone, where both the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rufinus, book 1 of the invective against Jerome, attributes the same error to Saint Jerome, but unjustly; for blessed Jerome was a most bitter enemy of this error, as is plain, besides the place cited, from the second apology against Rufinus, from book 1 against the Pelagians, from the epistle to Pammachius on the errors of John of Jerusalem, and from the commentary on the last words of Isaiah. But what Rufinus cites for this error from Jerome's commentaries on the epistle to the Ephesians was said in the person of Origen, as the same Jerome teaches of similar errors in the first apology against Rufinus. A book of a certain Stanislaus, an Anabaptist, is said to exist in favour of this error of Origen, which is entitled On the divine love of men; but that book I have not yet been able to see.
The third error is that of those who said that the punishments not indeed of the devil, but yet of all sinful men, are after this life temporal and purgatorial, as Augustine reports and refutes in book 21 of the City of God, chapters 18 and 24. The fourth error is that of those who thought this only of all Christians, whether heretics or Catholics; Augustine reports it in the same place, chapters 19 and 20. The fifth is that of those who thought it of all Catholics, and those who had at some time been Catholics; Augustine reports and refutes it in the same place, chapters 20 and 25. These are refuted both from Matthew 25, Depart into everlasting fire, and Revelation 20, They shall be tormented for ever and ever; and also from the last chapter of Isaiah, Their fire shall not be quenched; and Galatians 5, They who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God. For in these places not only demons, nor only heathen men or heretics, but also faithful Catholics are said to be punished without any end. The foundations of these errors were four. First, because in Psalm 76 it is said: Will God forget to show mercy? or will he in his anger shut up his mercies? Second, because in Romans 11 it is said: God hath concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy on all. Third, because if the saints prayed for their enemies and were heard in this world, much more will they pray and be heard in the day of judgment. Fourth, because we see in Scripture punishments threatened absolutely, and yet afterwards not inflicted, as is plain in Jonah 3: Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed. From which, they say, we understand that when God threatens punishments it is not signified that they will be truly inflicted, but only that those to whom they are threatened deserve to be punished. But to the first Augustine answers, book 21 of the City of God, chapter 24, that those words are to be understood only with respect to good men, or if they are extended to the damned, the sense is that the damned are to be punished for ever indeed, but yet short of what they deserve. It could also be said that those words are understood of this life, of which it is said: Behold, now is the acceptable time; for of the judgment to come it is said in James 2: Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. To the second Augustine answers in the same place that that, that he may have mercy on all, does not signify all men, but all nations, that is, both Gentiles and Jews, so that some of the Gentiles and some of the Jews are saved; as that, He hath concluded all in unbelief, signifies both Gentiles and Jews, that is, some of the Gentiles, some of the Jews; for God before the coming of Christ allowed the Gentiles to walk in their own ways in unbelief and idolatry, so that afterwards, confounded, they might seek and find the physician, as happened. Then, the Gentiles converted, he allowed the Jews to fall into unbelief, so that they too, toward the end of the world, confounded and humbled, might likewise be converted. To the third he answers that the saints prayed in this world because they knew that in this life is the time of fruitful penance; but in the other judgment they will not pray for the damned, as neither do we now pray for the devil and the other damned. To the fourth Augustine answers that Nineveh was truly overthrown, as had been foretold; for all from bad were made good, which is the best overthrow and most pleasing to God. It can also be answered that the punishments threatened by God in this life are threatening, because they are understood under a condition, unless one does penance; but after this life there is no penance, at least fruitful; for in John 9 it is said: Work while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work. And Ecclesiastes 9: In hell there is no work, nor reason, and so on.
The sixth error is that of others who held that all and only Catholics persevering in the faith go down to purgatory, although otherwise they had lived most wickedly; Augustine reports and refutes this error in book 21 of the City of God, chapters 25 and 26, the Enchiridion, chapter 68, on faith and works, chapters 14, 15 and 16, and question 1 to Dulcitius. For in Matthew 3 it is said of bad believers: But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. And in Matthew 25 it will be said to unmerciful believers: Depart into everlasting fire. And in 1 Corinthians 6 it is written to believers by Paul: Neither drunkards, nor the covetous, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor railers shall possess the kingdom of God. And the like is found in Galatians 5 and Ephesians 5. The foundation of this error was that place of 1 Corinthians 3: But he himself shall be saved as by fire; for they thought that by the foundation is understood the Catholic faith, by silver and gold all good works, by wood, hay and stubble all sins; but this was sufficiently refuted above. It must be observed, however, that there are some who think blessed Jerome was in this error, because on the last words of Isaiah he says: “As we believe the eternal torments of the devil and of all deniers and ungodly who have said in their heart, There is no God, so of sinners and ungodly who are nevertheless Christians, whose works are to be tried and purged in fire, we think the sentence of the judge is moderate and mixed with clemency.” Likewise book 1 against the Pelagians: “If Origen,” he says, “says that all rational creatures are not to be lost, what is that to us, who say that both the devil and his followers and all the ungodly perish for ever, but that Christians, if they have been overtaken in sin, are to be saved after punishments?” Yet Jerome seems not to have been in this error, since on chapter 25 of Matthew, where the matter is manifestly the eternal damnation of sinful believers, he writes thus: “Prudent reader, attend, that both the punishments are eternal, and the perpetual life has no further fear of falls.” And on chapter 5 of Galatians: “Do we think,” he says, “that we obtain the kingdom of God if we are free from fornication, idolatry, sorceries? Behold, enmities, contention, anger, quarrelling, dissension, drunkenness too, and the other things which we think small, shut us out from the kingdom of God.” In the places cited to the contrary, then, blessed Jerome does not mean to say that all Christians are to be saved after punishments, but that none are to be saved after punishments except Christians. Whence in the former place he does indeed say that ungodly Christians are to be saved, but adds a restricting condition when he says, whose works are to be tried and purged in fire; that is, those ungodly Christians alone will be saved whose bad works, already purged as to fault, will have to be purged as to the guilt of punishment. In the latter place he sets against the ungodly the Christians who are overtaken by death in sin, so that he judges himself to be speaking only of godly Christians.
The seventh error is that of those who thought that all those who had given alms would be saved through the fire of purgatory, even if otherwise they had persevered in crimes until death. Saint Augustine refutes this error in the Enchiridion, chapters 75 and 76, and book 21 of the City of God, chapters 22 and 27. For Scripture in most manifest words requires many things for the justification of the ungodly besides alms; and Luke 13: Unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. 1 Corinthians 13: If I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. And what charity, I ask, has he who does not fear to offend God, or after he has offended him does not seek reconciliation? But, they say, in the day of judgment we see the examination made only about alms, Matthew 25; for those who gave alms are sent into the kingdom, those who did not are sent into hell. I answer that the Lord set down the lesser things so that from them we might gather the greater; for he who threatens hell to those who did not give their own will much more punish those who took what belonged to others; and he who crowns those who gave alms from their money will much more crown those who lay down their life for the faith. See, if you please, more in our disputation on almsgiving.
These errors, then, confuted, there remains the last opinion, true and Catholic: that purgatory is only for those who die with venial faults, of whom 1 Corinthians 3 treats; for they are the ones who build wood and stubble upon the foundation and will be saved as by fire; and again for those who depart with the guilt of punishment, their faults already remitted, of whom Luke 12 treats: Thou shalt not go out thence until thou repay the last farthing; and the other places cited above.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT PRI31UM
De pevsonis, quibus purgalorium convenit.
Oenionslravimus baclenus purgalorium esse ;
nunc de circumslantiis purgalorii, idest, de perso-
nis. loco, tempore, poenis , suHVagiis aliisque id
gcnus differendum est. Priraa igilur illa quaeslio
occurril : Quibus personis imrgatio post lianc vi-
tam convenial? Slulli aulem exiileruul errores dc
ejusmodi personis.
Primusfuil, purgari debere post hanc vitam tam
bonos, quam malos , uno Chrislo exccpto, Ilacc
senlcntia solet tribui Alcuino , sed videlur essc
non ejus solum , sed mulloruni Palruni. Origcnes
enim hom. 14. in Lucam : Ego, inquit, pulo, quia
el posl resurrectionem ex mortuis indigeamus
sacramento eluente nos atque purganle ; nemo
cnim absque sordibus resurgere poteril , ncc ul-
lani possc animam reperiri, quae unive7'sis sta-
lim vitiis eareat. Et in psalm. 3G. Omnes nos vc-
nirc necesse est ad illum ignem, etiamsi Paulus
sit aliquis, vel Petrus.
Ambrosius in psal. dG.Igne ergo, inquit, purga-
buntur jilii Lcvi,igne Ezechiel, igne Daniel. Et in
ps.118.serm. 20. adducens illud Genes. 4. Posiuf an-
leparadisum flammcum 5fiadm?7i,dicit,illum gla-
dium igneum, csse ignem purgatorium, per quem
necessario transit,quicumque in paradisum intrat:
Omncs, inquit, oportct transire per flammas.sive
ille Joanncs sit, sive Petrus etc. Et infra: Vnus i-
gnem illuin sentire non poluil , qui est justilia
Dei Cliristus.
Idem videtur sensisse Hilarius in illa verba ps.
118. Concupivit anima mea desiderare judicia
justiliac luac. Ubiinsinuat eliam b. Mariam Irans-
ire debuisse per illum ignem. Idcm Laclariius
lib. 7. c. 21. divin. Instilut. et Hieronymusin cap.
7. Amos in illa verba: Ecce vocabit ignem ad ju-
dicium. Denique Ruperlus lib. 3. in Gen. cap. 32.
explicans flammeum gladium.
Ilaec senlenlia accepta, ut sonat, raaniCeslum
errorem conlinet. Nam in concilio florentino sess.
ultima definitum est, aliquas animas in infernum ,
aliquas in purgalorium , aliquas in coelum mox
recipi. Deinde Ecclesia semper credidil eos , qui
mox a baptismo moriuntur, nullam purgalorii poe-
nam sentirc posse. ul conslanler Auguslinus docet
lib. 21. de Civ. Dei cap. 16. et simililer eos , qui
baptizantur in sanguine suo , ut Cyprianus lib. 4.
cpist. 2. dicit, omnia enim peccala passionc pur-
gari alTirmat, el ideo martyres slatim ad praemium
pervenire.
Adde, quod Palres adducli (Origene exceplo ,
cujus verba in homil. 14. in Lucam , non paliun-
tur commodam expositionem) videnlur sano modo
intelligi posse: IVam aliqui eorum per ignem non
intelliguntignem purgatorium , sed igncm divini
judicii, quomodo loquitur Paulus in priori «pistola
ad Corinthios cap.3. cum ait: Vni^OiScujusque opus
quale sit, ignis probabit. Et hoc modo fatendum
cst , omnes sanclos, Christo exceplo , per igncm
Iransire.Ila videntur de igne loqui Hilarius etllie-
ronymus, el in loco posleriore Ambrosius.
Aliqui vero videnlur intelligere per ignem ve-
rum igneni purgatorii , per quem lamcn dicunt
transire sanctos sine uUa laesione, ila ut transeanl
per purgalorium raaterialiler , non forraaliter. lla
videntur loqui Lactantius, Ambrosius eiRuperlus.
Lactantius enimsicait : Sedetjustos cum judi- .
caveril Deus, etiam igne eos examinabit: tum
quorum. peccata vel pondere , vel numero prac-
I iiii.ii si:<:i NDUS 5H7
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It.ihvloliis rnniiicc. i>"l hiicrclici.snl (;li,iiii llii^ilin .; c.itliiilici piiiin imIi
Cimhinms csl Imic s(MUcnliiic visio h. Knrsiici , css» (licniiliir sinc iillo llno.
(niiini ilcscrilnl Hcdii lih, .'l. Iiisl. ciip, lO.IIIc ciiiin iMimliiinciilii crronim islonim (m;iiiI (pi.ilonr.rn
vidil in viii iul (ncliim iiiiixinms i^jiics , pcr ipms nmin. (pii;i psiilm. 7<i. dicilnr : .\iiiiniiiul uhlivi
ncct>ssiirio lr;mscmidiiin ciiil. scil vidil siimil cos, ^rvlnv niixorrri Ih-itn , (lut rdulinclnl in ini hiio.
ipii niliil hiihcrciil comlmslihilc.idcsl, milliim ciil- viisrricordidn sniiHy .Scciimhmi. (pii.i Itimiiiii. 1 1
piic iml pociiiic ic.iliim, illiicsos Iriiiisirc, iilios vc- (licilnr: ('.unrliisil hriis o/u»ic.«i in inliilrUhilr, nl
ro m.i"is mimisvc cmiii, proiil phis mioiisvc mii- (unniuin niisrrriilur. rcrliiim. ipiM si suicii or;i-
lcriiic comhuslihilis iillcrchiiiil. Siiiic liiiiic. sciilcii- hiiil pro iiiiniicis cl c\iimlich;iiilur in hoc iiiiimlo.
liinn , (pi.nc doccl omncs Irimsiliiros pcr i^iiciii , nmllo mii-^is oriilmiil.el cxiimliciiliir in dic jmlicii
liccl ium onmcs liicdcndi siiii iili ii^nc. ncc, iimic- UtMrh"""". '!"';" vidcimis in ScripUirii siippliciii .i
rcm pio vcrii iissorcn^ . iicc ul eriorcni ini|»ro- ])ro iihsohilc intciiliiri. cl liimcn posh;ii mm iitfcr-
I, ;,,•,._ ri. nl piil(!l Joiiiic ."{. .\illnu: fiuii(ir(i<iint(i (lirs rl
Sccundiis crror, csl, oimics miilos. l;iiii d;i(!mo- Miiivr suhvrrlrlur. Tndc iiilc|lit.'imiis. iiupiinnl ,
iics, (piiim homiiics t;imlcm iidVnio pciiiliis cv;i- ciiiii I)cns miiiiitnr snppliciii, iion sii;iiilic;iri (;;i rc.
ciiiilo sidvnmlos , (>l proiiule onmcs |iociiiis po^l \crii inhircmlii. S(;(I liintmii cos . (piiluis iiilciilun-
liiinc viliim essc piir^Mloriiis. Ilic crror ()ri}."Ciiis liir, di^-iios cssc, (prMia piiiiirciilnr.
hiil. iil rclVrmU ol ndVliiml Kiiipliiiiiins cpisl. iid Sed iid piiiimm n;siu)ndcl Aij;,'iisliniis lil). 21. dc
.loiiiincm liicr(»solymitiimim . Aiij,msliiiiis lib. 21. (^ivil. Dc.i (Nip. 2i.inlcllij,'i illa vcrha soluiii rcspc-
dc (liviliilc Dci ciip. 17. ct 2:5. Hicronyimis iii ciip. clii homirnm , vol si cxlomliiiiliir ad (liimnalos ,
;{. .loiiai^ , cl (iro^;oriiis lih. \). mor;il. cap. I."». cl scnsimi o.*sc. diinmahis piini(!iid(»s (piidcm iii ac-
iG. ci iih. M. c;ip. 12. cl i;{. iNain .Miillli. 2.'J. dic-i- tcrniim , scd liinicn cilra comlijinuiii. Posscl cl-
lur: //(■ inaledicti iiiiijnrnKKitcmuvi, quipurd- iiiin dici, iiitcllijTi illa vcrlia . in hac vila . dc (pi.i
/us rs/ (//(//)()/() c/ ((Ufyc/is ('/us. Kl nc h)rlc rcsiiou- dicilur : Kcrr nunr Irinpus urr.cpinhHo, : .Niuii
(lcroul. i'"iicm osso actcrimm.scd uon miiiisiouoni dc, jmlicio fuliiro dicilur Jiicoiu 2. Judiriuin si-
in ignc, concludil Douiiuus : Et ibunt Iiiin sup- ve viisericordiu ci , qui uoii frcil viisericur-
pliciuin arlrrnuiu, jusli aulrni in vilain aolrr- diuin.
nani. Kl Apocal. 20. Diabolus, qui srducebnt ros, Ad sccumlum rcspomlcl Augustinus ihidiim, il-
inissus ost in s'a<inuni i<inis et sulphuris, ubi be- lud : Ut oniuiuni misereatur . non sijjmdc.ar^; o-
stid ol pseudoprophctae cruciabunt^w die ac no- luuium hominum, scd omuiuin nalionum , ide.sl .
rte in sarrula saeculorum. liim (icnlilimu, (piiiin Judiieoniiii , ila ul aiiipii c\"
Krrorciu cundcm Irihuil s. llicronymo, Rufllnus (icntilius, idiiiui c\ Jmlacis salvenlur. sicul illml :
lih. I. mvccliv. in Hicronymum, scd injuria : nain Concbisit ovines iii infidelifate , sijTnificat lain
h.lliorouvmus Imjiis orroris lioslis accrrimus fuil. (iciilcs, qunm Juilaoos. idcsl. aliquos c\ Ouiihus.
iit praclor locum ciliilum piilcl ox iipoioiiia 2. con- aliquos c.\ Jmiacis; Dcus euim uule (liinsli advcu-
Ira iliilliimui, c\ lih. 1. coulia Pcla^iimos . c\ epi- tiim pormisil ("icnles ingredi vias suas in infidcli-
slola ad Pammacliiuin de crrorihus Joaunis liiero- laic cl idulolulria . ul |)0slea confusi medicum re,-
solymilani. rl c\ cominciilurio in ultima vorlta 1- quircreul cl invcnircnt , ut factum csl. Doinde
saiiic. Ouod autiMu cilot pro hocorrore Hiininus e\ Gcntihus couvcrsis. i)crmisilin iu(idclilatcm rucre
coinmculariis Iliorouymi iu (pislolam ad Kphe- Judacos, ul el ipsi (!irca fincm muudi coiifusi et
sios. suul dicta in pcrsoua Origcnis. ut idem Hie- liumiliati. similitcr converlanlur.
ronymus docol dc similihus crronhus, in apologia Ad lcrliuiu rcspondcl : Sanctos in lioc niundo
I. couir.T iiuniuum. Dicitur e\slare libor cujusdam orassi!. quia sciebanl in hac vita ternpus esse fru-
Stanisliii Anabuptistac pro lioc crrore Origenis , ctuosno poeniteuliiio . aliujudicio nou oraluros
(pii iiiscrihilur (ic divina philaulhropia : scd eum pro damnalis. sicul ncc nuiic oramus pro diiibolo
nbrum noudum vidcrc polui. aliisquc damnalis.
Tertius erroresl eorum, qui non quidem diabo- Ad quarlum respondct Auguslinus: Ninivem ve-
li . sed tamen omnium homiuum pcccatorum poe- re IVisse eversam. utpraediclum fueriit;Nani omnes
nas. posl hauc vitaiu dicobanl csse temporalcs , de mabs facli suul boni. quae est eversio opliruii
et purgatorias, ul Auguslinus referl et refellil lib. cl Deo grrilissima. Polest eliam responderi . sup-
21. dc Civil. Dei cnp. 18. ct 24. plicia a Doo inlontala iu bac vita. esse comminu-
Qunrlus crror esl eorum . qui id sentiebant so- loria. quia inlelligunlur sub condilionc , ni.si quis
luiu dc omnibus Chrislianis , sive haerilici . sive egcril poenitenliam. al post hanc vihim non cst
calholici essent : refert Auguslinus ibidera c. 19. poonilentia, sallem frucluosa: \;im Joan. cap. 9.
ct 2i). dicitur: Operamivi dum dies c.s/; venit no.r . iu
38S
DE PURGATOr.lO
qua nemo potesl operari. Et Eccles. 9. Apud in-
l'eros non est opus, nec ralio elc.
Sexlus enor esl nlioruin , qui volebant, omnes
ct solos calliolicos in fule perseveranles ad purga-
loriuin descenderc, quamvis alioqui pessimc vi-
xissenl, relerl cl rcfellit hunc errorem Auguslinus
lib. 21. dc Civilate Dei cap. 25. et 26. Enchiridius
cap. 08. de ilde el opcribus cap. 14. 15. el '10. et
(piaesl. 1. ad Dulcitiuin. Nam Mallh. 3. de fidcli-
hus inalis dicilur : Paleas aulem comburet ifjni
inexlincjuibHi. Et Mallh. 23. lidelibus immiscri-
cordibus dicelur: Ile in ignem aelernum. Et 1. ad
Corinlh. G. scribilur iidclibus a Paulo: Nequee-
briosi, neque avari, neque aduUeri, nequc mol-
les, neque maledici regnum Dei possidebunt. Et
similia habentur ad Galal. 5. et ad Ephos. 5.
Fundainenlum liujus erroris crat locus illc 1. ad
Corinlhios. 3. Ipse autem salvus erit quasi per
irjnem; l^ulabant enim illi per iundamontum iiitel-
ligi iidem calholicam, pcr argentum et aurum o-
mnia opera bona; per ligna , foenum ct slipulas ,
omnia peccata; sed hoc supra suiricienler refuta-
luin est.
Est autem observandum, esse aliquos, qui arbi-
Irenlur b. Hieronymum in hoc errore fuisse, quia
in ullima verba Isaiae dicit : Sicut diaboli et o-
mnium neyatorumatque %mpiorum,qui dixerunl
in corde suo, Non est Deus,credimus aeterna tor-
menta: sic j)eccatorum atque impiorum,et tamen
Christianorum, quorum opera in igne probanda
sunt atque purganda, moderatam arbitramur ,
et mixtam clemcntiae sententiam judicis. Ilem
lib. 1. contra Pelagianos: Si Origenes , inquit , o-
mnes rationabiles creaturas dicit non esse per-
dendas, quid ad nos? qui et diabolum et satclli-
tes ejus, omnesque impios dicimus pe7'ire perpe-
tuo; Cliristianos vero si in peccato praeventi fue-
rint, salvandos esse post poenas.
Videlur tamen llierunymus in hoc crrore non
1'uissc, quaudoquidcm in cap. 25. Malih. ubi mani-
lesle agilur de damnalione aelerna fidelium pec-
calorum , ita scribit : Prudens lector allende ,
quod et supplicia aeterna sint , et vita perpetua
metum deinceps non liabeat ruinarum. Et in
cap. 5. ad Galut. Pulamus, inquit . nos regnum
Dei conscqui, si a fornicatione , idololatria. ve-
neficiis immunes simua:'' Ecce irdmicUia, con-
tentio, ira, rixa . dissensio, ebrietas quoque , et
caetera, quaeparvaarbilramur, excludunt nos
a regno Dei.
In locis ergo cilalis in conlrarium. non vull b.
Ilieronymus dicerc. omncs Christianos salvandos
posl poenas, sed nullos salvandos posi poenas.nisi
Clirislianos.Unde in priore loco dicitquidem Chri-
sUanos imnios salvandos, sed addit condilionem
reslringenlcm, cum dicit : Quorum operain igne
probanda et purganda sunt; idesl, iili soli Chri-
sliani impii salvabunlur , quorum opcra mala jam
purgala, quoad culpam, purganda crunt quo ad
rcatniu poenae. In posteriore loco opponit impiis
Chrislianus, qui in pcccalo praeveniunlur morte ,
iit judicct sc loqui solum de piis Chrislianis.
Seplimus crror eorum est, qui existimabant, o-
mnesillos salvandos per ignem purgalorii.(iuiclee-
mosynas fecissent, eliamsi alioqui in sceleribus
persevcrassent usque ad mortcm.
Relellit hunc errorem s. Anguslinus in cnchiri-
dio cap. 73. et 76. et lib. 21. de Civilale Dci cap.
22. et27. Nam Scriplura manifcslissimis verbis
mulla requirit ad juslificalioncm impii practer e-
lecmosynam, et Luc. \^.Si poenilentiamnon ha-
bueritis omnes similitcr peribiiis. 1. Corinlh, 3.
Si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes faculta-
tes mcas, charitatem autem non habuero, nihil
mihi prodest. Qualcm autcra , quaeso, charilatem
habet, qui Deum offeudere non timet . aut post
quam cum offendil, non quaerit rcconc.ilialionera?
At inquiunt, in dic judicii examen fieri videmus
solum de eleemosyna, Matth. 25. qui enim fece-
runt eleemosynam, mitlunturin regnum, qui non
feccrunt, millunlur in gehennara.
Respondeo : Dominum minora posuisse, ut inde
colligeremus majora; qui enim minatur gehennain
iis, qui non dederunt sua, multo magis puniet eos,
qui lecerunt eleeraosynara ea pecuniis suis, mullo
magis coronabit eos, qui vilam pro ilde ponunl.
Yide, si placet, plura in disputalione noslra de c-
lecmosyna.
His ergo erroribus confiitatis,raanet ullima sen-
tentia vera et catholica : Purgatoriura pro iis tan-
tum esse, qui cum venialibus culpis moriunlur, de
quibus agilur 1. ad Corinth. cap. 3. lili enira sunt,
qui aediflcant super fundamentura ligna et stipulas
et salvi erunt quasi per ignem. Et rursum pro illis,
qui decedunt cum reatu poenae,culpis jara rerais-
sis, dc quibus agilur Lucae \2. Non exies inde ,
donec reddas novissimum quadrantem: el aliis
locis supra citalis.