Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church That Is in Purgatory · Book II: On the Circumstances of Purgatory
Chapter 2: That souls in purgatory cannot merit or sin
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).
The second question follows: whether in purgatory there is a place for merit and for sins. For Luther, when he confessed purgatory, so confessed it as to confound it partly with the state of this life, partly with hell. He said that the souls of purgatory can merit, which belongs to this life, and again that they sin continually and despair of salvation, which are proper to the damned. The root of these things was that he thought those souls are sent to purgatory which are not perfect in charity; for those which have no charity are sent to hell, those which have perfect charity go up to heaven. But because imperfect charity ought to be increased, and cannot be increased without new merits, he therefore placed a state of meriting in purgatory. Again, because perfect charity casts out fear, and accordingly imperfect charity has fear mixed in, servile fear namely, and Luther thinks this fear is a sin, he deduced from this that the souls sin continually, because they continually fear, dread and flee the punishments, seek the things that are their own, and so on. See Luther's book on purgatory, which John Eck refutes.
And that this opinion of Luther is manifestly heretical is proved by the testimonies of Scripture and the Fathers. The first place is Ecclesiastes 9: “The living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, neither have they a reward any more.” Jerome on this place: “Hence men live,” he says, “while they can be just; but to the dead no occasion of good work is given.” And below: “The living, by the fear of death, can go before with good works; but the dead can add nothing to what they once carried with them out of life.” And below: “For they can neither act justly nor sin, neither add virtues nor vices.” The second place, from the same Scripture, chapter 9: “Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening.” We cannot say that in the other life nothing is done or known, since in Luke 16 we read of the rich man that he saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, and implored the help of Abraham first for himself, then for his brothers; wherefore he speaks of meritorious work, as Jerome expounds. Nor does he speak of the lower hell, but of the lower world in general, as it includes all the places to which all men descended before the resurrection of Christ, as the same Jerome expounds. The third place is Ecclesiastes 11: “If the tree fall to the south, or to the north, in what place soever it shall fall, there shall it be.” Jerome on this place, and Bernard, sermon 49 of the short ones, expound it of the immutability of the soul after this life, which cannot from good be made bad, nor good from bad. The fourth is Ecclesiasticus 14: “Do good to thy friend before thou die; for there is no finding of food in hell.” The fifth is Ecclesiasticus 18: “Be not slow to be justified until death.” Why, until death, unless because after death there will be no more time? The sixth, John 9: “The night cometh, when no man can work.” Origen on Psalm 36, Chrysostom, Augustine, Euthymius and Theophylact on this place, Jerome on chapter 9 of Ecclesiastes, and Gregory, book 4 of the Dialogues, chapter 39, expound with the highest agreement that by the night is signified the time of the other life, by working, doing meritorious works. The seventh is 2 Corinthians 5: “We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil.” Expounding which place, Augustine in the book on the predestination of the saints, chapter 12, warns that the proper things of the body are not called bodily works, as if spiritual ones were not to be judged, but that all the works are so called which are done while we are in the body, because after this life no time remains for working, but for receiving reward or punishment. The eighth is Galatians 6: “What things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap.” And below: “And in doing good, let us not fail; for in due time we shall reap, not failing. Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good.” Jerome on this place teaches that the time of sowing does not extend beyond this life, and that to sow is to do well. The ninth is Luke 16: “Give an account of thy stewardship, for now thou canst be steward no longer,” and so on. Ambrose and Theophylact on this place, Jerome in question 6 to Algasia, Augustine, book 21 of the City of God, last chapter, and all the others expound by the removal from stewardship, death; by not being able to be steward any longer, not being able to merit and gain any longer. The tenth is Revelation 10: the angel having one foot on the sea and the other on the earth swore by him that liveth for ever and ever that time shall be no longer, namely of doing well. In short, the Scriptures everywhere witness this, and not one syllable is found for Luther's error.
It is proved, second, from the Fathers. Cyprian, sermon 4, which is on mortality, says that death profits very much for this, that we may be snatched from the dangers of sinning; for while we are in this life we are in the training-ground, and death brings the end of the fight; which place of Cyprian Augustine, bringing it forward in the book on the predestination of the saints, chapter 14, says: “Here let that doctor, with his sentences most clearly and openly testifying in the Catholic faith, witness that until the laying down of this body the dangers of sinning and temptations are to be feared, and that thereafter no one is to suffer any such thing; which, even if he did not testify, what Christian of whatever kind would doubt about this matter?” Note that Luther cannot be called a Christian of whatever kind, in Augustine's opinion, but plainly a heathen, since he doubts about a matter of which Augustine says no Christian can doubt. Likewise Augustine in the Enchiridion, chapter 110: “Wherefore,” he says, “here all the merit is gathered by which anyone can be relieved or burdened after this life; but let no one hope that what he has neglected here he will obtain from God when he has died.” Chrysostom, homily 2 on Lazarus, says much to this purpose, and homily 37 on Matthew: “This present life,” he says, “gives you the power of living both rightly and the contrary; but after you have ended your day, judgment and punishment will follow.” Jerome on chapter 9 of Ecclesiastes: “The dead,” he says, “can neither act justly nor sin.” Damascene, book 2 on the orthodox faith, chapter 4: “What the fall is to the angels, the same is death to men.”
It is proved, third, by reason; for Luther's opinion fights with itself. For Luther says that those souls ought to, and can, merit, because they are imperfect in charity, so that namely by new merits charity may be increased and perfected. The same man says that those souls, because they are imperfect, fear punishments, and by fearing sin, and because they always fear while they are imperfect, accordingly also always sin while they are imperfect. But these things fight with one another; for he who sins, especially mortally, cannot merit while he sins; but those souls always sin while they are in purgatory, because they are always imperfect; therefore they can never merit while they are in purgatory. Besides, second, because it follows that it is impossible for souls to be freed from purgatory; for they will always sin while they fear; they will always fear while they are imperfect; they will always be imperfect until new charity is added; new charity cannot be added except through merits; they cannot merit while they sin; therefore they will never be freed.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT II.
In purgatorio non posse animas mereri
vel peccare.
Sequilur allcra quaestio: An inpurgatorio sit
locus merito et peccatis. Lulhcrus enim quoniam
purgiilorium conQlebalur, ita confilcbatur,ut illud
parlim cum hujus vitae stalu , partiin cura inferno
conlunderet. Dicebat animas purgatorii posse me-
rcri, quod esl vitae hujus, el rursum eas peccare
conlinuo. ac disperare salulem. quae suul propria
danmatorum. Kadix horum fuit, quia existimavit
cas animas ad purgalorium milli, quae non sui.t
perfeclae in charilale; quae enini nullam habent
charilalcm mitlunlur in gehennam , quae habent
perfectam ascendunt in coelum. Quia vero imper-
1'ecla charitas debet augcri, et non potest augeri
sine novis merilis, idco merendi stntum posuil in
purgalorio. Rursura quia perfecla chariias forns
millil timorem,ct proindc impcrfecla habel admix-
tum limorcm, scrvilem sciliccl, ct hunc limorcni
Lutherus peccalum esse existimat , inde deduxil
animaspeccare conlinuo, quia conlinuo timcnt .
horrent ac refugiunt pocnas , quacrunl quac sua
sunt elc. Vidc librum Lulhcri de purgatorio,quem
Joannes Eckius refcllit.
Et quidera hanc Lulberi scntenliam raanifeslc
hacrelicam esse, prohalur tcslimoniis Scriplura-
IIIIKII Sf.i.lMil S
:iM'»
nim cl l*,ilriim. IMiimis lociis Mrrlrs. U.Viivliii m-
liH niivminl (i//i/'/'"'*, /cr Imhrnl nllin vfiri'.
(Ivni. Ilicroiiymiis m liiiiic, liiriim: Ihnirr riviinl ,
iii(|iiil, hiniiinrx /lus in(/ jirri jnsli, /ion/ inmlrin
vrro niiUn ilnliir lnini o/(cr»s occ(j,>;/o. Ki inlra :
VivrnlrH nirlii, innrlis /iosnk/i/ Ininn o/icro jirviir-
Ivdvr, niovliiivrvo nihil vnlrnl ml ul mljirrvr ,
iinod srinrl srrnin Inlrvr ilr viln. l.i iiili.i '. Mrr
inslr f///i/i/)c jiDssiinl (/(/('/•(', 7icc prrriivr, nrr viv
Inlrs ailjirrvc, •nrr vilin.
Scciimliis ijiidcm. :iil Scn|iliii;i: ihniiiriiniiiiir
jiolrst (/(/('/•(' iiiiiniis liiii, insliintrv o/»c/(//"c, iiiiin
nev 0'/)j»s, nrr valiii, uc.r Hn}iirnlia, nor Hrimlia,
i'M (//iik/ ////('/•()s, (//to /1/, /i/-o/ici'(/,s. Nmi |iossiimiis
(lic.nrt^ iii ;ili;i mI;i iiiliil !ii,'i. :iiil sciri. ciim l,iic;ic
1(». (Ic Mpiilmic lc^';iiims, ciim rX vniissc l.:i/.;iiiiiii
iii sinii .\l)riiliiii>. cl primimi jiri) sc,ilciiiilc |irii rr;i-
Irihiis (ipcrc AliriilKic impliMMvissc: (pi;irc ((Kpiilnr
(l(> «ipcrc iiicrilorio. iil cvpoiiil llicroiiymiis. .Ncipic
UKpiiliir (1(5 iiilcriio iiircrioro. scd dc inrcnio iii ^c-
ncn^ iil coiiiplccliltiidimii;! loc;i . iid <pi;ic d(!sccii-
dcl);uil oiimcs lioniiiics ;iiilc C.luisli rcMirrcclioiiciii,
iit idcm Ilicronynuis cxponil.
'r(>rliiis lociis csl. I']cclcs.n..s'/' ccc/(/('j^// //",'////////,
nvr (/(/ aiiHlvuni , nivr ad aiiiiihinrm , nhirnin-
quo. crridrvil , ihi ('/'/7. llicroiiymus in liiiiu; lo-
cniu , cl l5orn;irdns s(!rm. \\K r\ p;irvis . oxpo-
nnnl {\r iiimuil;iliilit;ilc ;inini;i(> posl li;iiic vil;iiii
qii;ie noii polosl dc boiKi iicri ni;il;i , ncc bona do
iiiiila.
Qnarlus csl . Kcclcs. 11. Ante ohilnm lunm o-
pcravc jusliliam, quianon cnt aimd infcvos in-
vcnivc cihum.
Qiiinlns esl , Ecclcs. 18. Nc vcrearis iisquc
ad morlcmjusiilicari. Qnarc usquc ad inorlcm ;
uisi quia posi luortciu non cril amplius lciupus.
!?cxlus, Joan. 1). ycnilno.v. in qaancmo polcst
opcrari. ()rij:;onos psalm. .'U). Clirysosloiuus. Au-
gnsliuus, Kulliymius crrhcophylaclus in liunc lo-
cuiu, llicronymus in c. 1). Kcdcs.cl Grcgorins lih.
i. dialog. c;ip. 31). cxponnnl sumiuo consousii pcr
noctciu, liMiipus altcrius vil;ic, pcr opcrari, faccro
opcra mcrilori;i signilioiiri.
Scplimus ost, 2. Coriuth. .">. Omnes nos mani-
fcstari oporlci anlc Iribunal Cliristi , ut rcfcrat
nnu.sqnisquc propria corporis , sicut gcssil. sirc
honum, sive inalum. Qucm locum oxponcns An-
gustinus in lib. dc praodcst. sanctonim c. 12.
luoncl propria corporis non vocari opcra corpo-
r.-^.lia , ipuisi spirilualia judicanda non sinl . sod
vocari ouniia opora , (piac Dunt dum sumns in
corporc , quia jiost hauo vitam uou supcrcsl lom-
pus opcrandi sed pracmium aul poeiuis rccipi-
endi.
Oolavusost, Gal. G. Quae scminaverit homo ,
haec ct mctct. Et inh"a: Bonum autem facics non
deliciamus, tcmporc cnim suo metcmus non dcfi-
cientcs: crgo dum tcmpus habcmus , opcremur
bonum. Hieronymus in hunc locniTi doccl, tempus
semenlis non cxlciKli,ullra hanc vilam, scrcrc au-
tcm esse bene operari.
IVomis est, Lucae 10. Rcddc rationcmviUica-
iionis tuae,jam, cnimnonpoteris amplius viUi-
care elc. Exponunt Anibrosius et Thcophvlaclus
iiELLAKJIi.M. Vol. 11.
III liiiiic locitiii, llicrotiyniiH (|ii;ic.sl. (t. ud Al;(>i
si.im , ,\ii;'ii^liiiiis lili.iM. di- (!iv. \io.i, cii|i. ml. cl
;ilii oiiim;s pcr ilcpoKilimniii n vilhciilioiKMiiorlciii,
p)'!' iioii pd^M' iimpliii.t villii:urc,iii)ii punsu aiii|>lius
iiicicii ci Incriiti.
hccJmiiH csl , \po('. 10. \ii^'i>liiH liiiticnH iiiitiin
piMlcm snpcr iiiiirc cl iiltcnim siipcr tcrr.iin, jiiriil
pcr Vivctilciii lii s.icrtil.i siicciilorniil , ipii-i lciilpiit
iion cril :im|iliiis.iiiiiiinitii hcnc opi^riiiKli. Dcnnpic
Sci ipliiriic lioc piissliii lcsliiiilur,c( iicr. ulla isylliihM
iinciiiciiir pro l.nllicri crrorc.
rroliiiiiir ScciiipIo cv I',iIiiImis Cy[)ri;inii*. Hcrm.1.
ipii csl i\c mothililiilc . iid hoc pliiniiinm |ir<i(|i!kMc
moiicm 'licil , iil cripi.iimir ii pcnciilis pccciindi.
iMim ciiim siimiis in |i:ic, vil:i , iii shidio pii^ii;iiiiii~
pii;^ii;ic llnciii oliidis iil1'<'rl : ipicm |(M'iiiii (.ypriiitii
iidditcons Aiiu^nsliiiiis lih. (Ic, pr;ii'(|esl. saiiclonnn
c. I i.iii(piil:///,s. (;/(/(/(' hiijiiHniodi dorlor iUc srn
Irnliis in fdlliotirac fulvi tiirr rlavissiina «(///s (/-
prrlcquc lcslatur vsqiic ad InijuH corporiH dcjio-
siliinirm prrranili pcrirnta . Irntationr^qni-
inrlurndas , drinccpH nuUa lalia qnrniqnovi
cssc passuriim , qnod. clsi non lcstarcliir . ijuan-
di> (/(! //(/(• rc rhrislianiiH qnali.-iCUVKjnc duhi-
tarrl?
l\ol;i , Lnllioriim noii posso vocari clirislianiim
qn;ilomcuinqnc, cx sciilenli;i Augiisliiii , scd |)l;in(;
othniciim , cuin do re diihilot . do (pi.i dicil .\i);,'ii-
stiiius , inillum olii isli;iiiiiiii (liihil;ire possc. Mimii
/Vnpuslinus in cnchir. cap. 110. Quocirca. in(piil,
liic omne mcritum comparalur . fjiio possil jtosl
lianc vitam relevari quispiam vet gracavi: ncmo
autcm sc speret, (juod hic ncglcxcril , cum ohic-
rit apud Dcum promercri.
Chrysostomus hom. 2. do Lazaro mulln dicil iii
hanc sententi;im, el hom. .'57. iii .M:itlli. Pracscns.
inquit, haec vita tam reclc , quam conlra tibi vi-
vcndi tribuit jwtcstatcm ; postquam vcro dicni
tuum obicris , judicium cl jiocna conscquetur.
llieronymus in cap. 1). Eocles. Mortui. inquil. ncc
justc ]-)ossunt agerc,nec peccarc. D;imasccnus lib.
2, de fidc orthodoxa cap, 4. Quod cst angclis cft-
sus, idem hominibus mors.
Terlio probalnr ralionc : Nam Lulheri senlonlia
secum ipsa pugnal; dicit enim Lutherus aniiii;is il-
las dcbcre, ot possc uicreri, qnia imperfcclae sinit
in charitale, ut nimirum pcr nova morila angcalur.
ot porliciatiir charilas.Ipsc idom dicil aniums ili;is.
qnia imperleclac snnt. timorc i)oeu;is . ot iimcudo
pecc;M'o , et quia scmper tiincnl dum imperreclac
sunt, proinde eliaui semper peccarc dum imperic-
cl;ie sunt.
Al isla pugnant inler se : n;nn qui peccat prac-
serlim mortaliler . non poiest mercri dnm pcccat :
Auimac aulem illae scmper peccaul . dum sunl iu
piirgatorio . quia scmper suiit impcrfoclac . ergo
uumquam mercri possuut,duin sunl in purgalorio.
Practerea secundo, quia sequiUir impossibile esse
liborari animas dc purgalorio: nam somper pecca-
bunl, dum limobunl; semper limebunl, dnm erunt
imperfcctae, scmper erunt imperfcclae, donec ac-
cesscrit nova charitas:nova charilas non potesl ac-
cederc nisi per merila.non possunl illi mereri dum
pcccanl; igilur nuinquam liberabunlui-.
:w.)
bi: PiRdATonio