Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church That Is in Purgatory · Book II: On the Circumstances of Purgatory
Chapter 4: That souls in purgatory are certain of their eternal salvation
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 third question is now to be treated: whether souls in purgatory are certain of their salvation, or uncertain. Luther, article 38, teaches that they are not certain. The same is taught by certain Catholics who think that there are various punishments in purgatory, and that one of them, the greatest of all, is uncertainty of salvation, with which they say only some souls are punished, who, although in truth they are certainly to be saved, are nevertheless themselves ignorant of it. So Denis the Carthusian seems to think, on account of certain visions which he himself reports in the book on the four last things, article 47. The same is taught by Michael Baius, book 2 on the merits of works, chapter 8, where, wishing to prove that venial sin of its own nature deserves eternal death, he brings forward as an argument that otherwise it would follow that souls in purgatory are certain of their salvation, which seems to him absurd. Finally the same seems to be deduced from the opinion of Gerson, lecture 1 on the spiritual life, and of John of Rochester against article 32 of Luther, who admit that venial sin is not such except from the mercy of God, and accordingly can justly be punished for ever if God wills. For from this it follows that souls which have venial sins cannot certainly know whether they will not be punished for ever; although Rochester, on article 38 of Luther, contends that the souls of purgatory are certain of their salvation, which I do not see how it coheres with the former opinion.
But the common opinion of the theologians is that all souls which are in purgatory have certainty of their salvation. And that it may be understood how great a certainty they have, it must be noted that there are three degrees of certainty. The first is that which excludes all hope and all fear, and such is that of the blessed, for whom blessedness is not future but present. The second is that which excludes all fear but not all hope, and such is that in purgatory; for blessedness is future to them, not present, and therefore does not take away expectation; and again it is arduous, because they will come to it through punishments, and therefore their expectation can be called hope; yet it is not contingent, but necessary, because they can no longer fall from it, and therefore it takes away all fear. The third is that which excludes neither hope nor fear, and can be called a degree of conjectural certainty, and such is ours; for to us blessedness is a future good, not present; arduous, not easy; contingent, not necessary or impossible; and therefore we most properly hope and fear, for we are still in the battle, in the race, in the contest.
Now let us show that the matter is so. If souls did not have certainty of salvation, this would necessarily happen for one of four causes: either because they can still merit and demerit, or because they have not yet been judged, or because they are ignorant of the sentence of the judge, although it has been passed, or because on account of the greatness of their pains their judgment is so absorbed and darkened that they cannot think of and see this certainty. But none of these has place. Not the first, as has been shown. Not the second, because although the universal judgment has not yet taken place, yet besides it there is the particular one, by which souls are judged immediately from death, as the theologians on the fourth book, distinction 47, and blessed Thomas, part 3, question 59, article 5, teach. Two places are accustomed to be brought forward to prove this particular judgment: one from John 5, The Father hath given all judgment to the Son; for when he says, all judgment, he seems to signify several judgments, namely one particular and another universal. The other from Hebrews 9, It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment. But those places do not conclude, for both can be understood of the universal judgment; for in John 5 that, all, is not necessarily referred to two judgments, particular and general, but to the various men to be judged and the various works about which judgment will be made; certainly Augustine expounds it of the last judgment. And the sense of the other place, from chapter 9 of Hebrews, is that when all men have died, then the judgment will take place, as Oecumenius expounds. Yet the particular judgment is effectively proved from those words of Ecclesiasticus 11: It is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one according to his ways. Likewise: In the end of a man is the disclosing of his works. And besides, the same is evidently gathered from another truth; for it is of faith that immediately from death the ungodly go down to eternal torments, as is plain in Luke 16 of the rich man, and the just to eternal joys, as is plain in Luke 23 of the thief: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. But it is in no way credible that punishments and rewards are distributed before the judgment takes place. Then the Fathers teach the same. Cyprian, in the sermon on mortality: “We must rejoice,” he says, “and embrace the gift of the time, that while we firmly hold forth our faith, and having borne labour go to Christ by the narrow way of Christ, we may receive the reward of life and faith with him as judge.” Chrysostom, homily 37 on Matthew: “After,” he says, “you have ended your day, judgment and punishment will follow. For in hell, says the psalmist, who shall confess to thee?” Where, although, at once, is not added, yet it is necessarily understood. For Chrysostom refutes the error of those who thought that Christ after death would preach and lead the dead to penance. And he uses this argument: after death penance is not left; but after judgment penance is not left, and before judgment no one can be condemned; therefore after death there is no place for penance. And if Chrysostom did not mean to say that immediately from death the ungodly are judged and delivered to hell, but that these things are put off to the last day, his argument would not hold. For it would be answered that in this intermediate time penance could be preached to the dead, while the universal judgment is deferred. Augustine, book 2 on the origin of the soul, chapter 4: “For we believe,” he says, “most rightly and most soundly that souls are judged when they go out of their bodies, before they come to that judgment in which they must be judged with their bodies restored.” To these are added the examples of those who have witnessed that they were judged. Blessed Gregory writes, book 4 of the Dialogues, chapter 36, of a certain Stephen, who when he was dead and brought before the judge, heard the judge saying that not this man but Stephen the smith was ordered to be called; and thereupon he revived, and at the same time Stephen the smith, who was dying in the neighbourhood, died; to which Saint Augustine relates a similar story in the book on the care for the dead, chapter 12, of a certain Curma. Gregory adds that these things happened not by a true error, but so that through this as it were error he who had died might come to life again, and relate to the living the torments and the judgment which await the ungodly after this life. In the same place, chapter 38, he gives the example of a certain Chrysaorius, who at the point of death, still living, saw the sentence of his damnation. Bede relates two similar stories, book 5 of the history, chapters 14 and 15, of two who died despairing because they had already seen their judgment completed and the sentence passed. John Climacus relates the like in his Ladder, step 7, of a certain hermit who at the point of death was heard as if placed in judgment answering accusations, and sometimes saying, It is false, I did not do it; sometimes, I did do it, but I did penance; sometimes, You say true, I have nothing to answer. Finally there exists a memorable example in the life of Saint Bruno, of a certain Paris doctor who in the church itself, while the funeral was being held, raised his head from the bier and cried out, By the just judgment of God I am accused; and on the following day cried out again, By the just judgment of God I am judged; and on the third day, By the just judgment of God I am damned. But it must be noted about these examples that both the judgment of those men, which was completed before death, and that of this Parisian, which was put off for three days after death, belong to a certain particular and extraordinary providence, which God uses either to instruct or to terrify us; otherwise, regularly, it must be believed that judgment takes place immediately from death; for ordinarily the useful time of penance lasts until the last breath, as Leo openly teaches in epistle 90 to Rusticus; nor is there any reason why the judgment should be delayed after death, since God needs neither witnesses nor pleadings, but can judge in an instant. It could also be said, and perhaps more probably, that in the examples brought forward by Bede the judgment was not completed before death, but only shown beforehand; and in the example of that Paris doctor the judgment was not put off to another day, but only made manifest on another day. It must also be observed that it cannot be defined with certainty whether souls are carried to the judge, or are judged where they leave their bodies, and likewise whether they are judged immediately by Christ in the form of man pronouncing sentence, or only by the divine power, which is everywhere present, and whether it is made manifest to them through the angels. For what the Scriptures and the councils say, that Christ the man will be the judge of the living and the dead, they understand of the last general judgment; for even before the incarnation of Christ the particular judgment was exercised; whence it is not only not certain, but not even very probable, what Innocent III affirms, book 2, last chapter, on contempt of the world, that Christ appears in the form of the crucified to all who die, both good and bad.
As to the third, that the sentence of the judge lies hidden from the souls which are judged, it is both false and beside the point. False indeed, because the particular judgment takes place chiefly for this, that the sentence may become known to him who is judged. For on account of others there will be the general judgment; on account of God no judgment is necessary, for he himself knows all things; therefore it takes place only that it may become known to the souls themselves which are judged; and the same is gathered from the visions cited above. It is also beside the point, because even if the sentence of the judge did not become known to them, yet they could easily know by themselves of what kind it is, from the effect, because they would see themselves at once in hell, or in heaven, or in purgatory. But they could, you will say, doubt whether they are in hell or in purgatory. It is not so; for in hell God is blasphemed, in purgatory he is praised; in hell there is no infused faith, nor any hope, or charity of God; in purgatory all these are found; therefore a soul which will see itself hoping in God, praising and loving God, will evidently know that it is not in hell. But, they say, it could fear lest it be sent into hell, although it is not yet there; but neither can this be said, for the same faith remains in it which it had here; but here it believed, according to the clearest testimonies of the Scriptures, that after death none can be made bad from good, nor good from bad, and that none but the bad are to be sent into hell; since, then, it sees that it loves God, and accordingly that it is good, it will not fear damnation. You will say: we here see that we love God, and yet we are not certain whether we are just; therefore those souls too will not certainly gather their justice from their love. I answer that we do not see the infused habit of charity by which we are justified, but gather from fallible conjectures that it is in us; but separated souls, as they clearly behold themselves, for they do not there depend on phantasms, so also see all that they have in themselves, and accordingly see whether they have the true habit of charity or not; besides, they know that souls are immovable both in good and in evil; therefore even if they did not see their infused habit of charity, yet they would know that they will never blaspheme God, nor hold him in hatred, and accordingly will never be sent into hell. Finally, they know by faith that the souls of the ungodly are thrust into hell immediately from the death of the body, and that their torments are not deferred further, for all Catholics believe this from chapter 16 of Luke; therefore souls which see themselves outside hell believe firmly that they will never be sent into it.
As to the fourth, that those souls on account of excessive pains are hindered from the knowledge of their state, and accordingly think they are in hell, and are turned about in a certain confusion and despair, as Luther says, it is most false. For first, the soul of the rich man in hell, Luke 16, was not hindered from the knowledge of its state; how much less, then, will souls be hindered which are in purgatory? Second, that in this world men are hindered from right judgment by the intensity of pains comes from the injury of a bodily organ; but there the mind is pure, spiritual and incorruptible. Third, because the Church in the canon of the Mass says: Remember, O Lord, thy servants and handmaids, who have gone before us with the sign of faith, and sleep the sleep of peace. Where the Church prays for the souls of purgatory; for it adds: To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech thee, a place of refreshment, light and peace. But surely those who are said to sleep the sleep of peace are not anxious, nor do they despair, but rather have, mixed with the greatest torments, an incredible consolation on account of the certain hope of salvation. Fourth, because if they believed themselves damned, they would not ask for the suffrages of the living, nor say that they would shortly be freed if prayer were made for them, as is plain in Gregory, book 4 of the Dialogues, chapter 40, and from the examples brought forward in the first question.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT IV.
AnLnias in purgalorio cerlas esse de
sua aelerna salule.
Tcrtia <[uaestio nunc Iractanda esl. Sintnc lii
purfjalorio animae cerlae de sua salule , an in-
cerlae. Luliicrus art. 38. doeel , non csse certas.
Idcm doccnt qiiidam calholici , qui cxislimanl va-
rias esse in purgalorio poenas,ct unam essc omni-
iim maximam , in.certitudincm salulis , qua dicunl
ipiasdam solum aninias inulclari. quac liccl revera
ccrlo salvandae sinl, lamen ipsas hoc iguoiarc.Ua
videtur senlireDionysiusCarthusianus ob qnasdam
visiones , quas ipse rclcrl liliro de qualuor novis-
simis art. 47. Idera docct 3IichaeI Uaii lib. 2. de
merit. operum cap. 8. ubi probarc volcns pccca-
lum venialc mereri ex nalura sua inorlcm aelcr-
nain. adducil in argumenlum. quia alioqui scque-
retur animas in purgatorio ccrias csse de sua sa-
lule, quod absurdiini ci csse videlur.
Denique idem vidiUur dcdiici ex scntonlia Ger-
sonis lcclione 1. de vita spirituali, et Joannis Hof-
lcnsis contra arlicul. 32. Lulheri , qui admiltuiit
vcniale peccatum nonesse tale.nisi ex misericordia
Dci, ac proinile jusle posse puniri in actcrnum. si
Deus vclit. Ilinc enim scquitur, animas , quae ha-
benl veiiialia peccata , non posse cerlo scire , an
non punientur in aclcruum , quamquam RolTcnsis
in art. 38.Lulherl contcndit,a;iimas purgalorii esse
cerlas de sua salulc, quod non video quoinodo co-
haercal cum priorc sciitentia.
At communis thcologoriim scntcnlia est. orancs
animas quae in purgalorio suiit , habere ccrtitudi-
ficm suae salulis. Ut aulcm intclligatur qiiantam
habcant ccrlitudinem, notandum cst,trcs cssc gra-
dus certiludinis:
Primus est ille , qiii excludit oinr.cm spcin cl
omiiein liinorem,ct talis est bcatorum,(iuibus bea-
tiludo non esl futura, sed pracsens.
Secuudus est ille,qui exchidit oinncm limorera,
scd uon onmem spcm , cl lalis csl in purgalorio ;
nam bcatiliido csl illis 1'iitiira . uou praesens , el
idco non tollil exspectationem ; et rursum est ar-
dii;i . (piia pcr pocuas ad cam pcrvenicnl , cl idco
illorum exspcclalio poicsl vocari spcs, lamcii noii
csl conlingcns, scd ncccssuria . quia non possunl
amplius ab ea excidere , et ideo lollit omnem li-
morein.
Tcrtius est ille,qui neque spcm,ncque tiraorem
c-.xcludit,etdici poleslconjccturalisccrtitudinis gra-
dcs , et lalis est noster ; nobis enim beatitudo est
bonum ruturum nou praescns, arduum non facile,
conlingens non necessariura vel imi)0ssibile , et
idco pro|)riissimc speramus ct timemus , suraus
cniin adhuc in praelio, in sladio, in agonc.
Nuucoslcndamus rcm ita esse.Si animacnon ha-
bercut cerliludincm salutis , id necessario lieret
proplcr unam cx quatnor causis , vel quia adhuc
possunt mcrcri (!l demcrcri,vcl quia nondum sunt
judicatae, vcl quia ignorant senlentiam judicis, li-
cet lata sit , vel quia propler magnitudinem dolo-
rum ita absorbelur ct obscuralur earum judicium,
ul non possint cogilare et viderc hanc certitudi-
nem: scd nihil horum habel locum ; non primum,
utpatuil; non secundum. quia liccl judicium uni-
versale nonduni sit factura, taraen praeter illiid cst
particulare: quo judicantur animae slatim a morlc,
ut Iheologi in quarlura disl, 47. et b. Thomas 3.
part. quaest. o9. art. 5. docent.
A.dduci solcnl ad hoc judicium particulare pro-
bandum Inca diio : Unus cx illo Joan. 5. Paler o-
mnc judicium dedit //,fto;cum eniin dicit,o»i'/ie jit-
dicium, videlur plura juclicia signincare.unum vi-
dcliccl parlicularc cl aliud universale. Alter ex il -
lo Ilcbr. y. Statulum est hominlbus semel mori,
etpost hocjiidicium. Sed illa loca non conclu-
dunt, utcrque eiiim polcst intclligi de judicio uni-
versali; nam Joaii, .'). illud (omne) non nccessa-
rio rcfcrtur ad duo judicia , particularc el gcnera-
le, sed ad varios homines judicandos , cl ad varia
opera, dc quibus judicandum erit, ccrle Augusli-
nus cxponit dc uliimo judicio. Allerius anlcin loci
ex capilc 0. ad Ilebr. sensus esl, cuni fuerint inor-
lui omnes homincs , lunc fiel judicium , ul Oecu-
mcnius cxponit.
Efficacilcr tamen probatur judicium particulare
cx illis verbis Eccles. l\.Facile esl coram Deo in
die obilus rctribuere unicuique secundum vias
suas. Umw.Iii liiie hominis denudalio operumil-
lius. Et praeterea idem colligitur cvidentcr ex alia
veritalc; nam de fide cst , mox a morte inipios de-
scendere ad iiclerna supplicia,ut patet Luc. 16. dc
divite , el justos ad aelcrna gaudia , ut patel Luc.
23. de latrone : IJodie mecum eris inparadiso.
At non est ullo inodo credibilc priusdislribui poe-
nas ct praeniia , quam fial judicium.
Deindc Patres idcm docenl. Cyprianus serraone
do morlalilale, Cratulari. inquit, oporlet, el tem-
poris muiius amplccti. quod dum nostram fidem
(irmitcrpromimus.et labore lolerato ad Chrisium
'pcr anfiuslam Chrisli viam pcnjimus, praemium
vilae et (Idei ipsojudicante capia/nMs.Chrysoslo-
mus hom. 37. in Mallh. Postquam , iiiquit , dievi
iuum obieris , judicium et poena consequctur.
7/1 inCcrno ciiim. psaimisla dicit , quis con(ltcbi-
lur tibi? Llhi eliamsi non addilur statim.lamcn nc-
cessario subintelligilur.Nam rcfcllit Chrysosloinus
illorum crrorcm, (iiii puiabaiit Chrisliim post mor-
lcm pracdicalurum^cl ad iiociiitculiain adducturum
dcfuuclos.
I iiii:ii si:i:iMHis m
IJlilur ,iiili'iii liDC iM;;iiiiic;il(i,l'u .1 iiniriiiii .n|iil trruiii iliciii , «i'il Hdliiiii iillrro <Im; miiiiif<;j*liiliiiri.
liir |iiili(iiiiii. nl |n>sl iiiiliriiiiii |i I inrnnii.iii iii- Ksl nliniii nlisrrviiiuliiin, iion poMfi crrlo •Iflliil-
lcriii) iiiiltMii iitMiKi |»iili'sl (•(iiilliiTi Ihiiiiiiii) : i^-iliir ri , iiii imiiiiin' tlcrcriuiliir ml jiitlioMii , nn ilii jinll-
|i(>s| iiuirliMii iiiiii csl Idciis |inciiiiciiii;i(' ; (|ti(i>l si rciiliir iilii ((irims r»"liii(|(iiiiil, i'l Hiiiiiliicr iiti jinll-
(;iirys(i«.l(Uiiiis iiiiii vcllcl iliccic,sliiliiu ii iiiorlc iiii- cciiliir iiiiiiicili.ild :i Clii i^li) IM fonnii Iniiniinii HPn*
pios |iiilic;in.cl Iruili iii iiircriiiiiii^sc.l dilTcrri liiKM! icntiiitii prort^roulo , im «oIuim ilivin.i virtnli', (juitu
illlllllll III illciU IKlMsslllUIIII. Illllll V.llcicl lir^MIIIICII- ll|ii(|l|C lUllC^CIlS CSt, ilM VCro p<'r illi"-'- cUlfM-
liiiii cjiis. Ilcspiuulcrciiir ciiiiii.lioc iiiciIki Iciiiimmc. Iiii iiiiuiifcslcliir. OikmI cnifu Siriptui , iiii «II-
priMuliniri ptissn (h^riiiidi.s , iliitii jiKliciuin iinivcr- ciinl, r.lirislnm lioiniinMti ««hsc jtnliccni vivoriiin «l
siilc (lilVcrlur. .\ii;;msIiuus lili.i.dc (iri^-mc imiiiiiM', iiuMtiKirum , iiitclliiruiil <l(' tK)vis»iiiKi tfctnMiill jti-
ciip. 1. ./(»1/1 itliid, iiK|iiil. /•cc/i.s.s/nic, c/ro/i/c hu- «Iicio: tMint cti;iiii iinlc Clirisli iiiriirniitioiicni jndi-
hihriWr crcdil, jiiilirdri (iniiiins riim (/c cor/)ori:- ciiiin piirliculiin; cxcrcc|»iilur;nuil« iiou soluui mom
hun oxiorunl, linloiiuiun rrniinU inl. Uhnljuiiiii- rsl c.c.rluiu . scd iicc iidmodiKn pndiidulc . (piod
i/.iu,(/iio C(ts ()/»();'/(•/ /(tiu rc(/(//7/.s ('or/»ori7)iisjit(/i- Iimoccntins III. iilllnn;il lihr. 2. ciip. nlt. d'; coii-
(•(//•/. Icmplii muiidi , Clirisiiim iii ronnii crucilKi iippn-
llis iicccilniil cvcmplii coriiiii , (pii si- iiidicnlos rnrc omnilMis nioricnlilMis , liim boiiis , (|Uttiii
li<sliili suiil. Scrihil 1». ('irc^^Miiius lil». 'i.(li;ilo;(orum m.dis.
ciip. ;{(». Ac i|ik»(I;mu Slcjilumo. i|iii ciim (issd mor- (}iiiMitMm ;id lcrlimu , (jiiod st^ulcntiii jitdicis l;i-
UiMS, cl JMdici ohliiliis. ludivil JMdictMn indiriMitcm, |c;ii iinlmiis (|Uik^ indicnutur, cl riilsiim cst, H im-
nou huiic scd Slcphiinum KtMriiriMni vociiri ,ins'«i. pcrlimMis; fidsiim (|Midcm.(|ui:i jiidicinm piirticiilii-
.\l(pi(Mla illc rcvi\il, cl simiil Sicpluinus Kcrrii- rc pniccipuc lit iid hoc . iil iiiiiolcscnl scnltMitiii ci
riiis, (iMi in viciiiiii luoriihiilur , «diiil; cui siiiiilc ()ui iudiciilur. .Niim |»n»pl('r iilios cril {TtMicrnh; iu-
iiiirrnt s. Aiij,nisl. Iih. dc ciirii pro mortnis ciip. \1. diciiim ; proplcr Ocnm non csl ncccssitrium iiuli-
(lc (|ikuI;mm (liinii;i. .\ildil imiIcim Ctrc^zoiiMS liiicc ciuin. ipsft cniiu omiiiii uovil. cr^jo solimi lit.ul iu-
Mun lion vcro crrorc, scd mI pcr islMiii (juiisi crro- nulcsciil ipsi imimiur (|m;k; jMdiciitiir: cl idcin colli-
riMU. (lui nuirluiislncriil. rcvivisccrcl . cl ntirriircl ^riinr ox visioiiilMis siipr:i citnlis. Ksl ('tiiim impcr-
vivciilihus iDrniciilii. cl jMiliciiim «|moi1 iikuicI im- lincns . uiiin clKimsi iion cis iiiuolcsccrcl s(Mil(Mt-
pios posl luinc vitiiiii. Ihidcm c;ip. IJS. iiiiniil c- ii;i jMilicis, lamiMi fiicilc posSiMtl pcr sc coguosc(!r(!
xcMiplMMi d(! «iikmIimm Chrisorio. (lui in arliculo (pmlis sil . id) clVcclii , (ptia vidchunl sc sliitiiu iii
mortis posilus, adliuc vivons vidii scnlonliam suac jnhMMio. iuil in coclo, aul in piirgiilorio.
tliimiKilioMis. Al potcnint. infjiiii^s, diihitarc, an sinl in inhM--
Dno siiiiili;! narriil Hcda lih. 5. hist. cap. 11. rl no, vcl in puiviilfiiio. >ioii itii csl ; niim in inrcrno
Vi. d«'. duobMS, (jni dcsporanlcs morlni sunl, quia hlasplicmalur Dcns; in purgalorio Iiindatur; in in-
jiMii vidcraul iiiiliciiim suiiin pcraclimi. cl scnloii- IVrno noii cst lidos iiiriisa , no(|uc- ull;i spos . iuil
liiiin liilam. Smiilc narr;il Joannos Climacus in sua charilas Doi : in purgaU.)rio liacc oiiMiia ropcriun-
sciUa iira. 7. do (iiiodam (M'cmita. (pii in arlicnlo Uir ; crgo anima , (pMic vidchil sc spcrarc iu Dco,
morlis aMdichaliir (juasi in jndicio posilnsrospon- jaudarccl diligcrc Dcuin, cvidcnlcr, cognoscel sc
dorc , accMSiilioiiihus , ol iiUordiim (licorc, ralsnni in iiil'crno non cssc.
csl, non loci: inltMilMin loci, scd pociiilontiam cgi; At polcril , inqniunt , mclucrc nc in infcrnuni
inlcrdum: vorum dicilis , iioc habco quod rcspon- millaUir. licet ibi adhuc non sit:scd ncr|ue hocdi-
deam. ci polcsl ; nam oadcni fidcs mancl in illa , qnam
Doiiii|MC oxslal mcmorabilo oxcmplmu in vila s. bic habnil: Iiic aulcni crcdidit sccuuduin clanssi-
r>runouis . «lc quodam parisiensi doctorc , qni in ni;i Scriplurarum loslimonia;post morlem non pos-
ipsa ccclosia, dnm oxoquiao rioronl, suhlalo capi- sc liori nllos dc bonis malos, ncc dc malis bonos.
Ic cx lcrolro chimavil: .liislo Dei judicio accusalns ot nnllum nisi malum in inrcrnum cssc millcn-
suin, cl soqncnli dic ilcrtim clamavil. justo Dci ju- dum; cum crgo videat , sc diligerc Dcuni , ct pro-
dicio judicalus sum. cl tcrlio die juslo Dci judicio inde se essc bonam. non mctuet damnalionem.
damuiilns sum.Kst aiilom nolandnm circa hacccx- Dicos : Nos bic videmus nos diligcrc Dcum . ct
«Mupla . tam judicium illorMm . quod anlc morlcm lamcn non sumus cerli, an siinus iMSli.orgo eliain
pcraclum est, qiiam islius parisicnsis. quod in Iri- animae illae non certo colligent cx dileclionc sua
(luiim post morliMii dilaUmi fuil, porlincrc ad par- jusliliiMn suam.
ticularom qMamdam. ct cxtraordinariam providcn- Rcspondco: Nos non \idcmus babilum cliaril.nlis
liam. (|ua Dcus nliUir ad nos sive inslnicndos.sivc infusum, quo juslificamur.scd ex conjccUiris falli-
lerrcn«los, alioqui rogularilcr crcdcndnm csl jndi- bilibns colligiraus cum in nobis csse , at aniaiae
cium liori slalim a morlo ; nam ordinaric tcmpns scparalae sicut scipsas perspicuc inlucnlnr , nec
peiiilcnliac utilc dural usque ad extrcmiim spiri- cnim pcndent ibi a phanlasmalibns , ila cliam vi-
lum , ut apcrte docet Leo epist. 90. ad Uuslicum: dent omnia quae in se habent , ac proinde videnl,
noc est ralio ctir posl morlcm rclardeUir judicium, nn habcant vcrum habitum chariialis,an non:prac-
cum Dcus non cgeal teslibus , nec allogalionibus. lerca sciunt animas csse immobilcs lam iu bono,
sed iii inslauli possit judicare. Dici posset eliam . qnam in malo, orgo eliamsi non vidcrenl babilum
cl fortasse probahilius. in exemplis a Bcdn allatis suum inrusuin charilatis, tamen scircnt nnniquam
judicimu anlo mortcm non poracUim , scd praoo- sc Donm blasphom;iliiras . iioc odio hiihilunis . iic
stcnsuiu tnnium fnissc : in cxomplo aulom illius proindc nuuKiuam in inforuum miltendas.Doniquo
docloris parisicnsis , judicium non dilaUim in al- ox fide novcrunl animas impiorum m)x a morlc
394
DE PliHGATORIO
corporis ilelrudi in inrenium, nec differri ullerius
corum supplicia, id euim onines calliolici credunt
ex ciip. IG. Lucae ergo animae quae se videntex-
tra inrernum,credunl lirniiler se in euni numquam
millendas.
Quantum ad quarlum. quod animac illae propter
nimios dulores impediantur a cognilione sui sta-
lus.et proindc pulent se esse in inrerno.et in qua-
daiii tLirl)aliune el desperatione versentiir . ut Lu-
llierus dicit . falsissimum esl. IXam primo , anima
divilis in inferno , Lucae 16. non impediebaiur a
cognilione sui stalus , quanto minus ergo irapedi-
eniur animae, quae sunt in purgalorio?
Secnnilo,quod in hoc mundo impedianlur liomi-
iies a recto judicio ex inlensione dolorum, prove-
nil ex laesione organi cor|)orei;al ibi est pura mens
spirilualis vA incorruplibilis.
Terlio quia Ecclesia in canone missae dicit, Ifle-
vienlo Domine l'aniulorum, l'amiilarum.que tua-
rum. quac nos praecesserunt cum signo fidci,et
dormiunt in somno pacis. Ubi Ecclesia orat pro
animabus purgatorii; nam subdil, ipsis Doniine.et
omnibus in Chrislo quiescenlibiis locum refrige-
rii, lucis ctpacis , ut indulgeas deprecamur. At
ccrte quae dormire dicunlurin somno pacis , non
sunl anxiae, nec desperanl, sed potius liabentad-
mixtam cum summis cruciatibus incredibilem con-
solalionem propter certam spem salulis.
Quarto, quia si crederent se damnalas, non pe-
lerent suffragiu vivorum , ncc dicerent se brevi li-
berandas si pro eis orelur, ul palet apud Gregori-
um lib. 4. dialogorum cap. 40. et exemplis allalis
in prima quaestione.