Dist. 43, Art. 3, Q. 1
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 43
Articulus III. De libris conscientiae.
Consequenter quantum ad secundum4 articulum circa hoc, quaeritur de libris conscientiarum. Et de hoc tria quaeruntur.
Primo quaeritur, utrum omnia merita legantur in conscientia, vel quaedam.
Secundo, utrum quilibet legat omnia in conscientia alterius.
Tertio, utrum simul omnia videantur ab omnibus.
Quaestio I. Utrum in conscientia legantur omnia merita.
Quantum ergo ad primum proceditur sic, et ostenditur, quod omnia legentur in libris conscientiae.
1. Augustinus de Civitate Dei vigesimo5 dicit, quod « vis divina aderit, qua fiet, ut omnia ad memoriam revocentur ».
2. Item, hoc ipsum videtur ratione: quia lectio est, ut sciatur quantitas meritorum; sed meritum hominis sic legitur, ut sciatur, quot et quanta bona, et quot mala et quanta fecerit: ergo si ibi plene ostendetur iustitia, patet, quod omnia ibi debent legi.
3. Item, Dei iustitia declarabitur ibi summe et quantum ad retributionem gloriae et poenae6: ergo merita debent summe declarari; sed non possunt, nisi omnia bona et mala ad memoriam revocentur: ergo etc.
Contra: Quod non omnia, videtur:
1. Quia ibi erit tantum memoria eorum, de quibus erit retributio; sed pro malis, de quibus fuit poenitentia, non retribuetur, pro bonis, in quibus non perseveravit7, non retribuetur: ergo talia non legentur.
2. Item, memoria praeteritorum bonorum generat oblectationem, malorum horrorem: ergo si in malis non erit delectatio, non debent recordari bonorum factorum; et si in bonis nullus horror, non debent recordari malorum.
3. Item, illa sola legentur in libris, quae sunt scripta; sed mala bonorum deleta sunt8 per gratiam, bona malorum deleta sunt de eorum anima per culpam: ergo non legentur in libris nec haec nec illa.
Conclusio. Omnium meritorum erit in libris conscientiae lectio atque memoria.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod omnium meritorum erit ibi lectio et memoria: quia, sicut dicit p. 900 Apostolus1, erunt cogitationes accusantes et defendentes, et ita bonae et malae ibi patebunt, et per consequens affectiones et operationes. — Omnia autem reducentur ad memoriam, quia revocatio actuum et cogitationum praecedentium ad memoriam erit ad ostensionem iustitiae divinae secundum statum illum, et misericordiae secundum statum praeteritum sive transactum. Propter ostensionem iustitiae in retribuendo rememorabuntur bona et mala, in quibus permanserunt finaliter; haec enim sola digna sunt retributione. Propter ostensionem misericordiae de praeterito rememorabuntur mala bonorum, a quibus sunt misericorditer liberati, et bona malorum, quae in eis misericorditer operatus est Deus, qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos2. Ideo bona et mala sua omnia erunt sibi in memoria.
1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur primo, quod illa lectio et memoratio est ad ostensionem iustitiae; dicendum, quod verum est, sed non tantum ad hoc, sed etiam ad declarationem misericordiae.
2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod memoria malorum facit tristitiam, et bonorum laetitiam; dicendum, quod hoc verum est in his qui possunt tristari et laetari; sed mali non possunt laetari, boni vero non possunt tristari. — Sed istud non sufficit, quia, si3 non possunt tristari: ergo nec cognoscere, unde debeant tristari. — Ideo dicendum, quod memoria malorum dupliciter potest esse: aut considerando malum eventum, et sic generat tristitiam, ut patet in eo qui conteritur; vel considerando bonum eventum, scilicet quod de tantis malis misericorditer est ereptus, et hoc generat laetitiam, et haec erit in bonis. Similiter de memoria bonorum distinguendum4.
3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod in malis bona sunt deleta; dicendum, quod deleta sunt quantum ad veritatem essentiae, manent tamen quantum ad notam et similitudinem, sicut patet in eo qui amisit caritatem et recordatur, se habuisse. Unde super illud ad Romanos secundo5: Cogitationum accusantium, dicit Glossa: « Sciendum est, quod in illa die cogitationes accusabunt animam vel defendent, non illae quae tunc erunt, sed istae quae modo sunt in nobis, quarum notae et signacula relinquuntur in corde nostro velut in cera; quae, in occulto nunc sunt posita, in illo die revelari dicuntur », et ita secundum similitudinem remanent. — Vel esto, quod illa similitudo penitus deleatur, quod vix est possibile; divina virtute tunc reparatur ad Dei gloriam et vindictam malorum, laudem bonorum.
I. De 1. quaestione cfr. infra dub. 3. Assertio facta in solut. ad 3, quod notae et similitudines praeteritorum maneant in conscientia, confirmatur a S. Thoma locis infra citt. ad 2; et tota conclusio est communis.
De 1. quaestione: S. Thom., hic a. 5. quaestiunc. 1; Suppl. q. 87. a. 1. — B. Albert., de hac et seq. q. hic a. 12. 13. et 20. — Petr. a Tar., hic a. 8. quaestiunc. 1. — Richard. a Med., hic a. 7. q. 1.
II. De sententia in 2. quaestione ab auctore posita, quod etiam aliena peccata cognoscantur omnia, iudicat cum nostro auctore (infra dub. 4.) S. Thom., eam esse probabiliorem et communiorem, licet Magister (hic c. 5.) contrarium sentiat.
De eadem quaestione: S. Thom., locis citt. quaestiunc. 2. et art. 2. — Petr. a Tar., loc. cit. quaestiunc. 2. — Richard. a Med., loc. cit. q. 2.
III. Quoad 3. quaestionem facile intelligitur, quod Sancti in Deo uno intuitu et instanti videant omnia peccata, ut affirmat etiam S. Thomas; sed quoad reprobos manet difficultas, unde et negativa et affirmativa opinio suos habuit defensores. S. Thomas concludit, quod eligi possit media opinio, scilicet quod mali quidem « singula considerabunt, sed non in instanti, sed in tempore brevissimo ». S. Bonav. favet affirmativae parti his verbis: « Credendum est magis, quod simul ».
De 3. quaestione: S. Thom., locis citt. quaestiunc. 3. et a. 3. — B. Albert., hic a. 14. — Petr. a Tar., loc. cit. quaestiunc. 3. — Richard. a Med., loc. cit. q. 3.
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Article III. On the books of conscience.
Consequently, as to the second4 article concerning this, inquiry is made about the books of consciences. And concerning this three things are asked.
First it is asked, whether all merits are read in the conscience, or [only] certain ones.
Secondly, whether anyone reads all things in another's conscience.
Thirdly, whether all things are seen at once by all.
Question I. Whether all merits are read in the conscience.
As to the first, then, one proceeds thus, and it is shown that all things will be read in the books of conscience.
1. Augustine, On the City of God, book twenty5, says that "there will be a divine power by which it will come about that all things are recalled to memory."
2. Likewise, this same thing seems [to hold] by reason: because reading is for the sake of knowing the quantity of merits; but the merit of a man is read in such a way that it may be known how many and how great goods, and how many and how great evils, he has done: therefore if justice is there to be fully shown, it is clear that all things ought to be read there.
3. Likewise, God's justice will be declared there supremely and as to the retribution of glory and punishment6: therefore merits ought to be supremely declared; but they cannot be, unless all goods and evils are recalled to memory: therefore etc.
On the contrary: That not all things [are read] seems [true]:
1. Because there will be there only the memory of those things for which there will be retribution; but for evils, for which there was penance, retribution will not be made, [and] for goods, in which one has not persevered7, retribution will not be made: therefore such things will not be read.
2. Likewise, the memory of past goods generates delight, [the memory] of evils, horror: therefore if in the evils there will be no delight, they ought not to recall the good deeds done; and if in the goods [there is] no horror, they ought not to recall the evils.
3. Likewise, only those things will be read in the books which are written; but the evils of the good have been blotted out8 through grace, [and] the goods of the evil have been blotted out from their soul through fault: therefore neither these nor those will be read in the books.
Conclusion. Of all merits there will be in the books of conscience a reading and a memory.
I respond: It must be said that of all merits there will be there a reading and a memory: because, as the p. 900 Apostle1 says, "there will be thoughts accusing and defending," and thus goods and evils will be manifest there, and consequently affections and operations. — But all things will be brought back to memory, because the recalling of prior acts and thoughts to memory will be for the showing of divine justice according to that [present] state, and of mercy according to the past or bygone state. On account of the showing of justice in retributing, there will be recalled the goods and evils in which they persevered finally; for these alone are worthy of retribution. On account of the showing of mercy concerning the past, there will be recalled the evils of the good, from which they were mercifully freed, and the goods of the evil, which God mercifully worked in them, who makes his sun to rise upon the good and the evil2. Therefore all their goods and evils will be in their memory.
1. To that, then, which is objected first, that that reading and remembering is for the showing of justice; it must be said that this is true, but not only for this, but also for the declaration of mercy.
2. To that which is objected, that the memory of evils causes sadness, and of goods gladness; it must be said that this is true in those who can be sad and glad; but the evil cannot be glad, and the good cannot be sad. — But this does not suffice, because, if3 they cannot be sad: therefore neither [can they] know whence they ought to be sad. — Therefore it must be said that the memory of evils can be twofold: either by considering the evil outcome, and thus it generates sadness, as is clear in one who is contrite; or by considering the good outcome, namely that from such great evils one was mercifully rescued, and this generates gladness, and this will be in the good. Likewise concerning the memory of goods a distinction must be made4.
3. To that which is objected, that in the evil the goods have been blotted out; it must be said that they have been blotted out as to the truth of essence, yet they remain as to the mark and likeness, as is clear in one who has lost charity and remembers that he had it. Hence upon that [passage] to the Romans, chapter two5: Of thoughts accusing, the Gloss says: "It must be known that on that day the thoughts will accuse or defend the soul, not those which will then be, but these which now are in us, whose marks and seals are left in our heart as in wax; which, now placed in secret, are said to be revealed on that day," and thus they remain according to a likeness. — Or granted that that likeness be utterly blotted out, which is scarcely possible; by divine power it is then restored, for the glory of God and the punishment of the evil, [and] the praise of the good.
I. Concerning the 1st question cf. below, doubt 3. The assertion made in the solution to [objection] 3, that the marks and likenesses of past things remain in the conscience, is confirmed by St. Thomas in the places cited below on [objection] 2; and the whole conclusion is common [doctrine].
On the 1st question: St. Thomas, here a. 5, subquestion 1; Suppl. q. 87, a. 1. — Bl. Albert, on this and the following q., here a. 12, 13, and 20. — Peter of Tarentaise, here a. 8, subquestion 1. — Richard of Middleton, here a. 7, q. 1.
II. Concerning the opinion set down by the author in the 2nd question, that even the sins of others are all known, St. Thomas, together with our author (below, doubt 4), judges it to be more probable and more common, although the Master (here, ch. 5) thinks the contrary.
On the same question: St. Thomas, in the places cited, subquestion 2 and art. 2. — Peter of Tarentaise, in the place cited, subquestion 2. — Richard of Middleton, in the place cited, q. 2.
III. As to the 3rd question it is easily understood that the Saints in God, by one intuition and instant, see all sins, as St. Thomas also affirms; but as to the reprobate the difficulty remains, whence both the negative and the affirmative opinion have had their defenders. St. Thomas concludes that a middle opinion can be chosen, namely that the evil indeed "will consider individual things, but not in an instant, but in a very brief time." St. Bonaventure favors the affirmative part in these words: "It is rather to be believed that [they see them] at once."
On the 3rd question: St. Thomas, in the places cited, subquestion 3 and a. 3. — Bl. Albert, here a. 14. — Peter of Tarentaise, in the place cited, subquestion 3. — Richard of Middleton, in the place cited, q. 3.
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- 4Edd. tertium; sed vide supra rubricam secundi art., in qua exhibetur tanquam secunda pars ipsius.The editions read third; but see above the rubric of the second article, in which it is presented as its second part.
- 5Cap. 14. Cfr. supra a. 2. q. I.Chapter 14. Cf. above, a. 2, q. I.
- 6Cfr. Matth. 25, 31. seqq. et II. Cor. 5, 10.Cf. Matthew 25:31 ff. and II Corinthians 5:10.
- 7Supple: aliquis; edd. perseveraverunt mali, Vat. post bonis addit etiam.Supply: someone; the editions [read] the evil have persevered, [and] the Vatican [edition] after goods adds also.
- 8Vat. addit de eorum anima.The Vatican [edition] adds from their soul.
- 1Rom. 2, 15: Inter se invicem cogitationibus accusantibus, aut etiam defendentibus. — Mox pro bonae et malae edd. bona et mala.Romans 2:15: Their thoughts among themselves mutually accusing, or also defending. — Presently, for good and evil (fem., bonae et malae) the editions [read] goods and evils (neut., bona et mala).
- 2Matth. 5, 45. — Mox pro omnia, quod habent codd. UX (L a secunda manu), alii codd. et edd. omnino, cod. F legit omnibus erunt ibi (etiam codd. NU ponunt ibi).Matthew 5:45. — Presently, for all things (omnia), which codices UX have (L by a second hand), other codices and editions [read] altogether (omnino); codex F reads there will be there for all (omnibus erunt ibi) (codices NU also place there, ibi).
- 3Cod. O supplet boni. Mox pro esse codd. G aa haberi.Codex O supplies the good (boni). Presently, for to be (esse) codices G, aa [read] to be had (haberi).
- 4Cod. B glossando prosequitur: Quia similiter dupliciter potest esse: aut considerando malum eventum, scilicet quod propter culpam suam amisit illa bona et obligatus est ad poenam interminabilem, et sic generat tristitiam, et haec erit in damnatis; vel considerando bonum eventum, scilicet quod pro illis remuneratur, et sic est in bonis et generat delectationem. Sic ergo mali omnia mala sua et bona reducent ad memoriam, ut de amissione bonorum conscientia torqueatur, et etiam, ut de ipsis bonis ad memoriam reductis et prius habitis divina misericordia ostendatur; et ut cognoscant, quanta aequitate divinae iustitiae condemnentur propter mala, quae commiserunt et in quibus finaliter perseveraverunt. — Cfr. infra dub. 3.Codex B continues glossingly: "Because likewise it can be twofold: either by considering the evil outcome, namely that through his own fault he lost those goods and is bound to interminable punishment, and thus it generates sadness, and this will be in the damned; or by considering the good outcome, namely that for those [evils] he is recompensed, and thus it is in the good and generates delight. Thus, then, the evil will bring back to memory all their evils and goods, so that the conscience may be tormented over the loss of goods, and also so that, from those goods brought back to memory and formerly possessed, the divine mercy may be shown; and so that they may know with how great equity of divine justice they are condemned on account of the evils which they committed and in which they finally persevered." — Cf. below, doubt 3.
- 5Vers. 15. (Cfr. supra nota 1.). — Glossam, quae est ex Origen. (II. Comment. in Epist. ad Rom. n. 10.), exhibet Petr. Lombard. in hunc loc. Textus originalis post notae addit quaedam, et post occulto nunc subiungit pectoris; codd. FIK substituunt nostro pro nunc. Multi codd. et edd. pro in cera perperam viscera. — Cfr. I. Sent. d. 17. p. I. q. 4.Verse 15. (Cf. above, note 1.). — The Gloss, which is from Origen (II, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, n. 10), is presented by Peter Lombard on this passage. The original text after marks (notae) adds certain ones (quaedam), and after now in secret (occulto nunc) subjoins of the breast (pectoris); codices FIK substitute our (nostro) for now (nunc). Many codices and editions, for in wax (in cera), wrongly [read] entrails (viscera). — Cf. I Sent., d. 17, p. I, q. 4.