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Dist. 50, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 3

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 50

Textus Latinus
p. 1049

Quaestio III. Utrum Beati et damnati mutuo se cognoscant.

On the footnote numbering. Quaracchi restarts its footnote numbering on every printed page. The markers below are therefore page-qualified: notes 1–11 of page 1049, then notes 1–3 of page 1050. Notes 4–10 of page 1050 anchor in Articulus II, quaestio I, and are rendered there.

Tertio quaeritur de cognitione animae separatae per comparationem ad statum Beatorum; et quaeritur, utrum mutuo se cognoscant, scilicet damnati Beatos, et e converso. Et quod sic, videtur:

1. Per illud Lucae decimo sexto1, quod dives positus in tormentis vidit Abraham, et Abraham e converso vidit ipsum.

2. Item, Gregorius2: « Infideles in imo positi fideles super se in requie attendunt ».

3. Item, ratione videtur: quia opposita, sibi invicem comparata et simul visa, magis elucescunt3 et etiam decorant universum: ergo si mali habebunt poenam eatenus intensam, qua potest cogitari, et similiter boni gloriam, et utraque intenditur respectu alterius; ergo utrique debent mutuo se videre.

4. Item, constat, quod boni gaudebunt et laudabunt Dei iustitiam, mali similiter dolebunt de gloria amissa: ergo si non contingit gaudere et dolere nisi de cognito4, utrique cognoscent, scilicet boni severitatem iustitiae, et mali dignitatem gloriae. Sed boni hoc non vident in se, nec mali in se: ergo constat, quod vident invicem.

Contra: 1. Inter eos est improportionalis distantia: ergo si ad visionem requiritur praesentia, videtur, quod non possint mutuo se videre5.

2. Item, gloria est qualitas spiritualis, sicut gratia6; sed qualitas gratiae non videtur exterius a non habente: ergo nec gloriae.

3. Item, consideratio poenae incutit terrorem, et consideratio gloriae generat gaudium; sed in malis nullum erit gaudium, in bonis nullus terror: ergo etc. — Si dicas, quod « recipitur secundum modum recipientis, non recepti », et ideo in malis generat confusionem et in bonis gaudium; ergo si haec duo debent esse post iudicium, ergo post se cognoscent; quod est contra Gregorium, ut habetur in littera7.

4. Item, in bonis est compassio de bonitate naturae: ergo si non tollitur bonitas naturae, ergo maxime vigebit in eis compassio: ergo videtur, quodsi videant tormenta malorum, quod maxime doleant. Et hoc videtur Gregorius dicere, et habetur in littera8, quod « volunt transire per affectum misericordiae ».

Conclusio

Electi damnatorum poenas et nunc et post iudicium vident in Deo ad gloriae cumulum; damnati vero electorum gloriam nunc aliquatenus considerant, non vero post iudicium.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod consideratio sive cognitio gloriae Beatorum est reprobis poena, et consideratio sive cognitio poenae reproborum est electis gaudium; quia illi considerant gloriam sub ratione amissionis, isti poenam sub ratione divinae ultionis; unde9: Laetabitur iustus, cum viderit vindictam. Quoniam igitur gloria electorum semper manet et post iudicium erit copiosor; ideo electi et nunc et tunc vident poenam reproborum, secundum quod dicitur ultimo Isaiae; vident, inquam, in Deo, sive in speculo aeterno, cum faciat ad eorum gloriam cumulandam. Reproborum poena similiter post iudicium intendetur, et adeo intendetur, ut Beatorum gloriam non liceat eis considerare nec ab eis auxilium petere, ut dives petiit10; quia tormentorum suorum magnitudinem non poterunt sustinere, ita quod liceat aliis vacare, immo absorbebuntur totaliter a poenis. — Concedendae ergo sunt rationes, quod mutuo se cognoscunt.

1. Ad illud quod obiicitur in contrarium, quod est inter eos improportionalis distantia; dicendum, quod non agnoscunt mali bonos per intuitum praesentiae, sed per considerationem intelligentiae, boni vero malos in speculo et in Deo11.

p. 1050

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur de gloria, dicendum, quod non vident ipsam gloriae essentiam, sed considerant requiem; quia cognoscunt, quod gaudent1, sed ipsi laborant et dolent; et cognoscunt, sicut infirmus cognoscit sanitatem alterius, quam non habet.

3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod generat dolorem etc.; patet responsio; quia consideratio bonorum non est in poena, quia afflictiva, sed fertur ulterius, quia iusta et optime et digne inflicta; et talis consideratio amanti2 generat gaudium. Similiter nec consideratio malorum sistit in bono gloriae, quia bonum, sed quia perditum; et haec consideratio generat dolorem. — Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod post iudicium videre debent etc.; dicendum, quod tunc maiori poena erunt absorpti, ut iam non liceat eis cogitare gloriae dignitatem; semper tamen in mente habebunt eius amissionem et carentiam, ut tristentur.

4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod compati est de bonitate naturae; dicendum, quod hoc non est verum generaliter, nisi intelligatur de natura passibili3.

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English Translation

Question III. Whether the blessed and the damned know one another.

Thirdly there is asked, concerning the knowledge of the separated soul by comparison with the state of the blessed; and it is asked whether they know one another, namely the damned the blessed, and conversely. And that they do, it seems:

1. By that text of Luke, chapter sixteen1, that the rich man set in torments saw Abraham, and Abraham conversely saw him.

2. Likewise, Gregory2: « The unbelieving, set in the depth, look upon the faithful above them in rest ».

3. Likewise, it seems by reason: because opposites, compared with one another and seen together, shine out the more3 and also adorn the universe: therefore if the wicked will have a punishment intense to the degree that can be conceived, and likewise the good their glory, and each is intensified in respect of the other; therefore both ought to see one another mutually.

4. Likewise, it is agreed that the good will rejoice and will praise God's justice, and the wicked likewise will grieve over the glory they have lost: therefore, if it does not happen that one rejoices and grieves except over what is known4, both will know, namely the good the severity of justice, and the wicked the dignity of glory. But the good do not see this in themselves, nor the wicked in themselves: therefore it is agreed that they see one another.

On the contrary: 1. Between them there is a disproportionate distance: therefore, if presence is required for vision, it seems that they cannot see one another mutually5.

2. Likewise, glory is a spiritual quality, just as grace is6; but the quality of grace is not seen from without by one who does not have it: therefore neither is that of glory.

3. Likewise, the consideration of punishment strikes terror, and the consideration of glory begets joy; but in the wicked there will be no joy, in the good no terror: therefore etc. — If you say that « a thing is received according to the mode of the receiver, not of the received », and that therefore in the wicked it begets confusion and in the good joy; therefore if these two must be after the judgement, therefore afterwards they will know one another; which is against Gregory, as is had in the text7.

4. Likewise, in the good there is compassion arising from the goodness of nature: therefore if the goodness of nature is not taken away, therefore compassion will be most vigorous in them: therefore it seems that, if they should see the torments of the wicked, they would grieve exceedingly. And this Gregory seems to say, and it is had in the text8, that « they wish to pass over through the affection of mercy ».

Conclusion

The elect see the punishments of the damned both now and after the judgement in God, unto the increase of their glory; but the damned now to some extent consider the glory of the elect, yet not after the judgement.

I respond: It must be said that the consideration or knowledge of the glory of the blessed is a punishment to the reprobate, and the consideration or knowledge of the punishment of the reprobate is a joy to the elect; because the former consider glory under the aspect of loss, the latter punishment under the aspect of divine vengeance; whence9: The just man shall rejoice when he shall see the vengeance. Since therefore the glory of the elect always remains and after the judgement will be more abundant; therefore the elect both now and then see the punishment of the reprobate, according to what is said in the last chapter of Isaiah; they see it, I say, in God, or in the eternal mirror, since it makes for the heaping up of their glory. The punishment of the reprobate likewise will be intensified after the judgement, and will be so intensified that it will not be permitted them to consider the glory of the blessed nor to seek help from them, as the rich man sought10; because they will not be able to endure the magnitude of their own torments, so as to be free for other things; rather they will be wholly absorbed by their punishments. — The arguments are therefore to be conceded, that they know one another mutually.

1. To that which is objected on the contrary, that there is between them a disproportionate distance; it must be said that the wicked do not recognize the good by the intuition of presence, but by the consideration of the understanding, whereas the good recognize the wicked in the mirror and in God11.

2. To that which is objected concerning glory, it must be said that they do not see the very essence of glory, but consider the rest; because they know that the others rejoice1, while they themselves labour and grieve; and they know it as a sick man knows the health of another, which he does not have.

3. To that which is objected, that it begets grief etc.; the answer is plain; because the consideration of good things does not rest in the punishment, as afflictive, but is carried further, as just and most excellently and worthily inflicted; and such a consideration begets joy in one who loves2. Likewise neither does the consideration of evil things rest in the good of glory as good, but as lost; and this consideration begets grief. — To that which is objected, that after the judgement they must see etc.; it must be said that then they will be absorbed by a greater punishment, so that it will no longer be permitted them to think upon the dignity of glory; yet they will always have in mind its loss and privation, so that they may be saddened.

4. To that which is objected, that to suffer with another belongs to the goodness of nature; it must be said that this is not true universally, unless it be understood of a nature capable of suffering3.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Vers. 23. seqq.
    Verses 23 ff.
  2. 2
    Libr. II. Homil. in Evang. homil. 40. n. 2: Quia, dum per damnationis suae supplicia infideles in imo sunt, fideles quosque ante diem extremi iudicii super se in requie attendunt.
    Book II of the Homilies on the Gospels, homily 40, n. 2: Because, while through the punishments of their damnation the unbelieving are in the depth, they look upon all the faithful above them in rest before the day of the last judgement.
  3. 3
    Vide tom. I. pag. 495, nota 1. verba Aristot. — Quod oppositis (antithetis) decoretur universum, docet August., tom. I. Sent. pag. 786, nota 7.
    See vol. I, p. 495, note 1, for the words of Aristotle. — That the universe is adorned by opposites (antitheses) Augustine teaches; vol. I of the Sentences, p. 786, note 7.
  4. 4
    Aristot., II. de Anima, text. 20. (c. 2.): Ubi enim sensus est, et dolor et voluptas consequitur. Cfr. ibid. text. 27. (c. 3.). — De ipso arg. vide hic lit. Magistri, c. 7. — In fine arg. vocibus vident invicem codd. R S interserunt se.
    Aristotle, On the Soul II, text 20 (c. 2): For where there is sense, there follow both pain and pleasure. Cf. ibid., text 27 (c. 3). — On the argument itself see here the text of the Master, c. 7. — At the end of the argument codices R S insert se between the words vident invicem.
  5. 5
    Aristot., de Sensu et sens. c. 8. (c. 7.): Est enim, unde quidem non videatur, infinita distantia... est itaque aliquid ultimum distantiae, unde non videtur, et primum, unde videtur etc.
    Aristotle, On Sense and Sensibles c. 8 (c. 7): For there is a distance, infinite indeed, from which a thing is not seen… there is therefore some last point of distance from which it is not seen, and a first from which it is seen, etc.
  6. 6
    Retinuimus cum Vat. sicut gratia, quod in codd. et ed. I desideratur.
    We have retained, with the Vatican edition, sicut gratia, which is wanting in the codices and in ed. I.
  7. 7
    Hic c. 5. — Prima propositio arg. est secundum auctorem libri de Causis; vide supra pag. 986, nota 5.
    Here c. 5. — The first proposition of the argument is according to the author of the Book of Causes; see above, p. 986, note 5.
  8. 8
    Hic c. 6. — Mox codd. I K maximae misericordiae.
    Here c. 6. — Just below, codices I K read maximae misericordiae.
  9. 9
    Psalm. 57, 11. Vide hic lit. Magistri, c. 7, ubi etiam allegantur verba Isai. 66, 24, ad quae Bonav. recurrit. — Quod gloria electorum maior sit post iudicium, docet Magister supra d. XLIX. c. 4.
    Psalm 57, 11. See here the text of the Master, c. 7, where the words of Isaiah 66, 24 are also cited, to which Bonaventure has recourse. — That the glory of the elect is greater after the judgement, the Master teaches above, d. XLIX, c. 4.
  10. 10
    Luc. 16, 24: Et ipse clamans dixit: Pater Abraham, miserere mei etc. — Inferius post liceat cod. G supplet eis.
    Luke 16, 24: And crying out he said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, etc. — Below, after liceat, codex G supplies eis.
  11. 11
    Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 7.
    Cf. here the text of the Master, c. 7.
  12. 1
    Sequimur codd. G T U, edd. quia illi quiescunt et, alii codd. quia [codd. I K qua] cognoscunt et gaudent.
    We follow codices G T U; the editions read quia illi quiescunt et, other codices quia [codices I K qua] cognoscunt et gaudent.
  13. 2
    In cod. bb secunda manus supplevit iustitiam. Inferius post sistit, pro quo codd. R U V X consistit, Vat. addit id est permanet.
    In codex bb a second hand has supplied iustitiam. Below, after sistit — for which codices R U V X read consistit — the Vatican edition adds id est permanet.
  14. 3
    Vide hic lit. Magistri, c. 6. Cfr. etiam II. Sent. d. 11. a. 2. q. 3. in corp. (opinio 1. eiusque improbatio), ubi iuxta aliquos de Angelis dicitur, quod « quamvis sint... impassibiles, non sunt tamen incompassibiles ». Cod. bb hic substituit compassibili pro passibili. — Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.
    See here the text of the Master, c. 6. Cf. also II Sent. d. 11, a. 2, q. 3, in the body (the first opinion and its refutation), where, according to some, it is said of the angels that « although they are… impassible, they are nevertheless not incompassible ». Codex bb here substitutes compassibili for passibili. — See the scholion on the first question of this article. ---
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Dist. 50, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 2Dist. 50, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 1