← Back to Pars VII: De statu finalis iudicii

Pars 7, Cap. 4

Breviloquium · Pars VII: De statu finalis iudicii

Textus Latinus
p. 284

Capitulum IV. De concomitantibus iudicium, sicut est conflagratio ignium.

Deinde aliquid adiiciendum est de concomitantibus iudicium, quae sunt duo, scilicet conflagratio ignium mundanorum et resurrectio corporum7.

De conflagratione igitur hoc tenendum est, quod ignis praecedet faciem iudicis, quo terrae facies exuretur, ita quod figura huius mundi8 mundanorum ignium conflagratione peribit, sicut factum est aquarum inundatione diluvium. — Dicitur autem transire figura huius mundi non quantum ad destructionem totalem huius mundi sensibilis, sed quia per actionem illius ignis omnia elementaria inflammantis consummentur vegetabilia et animalia, purgabuntur et innovabuntur elementa, maxime aër et terra, purgabuntur iusti et adurentur reprobi; quibus factis, cessabit etiam motus caeli, ut sic, completo numero electorum, fiat quodam modo innovatio et praemiatio corporum mundanorum9.

Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia principium rerum universale, cum sit sapientissimum; etsi in omnibus, quae agit, attendat ordinem sapientiae, potissime autem in his debet attendere, quae spectant ad consummationem; ut sic non discordet primum a medio, nec medium a postremo, sed in cunctis congruentissime ordinatis appareat illius primi principii sapientia ordinans et bonitas et altitudo. Quoniam ergo Deus secundum sapientiam suam ordinatissimam cunctum mundum istum sensibilem et maiorem fecit propter mundum minorem, videlicet hominem10, qui inter Deum et res istas inferiores in medio collocatus est; hinc est, quod p. 285 ut omnia sibi invicem congruant, et habitatio cum habitatore habeat harmoniam, homine bene instituto, debuit mundus iste in bono et quieto statu institui; homine labente, debuit etiam mundus iste deteriorari; homine perturbato, debuit perturbari; homine expurgato, debuit expurgari; homine innovato, debuit innovari; et homine consummato, debuit quietari1.

Primo ergo, quoniam mundus iste perturbari debet, homine perturbato, sicut stetit cum stante et quodam modo cecidit cum labente; et in futuro iudicio propter severitatem iudicis ostendendam necesse est omnium corda terreri, et peccatorum maxime, qui universorum Dominum contempserunt, ut sic omnis creatura divinum accipiat zelum2 et conformetur auctori, conformetur etiam habitatori: necesse est, totius orbis cardines horribilissime commoveri. Et quia nihil intensius et velocius et horribilius in agendo commovet alia elementa quam ignis hinc inde ex omni parte concurrens; hinc est, quod necesse est, quod ipsius iudicis faciem ignis praecedat, non ex una parte tantum, sed ex omni parte mundi, ut sit ibi concursus ignis elementaris et terrestris, ignis purgatorii et etiam infernalis, ut per infernalem reprobi adurantur, per purgatorium iusti purgentur, per terrestrem haec terrae nascentia consumantur, per elementarem elementa subtilientur et ad innovationis faciem disponantur, et simul cum hoc cetera conturbentur, ut non solum homines et daemones, verum etiam Angeli videntes terreantur.

Rursus, quoniam mundus iste purgari debet cum homine expurgando3; et homo in statu finalis temporis indiget purgari a scoria avaritiae et malitiae, sicut in primo tempore a faece luxuriae; indiget etiam purgari et velociter et intime et perfecte: hinc est, quod sicut mundus prius deletus est et quodam modo purgatus per elementum aquae, quod est frigidum, contra ardorem et faecem luxuriae; sic finalis mundus per ignem propter refrigerium caritatis4 et frigus malitiae et avaritiae, quae regnabunt in fine quasi in ipsius mundi senectute. Quae quia maximae sunt adhaerentiae, necesse est, quod purgans sit actionis intimae, violentae et acceleratae; quod non contingit reperiri in elemento alio quam in igne. Et ideo sicut factum est aquarum inundatione diluvium, sic per actionem ignis huius mundi sensibilis facies exuretur5.

Amplius, quoniam mundus iste innovari debet cum homine innovato6; nec innovari potest aliquid in novam formam, nisi perdat vetustam et quodam modo disponatur dispositione nova superinducta: hinc est, quod cum ignis maxime habeat virtutem expulsivam formae extraneae, habeat etiam vim subtiliativam et caelesti naturae cognatam: ideo per ipsum debet fieri purgatio simul et innovatio, ita quod, cum geminam habeat efficaciam, quantum ad aliquam iudicis adventum praecedit, quantum autem ad reliquam habet sequi. Et cum innovatio sit ad novitatem, quae amplius non redit ad vetustatem; ac per hoc ad novitatem incorruptibilem, quam dare non est in potentia alicuius creaturae: hinc est, quod licet in illa purgatione et innovatione ignis aliquid agat per naturalem virtutem, ut inflammare, purgare, rarefacere et subtiliare, tamen necesse est, quod cum illa virtute naturali sit virtus operans supra naturam, cuius imperio fiet conflagrationis initium, et cuius etiam virtute fiet nihilominus complementum.

Postremo, quoniam mundus iste debet consummari, homine consummato; et tunc est homo consummatus, quando in gloria completus erit numerus electorum, ad quem quidem statum omnia tendunt sicut ad finem ultimum et completum: necesse est, facta7 completione illius numeri, terminari et quietari motus naturae caelestis; necesse est etiam, terminari transmutationes elementares; necesse est etiam per consequens, terminari generationem, quae est in animalibus et in plantis. Cum enim omnia ista ordinentur ad formam nobilissimam, quae quidem est anima rationalis; posito statu in animabus8, necesse est, statum et complementum poni in ceteris praecedentibus. — Et ideo corpora caelestia, habita quiete et luminis plenitudine, dicuntur remunerari. Elementa vero, quae amplius non habent vim multiplicandi per transmutationem mutuam, dicuntur interire, non quantum ad substantiam, sed quantum ad actionem et passionem mutuam, et hoc maxime quantum ad qualitates activas. Vegetabilia vero et sensibilia, quia non habent potestatem ad vitam perpetuam et durationem sempiternam, qualis competit p. 286 statui illius nobilitatis; necesse est in propria natura consumi, ita tamen, quod salvantur in principiis et quodam modo in simili, videlicet in homine, qui similitudinem habet cum omni genere creaturae1; et ideo in ipsius innovatione et glorificatione possunt dici omnia innovari et quodam modo praemiari.

---

English Translation

Chapter IV. On the things concomitant with the judgment, of which sort is the conflagration of fires.

Next, something must be added concerning the things concomitant with the judgment, which are two, namely the conflagration of the world's fires and the resurrection of bodies7.

Concerning the conflagration, therefore, this must be held: that a fire will go before the face of the Judge, by which the face of the earth will be burned up, so that the figure of this world8 will perish by the conflagration of the world's fires, as the flood came about by the inundation of the waters. — But the figure of this world is said to pass away, not as regards the total destruction of this sensible world, but because through the action of that fire, which sets ablaze all elemental things, plants and animals will be consumed, the elements will be purged and renewed — most of all air and earth — the just will be purged and the reprobate scorched; and when these things are done, the motion of the heaven will also cease, so that thus, when the number of the elect is complete, there may come about in a certain way the renewal and rewarding of the world's bodies9.

Now the reason for the understanding of the aforesaid is this: since the universal principle of things, being most wise — although in all the things which it does it attends to the order of wisdom, yet most of all it must attend to it in those things which regard the consummation; so that thus the first may not be out of accord with the middle, nor the middle with the last, but that in all things most fittingly ordered there may appear that first principle's ordering wisdom and goodness and loftiness. Since therefore God, according to his most ordered wisdom, made this whole sensible and greater world for the sake of the lesser world, namely man10, who is placed in the middle between God and these lower things; hence it is that, p. 285 in order that all things may be mutually congruent and the dwelling have harmony with the dweller, man being well instituted, this world had to be instituted in a good and quiet state; man falling, this world too had to be made worse; man being disturbed, it had to be disturbed; man being purged out, it had to be purged out; man being renewed, it had to be renewed; and man being consummated, it had to be brought to rest1.

First, therefore, since this world must be disturbed, man being disturbed — as it stood with him standing and in a certain way fell with him falling; and since in the future judgment, for the showing forth of the Judge's severity, it is necessary that the hearts of all be terrified, and most of all those of sinners, who despised the Lord of all things, so that thus every creature may take up the divine zeal2 and be conformed to its Author, and conformed also to its dweller: it is necessary that the hinges of the whole world be most horribly shaken. And because nothing more intensely and more swiftly and more horribly in its acting shakes the other elements than fire running together from this side and that out of every quarter: hence it is that it is necessary that fire go before the face of the Judge himself, not from one quarter only, but from every quarter of the world, so that there may be there a concurrence of elemental and terrestrial fire, of purgatorial and also of infernal fire, so that by the infernal the reprobate may be scorched, by the purgatorial the just may be purged, by the terrestrial these things growing from the earth may be consumed, by the elemental the elements may be made subtle and disposed toward the face of the renewal, and together with this the rest may be thrown into confusion, so that not only men and demons, but the Angels also, beholding it, may be terrified.

Again, since this world must be purged along with man who is to be purged out3; and man, in the state of the final time, needs to be purged from the dross of avarice and of malice, as in the first time from the dregs of luxury; and needs also to be purged both swiftly and inwardly and perfectly: hence it is that, just as the world was formerly destroyed and in a certain way purged through the element of water, which is cold, against the burning and the dregs of luxury; so the final world is purged through fire, on account of the cooling of charity4 and the coldness of malice and avarice, which will reign at the end as in the old age of the world itself. And because these are adherences of the greatest kind, it is necessary that what purges be of an inward, violent and accelerated action; which does not happen to be found in any other element than in fire. And therefore, as the flood came about by the inundation of the waters, so through the action of fire the face of this sensible world will be burned up5.

Further, since this world must be renewed along with man who is renewed6; and nothing can be renewed into a new form unless it lose the old one and be in a certain way disposed by a new disposition superinduced: hence it is that, since fire most of all has the power expulsive of an extraneous form, and has also a subtiliating force akin to the celestial nature: therefore through it there must come about purgation together with renewal, in such wise that, since it has a twofold efficacy, as regards one part it goes before the Judge's coming, but as regards the remaining part it has to follow. And since renewal is toward a newness which no more returns to oldness, and through this toward an incorruptible newness, which it is not in the power of any creature to give: hence it is that, although in that purgation and renewal fire does something through its natural power — as to set ablaze, to purge, to rarefy and to make subtle — nevertheless it is necessary that together with that natural power there be a power operating above nature, by whose command the beginning of the conflagration will come about, and by whose power its completion will none the less come about.

Lastly, since this world must be consummated, man being consummated; and man is then consummated when in glory the number of the elect shall have been completed, toward which state indeed all things tend as toward the last and complete end: it is necessary that, when7 the completion of that number has been made, the motions of the celestial nature be terminated and brought to rest; it is necessary also that the elemental transmutations be terminated; it is necessary also, in consequence, that generation be terminated, which is in animals and in plants. For since all these things are ordered toward the most noble form, which indeed is the rational soul; when a settled state has been posited in souls8, it is necessary that the settled state and completion be posited in the other things that precede. — And therefore the celestial bodies, having obtained rest and the fullness of light, are said to be rewarded. But the elements, which no longer have the force of multiplying through mutual transmutation, are said to perish, not as regards substance, but as regards mutual action and passion, and this most of all as regards the active qualities. But plants and sensible things, because they do not have the power for perpetual life and everlasting duration, such as befits p. 286 the state of that nobility, must be consumed in their proper nature — yet in such wise that they are preserved in their principles and in a certain way in something like them, namely in man, who has a likeness with every kind of creature1; and therefore in his renewal and glorification all things can be said to be renewed and in a certain way rewarded.

---

Apparatus Criticus
  1. 7
    De his duobus agitur in hoc et seq. cap. — Superius posuimus adiiciendum secundum multos codd., inter quos M P R, pro dicendum, F addendum.
    These two are treated in this and the following chapter. — Above we have set adiiciendum according to many codices, among which M P R, in place of dicendum; F has addendum.
  2. 8
    Epist. I. Cor. 7, 31: Praeterit enim figura etc. — De diluvio cfr. Gen. 7, 1. seqq. Vide etiam II. Petr. 2, 5. et 3, 6. seqq. Inferius pro diluvium E K M et 2 diluvii, aliae edd. tempore diluvii.
    1 Corinthians 7:31: For the figure of this world passeth away, etc. — On the flood cf. Genesis 7:1 ff. See also 2 Peter 2:5 and 3:6 ff. Below, for diluvium E K M and edition 2 read diluvii, the other editions tempore diluvii.
  3. 9
    De hoc cap. vide IV. Sent. d. 47. a. 2. et d. 48. a. 2. — I K L U V praemiatio caelestium et mundanorum.
    On this chapter see IV Sent. d. 47, a. 2, and d. 48, a. 2. — I K L U V read praemiatio caelestium et mundanorum.
  4. 10
    Cfr. supra Prolog. § 2. et p. II. c. 4. in fine.
    Cf. above, the Prologue § 2, and part II, c. 4, at the end.
  5. 1
    Vide Glossam in Isai. 30, 26. tom. IV. pag. 989, nota 7. — Plures codd., inter quos F I K L O U V, et 2 consummari.
    See the Gloss on Isaiah 30:26, vol. IV, p. 989, note 7. — Several codices, among which F I K L O U V, and edition 2, read consummari.
  6. 2
    Respicitur Sap. 5, 18: Accipiet armaturam zelus illius et armabit creaturam ad ultionem inimicorum. Subinde respicitur Matth. 24, 29: Virtutes caelorum commovebuntur. — Inferius pro commovet I K L O V et commovendo.
    Reference is made to Wisdom 5:18: His zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies. Thereupon reference is made to Matthew 24:29: The powers of the heavens shall be moved. — Below, for commovet I K L O V read et commovendo.
  7. 3
    Vat., 1 et 3 expurgato. Subinde pro faece H M foetore; similiter inferius pro faecem M substituit foetorem, quod etiam edd., excepta 2, exhibent. Pro sicut mundus prius A D I K L O et 2 sicut primus mundus.
    The Vatican edition, 1 and 3, read expurgato. Thereupon, for faece H M read foetore; similarly below, for faecem M substitutes foetorem, which the editions also exhibit, edition 2 excepted. For sicut mundus prius A D I K L O and edition 2 read sicut primus mundus.
  8. 4
    Matth. 24, 12: Et quoniam abundavit iniquitas, refrigescet caritas multorum. — Serm. 48. ad Fratres in eremo (inter opera Augustini): Omnia in homine senescunt vitia, sola avaritia iuvenescit. — Pro refrigerium D refrigidationem, I L V refrigerationem, K frigiditatem et refrigerationem.
    Matthew 24:12: And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold. — Sermon 48 to the Brethren in the Desert (among the works of Augustine): All vices grow old in man; avarice alone grows young. — For refrigerium D reads refrigidationem, I L V refrigerationem, K frigiditatem et refrigerationem.
  9. 5
    Epist. II. Petr. 3, 10: Caeli magno impetu transient, elementa vero calore solventur, terra autem et quae in ipsa sunt opera exurentur.
    2 Peter 3:10: The heavens shall pass away with great violence, but the elements shall be melted with heat, and the earth and the works which are in it shall be burnt up.
  10. 6
    A C T innovando. Inferius pro subtiliativam plures codd. subtilissimam, P subtiliandi.
    A C T read innovando. Below, for subtiliativam several codices read subtilissimam, P subtiliandi.
  11. 7
    Pro facta I terram, quae etiam subinde conquietari pro quietari. Pro completum F P U complementum.
    For facta I reads terram, which also thereupon reads conquietari for quietari. For completum F P U read complementum.
  12. 8
    Ita recte A B C D L O T V, edd. animalibus. Mox pro statum I K L O U terminum, qui etiam inferius verbo multiplicandi praefigunt se. Pro quae amplius B I K L T quia amplius.
    So rightly A B C D L O T V; the editions read animalibus. Shortly after, for statum I K L O U read terminum, which likewise below prefix se to the word multiplicandi. For quae amplius B I K L T read quia amplius.
  13. 1
    Cfr. tom. III. pag. 40, nota 8. ex Augustino et Gregorio loci allegati. — Superius ex K U V substituimus ad vitam pro et vitam.
    Cf. vol. III, p. 40, note 8, the passages there adduced from Augustine and Gregory. — Above, from K U V we have substituted ad vitam for et vitam. ---
← Pars 7, Cap. 3Pars 7, Cap. 5→