Purgatory (Doctrinal, Historical, and Poetical) | Page 5

according to the difference of their states. Gehenna is prepared for the
devil and his angels, whereas the empyreal Heaven is made for the
good angels. In this way, it is certain that the souls, paying their debt,
are kept in a corporeal place. This place is not heaven, for nothing that
is defiled enters there; nor is it hell, for in hell there is no redemption,
and from that place no souls can be saved.
PAIN OF LOSS AND SENSE.
The pain of loss is the want of the vision of God and of the whole of
our everlasting beatitude. The pain of sense is the suffering of
punishment specially inflicted over and above the loss of the beatitude
of Heaven.
We must assert that the souls in Purgatory suffer the pain of loss,
tempered by hope, and not like the souls in hell, which have no hope.
In the pain of sense we can distinguish two things. There is the sorrow
which follows closely the want or delay of the vision of God, and has
that for its object. There is also another pain, as it were outward, and
this is proportioned to the sensible pain which is caused in us by fire, or
any like action, contrary to nature and hurtful to it. That in Purgatory
this sorrow does follow the loss of God is most certain; for that loss, or
delay, is truly a great evil, and is most keenly felt to be such by those
souls that with all their strength love God and long to see Him.

Therefore, it is impossible for them not to feel the greatest sorrow
about that delay.
* * * * *
We must assert that, besides the pain of loss and the sorrow annexed to
it, there is in Purgatory a proper and peculiar pain of sense. This is the
more common judgment of the scholastics; and seems to be received by
the common judgment and approbation of the Church. Indeed, the
equity of the avenging justice of God requires this. The sinner, through
inordinate delight in creatures and affection for them, deserves a
punishment contrary to that delight; and if in this life he has not made
full satisfaction, he must be punished and freed by some such pain as
this, which we call the pain of sense. Theologians in common teach this,
and distinguish a proper pain of sense from the sorrow caused by the
want of the vision of God. Thus they distinguish spiritual pains, such as
sorrow for the delay of the vision, and remorse of conscience, from
corporeal pains, which come from the fire, or any other instrument of
God. These corporeal pains we comprehend under the pain of sense.
* * * * *
Whether, besides the fire, other corporeal things, such as water and
snow, are used as instruments for punishing the souls is uncertain. Bede
says that souls in Purgatory were seen to pass from very great heat to
very great cold, and then from cold to heat. St. Anselm mentions these
punishments disjunctively. He says, "or any other kind of
punishments." We cannot, therefore, speak of this with certainty.
THE PAIN OF LOSS.
In this matter we may look at the pain of loss as well as the pain of
sense. It is certain that the pain of loss is very sharp, because of the
greatness of the good for which they wait. True, it is only for a time;
yet it is rightly reckoned, as St. Thomas taught, a greater evil than any
loss in this life. He and other theologians with him mean that the
sorrow also which springs from the apprehension of this evil is greater
than any pain or sorrow here. Hence, they conclude that the pain of loss
in every way exceeds all pains of this life; for they think, as I have
already noted, that this sorrow pertains to the pain of loss, and therefore
they join this pain with privation, that the punishment may be greater in
every way.... The vision of God and the beatitude of heaven are such
that the possession of them, even for a day, could exceed all goods of

this life taken together and possessed for a long time.... Therefore, even
a short delay of such a good is a very heavy sorrow, far exceeding all
the pains of this life. The Holy Souls well understand and weigh the
greatness of this evil; and very piercing is the pain they feel, because
they know that they are suffering through their own negligence and by
their own fault.... There are, however, certain things which would seem
to have power to lessen their pain:
1. They are certain of future glory. This hope must bring them much
joy; as St. Paul