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Objection 1: It would seem that this fire will not have such an
effect on men as is described in the text (Sent. iv, D, 47).
For a thing is said to be consumed when it is reduced to naught. Now
the bodies of the wicked will not be reduced to naught, but will be
kept for eternity, that they may bear an eternal punishment.
Therefore this fire will not consume the wicked, as stated in the
text.
Objection 2: Further, if it be said that it will consume the bodies
of the wicked by reducing them to ashes; on the contrary, as the
bodies of the wicked, so will those of the good be brought to ashes:
for it is the privilege of Christ alone that His flesh see not
corruption. Therefore it will consume also the good who will then be
found.
Objection 3: Further, the stain of sin is more abundant in the
elements, as combining together to the formation of the human body
wherein is the corruption of the fomes [FS, Question 83,
Article 3; FS, Question 91, Article 6] even in the good,
than in the elements existing outside the human body. Now the elements
existing outside the human body will be cleansed on account of the stain
of sin. Much therefore will the elements in the human body whether of
the good or of the wicked need to be cleansed, and consequently the
bodies of both will need to be destroyed.
Objection 4: Further, as long as the state of the way lasts the
elements act in like manner on the good and the wicked. Now the state
of the way will still endure in that conflagration, since after this
state of the way death will not be natural, and yet it will be caused
by that fire. Therefore that fire will act equally on good and
wicked; and consequently it does not seem that any distinction is made
between them as to their being affected by that fire, as stated in the
text.
Objection 5: Further, this fire will have done its work in a moment
as it were. Yet there will be many among the living in whom there will
be many things to be cleansed. Therefore that fire will not suffice
for their cleansing.
I answer that, This fire of the final conflagration, in so far as it
will precede the judgment, will act as the instrument of Divine
justice as well as by the natural virtue of fire. Accordingly, as
regards its natural virtue, it will act in like manner on the wicked
and good who will be alive, by reducing the bodies of both to ashes.
But in so far as it acts as the instrument of Divine justice, it will
act differently on different people as regards the sense of pain. For
the wicked will be tortured by the action of the fire; whereas the good
in whom there will be nothing to cleanse will feel no pain at all from
the fire, as neither did the children in the fiery furnace (Dan.
3); although their bodies will not be kept whole, as were the bodies
of the children: and it will be possible by God's power for their
bodies to be destroyed without their suffering pain. But the good, in
whom matter for cleansing will be found, will suffer pain from that
fire, more or less according to their different merits.
On the other hand, as regards the action which this fire will have
after the judgment, it will act on the damned alone, since the good
will all have impassible bodies.
Reply to Objection 1: Consumption there signifies being brought,
not to nothing, but to ashes.
Reply to Objection 2: Although the bodies of the good will be
reduced to ashes by the fire, they will not suffer pain thereby, as
neither did the children in the Babylonian furnace. In this respect a
distinction is drawn between the good and the wicked.
Reply to Objection 3: The elements that are in human bodies, even
in the bodies of the elect, will be cleansed by fire. But this will
be done, by God's power, without their suffering pain.
Reply to Objection 4: This fire will act not only according to the
natural power of the element, but also as the instrument of Divine
justice.
Reply to Objection 5: There are three reasons why those who will be
found living will be able to be cleansed suddenly. One is because
there will be few things in them to be cleansed, since they will be
already cleansed by the previous fears and persecutions. The second is
because they will suffer pain both while living and of their own will:
and pain suffered in this life voluntarily cleanses much more than pain
inflicted after death, as in the case of the martyrs, because "if
anything needing to be cleansed be found in them, it is cut off by the
sickle of suffering," as Augustine says (De Unic. Bap. xiii),
although the pain of martyrdom is of short duration in comparison with
the pain endured in purgatory. The third is because the heat will gain
in intensity what it loses in shortness of time.
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