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Objection 1: It would seem that the limbo of hell is not the same as
Abraham's bosom. For according to Augustine (Gen. ad lit.
xxxiii): "I have not yet found Scripture mentioning hell in a
favorable sense." Now Abraham's bosom is taken in a favorable
sense, as Augustine goes on to say (Gen. ad lit. xxxiii):
"Surely no one would be allowed to give an unfavorable signification
to Abraham's bosom and the place of rest whither the godly poor man
was carried by the angels." Therefore Abraham's bosom is not the
same as the limbo of hell.
Objection 2: Further, those who are in hell see not God. Yet
God is seen by those who are in Abraham's bosom, as may be gathered
from Augustine (Confess. ix, 3) who, speaking of Nebridius,
says: "Whatever that be, which is signified by thut bosom, there
lives my Nebridius," and further on: "Now lays he not his ear to
my mouth, but his spiritual mouth unto Thy fountain, and drinketh as
much as he can receive wisdom in proportion to his thirst, endlessly
happy." Therefore Abraham's bosom is not the same as the limbo of
hell.
Objection 3: Further, the Church prays not that a man be taken to
hell: and yet she prays that the angels may carry the departed soul to
Abraham's bosom. Therefore it would seem that Abraham's bosom is
not the same as limbo.
On the contrary, The place whither the beggar Lazarus was taken is
called Abraham's bosom. Now he was taken to hell, for as a gloss
[St. Gregory, Moral. xx] on Job 30:23, "Where a house
is appointed for every one that liveth," says: "Hell was the house
of all the living until the coming of Christ." Therefore Abraham's
bosom is the same as limbo.
Further, Jacob said to his sons (Gn. 44:38): "You will
bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to hell": wherefore Jacob knew
that he would be taken to hell after his death. Therefore Abraham
likewise was taken to hell after his death; and consequently
Abraham's bosom would seem to be a part of hell.
I answer that, After death men's souls cannot find rest save by the
merit of faith, because "he that cometh to God must believe"
(Heb. 11:6). Now the first example of faith was given to men
in the person of Abraham, who was the first to sever himself from the
body of unbelievers, and to receive a special sign of faith: for which
reason "the place of rest given to men after death is called
Abraham's bosom," as Augustine declares (Gen. ad lit. xii).
But the souls of the saints have not at all times had the same rest
after death; because, since Christ's coming they have had complete
rest through enjoying the vision of God, whereas before Christ's
coming they had rest through being exempt from punishment, but their
desire was not set at rest by their attaining their end. Consequently
the state of the saints before Christ's coming may be considered both
as regards the rest it afforded, and thus it is called Abraham's
bosom, and as regards its lack of rest, and thus it is called the
limbo of hell. Accordingly, before Christ's coming the limbo of
hell and Abraham's bosom were one place accidentally and not
essentially: and consequently, nothing prevents Abraham's bosom from
being after Christ's coming, and from being altogether distinct from
limbo, since things that are one accidentally may be parted from one
another.
Reply to Objection 1: The state of the holy Fathers as regards
what was good in it was called Abraham's bosom, but as regards its
deficiencies it was called hell. Accordingly, neither is Abraham's
bosom taken in an unfavorable sense nor hell in a favorable sense,
although in a way they are one.
Reply to Objection 2: The place of rest of the holy Fathers was
called Abraham's bosom before as well as after Christ's coming, but
in different ways. For since before Christ's coming the saints'
rest had a lack of rest attached to it, it was called both hell and
Abraham's bosom, wherefore God was not seen there. But since after
the coming of Christ the saints' rest is complete through their seeing
God, this rest is called Abraham's bosom, but not hell by any
means. It is to this bosom of Abraham that the Church prays for the
faithful to be brought.
Hence the Reply to the Third Objection is evident: and the same
meaning applies to a gloss on Lk. 16:22, "It came to pass that
the beggar died," etc., which says: "Abraham's bosom is the rest
of the blessed poor, whose is the kingdom of heaven."
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