Introduction
-
Division (see above)
1) First part: the necessity of Hell (against Tertullian’s heretical theory) is demonstrated in three ways:
1. By testimony: a. of the pagans (references to Vergil, Macrobius, Cicero, Plato, Mecurius[?]); b. of the Judaic Law (references to Genesis, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah); c. of Christians (references to the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed and to Luke);
2. By reason: a. just as good people obtain Heaven, i.e. eternal reward, so bad people have to pay an eternal punishment; b. just as good people receive joy and eternal life, so bad people receive sadness and eternal death; c. just as good people get Heaven, i.e. a place high in the sky and full of angels, so bad people get Hell, i.e. an underground place full of devils; d. the greater the pleasure in sinning, the greater the punishment.
3. By examples (references to Numbers and Matthew).
2) Second part: three quaestiones:
1. Can the damned see what happens on earth? No (reference to Augustine, De cura pro mortuis agenda), but they can know it by conjecture or by revelation from devils or other damned souls;
2. Can the damned see the glory of the blessed? Yes, but until the final judgment; after that, only the blessed will see the damned (reference to Augustine);
3. Will the damned be able to see the benevolence of Christ on the day of final judgment? Yes, but they will not see his divinity (reference to Augustine).
3) Third part: hellfire is unique, but each damned soul feels the heat differently (reference to Gregory the Great).
Conclusion Quaestio: Is it good for Christians to keep in mind the punishment of Hell? Yes, it is useful for: a. doing penance; b. escaping temptation; c. gaining endurance; d. despising earthly glory.
... ways: 1. By testimony: a. of the pagans (references to
Vergil
, Macrobius , Cicero , Plato , Mecurius[?]); b. of...
20/1/29
T22/4 Wednesday after Laetare
Roberto Caracciolo
Introduction -
Divisio (see above)
1) First part: pride manifested itself among human beings for the first time in Adam; it is a so cruel sin that it misled even «the first angel in heaven» (i.e. Lucifer). Criticism of the «diabolical pomp» displayed by human beings in churches (direct indication to the preacher: «At this point, scold men and women for dressing lavishly»). Pride considers neither person nor time (even Jesus was tempted to pride by the devil [reference to Matthew 4, 9], and «more pride is found in prelates than in all others»).
2) Second part: greed is a «disordered appetite to have». Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas (quote from 1Timothy 6, 10); due to greed, numerous crimes are committed (exemplum: Polydorus murdered by his uncle Polymestor [reference to Vergil, Aeneid 3, 49-68]). Caracciolo continues the quote from Revelation 16 (cf. Division).
3) Third part: the content of the third cup is poured on rivers and springs (reference to Revelation 16, 4), that is, «on voluptuousness and carnal pleasure». Lust causes blindness of mind, bad counsel, inconstancy, self-love and hatred of God, desire for earthly life and desperation for eternal life. Regarding the possibility of resisting this sin, even members of the clergy should not rely on their own abilities: in fact, «there is nothing better than avoiding the “troppo domistica conversazione di femine».
4) Fourth part: wrath is a «disordered appetite for revenge»; wrath is «like a fire that consumes and burns human beings» (reference to Revelation 16, 8-9). Three types of wrath (cf. T21/2 Monday after Oculi): 1. Wrath of passion (not a sin, because it depends on the individual nature; reference to Aristotle); 2. wrath of zeal (= desire to take revenge on a bad person; exemplum: Moses angry against the idolatrous people [from Exodus 32]); 3. wrath of vice (= desire to take revenge more out of hatred than reason).
5) Fifth part: sloth is «laziness of mind, the tedium of starting something and the fear of not being able to finish it»; the slothful have dark minds (reference to the darkness caused by the cup of the fifth angel in Revelation 16, 10).
6) Sixth part: gluttony is a «disordered appetite to drink and eat»; the cup of the sixth angel dries up “the great river Euphrates” (reference to Revelation 16, 12), which represents the «insatiability of gluttony». Exempla of gluttonuous: Adam (reference to Genesis 3-4), Noah (reference to Genesis 9, 22), Lot (not Noah, as reported in the text; reference to Genesis 19, 31-37), Esau (reference to Genesis 25, 31-34), Holofernes (reference to Book of Judith 13, 1-10), Herod (reference to Matthew 14, 10; Mark 6, 17-28), the «rich man» (reference to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (beggar), from Luke 16, 19-22).
7) Seventh part: the content of the seventh cup is thrown into the air (reference to Revelation 16, 17), and this means that «the sin of envy is founded in the air and in bad will». Exempla of envious: Cain (reference to Genesis 4), Joseph (patriarch)’s brothers (reference to Genesis 37, 12-36), the priests and Jews who asked for the crucifixion of Christ.
Conclusion
The capital vices are like seven chains that bind human beings to the devil, making them slaves of sin; to escape this condition of slavery, confession is necessary.
...Polydorus murdered by his uncle Polymestor [reference to
Vergil
, _Aeneid_ 3, 49-68]). Caracciolo continues the quote...