Dist. 45, Art. 1, Q. 3
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/4/d/45/q/bon-sent-IV-d45-a1-q3
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### Question III. *Whether souls ever go forth from their abodes.*

Thirdly it is asked whether souls ever go forth from their abodes. And that they do not, seems [to be the case].

1. The Psalm: *That I may dwell in the house of the Lord.*

2. Likewise, of the wicked in particular, Job the seventh: *He that goeth down to hell shall not come up.*

3. Likewise, either place does *something*, or *nothing*. If *nothing*: therefore no reason is apparent why they should be in a determinate place rather [than elsewhere]; if *something*: therefore, since the glory of the good ought not to be diminished, nor the punishment of the wicked, therefore they neither can nor ought ever to go out.

4. Likewise, we cannot change our *place* without also changing our *state*; hence when we die, we are not in a state of meriting: therefore neither are they; but their *state* is unchangeable: therefore their *place* also.

**On the contrary:** 1. The Saints visit many and appear to many, as is plain in the lives of the Saints: therefore, if the apparition is true, it seems that they are where they appear; but they are not at once in heaven and on earth: therefore they do sometimes withdraw from their dwellings.

2. Likewise, the demons are about us and harass us, who nevertheless are deserving of a greater punishment than the souls: therefore if they [can], much more strongly can souls also be about us.

3. Likewise, it is agreed that the resurrection and the judgment of all will be at once: therefore it is necessary that both the blessed and the damned [souls] come to their bodies and to the common place.

4. Likewise, God is everywhere equally, therefore the soul can everywhere equally enjoy God: therefore, if beatitude is enjoyment, the blessed soul can go where it wills: therefore, by parity of reasoning, the damned [soul] also.

5. Likewise, Gregory in the *Dialogue* narrates the raising up of certain persons whose souls were in paradise and in hell: therefore, etc.

### Conclusion

> *The souls of the blessed can, before the day of judgment, sometimes change their place for a time; not so the damned.*

**I respond:** It must be said that abodes of this kind are given to some according to God's counsel and *higher* causes, to others according to the sentence and *lower* causes. Those second ones can, by a change of the divine sentence, at the prayers of the Saints, be called back from places of this kind; and just as they change their *state*, so also their *place*. But the first, who according to unchangeable causes have been assigned to places of this kind, will not go forth finally; it is nevertheless possible for them to go forth for a time. But the going-forth for a time is either for *receiving the complete remuneration*, and thus both the good and the wicked will go forth on the day of judgment; or for *accomplishing some operation*, and thus the Blessed go forth, but never the damned. — And the reason of this is that the Blessed can help us by calling back, by teaching, by strengthening, by delivering; but the damned are bound with respect to every work. *Again*, punishment depends upon place, and glory does not, because it is from God, who is everywhere. — Therefore the reasons proving that the good sometimes change the places of their reception are to be granted.

To that which is objected concerning the wicked by the likeness drawn from the demons, it must be said that it is not alike, because these have some operation for harassing us; and therefore they are not bound, nor utterly damned, because they are still in a state of demeriting as regards their administrative power.

**1. 2.** To that which is objected, that they do not go forth; it is true finally: those who by a definitive sentence have been damned.

**3.** To that which is objected, what place does; I say that in the good it is only for fittingness, in the wicked it is more, because it increases the punishment; and therefore these do not go forth as those do.

**4.** To the other the answer is plain: because it is not possible for us to go into heaven, but for those who are in heaven it is possible to come to earth, because the soul is *freer*, since it is unclothed, and *more powerful*, since it is blessed; but the wicked cannot, because they are not permitted.

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