On Care to Be Had for the Dead.

 1. Long time, my venerable fellow-bishop Paulinus, have I been thy Holiness’s debtor for an answer even since thou wrotest to me by them of the house

 2. But this being the case, how to this opinion that should not be contrary which the Apostle says, “For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat o

 3. Possibly thy inquiry is satisfied by this my brief reply. But what other considerations move me, to which I think meet to answer, do thou for a sho

 4. “But” (say I) “in such a slaughter-heap of dead bodies, could they not even be buried? not this, either, doth pious faith too greatly dread, holdin

 5. Yet it follows not that the bodies of the departed are to be despised and flung aside, and above all of just and faithful men, which bodies as orga

 6. If this be true, doubtless also the providing for the interment of bodies a place at the Memorials of Saints, is a mark of a good human affection t

 7. When therefore the faithful mother of a faithful son departed desired to have his body deposited in the basilica of a Martyr, forasmuch as she beli

 8. We read in the Ecclesiastical History which Eusebius wrote in Greek, and Ruffinus turned into the Latin tongue, of Martyr’s bodies in Gaul exposed

 9. And yet, by reason of that affection of the human heart, whereby “no man ever hateth his own flesh,” if men have reason to know that after their de

 10. This affection the Martyrs of Christ contending for the truth did overcome: and it is no marvel that they despised that whereof they should, when

 11. In regard to that woful compassion which I have mentioned, are those praised, and by king David blessed, who to the dry bones of Saul and Jonathan

 12. Stories are told of certain appearances or visions, which may seem to bring into this discussion a question which should not be slighted. It is sa

 13. Such, however, is human infirmity, that when in a dream a person shall see a dead man, he thinks it is the soul that he sees: but when he shall in

 14. Like dreams, moreover, are also some visions of persons awake, who have had their senses troubled, such as phrenetic persons, or those who are mad

 15. Similar to this is also that condition when persons, with their senses more profoundedly in abeyance than is the case in sleep, are occupied with

 16. Why should we not believe these to be angelic operations through dispensation of the providence of God, Who maketh good use of both good things an

 17. Some man may say: “If there be not in the dead any care for the living, how is it that the rich man, who was tormented in hell, asked father Abrah

 18. So then we must confess that the dead indeed do not know what is doing here, but while it is in doing here: afterwards, however, they hear it from

 19. Hence too is solved that question, how is it that the Martyrs, by the very benefits which are given to them that pray, indicate that they take an

 20. Howbeit it is a question which surpasses the strength of my understanding, after what manner the Martyrs aid them who by them, it is certain, are

 21. Such, we may believe, was that John the Monk, whom the elder Theodosius, the Emperor, consulted concerning the issue of the civil war: seeing he h

 22. Which things being so, let us not think that to the dead for whom we have a care, any thing reaches save what by sacrifices either of the altar, o

 23. Here, to the things thou hast thought meet to inquire of me, thou hast such reply as I have been able to render: which if it be more than enough p

18. So then we must confess that the dead indeed do not know what is doing here, but while it is in doing here: afterwards, however, they hear it from those who from hence go to them at their death; not indeed every thing, but what things those are allowed to make known who are suffered also to remember these things; and which it is meet for those to hear, whom they inform of the same. It may be also, that from the Angels, who are present in the things which are doing here, the dead do hear somewhat, which for each one of them to hear He judgeth right to Whom all things are subject. For were there not Angels, who could be present in places both of quick and dead, the Lord Jesus had not said, “It came to pass also that the poor man died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.”45    Luke xvi. 22 Therefore, now here, now there, were they able to be, who from hence bore thither whom God willed. It may be also, that the spirits of the dead do learn some things which are doing here, what things it is necessary that they should know, and what persons it is necessary should know the same, not only things past or present, but even future, by the Spirit of God revealing them: like as not all men, but the Prophets while they lived here did know, nor even they all things, but only what things to be revealed to them the providence of God judged meet. Moreover, that some from the dead are sent to the living, as, on the other hand, Paul from the living was rapt into Paradise, divine Scripture doth testify.46    2 Cor. xii. 4 For Samuel the Prophet, appearing to Saul when living, predicted even what should befall the king:47    1 Sam. xxviii. 11–19 although some think it was not Samuel himself, that could have been by magical arts evoked, but that some spirit, meet for so evil works, did figure his semblance:48    Quæst. ad Simplicianum, lib. ii. qu. 4. though the book Ecclesiasticus, which Jesus, son of Sirach, is reputed to have written, and which on account of some resemblance of style is pronounced to be Solomon’s,49    Retract. ii. 4, and “On Christian Doctrine,” book ii. chap. viii., vol. ii. p. 539. Ben. ed. contains in the praise of the Fathers, that Samuel even when dead did prophesy. But if this book be spoken against from the canon of the Hebrews,50    Ecclus. xlvi. 20 (because it is not contained therein,) what shall we say of Moses, whom certainly we read both in Deuteronomy to have died,51    Deut. xxxiv. 5 and in the Gospel to have, together with Elias who died not, appeared unto the living?52    Matt. xvii. 3

CAPUT XV.

18. Mortui quomodo sciant quid hic agatur. Proinde fatendum est nescire quidem mortuos quid hic agatur, sed dum hic agitur: postea vero audire ab eis qui hinc ad eos moriendo pergunt; non quidem omnia, sed quae sinuntur indicare, qui sinuntur etiam ista meminisse; et quae illos, quibus haec indicant, oportet audire. Possunt et ab Angelis, qui rebus quae aguntur hic, praesto sunt, audire aliquid mortui, quod unumquemque illorum audire debere 0606 judicat cui cuncta subjecta sunt. Nisi enim essent Angeli qui possent interesse et vivorum et mortuorum locis, non dixisset Dominus Jesus: Contigit autem mori inopem illum, et auferri ab Angelis in sinum Abrahae (Luc. XVI, 22-29). Nunc ergo hic, nunc ibi esse potuerunt, qui hinc illuc quem Deus voluit abstulerunt. Possunt etiam spiritus mortuorum aliqua quae hic aguntur quae necessarium est eos nosse, et quos necessarium est ea nosse , non solum praeterita vel praesentia, verum etiam futura Spiritu Dei revelante cognoscere: sicut non omnes homines, sed Prophetae dum hic viverent cognoscebant, nec ipsi omnia, sed quae illis esse revelanda Dei providentia judicabat. Mitti quoque ad vivos aliquos ex mortuis, sicut e contrario Paulus ex vivis in paradisum raptus est, divina Scriptura testatur (II Cor. XII, 2). Nam Samuel propheta defunctus vivo Saüli etiam regi futura praedixit (I Reg. XXVIII, 7 19): quamvis nonnulli non ipsum fuisse qui potuisset magicis artibus evocari, sed aliquem spiritum tam malis operibus congruentem illius existiment similitudinem figurasse : cum liber Ecclesiasticus, quem Jesus filius Sirach scripsisse traditur, et propter eloquii nonnullam similitudinem Salomonis pronuntiatur , contineat in laude patrum, quod Samuel etiam mortuus prophetaverit (Eccli. XLVI, 23). Sed si huic libro ex Hebraeorum (quia in eorum non est) canone contradicitur; quid de Moyse dicturi sumus, qui certe et in Deuteronomio mortuus (Deut. XXXIV, 5), et in Evangelio cum Elia, qui mortuus non est, legitur apparuisse viventibus (Matth. XVII, 3)?