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De civitate Dei (CCSL)

Caput XVII: De his, qui putant nullorum hominum poenas in aeternum esse mansuras.

Nunc iam cum misericordibus nostris agendum esse uideo et pacifice disputandum, qui uel omnibus illis hominibus, quos iustissimus iudex dignos gehennae supplicio iudicabit, uel quibusdam eorum nolunt credere poenam sempiternam futuram, sed post certi temporis metas pro cuiusque peccati quantitate longioris siue breuioris eos inde existimant liberandos. qua in re misericordior profecto fuit Origenes, qui et ipsum diabolum atque angelos eius post grauiora pro meritis et diuturniora supplicia ex illis cruciatibus eruendos et sociandos sanctis angelis credidit. sed illum et propter hoc et propter alia nonnulla et maxime propter alternantes sine cessatione beatitudines et miserias et statutis saeculorum interuallis ab istis ad illas atque ab illis ad istas itus ac reditus interminabiles non inmerito reprobauit ecclesia; quia et hoc, quod misericors uidebatur, amisit faciendo sanctis ueras miserias, quibus poenas luerent, et falsas beatitudines, in quibus uerum ac securum, hoc est sine timore certum, sempiterni boni gaudium non haberent. longe autem aliter istorum misericordia humano errat adfectu, qui hominum illo iudicio damnatorum miserias temporales, omnium uero qui uel citius uel tardius liberantur aeternam felicitatem putant. quae sententia si propterea bona et uera quia misericors est, tanto erit melior et uerior quanto misericordior. extendatur ergo ac profundatur fons huius misericordiae usque ad damnatos angelos saltem post multa atque prolixa quantumlibet saecula liberandos. cur usque uniuersam naturam manat humanam, et cum ad angelicam uentum fuerit, mox arescit? non audent tamen se ulterius miserando porrigere et ad liberationem ipsius quoque diaboli peruenire. uerum si aliquis audeat, uincit nempe istos. et tamen tanto inuenitur errare deformius et contra recta dei uerba peruersius, quanto sibi uidetur sentire clementius.

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The City of God

Chapter 17.--Of Those Who Fancy that No Men Shall Be Punished Eternally.

I must now, I see, enter the lists of amicable controversy with those tender-hearted Christians who decline to believe that any, or that all of those whom the infallibly just Judge may pronounce worthy of the punishment of hell, shall suffer eternally, and who suppose that they shall be delivered after a fixed term of punishment, longer or shorter according to the amount of each man's sin. In respect of this matter, Origen was even more indulgent; for he believed that even the devil himself and his angels, after suffering those more severe and prolonged pains which their sins deserved, should be delivered from their torments, and associated with the holy angels. But the Church, not without reason, condemned him for this and other errors, especially for his theory of the ceaseless alternation of happiness and misery, and the interminable transitions from the one state to the other at fixed periods of ages; for in this theory he lost even the credit of being merciful, by allotting to the saints real miseries for the expiation of their sins, and false happiness, which brought them no true and secure joy, that is, no fearless assurance of eternal blessedness. Very different, however, is the error we speak of, which is dictated by the tenderness of these Christians who suppose that the sufferings of those who are condemned in the judgment will be temporary, while the blessedness of all who are sooner or later set free will be eternal. Which opinion, if it is good and true because it is merciful, will be so much the better and truer in proportion as it becomes more merciful. Let, then, this fountain of mercy be extended, and flow forth even to the lost angels, and let them also be set free, at least after as many and long ages as seem fit! Why does this stream of mercy flow to all the human race, and dry up as soon as it reaches the angelic? And yet they dare not extend their pity further, and propose the deliverance of the devil himself. Or if any one is bold enough to do so, he does indeed put to shame their charity, but is himself convicted of error that is more unsightly, and a wresting of God's truth that is more perverse, in proportion as his clemency of sentiment seems to be greater. ¹