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.”2752
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.
2753
For Samuel the
Prophet, appearing
to
Saul when living, predicted even what should
befall the king:
2754
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:
2755
| 2755 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,
2756
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,
2757
(because
it is not contained therein,) what shall we say of
Moses, whom
certainly we read both in Deuteronomy to have died,
2758
and in the
Gospel to have, together with Elias who died not, appeared unto the
living?
2759
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