Question Fourteen
Whether the pope can rescue from punishment all those existing in Purgatory
It is asked whether the pope, from the general plenitude of his judicial power, can empty all of Purgatory at once.
To this it first appears that an affirmative answer should be given, as follows. The pope upon earth is the Vicar of Christ, in On the Translation of a Bishop, chapter Inter corporalia, and chapter Quanto. Therefore he can do the things which Christ himself does.
But when Christ, in the resurrection, descended after his victory to Purgatory, by a singular grace he recompensed the residue of the punishments of those found being purged in Purgatory with the abundance of the merits of his newly completed Passion. He emptied Purgatory, leading all the souls from there with himself to heaven.
Just as the pope on the day of his election or coronation signs all petitions, and a newly crowned king, or one newly entering some city, frees all captives, so also the pope, who is Christ upon earth, can do the like and, if he wishes, empty all of Purgatory.
But to the contrary is the fact that an appropriate cause for granting indulgences is required in indulgences. Yet no appropriate cause can intervene for the pope to empty all of Purgatory at once, as Thomas says in Book IV, distinction 45. Therefore, and so forth.
I answer that it must be said that the pope, from the general plenitude of his judicial power, cannot empty all of Purgatory at once.
This conclusion is proved by a fourfold reason.
First, because, as is gathered from the foregoing, an indulgence cannot benefit the departed existing in Purgatory directly but indirectly, insofar as their friends can perform for them that for which the indulgence is ordained, provided that the form of the indulgence contains this. But it is clear that not all those in Purgatory have persons of this kind in this life who can fulfill it here for them. Therefore, and so forth.
The second reason is that, for indulgences to avail, an appropriate cause for granting the indulgences is required, Thomas says in Book IV, distinction 45. But no such cause can intervene. Therefore, and so forth.
The third reason is that a minister in dispensing ought to imitate his principal lord. For otherwise, by dispensing indiscreetly, the principal lord would not approve the dispensation. But God of himself exercises mercy in such a way that he always wishes his justice to be feared. Much more, therefore, ought God’s minister—that is, the pope—to dispense the goods of the Church and its treasure with discretion and moderation.
Hence, although temporal goods can by the pope not only be dispensed as a matter of right but even be dissipated as a matter of fact—though divine law would then declare that it ought to have been done otherwise—spiritual goods nevertheless cannot be dissipated or distributed contrary to divine acceptance.
Fourth, because every minister ought to imitate the manner of him whose ministry he exercises. But Christ, whose universal minister the Supreme Pontiff is, when descending to Purgatory did not lead all souls from there, as Thomas says in Part III, question 52, article 8, but only those who had completed their time of purgation.
For, as he says, the power of Christ’s Passion did not have greater efficacy at the beginning, following the Passion and the victory over the infernal regions, than it has now. For his Passion does not have a temporal and transitory power but an everlasting one, according to Hebrews 10: “By one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.” But now, by the power of Christ’s Passion, none are freed from Purgatory except those who have completed the time of their purgation. Therefore also then those who had not fulfilled the punishment and time of purgation were not liberated from Purgatory by Christ.
Concerning the argument to the contrary, which is from Blessed Vincent and Lord Henry of Hesse, it is said that it should be understood that Christ freed all from Purgatory by force of mercy, but not by force of justice. Vincent and Henry of Hesse understood it in this way.
These things are from Saint Thomas in the place cited above, Lord Bonaventure in Book IV, distinction 20, and Lord John of Torquemada upon the Decree in the place cited above.
Addition
I shall not pass over this untouched either. If someone should say with the heretics of this age: “If the keys extend to Purgatory, why does the pope not empty Purgatory? Why does he not rescue everyone from those punishments?” I say not only, with the author, that Christ is believed not to have done this in his descent to the infernal regions, much less ought the Pontiff, who acts in his place upon earth, to effect it; but also that, if the pope were to do this, it would be unfitting, since to vindicate all souls from the torments of Purgatory would be to take away the suffrages through which not only the souls of the departed are helped but the living also merit.
For the pope does two things. First, he gives indulgences for the dead, lest he be accused of impiety. Second, he provides the means by which not only they are loosed but we merit. Nevertheless, he does not liberate all, because not all have merited to be liberated, as Blessed Augustine teaches in the Enchiridion and as is held in cause 13, question 2, canon Tempus.