regard them as the composition of a Syrian Christian, and assign to them the date of the fifth century; and as offering indications of the opinions of Christians at the time of their being put together, they are certainly interesting documents.  When fairly quoted, the passages alleged in defence of the invocation of saints, so far from countenancing the practice, assail irresistibly that principle, which, with other writers, Bellarmin himself confesses to be the foundation of that doctrine.  For these Books of Questions assert that the souls of the faithful are not yet in glory with God, but are reserved in a separate state, apart from the wicked, awaiting the great day of final and universal doom.  In answer to Question 60, the author distinctly says:—­“Before the resurrection the recompense is not made for the things done in this life by each individual.” [Quaestiones et Responsiones ad Orthodoxos, p. 464.]

In reply to the 75th Question, inquiring into the condition of man after death, this very remarkable answer is returned:—­

“The same relative condition which souls have with the body now, they have not after the departure from the body.  For here all the circumstances of the union {102} are in common to the just and the unjust, and no difference is in them in this respect,—­as to be born and to die, to be in health and to be in sickness, to be rich and to be poor, and the other points of this nature.  But after the departure from the body, forthwith takes place the distinction of the just and the unjust:  for they are conducted by the angels to places corresponding with their deserts:  the souls of the just to paradise, where is the company and the sight of angels and archangels, and also, by vision, of the Saviour Christ, according to what is said, ’Being absent from the body, and present with the Lord;’ and the souls of the unjust to the places in hades, according to what is said of Nebucodonosor king of Babylon, ’Hades from beneath hath been embittered, meeting thee.’—­And in the places corresponding with their deserts they are kept in ward unto the day of the resurrection and of retribution.” [Page 469.]

I much regret to observe that Bellarmin omits to quote the latter part of this passage, stopping short with an “&c.” at the words hades, or inferorum loca, although the whole of the writer’s testimony in it turns upon the very last clause. [Bellarmin, c. iv. p. 851.  “Improborum autem ad inferorum loca.”]

The next question (76) runs thus:  “If the retribution of our deeds does not take place before the resurrection, what advantage accrued to the thief that his soul was introduced into paradise; especially since paradise is an object of sense, and the substance of the soul is not an object of sense?