fire, and the pain do not make hell; it is the anguish at having lost God which "makes hell. S. Bruno observes, " Let torments be added to torments, so that they are not deprived of God." And S. Chrysostom, " If thou hast spoken of a thousand hells, thou hast said nothing equal to the grief of this." And S. Augustine adds, that if the lost could enjoy the sight of God, they would feel no punishment, and hell itself would be turned into heaven.
In order to understand somewhat of this punishment, let us suppose some one were to lose a gem, for example, which might be worth a hundred crowns, he would be very sorry; but if it were worth two hundred crowns, he would be doubly sorry, and if four hundred, he would be still more sorry; in short, as the value of the thing which is lost increases, so does the sorrow for the loss increase. And what good is it that the wicked will have lost? An Infinite Good, even God; and therefore, S. Thomas tells us, it is, that they certainly feel an infinite sorrow. " The pain of the lost is infinite, since it consists of the loss of Infinite Good." This punishment now, is the only one feared by the saints. S. Augustine observes, " This is punishment for those who love, not for those who despise." S. Ignatius Loyola also says, "Lord, I can endure every punishment, but I cannot bear to be deprived of Thee." But sinners never conceive of this pain, who are contented to live months and years without God, because the miserable ones are living in the midst of darkness. In death they will know the great good which they are now losing. The soul, in departing from this life, directly understands that it was created for God; as S. Antoninus teaches, "The mind separated from the body understands God to be the Highest Good, and that it was created for Him." Therefore, directly, the soul rushes forward to go and to embrace its Sovereign Good; but remaining in sin, it will be driven away by God. If a dog sees a hare, and the dog is held by a chain, what strength does he not use to break the chain, and to go and seize his prey? The soul, in being separated from the body, is naturally drawn to God; but sin divides it from God, and sends it far away to hell: " Your iniquities have separated between you and your God." (Isa. lix. 2.)
