Chapter 93 — That the souls of the wicked after death have their will fixed unchangeably on evil

In like manner, the souls which are punished by being deprived of happiness immediately after death become unchangeable in their will.

It has been proved (Bk. 3, ch. 144.) that, for mortal sin, the soul is condemned to eternal punishment. But this punishment of the soul would not be everlasting if its will could be changed for the better, since it would be unjust if its punishment continued after its will is good. Therefore, the will of a lost soul cannot turn towards the good.

Further. The very disorder of the will is a punishment, and is most painful, since when a man has a disordered will, good deeds are displeasing to him. The damned will be distressed to see in all things the fulfilment of God’s will, which by sinning they had resisted. Therefore, they will never lose their disordered will.

Again. The will does not turn from sin to goodness except by God’s grace, as we have proved. (Bk. 3, cc. 155, 157.) Now, whereas the souls of the just are admitted to perfect participation in the divine goodness, the souls of the damned are utterly excluded from grace. Therefore, the lost souls are unable to change their will for the better.

Again. Whereas the just look to God as the end of all their deeds and desires while in the flesh, the wicked look to an unlawful end which turns them away from God. Now the separated souls of the just will adhere unchangeably to God as the end to which they looked in this life. Therefore, the souls of the wicked will adhere unchangeably to the end which they have chosen for themselves. Hence, as the will of the just will be unchangeable to evil, so the will of the wicked will be unchangeable to the good.