1039. On the difference between punishments and purgings
All punishment in the other life is given with a view to the spirit's betterment. The punishments are of such a nature that they almost take away evils, or furnish the ability to do good. So all punishments are intrinsically purgings, because they purge away evils by imparting the powers to speak truth and do good. But that ability is something supplementary-a gift of the Lord. For if evils were simply taken away, without the gift of abilities to do good, nothing would be left of the person, because there is nothing but evil in man.
1039. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUNISHMENTS AND VASTATIONS
Every punishment in the other life takes place for the sake of a spirit's amendment, for the nature of the punishments is such as to take away evils, as it were, or else induce the faculty of doing good. Thus all punishments, in themselves, are vastations, because they devastate evils by the induction of the faculties of speaking truth and of doing good. That faculty, however, is a superaddition - a gift of the Lord. For if evils were only taken away without the gift of the faculties of good, nothing of man would then remain, for in man there is nothing but evil.
1039. De differentia punitionum et vastationum
Omnis punitio in altera vita fit propter emendationem ejus, nam poenae tales sunt, ut auferant quasi mala, aut induunt facultatem agendi bonum, ita omnes punitiones in se sunt vastationes, quia devastant mala, per induitionem facultatum dicendi verum et agendi bonum; sed facultas ista est superadditum quid, donum Domini; si enim mala solum auferrentur, absque donatione facultatum boni, tunc nihil ab homine remaneret, quia nihil nisi malum est in homine.