Theophilus. Saint Peter doth give us most evident witness, writing of the wicked and reprobate after this manner: how will God spare them, if he have not spared 1the Angels that have sinned: but hath cast them down into hell, & delivered them into chains of darkness, to be kept unto judgement? And by and by after he saith moreover: the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement. We cannot deny, but that the devils 2and reprobate are already in torment, and but that they are already drowned in the bottom of hell, sith that they are rejected of God, & that they are in his wrath • indignation. But yet nevertheless by the words of saint Peter we may easily understand that they do attend and •ari• for yet, a certain more grievous judgement, & gods anger more fearful then they have feeled. But for to make thee to understand more plainly that which I think, I will expound it unto thee by a similitude and comparison taken of the very words of S. Peter. When a malefactor hath committed some certain great crime, worthy of death 3& grievous punishment, there is no doubt, but y• he feeleth his condemnation in his conscience, as soon as he hath committed the evil deed. He hath his conscience which is his ⟨p. 248⟩4accuser: for a witness: for a judge and for a hangman: and it can be none otherwise. His conscience •yteth and 5accuseth him. Afterwards he cometh to be vanquished of his misdeeds, by his own proper witness, which availeth more then a thousand witnesses. And after it hath vanquished him, it condemneth him. And even as it constraineth them to witness against themselves, so it constraineth them, to condemn themselves, insomuch that although all the Angels and all the men of the world, would clear them and pronounce them to be righteous and just, yet nevertheless they cannot absolve and clear themselves, nor avoid their own judgement. Now after y• sentence given, it must be that it be put in execution, and that the malefactor be delivered into the hands of the hangman: the which he need not to seek far, nor out of himself. His conscience with the rest, doth yet that office: the which whippeth and tormenteth him so cruelly that he cannot have rest day nor night. If he see any talk together, he thinketh they talk of him.
Theophilus. Saint Péeter doth giue vs most euident witnesse, writing of the wicked and reprobate after this manner: howe will God spare them, if he haue not spared 1the Angels that haue sinned: but hath cast them down into hell, & deliuered them into chaynes of darkenesse, to be kept vnto iudgement? And by and by after he saith moreouer: the Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the godly out of temptation, and howe to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement. We cannot deny, but that the diuels 2and reprobate are alreadie in torment, and but that they are alreadie drowned in the bottome of hell, sith that they are reiected of God, & that they are in his wrath • indignation. But yet neuerthelesse by the words of saint Peter we may easely vnderstand that they doe attend and •ari• for yet, a certeine more grieuous iudgement, & gods anger more fearefull then they haue féeled. But for to make thée to vnderstand more plainely that which I thinke, I will expounde it vnto thée by a similitude and comparison taken of the very words of S. Peter. When a malefactor hath cōmitted some certein great cryme, worthy of death 3& grieuous punishment, there is no doubt, but y• he féeleth his condempnation in his conscience, assone as he hath cō mitted the euil déede. He hath his conscience which is his ⟨p. 248⟩4accusor: for a witnesse: for a iudge and for a hangeman: and it can be none otherwise. His conscience •yteth and 5accuseth him. Afterwardes he commeth to be vanquished of hys misdéedes, by his owne proper witnesse, which avayleth more then a thousand witnesses. And after it hath vanquished hym, it condempneth him. And euen as it constrayneth them to witnesse against themselues, so it constrayneth them, to condempne themselues, insomuch that although all the Angels and all the men of the worlde, woulde cleare them and pronounce them to be righteous and iust, yet neuerthelesse they cannot absolue and cleare themselues, nor auoide their owne iudgement. Now after y• sentēce giuen, it must be that it be put in execution, and that the malefactor be deliuered into the hands of the hangeman: the which he néede not to séeke farre, nor out of himselfe. His conscience with the rest, doth yet that office: the which whippeth and tormenteth him so cruelly that he cannot haue rest day nor night. If he sée any talke together, he thinketh they talke of hym.
- 12. Peter. 2. 2. 4.
- 22. Peter. 2. b. 9
- 3The beginning of gods judgmentThe beginning of gods iudgmēt
- 4Conscience. C•nsc••ncia […] ••st••.Conscience. C•nsc••ncia 〈…〉 ••st••.
- 5I•••nal. Sa•y. 13. Cur tamen hos tu. Evasisse pute• quos d••• cons••• sacti. Meus reddit attonitos, & surdo verbere c•dit. Occultum qu• ti•nt• an•mum tortore st•gellū. Item. Exemplo qu•d cunque malo committitur ipsi. Displicet autori prima haec est ul•••, quod se Judi•• nemo no••ns absoluitur. Item. Nocte d••que suum gestat •n pectore testem. Spartano cut dam respondst Pythia •ates Deut. 28
