32. In this passage all
room for doubt is removed. In the former passage you said that those
who before hoped in Christ are those who, before they were born in
bodies in this visible world, dwelt in heaven and had hope in Christ.
But, to prevent this being supposed to be your own doctrine, you
introduced another interpretation, namely, that at that time when every
knee shall bow to Jesus as Lord, the universal creation, of things
heavenly, earthly and infernal, will consist of persons subjected to
him in two different ways, some willingly, some by necessity. You add
that all the saints, who now believe on him through the word of
preaching are subject to him willingly, and that these are called
Fore-hopers, that is those who have beforehand hoped in Christ: but
that those who are subject to him by necessity are those who have not
believed now through the preaching of the word, but who then will no
longer be able to deny him, such as the devil and his angels, and those
who with them have been obliged by necessity to believe: and that all
these, and amongst them the devil and his angels, who shall afterwards
believe, shall not be called Fore-hopers, because that name belongs to
those who believed in Christ before, and hoped in him willingly,
whereas these others only did so afterward and by necessity: and you
add that, consequently, they will receive different rewards. But you
assign rewards, though they may be inferior ones, to all, even to those
who now do not believe, that is, the devil and his angels; and, though
now you hold the mere opinion, not the mature judgment, of another
worthy of condemnation who thinks it possible that the devil may one
day have a respite from punishment, you bring him into the kingdom of
God to receive the second reward. This also you wish us to understand,
that, as it matters not whether Christ is preached in truth or by
necessity, so it is of no consequence whether we believe by necessity
or willingly.