may, as it were, trace out the terribleness of that fire which Almighty God has prepared under it for such as sacrifice their souls to the devil.
Colloquy. — O eternal King, who preparedst heaven and hell, to cherish in the one the righteous with the gentle breath of Thy charity, and to torment the wicked in the other with the burning blast of Thy indignation, visit me with the breath of Thy divine inspiration, that I may always be mindful of these two places, preparing myself by Thy grace by such a manner of life that I may attain to the one and be for ever free from the other! Amen.
v. " For the devil and his angels!" — He says likewise to them that this fire is prepared "for the devil and his angels," that they may understand that they are condemned to the perpetual company of the devils, matching them together, that those whom they imitated in sin they might imitate in pain; and seeing they made themselves of the faction of Lucifer and of his wicked angels, they should have their punishment with them and by their means, those being their executioners who were their seducers. But He says not to them, " Go" to the "fire" prepared for you, as He says to the righteous, "Come" to "the kingdom" that I have " prepared for you," in order to upbraid them with the great mercy which He would have done them; for it was not His intention to make hell to punish men, if they themselves had not through sin made themselves worthy of punishment; and had they not been like the devils impenitent, they should not have been cast into the eternal fire prepared for them.
Colloquy. — O God of vengeance, and withal Father of mercy, seeing Thou rather desirest to pardon sinners with mercy than to chastise them with vengeance, give me time of true penance, that I be not chastised with the impenitent devils! Amen.
