Patristics

“Since, therefore, we know but in part, we ought to leave all sorts of [difficult] questions in the hands of Him who in some measure, [and that only,] bestows grace on us. That eternal fire, [for instance,] is prepared for sinners, both the Lord has plainly declared, and the rest of the Scriptures demonstrate. And that God foreknew that this would happen, the Scriptures to in like manner demonstrate, sense He prepared eternal fire from the beginning for those who were [afterwards] to transgress [His Commandments]; but the cause itself of the nature of such transgressors neither has any Scripture informed us, nor has and apostle told us, nor has the Lord taught us, it becomes us, therefore, to leave the knowledge of this matter to God,….” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, II:28:7, ANF, 1:401