XLIII.—Of the End of This Age.

The trumpet gives the sign in heaven, the lion being taken away, and suddenly there is darkness with the din of heaven.  The Lord casts down His eyes, so that the earth trembles.  He cries out, so that all may hear throughout the world:  Behold, long have I been silent while I bore your doings in such a time.  They cry out together, complaining and groaning too late.  They howl, they bewail; nor is there room found for the wicked.  What shall the mother do for the sucking child, when she herself is burnt up?  In the flame of fire the Lord will judge the wicked.  But the fire shall not touch the just, but shall by all means lick them up.12    [The translator here inserts a mark of interrogation.  The meaning is:  lick up them (the wicked) who have persecuted them.  Dan. iii. 22.]  In one place they delay, but a part has wept at the judgment.  Such will be the heat, that the stones themselves shall melt.  The winds assemble into lightnings, the heavenly wrath rages; and wherever the wicked man fleeth, he is seized upon by this fire.  There will be no succour nor ship of he sea.  Amen13    [Rev. iii. 14.] flames on the nations, and the Medes and Parthians burn for a thousand years, as the hidden words of John declare.  For then after a thousand years they are delivered over to Gehenna; and he whose work they were, with them are burnt up.

XLIII.---DE SAECULI ISTIUS FINE.

Dat tuba coelo signum, sublato leone; Et fiunt subito tenebrae cum coeli fragore. Summittit oculos Dominus ut terra tremiscat; Adclamat ut et audiant omnes in orbem: Ecce diu tacui sufferens tanto tempore vestra. Conclamant pariter plangentes sero gementes; Ululatur, ploratur, nec spatium datur iniquis. Lactanti quid faciet mater? cum ipsa crematur. In flamma ignis Dominus judicabit iniquos: Justos autem non tanget ignis, sed immo delinget. Sub uno morantur, sed pars in sententia flevit. 0234B Tantus erit ardor, ut lapides ipsi liquescant; In fulmina coeunt venti, furit ira coelestis, Ut quacumque fugit impius, occupatur ab igne. Suppetium nullum erit, nec nautica puppis: Flammat Amen gentes, et Medi Parthique fervent In annis mille, ut ferunt operta Joannis. Nam inde post annos mille gehennae traduntur, Et fabrica cujus erant, cum ipse cremantur.