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1 Thessalonians iv. 15-17.
"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are
alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise
precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself shall
descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be
caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord."
THE Prophets indeed, wishing to show the credibility of the things
said by them, before all other things say this, "The vision which
Isaiah saw" (Isa. i. 1); and again, "The word of the Lord
which came to Jeremiah" (Jer. i. 1, Sept.); and again,
"Thus saith the Lord"; with many such expressions. And many of
them even saw God sitting, as far as it was possible for them to see
Him. But Paul not having seen Him sitting, but having Christ
speaking in himself, instead of Thus saith the Lord, said, "Do ye
seek a proof of Christ speaking in me?" (2 Cor. xiii. 3.)
And again, "Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ." For the
"Apostle" speaks the things of Him who sent him; showing that
nothing is of himself. And again, "I think that I also have the
Spirit of God." (I Cor. vii. 40.) All those things
therefore he spake by the Spirit, but this, which he now says, he
heard even expressly from God. As also that which he had said
discoursing to the EIders of Ephesus, "It is more blessed to give
than to receive," he heard among things not recorded. (Acts xx.
35.)
Let us then see what he now also says. "For this we say unto you by
the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the
coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen
asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, with a
shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the last trump."
For then, he saith, "The powers of the heavens shall be shaken."
(Matt. xxiv. 29.) But wherefore with the trumpet? For we see
this on Mount Sinai too, and Angels there also. But what means the
voice of the Archangel? As he said in the parable of the Virgins,
Arise! "The Bridegroom cometh." (From Matt. xxv. 6.)
Either it means this, or that as in the case of a king, so also shall
it then be, Angels ministering at the Resurrection. For He says,
let the dead rise, and the work is done, the Angels not having power
to do this, but His word. As if upon a king's commanding and saying
it, those who were shut up should go forth, and the servants should
lead them out, yet they do this not from their own power, but from
that Voice. This also Christ says in another place: "He shall
send forth his Angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather
together his Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other." (Matt. xxiv. 31.) And everywhere you see the Angels
running to and fro. The Archangel therefore I think is he, who is
set over those who are sent forth, and who shouts thus: "Make all
men ready, for the Judge is at hand." And what is "at the last
trumpet"? Here he implies that there are many trumpets, and that at
the last the Judge descends. "And the dead," he says, "in
Christ shall rise first. Then we that are alive, that are left,
shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Ver. 18. "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
If He is about to descend, on what account shall we be caught up?
For the sake of honor. For when a king drives into a city, those who
are in honor go out to meet him; but the condemned await the judge
within. And upon the coming of an affectionate father, his children
indeed, and those who are worthy to be his children, are taken out in
a chariot, that they may see and kiss him; but those of the domestics
who have offended remain within. We are carried upon the chariot of
our Father. For He received Him up in the clouds, and "we shall
be caught up in the clouds." (Acts i. 9.) Seest thou how great
is the honor? and as He descends, we go forth to meet Him, and,
what is more blessed than all, so we shall be with Him.
"Who shall speak of the mightinesses of the Lord, and make all His
praises to be heard?" (Ps. cvi. 2, Sept.) How many blessings
has He vouchsafed to the human race! Those who are dead are raised
first, and thus the meeting takes place together. Abel who died
before all shall then meet Him together with those who are alive. So
that they in this respect will have no advantage, but he who is
corrupted, and has been so many years in the earth, shall meet Him
with them, and so all the others. For if they awaited us, that we
might be crowned, as elsewhere he says in an Epistle, "God having
provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they
should not be made perfect" (Heb. xi. 40), much more shall we
also await them; or rather, they indeed awaited, but we not at all.
For the Resurrection takes place "in a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye."
But as to the saying, that they are gathered together; they arise
indeed everywhere, but are gathered together by the Angels. The
former therefore is the work of the power of God commanding the earth
to give up its deposit, and there is no one who ministers in it, as
He then called Lazarus, "Lazarus, come forth" (John xi.
43); but the gathering is the work of ministers. But if Angels
gather them together, and run to and fro, how are they caught up
here? They are caught up after the descent, after that they are
gathered together.
For this is also done without any one being aware. For when they see
the earth agitated, the dust mingling, the bodies rising perchance on
every side, no one ministering to this, but the "shout" being
sufficient, the whole earth filled (for consider how great a thing it
is that all the men from Adam unto His coming shall then stand with
wives and children),--when they see so great a tumult upon the
earth,--then they shall know. As therefore in the Dispensation
that was in the Flesh, they had foreseen nothing of it, so also will
it then be.
When these things then are done, then also will be the voice of the
Archangel shouting and commanding the Angels, and the trumpets, or
rather the sound of the trumpet. What trembling then, what fear will
possess those that remain upon the earth. For one woman is caught up
and another is left behind, and one man is taken, and another is
passed over. (Matt. xxiv. 40, 41; Luke xvii. 34,
35.) What will be the state of their souls, when they see some
indeed taken up, but themselves left behind? Will not these things be
able to shake their souls more terribly than any hell? Let us
represent then in word that this is now present. For if sudden death,
or earthquakes in cities, and threatenings thus terrify our souls;
when we see the earth breaking up, and crowded with all these, when we
hear the trumpets, and the voice of the Archangel louder than any
trumpet, when we perceive the heaven shriveled up, and God the King
of all himself coming nigh --what then will be our souls? Let us
shudder, I beseech you, and be frightened as if these things were now
taking place. Let us not comfort ourselves by the delay. For when it
must certainly happen, the delay profits us nothing.
How great will then be the fear and trembling! Have you ever seen men
led away to death? What do you think is the state of their souls, as
they are going on the way to the gate? is it not worse than many
deaths? What would they not choose both to do and to suffer, so that
they might be delivered from that cloud of darkness? I have heard many
say, who have been recalled by the mercy of the king (Emperor),
after having been led away, that they did not even see men as men,
their souls being so troubled, so horror-struck, and beside
themselves. If then the death of the body thus frightens us, when
eternal death approaches, what will be our feelings? And why do I
speak of those who are led away? A crowd then stands around, the
greater part not even knowing them. If any one looked into their
souls, no one is so cruel no one so hard-hearted, no one so firm, as
not to have his soul dejected, and relaxed with fear and despair. And
if when others are taken off by this death, which differs nothing from
sleep, those who are not concerned in it are thus affected; when we
ourselves fall into greater evils, what then will be our state? It is
not, believe me, it is not possible to represent the suffering by
words.
Nay, you say, but God is full of love to man, and none of these
things will happen! Then it is written in vain! No, you say, but
only as a threat, that we may become wise! If then we are not wise,
but continue evil, will He not, tell me, inflict the punishment?
Will He not then recompense the good either with rewards? Yes, you
say, for that is becoming to Him, to do good even beyond desert. So
that those things indeed are true and will certainly be, while the
punishments will not be at all, but are only for the purpose of a
threat, and of terror! By what means I shall persuade you, I know
not. If I say, that "the worm will not die, and the fire will not
be quenched" (Mark ix. 44); if I say, that "they shall go
away into everlasting fire" (Matt. xxv. 41, 46); if I set
before you the rich man already suffering punishment, you will say that
it is all a matter of threatening. Whence then shall I persuade you?
For this is a Satanic reasoning, indulging you with a favor that will
not profit, and causing you to be slothful.
How then can we banish it? Whatever things we say from Scripture,
you will say, are for the purpose of threatening. But with respect to
future things this indeed might be said, but not so concerning things
that have happened, and have had an end. You have heard of the
deluge. And were those things also said by way of threat? Did they
not actually happen? Those men too said many such things, and for a
hundred years while the ark was building, and the wood was being
wrought, and the righteous man was calling aloud, there was no one who
believed. But because they did not believe the threat in words, they
suffered the punishment in very deed. And this will be our fate too,
if we shall not have believed. On this account it is that He compares
His coming with the days of Noah, because as some disbelieved in that
deluge, so will they in the deluge of hell. Were these things a
threat? were they not a fact? Then will not He, who then brought
punishment upon them so suddenly, much more inflict it now also? For
the things that are committed now are not less than the offenses of that
time. How?--because then, it says, "the sons of God went in
unto the daughters of men" (Gen. vi. 4), and those mixtures were
the great offense. But now there is no form of wickedness, which is
unattempted. Do you then believe that the deluge took place? Or does
it seem to you a fable? And yet even the mountains where the ark
rested, bear witness; I speak of those in Armenia.
But, even superabundantly, I will turn my discourse to another thing
more evident than that. Has any one of you ever traveled in
Palestine? For I will no longer mention report, but facts, and yet
the other were clearer than facts. For whatever things the Scripture
says, are more to be trusted than things we see. Has any one of you
then ever traveled in Palestine? I suppose so. What then? Bear
witness then for me, ye who have seen the places, to those who have
not been there. For above Ascalon and Gaza up to the very end of the
river Jordan there is a country wide and fruitful--or rather there
was--for it is not now. This then is that which was as a garden.
For it is said, "Lot beheld all the plain of Jordan--and it was
well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord." (Gen.
xiii. 10.) This, therefore, that was so flourishing, and that
rivaled all countries, which for thrivingness exceeded the Paradise of
God, is now more desolate than any wilderness. And there stand
trees, indeed, and they bear fruit. But the fruit is a monument of
the wrath of God. For there stand pomegranates, I speak both of the
tree and the fruit, having a very fine appearance, and to the ignorant
man holding out great hopes. But if they are taken into the hand,
being broken open they display no fruit indeed, but much dust and ashes
stored up within. Such also is the whole land. If you find a stone,
you will find it full of ashes. And why do I speak of stone and wood
and earth, where the air and water partake of the calamity? For as
when a body is burnt and consumed, the shape remains, and the outline
in the appearance of the fire, and the bulk and the proportion, but
the power is no more, so truly there you may see earth, which yet has
nothing of earth about it, but all ashes; trees and fruit, but
nothing of trees and fruit about them; air and water, but nothing of
water nor of air about them, for even these are turned to ashes. And
yet how could air ever have been burnt, or water, whilst it remained
water? For wood and stones indeed it is possible to burn, but air and
water it is altogether impossible. Impossible to us, but possible to
Him who did these things. Therefore the air is nothing else than a
furnace, the water is a furnace. All things are unfruitful, all
unproductive, all for vengeance; images of wrath that has gone
before, and proofs of that which is to come.
Are these too but threatening words? Are these but the sound of
words? For to me indeed the former things were not incredible, but
things not seen were equally credible with things that were seen. But
even to the unbeliever these are sufficient to produce faith. If any
one disbelieves hell, let him consider Sodom, let him reflect upon
Gomorrah, the vengeance that has been inflicted, and which yet
remains. This is a proof of the eternity of punishment. Are these
things grievous? And is it not grievous, when you say that there is
no hell, but that God has merely threatened it? when you slack the
hands of the people? It is thou who disbelievest that compellest me to
say these things it is thou that hast drawn me out into these words.
If thou believedst the words of Christ I should not be compelled to
bring forward facts to induce belief. But since you have evaded them,
you shall be persuaded henceforth, whether willing or unwilling. For
what have you to say concerning Sodom? Would you wish also to know
the cause, for which these things were then done? It was one sin, a
grievous and accursed one certainly, yet but one. The men of that
time had a passion for boys, and on that account they suffered this
punishment. But now ten thousand sins equal and even more grievous
than these are committed. Then He who for one sin poured forth so
much anger, and neither regarded the supplication of Abraham, nor yet
Lot who dwelt among them, the man who from honor to His servants
offered his own daughters to insult, will He spare, when there are so
many sins? These things truly are ridiculous, trifling, delusion,
and diabolical deceit!
Do you wish that I should also bring forward another? You have
certainly heard of Pharaoh, king of the Egyptians; you know
therefore the punishment also which he suffered, how even with his
whole host, chariots and horses and all, he was engulfed in the
Erythraean sea. Would you hear also other examples? he perhaps was
an impious man, or rather not perhaps, but certainly he was an impious
man. Would you see those also punished, who were of the number of
believers, and who held fast to God, but were not of upright life?
Hear Paul saying, "Neither let us commit fornication, as some of
them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Neither let us murmur, as some of them murmured, and perished by the
destroyer. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted,
and perished by the serpents." (1 Cor. x. 8-10.) And if
fornication, and if murmuring had such power, what will not be the
effect of our sins?
And if thou dost not now pay the penalty, do not wonder. For they
knew not of a hell, therefore they were visited with punishments
following close at their heels. But thou, whatever sins thou commit,
though thou shouldest escape present penalty, wilt pay for it all
There. Did he so punish those who were nearly in the state of
children, and who did not sin so greatly--and will He spare us? It
would not be reasonable. For if we commit the same sins with them, we
shall deserve a greater punishment than they did. Wherefore? Because
we have enjoyed more grace. But when our offenses are numerous, and
more heinous than theirs, what vengeance shall we not undergo?
They--and let no one think I say it as admiring them, or excusing
them; far be it: for when God punishes, he who passes a contrary
sentence, does it at the suggestion of the devil; I say this
therefore, not praising them nor excusing them, but showing our
wickedness--they therefore, although they murmured, were, however,
traveling a wilderness road: but we murmur though we have a country,
and are in our own houses. They, although they committed
fornication, yet it was just after they came out of the evils of
Egypt, and had hardly heard of such a law. But we do it, having
previously received from our forefathers the doctrine of salvation, so
that we are deserving of greater punishment.
Would you hear also of other things? what were their sufferings in
Palestine, famines, pestilences, wars, captivities, under the
Babylonians, and under the Assyrians, and their miseries from the
Macedonians, and those under Hadrian and Vespasian? I have
something that I wish, beloved, to relate to thee; nay, do not run
away! Or rather I will tell thee another thing before it. There was
once a famine, it says, and the king was walking upon the wall; then
a woman came to him and uttered these words: "O king, this woman
said to me, Let us roast thy son to-day, and eat him--to-morrow
mine. And we roasted and ate, and now she does not give me hers."
(From 2 Kings vi. 28.) What can be more dreadful than this
calamity? Again, in another place the Prophet says, "The hands of
the pitiful women have sodden their own children." (Lam. iv.
10.) The Jews then suffered such punishment, and shall we not
much rather suffer?
Would you also hear other calamities of theirs? Read over Josephus,
and you will learn that whole tragedy, if perchance we may persuade you
from these things, that there is a hell. For consider, if they were
punished, why are we not punished? or how is it reasonable that we are
not now punished, who sin more grievously than they? Is it not
manifest that it is, because the punishment is kept in store for us?
And, if you please, I will tell you in the person of every
individual how they were punished. Cain murdered his brother. A
horrible sin indeed, who can deny it? But he suffered punishment;
and a heavy one, equivalent to ten thousand deaths, for he would
rather have died ten thousand times. For hear him saying, "If Thou
castest me out from the land, and I shall be hidden from Thy face,
then it will happen that every one who findeth me will slay me."
(Gen iv. 14, Sept.) Tell me then, do not many even now do the
same things that he did? For when thou slayest not thy brother
according to the flesh, but thy spiritual brother, dost thou not do
the same? For what, though not by the sword? yet by some other
means; when being able to relieve his hunger, thou neglectest him.
What then? Has no one now envied his brother? has no one plunged him
into dangers? But here they have not suffered punishment, yet they
will suffer it. Then he, who never heard the written laws, nor the
prophets, nor saw great miracles suffered such great vengeance; and
shall he who has done the same things in another way, and was not
rendered wise by so many examples, shall he go unpunished? Where then
is the justice of God, and where His goodness?
Again, a certain one for having gathered sticks on the Sabbath was
stoned, and yet this was a small commandment, and less weighty than
circumcision. He then who gathered sticks on the Sabbath was stoned;
but those who often commit ten thousand things contrary to the Law have
gone off unpunished! If then there be not a hell, where is His
justice, where His impartiality, that respects not persons? And yet
He lays to their charge many such things, that they did not observe
the Sabbath.
Again, another, Charmi, having stolen a devoted thing, was stoned
with all his family. What then? Has no one from that time committed
sacrilege? Saul, again, having spared contrary to the command of
God, suffered so great punishment. Has no one from that time
spared? Would indeed that it were so!
Have we not, worse than wild beasts, devoured one another contrary to
the command of God, and yet no one has fallen in war? Again, the
sons of Eli, because they ate before the incense was offered,
suffered the most severe punishment together with their father. Has no
father then been neglectful with respect to his children? and are there
no wicked sons? But no one has suffered punishment. Where will they
suffer it then, if there be no hell?
Again, numberless instances one might enumerate. What? Ananias and
Sapphira were immediately punished, because they stole part of what
they had offered. Has no one then since that time been guilty of
this? How was it then that they did not suffer the same punishment?
Do we then persuade you that there is a hell, or do you need more
examples? Therefore we will proceed also to things that are
unwritten, such as now take place in life. For it is necessary that
this idea should be gathered by us from every quarter, that we may
not, by vainly gratifying ourselves, do ourselves harm. Do you not
see many visited by calamities, maimed in their bodies, suffering
infinite troubles, but others in good repute? For what reason do some
suffer punishment for murders, and others not? Hear Paul saying,
"Some men's sins are evident, . . . and some men they follow
after." (1 Tim. v. 24.) How many murderers have escaped!
how many violators of the tombs! But let these things pass. How many
do you not see visited with the severest punishment? Some have been
delivered to a long disease, others to continued tortures, and others
to numberless. other ills. When therefore you see one who has been
guilty of the same things as they, or even much worse--and yet not
suffering punishment, will you not suspect, even against your will,
that there is a hell? Reckon those here who before you have been
severely punished, consider that God is no respecter of persons, and
that though you have done numberless wickednesses, you have suffered no
such thing, and you will have the idea of hell. For God has so
implanted that idea within us, that no one can ever be ignorant of it.
For poets and philosophers and fabulists, and in short all men, have
philosophized concerning the retribution that is there, and have said
that the greater number are punished in Hades. And if those things
are fables, yet what we have received are not so.
I say not these things as wishing to frighten you, nor to lay a burden
on your souls, but to make them wise, and render them easier. I
could wish also myself that there were no punishment--yes, myself
most of all men. And why so?
Because whilst each of you fears for his own soul, I have to answer
for this office also in which I preside over you. So that most of all
it is impossible for me to escape. But it cannot be that there is not
punishment and a hell.
What can I do? Where then, they say, is the kindness of God to
men? In many places. But on this subject I will rather discourse at
some other season, that we may not confuse the discourses concerning
hell. In the meantime let not that slip, which we have gained. For
it is no small advantage to be persuaded concerning hell. For the
recollection of such discourses, like some bitter medicine, will be
able to clear off every vice, if it be constantly settled in your
mind. Let us therefore use it, that having a pure heart, we may so
be thought worthy to see those things, which eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man. Which may we all
obtain by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom,
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