Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Commodianus/The Instructions of Commodianus/Chapter 44

XLIII.&#8212;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.&#160; The Lord casts down His eyes, so that the earth trembles.&#160; He cries out, so that all may hear throughout the world:&#160; Behold, long have I been silent while I bore your doings in such a time.&#160; They cry out together, complaining and groaning too late.&#160; They howl, they bewail; nor is there room found for the wicked.&#160; What shall the mother do for the sucking child, when she herself is burnt up?&#160; In the flame of fire the Lord will judge the wicked.&#160; But the fire shall not touch the just, but shall by all means lick them up. &#160; In one place they delay, but a part has wept at the judgment.&#160; Such will be the heat, that the stones themselves shall melt.&#160; The winds assemble into lightnings, the heavenly wrath rages; and wherever the wicked man fleeth, he is seized upon by this fire.&#160; There will be no succour nor ship of he sea.&#160; Amen flames on the nations, and the Medes and Parthians burn for a thousand years, as the hidden words of John declare.&#160; For then after a thousand years they are delivered over to Gehenna; and he whose work they were, with them are burnt up.