Wisdom 5:9

10. And again David, in the Psalms, says with respect to the future age, “Then shall He” (namely Christ) “speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.” And again Solomon says concerning Christ and the Jews, that “when the righteous shall stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted Him, and made no account of His words, when they see it they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of His salvation; and they, repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themselves, This is He whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverb of reproach; we fools accounted His life madness, and His end to be without honour. …

24. What will then be the glory of faith? what the punishment of faithlessness? When the day of judgment shall come, what joy of believers, what sorrow of unbelievers; that they should have been unwilling to believe here, and now that they should be unable to return that they might believe! An ever-burning Gehenna will burn up the condemned, and a punishment devouring with living flames; nor will there be any source whence at any time they may have either respite or end to their torments. Souls with their bodies will be reserved in infinite tortures for suffering. …

In the Proverbs of Solomon: “The faithful martyr delivers his soul from evils.” Also in the same place: “Then shall the righteous stand in great boldness against them who have afflicted them, and who took away their labours. When they see them, they shall be disturbed with a horrible fear; and they shall wonder at the suddenness of their unhoped-for salvation, saying among themselves, repenting and groaning with distress of spirit, These are they whom some time we had in derision, and in the likeness of a proverb; we fools counted their life madness, and their end without honour. How are they reckoned among the children of God, and their lot among the saints! Therefore we have wandered from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shined upon us, and the sun has not risen upon us. …

7. And God has brought us into a covenant, and agreement, and a firm bond with Him, in that we say, “as we also forgive our debtors.” He who would say it effectually, “Forgive us our debts,” must say truly, “as we also forgive our debtors.” If this which is last he either say not, or say deceitfully, the other which is first he says in vain. We say to you then especially who are approaching to Holy Baptism, from your hearts forgive everything. And ye faithful, who taking advantage of this occasion are listening to this prayer, and our exposition of it, do ye wholly and from your hearts forgive whatsoever ye have against any. Forgive it there where God seeth. For sometimes a man remitteth with the mouth, and in the heart retaineth; he remitteth with the mouth for men’s sake, and retaineth in the heart, as not fearing the eyes of God. But do ye remit entirely. …

12. “Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed” ( ver. 10 ). He said above, “depart from me all ye:” which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this life: but as to what he says, “let them be ashamed and vexed,” I do not see how it can happen, save on that day when the rewards of the righteous and the punishments of the sinners shall be made manifest. For at present so far are the ungodly from being ashamed, that they do not cease to insult us. And for the most part their mockings are of such avail, that they make the weak to be ashamed of the name of Christ. …

9. “But the unrighteous shall be punished; the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” Just as the “seed of the” other “shall be blessed,” so shall the “seed of the wicked be cut off.” For the “seed” of the wicked is the works of the wicked. For again, on the other hand, we find the son of the wicked man flourish in the world, and sometimes become righteous, and flourish in Christ. Be careful therefore how thou takest it; that thou mayest remove the covering, and make thy way to Christ. Do not take the text in a carnal sense; for thou wilt be deceived. But “the seed of the wicked”, all the works of the wicked, “will be cut off:” they shall have no fruit. For they are effective indeed for a short time; afterwards they shall seek for them, and shall not find the reward of that which they have wrought. …

12. “My days have declined like a shadow” ( ver. 11 ).…He had said above, “My days are consumed away like smoke;” and he now saith, “My days have declined like a shadow.” In this shadow, day must be recognised; in this shadow, light must be discerned; lest afterward it be said in late and fruitless repentance, “What hath pride profited us? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow.” Say at this season, all things will pass away like a shadow, and thou mayest not pass away like a shadow. “My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.” For he had said above, “my heart is smitten down, and I am withered like grass.” But the grass bedewed with the Saviour’s blood will flourish afresh. …

7. “The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered” ( ver. 10 ): this is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than himself is he “angered,” when he shall say, “Our pride, what hath it profited us? the boastfulness of our riches, what hath it given us?” seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who “dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor.” “He shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away:” for “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had repented in season: but he will then repent, when “the desire of the ungodly shall perish,” no consolation succeeding. “The desire of the ungodly shall perish,” when “all things shall pass away like a shadow,” when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass. …

11. “Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto Thee have I fled for refuge” ( ver. 9 ). I who once fled from Thee, now flee to Thee. For Adam fled from the Face of God, and hid himself among the trees of Paradise, so that of him was said in the Book of Job, “As a servant that fleeth from his Lord, and findeth a shadow.” He fled from the Face of his Lord, and found a shadow. Woe to him, if he continue in the shade, lest it be said afterward, “All things are passed away like a shadow.” The rulers of this world, of this darkness, the rulers of the wicked; against these ye wrestle. Great is your conflict, not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. …

6. Such then was once this flock, and such it is now, so healthy and well grown, and if it be not yet in perfection, it is advancing towards it by constant increase, and I pro phesy that it will advance. This is foretold me by the Holy Spirit, if I have any prophetic instinct and insight into the future. And from what has preceded I am able to be confident, and recognize this by reasoning, being the nursling of reason. For it was much more improbable that, from that condition, it should reach its present development, than that, as it now is, it should attain to the height of renown. …