Deextremojudicio. I. AdhucdeOnedicamus, fratrescharissimi; finisenimviaenostrae, utdiximus, nostrapatriaest. Sedquiaaliihicpatriampossidentes, illicfinemviaeinpatrianonhabebunt; seddeviainviamvadunt, idest, depoenainpoenamanimoremordentemutabuntur, etrequiemnonhabebunt; ideovim, I (??) est, vitaeillorumfinispatrianonest, sedpoena; nonestrequies, sedinquietudo. Justorumautemvitaefinisestvitaaeterna, requies, paxperennis, patriacoelestis, aeternitasbea. ta, laetitiainfinita. Diversusitaquefinisviaehumanaevitaeest;
On the last judgment. Still let us speak of the end, dearest brethren; for the end of our way, as we have said, is our fatherland. But because some, here possessing a fatherland, there shall not have the end of the way in a fatherland; but they go from way to way, that is, from punishment to punishment they shall be changed with a gnawing soul, and shall have no rest; therefore for them the end of life is not a fatherland, but punishment; it is not rest, but unrest. But the end of the life of the just is eternal life, rest, perennial peace, the heavenly fatherland, blessed eternity, infinite joy. Diverse therefore is the end of the way of human life;
because, though by its frailty and instability it is slippery, and like the way of human life in its uncertain fleetingness, yet in its pursuits and advances it is dissimilar. But a similar lot here presses this dissimilar life, and the assault of the uncertain journey makes it manifest: for likewise all are born, grow, decline, sicken, are troubled, die; but when they come to the end, there they are distinguished, and those whom a similar assault has wearied, a dissimilar order has separated: for there shall be a true testing and diligent examination of the similar misery, by which all the travelers of the way—which mortals alike press upon the earth. For there, as the Apostle says: Of what sort each one's work is, the fire shall test (1 Cor. 3:13).
See the order of the misery of human life: from earth, upon earth, into earth, from earth into fire, from fire into judgment, from judgment either into Gehenna or into life: for from earth you were created, you tread the earth, into the earth you shall go, from earth you shall rise, in fire you shall be tested, you shall await judgment, and after these things you shall possess either eternal punishment or kingdom; because there, as the Apostle says, we must be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ, that each one may bring back the things proper to his own body, as he has done, whether good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10); which thing the Lord also announces in the Gospel: The Son of Man shall come in his glory, and then he shall render to each one according to his works (Matt. 16:27).
Tremble, I beseech you, at the weight of these words, and with fear and trembling, with an ever-apprehensive mind, think incessantly of that dread coming of the divine judgment, where before that terrifying tribunal of Christ the judge, of what sort each one's work is, the fire shall test, and each one shall bring back what is proper to his own body, whether good or evil, as he has done; and where the Son of Man, coming, shall render to each one according to his works. Most dread is the sentence, brethren, because he did not say, according to his mercy, but according to his works shall he render to each one: for he who is merciful here, is the just judge there.
Therefore it is to be feared, it is greatly to be trembled at by us who read and hear these things, dearest ones, when, with God proclaiming, we learn that to each one it shall be rendered according to his works. What harder thing could he have said? What hope did he leave to humanity? For who can be justified through the fire and not need the mercy of the Judge, who dwells in the body of sin? Who, I ask, bearing the flesh of the human race, would not fear these things, by which it is proclaimed that we all must be made manifest and in a manner consigned before the tribunal of Christ, and there our works must be tested through fire? while in sorrow for the perishing one must say: For what purpose does the clay receive sense? Why was sense made out of dust?
we who, created from earth, standing a little while upon it, soon to enter into it again, when God by his command renders and casts us back into the same, at the last shall be tested through fire, that by a certain art the fire may dissolve the earth and clay; and may show, if it has any of gold or of silver, or of the other useful things of the earth, by the molten purifying. It belongs therefore to dead and despairing souls not to fear these things: for even to hear these things once should have sufficed anyone for caution. Wherefore let us know that nothing is more useful to us than that, reconsidering all the days of our life this doubtful life, we should daily examine ourselves;
and rendering an account of our words and thoughts, and shuddering at human life, let us without intermission think on this aforesaid end of this way, that is, of our life, despising all the pleasures of this world. We see life, but we perceive it as a shadow and a fleeting, deceiving image. Lest therefore this deceitful and seductive, brief and temporal, perishable and frail, bitter and sad life deceive us; let us always think on the true and eternal life, which after death is to have the just as immortals. See the vicissitude of things: life before death, and after death life: the just man first possesses two; but the impious sinner has had one unhappily, and has lost the other, the happy one:
for after a brief life, from death into death he goes unto destruction, from which may the goodness of the merciful God deign to rescue us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.