The Treatises of Cyprian

In Malachi: “Behold, the day of the Lord comes, burning as an oven; and all the aliens and all the wicked shall be as stubble; and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord.” Also in the forty-ninth (or fiftieth) Psalm: “God the Lord of gods has spoken, and called the earth. From the rising of the sun even to the going down thereof, out of Sion is the beauty of His glory. God shall come manifestly, our God, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall burn before Him, and round about Him shall be a great storm.

He has called the heaven above, and the earth, that He may separate His people. Gather together His saints unto Him, those who arrange His covenant with sacrifices. And the heavens shall announce His righteousness, for God is the judge.” Also in Isaiah: “The Lord God of strength shall go forth, and shall break war in pieces: He shall stir up contest, and shall cry over His enemies with strength. I have been silent; shall I always be silent?” Also in the sixty-seventh Psalm: “Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let those who hate Him flee from His face.

As smoke vanishes, let them vanish: as wax melts from the face of fire, thus let the sinners perish from the face of God. And let the righteous be glad and rejoice in the sight of God: and let them be glad with joyfulness. Sing unto God, sing praises unto His name: make a way to Him who goes up into the west. God is His name. They shall be put to confusion from the face of Him who is the Father of the orphans, and the Judge of the widows. God is in His holy place: God, who makes men to dwell with one mind in an house, bringing forth them that are bound with might, and equally those who provoke unto anger, who dwell in the sepulchres: God, when You went forth in the sight of Your people, in passing into the desert.” Also in the eighty-first Psalm: “Arise, O God; judge the earth: for You will exterminate among all nations.” Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: “What have we to do with You, You Son of David?

Why have you come here to punish us before the time?” Likewise according to John: “The Father judges nothing, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father. He that honours not the Son, honours not the Father who has sent Him.” So too in the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may bear the things proper to his body, according to those things which he has done, whether they be good or evil.”