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On the Advantage of Patience

22.

But when shall come the divine vengeance for the righteous blood, the Holy Spirit declares by Malachi the prophet, saying, "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, burning as an oven; and all the aliens and all the wicked shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord." ¹ And this we read also in the Psalms, where the approach of God the Judge is announced as worthy to be reverenced for the majesty of His judgment: "God shall come manifest, our God, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall burn before Him, and round about Him a great tempest. He shall call the heaven above, and the earth beneath, that He may separate His people. Gather His saints together unto Him, who establish His covenant in sacrifices; and the heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God is the Judge." ² And Isaiah foretells the same things, saying: "For, behold, the Lord shall come like a fire, and His chariot as a storm, to render vengeance in anger; for in the fire of the Lord they shall be judged, and with His sword shall they be wounded." ³ And again: "The Lord God of hosts shall go forth, and shall crumble the war to pieces; He shall stir up the battle, and shall cry out against His enemies with strength, I have held my peace; shall I always hold my peace?" ⁴

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Avantages des la patience

XXII.

Si nous voulons savoir quand le sang des justes sera vengé, l’Esprit-Saint nous le déclare par la bouche de Malachie: Voici le jour du Seigneur; il arrive ardent comme une fournaise; les impies et les méchants seront comme la paille, et le jour du Seigneur les consumera (Mal., IV.). Les Psaumes nous parlent du même avènement: Le Seigneur se manifeste; il cesse de garder le silence. Le feu marche devant lui; la tempête l’environne. Il appelle le ciel et la terre pour faire le discernement de son peuple. Que les justes, que ceux qui ont conservé son alliance, en lui offrant des sacrifices, se réunissent autour de lui. Et les cieux publieront sa justice, car Dieu est le juge suprême (Ps., XLIV.). Écoutez Isaïe : Le Seigneur viendra comme le feu; son char ressemble à la tempête; il vient punir ses ennemis; il les consume avec la flamme; il les frappe de son glaive. Et plus loin : Le Seigneur, le Dieu des vertus, se montrera; il déclarera la guerre à ses ennemis et leur criera avec force: Je me suis tu, est-ce que je me tairai toujours (Is., XLII)?