St. Hippolytus On the End of the World
Since, then, the blessed
prophets have been eyes to us, setting forth for our behoof the clear declaration of things secret, both through life, and through declaration, and through inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, and discoursing, too, of things not yet come to pass, in this way also to all generations they have pictured forth the grandest subjects for
contemplation and for action. Thus, too, they preached of the advent of God in the flesh to the world, His advent by the spotless and God-bearing Mary in the way of birth and growth, and the manner of His life and conversation with men, and His manifestation by
baptism, and the new birth that was to be to all
men, and the regeneration by the layer; and the multitude of His
miracles, and His blessed passion on the
cross, and the insults which He bore at the hands of the
Jews, and His burial, and His descent to Hades, and His ascent again, and redemption of the spirits that were of old, and the destruction of death, and His life-giving awaking from the dead, and His re-creation of the whole world, and His assumption and return to heaven, and His reception of the
Spirit, of which the
apostles were deemed worthy, and again the second coming, that is destined to declare all things. For as being designated
seers, they of necessity signified and spoke of these things beforetime.
