will He answer Jesus Christ, Who will be his Judge? He will do that which the man in the Gospel did, who having come in not having a wedding-garment, was silent, not knowing what to say. " He was speechless." (S. Matt. xxii. 12.) His own sin will stop his mouth. " The mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped." (Ps. cvii. 42.)
S. Basil observes, that the sinner will then be more tormented by shame, than by the fire itself of hell: " The shame will be more horrible than the fire."
Behold, the Judge will finally pronounce the sentence: " Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." " Oh, what terrible thunder will this be! Oh, how terribly will it resound! " says the Carthusian; so also S. Anselm, " He who does not tremble at so great thunder does not sleep, but is dead." And Eusebius adds, that the fear of the sinners will be so great in hearing their sentence pronounced, that if they could die again, they would do so. S. Thomas of Villanova remarks, that no longer is a place for prayer given, there are no longer intercessors to whom to flee unto. To whom, therefore, can they flee? Perchance to God Whom they have so despised. " Who will deliver you? Perhaps that God Whom you have despised."
O God, exclaims S. Thomas of Villanova, alas! with what indifference do we hear the judgment spoken of, as if the sentence of condemnation did not concern us! And as if we shall not have to be judged! And what folly is it, continues the same Saint, to rest secure in a thing of so much danger! S. Augustine warns thee and says, " Do not say, my brother:" " Will God really send me to hell?" Do not say it, observes the Saint, because even the Jews could not be persuaded that they should be destroyed; and many who have been condemned would never believe that they should be sent to hell; but afterwards the end of their punishment has come! " An end is come, the end is come ..... Now will I shortly pour out My fury upon thee, and accomplish My anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways." (Ezek. vii. 6-8.) And even thus, observes S. Augustine, will it happen with thee, " The day of judgment will come, and thou shalt find that true, which God has threatened." Now it is in our
