TKR.25 — 27. ST. LUKE. 685 Wherein He seems to teach, that the beginning of the universalchange willbe owing to the failingof the watery substance.For thisbeing firstabsorbed or congealed,so thatno longer is he.irdthe roaringof the sea,nor do the wavesreach the shorebecauseof the exceedingdrought,the etherpartsof the world,ceasingto obtainthe usualvapour whichcame forth from the watery matter,shallundergo a revolution.Accordingly sincethe appearance of Christ mustput down the prodigieswhich resistGod, namely,those ofAntichrist,the beginningsof wrath shalltake theirrise fromdroughts,such as thatneitherstorm nor roaringof the seabe any more heard. And thisevent shallbe succeeded bythedistressof the men who survive; as itfollows,Men's heartsbeingdriedup for fear,and lookingafterthosethings whichshallcome upon thewhole world. But the thingsthat shallthen come upon the world He proceeds to declare, adding,For thepowers ofheavenshallbe shaken. THEOPHYL. Or else,When the higher world shallbe changed,then also the lower elements shall sufferloss; whence it follows,And on the earth distressof nations,fyc. As ifHe said,the sea shallroarterribly,and itsshoresshall beshaken withthe tempest,sothatof the peopleand nations oftheearththereshallbe distress,thatis,a universalmisery, sothatthey shallpine away from fear and expectationof theevilswhich are coming upon the world. AUG. But you willsay,your punishment compels you to Aug. confessthat the end is now approaching,seeingthe fulfil-^ H^ ment of that which was foretold.For it is certainthere is no country,no placein our time,which is not affectedor troubled. But ifthose evilswhich mankind now sufferare suresignsthatour Lord isnow about tocome, what meaneth thatwhich the Apostle says,For when they shallsay peace i Thess. and safety. Let us see then ifit be not perhaps betterto ' ' understandthe words of prophecy to be not so fulfilled,but ratherthatthey willcome to passwhen the tribulationof the whole world shallbe such thatitshallbelong to the Church, which shallbe troubledby the whole world,not to thosewho shalltroubleit. For they are thosewho shallsay,Peace and tafety. But now theseevilswhich are counted the greatest and most immoderate, we see to be common to both the