Little children, it is the last time: and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; by which we know that it is the last time.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
1. Children, it is the last hour. In this lesson he addresses the children that they may make haste to grow, because it is the last hour. Age or stature of the body is not at one's own will. A man does not grow in respect of the flesh when he will, any more than he is born when he will: but where the being born rests with the will, the growth also rests with the will. No man is born of water and the Spirit, John 3:5 except he be willing. Consequently if he will, he grows or makes increase: if he will, he decreases. What is it to grow? To go onward by proficiency. What is it to decrease? To go backward by deficiency. Whoso knows that he is born, let him hear that he is an infant; let him eagerly cling to the breasts of his mother, and he grows apace. Now his mother is the Church; and her breasts are the two Testaments of the Divine Scriptures. Hence let him suck the milk of all the things that as signs of spiritual truths were done in time for our eternal salvation, that being nourished...
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us.".
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us."
It is the last hour. That is, according to the common interpretation, the last age of the world, from the coming of Christ to the day of judgment, and the end of the world, which St. Paul calls the end and consummation of ages. (Hebrews ix. 26.)
And as you have heard that antichrist (the great antichrist) cometh, or is to come in this last age: now there are already many antichrists; i.e. as the word signifies, many adversaries to Christ, who are forerunners of the great and last antichrist. (Witham)
Many antichrists; that is, many heretics, enemies of Christ and his Church, and forerunners of the great antichrist. (Challoner)
St. Cyprian says all are called antichrists that have divided themselves from the charity and unity of the Catholic Church. (Ep. lxxvii. ad Magnum.)
Whereby we know that it is the last hour, it being foretold that many false prophets should rise in the latter days. (Matthew xxiv. 11.) (Witham)
Know ye therefore, that every lie is from without, and is not of the truth. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist.".
foreseeing by the Spirit those weak-minded persons who should be led astray.
And how is it that he enjoins duties which belong to our God, and enjoins them to be offered to none other than our God? Either contend that the devil works with our God, or else let the Paraclete be held to be Satan. But you affirm it is "a human Antichrist: "for by this name heretics are called in John.
