Lactantius — Divine Institutes 7.15

It is contained in the mysteries of the sacred writings, that a prince of the Hebrews, compelled by want of grain, passed into Egypt with all his family and relatives . And when his posterity, remaining long in Egypt , had increased into a great nation, and were oppressed by the heavy and intolerable yoke of slavery, God smote Egypt with an incurable stroke, and freed His people, leading them through the midst of the sea, when, the waves being cut asunder and parted on either side, the people went over on dry ground. And the king of the Egyptians endeavouring to follow them as they fled, the sea returning to its place, he was cut off, with all his people.

And this deed so illustrious and so wonderful, although for the present it displayed to men the power of God , was also a foreshadowing and figure of a greater deed, which the same God was about to perform at the last consummation of the times, for He will free His people from the oppressive bondage of the world. But since at that time the people of God were one, and in one nation only, Egypt only was smitten. But now, because the people of God are collected out of all languages, and dwell among all nations, and are oppressed by those bearing rule over them, it must come to pass that all nations, that is, the whole world, be beaten with heavenly stripes, that the righteous people, who are worshippers of God , may be set free.

And as then signs were given by which the coming destruction was shown to the Egyptians , so at the last time wonderful prodigies will take place throughout all the elements of the world, by which the impending destruction may be understood by all nations. Therefore, as the end of this world approaches, the condition of human affairs must undergo a change, and through the prevalence of wickedness become worse; so that now these times of ours, in which iniquity and impiety have increased even to the highest degree, may be judged happy and almost golden in comparison of that incurable evil .

For righteousness will so decrease, and impiety, avarice , desire, and lust will so greatly increase, that if there shall then happen to be any good men, they will be a prey to the wicked , and will be harassed on all sides by the unrighteous; while the wicked alone will be in opulence, but the good will be afflicted in all calumnies and in want. All justice will be confounded, and the laws will be destroyed. No one will then have anything except that which has been gained or defended by the hand: boldness and violence will possess all things. There will be no faith among men , nor peace, nor kindness, nor shame, nor truth ; and thus also there will be neither security, nor government, nor any rest from evils .