ThebeliefthateverycometisaballoffireflungfromtherighthandofanangryGodtowarnthegrovellingdwellersofearthwasreceivedintotheearlyChurch，transmittedthroughtheMiddleAgestotheReformationperiod，andinitstransmissionwasmadeallthemorepreciousbysupposedtextualproofsfromScripture。ThegreatfathersoftheChurchcommittedthemselvesunreservedlytoit。InthethirdcenturyOrigen，perhapsthemostinfluentialoftheearlierfathersoftheuniversalChurchinallquestionsbetweenscienceandfaith，insistedthatcometsindicatecatastrophesandthedownfallofempiresandworlds。
Bede，sojustlyreveredbytheEnglishChurch，declaredintheeighthcenturythat“cometsportendrevolutionsofkingdoms，pestilence，war，winds，orheat“；andJohnofDamascus，hiseminentcontemporaryintheEasternChurch，tookthesameview。
RabanusMaurus，thegreatteacherofEuropeintheninthcentury，anauthoritythroughouttheMiddleAges，adoptedBede’sopinionfully。St。ThomasAquinas，thegreatlightoftheuniversalChurchinthethirteenthcentury，whoseworksthePopenowreigningcommendsasthecentreandsourceofalluniversityinstruction，acceptedandhandeddownthesameopinion。ThesaintedAlberttheGreat，themostnotedgeniusofthemedievalChurchinnaturalscience，receivedanddevelopedthistheory。
Thesemenandthosewhofollowedthemfoundeduponscripturaltextsandtheologicalreasoningsasystemthatforseventeencenturiesdefiedeveryadvanceofthought。[93]
[93]ForOrigen，sehisDePrincip。，vol。i，p。7；alsoMaury，Leg。pieuses，p。203，note。ForBedeandothers，seeDeNat。，vol。xxiv；Joh。Dam。，DeFid。Or。，vol。ii，p。7；Maury，LaMagieetl’Astronomie，pp。181，182。ForAlbertusMagnus，seehisOpera，vol。i，tr。iii，chaps。x，xi。AmongthetextsofScriptureonwhichthisbeliefrestedwasespeciallyJoelii，30，31。