ly 1500 years are passed since
then. St. Peter preached that the time is neither near nor brief, yet
he says, _that the end of all things is at hand_; as John also
declares in his first epistle, chap, ii., "It is the last hour." If
it were not the Apostle's language, we might say it was
contradictory: but by this we must firmly abide, that the Apostle has
truth with him. Yet what he means here he shall explain himself in
the second epistle, where he tells us why the time is said to be
near, and says: "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day;" of which I have spoken above. So that we
must explain it in this manner, that it shall not be as long
hereafter to the end of the world as it has been from the beginning
to the present time. And it is not to be expected that one should
live two or three thousand years after the birth of Christ, so that
the end shall come before we look for it. Wherefore he further adds:

V. 7, 8. _Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all
things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover
the multitude of sins._

Here you perceive the reason why we are to watch and be sober;
namely, that we may be prepared to pray for ourselves and our
neighbors. Since charity cannot be fervent unless you keep the body
in subjection, that charity may have place within you. Here St. Peter
has quoted a passage from the book of Proverbs, ch. x. 12. _Hate
stirreth up strife, but love covereth the multitude of sins._ And
this is what St. Peter means: Subdue your flesh and lusts: unless you
do it, you will easily offend one another, and yet not easily be able
to forgive one another. Take care, therefore, that you subdue the
wicked lusts, so you shall be able to show charity one to another,
and to forgive, for charity covereth sins.

This passage has been explained to the prejudice of faith, inasmuch
as they tell us: "You say that faith alone makes us righteous, and
that no one through works may be free from sin. Why then do Solomon
and Peter, as in this passage, say, _love covers sins_?" Answer.
Whoever has hatred toward another, says Solomon, ceases not to stir
up strife and bitterness. But where there is love, it covers sins and
cheerfully forgives. Where there is wrath, or in other words, where
there is an intractable man, reconciliation is not permitted; he
remains full of wrath and hate. On the other hand, a man who is full
of love is