things we have not ourselves devised, but have seen and heard them
through God's revelation, by which He has charged us that we should
hear Christ.

But why does Paul separate from one another the power and the coming
of Christ? The power consists, as we have heard above, in that He is
mighty over all things; that all must lie at His feet; and this shall
continue as long as the world stands. While we are flesh and blood,
and live upon the earth, so long shall Christ's kingdom flourish,
even to the last day. Then shall come another period, when He shall
give up the kingdom to God the Father, whereof St. Paul speaks, I.
Cor. xv.: "Christ the first fruits; afterwards those that belong to
Christ, who are His at His coming. Afterward is the end, when He
shall answer for the kingdom to God and the Father." Also: "But when
all shall be subject to Him, then shall the Son also be subject to
Him who subdued all for Him."

How? Is then the kingdom not God the Father's now? Is not all subject
to Him? Answer:--St. Paul explains himself in the same place, and
says: "So that God may be all in all;" that is, whatsoever any one
shall need or should have, that God will be; as St. Peter has told us
above, that we should be partakers of the Divine nature. Wherefore we
shall also have all that God has, and all that is needful for us we
shall have in Him,--wisdom, righteousness, strength and life,--a
truth which we now believe, hearing it merely, and having it in the
word of God. But then shall the word cease, when our souls shall be
enlarged and see and feel it all as a present thing. This is what St.
Paul means, and St. Peter also: that the power of Christ's kingdom
now proceeds; now He gives the word, and thereby, through His
humanity, reigns over the devil, sin, death, and all things. But at
the last day this shall be made clear. Therefore, although God ever
rules, still it is not yet manifest to us. He clearly beholds us, but
we behold Him not. Therefore must Christ surrender up to Him the
kingdom, so that we also shall see it, while we then shall be
Christ's brethren and God's children. Thus Christ received from God
honor and glory (St. Peter here says) when the Father made all things
subject to Him, and made Him Lord, and glorified Him by this voice,
in which He says, "This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased."

By this St. Peter would confirm his doctrine and preaching, that it
might be known whence it came. But t