Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/135

 Me that I am the Lord,” Jer. ix. 24. (2) In consideration of His wonders—“ He gave them to glory in His marvellous acts,” Ecclus. xvii. 9. (3) In His love—“ Let them that love Thy name be joyful in Thee,” Psa. v. 11. (4) In His praise—“ That my glory may sing praise to Thee,” Psa. xxx. 12. (5) In the fruition of God—“I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness,” Psa. xvii. 15.

The Lord in these words predicts the adversity which was about to destroy the vain prosperity of this world, about which three things are to be noted. (1) The universality of the adversity itself—“ Compass thee round.” (2) The multiplicity of the punishment which there will be in it—“And keep thee in on every side.” The multitude is the cause of the keeping in. (3) The eternity of the same adversity— “ Shall lay thee even with the ground;” that is, will destroy wholly, so that no one will be able to be liberated. I. On the first head, it is to be noted, that misfortunes come to the wicked from eight quarters. (1) From the earth —Psa. cvi. 17, “The earth opened and swallowed up,” &c. Job. xx. 27, “The earth shall rise up against him.” (2) From water, which shall suffocate them—Wisd. v. 23, “ The water of the sea shall rage against them, and the rivers shall run together in a terrible manner.” (3) From the air which will lighten against them—Wisd. v. 22, “ Then shafts of lightning shall go directly from the clouds as from a bow well bent; they shall be shot out, and shall fly to the mark.” (4) From fire, which shall consume them—Psa. xcvii. 3, “ A fire goeth before him and burneth his enemies round about.” (5) From the sun, moon, and stars, which shall hide them-