Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/147



In these words it is shown that heavenly promises are made to those who seek with all their powers to be like Abraham.

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that seven things are pointed out of Abraham, in which every Christian ought to imitate him. (1) In constancy of faith, Rom. iv. 3, “ Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Heb. xi. 6, “ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (2) In perfect obedience, Gen. xxii. 17, “And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Deut. x. 12, “And now, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul?” (3) In disregard of country. (4) In con-