Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/149

 ward, and westward. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will 1 give it, and to thy seed for ever.” III. On the third head it is to be noted, that the Lord gives seven good things to those who imitate Abraham. (1) He blesses them, Ephes. i. 3, “Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (2) He glorifies them, Rom. viii. 30, “Whom He justified them also He glorified.” (3) He humbles their enemies, Psalm cxxxi. 14, “Turned my hand against their adversaries.” (4) He protects them, Psalm xci. 14, “Because He hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him : I will set him on high because he hath known My name.” (5) He honours them, Psalm cxxxix. 17, “How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God” [friends, Vulg.] (6) God Himself gives Himself to them for a reward, He who will be all in all, He who will be salvation, life, honour, glory, peace, joy, and all good things. (7) He gives to them the land flowing with milk and honey, that is the kingdom of heaven, the joy of the humanity and divinity making joyful. S. Matt. xxv. 34, “ Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” To which kingdom may we be brought, &c.

In this parable there are three points to be noted. Firstly, the manifold misery of sinners : “ A certain man went down from Jerusalem.” Secondly, is shown the manifold pity of Christ to the sinner: “ A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own