Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/162

 Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come ; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy Name,” Rev. xi. 17, 18.

NOTE that the Apostle raises three points upon these words. Firstly, he exhorts us that we should preserve unity: “ Endeavouring to keep,” &c. Secondly, he places before us the manner of this keeping: “in the bond of peace.” Thirdly, he exhorts us to earnest desire towards both: “ Endeavouring.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that a three-fold unity is necessary for us. (1) Intellectual unity, by means of a common faith. (2) Unity of the affections, through a right desire of concord. Of these two: “Let us walk by the same rule,” in relation to the first. “Let us mind the same thing,” in relation to the second, Philip, iii. 16. (3) Unity of conversation, through a uniform uprightness of conduct: “ God setteth the solitary in families,” Ps. lxviii. 6. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own,” &c., Acts iv. 32. All things were common with them, because they were of like conversation.

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that the holy ought to be tied together by a three-fold bond. (1) By the bond of wisdom : “ Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds,” Ecclus. vi. 25. Her, i.e., wisdom; “be not grieved,” &c., not bearing her wearily