Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/180



The Apostle in these words lays down three propositions. Firstly, he exhorts that we arm ourselves with spiritual arms: “ Take unto you the whole armour of God.” Secondly, he shews our need of it: “ That ye may be able to withstand.” Thirdly, he gives the reason for it: “ Having done all, to stand.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that according to this Epistle we ought to take five kinds of arms. (1) We ought to take the girdle of knowledge: “ Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.” “ Gird up thy loins like a man,” Job xl. 7. (2) We ought to put on the breast-plate of righteousness: “ Breast-plate of righteousness.” “ He put on righteousness as a breast-plate,” Isai. lix. 17. (3) We ought to take the shield of faith: “ His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night,” Ps. xci. 4, 5. “ Your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about,” &c., 1 S. Pet. v. 8. (4) With the helmet of salvation: “ And take the helmet of salvation.” “An helmet of salvation upon His head,” Isa. lix. 17. “ Putting on the breast-plate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation; for God hath not appointed us to wrath,” &c., 1 Thess. v. 8, 9. (5) The sword of the Word of God: “ The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” “For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,” Heb. iv. 12.

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that there are five days of evil from which these arms defend us. (1) The first day is iniquity: “ In the day of good things”—z.e., of the present time, in which you are able to obtain eternal life—“be not unmindful of evils; and in the day of evils be