Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/181

 not unmindful of good things,” Ecclus. xi. 27. (2) The day of temporal prosperity: “I am not troubled, following Thee for my pastor; and I have not desired the day of man, as Thou knowest. That which went out of my lips hath been right in Thy sight,” Jer. xvii. 16, Vulg. “The Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble,” Ps. xli. 1. (3) The day of temporal adversity: “ Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof,” S. Matt. vi. 34. (4) The day of temptation of the devil: “ Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil?” i.e. in the days of temptation, Ps. xlix. 6. (5) The day of judgment: “Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near,” Amos vi. 3. It is called the evil day because “ That is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring dis¬ tress upon men, and they shall walk with blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord : and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung,” Zeph. i. 15-18.

III. On the third head it is to be noted, that in three ways we ought to stand perfect. (1) In purity of heart and body: “ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” 2 Cor. vii. 1. (2) In the keeping of the commandments of God: “ If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou slialt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well; but if ye have respect to persons ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, &c.... thou art become a transgressor of the law,” S. James ii. 8-12. (3) In the reformation of the tongue: “ If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and also able to bridle the whole body,” S. James iii. 2. (4) In love towards God and one’s neighbour: “ Perfect love casteth out fear,” 1 S. John iv. 18. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.... Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,” S. Matt.