Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/32

 with cords of vanity." Riches are vanity. Of the third thing, Prov. viii. 22, " Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds," (Vul.), for the hands of a woman are the bonds that draw. Ecc. vii. 27 , " And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands." These are the bonds that are to be dissolved.

These bonds are loosened in four ways (1) by the grace of justification; (2) by the grace of contrition; (3) by the modesty of confession; (4) by the penance of satisfaction. Of the first way, Ps. cxvi. 16, "Thou hast loosed my bonds," that is to say, the Lord has done this by infusing grace. Of the second way, Dan. iii. 25, " Lo, I see four men loose;" where it is said the fire consumed the chains of the children. By the fire contrition is understood. Psalm xxxix. 3, "While I was musing the fire burned." Of the third way, Hos. v. 13 (Vulg.), "And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his band." Judah is interpreted as confessing. So that he saw his band when being penitent; he saw himself bound by the band of sinners; he declares himself in confession, that he maybe loosed. Of the fourth way, Nah. i. 12, 13, " I have afflicted thee. And will burst thy bonds in sunder." So are loosed the bands of sinners; but the bands of the tormentors are to be avoided for three reasons (1) because they are dark; (2) because they are cruel; (3) because they are eternal. Of the first reason, Wisdom xvii., "Fettered with bonds of darkness." Of the second reason, Eccles. xiii. 15, " He will not spare to do thee hurt, and to cast thee into prison." Of these bands, Isa. xxviii. 22, " Lest by chance he should be bound with our fetters." Of the third reason, S. Jude 6, " He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness." He speaks of demons. From these chains may God deliver us, to Whom, etc.