Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/82



In these words four things are noted. Firstly, the great glory of the saints : “ He that is of God.” For what can be more glorious than to be of God? S. John i. 12, “He gave power to become the sons of God.” Secondly, their great wisdom: “ Heareth God’s words.” Psalm xix. 7, “ The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Thirdly, the foolishness of the reprobate : “ therefore ye hear them not, because ye are not of God.” For fools despise the wisdom of right dogma, and the doctrine of pure conversation, as the Pharisees did the words and works of Christ. Fourthly, their great misery: “are not of God.” What can be more unhappy than not to be of God? Hosea vii. 18, “Woe unto them! for they have fled from Me.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that in three ways the saints are to be of God. (1) By creation, as an effect from a cause : Rom. xi. 36, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.” (2) By justification, as the splendour from light: Ephes.v. 8, “Yewere sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord.” 1 S. John iii. 9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” (3) By imitation or assimilation, as a copy from a pattern: 1 S. John ii. 5, “Whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: surely know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also to walk even as He walked.”

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that the Word of God which the saints willingly hear is threefold. (1) Eternal: S. John i. 1, “In the beginning was the Word.” (2) Mental: Job iv. 12, “A thing [word, Vulg.] was secretly brought to me.” (3) Vocal: S. Matt. iv. 4, “Man shall not live by bread, &c., but by every word that proceedeth,” &c. The first they hear by faith : S. John xi. 25, “He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” The second by inspiration : Psalm lxxxv. 8, “I will hear