Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/92

 in the world ye shall have tribulation.” Secondly, peace in ourselves: Job. v. 24, “ Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace.” S. Bernard, “ Peace to you is peace by you; and whatever seems to threaten without, you shall not fear, because it will not harm.” Thirdly, peace with our neighbours is necessary: Rom. xii. 18, “As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that peace with God implies three conditions—(1) That God must be feared : Ecclus. i. 22, “The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, filling up peace and the fruit of salvation.” Again, Ecclus. i. 27, “The fear of the Lord driveth out sin.” (2) That God must be hoped in : Isai. xxvi. 3, “ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is- stayed on Thee.” (3) That the commands of God must be obeyed: Isai. xlviii. 18, “O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river.”

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that three things are needful if a man would have peace with himself—(1) That he should submit himself wholly to God : Job. xxii. 21, 22, “Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace; .... lay up His words in thine heart.” (2) That he should ever guard bis good-will: S. Luke ii. 14, “ On earth peace, good-will towards men.” (3) That he should regulate every motion of the mind and body according to wisdom: Rom. viii. 6, Vulg., “The wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.” S. Matt. v. 9, “ Blessed are the peacemakers.” Gloss., “ The peacemakers are all who order the motions of the mind and subject them to reason, and who do not disagree in these things.”

III. On the third head it is to be noted, that three things are necessary to the man who desires to be in peace with his neighbour—(1) That he should do those things which are pleasing to God: Prov. xvi. 7, “ When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (2) That he should do no injury to anyone: 2 Cor. vi. 3, “Giving no offence;” and Ps. cxix. 165, “ Great peace have they who love Thy law.” It is the law of God that the things which we are unwilling should be done to us, we should not do to others ; but that which we should wish to be done to us, that we should do to others. (3) That we should show kindness to all: Rom. ii. 10, “ Glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good.