Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/97

 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,” &c. Secondly, hurtful lusts are the desires of riches: 1 S. Tim. vi. 9, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,” &c. Thirdly, the lusts of the flesh are when fleshly delights are longed for: Rom. xiii. 14, “Make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that fleshly lusts in three ways “ war against the soul,” and therefore it is needful for us to abstain from them. (1) They war against by ever fighting against it: Job vii. 1, Vulg., “The life of man upon earth is a warfare;" the whole life of man is like a certain conflict. (2) Mortally, in wounding it: Prov. xxi. 25, “ The desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labour.” (3) By inflicting eternal perdition and destruction : 1 Tim. vi. 9, “ Hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition ;” for fleshly desires kill by sin here, and in the future, kill with eternal death.

III. On the third head it is to be noted, that a good conversation consists in three things. (1) In purity of mind : 2 Cor. i. 12, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity. we had our conversation in the world.” (2) In honesty or holiness of manners: 2 Pet. iii. 11, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” (3) In perpetual avidity of the joys of heaven : Philipp, iii. 2, “Our conversation is in heaven.”

IV. On the fourth head it is to be noted, that a threefold benefit follows a good conversation. (1) The refutation or silencing of detractors, “ That whereas they speak against you :” 1 S. Pet. ii. 15, “ So is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (2) The being had in honour, “By your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation :” S. Matt. v. 16, “Let your light so shine before men,” &c. (3) The great reward promised to their conversation, “ in the day of visitation,” i.e., in the time of retribution; and God alone knows how great the glory then to be given to us. To which glory may we be led by Jesus Christ. Amen.