Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/41

bestowal of glory. Of the first, Rev. iv. 11, "Thou art worthy, Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." For they were in idea in the Divine mind, they were created to have an existence of their own. Of the second, Ps. xxx. 7, " Lord, by Thy favour [tua voluntate, Vulg.] Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong;" since, in recreating, the Lord renewed the Divine beauty in us, and strengthened it by the favour of the Holy Ghost. Of the third, S. John xvii. 24, " Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory." Ps. lxxiii. 24, "Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." II. In another sense, the will of God is " good " in us by cleansing us from all impurity; " acceptable " through the showing forth of pity; " perfect " from the fervour of charity. Of the first, 1 Thess. iv. 3, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification," i.e., cleansing. Of the second, S. Matt. ix. 13, " I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." Of the third, S. Luke xii. 49, " I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled?" By fire charity is understood. III. In a third sense, the " will of God " can be viewed as " good " in those who are married; "acceptable" in the continent; "perfect" in prelates who are preserved for perfection. In the married, as exciting them to works of mercy; in the continent, to do good to others like them; in prelates, to lay down their lives for the brethren. Of the first will can be understood Ps. cxiii. 10, "Teach me to do Thy will." Of the second, 1 Thess. iv. 4, " That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour,- not in the lust of concupiscence." Of the third, Ps. ciii. 21, " Ministers of His that do His pleasure." The reward of His will is eternal life - Ps. xxx. 5, " In His favour [voluntas, Vulg.] is life."

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