I q.2 Chrift yefus, the only Mediator ' Vol - I. (i.) That it is a known Rule amongft all. Divines, that no certain Argument can be drawn from the Circumftances of a Parable, but only from the main Scope and Intention ofit ; nor is it fo likely that the wicked in Hell fhould have any (hare in that, which St. Paul tells us, is the great Vertue of the Saints in Heaven, I mean Charity; and if theyhave it not, then noArgument can be drawn from it. Some of their Commentators think, that this Motion of the rich Man to Abraham concerning his Brethren, did not proceed from Charity to them, but to himfelf; left his Torment and Punifhment fhould be increafedby their coming to Hell, by the means of the ill Example which he had given them when he was upon Earth ; And Cardinal Cajetas thinks that he was concerned for his Brethren out of Pride and Ambition, andbecaufe it would be for the Honour ofhis Family, to have fome of them in that Glory (fo far above any thing in this World) which he faw Abraham and Lazarus poffeft of. This is a Reafon, which I confefs I fhould not have thought on ; and yet perhaps it mightbe likely enough to enter into the Mind of a Cardinal. And I cannot but obferve by the way, that this Petition or Requeft, which the rich Man in Hell made to Abraham, is the only Inftance we meet with in Scripture, of any thing like a Prayer that was put up to any of the Saints in Heaven. Well ! But fuppofe that the rich Man in Hell had this Charity for his Brethren, and we will eafily agree, that the Saints in Heaven have much more Charity, not only for their Kindred, but for all Men here upon Earth ; let us now confider the particular way and manner which the great Divines of the Church of Rome (I mean the School-men, who cannot be content to he ignorant of any thing) do affign of the Knowledge which the Saints in Heaven have of the Condition and Wants of Men here below. They tell us that they know all our Prayers and Wants in the Glafs of the Deity, or Trinity ; which Metaphor of the Clefs of the Deity, or Trinity, if it have any meaning, it muff be this, that the Saints in Heaven beholding the Face of God or the Divine Effence, in which the Knowledge of all things is contained, they may in that Glafs fee all things that God knows : But then, they fpoil all this fine Speculation again, by telling us, that this Glafs does not neceffarily reprefent to them all that Knowledge which is in the Divine Mind; but that it is a kindof voluntary Glafs, in which the Saints are only permitted to fee fo much as God pleafeth ; but how much that is, they cannot tell us. Which amounts to no more than this, that the Saints in Heaven know as much of our Condition here upon Earth, as God is pleafed to reveal to them : And if this be all, it is as good a Reafon whywe fhould pray to good Men in the EaJt. or Well-Indies, to pray for us and help us, becaufe they alfo know as much ofour Necefìties and Prayers, as God thinks fit to reveal to them. But if the Saints muff have a Revelation from God of our Prayers, before that they know that we pray to them ; then the fhorteft and fureft way both, is to pray to God, and not to them ; or however (as Bellarmine confeffeth) it were very fit to pray to God, before every Prayer we make to the Saints, that he would be pleafed to reveal that Prayer to them, that upon this Signal and Notice given them by God, they may betake themfelves to pray to God for us. But unlefs it were very clear from Scripture, that God had appointed this Method, it is in Reafon fuch a way about, as noMan would take that could help it : And it feems to me to as littlepurpofe ; for whyfhould not a Man think God as ready to grant him all his other Requefts, without the Mediation and Interceffion of Saints, as this one Requeft of revealing our Prayers and Wants to them ? And if this waybe not thought fo convenient, I knowbut one more, and that is, to pray to the Saints to go to God, and beg of him, that he would be pleafed to reveal to them our Supplications and Wants, that they may know what to pray to him for in our behalf ; which is juft fuch a wife courfe, as if a Man fhould write a Letter to his Friend that cannot read, and in a Poftfcript delire him, that as foon as he bath received it, he would carry it to one that can read, and entreat him to read it to him. So that which way foever we put the Cafe, what courfe foever we take in this Matter, it will be fo far from kerning Reafonable, that we (hall have much
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