hion."[271] Each one, however, rightly desires to know those things
which concern himself. Hence, since no rectitude is lacking to the
Saints, they wish to know those things which concern themselves, and
consequently they must know them in the Word. But it belongs to their
glory that they should be able to help on the salvation of those who
need it, for it is thus that they are made co-workers with God--"than
which there is nought more Divine," as Denis says.[272] It is clear,
then, that the Saints have a knowledge of those things which are
requisite for this end. And so, too, it is manifest that they know in
the Word the desires, the devout acts and the prayers, of men who fly to
them for help.

Some, however, maintain that the Saints do not know our prayers, thus:

1. On the words of Isaias,[273] _Thou art our Father, and Abraham hath
not known us, and Israel hath been ignorant of us_, the Interlinear
Gloss has: "For the Saints who are dead know not what the living do,
even their own children." This is taken from S. Augustine's treatise _On
Care for the Dead_, xiii., where he quotes these words, and adds: "If
these great Patriarchs were ignorant of what concerned those whom they
had begotten, how can the dead be concerned with knowing and assisting
the affairs and the deeds of the living?" Hence it would seem that the
Saints are not cognizant of our prayers.

But these words of S. Augustine are to be understood of the
natural knowledge of the souls separated (from this world); and
this knowledge is not obscured in holy men as it is in sinners.
Moreover, S. Augustine is not talking of that knowledge which is
in the Word, a knowledge which it is clear that Abraham had not
at the time that Isaias said these things; for anterior to
Christ's Passion no one had attained to the Vision of God.

2. In 4 Kings xxii. 20, it is said to Josias the king:
_Therefore_--because, that is, thou didst weep before Me--_I will gather
thee to thy fathers ... that thy eyes may not see all the evils which I
will bring upon this place_. But the death of Josias would have been no
relief to him if he was to know after death what was going to happen to
his nation. The Saints, then, who are dead, do not know our acts, and
consequently cannot understand our prayers.

But although after this life the Saints know the things which
are done here below, we are not therefore to suppose that they
are filled wit